SHOT Show 2019--New Knives

Emerson has bunch of nice prototypes moving more into the outdoor market even including mountains
in their logo. Too bad their knives are overpriced.
Steel Will. I have a Cutjack, excellent knife. I will be getting the new Lanner.
SOG's SealXR looks cool but is all hype/BS. The rep says something like made for Operators by operators the size they wanted, the steel they wanted, etc. I wonder if they wanted the plastic handles too. Attention SOG...not everyone is a knife nut and most people wouldn't even know what S35V even is.
Kershaw....well Walmart will be happy to sell your imports.:
Buck are you kidding? A plastic handle flipper in 420HC for a Grant
Spyderco has a new lightweight Para 3 FRN handle with Carpenter BD steel. Cool.
Benchmade - same old stuff. :(
Cold Steel making more toys (ie; plastic butterfly knife).
Condor hey I like your new hatchet and puuko.
Have not seen others yet but looking forward to it
 
Totally agree with vanadium. I like to see less knives being built for target markets, like accessories.
I like to see less flippers, frame locks and metal handles. l like to see more good looking but functional knives, instead of tacticool looking pieces with crosses and shields for few thousand dollars. Whoever wants those - let them have it, there is plenty of companies that make those and have loyal customers, just let's not make this a trend, a folder can be pretty and functional without looking goofy and shouldn't cost a suburban house mortgage payment... Nothing against free market rules, just don't find normal to see a $60 materials put together and sold for 3 grand... I don't mind that the product cost as much as someone is willing to pay for it, I do mind imposing the mentality that you have to have the 3 grand knife, otherwise you don't have taste for what it is...
I was too busy to go to the SHOT this year. Looking at the new knives coming - I didn't miss anything. I'm only interested of the Para 2 tanto that is supposed to come, possibly, this year and I like the new Hinderer models, that's about it.
 
I want to see more functionally and contextually driven designs. Designs that have a clear mission statement revolving around real-world use, and being specific about it. I want to see manufacturers designing to their unique core competencies instead of trying to do whatever everyone else is. I want to see more "back to basics" aesthetics with clean lines that are done just so. And I want to see a focus on minimizing functions so that they can truly excel instead of trying to cram as many features into a single tool as possible. I want stuff that's more fun to use than it is to buy. But I want that every year, all the time.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I want to see more functionally and contextually driven designs. Designs that have a clear mission statement revolving around real-world use, and being specific about it. I want to see manufacturers designing to their unique core competencies instead of trying to do whatever everyone else is. I want to see more "back to basics" aesthetics with clean lines that are done just so. And I want to see a focus on minimizing functions so that they can truly excel instead of trying to cram as many features into a single tool as possible. I want stuff that's more fun to use than it is to buy. But I want that every year, all the time.
Click to expand...
And I want to see your new fixed blade knife!
 
Looking forward to the ZT 0640. It’s priced a little high, and the clip is trash, but at least it doesn’t have a flipper. The last ZT I cared for was the ZT0550. Gonna put an Emerson clip on it and see what I think.

Emerson designed, ZT built, and a potential Sebenza 21 competitor to boot.

Benchmade almost had me with the new M4 Freek, but I’m a dollar short and they’re a day late with the M4. Maybe in a few months I’ll grab one.
 
I've been watching the Blade HQ vids and one knife that impresses me is the Gerber Fastball. It kinda looks like a Kershaw IMHO, but a bearing flipper made in the USA with S30V for a $100? Yes please! To bad I won't be able to get one here in Canada.
 
Halfneck said:
Ok back on track

No idea if they are at SHOT, but has anyone else seen the pics of the new Case Shark Tooth?View attachment 1061037
Click to expand...

This just seems...wrong to me somehow. It's probably because it's not what you expect from Case. I am sure these will be well made (because they're by somebody else, Southern Grind iirc) so if I see one at a decent price, might make a good dress up folder. Of course, I've got so many of those already, not sure there's anything unique enough about it for me to grab it.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I want to see more functionally and contextually driven designs. Designs that have a clear mission statement revolving around real-world use, and being specific about it. I want to see manufacturers designing to their unique core competencies instead of trying to do whatever everyone else is. I want to see more "back to basics" aesthetics with clean lines that are done just so. And I want to see a focus on minimizing functions so that they can truly excel instead of trying to cram as many features into a single tool as possible. I want stuff that's more fun to use than it is to buy. But I want that every year, all the time.
Click to expand...
I have to agree with you. Last year Benchmade brought out the Mini Presidio II folder (Post Shot Show) which is a axis lock manual knife with small thumbstud and metal "handles". I liked the look of it in pictures, and looked at one in person and bought it. It was pushing the upper limits of my $ range for a knife, but I still got it. I would never have ordered it online because of the metal sides. But in person, I handled it and it worked very well for me. This knife functioned perfectly, well made, and did precisely what I wanted it to do. Last year it was all about flippers..... I suspect this year will be the same.
 
Have you saw new Condor knives?
I want that chopper. I dont need one, but I want one. Being Condor the price will be good. Yes, its only 1075 carbon steel, but who cares, when you have a demolition tool in your hands.
 
1075 is kind of an ideal choice for machetes, so there's no "only" about it. Better that than 1055, and 1095 brings no advantage to the table for a machete, while adding several drawbacks.

I'm kind of underwhelmed by the offerings this year. I'm excited about the Terrasaur, but that was announced last year as a 2018 item and it never materialized, so I'm not holding my breath until it's actually in my hands. Too many new models that are redundant with existing models and too many models with micarta, which bumps up the price significantly and continues to push the brand further and further from the budget-friendly brand identity they used to have. They're still a reasonable value for the feature set, but that price point is going up and up the more of those kinds of features you add. The Cavelore is cool, but it's just a cosmetic re-skin of the Bushlore, and the Mini Kephart is neato, but those three are basically the only ones that strike me as good fits for what I like most about Condor. It really feels to me like they're losing focus and going all "Cold Steel" with their product lines. Which works for Cold Steel, but I don't think it's what Condor is best positioned as.
 
Some interesting new additions for Condor. Will wait and see what shows up at dealers. I would like to look at the Mini Kephart in person. Don't think I will blindly buy it.
 
Meh. If I need to split wood, I'm using a hatchet. And bladesports aren't my thing. So it ticks none of the boxes for me, though I can understand the appeal to some folks.
 
vanadium said:
For those who find this SHOT Show boring (and by extension, the current direction of the industry) what would you like to see?

I find myself "judging a book by its cover" on most new knife releases, because not much substantive change is coming with new models.

Where could things be headed long-term that would actually reflect progress?

Speaking for myself, I'd like to see:
  • Spyderco showing progress on making their US factory's quality on par with Taichung's.
  • ZT having a semblance of brand heritage and returning to a focus on practicality instead of nonfunctional gimmicks.
  • Factory makers solving the two-stage 'tick-tock' detent ball thing on framelocks and linerlocks, like Koenig already has.
  • US companies throwing some extra screws in the box. If China can do it, the US can do it. WTF.
Click to expand...

How about no more t6 screws period! That is progress. Hardened screws would be progress too.
 
Actually I thought of something else worth mentioning. The Emerson Overland folder appears to have a significantly thinner primary edge bevel, as well as the option to have no wave. That's a step in the positive direction for a company whose knives I otherwise detest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top