Who carries Okapi knives?

L

lonestar1979

Joined
Mar 2, 2014
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Anyone carrying and using Okapi knives,any experiences,and stories are welcome.My favorite knives right now are Kudu by Cs and Okapi knife with locking ring and carbon steel blade.I have the small Okapi slip joint on order too:)!These are great,light, hold edge well anough,easy to sharpen ,and classic.Overall great knives for edc,and if you lose one,you can easily replace it.
 
Who carries Okapi Knives? Keith Richards ;)

And me! Sometimes :D :thumbup:

 
I love these knives.
I carried mine for a long time back when I first got it, great work knife for sure.
Eventually, I've chosen to carry smaller, less intimidating blades, especially in
the work area, as whipping out a ring-lock can get some nervous attention.
Keith Richards looks like he carries a custom version of the Okapi.
The photos or video clips I've seen with him with the knife, it's definitely not
the classic Okapi with the metal handle design etc.. He's always claimed he was
first given the knife during one of his earliest stays in Jamaica... so then he most
likely had the classic version then, but now he's got a customized version.
 
The market is flooded with fakes these days, but the originals are nice knives and workhorses.
 
I have yet to come across an Okapi at a reasonable price. At around five bucks, a Kudu makes a pretty good beater blade if you want to cut up a melon or mug some tourists.
 
I agree that Kudu is better knife overall,and with better price,but like classic looks of okapis,and carbon steel thats real easy to touch up on almost anything.Kudu and Eland cant be beat for price in my opinion,real working knives,for hard use too,and self defense.Their steel is not bad either.After blade regrinds Kudu and Eland cut like straight razors!
 
My Okapi, I prefer it without the metal ring.

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The Okapi is very rough as it arrives, mine was anyway. But it can be made into a nice knife.

The handle is sort of pressure cast with resin when made, just use sand paper in the blade slot & oil or wax it, mine was very rough in there.

Photos & description of the South African factory making them, see the wood/resin handles in post #3.
http://www.sablade.com/forums/showthread.php?2723-Okapi-visit

Mine needed sanding, blade grinding to make it sharp & the lock detent filing to make it lock solid, the pivot pin peening & the spring tweeked, after all this it locks up very solid............ :rolleyes:

I also have a couple of small "made in Germany" Okapi slipjoints, much better fit & finish than the S.A ones now, will take a photo of them.
 
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I regrind most of my blades,so little handle sanding is no issue!The slip joint Okapi is cool too,and after regrind they cut very well,same as with Kudu which I love!
 
LOVE carbon steel that touches up fast,have been sharpening for 30yrs,and can sharpen anything but when you can return it to razor sharp in few swipes,that is what counts in my book,only stainless that is excellent and performs same is opinel 12c27 and victorinox steel!
 
The small slipjoints, nice little knives that I bought new-old-stock with corroded blades.

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Had some friends that went hunting in Africa.They gave the guys doing the skinning some customs as gifts(don't remember customs makers)they were thanked with big smiles! When they left ,the guys went back to using their cheap Okapies!
Jim
 
I've had one for years that I picked up for cheap at a scouting event. Never used it or carried it but it looks like all it would need is some sharpening to be usable. It locks up nice and tight.
 
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