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Posted: 9/12/2011 2:31:48 PM EDT
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I'm considering purchasing my first Strider. I know of the quality and craftsmanship, but I've always had reservations with respect to price. Anyone else? How about some Strider pics from those that have them... |
| I have reservations about Mick Strider and his made up bullshit about being some secret squirrel operator in the military. He can keep all his overpriced waterjet cut knives and crazed fanboys to himself. I'm sure his products work and last a long time, but I take personal offense to false claims of military service and even more when it's used for advertising a company. And any knife, made with good materials and respect to good manufacturing techniques will last longer than any of us here. Make sure you are buying a knife.....not a name, and the price will come down. |
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I have reservations about Mick Strider and his made up bullshit about being some secret squirrel operator in the military. He can keep all his overpriced waterjet cut knives and crazed fanboys to himself. I'm sure his products work and last a long time, but I take personal offense to false claims of military service and even more when it's used for advertising a company. And any knife, made with good materials and respect to good manufacturing techniques will last longer than any of us here. Make sure you are buying a knife.....not a name, and the price will come down. This times eleventybillion. I don't give my money to convicted carjackers that should have been charged with Stolen Valor also. Fuck them. |
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I've often wondered what the deal was with striders. You either have people like the ones who have posted on here who don't give a shit about the knife and just don't like Mick Strider, or you have people whose loins swoon for Mick Strider and anything he has his name on.
It's hard to get an honest opinion of the knife b/c of all the bullshit surrounding him. I bit the bullet and got an okay deal on a used Sng (doubt it was ever taken out of the plastic bag it came in though.) The knife feels EXCELLENT in hand, the ergonomics of this thing are marvelous. My pivot is a little tighter than I'de like tho, I like to be loose enough to finger flick. I don't like the fact that you can't take the knife apart without voiding your warranty either. If I pay $400 for a knife, I should be able to take it apart and clean it out without being worried about voiding my warranty. Now, truth be told my Spyderco para 2 spends WAY more time in my pocket the the Sng does. It has very comparable ergonomics with the finger choil and all. While the compression lock doesn't carry as much swagger as the frame lock, it's an exceptional lock to say the least. To top it all off, it opens as smooth as butter. Granted Spyderco won't let me take their knives apart either without voiding the warranty, but for $100 I'll take a lot more chances in that department than a $400 knife. If my wife the SNG hadn't been a birthday gift (even tho i picked it out), I would have already traded it off for something else. I trust my kershaw/ZT/Spyderco knives everybit as much as I trust the Strider I have. Maybe I'm off my rocker but when I spend $400 for a knife, I want to be wow'd by it, not meh about it. Before you buy one, I'de recommend finding one to hold or open a few times first (nearest knife shop to me is about 3-4 hours). There are lots of other knives out there that are awesome, you don't have to get a Strider just because it seems like the cool kids are doing it (learn from my mistakes.) |
| I've played with them and put some through their paces. No doubt it is a good, solid knife and a lot of their customs are down right gorgeous, it's the fact that Mickey Ray Burger is a lying criminal and his partner is full of shit too, that will keep me from ever buying one. That goes for Grayman and MercWorx too. A big den of scumbags. |
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Get a zero tolerance and don't look back Fo sho. I've got a ZT 0551 with elmax steel that is great. They also have a new knife colaboration coming out here in the next 6 months with Rick Hinderer I think it's the 0560. The pricepoint on these should be around $250, and from the blade show reviews they are just barely under the actual hand fitted Hinderer knives. |
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I looked into Strider Knives also recently and didn't like what I learned. Same as what others here have said. I also don't care for the g10 on one aide only. I went with and highly reccomend a Grayman dua! If you didn't like the Strider stink... I gots some bad news for ya'. |
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His partner is every bit the liar he is. Stolen valor and all. Starting from the beginning....
The Grayman guy, whatever the hell his name is this week, designed the first couple Strider models, then went off to start his own stuff. When the whole stink of Strider lying about his military experience first started coming out, the first one to stand in line to defend him was the Grayman guy. Turns out that not only did Mickey lie about his military service, was never special ops, never high speed anything got kicked out as a private, he's also a convicted felon for carjacking. Fast forward a few years, the Grayman guy has built his reputation around the fact that he was a hardcore super killer guy in Rowanda, Rhodesia, or some shitty african place that starts with R. Grand story involving 11 enemy kills with knives and all kinds of other shit. Turns out he made up his bonifides also. The service members group from that R country, the folks that actually did the wet work over there, sent a letter out saying they'd never heard of the Grayman guy before, he never served over there and was basically full of shit. So now we have the 2 owners of Strider, Mick and Dwayne, both full of shit and the Grayman guy, full of shit. Somehow or another MerkWorx comes into play with all this mess. The Grayman guy designed some of the knives for MW, hence why his new Sub-Sahara models look so much like MW knives. The MerkWorx folks could be completely clean and upstanding, they just have the stink of this whole mess on them. That's basically it in a nutshell with very broad strokes. Not to say that all these guys don't put out a good product. There are lots of people using these knives all over the world day in and day out. I just think it is really fucked up that they couldn't have let their product stand on it's own merits without all the bullshit drama. |
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Damn, next your gonna tell me there's no such thing as Santa. Never looked seriously at Strider cause it was out of my price range. Then I started hearing people say things but, never any details. Looked at Grayman (and a few others) for over a year before buying one of his Darfur Defenders. About 3 months after that I came across Jerihico and had a serious "Oh, man..." moment. Now I really wish I'd held on a little longer. I freak'n hate posers! Feel like I got ripped off.
Timberwolf, I'm not challenging you but, where can I find this info for myself? |
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This really troubles me too. I have owned many Strider and sold them. Problem was I could not find another knife I wanted so I bought another.
There are many other knives out there, many seem like a good value. I have been thinking of a Busse. I don't think he claims to be anything other than just a guy. ESEE seems to be a good value and the guys seem like users instead of collectors. With Busse getting ready to make a run of Basic 10's I am seriously tempted. I also bought a Randall to try out. |
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Here's a link to get you started
Strider BS If you do a google search for Mick Strider Liar you get more and there is a lot of cross posting of info about Grayman. Sorry, not trying to take a dump in anyone's cheerio's, but it is what it is. |
| The knives cost that much for no other reason than the name on the side. Now, that can be said for everything ever sold that had some clever marketing behind it. But, the problem for me is it's all snake oil salesmanship. A rep built on lies, and if you dare ask about it...a dedicated group of fanboys who protect the lies almost with their lives. Don't believe me....go to the USN.com (Usual Suspect Network) site and say anythng off color about a Strider knife. I said it in the beginning, I have no doubt that the company makes good products. But for the price they ask, there are dozens of other companies making knives with the same or better materials that didn't have to stoop to made-up military service to promote their company and products. |
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The knives cost that much for no other reason than the name on the side. Now, that can be said for everything ever sold that had some clever marketing behind it. But, the problem for me is it's all snake oil salesmanship. A rep built on lies, and if you dare ask about it...a dedicated group of fanboys who protect the lies almost with their lives. Don't believe me....go to the USN.com (Usual Suspect Network) site and say anythng off color about a Strider knife. I said it in the beginning, I have no doubt that the company makes good products. But for the price they ask, there are dozens of other companies making knives with the same or better materials that didn't have to stoop to made-up military service to promote their company and products. I'm with you with the kool-aid guzzlers on USN. There's entirely too many folks over there wanting to fondle his nutsack. As much I would like to say that their prices are out of line, they're actually not that off the mark. S30V is a pretty expensive steel. I have some models made from Elmax and CPM154CM and they are running about 350 - 400. But mine also come with real grips and are made one at a time. If I did enough of them to buy steel in full 4' x 12' sheets and had a butt ton of blanks all waterjetted at once the price would come down a lot. I think they just forgot that part of it. Their folder prices aren't too bad for what you're getting. Their custom prices are a fucking joke. |
| I have never heard about those Grayman claims to fame. Only recently saw his stuff reviewed on gunblast.com liked what he said went to Grayman website where the only claims I saw was him doing mission. Work. I liked his warranty. And had a ton of emails with his wife and him before purchasing and after. The top notch customer. Service helped me decide and when it arrived I was glad I chose it. |
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I have to reserve my judgement on Grayman and Strider stuff. I know of them from people they have made knives for or worked with. The stuff has proven to be tough and rugged...other than that...I can't say....
On the other hand, I get into arguments with certain 'operators' that I deal with on a regular basis who tell me this or that design doesn't work to which I reply " I have studied stuff that has worked for centuries by people that used them as well as modern and makeshift prison weapons, I have over 25 years of martial arts, and I have a gift for ergonomics and balance. Sometimes, you hold a knife in your hand and it even feels like a dud. A small handle made by asians overseas, a bad guard, too small handle diameter for work the knife was designed for, all this makes for a bad working knife. So the argument goes that I have never had to kill anyone with a knife. No big deal. They tell me because of this I don't have any clue about how to do it or how to make a knife for that( one or two of them- the rest aren't that stupid). I just tell them I study those that have and have trained with those that have and these are the results. Yes, it would be easier to discuss with them if I had taken a life with one but then why would anyone who has done so want to advertise it? I wouldn't. It wouldn't be anyone's business. How many people have been killed by cheap steak knives in just the US? A man who carries a $400.00 knife is not very likely to kill anyone with it. I look at the materials of companies Like Strider, Grayman, TOPS, and others, and I ask myself- "How are they able to justify the extra cost for the same materials that I use?" I am sure it is because of the hype they engender, the mystique. Scrapyard knives is a breath of fresh air when it comes to well built knives. The cost is what it should be- many just wish they had a sheath to go with it. As an example, a K-bar is about 75 bucks retail. How many of the enemy have been dispatched by this inexpensive knife? How many lives have been saved and work completed by this knife? Military personnel still carry it today. Is it a bad knife? No way! It is just cheap. A machine makes it and it is stamped out and ground with few people and the design is about 70 years old and so are the manufacturing facilities. Look around....see what is available. Some people grow week at the knees for the wrong thing. Will a Strider hold up to the hype? Yes, but so will anything of the same material and design. (and yes...I have made 'Tactical Steak knives"...the term 'tactical' refers to actions...not tools or weapons) |
I was given this knife by the owner of another shady knife company, I would not lay out the cash to purchase this knife, but I am glad I own it. I used to carry it everyday, and one of the fasteners that hold the handle together fell out and became lost. I contacted Strider, got them the knife and got it back about two weeks later, cleaned up and razor sharp for no charge. It is a good solid knife and they took care of me. |
| This just comes down to whether or not you give a shit about the actions of the people you do business with or not. The products are not the thing in question. It's the character of the owners. Your product should speak for itself without having to drum up some stupid story. You don't see Timberwolf saying he killed some dudes in Rhodesia so he knows the secrets to knife design. The guy just makes knives and people like them. It's the harder way of building a reputation, but it's honest. If you don't give a shit about guys spinning some bs stories then buy away, they are apparently decent knives. Having served, I am not a big fan of people lying about shit like that. They won't see my money. In the market they are in it's absurd to make up stories like that. The military is a small world so eventually someone will chime in with the truth. Better to be honest. Let your product speak for itself. |
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This just comes down to whether or not you give a shit about the actions of the people you do business with or not. The products are not the thing in question. It's the character of the owners. Your product should speak for itself without having to drum up some stupid story. You don't see Timberwolf saying he killed some dudes in Rhodesia so he knows the secrets to knife design. The guy just makes knives and people like them. It's the harder way of building a reputation, but it's honest. If you don't give a shit about guys spinning some bs stories then buy away, they are apparently decent knives. Having served, I am not a big fan of people lying about shit like that. They won't see my money. In the market they are in it's absurd to make up stories like that. The military is a small world so eventually someone will chime in with the truth. Better to be honest. Let your product speak for itself. Good post. My thoughts exactly. |
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I'm considering purchasing my first Strider. I know of the quality and craftsmanship, but I've always had reservations with respect to price. Anyone else? How about some Strider pics from those that have them... Putting personal actions and practices aside, you should have some reservations about the price of a Strider. Striders are well made, durable kvives that cost about as much as a great custom knife. Standard striders are not custom knives, they are a higher end production knife. Striders are priced about $100-200 too high (depending on the model) when you really look at what you are getting in terms of materials and production time. They are largely not handmade, but machine made. That is not to say that they are not good knives, they are just overpriced. There is quality there, but no real craftsmanship. If you want Strider craftsmanship go pay $1,000+ for a Mick Strider or Duane Dwyer custom. That having been said, they do have many well designed knives. If there is something that is "uniquely" Strider that you have your heart set on, go for it. If you are just generally looking for a good knife, possibly custom, I suggest you search elsewhere as you will get more for your money. |
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This just comes down to whether or not you give a shit about the actions of the people you do business with or not. The products are not the thing in question. It's the character of the owners. Your product should speak for itself without having to drum up some stupid story. You don't see Timberwolf saying he killed some dudes in Rhodesia so he knows the secrets to knife design. The guy just makes knives and people like them. It's the harder way of building a reputation, but it's honest. If you don't give a shit about guys spinning some bs stories then buy away, they are apparently decent knives. Having served, I am not a big fan of people lying about shit like that. They won't see my money. In the market they are in it's absurd to make up stories like that. The military is a small world so eventually someone will chime in with the truth. Better to be honest. Let your product speak for itself. Good post. My thoughts exactly. +1 |
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As much I would like to say that their prices are out of line, they're actually not that off the mark. S30V is a pretty expensive steel. Yep. I have the same opinion about Strider, but If anyone doubts it they can check the going price on small quantities of S30V. It's not cheap. |
| I don't care if Mickey Mouse and Obama make them, they 're some of the best knives out there. For me when considering a product I take in account the quality and customer service and ignore the political bullshit with the company all together. There are plenty of people in the firearms business who I don't agree with but I don't miss out on a good product because of it. Everybody has skeleton's in the closet and that's there business and they''ll have to answer for them one day. Some are worse than other's and I agree Mick's history is flat out wrong but I can't ignore the quality of his product and the customer service they provide. I'm not a fanboy just a user of their products aswell as many other quality brands. |
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I picked one up used at a very good price and I like it. It's a very nice knife and I enjoy carrying and using it. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't pay new prices for one though. If you keep your eyes open and are patient you can get them at a much better price used a little bit. |
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I don't care if Mickey Mouse and Obama make them, they 're some of the best knives out there. For me when considering a product I take in account the quality and customer service and ignore the political bullshit with the company all together. There are plenty of people in the firearms business who I don't agree with but I don't miss out on a good product because of it. Everybody has skeleton's in the closet and that's there business and they''ll have to answer for them one day. Some are worse than other's and I agree Mick's history is flat out wrong but I can't ignore the quality of his product and the customer service they provide. I'm not a fanboy just a user of their products aswell as many other quality brands. They will have to answer to someone but not you? If they were the only knife maker out there and you needed a knife I would understand, but they are not. People buying from companies that don't play fair/lie only encourage more bad behavior. Don't throw out your Strider's, I am not saying that, on the other hand when comes to getting your next knife I would encourage you to look elsewhere. -Lot of good stuff out there that is made by good/truthful guys with great CS and to top it off it is drama free. YMMV. |
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I have reservations about Mick Strider and his made up bullshit about being some secret squirrel operator in the military. He can keep all his overpriced waterjet cut knives and crazed fanboys to himself. I'm sure his products work and last a long time, but I take personal offense to false claims of military service and even more when it's used for advertising a company. And any knife, made with good materials and respect to good manufacturing techniques will last longer than any of us here. Make sure you are buying a knife.....not a name, and the price will come down. This times eleventybillion. I don't give my money to convicted carjackers that should have been charged with Stolen Valor also. Fuck them. This. Especially on a higher end item, I'll save my money for different companies with higher ethics. |
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The sh**storm over the Strider owners never ceases to amaze. Most of this came out 10 years ago. Like the eternal jammomatic M16 of 1968, some won't let go.
If you want a decent daily carry knife, start looking into what features actually make one work better. Focus on the "Brand," it's the same BS the fanboys churn out. Not a word on the worth of the knife, all about how stupid someone would be if they actually liked it. I bought the knife based on features - it's flat ground, has a G10 scale, S30V steel that is tough. to dull. It's a drop point with pocket clip. I prefer knives like that because they make great all round utility knives, and can be used for the widest variety of work. On a dollars per inch of blade and work basis, there are better knives out there. But that's entirely what you decide is important in a knife. Most of my other knives I use are also flat ground and G10 liner locks, and the best values have been the Chinese made Benchmade and Spydercos for about $40. Why? A knife just cuts. A $350 knife just cuts a little bit better, not quantum leaps, like an AR three times more expensive won't be three times more accurate or kill things three times deader. What you are buying above and beyond is up to you. Make your own decision. |
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D-bags, liars, over-priced whatever. I have never seen any of the Strider crew openly bash another knifemaker. Period. IMO this thread is more damaging to those posting than the Strider crew. Just my $0.02 as a Consumer. Some people are willing to call things how they see em. If you lie, be ready to get called on it and keep getting called on it. You know why the Strider crew never openly bash another knife maker? Because they have no legs to stand on. They know they'll get laughed back to Rhodesia or whichever place they're fighting their secret squirrel wars. The best bet for them is to keep quiet and pray people forget. |
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D-bags, liars, over-priced whatever. I have never seen any of the Strider crew openly bash another knifemaker. Period. IMO this thread is more damaging to those posting than the Strider crew. Just my $0.02 as a Consumer. So, they missed out on the classes Don't Lie 101 and Don't Commit Violent Crime 101 but attended Those In Glass Houses 101 and 102. No one is bashing their crew, other than the owners, or their knives, other than price point. I'm sure they have a bunch of great guys working for them and their product is good enough that the free market has spoken and they are successful. Doesn't change what has transpired and it's not like it was some simple crime like writing bad checks or excessive speeding. Pretty much when you violently carjack someone you don't get to make the call on someone else's worth as a person or a craftsman. That is until there is a knifemaker that turns out to be a pedophile. They can bash the pedophile until the cows come home. Until then it's best to just shut the fuck up. |
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Making the call on someone else's worth? Mighty big of you to condescend to tell others what they should think. I haven't committed any crimes - that I've been convicted of in court - or said things that were completely dishonest like answering, How fast were you going?, But I'm not going out of my way to spread around someone else is. Why? I don't think I'm any better.
I come from the school of thought no one is perfect, better off not casting the first stone. Apparently some think their excrement is odorless, and they can pass judgement and act as executioner, too. Nothings changed after ten years in that regard. I work Sundays and miss the input, feel free to expound on just exactly how your Holy Righteousness is violated and what penance should be suffered to regain a place in your Presence. Go ahead, make the call on someone else's worth. Just don't get upset when identical standards are applied to you, after all, you set the standards. Oops, does your State use convict labor to stamp license plates? Did you buy something made in a Chinese prison factory? Do you work in a governmental office furnished with desks and chairs made by convicts, ie, Unicor? Your Boss has never lied to you, and you support them loyally to anyone who asks? You've never ever lied to a family member or spouse? Coworker? Cop? Alcoholic beverage vendor? Dentist? Mine always asks if I floss and I tell him no, because I got tired of lying. The evidence was right there where a professional could see. Lots of people buy stuff from convicts and liars everyday, but Strider is somehow an example that has to be made. Smells inconsistent to me. Perhaps being a Deity isn't exactly what its cracked up to be. Strider makes a nice knife, my license plates are exactly what my LEO's want, the office furniture from Unicor worked just fine in the Reserves, and my boss actually told me I wasn't putting up enough freight. I put up more freight in one day than he and his assistants do in one week. There's a reason only certain people under controlled circumstances can pass judgement. They did, it's done, get over it..It wasn't You or Me, and we weren't invited to put comments in the Record. They did, and it's really None Of Our Business. |
| When the company, and the man, use the lie as a marketing tool to entice me to purchase their product....then it becomes my buisness. The question isn't weather or not you've been lied to by you boss or Unicor products or even license plates made in a state prison. None of them used that fact covertly as a way to get you to buy their products. Hell, they wear it as a badge of honor TO get you to buy their stuff. Had the man just shut his mouth, marketed his products and lived his life, I'd probley have a Strider knife in my pocket right now. You mentioned being in the minlitary, do you think it's alright to wear decorations you didn't earn? How about rank...wouldn't you rather be a general than an enlisted man? I said I liked my wifes cooking, I lied.....whats the differance? You work with LEO's, would it be OK if I dressed up as a cop....even though I'm not? What the hell, it's not like you didn't dress up as a kid on Halloween right? Would you buy department products from me if I said I was a cop and then turned out I wasen't? Even though the only reason you bought then was because I am a fellow officer? I've never discredited the products that Strider makes. In fact, I've done nothing but praise them. Had he passed himself off as an animal control officer, cook, lawyer...anything, I doubt I'd gave a shit. But in a profession where people die, and your word is your bond, making it up sours everything you will ever do or say. |
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In the industry that I am in I am totally with the "don't run down your competitors" " let your product do your talking" ...that said I have been fortunate to only have attended one military funeral since the war (s) began. Someone that claims to been there and done that, and they have not...this crosses a line with me. Those that do this are not just lying, they are taking away from the service of my friends (and the actions of the one that will not be returning to his family). Add to that that it is being done to sell a product? Unacceptable.
Support them with your words and your money from the comfort of your mother's basement, while others are dying to insure that comfort. I say F-them and will go elsewhere for my knives. |
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having owned both, you can't go wrong with a ZT 0300 series if you want that kind of a knife.
I don't feel it gives up anything to a Strider. I've since sold both my SNG and 0301, but if I were to rebuy one, it would be the ZT. I'm carrying a Chris Reeve Umnumzaan now, and if you don't need a sharpened prybar(this is not to say the Umnum isn't a heavy built knife) its a nice knife as well. |
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