North Arms Skaha II

[marchone]

I placed an order last fall. I received an email confirmation. Something like a year and half out. Last week I checked to see where my spot on the wait list is. It wasn't there. I reloaded the page.

Correspondence with North Arms said I do not have a spot on their wait list. Apparently reloading it (or something like that) removed me from the list.

I sent them my confirmation. They basically said "That's how our system works."

Frustrating.

 

[SeppukuSamurai]

That's crap. Obviously they couldn't care less with such a long list of back orders. They're busy enough.

I'd spend my money somewhere else. Plenty of companies with comparable products that are more than willing to work for your business, much less correct their own mistakes.

 

[Thomas Linton]

That's crap. Obviously they couldn't care less with such a long list of back orders. They're busy enough.

I'd spend my money somewhere else. Plenty of companies with comparable products that are more than willing to work for your business, much less correct their own mistakes.

"Skaha Waitlist Closed
NEW: We have decided to put new sign-ups for the Skaha on hold until we catch up a bit with the backlog. Otherwise we’ll have people looking at two year waits and that’s not very inspiring. We are ordering some new equipment that we expect will help us increase production, but those are still a few weeks out.

Although you can’t get on the list for the time being, you can still check your position in the list as described below.

Check your wait time
You can now get an estimate for how long you’ll be on the waitlist by sending an email tocheck_skaha_waitlist@northarmknives.com. Set the Subject of the email to “Check Waitlist” and enter some text into the email body (this helps get it past our inbound spam filter). This is an auto-responder that will mail you back an estimate. We will update estimates about once per month and will not be manually looking up wait times going forward. This will allow us more time making knives.

We will email you with ordering instructions when your turn does come up."

 

[The Zieg]

I placed an order last fall. I received an email confirmation. Something like a year and half out. Last week I checked to see where my spot on the wait list is. It wasn't there. I reloaded the page.

Correspondence with North Arms said I do not have a spot on their wait list. Apparently reloading it (or something like that) removed me from the list.

I sent them my confirmation. They basically said "That's how our system works."

Frustrating.

You're a Gold Member and a long time member here, so forgive me for what will come off as patronizing: There is absolutely nothing about this knife that deserves your disappointment. It is absolutely ordinary. If their customer service does cannot set them apart, your money is better spent elsewhere. There are no doubt countless others in your situation and it will eventually crash their boutique business. I think you dodged a bullet.

Zieg

 

[marchone]

"Skaha Waitlist Closed
NEW: We have decided to put new sign-ups for the Skaha on hold until we catch up a bit with the backlog. Otherwise we’ll have people looking at two year waits and that’s not very inspiring. We are ordering some new equipment that we expect will help us increase production, but those are still a few weeks out.

Although you can’t get on the list for the time being, you can still check your position in the list as described below.

Check your wait time
You can now get an estimate for how long you’ll be on the waitlist by sending an email tocheck_skaha_waitlist@northarmknives.com. Set the Subject of the email to “Check Waitlist” and enter some text into the email body (this helps get it past our inbound spam filter). This is an auto-responder that will mail you back an estimate. We will update estimates about once per month and will not be manually looking up wait times going forward. This will allow us more time making knives.

We will email you with ordering instructions when your turn does come up."

Trust me. I followed their instructions. My spot was inexplicably dropped.

You're a Gold Member and a long time member here, so forgive me for what will come off as patronizing: There is absolutely nothing about this knife that deserves your disappointment. It is absolutely ordinary. If their customer service does cannot set them apart, your money is better spent elsewhere. There are no doubt countless others in your situation and it will eventually crash their boutique business. I think you dodged a bullet.

Zieg

You may well be right. In the last year or so I picked up a Shirogorov F3, two Laconico Keens (plain for me and a purple groove for my wife), and an MBK Laconico EZC. That's enough. I'm a user, not a collector.

Now I'm onto customs anyway. @Mike McCarter and @Hengelo_77 have both made fantastic fixed blade knives for me recently. Thanks to BF.

 

[DrRollinstein]

You're a Gold Member and a long time member here, so forgive me for what will come off as patronizing: There is absolutely nothing about this knife that deserves your disappointment. It is absolutely ordinary. If their customer service does cannot set them apart, your money is better spent elsewhere. There are no doubt countless others in your situation and it will eventually crash their boutique business. I think you dodged a bullet.

Zieg

Yeah you're wrong. The skaha 2 is a fantastic knife. Something being popular doesnt detract from how good it is. Sorry.

I'd say just watch the exchange on here honestly. I've owned two of the 2's in the past few months and I've seen plenty more.

If the system sucks it sucks. I dont think it's much of a reflection on their customer service though. They're a small small team completely thrown into the spotlight, so at least they're working on getting new equipment for it.

 

[marchone]

I'd say just watch the exchange on here honestly. I've owned two of the 2's in the past few months and I've seen plenty more.

The reviews are stellar. I look occasionally and have missed a couple by hours. Dibs on your next one. Seriously.

It's time to feed the PP account for exigencies.

 

[DrRollinstein]

The reviews are stellar. I look occasionally and have missed a couple by hours. Dibs on your next one. Seriously.

It's time to feed the PP account for exigencies.

Oh no, I kept the second one. I managed to get a carbon fiber one the second time so I'm set. I really liked the first one, minus the clip, so the wire clip is perfect.

 

[Lance Leon]

I had a positive experience with them; they replaced a Skaha with a slightly off center blade without any hassle. I didn't keep the knife in the end, but that's an aside.

It's not good that you got knocked off the waiting list. They could've put you back on manually or something, but I wouldn't call it truly bad CS, just less than one would hope.

 

[The Zieg]

Yeah you're wrong. The skaha 2 is a fantastic knife. Something being popular doesnt detract from how good it is. Sorry.

I'd say just watch the exchange on here honestly. I've owned two of the 2's in the past few months and I've seen plenty more.

If the system sucks it sucks. I dont think it's much of a reflection on their customer service though. They're a small small team completely thrown into the spotlight, so at least they're working on getting new equipment for it.

No apology necessary. I'm glad you've found a knife you love. And my remarks are not based on the knife's popularity. I simply don't see anything remarkable about this knife that deserves the frustration of being knocked off a waiting list. Its looks, features, and price are simply underwhelming.

But "de gustibus" and so on.

Zieg

 

[B.F.U]

You're a Gold Member and a long time member here, so forgive me for what will come off as patronizing: There is absolutely nothing about this knife that deserves your disappointment. It is absolutely ordinary. If their customer service does cannot set them apart, your money is better spent elsewhere. There are no doubt countless others in your situation and it will eventually crash their boutique business. I think you dodged a bullet.

Zieg

I'm perplexed every time I see the hullabaloo about this knife.

 

[tyyreaun]

There is absolutely nothing about this knife that deserves your disappointment. It is absolutely ordinary.

This, 100%. I bought a Skaha 2, sold it the next day. Seriously, it's not that great.

Nick Shabazz hyped it up, but he has (admitted) biases for 1) drop-shut action, and 2) thin blades. Drop-shut blades are a great way to cut yourself, and thin blade + strong detent = annoying (painful?) flipper tab.

Someone mentioned the Massdrop Keen - get that instead. Or the We Practic. At least for me, they're better in almost every way.

 

[marchone]

I got these three in the last year, plus a Purple Groove Keen. They're all stellar.

MBK EZC, Keen, Shiro F3.

 

[Rykjeklut]

Wrong thread

 

[sickpuppy1]

^bummer.

 

[IIDiode]

The wait makes other options far more appealing, I'll agree. I got mine when the wait was only about half a year.
It IS a fantastic knife, though. It is extremely keen, which is a refreshing change from the current climate of xbox-huge blades that are really just a sharpened slab with no real taper or geometry. The Skaha cuts and cuts and cuts, the CNC finish blade actually lends itself to a lack of binding in tough mediums like cheese or wet fibrous material.

Wouldn't suggest beating on them too hard as they are very, very thin. However mine has held up great to some reasonably demanding bush activity, heat treat is proper. The V2 is a huge improvement. The construction is extremely simple, having the clip screw retain the lockbar and ALSO having a lockbar made out of S35VN to mate with the blade is a massively overlooked detail of this knife, name another knife in this price range that offers that.. I don't think you can. You have an extremely long life on that lockup free of stick or slip because the S35 agrees with itself. I got in on the list a while back, and received the 4th carbon fibre model made. The CF is completely voidless, some of the best I have seen. Ultralight, ready to cut, Canadian made and backed by a virtual no questions asked warranty. Mine isn't totally drop shut, but will close immediately with a swing or tap, drop shut action is very low on my list of factors for a knife so that is neither here nor there. The flipper tab demands a lightswitch deployment which isn't painful in any way in my experience. Mine has an absolutely stellar detent, one of the best I own, which I chalk up to the makers ability to get it there and the flat faced design itself. Ergos are also world class, it is a knife knife. A knife for cutting things.

Is it the most striking design out there? no. Are you paying a premium for a knife made by a father and son shop out of Burnaby, BC? yes.
Both those points aside, I see no negatives to the Skaha II. I love mine, use and carry it often. I have knifes 4,5,6x the price of the Skaha that do not approach its functionality as a cutting tool.

 

[jeffsenpai]

xbox-huge blades

LOL haven't heard that one in awhile.

 

[DrRollinstein]

This, 100%. I bought a Skaha 2, sold it the next day. Seriously, it's not that great.

Nick Shabazz hyped it up, but he has (admitted) biases for 1) drop-shut action, and 2) thin blades. Drop-shut blades are a great way to cut yourself, and thin blade + strong detent = annoying (painful?) flipper tab.

Someone mentioned the Massdrop Keen - get that instead. Or the We Practic. At least for me, they're better in almost every way.

Painful flipper tab? Being cut by drop shut blades? You guys are just looking for reasons to dislike a popular blade, in my opinion.

My umnumzaan has cut me more times than any free dropping blade I've owned. The Skaha 2 is a fantastic knife. The 1 was really nice too, but man that clip was ugly.

 

[Jasonaut]

Love my v2 in carbon fiber. It cuts like a laser. I’ve got all the custom and production heavy hitters, yet somehow this one always ends up in my pocket.
It reminds me of the feel of a good mechanical pencil. Does what is supposed to with modesty and grace.
Sometimes simplest is the best-

 

[marchone]

Update. It looks like there was a glitch in their system after all.

Unexpectedly, I got an email Thursday from North Arms saying my spot has come up for a new Skaha II to my specs. So I bit on a CF and oil upgrade.

It’s been so long I honestly forgot about it. 17 or 18 months. Looking forward to receiving it.