REKAT Sifu - What Happened?

joe90

joe90

Joined
Aug 17, 2001
Messages
346
I have been reading with interest the following article:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95303

What I would like to know is that the REKAT Sifu was produced as a LARGE folder which was, by all accounts, a seriously well built knife with excellent ergonomics.

Now, given that most production companies seem to limit their folder size to 4" blades max (?) so as to conform to 'standards' for mass production (and therefore profit margins I assume), why didn't REKAT do the same.

If would seem to me that if you have a great product, but it won't hit the market figures that you need for profitability, wouldn't you then adjust the design accordingly?

Any thoughts?

Joe
 
rekat made the pioneer and other folders in size that range (4" or so), what killed the sifu was imho the momentum behind that big blade was hard on the rolling lock (a very precisely fitted lock, do a search and check out the tolerances in the rolling lock, they were tight) and a lot of them had lock problems, i had 2 that did myself. most of the knives with the shorter blades didnt have the problem, at least ya never heard of it if they did. my smooth handle sifu cut the heck outta me 2 times, both times because of lock failure (sent it back to rekat and they fixed both times cost me the shipping though) and no i didnt inertia open it, and only LIGHTLY spine tapped it, it would seem ok but if only a little pressure was applied to the spine it failed, which wasnt a good thing, that big blade closing on your knuckles would get your attention, mine was very sharp too, still have a scar lol!

the owners/employees of rekats uncaring and sometimes insulting manner didnt hellp much either. they just really didnt seem to care one way/another about the customers, maybe i am wrong but thats the impression i got.

there are several better knives with better locks available in that blade length (ie cammilus maxx with its MUCH superior frame lock) and imho there wasnt anything special about the sifu other than the blade length.

i really liked the knives because of the 5.5" blade, but the unreliable rolling lock rendered the knife unsuitable imho for serious work, and none of the other rekats had any particularly noteworthy features, IIRC the sifu was the big seller i dont know if there was enough interest/demand to produce a smaller version of it though, i never heard any talk of it myself anyway.

i do know if ya have one now and it breaks ya are in trouble, i know of no one who works on them........

greg
 
I have to say I really liked the blade shape .. very reminiscent of the BM710 in some ways.

Thanks for the info Greg.
 
The SIFU was almost impossible to manufacture. It was wildly popular but so hard to make that the company lost money on it. I think it was the first model REKAT discontinued and they discontinued it at the height of its popularity. The company failed in the knife business for reasons other than the SIFU, though. Camillus had plenty of difficulties making their large folders as well. It isn't as simple as upsizing the parts. I'm no expert at knife manufacture but I've heard a lot about the difficulties making these knives have generated. Take care.
 
Sounds like an ideal opportunity for one of the current production guys (like Sal) to perhaps look at innovative ways to re-create the Sifu, in perhaps a smaller version?

But then again .. perhaps that was the reason for the initial popularity ... a BIG folding knife :D

Joe
 
I purchased one of the original SIFU's which just sits unused in my collection. It is one of the green handled versions in ATS 34. I always liked the item, but I never really used it. I think it has become a very neat collectors item as it was inventive and an interesting turning point in the popularity of the super folder idea.
 
Bad QC and terrible customer service were two major factors in REKAT's demise. I was totally behind the SIFU project from early on, participating in the threads here that led to it's creation. Even though it was a lot of money for me, I jumped on it when the Sifu first came up for sale and had #4 of the first 70 made. I looked forward with tremendous anticipation for it's arrival. I've never been so disappointed with a purchase in my life. There were several defects including pitting and actual rust on a brand new blade. Talking to Bob Taylor got me nowhere. I was so disappointed that I never even considered buying another REKAT.
 
joe90 said:
Sounds like an ideal opportunity for one of the current production guys (like Sal) to perhaps look at innovative ways to re-create the Sifu, in perhaps a smaller version?

But then again .. perhaps that was the reason for the initial popularity ... a BIG folding knife :D

Joe
Click to expand...

The good news is, Spyderco is working on a megafolder. From what little we've heard, it seems to be an in-house design rather than a repro of the Sifu or anything else. IMO, that's good -- I like megafolders, and as much as I liked the Sifu, I think there's much better, all-around useful designs for such a big folder. I think Camillus's Maxx series is a better all-around design, and am anxious to see if Spyderco can do better than that.
 
How strange to feel nostalgic about 2001! That was the beginning of my lurking on this forum, and it led to the purchase of many knives, including the Sifu. I would refer anyone interested in REKAT products to the REKAT forum archive for some really lively discussion of the Sifu and the rolling lock.

I'm glad to have my Sifu, but I no longer carry it. It's a collector's item, better mega-folders have come along (MAXXXXX), and that D2 is just miserable to re-sharpen. And least for me.
 
A Sifu was my EDC until the Camillus Maxx Bowie became available. I own two Sifus and had good luck with both of them, very reliable knives.

I have to agree with joe90 that the Sifu has a great blade shape. As much as I love my Maxx Bowie, I like the Sifu's overall ergonomics better, blade and grip. But the Maxx is lighter, thinner, and a whole lot tougher, which won me over.

These days I'm happy to EDC a Camillus Aftermath, which offers what I consider the best features of the Sifu combined with the best features of the Maxx.

--Bob Q
 
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