Hi Skall. Thank you for your honest opinion! We are glad that you like the knife that we have send you. Alexander Cheburkov is a Russian knifemaker from Pavlovo. He isn't really well known, overall due to the fact, that nobody of his team speaks english. So the communication isn't that easy. Most of his knives are handmade and also sharpened by himself. The Scout that you got from us was produced by a CNC machine, but the finish is handmade. About the materials: he uses lots of different materials like: timascus,bones,titanium,damascus steel,carbon etc. There's also a video on my channel from the IWA show in Nuremberg (Germany) where I had the pleasure to meet him and take a look at some new models :) Personally I really love his work. Kind regards, Daniel
Skallagrim reviewing a high-end knife? Instant like. There's something special to holding a high-end knife and experiencing the fit and finish that comes with that price range first hand. I've been collecting high end folders for about three years now and it is an incredibly fun (and expensive) hobby. Part of me hopes that you catch the bug, but part of me hopes that you don't for the sake of your wallet! Also, I know this comment will likely just be buried and go unacknowledged, but if you ever want to review more high-end knives, I'd be willing to send some along -- just reach out to me via pm.
Here's some knife steel 101 for anyone interested. When discussing knife steels people generally talk about 3 properties: toughness, hardness and stain resistance. Toughness is basically how much abuse a knife can take before breaking. It includes lateral stress and impact toughness. Tougher steels tend to bend and deform before breaking or chipping. This makes them more durable and easier to fix. Generally speaking, more toughness is GREAT! Hardness is basically how resistant a steel is to wear. It also determines edge retention. The harder a steel, the longer it takes to dull, generally speaking. The price you pay for this hardness is twofold: the steel tends to be more brittle and the blade may chip instead of curling (curling being the easier to fix) AND harder steels are more difficult to sharpen. A third factor is how hard a steel is to work with as a knife producer, but as a consumer that doesn't concern us (except that they cost more because of the difficulty to tool and work). Stain resistance is how hard a steel is to tarnish or rust. It's about that simple. The compounds added to steel that give it this property tend to compromise other ideal qualities such as toughness or hardness (edge retention). NOTE: Steel hardness is measured on the Rockwell C hardness scale. Common knife steel hardness can be between 52 and 66 RC. The grade is usually denoted as a range such as 60-62 RC or as HRC 56-58, as examples. Some steels have an ideal hardness much lower than others. Higher RC is not necessarily better. If you harden a particular steel beyond its ideal range then you can end up with a brittle mess. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_scale Before "super steels", a knife maker had to decide if a steel was going to give up some toughness to be more wear resistant, or that they would give up stain resistance in order to hold a better edge. With super steels, the grain is so fine and the clean that knives can now have very high toughness and retain a razor sharp edge for much longer while not being overly difficult to sharpen... oh, and also be almost (almost!) impervious to rust and stains. This is what makes super steels, such as M390 or ELMAX, so desirable. www.zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=m390 Another factor to consider is the production process for the steel itself. Particle metallurgy is a process by which steels is blown into dust as a stream of molten steel is passed in front of an air source. The dusts (particles) are then used in a mold which is heat/compressed into an ingot. This process creates a finer grain and more uniform structure of... well... you get it. The process is quite complex and makes a much higher grade steel and allows for the insertion of compounds that the traditional process will simply not allow. Hence it costs more and is much more effective as a knife steel. You can read more here about Crucible's process here: www.crucibleservice.com/eselector/general/generalpart3.html
Stanley Clark , kind of sad, but yes unfortunately , russian hookers and talking crap about " wtf, 500$ knife? thats stupid" gets more thumbs up..science and knowledge are Lame apparently. thanks for the helpful links
I once had a room that cost under 250€. It wasn't fancy, but not that bad either. The cost of living in north America seems to be a so much higher than in Europe (it certainly is near L.A., I lived there for 6 months and payed 3x the rent that I did in Germany for a smaller place...).
Background is fantastic! Btw, I am a Russian, and like... any Russian, and really happy to see Russian-made products reviewed. The VAT and other import taxes/sanctions/difficulty of import reduce the amount of stuff you see reviewed by non-Russian reviewers and such; but in my experience, it's always been fantastic stuff. Highly educated population, growing manufacturing class and great raw materials... recipe for good products. That being said... 500 euros is a lot. So this better be really *really* good.
Man. Weird how times change. Your channel was one of the first blade-related channels I ever watched. I was probably in high school. Let's not talk about that being in 2009... I remember you had spoken in decent regard about Camillus knives and inspired me to go get my first "good" knife (lol) at bass pro shops. I picked up a Camillus, naturally. Fast forward 13 years... as I purchase a Cheburkov Scout today and am watching reviews and stumble across this. Love it.
I actually bought this one. Love the futuristic handle milling paired with a no nonsense edc blade. The lifetime guarantee is a nice plus. Also the knife is super lightweight.
That full flat grind is very well done, nice clean plunge line. The chamfering on the flipper tab and overall finish do suggest a knife of very high quality.
You probably already know this, but from what I see I'm guessing that knife has captive bearings for the washers. Btw this isn't the knife I would take and thrash but, from what I see it could probably take it. The knife looks to have a steel lock face, over time of flipping if the lock bar face was made out of just titanium it could deform and possibly give the knife blade play. Having the face made steel and the body titanium gives it a longer lasting lockup without suffering for weight. Also it makes it unlock easier with less stick. And the milling on the titanium is really well done, ti is a pretty hard thing to mill. They even milled the pocket clip so that's a bonus cool feature although sometimes milled clips don't accommodate thick clothing very well. Also they seem to have milled out the hardware, so it can probably be taken apart and put back together pretty smoothly, also because of the tight tolerances it might have a lesser chance of stripping out too.. Anyway giving you some things I would like to hear about it in the review. Besides you just cutting with it witch is probably the most important thing..
Try throwing it into the fire, the next words will appear: "For the glory of the Soviet Union, we make this knife, made of the finest Stalinium, extracted in the deepest mines of Siberia, manufactured with the original machines in the Red October factory in Stalingrad, heated with only 100% russian gas and quenched in the most pure vodka, making it represent the soul and strengh of the motherland"
I love all the people talking smack about the price, you guys are the real heros. Great video, nice knife. it looks like it has a beautiful movement and it's the right size. I don't normally go for the high end folder (what I save on my folder I spend on my fixed blade, Didi galgalu) but I hope this is what you were hoping for and I hope you get a lot of use out of it, expensive or not, it's meant to be used. If it becomes your EDC I'd love to see a future video showing how it's held up. thanks.
Yep, it's the same when talking about either custom or high end production swords. People who have never held or used them have no idea how dramatic the difference in quality is.
Yeah I would too see what they think of some of the Mick Strider/ Dwayne Customs. I also love the people saying it's too plain for that price. You don't get a blade in that grade of steel too look pretty. You can get pretty in much cheaper steel. Thats a tool and a damn nice looking one. One of my favorite knives that I've carried for going on 8 years now is my Benchmade Auto Praxis I got issued when I was in the Marines. Simple knife, simple blade, gets the job done and easy to sharpen.
The knife looks good, the mechanism seems precise and the rotation pin seems VERY solid. This thing isn't coming apart any time soon. 500€ sounds a little overpriced, but not that much. The background is fine, a little bit boring I would say. A nice wood surface would be ideal IMHO
I like the padded jacket background. It's a good contrast, good color and obviously because it is a padded jacket you can set review items down on it without fear of marking or scratching the finish, while simultaneously keeping you from accidentally gouging your surfaces if you drop an item while filming.
M390 is among my top favorite blade steels. It holds a great edge and it cuts aggressively. I wish I could say I've heard of this Russian company/knife maker, but honestly I haven't. The style to me, kind of reminds me of other Russian made knife companies like shirogorov and custom knife factory.
I know nothing about high-end folding knives, but, damn, the blade itself looks amazing - I love its shape and simple no-nonsense looks, plus even Skall was satisfied with its initial sharpness!
Looks artistic, but functional. I wouldn't beat on this if I owned it. Though it could take it. This is knife art I think. People who complain about the price are not the target consumer.
I think that the background is actually pretty nice. It doesn't take away your attention and it made this particular knife stand out really well. For the knife itself - while I doubt I would ever spend so much for a knife I can see how this looks like a quality stuff. It is just right in that rank where expensive stuff stops being flashy to justify its price tag and instead it focuses on a pure functionality. And I like that. Looking forward to some in depth tests.
Also a fun fact about Cheburkov: At the "IWA Outdoor Classics" which is a big weapons and outdoor exhibition in Nürnberg somebody apparently stole a very expensive Cheburkov knife but returned it afterwards because it caused quite the commotion :D
The action can usually be adusted with a torx screw. unusual that they would not have sanded the washers to a fine polish to reduce friction. Looks like a fantastic knife. I collect high end production balisongs, so im glad to see a high end knife in skall's hands.
Titanium is a pain to work with I only machined it and it was rough on tools. I never worked with it molten but know it can't be done in atmosphere since it burst into flames if oxygen is present. It's a amazing metal It was one of the lead contenders for long term (10,000 year) nuclear waste storage containers.
4:38 yeah, a colleague of mine showed me his knife collection. And i had a 600 dollar knife. I also had that thought.... was that it?? But when i tried out the smoothness and started to get a feel for it, it startet to make sense.
The background makes the thing being reviewed stand out. I would imagine that knife, is strong & of good quality. I can definitely see a knife like that costing €500.
I am very fond of knives in general and I am somewhat familiar with the Russian custom knife market. and I can tell you about it if you want, but alas I knew nothing about Cheburkov, until I've done some research. I can say that he has the potential of being the Russian Chris Reeve. He has a decent setup: workshop, around 15 employees, a steady client base and he regularly gets a booth at "Klinok"(The Blade) a Russian knife expo(here is a link to some photos: "forum.guns.ru/forummessage/250/1805760.html" nothing that special but you can see a few gems if you look hard enough).
I am a budget knife reviewer so a knife like that makes me drool big time. Still, there are some budget knives with titanium handle scales out there. One thing to look out for is if it shares your pocket with anything else metallic you might find that the titanium will accept all manner of scratches and marks.
Alexander Cheburkov makes outstanding good folding knives, he also offers fixed blades. I met him on the TFG booth at the weapon fair in Nuremberg(Nürnberg, Germany) "IWA 2017". He is a retired General of the Russian Army, a friend informed me.
I have heard some absolutely wonderful thing about Cherbukov knives. They are a really good bang for your buck high end Productions /semi Custom Knife Company. The materials and fit and finish are the absolute best available. I personally think that that knife is seriously gorgeous knife and is a definite winner. I have invested way too much money for a poor man like me to invest in in modern folders and I would definitely give this knife in a plus for what I can can see this knife is a great value! please do more reviews like this I will definitely watch every one!
Background: the padded jacket makes a nice neutral background. I like it. Knife: If I'm paying three figures for a knife, I'd better be able to use it right out of the box without having to break it in at all. Also, I agree that the scales could be more textured.
On the background thing. There is a trick that can be used to perceive most objects in somewhat "neutral"(or original) color value - simply a grey background, use clean white table with a shadow cast over it or really dim light- making a transition of dark grey and white. If it doesn't look good, play with the lighting, you'll get it right sooner or later :)
The background works nicely but is there any way to angle the lighting better? The shadows draw you eye away from the knife. Can't wait for a formal review in a few months on this one. Do you have a set "quality control" your going to run it threw or just standard day to day stuff. Let us know how well that metal holds an edge plz and ty!
when the video started and you were like "a high end knife" i was totally like "what are you talking about dude that's clearly a box. skallagrim has obviously gone completely mad" but then you clarified.
I like the padding as a back ground. One question that I have is what is with the semi-open lanyard loop? What would that be used for? Thanks for a great video.
The opening action looks neat. Wondering if that little flange that you push on is sharp - could be a problem in some instances (like grinding up against a surface or fabric if you take it backpacking and such.) Odd they made the handle from titanium but not the blade - you'd think a titanium blade would be stronger and lighter than any steel, hold a good edge and be corrosion-proof. Or am I wrong?
I am an amateur knife collector and do not have the money for expensive custom/semi-custom knives at this point. I like the spartan design b/c it is simple, but not sure I would pay that much for a folder. If I went with a custom blade, it would be a fixed bushcraft/survival knife. I'm interested to hear your thoughts after using it @Skallagrim. Like the background too, think it works well in contrast.
Condor Tool and Knife manufactures superb knives, axes, machetes and swords between $20 - $250. I own several of their products and would highly recommend them.
I'd have to agree with your initial assessment of this knife. I've gone through many pocket knives and brands, and I think the CRKT M16 would be a much better bang for your buck if you are looking for a knife like this. They make several types, and the handle material varies depending on how much you want to pay. I've lost one or two, but I don't cry about it because they are $30-80 knives, and not 500 Euros lol.
The background is quite nice. Simple, off-white with some stitching; enough contrast to see the item, and enough visual noise to keep it from looking too sterile.
A small observaiion about quality knives Skal, listen to the crispness of sound in the opening and closing. A good example is the Chris Reeves Sebenza 21, this knife looks and sounds in that class.
I was wondering what the chances are that you might take a look at the windlass battlecry swords. I saw your 150-300 range vid and then came across those. Not many video reviews up and many written reviews are coincidentally very similar
As far as information on the knifemaker, you're correct that he isn't as well known over in the States as he is in Russia. High-end knives from Russia is a relatively new thing over here in the States, and have been exponentially growing in popularity -- if you would like to research other similar brands, check out Custom Knife Factory and Shirogorov.
Would greatly appreciate if you talked more about the design and the possible uses for the form of the knife blade and its features. Not sure if you will read this but I really liked your in depth explanations and studies of blade forms in your sword reviews.
Translated from the russian website: M390 - powder tool steel, which has high strength, toughness and wear resistance. Does not corrode. The total length of the knife is 225 mm. The length of the blade is 100 mm. The length of the handle is 125 mm. The width of the blade is 26 mm. The width of the handle is 30 mm. The thickness of the blade is 3.9 mm. The thickness of the handle is 13 mm. Material of the handle is titanium. The weight of the knife is 121 g. Steel M390, Damascus steel, steel ELMAX variations for the same price. Axial joint - bearing. Nothing new, probably... Wikipedia has a little more details: M390 - BOHLER M390 MICROCLEAN. Third-generation powder metal technology. Developed for knife blades requiring good corrosion resistance and very high hardness for excellent wear resistance. Chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, and tungsten are added for excellent sharpness and edge retention. Can be polished to an extremely high finish. Hardens and tempers to 60-62 HRC. Due to its alloying concept this steel offers extremely high wear resistance and high corrosion resistance.
I knew that you would eventually end up doing a video on a high end knife. Welcome to the insanity. I really like that knife and I think that it is worth it. I also like the background that you are using.
Hi Skall, do you own a chainmail? Could you recommend any kind of or exclude? Do you know for what I have to watch out for or even be aware of? (it neednt be battleready, but I would like it to be). Best regards Chris.
I bought a Mora knife for 12 euros a few years back. Considered it a bit expensive since you can get a lesser known brand for 5-6 euros. Has not let me down.
Hey Skal, do you think there is anyway you could review the Cold Steel Steel Tiger Karambit? I'm looking into getting it and I know cold steel isn't as good as it says it is but I hear their knives and a few of their fixed blades are ok...
Background is great, 10/10 for contrast and not subtracting attention from the main piece. Good choice, to sad its fated to die in one test or another :D
I have no experience with this brand. But one out of the box question I always have regarding tactical folders is: Does the edge make hard contact with any internal surfaces when in the closed position (i.e. contact that might cause edge folding or dulling over time in spots on the edge)?
the back ground looks fine. it's simple, it's easy to look at, it doesn't detract from what you're showing, and it's bright. i'd be all about that knife if the clip was on the hinge and not the end of the handle. it's not necessarily better, it's just the style i've always used.
hey dude i wanted to ask you something. i dont know if you already talked about this but what is your opinion on some of the bloodborne trick weapons. for example the saw cleaver how practical could it be. anyway good vid keep it up.
Is it possible to forge a sword that can be both a one handed and to two handed? If so how would it work and what is sacrificed in the process? Plus I'd like you to look up another keyblade it's called "the ends of the earth" is it practical and if not how would you make practical to wield?
Now I'm curious to know what Nick Shabazz would have to say about this one. One could probably expect a reference to the "vaseline vactory" with regards to the slick scales.
Hi Skall.
Thank you for your honest opinion! We are glad that you like the knife that we have send you.
Alexander Cheburkov is a Russian knifemaker from Pavlovo. He isn't really well known, overall due to the fact, that nobody of his team speaks english. So the communication isn't that easy. Most of his knives are handmade and also sharpened by himself. The Scout that you got from us was produced by a CNC machine, but the finish is handmade.
About the materials: he uses lots of different materials like: timascus,bones,titanium,damascus steel,carbon etc. There's also a video on my channel from the IWA show in Nuremberg (Germany) where I had the pleasure to meet him and take a look at some new models :) Personally I really love his work.
Kind regards,
Daniel
thanks for the info.
DirtyCross Shut the fuck up and GTFO.your knife doesnt even have a pommel.you cant even end someone rightly with it.Would buy your knife for 5 euro.
+Tyngchinchilla Chang this is too funny
Pommel in russian will be "навершие" [nɐˈvʲerʂɨɪ̯ə]
That was one of the worst usages of this meme I've ever seen.
Skallagrim reviewing a high-end knife? Instant like.
There's something special to holding a high-end knife and experiencing the fit and finish that comes with that price range first hand. I've been collecting high end folders for about three years now and it is an incredibly fun (and expensive) hobby.
Part of me hopes that you catch the bug, but part of me hopes that you don't for the sake of your wallet!
Also, I know this comment will likely just be buried and go unacknowledged, but if you ever want to review more high-end knives, I'd be willing to send some along -- just reach out to me via pm.
Here's some knife steel 101 for anyone interested. When discussing knife steels people generally talk about 3 properties: toughness, hardness and stain resistance.
Toughness is basically how much abuse a knife can take before breaking. It includes lateral stress and impact toughness. Tougher steels tend to bend and deform before breaking or chipping. This makes them more durable and easier to fix. Generally speaking, more toughness is GREAT!
Hardness is basically how resistant a steel is to wear. It also determines edge retention. The harder a steel, the longer it takes to dull, generally speaking. The price you pay for this hardness is twofold: the steel tends to be more brittle and the blade may chip instead of curling (curling being the easier to fix) AND harder steels are more difficult to sharpen. A third factor is how hard a steel is to work with as a knife producer, but as a consumer that doesn't concern us (except that they cost more because of the difficulty to tool and work).
Stain resistance is how hard a steel is to tarnish or rust. It's about that simple. The compounds added to steel that give it this property tend to compromise other ideal qualities such as toughness or hardness (edge retention).
NOTE: Steel hardness is measured on the Rockwell C hardness scale. Common knife steel hardness can be between 52 and 66 RC. The grade is usually denoted as a range such as 60-62 RC or as HRC 56-58, as examples. Some steels have an ideal hardness much lower than others. Higher RC is not necessarily better. If you harden a particular steel beyond its ideal range then you can end up with a brittle mess.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_scale
Before "super steels", a knife maker had to decide if a steel was going to give up some toughness to be more wear resistant, or that they would give up stain resistance in order to hold a better edge. With super steels, the grain is so fine and the clean that knives can now have very high toughness and retain a razor sharp edge for much longer while not being overly difficult to sharpen... oh, and also be almost (almost!) impervious to rust and stains. This is what makes super steels, such as M390 or ELMAX, so desirable.
www.zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=m390
Another factor to consider is the production process for the steel itself. Particle metallurgy is a process by which steels is blown into dust as a stream of molten steel is passed in front of an air source. The dusts (particles) are then used in a mold which is heat/compressed into an ingot. This process creates a finer grain and more uniform structure of... well... you get it. The process is quite complex and makes a much higher grade steel and allows for the insertion of compounds that the traditional process will simply not allow. Hence it costs more and is much more effective as a knife steel. You can read more here about Crucible's process here:
www.crucibleservice.com/eselector/general/generalpart3.html
Wow, no one thought this post was worth a thumbs up? Maybe I should have talked about Russian hookers instead.
Stanley Clark , kind of sad, but yes unfortunately , russian hookers and talking crap about " wtf, 500$ knife? thats stupid" gets more thumbs up..science and knowledge are Lame apparently. thanks for the helpful links
Great comment!
Throw a pummel at the fools not reading it.
"Honey we can't pay rent for 2 months."
"Why not?"
"Because I needed this $500 Russian knife."
What do you get for $250 rent a month? A tent in the Sahara? xD
e.g. student's flat in Finland.
+ultraboy222 where is there
I once had a room that cost under 250€. It wasn't fancy, but not that bad either. The cost of living in north America seems to be a so much higher than in Europe (it certainly is near L.A., I lived there for 6 months and payed 3x the rent that I did in Germany for a smaller place...).
Where in Germany did you get such a cheap room?
Background is fantastic! Btw, I am a Russian, and like... any Russian, and really happy to see Russian-made products reviewed. The VAT and other import taxes/sanctions/difficulty of import reduce the amount of stuff you see reviewed by non-Russian reviewers and such; but in my experience, it's always been fantastic stuff. Highly educated population, growing manufacturing class and great raw materials... recipe for good products.
That being said... 500 euros is a lot. So this better be really *really* good.
By the way, the list price for this knife on the Russian website is 24000 rubles or 385 Euro.
Good job you just ruined ToolForGents business model.
And what about VAT?
You cannot get it for 385 Euro - you forget the tax and the customs you will have to pay, when the knife arrives to your country outside Russia. ;)
Nailed it!
I've just checked and it's 16k (about 260 euros).
Nice to see you move to this range with knives. They're great knives for the money.
Man. Weird how times change. Your channel was one of the first blade-related channels I ever watched. I was probably in high school. Let's not talk about that being in 2009...
I remember you had spoken in decent regard about Camillus knives and inspired me to go get my first "good" knife (lol) at bass pro shops. I picked up a Camillus, naturally.
Fast forward 13 years... as I purchase a Cheburkov Scout today and am watching reviews and stumble across this.
Love it.
I actually bought this one. Love the futuristic handle milling paired with a no nonsense edc blade. The lifetime guarantee is a nice plus. Also the knife is super lightweight.
That full flat grind is very well done, nice clean plunge line. The chamfering on the flipper tab and overall finish do suggest a knife of very high quality.
You probably already know this, but from what I see I'm guessing that knife has captive bearings for the washers. Btw this isn't the knife I would take and thrash but, from what I see it could probably take it.
The knife looks to have a steel lock face, over time of flipping if the lock bar face was made out of just titanium it could deform and possibly give the knife blade play. Having the face made steel and the body titanium gives it a longer lasting lockup without suffering for weight. Also it makes it unlock easier with less stick.
And the milling on the titanium is really well done, ti is a pretty hard thing to mill. They even milled the pocket clip so that's a bonus cool feature although sometimes milled clips don't accommodate thick clothing very well.
Also they seem to have milled out the hardware, so it can probably be taken apart and put back together pretty smoothly, also because of the tight tolerances it might have a lesser chance of stripping out too..
Anyway giving you some things I would like to hear about it in the review. Besides you just cutting with it witch is probably the most important thing..
Try throwing it into the fire, the next words will appear:
"For the glory of the Soviet Union, we make this knife, made of the finest Stalinium, extracted in the deepest mines of Siberia, manufactured with the original machines in the Red October factory in Stalingrad, heated with only 100% russian gas and quenched in the most pure vodka, making it represent the soul and strengh of the motherland"
+El_Espanol_ Don't forgot the red smoke it would produce. 😂😂😂😂😂
Always love to see titanium frame locks with steel inserts.
Hi, Skall. One of the best looking knifes I've seen on your channel. And the backdrop looks good.
I love all the people talking smack about the price, you guys are the real heros. Great video, nice knife. it looks like it has a beautiful movement and it's the right size. I don't normally go for the high end folder (what I save on my folder I spend on my fixed blade, Didi galgalu) but I hope this is what you were hoping for and I hope you get a lot of use out of it, expensive or not, it's meant to be used. If it becomes your EDC I'd love to see a future video showing how it's held up. thanks.
There a plenty vids by Ricci (one of the owners of Tools for Gents) covering the production of Cheburkov knifes. The channel is called Ricci's knife.
Ricci & Flo - zwei coole Typen ;)
When you´re into custom knives and you read those comments LOL
Yep.
This is too true. And people are saying its over priced at $500 for what is pretty much a FULL CUSTOM.
Yep, it's the same when talking about either custom or high end production swords. People who have never held or used them have no idea how dramatic the difference in quality is.
SWORD GOES SWISH SWISH, BLOOD EVERYWHERE
Yeah I would too see what they think of some of the Mick Strider/ Dwayne Customs. I also love the people saying it's too plain for that price. You don't get a blade in that grade of steel too look pretty. You can get pretty in much cheaper steel. Thats a tool and a damn nice looking one. One of my favorite knives that I've carried for going on 8 years now is my Benchmade Auto Praxis I got issued when I was in the Marines. Simple knife, simple blade, gets the job done and easy to sharpen.
The knife looks good, the mechanism seems precise and the rotation pin seems VERY solid. This thing isn't coming apart any time soon. 500€ sounds a little overpriced, but not that much.
The background is fine, a little bit boring I would say. A nice wood surface would be ideal IMHO
Without tax it's bout 300, so that's why :/, we need more reasonable rates for consumer trade products....
The background is good. It doesn't distract from the knife being the centerpiece.
Yay the knifes are back!
I like the padded jacket background. It's a good contrast, good color and obviously because it is a padded jacket you can set review items down on it without fear of marking or scratching the finish, while simultaneously keeping you from accidentally gouging your surfaces if you drop an item while filming.
M390 is among my top favorite blade steels. It holds a great edge and it cuts aggressively. I wish I could say I've heard of this Russian company/knife maker, but honestly I haven't. The style to me, kind of reminds me of other Russian made knife companies like shirogorov and custom knife factory.
I know nothing about high-end folding knives, but, damn, the blade itself looks amazing - I love its shape and simple no-nonsense looks, plus even Skall was satisfied with its initial sharpness!
Looks artistic, but functional. I wouldn't beat on this if I owned it. Though it could take it. This is knife art I think. People who complain about the price are not the target consumer.
+Edgar Bennett I believe that you are probably correct in that assumption.
I think that the background is actually pretty nice. It doesn't take away your attention and it made this particular knife stand out really well.
For the knife itself - while I doubt I would ever spend so much for a knife I can see how this looks like a quality stuff. It is just right in that rank where expensive stuff stops being flashy to justify its price tag and instead it focuses on a pure functionality. And I like that. Looking forward to some in depth tests.
honestly the background looks like an old blanket ready to go
The background is quite nice actually. Easy on the eyes while providing great contrast and matching the overall theme of your channel.
The background is good, I can get a pretty good look at everything you're trying to show us.
Looks like you are filming in front of an old matress :D
Nah it looks like a gamberson. I liked it as a background.
Agree.
He says it's a jacket. And yeah I like it somehow, makes it look kinda...homey
Also a fun fact about Cheburkov: At the "IWA Outdoor Classics" which is a big weapons and outdoor exhibition in Nürnberg somebody apparently stole a very expensive Cheburkov knife but returned it afterwards because it caused quite the commotion :D
The action can usually be adusted with a torx screw. unusual that they would not have sanded the washers to a fine polish to reduce friction. Looks like a fantastic knife. I collect high end production balisongs, so im glad to see a high end knife in skall's hands.
Titanium is a pain to work with I only machined it and it was rough on tools. I never worked with it molten but know it can't be done in atmosphere since it burst into flames if oxygen is present. It's a amazing metal It was one of the lead contenders for long term (10,000 year) nuclear waste storage containers.
4:38
yeah, a colleague of mine showed me his knife collection. And i had a 600 dollar knife.
I also had that thought.... was that it??
But when i tried out the smoothness and started to get a feel for it, it startet to make sense.
I tried looking to see if you made a follow up video on this knife, I couldnt find anything. Did you? And if not do you still have any plans to do it?
The background makes the thing being reviewed stand out. I would imagine that knife, is strong & of good quality. I can definitely see a knife like that costing €500.
I've handled one once. It feels incredibly smooth and oozes quality. Would I pay 500€ for that though? Never in my life!
Skall, if you need any Russian to English translation - I can help you out. For free of course.
Fuck off you sack of useless shite.
That escallated quickly... Anyhow, it would be interesting to know what the website says about the knife and the maker in general!
Gabreshaa shhhh in 1000 we'll all be black
I am very fond of knives in general and I am somewhat familiar with the Russian custom knife market. and I can tell you about it if you want, but alas I knew nothing about Cheburkov, until I've done some research. I can say that he has the potential of being the Russian Chris Reeve. He has a decent setup: workshop, around 15 employees, a steady client base and he regularly gets a booth at "Klinok"(The Blade) a Russian knife expo(here is a link to some photos: "forum.guns.ru/forummessage/250/1805760.html" nothing that special but you can see a few gems if you look hard enough).
Ouch...
I am a budget knife reviewer so a knife like that makes me drool big time. Still, there are some budget knives with titanium handle scales out there. One thing to look out for is if it shares your pocket with anything else metallic you might find that the titanium will accept all manner of scratches and marks.
the blade is beautiful, i love the clean simple design.
also the padded background looks cool
Alexander Cheburkov makes outstanding good folding knives, he also offers fixed blades. I met him on the TFG booth at the weapon fair in Nuremberg(Nürnberg, Germany) "IWA 2017". He is a retired General of the Russian Army, a friend informed me.
I have heard some absolutely wonderful thing about Cherbukov knives. They are a really good bang for your buck high end Productions /semi Custom Knife Company. The materials and fit and finish are the absolute best available. I personally think that that knife is seriously gorgeous knife and is a definite winner. I have invested way too much money for a poor man like me to invest in in modern folders and I would definitely give this knife in a plus for what I can can see this knife is a great value! please do more reviews like this I will definitely watch every one!
I think the background is really nice, it's not fancy, but also got some texture, and it really fits the theme of this channel.
You should keep it
love the background, it works well for display purposes
i didn't even thought about the background before you mentioned it, so it is perfect
Background: the padded jacket makes a nice neutral background. I like it. Knife: If I'm paying three figures for a knife, I'd better be able to use it right out of the box without having to break it in at all. Also, I agree that the scales could be more textured.
That blade shape is awesome.
On the background thing. There is a trick that can be used to perceive most objects in somewhat "neutral"(or original) color value - simply a grey background, use clean white table with a shadow cast over it or really dim light- making a transition of dark grey and white. If it doesn't look good, play with the lighting, you'll get it right sooner or later :)
The background was a good choice, it did very, very well
The background works nicely but is there any way to angle the lighting better? The shadows draw you eye away from the knife. Can't wait for a formal review in a few months on this one. Do you have a set "quality control" your going to run it threw or just standard day to day stuff. Let us know how well that metal holds an edge plz and ty!
and here come the " that knife is too expensive" derp. nice knife thanks for taking a look at it.
when the video started and you were like "a high end knife" i was totally like "what are you talking about dude that's clearly a box. skallagrim has obviously gone completely mad" but then you clarified.
I like the padding as a back ground. One question that I have is what is with the semi-open lanyard loop? What would that be used for? Thanks for a great video.
Background is nice, it works.
The opening action looks neat. Wondering if that little flange that you push on is sharp - could be a problem in some instances (like grinding up against a surface or fabric if you take it backpacking and such.)
Odd they made the handle from titanium but not the blade - you'd think a titanium blade would be stronger and lighter than any steel, hold a good edge and be corrosion-proof. Or am I wrong?
I am an amateur knife collector and do not have the money for expensive custom/semi-custom knives at this point. I like the spartan design b/c it is simple, but not sure I would pay that much for a folder. If I went with a custom blade, it would be a fixed bushcraft/survival knife. I'm interested to hear your thoughts after using it @Skallagrim. Like the background too, think it works well in contrast.
Condor Tool and Knife manufactures superb knives, axes, machetes and swords between $20 - $250. I own several of their products and would highly recommend them.
I'd have to agree with your initial assessment of this knife. I've gone through many pocket knives and brands, and I think the CRKT M16 would be a much better bang for your buck if you are looking for a knife like this. They make several types, and the handle material varies depending on how much you want to pay. I've lost one or two, but I don't cry about it because they are $30-80 knives, and not 500 Euros lol.
The background is quite nice. Simple, off-white with some stitching; enough contrast to see the item, and enough visual noise to keep it from looking too sterile.
5:38 hey guys this is skallagrim asmr
Is it like one of those SiFi scout missiles drones that can track down prey on its own?
5:55 that moment when Skal became that dude from Pocahontas
A small observaiion about quality knives Skal, listen to the crispness of sound in the opening and closing. A good example is the Chris Reeves Sebenza 21, this knife looks and sounds in that class.
I was wondering what the chances are that you might take a look at the windlass battlecry swords. I saw your 150-300 range vid and then came across those. Not many video reviews up and many written reviews are coincidentally very similar
I for one certainly like the background.
That blade looks really nice.
Nice background :D immersive and easy to focus on the knife
As far as information on the knifemaker, you're correct that he isn't as well known over in the States as he is in Russia. High-end knives from Russia is a relatively new thing over here in the States, and have been exponentially growing in popularity -- if you would like to research other similar brands, check out Custom Knife Factory and Shirogorov.
Would greatly appreciate if you talked more about the design and the possible uses for the form of the knife blade and its features. Not sure if you will read this but I really liked your in depth explanations and studies of blade forms in your sword reviews.
Translated from the russian website:
M390 - powder tool steel, which has high strength, toughness and wear resistance. Does not corrode.
The total length of the knife is 225 mm.
The length of the blade is 100 mm.
The length of the handle is 125 mm.
The width of the blade is 26 mm.
The width of the handle is 30 mm.
The thickness of the blade is 3.9 mm.
The thickness of the handle is 13 mm.
Material of the handle is titanium.
The weight of the knife is 121 g.
Steel M390, Damascus steel, steel ELMAX variations for the same price.
Axial joint - bearing.
Nothing new, probably...
Wikipedia has a little more details:
M390 - BOHLER M390 MICROCLEAN. Third-generation powder metal technology. Developed for knife blades requiring good corrosion resistance and very high hardness for excellent wear resistance. Chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, and tungsten are added for excellent sharpness and edge retention. Can be polished to an extremely high finish. Hardens and tempers to 60-62 HRC. Due to its alloying concept this steel offers extremely high wear resistance and high corrosion resistance.
Get yourself a Grimsmo Norseman or Rask, awesome knives and the names rocks like a viking cracking your skull
That is a beautiful design, very nice
the background is a good idea nice nutral color.
I knew that you would eventually end up doing a video on a high end knife. Welcome to the insanity. I really like that knife and I think that it is worth it. I also like the background that you are using.
The background looks pretty good.
Hi Skall, do you own a chainmail? Could you recommend any kind of or exclude? Do you know for what I have to watch out for or even be aware of? (it neednt be battleready, but I would like it to be).
Best regards Chris.
3:00 To make your knife game groovier.
I bought a Mora knife for 12 euros a few years back. Considered it a bit expensive since you can get a lesser known brand for 5-6 euros. Has not let me down.
I have one of these and I love it.
Very nice knife! Cant wait for the review after some time of using it.
Hey Skal, do you think there is anyway you could review the Cold Steel Steel Tiger Karambit? I'm looking into getting it and I know cold steel isn't as good as it says it is but I hear their knives and a few of their fixed blades are ok...
Background is great, 10/10 for contrast and not subtracting attention from the main piece.
Good choice, to sad its fated to die in one test or another :D
Viewer from russia here. You pronounced the name quite right btw.
I like the padding as background...
padded jacket looks aight, no complaints
I have no experience with this brand. But one out of the box question I always have regarding tactical folders is:
Does the edge make hard contact with any internal surfaces when in the closed position (i.e. contact that might cause edge folding or dulling over time in spots on the edge)?
There are dozens of excellent knives you can get for the 20 to $40 range and I'm excluding ones made in sweat shops as I always do.
how about that frame lock mechanism...did i see over travel stop inside of the frame?
the back ground looks fine. it's simple, it's easy to look at, it doesn't detract from what you're showing, and it's bright.
i'd be all about that knife if the clip was on the hinge and not the end of the handle. it's not necessarily better, it's just the style i've always used.
You should check out Shirogorov knives. They're also known for making mid- to -high-end knives in Russia.
You should do more knife reviews
I like the Background!
hey dude i wanted to ask you something. i dont know if you already talked about this but what is your opinion on some of the bloodborne trick weapons. for example the saw cleaver how practical could it be. anyway good vid keep it up.
awesome, looks like a Shirogorov, not a bad thing
Is it possible to forge a sword that can be both a one handed and to two handed? If so how would it work and what is sacrificed in the process?
Plus I'd like you to look up another keyblade it's called "the ends of the earth" is it practical and if not how would you make practical to wield?
Now I'm curious to know what Nick Shabazz would have to say about this one. One could probably expect a reference to the "vaseline vactory" with regards to the slick scales.
Will you return to Fantasy Weapons Scrutinized in the future?
OMG we so need a box review, how good was this box?
More info on that padded jacket?
Would you ever review the CRKT Big Dog?
background is nice. i like that it is not plain white. would hurt the eyes. this is not distracting but helps to contrast the weapons in front of it.