So the kind of crazy thing with this knife is that it is the first SURVIVE! knife I ever put money down for. I burst onto this scene right before the starter campaign took off and at that time the old spec stuff wasn't always available for sale. I jumped in on the starter while waiting impatiently for my grail GSO 5 to be up for sale. Since placing this very first order I have received several old spec knives direct from the company as well as some other new spec knives. I also snatched a couple old spec blades second hand.
Want to hear some things you already know?
The knife is hair shaving sharp, it does it with ease. The sheath has excellent fit. There is no sharp click when I sheath the knife, but retention is very solid.
I'll need to check to confirm, but it seems the balance is a little back towards the handle compared go my old 4.1, 4.7 and 5. Maybe the g10 (and of course non-skeletonized tang) are the cause. Regardless, it feels really good to hold and use. Did I mention how much I like the textured g10?!?
The big thing on my mind now is if I'll be able to get g10 handles to pimp out an SK some day.
I was hoping to fully commit to this over the weekend,
but more work than I had planned and a wedding anniversary are taking priority. I have such a hard life! This is where I'm at so far.
From the tiniest bit of batoning and some whittling/carving I did, I can feel some differences in the blade compared to the 4.7 or 5. I was surprised at myself that I actually really liked a slightly less tall (edge to spine) blade for the carving. Tall blades have always been my thing and that was a big part of the allure to the old 5 for me. Anyways, it was a lot of fun to use and did an exemplary job at the tasks I threw at it.
Cutting vegetables was better than I remember with the old 3.5, but still a wedge feeling compared to a dedicated kitchen knife. I believe in the right tool for the job, so this doesn't bother me. I want a knife that can destroy and finely carve wood and this knife does that.
Thanks for breakfast 4.1.
There are many others here who have loads of experience and really keen senses in feeling and comparing knives and steels and blade geometries. I often feel like I stumbled into a wine tasting and sat in between real sommeliers and I just showed up to get a buzz. I love GSOs, but don't have exactly what it takes to do an in depth review or comparison.
I had some random thoughts scribbled down about how I could do a comparison of my old spec 4.1 to the Becker bk16 in
@OBX351 's Head to Head thread, but I dragged my feet so long that my new spec 4.1 arrived. This should inspire me to get going on that little project again.
Thanks, SURVIVE! team!!!! I absolutely love this product and am so happy to see more customers getting their orders. Here's to increased capabilities and the start of great days ahead
