Katz knives?

J

jester

Joined
Dec 27, 1999
Messages
118
Hey!

I am pretty new to this forum, so i have many many questions.

I haven't seen any posts about Katz knives.
I am planning to get one. (Lion King, maybe)
Are they a good buy? What about the steel?
Can someone tell me about any good or bad experiences with Katz?

Thanks for your help.


 
Hi, Pretty much at the beginning of my HEAVY knife addiction I bought a Katz folder "Cheetah" if I´m not mistaken. it´s one solid lockback, that´s very heavy but feels good in the hand. It comes with a leatherpouch that was not of the highest quality. I like it but I do not wear it that often, dunno why.
About the steel I can´t really say much, so far it held up good, but then I didn´t really over use it.
Hiope this helps.
Matt from Munich
 
I happen to have a Lion King for sale. Hardly ever used and razor sharp. This is one big brute of a knife and very nice lines. If you have small hands, forget it.
If you're interested in buying it, I can give it to you for a very good price.
Lenny
 
i'm interested in comments on the steel. the only writing i've seen about it was in their adds, so of course it was good. but how about real life. i'd expect XT70 to be about AUS-8 and the XT-80 to be about ATS-34 or 440C, but i have no basis for that. i just compared hardness with their price point to come up with that. does anyone know composition? and i'd appreciate all comments about how it does in real life from Katz owners.
 
I have some Katz knives and I have a good experience with them. Hollow ground drop point blade provides powerful and at the same time precise cutting. Edge with continuos curve and pronounced belly in first half has slight recurve in second one. This helps to apply cutting power depending on your needs. You can cut thick ropes and sharpen color pencils with the same knife without any discomfort.
Blades on general line knives are made of XT 80 stainless steel - really great edge retention, comparable to ATS-34 or even better and not as difficult to resharpen as exotic steels like D-2 or M-2. Blades on lightweight line knives (by weight and by price) are made of XT 70 stainless steel, also great edge retention. Saying honestly I can't to note noticeable difference between both. I use hard my Black Kat Lightweight folder during three years and I'm very satisfied. My Special Forces Knife with XT 80 steel blade is much newer but I'm also very satisfied with it edge retention.
Reasonable thick blades (5 millimeters) and full tang construction make Katz fixed blades very strong. General line folders (lock-backs) are very strong also. I think these knives are a bit overweighed, in my opinion they might be lighter without any strength compromising. I think it's due to Keith Derkatz own liking, some years ago he said me he likes solid, heavy knives and ladies with 200 and more pounds ;-))
Very natural grip provides great hand comfort when working hard. Knife balance also contributes to less hand fatigue. Buying King Lion knife you can choose handle material between very ergonomic and non-slippery Kraton and some kind of exotic ones like stag, white ivory micarta etc.
Please note: almost all Katz knives utilize the same handle-blade shape philosophy would it be folding Cheetahs, Special Force/S.W.A.T. folders, general line fixed blade knives, fixed blade lightweights of Black Kat lightweight folders with Zytel handles. Deep cutout under forefinger provides very safe and secure grip even on guardless folding knives.
I think you can't to go wrong with Katz knives whichever model would you choose.


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Sergiusz Mitin
gunwriter
Lodz, Poland
 
thank you very much for your comments. it was exactly what i was looking for. i guess i'll have to look a little more closely at their line. their little "kitty caper" seems like it could be a great little carry blade if you got a kydex sheath made for it.

sergiusz-i personally found the M-2 knife i have to get EXTREMELY sharp with little effort. i think it was the easiest to sharpen out of all the steels i've tried. what knife in M2 caused you problems? i'm interested because i've been looking for more in this steel and maybe even at having one made to my specs. thanks again for your help.
 
leroys_45,
Sorry, I didn't formulate my think enough precisely. I meant that XT 80 steel is easier to sharpen than high-speed tool steels.
No, I had no problems with some knives with high-speed steel or tool-steel blades. I use DMT diamond sharpeners and GATCO ceramics and both can sharpen each blade without difficulty. Simply some steel can be sharpened with more efforts and another with less; it's the reason of my comparison. However this comparison is very subjective, the effort when sharpening knife depends not on blade steel only.
As to your comparison AUS-8 with XT 70 and ATS-34 with XT 80 - generally you are right. I tested edge retention cutting cardboard: XT 70 blade (Katz Black Kat Lightweight folder) and AUS-8 blade (Timberline Special Service knife) both were sharpened for hair-popping sharpness and then I started to cut wave-cardboard sheets. I made 10 cuts with one knife and 10 cuts (with the same length) with other. After each 10 cuts I tested shaving ability on hair on my forearm or leg. The AUS-8 blade lost shaving ability first but difference wasn't too large.
I repeated the same test on XT 80 blade (Katz Special Forces knife) and ATS-34 blade (BM 710) with the same result: ATS-34 lost shaving abilities first and also with minimal difference.
Please treat these results with good deal of distance, I can't to warranty the same cardboard properties, sheet per sheet.
No, I don't know the composition. In March I'll meet Mr. Keith Derkatz in person on IWA'2000 gun show in Nuremberg and I'll ask him this question.
Provo, UT, is the native city of North American Arms revolvers and pistols - great mini-guns, but it would be a bit off-topic, sorry ;-))
 
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