Just sold my Free Tiger to a non-knife guy at work because he was complaining he didn't have a knife like the rest of us. I was carrying it and showed it to him and he offered me $25 on the spot! I WILL get another one, but I was all to happy to introduce a guy to the knife world with such a great piece. Thanks for showing us this awesome knife Jay (and all the awesome knives!) You are a valued part of our community and keep up the awesome work! Love and well wishes from Illinois!
I've purchased 3 Free Tigers and all seem to be just as your test confirmed. I'm happy with the purchases other than disassembly.....or lack thereof. All three are seriously locktighted to the point that even heat from a soldering iron was ineffective. I like to have the ability to disassemble and service my knives - appears to be a no-go with all of the FT's. I can live with that because I believe the many positives outweigh the one negative with the product.....and the investment of $22 is a bargain IMO. Thanks for your review Jay, keep up the good work and stay safe!
I hear ya, I really wish I could disassemble mine too. At least we know the blade will remain centered, since there is nothing to come loose. Great knife, but bothers me a little. Thanks for watching.
got 'em both. Love 'em both. But I do carry the Free Tiger more often. Mine is in purple. (Clemson University grad...GO TIGERS!!) Great knives for the money. You just can't go wrong. Great video my friend!!
Thank you Scott. Glad to hear you like the FreeTiger. I've been carrying mine quite a bit too. Quick story about Clemson: My mother-in-law is a huge OSU fan and we watched the game when she was visiting us from Ohio. It didn't really matter to me who won, but she was pretty bummed that Ohio State lost. As soon as that game ended, I went to Amazon and bought a Clemson t-shirt, which arrived the very next day. I wore that shirt just about everyday for the rest of her visit, man was that fun. I wanted to get a matching hat, but I thought that might be pushing it.
Hi Jay. Very difficult challenge. They are 2 great knives at a great price. Though i can get the Freetiger considerably cheaper than the Ganzo. All the best my friend. Stay safe.
Super videos Jay, I hope you don't mind I subscribed to your channel, I have bought more knives based on your reviews vs all the other videos, take care, I just ordered both knives.....
Great comparison Jay. Need to get me a FT903. Off subject but it’s always good to see how the knife addicts sharpen their knives...preferred methods, systems etc. Maybe you’ve done this already and I need to look over your other videos. Anyway, thanks for the content as always.
Excellent comparo Jay. Very detailed points were covered. I too liked the Tiger more, especially on the aesthetics . It does look a bit like the Civivi Backlash ya?
This was an awesome video buddy. I think I'm going to have to buy both lol. The only have the fh11 in that series right now but I've been wanting to get some others. But once again, very cool video Jay. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Michael. The FH11 is definitely no slouch, it's an important Ganzo to own. It's a knife I consider to be the starting point of the budget D2 craze.
Good stuff! I love my Ganzo, but the grind on the top side of the blade on that FT903 is just gorgeous. I do like the finger choil on the FH41 better though.
Its a tie for me...I love the FH41, especially the style...but the Free Tiger FT903 has been in my pocket more than any other knife I own so far....great review Jay!
I hear ya Lemon. I love the blade shape on the FH41, but the FT903 functions a little better. It was really tough to pick one over the other. Thank you.
@@TheKnifeBeater I appreciate you responding to your viewers...youre about the only reviewer I follow that is consistant with that...and I really like that you review what most of us regular (poor) people can afford to buy and collect...althougth I have a few Benchmades in my collection, 99% of my knives are sub 60 bucks...and yes, that FT903 is so impressive, I bought a total of 7 of them so far...3 (one of each color) and 4 as gifts.....thanks again Jay, you keep finding these gems and I really appreciate it!
Thank you for noticing Lemon. Responding is the least I can do considering you take time out of your day to watch my content. So glad to hear how much you like the FT903. I love hunting for and finding these low cost, high value folders. I gotta say, this one and the Honey Badger are my two biggest finds that I'm very proud of. Thanks again for watching.
My vote goes for the free tiger… Looking at some reviews for the Kaiser NORAD… A little pricier than a budget knife but it seems like it’s got everything that you would like, hopefully you’ll be doing a video on it soon
I couldn’t get my Free Tiger apart either, but it didn’t really need it, it’s just habit for me with new knives. That being said, I also have a Ganzo FH21 that I’ve never been able to disassemble. I’ve heated it, frozen it, soaked it, and lubed it and the damn thing won’t budge at the pivot. Chinese loc-tite is for real.
Yeah, I really wish they didn't cement those pivots together like that. Sorry to hear about your FH21. Now that I think about it, I don't remember if I have ever disassembled mine, but I'm gonna go try to now. Thank you Arcie.
Great video, Jay! Nothing like a good old fashioned showdown. Wish that Tiger had a deep clip, but that thinner edge definitely wins. I'd imagine it being a little more dependable for harder use, too. Any chance you'll be doing a Hyperion review in the near future?
Thank you Ed. Yeah, I'm working on the Hyperion review too. Once I'm done recording, I'll send it to your house, which should be very soon. Thanks for giving me the time to use your knife.
Both blades are 3.45m thick and the Free Tiger is a taller blade? Yep, thinner behind the edge makes sense and it should slice like a gama ray burst. Wait hat's a Spyderco quality distal taper on the Firebird though. AND nested liners... I demand a RECOUNT lol kidding. Great video!
Just wondering, do you do any testing with these knives? How tough are they? If they are to be considered for EDC, would be nice to know how well the blade holds up in some actual testing, not you just telling us how it looks
Hey Jay! Forgive me if I missed it. Has anyone confirmed the D2 on that Freetiger? Failing that, how is the long term edge retention and sharpening? We've got those details on the Ganzo. BTW, you noted the logo and stamp similarities on a previous video. Is it possible that Ganzo is making the Freetigers?
I don't think anyone has tested their D2 yet. Don't know for sure if Ganzo is making the FreeTiger's. Really you could make the argument to support either theory. I just hate to assume that FreeTiger is hitching their wagon to Ganzo's star. Thank you Chronovore.
@@TheKnifeBeater since your review convinced me to get a ft903 after I got it I sharpened it to 15dps and 1 micron strop. For me it cut 136ft before it wouldn't cut paper. I think outpost76 got 140ft or so on some ganzo d2 so I'd say its pretty close. I have put another edge or 2 on mine and would be willing to do another cut test soon.
Ganzo doesn't make knives, they're not a manufacturer. All these knife "brands" such as Eafengrow, Freetiger, Kubey, Sanrenmu, etc. come from the same knife manufacturers in China. If you have a few thousand bucks to invest, you could go on Alibaba and create your very own line of Chronovore knives. Make your logo and they'll laser etch it on the blade. The only difference in all these brands is which ones are telling the truth about the their steel. Eafengrow puts D2 on their blades but it's not D2. Lots of these companies lie. But Ganzo has a reputation to uphold and they've been proven to tell the truth about their steel, according to numerous independent testers on TH-cam.
With only a $2 difference in price and almost identical performance, I don't see where you could go wrong on either one. It would just come down to looks... which one looks purtier? :)
Gotta say, I'm a little disappointed in the outcome. I recently got into Ganzo at your recommendation and have been amazed at the quality and feel. I think when you look at the lines of the FH41 and the usability of that knife in all the qualities that matter, Ganzo comes out way ahead. Better hand position/feel and usable forward grip. Better quality liner lock. Disassembly. Actual deep carry pocket clip. Smoother close. Actual D2 steel. And to top it all off, FreeTiger blatantly copied the Firebird logo. That alone should relegate FreeTiger to the "Poser Pile." And I refuse to get one to support their lack of scruples. They need to stick to their own designs, like the FT601..
Yeah Uncle Jay is back!!! My happiness level gets immediately higher when I see something from you!
Lol, thank you. That's so nice of you to say.
Just sold my Free Tiger to a non-knife guy at work because he was complaining he didn't have a knife like the rest of us. I was carrying it and showed it to him and he offered me $25 on the spot! I WILL get another one, but I was all to happy to introduce a guy to the knife world with such a great piece. Thanks for showing us this awesome knife Jay (and all the awesome knives!) You are a valued part of our community and keep up the awesome work! Love and well wishes from Illinois!
That's pretty awesome that he liked it that much to buy it on the spot. It is a great first knife for getting into this hobby. Thank you Erik.
I've purchased 3 Free Tigers and all seem to be just as your test confirmed. I'm happy with the purchases other than disassembly.....or lack thereof. All three are seriously locktighted to the point that even heat from a soldering iron was ineffective. I like to have the ability to disassemble and service my knives - appears to be a no-go with all of the FT's. I can live with that because I believe the many positives outweigh the one negative with the product.....and the investment of $22 is a bargain IMO. Thanks for your review Jay, keep up the good work and stay safe!
I hear ya, I really wish I could disassemble mine too. At least we know the blade will remain centered, since there is nothing to come loose. Great knife, but bothers me a little. Thanks for watching.
Wow, so it's the show side.
Wheaten Zoomies: it helped me! Free spinning pivot w/show side screw. Thanks sir!
I have both of these guys. I just recently got the FH-41, and I love it. It would be a very hard decision if I had to choose between the 2.
I agree Anthony. I love the 41 too and it really was a tough choice, almost too close to call. Thank you.
Love my Firebird FH51 , been looking at th FT knives , definitely have to get one or two!!
Great video Jay. I think I'm definitely going to pick me up a FreeTiger because it just seems different and interesting, but this video sold me.
You're right, it is a little different than the standard budget offerings we're seeing. Thank you Jesse.
Did u get 1. How do u like it, if so?
got 'em both. Love 'em both. But I do carry the Free Tiger more often. Mine is in purple. (Clemson University grad...GO TIGERS!!) Great knives for the money. You just can't go wrong. Great video my friend!!
Thank you Scott. Glad to hear you like the FreeTiger. I've been carrying mine quite a bit too. Quick story about Clemson: My mother-in-law is a huge OSU fan and we watched the game when she was visiting us from Ohio. It didn't really matter to me who won, but she was pretty bummed that Ohio State lost. As soon as that game ended, I went to Amazon and bought a Clemson t-shirt, which arrived the very next day. I wore that shirt just about everyday for the rest of her visit, man was that fun. I wanted to get a matching hat, but I thought that might be pushing it.
@@TheKnifeBeater That's great!! There is no love like the love a man has for his mother in law!!
As soon as things settle a little I think I need a freetiger in the collection. Interesting comparison.
I hear ya there John. I think you will really like it. Thank you.
If we could put the Free Tiger blade on the Ganzo handle. Maybe the detent balls line up, lmao
Now that would be something if it did work. Thanks Phil.
Haha. I was going to say the same thing.
I liked this video right after the intro.
I don't know if I agree with the findings but then I have never had the free tiger in hand. Thanks for showing the knives head to head.
I understand Rick, it wasn't an easy choice. Thank you.
That's was a surprise winner! Great review Jay 👍
Yes it was. Thank you Tom.
I just bought another one who looks similar, the Petrified Fish 818. Can"t wait to reach and test it.
I've actually had quite a few people recommending Petrified Fish knives lately, so I'm definitely interested in trying one. Thank you Florin.
Great comparison review! Thank you.
Hi Jay. Very difficult challenge. They are 2 great knives at a great price. Though i can get the Freetiger considerably cheaper than the Ganzo. All the best my friend. Stay safe.
Thank you Don, yeah this was a tough one. Glad to hear you're at least able to get the FreeTiger at a good price.
Super videos Jay, I hope you don't mind I subscribed to your channel, I have bought more knives based on your reviews vs all the other videos, take care, I just ordered both knives.....
Great comparison Jay. Need to get me a FT903. Off subject but it’s always good to see how the knife addicts sharpen their knives...preferred methods, systems etc. Maybe you’ve done this already and I need to look over your other videos. Anyway, thanks for the content as always.
Thank you Steve. A couple weeks ago I did a video on some of my favorite sharpeners, here is the link th-cam.com/video/d5H88eIYXoU/w-d-xo.html
Thanks just what I wanted to know!!! Gr8 show n video!!
thank you!
Gotta say I like both I've always liked ganzo been using them for years but both are on my check list
Yeah, I'm a big fan of their FH knives, so much value. Thanks for watching.
Excellent comparo Jay. Very detailed points were covered. I too liked the Tiger more, especially on the aesthetics . It does look a bit like the Civivi Backlash ya?
Thank you Lawrence. Sure, I can see some of the Baklash when I look at the FT903, good eye.
Great video Jay! Props to the FreeTiger on the win!
Thank you Jody.
I have a bias, the FH41 is and has been one of my favorite beater knives. Just a great design.
Yeah, me too, it's one of my budget favs. Thanks Andrew.
This was an awesome video buddy. I think I'm going to have to buy both lol. The only have the fh11 in that series right now but I've been wanting to get some others. But once again, very cool video Jay. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Michael. The FH11 is definitely no slouch, it's an important Ganzo to own. It's a knife I consider to be the starting point of the budget D2 craze.
Good stuff! I love my Ganzo, but the grind on the top side of the blade on that FT903 is just gorgeous. I do like the finger choil on the FH41 better though.
I know what you mean about the top of the FT903 blade, nice attention to detail. Thank you Vence.
Did they come out of the same factory. Wow they look pretty similar.
I like the design Freetiger FT903 But I am quite worried about the spring system.
Do you mean the lock?
@@TheKnifeBeater I love the Kershaw blade opening and closing system, just push your finger to open and it lasts a long time.
Its a tie for me...I love the FH41, especially the style...but the Free Tiger FT903 has been in my pocket more than any other knife I own so far....great review Jay!
I hear ya Lemon. I love the blade shape on the FH41, but the FT903 functions a little better. It was really tough to pick one over the other. Thank you.
@@TheKnifeBeater I appreciate you responding to your viewers...youre about the only reviewer I follow that is consistant with that...and I really like that you review what most of us regular (poor) people can afford to buy and collect...althougth I have a few Benchmades in my collection, 99% of my knives are sub 60 bucks...and yes, that FT903 is so impressive, I bought a total of 7 of them so far...3 (one of each color) and 4 as gifts.....thanks again Jay, you keep finding these gems and I really appreciate it!
Thank you for noticing Lemon. Responding is the least I can do considering you take time out of your day to watch my content. So glad to hear how much you like the FT903. I love hunting for and finding these low cost, high value folders. I gotta say, this one and the Honey Badger are my two biggest finds that I'm very proud of. Thanks again for watching.
My vote goes for the free tiger… Looking at some reviews for the Kaiser NORAD… A little pricier than a budget knife but it seems like it’s got everything that you would like, hopefully you’ll be doing a video on it soon
I'm guessing you meant the Kershaw Norad and yeah, it's one I'm very interested in. That knife will be making it's way too me soon. Thank you Jim.
Yep
I couldn’t get my Free Tiger apart either, but it didn’t really need it, it’s just habit for me with new knives. That being said, I also have a Ganzo FH21 that I’ve never been able to disassemble. I’ve heated it, frozen it, soaked it, and lubed it and the damn thing won’t budge at the pivot. Chinese loc-tite is for real.
Yeah, I really wish they didn't cement those pivots together like that. Sorry to hear about your FH21. Now that I think about it, I don't remember if I have ever disassembled mine, but I'm gonna go try to now. Thank you Arcie.
Great video, Jay! Nothing like a good old fashioned showdown. Wish that Tiger had a deep clip, but that thinner edge definitely wins. I'd imagine it being a little more dependable for harder use, too. Any chance you'll be doing a Hyperion review in the near future?
Thank you Ed. Yeah, I'm working on the Hyperion review too. Once I'm done recording, I'll send it to your house, which should be very soon. Thanks for giving me the time to use your knife.
Thanks again Lefty...I like the look of the Ganzo but I like that edge on the Free Tiger. By the way, I bought both these knives due to your reviews.
Very nice, you got both. I hope my opinion was accurate and more importantly, that you like them. Thank you Mick.
The Knife Beater ...oh yes, I like them. You seem to have a knack for finding those well made budget friendly knives.
The forward choil on the Firebird is better but I don't disagree.
I hear ya Rusty. Thank you my friend.
Are these actual D2?
Both blades are 3.45m thick and the Free Tiger is a taller blade? Yep, thinner behind the edge makes sense and it should slice like a gama ray burst. Wait hat's a Spyderco quality distal taper on the Firebird though. AND nested liners...
I demand a RECOUNT lol kidding. Great video!
Lol. Yeah, I was kinda surprised that both had the same blade thickness. Thanks for watching Mike.
Good shootout. Thanks KB!
Thank you much James.
Can't lie I am not disapointed in the final outcome.
Just wondering, do you do any testing with these knives? How tough are they? If they are to be considered for EDC, would be nice to know how well the blade holds up in some actual testing, not you just telling us how it looks
Yep, you got me, no cutting in this video.
I love the name your channel I always get a kick out of seeing it. Yes, I'm a simple man. Lol
Lol. Thank you Ty. I like simple, you're definitely in the right place.
did you add heat to the pivot yet?? that should break it free// Nice job on the video as always..
Thanks Keifer. Yeah, I did try heating the pivot with my soldering iron, but it was still a no go.
Hey Jay! Forgive me if I missed it. Has anyone confirmed the D2 on that Freetiger? Failing that, how is the long term edge retention and sharpening? We've got those details on the Ganzo. BTW, you noted the logo and stamp similarities on a previous video. Is it possible that Ganzo is making the Freetigers?
I don't think anyone has tested their D2 yet. Don't know for sure if Ganzo is making the FreeTiger's. Really you could make the argument to support either theory. I just hate to assume that FreeTiger is hitching their wagon to Ganzo's star. Thank you Chronovore.
@@TheKnifeBeater since your review convinced me to get a ft903 after I got it I sharpened it to 15dps and 1 micron strop. For me it cut 136ft before it wouldn't cut paper. I think outpost76 got 140ft or so on some ganzo d2 so I'd say its pretty close. I have put another edge or 2 on mine and would be willing to do another cut test soon.
Ganzo doesn't make knives, they're not a manufacturer. All these knife "brands" such as Eafengrow, Freetiger, Kubey, Sanrenmu, etc. come from the same knife manufacturers in China. If you have a few thousand bucks to invest, you could go on Alibaba and create your very own line of Chronovore knives. Make your logo and they'll laser etch it on the blade. The only difference in all these brands is which ones are telling the truth about the their steel. Eafengrow puts D2 on their blades but it's not D2. Lots of these companies lie. But Ganzo has a reputation to uphold and they've been proven to tell the truth about their steel, according to numerous independent testers on TH-cam.
Hey Jay two winners, hope eventually own both. How about the mod on the bestech, you about finished. Waiting anxiously, Harry
Yeah, almost Harry. I've been recording my work because I'm thinking I might make it into a video as well.
@@TheKnifeBeater Sounds great.
With only a $2 difference in price and almost identical performance, I don't see where you could go wrong on either one. It would just come down to looks... which one looks purtier? :)
You're right David, very close in so many ways. Personal preference could be the deciding factor. Thanks for watching.
Ganzo! before watching 😀
Well, you had a 50% chance of guessing the right one. Thank you Simo.
Gotta say, I'm a little disappointed in the outcome. I recently got into Ganzo at your recommendation and have been amazed at the quality and feel. I think when you look at the lines of the FH41 and the usability of that knife in all the qualities that matter, Ganzo comes out way ahead. Better hand position/feel and usable forward grip. Better quality liner lock. Disassembly. Actual deep carry pocket clip. Smoother close. Actual D2 steel. And to top it all off, FreeTiger blatantly copied the Firebird logo. That alone should relegate FreeTiger to the "Poser Pile." And I refuse to get one to support their lack of scruples. They need to stick to their own designs, like the FT601..
Ones no better than the other. Can't judge by blade sharpness on that particular knife. Next knife may be sharper.
Free Tiger=The Budget Ganzo? Who'd a thunk it.
I hear ya Len, I feel the same way.
Коол!