Strider Knives -- Real World Stories?

Brian Jones

Brian Jones

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Here's where people can brag about Strider knives. Although I haven't had a chance to use them in the field, I held a few pieces out at the Las Vegas Classic last month, and they rock. Next on my list are a couple Strider pieces. Over at the Strider forum on an older thread, Knifebomber posted this about Strider knives in action (he is an aerial gunner on a helicopter, and just served in Afghanistan):

I've seen a Strider MT driven into a rock face and used as the primary point off which this someone rappelled off a cliff. Hmm, what else. I've seen an idiot beat his DB edge first against a piece of rebar until he was blue in the face only to have it retain a perfectly usable cutting surface. I've seen a Caddy (Car) pretty much cut apart by a SEAL 2000. I know of a helicopter tail boom that was cut off by a Strider. I know of Master Locks that were popped off with a WB. That and my SLCC cuts some pretty mean string too!
Click to expand...

Let's hear your stories!

Brian.
 
Used my AD last summer as a wildland firefighter. Opened a lot of MREs, put air-vent holes in the heavy plastic drums "foam" comes in in addition to cutting off the caps when they were stuck on, used it to pry the chain back onto a hosereel after it slipped off, used the back of it like a hammer to knock slag off a hose-rack we were welding together and to round out some of the holes we burned through 1/4" angle iron. Chipped some JB weld off a pipe-fitting, used it to pry the shelves out of some storage bins we were reworking, etc. Used it to break up some snags and check the inside for embers (procedure: insert in crack in tree, lean on with full 250 lbs, listen for tree to pop open). I should mention that I broke the handles on a few Pulaskis doing similar stuff. Came through good, though it's not pretty to look at. No edge chipping, only a little bit of rolling. Tended to rust pretty easy, I think mostly because of the bead-blasting, but that cleans up. Maybe someday I'll send it back to have it reconditioned, but I don't much care what it looks like as long as it keeps doing the job.
 
I have a GB folder, and I have opened two server crates, coffee cans, countless boxes, pryed a wood rack out of the roof of an old truck. It has done all sorts of things without a hickup, the only thing is if you are wearing very soft pants, it might wear away at the pocket it is clipped too.

All in all, it is the mother of all hard use folders.
 
My MFS and 6.5 MSC Custom BOTH endured weeks on the cluttered workbench of Robert Humelbaugh at Survival Sheath Systems...

Known for his completely unsolicited field testing of my personal knives and Tomahawks, Robert worked both knives over well, in and out of their Concealex rigs like a dog-in-heat and both remained shaving sharp! ;)
 
Okay, you Strider Dogs, listen up!

How about someone with a camera and a Strider product take a few moments to offer a concise eval of your Strider knife? Users make the best experts so let's hear from those who are - or have - really put a Strider through some real world taskings.

Basic info includes blade steel, temper at ricasso and edge (if known or available), number of guards, sheath type and material, point design, knife application and employment, how it carries, how it draws and is put back into the sheath, how easy or hard to sharpen or hone in the field, and so on.

Hearing great things about Strider Knives. Let's share street stories and evals if these babies are as hot as they sound on the forum.

Sierra912
 
The most recent American Handgunner Tactical Annual has an article I wrote, but more importantly that Ichiro Nagata did the photos for. I have been using Striders as my primary "work" edged tools since the mid 90's. They have been deployed several times as improvised breaching tools during high risk warrant services, they have become my master key of choice for dopers who never know where the key is to the mysteriously locked footlocker full of dope. I have cut up aircraft and vehicles with both their fixed and folders (and of course the ax). I love the way the "non-ergonomic" handles fit my hand in a manner in which they will stay there no matter how messy things get. They make a wide variety of tools to meet almost any mission parameters-from discrete carry to a battlefield weapon. I always have one close by or on me. The Strider/SOE sheathes are great for field work. I usually have my concealment blades custom sheathed by Frank Oleson at Skunkworks, but the Strider kydex that comes with the concealment blades is better than most makers. Overall, they aren't real pretty, but they are outstanding purpose built tools.
 
At Nyeti's seminar (Thanks again btw! When's the next one? :) ), Mick and Duane put one of their blades through a folding metal chair and also chipped away good-sized pieces of concrete from the ground. Coool.
 
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