Shirogorov Neon alternatives?

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mantzao

Joined
Jun 16, 2011
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Hello guys,

Even though i never handled one i like everything about it.
The ffg blade, simple lines, lock, size...however, despite being hard to get, it comes with a price tag i refuse to pay for any knife.
So is there a cheaper quality alternative?
Let me know your thoughts please.

Thanks
 
As a Shiro owner wannabe, I’m interested in what the BF crew has to say about Neon alternatives. I have a ZT 0450 and a Reate Hills, they’re both good solid knives and I like them both a lot, but I suspect the Shiros have an entire dimension of quality that goes well beyond my far less costly pieces. At least I hope they do, in light of the Shiro prices.
 
Thanks for the alternatives so far but i want something with similar dimensions, not full size knives
 
The ZT 0450 is close to the size of the Neon. Once I got the Neon I sold the ZT no comparison in quality or price. The shiro has pretty much spoiled me for other knifes. I only have one other that can due EDC it is the North Arm Skaha II a little bit bigger, a liner lock, and a lot harder to get than a Neon IMHO.
 
Stumpy72 said:
I have a ZT 0450 and a Reate Hills, they’re both good solid knives and I like them both a lot, but I suspect the Shiros have an entire dimension of quality that goes well beyond my far less costly pieces.
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IIRC Shiros directly from the factory are like half the price that they go for here in the states. I think an F3 is like $375 if you got it direct.

I had an F3 that was nice but nothing really made it stand apart from my other knives in the $700+ range. They are nice, but they are grossly overpriced when compared to other knives in its class.

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The simple design and size is what i love most about them.
Shirogorov still produces the neon, correct?
 
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mantzao said:
Hello guys,

Even though i never handled one i like everything about it.
The ffg blade, simple lines, lock, size...however, despite being hard to get, it comes with a price tag i refuse to pay for any knife.
So is there a cheaper quality alternative?
Let me know your thoughts please.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Nothing I've held or seen compares to the neon lightweight. It's an amazing knife and worth it's wealth.

Nothing else compares. Give one a try, you will want to save up and get one.
 
Mo2 said:
Nothing I've held or seen compares to the neon lightweight. It's an amazing knife and worth it's wealth. Nothing else compares. Give one a try, you will want to save up and get one.
Click to expand...
I took a look around earlier today and I couldn’t even find any at reputable vendor websites. “Sold out” and “Out of stock" seem to be the universal word. Do you know if they come out at some specific time of year or whatever else the drill may be?
 
Stumpy72 said:
I took a look around earlier today and I couldn’t even find any at reputable vendor websites. “Sold out” and “Out of stock" seem to be the universal word. Do you know if they come out at some specific time of year or whatever else the drill may be?
Click to expand...
I do not know. The only US distributor might have an answer for you. Otherwise you can sometimes find them used.
 
You really have to watch for them. The one authorized US seller is easy to find on social media and that may be your best bet to snag one. I bought my Neon Ultra Light second hand, lnib, for $550. I believe that is what the price is on that vendor's site as well. I certainly don't enjoy dropping that coin on a knife when I know that a Sm. Sebenza has every "must-have" attribute I desire at a new price of $375. I really like my Neon and I'm happy with the purchase... even though I dropped it on a tile floor the other day and it now has a -$100 ding on the handle now. While I cannot say it is "worth $550" I can say that I do a lot of research and I also own/have owned a few other similar knives and I don't know of another similar knife that I really feel covers all of the bases I like in a knife as well or any better. Take, for example, a Ray Laconico knife. Its beautiful. Its awesome. But, on different models, the handle screws either thread into the handle scale or into a backspacer. I find this unacceptable unless there is a lot more opposing shear force in the knife, such as a PM2's lanyard tube. From a mechanical engineering standpoint, the Laconico is hardly better built than a Kershaw Leek. ...and so it goes... Shiro's knives really have so much to them... arguably unsurpassed build quality, functional design, simplicity, elegance, top notch materials and exceptionally designed/used and placed fasteners. I suppose you would have to make a list of likes and dislikes of the Neon and then do the same with other knives.
 
Ask yourself, would you really use and carry a 600.00 knife every day without fear of losing it or messing it up. Would you be leery of taking the knife apart and cleaning it ?. The bearings in a Shirogorov are not caged and can easily be lost.
IMO, a Shirogorov is the smoothest flipper I own. My ZT’s are good flippers, but not as smooth as a Shirogorov. I don’t have any experience with any other brand already mentioned. I’d vote for the ZT0450 as a comparison to the Neon in size
 
Thorburn L51 Compact,full custom,smoother than any other flipper.Not cheap but amazing blade!
 

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I now have a Shiro Neon with a HatiOn on the way.
Before the Neon, my highest quality knife that was comparable Reate Wave and Liong Mah Lanny. Both of these knives have attributes and designs which I love. My Reate Wave was my favourite knife until I got my Neon.

One thing I don’t see mentioned about the Neon is the oh so easy and beautiful disengagement. The lockbar is just a joy to disengage. It’s easy to access, has a nice and smooth thumb cutout and doesn’t require much pressure to slide across. The neon really has ruined other flippers for me.

It’s a lot of money for one knife for me, but I felt it more often and enjoy it a lot more than my Wave and Lanny.

Plus I love the thinness of the Neon, the Lanny and Wave feel like a brick compared to it.
 
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I’m no expert in Shiros but i think the Neon Ultra Lite is the cheapest. Idk the price on the Hation but it is the neon with a composite front scale maybe it is abit cheaper?

You might as well just save up and buy a used Shiro for the best price you can find off of the exchange on this forum. No matter what other knife you get it is not going to be a shiro and you will just end up buying your shiro substitute which will only make you want the real deal more. I saw a 95 something...i forget the designation. It was the cheapest 95 the so called “beginner shiro” with the g10 inlay for 500$

However I do tend to agree with blues bender. The only reason these knives are so expensive is because the price seems to go through the roof when they are imported. In reality these knives should be like half the price.
 
I've heard good things about the Millit Torrent.
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My best advice is to save enough to be able to afford the real thing or wait long enough to where you can swallow the price tag. This thread brings me back to when I was looking for alternatives to the Sebenza because I didn’t want to spend the $. Well... I own 6 now:D Your threshold might change over time. And the way I look at it it’s like buying a ZT 0562 because you want a Hinderer. It might hold you off for awhile but in the end you’ll probably end up buying what you originally wanted (this happened to me:)). And the nice thing about the Neon is that for any reason if you’re not completely satisfied and can’t justify the price you can sell it on the secondary market and recoupe either most of or all of what you paid for it:thumbsup:
 
I have Neon and ZT 450 I like them both a lot. Must be my top two EDC folders Neon is more refined though. I would love to get a custom Orso form Anso looks very nice indeed (but it starts at $1350). Millit Torrent should be comparable but it is impossible to get at the moment.
 
Thanks for the thoughts people but i guess some of you are right.
If i want it there is nothing else that can fill that gap.
Still don't know if i can find any in EU used at a decent price but i will probably be looking for one.
The Neon is one of those knives you can never tell your wife how much it costs :D
Btw, like many knives there are a lot of clones of this model so what should i be looking at to make sure i have a real one?
 
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