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kimq
6th February 2003, 16:54
Hidey ho everybody!

Yesturday I was in the local knife shop (The Cutting Edge Cutlery Company @ www.swords.ca) looking for a new sharp. I was getting a little tired of my trusty Spyderco Rescue Jr. It was time for something new.

This spring my main mode of transportation will be my brand new Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic motorbike. One of my requirements for my new knife was that I could manipulate with my armored leather gloves on. After going through, testing their use with my gloves on (draw, open, grip(s), close), about a dozen knives it came down to three. Of those three, the Kershaw Whirlwind came out on top.

I shifted my Spyderco to my secondary position and put my new Kershaw into its new primary home.

By no means is the Whirlwind perfect right now. One problem I have with it is getting my leather-covered thumb between the grip and the blade-mounted release peg (the knife sports assisted opening). Most of the time it's a very smooth (and quick!) draw and open even with the gloves on. From time to time, however, the minimal gap between the peg and the grip proves too small and the open is fumbly. Darren, the owner of the store and a practitioner of BBT and Arnis/Kali, suggested a simple mod for the grip to fix the issue.

He suggested grabbing my Dremel down off the tool shelf and slowly bite some chunks away from grip until my thumb would fit easier into a better activation point for the blade's peg. Once the gap has been roughly created, grab the sanding cylinder for my Dremel and smooth out the rough spots. In short, what I would be creating is a simple thumb recess in the grip (the Whirlwind does not come originally designed with one). I should start on this mod fairly soon.

Darren also makes aluminum trainers for working with an uke on the mats. He shapes them to be safe for both users, but remains true to the original shape of the knife it is replicating. I have a Spyderco Delica training replica that works great and am having him cut me a trainer for my Whirlwind.

Anyway, I'm changing my primary carry position with this new sharp. I carry my Spydercos in my front pocket with clip exposed. I never did like their feel in my waistband. Seeing as the Whirlwind is a point-down folder with assisted opening and that I would have to essentially unlearn my old drawing methods and learn new ones anyway, I might as well go whole hog and reposition my knife as well. It should be a lot easier getting a gloved thumb in my waistband than my front pocket for drawing - now if only I could figured out how to do it all smoothly and invisibly with a leather motorcycle jacket and a pair of leather overpants on. :D