Here's the review I recalled from Outdoors Magazine. This is only the text without pics, but it's also available in PDF format including pics.
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Testing the newest A.G. Russell One Hand Knife... ATS34 vs AUS-8 Steel
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A. G. Russell FeatherLite One Hand Knife
I'm always looking for good lightweight pocket knives; and I think I have found a GREAT ONE...
In 1987 A.G. Russell introduced the "One Hand Knife", featuring an oval shaped hole in the blade allowing lefties or righties to flick the knife open. A.G. added a unique lock, just behind the tang which can also be operated one handed with either hand.
A.G. has added a "Featherlite" version of the One Hand Knife to his line, with a one piece fiberglass reinforced handle that is surprisingly comfortable and strong. Attached to the handle is a razor sharp hollow ground blade in either a clip point or what A.G. calls a general purpose blade which looks to me like a modified spear point, although I have only seen it in pictures.
I was lucky enough to have TWO of these super little knives show up in my mailbox; they looked like identical twins until I looked closer and realized that both of the available blade steels were represented by this pair.
The standard blade is AUS-8; no slouch in the Stainless Steel category as it's used by Spyderco, Kershaw etc.
Carbon 0.7 - 0.8% Manganese 1.0% Chromium 13.0 - 14.5% Nickel 0.5% Vanadium 0.1 - 0.25% Molybdenum 0.1 - 0.3%
The Vanadium promotes a fine grain during the heat treating and A.G. has them hardened to 57 to 59 Rc.
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A. G. Russell FeatherLite One Hand Knife
Now AUS-8 would make a knife that's good enough for just about everybody, a good basic utility knife that's sharp, light, easy to use and very reasonably priced. I guess that's not enough for A.G. because he's also making the knife with ATS34.
ATS34 is a vaccum melted, high carbon, stainless steel. I know ATS34, my EDC Benchmade 710 has it and I really like the way it takes and holds an edge.
Carbon 1.05% Manganese 0.4% Chromium 14.0% Molybdenum 4.0%
The ATS34 blade is hardened 60 to 61 Rc. a bit harder than the AUS-8.
The quandry sometimes is figuring out HOW to test a knife; since I'm a fixed blade user who likes the woods, a pair of light little folding knives presented a challenge. I think I arrived at a useful conclusion; test them like a "city boy" would use a knife. Carrying the knives everyday allowed me to become comfortable with the lock and to figure out that the lanyard hole in the scales was perfectly placed; OD Paracord on the ATS34, black on AUS-8. Before anyone attempts to figure out the code to the color selection, it's simple; I had small pieces of OD and Black 550 cord and just attached them to the knives.
I started on cardboard, city folks always use knives to cut open cardboard boxes and such. So it was time to dig out some packing boxes. I sharpened both knives before starting the test, not because they needed sharpening, but for consistency's sake. Both edges sliced thru newspaper like.... well like a sharp knife thru newspaper.
Cardboard is very hard on edges, still it took over a hundred 12 inch slices before the AUS-8 edge started to rip the outer layers indicating that the knife was finally dulling.
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A. G. Russell FeatherLite One Hand Knife
The ATS34 blade just breezed past the 150 cut point with no sign of being ready to quit.
The fact that the ATS34 edge lasted longer wasn't a big surprise, my Benchmade 710 holds an edge forever. What was surprising however; was that the AUS-8 blade held up as long as it did. When I last tested an AUS-8 Blade, it dulled very quickly and that on a knife costing twice what A.G. is selling these for.
Back to the sharpener we went; to regain the edge on one and to bring everything back to even for the second round. Here's where the AUS-8 wins, as it certainly is easier to sharpen; or so I thought.
The next test was cutting nylon rope. I believe nylon rope is the reason for so many serrated edged knives; if the edge isn't sharp, the rope just slides.
The ATS34 seemed a bit "toothier" as it bit right into the rope...
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A. G. Russell FeatherLite One Hand Knife
I expected that the AUS-8 would go easier, since it certainly seemed to pop hairs, especially after stropping with some green compound on cardboard. But something was wrong... the razor sharp edge just didn't seem to want to go thru the nylon, and when the cuts were coompleted the end was very frayed...
almost like I was cutting with a dull knife.
I mentioned this in a conversation with Mike Stewart and he suggested that I go back over the dull acting sharp edge with a coarse stone and then back over the medium and fine stones, even stropping.
He was right, I guess the dulling, sharpening on a fine stone and stropping combined with the fine grain creates a "Polished Edge" that isn't suited to cutting nylon rope. Different edges for different materials... I guess it's true. With that point however, the ease of sharpening AUS-8 isn't quite true.
To sum up the test...
I really have come to like the Featherlite One Hand Knife, a lot more than I thought I would. It's a useful size, very light, comfortable and very usable. But how about the ATS34 vs AUS-8 question? I guess it's a matter of personal
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A. G. Russell FeatherLite One Hand Knife
preference; if you don't mind spending time tuning the edge periodically or aren't a hard user, the AUS-8 should be perfect for you.
For me; I use everything I own to within an inch of it's life, rode hard and put away wet... so ATS34 is my pick.
A.G. Russell has the Featherlite on his Site. A good little knife with the best warranty in the business, you can't miss.
Reid
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A.G. Russell General Purpose Blade FeatherLite One Hand Knife Outdoors-Magazine.com
http://outdoors-magazine.comA.G. Russell General Purpose Blade FeatherLite One Hand Knife
SgtMike88Ret
- Gear reviews and tests - Edged tools - Folders -
Publication: Monday 7 June 2004
Description :
For the past couple weeks, I've had the pleasure of toting a pair of AG Russell FeatherLite One Hand knives for test and review ...
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A.G. Russell General Purpose Blade FeatherLite One Hand Knife
AG1 The knives are available in either clip point versions or what AG calls his "general purpose blade" (shown). You also have your choice of blade steels with either model, including AUS-8 hardened to 57-59 HRC or ATS-34 at 60-61 HRC. Blades on both of my samples are hollow ground to absolutely scary sharp, toothy edges. OAL of the knife open is 7" and, although AG says the knife weighs 1.5 ounces, each of mine tip my certified scale at 1.42 ounces. The blades measure 3.125" and rest in one of the most comfortable FRN handles that I've used to date. Those handles are thoughtfully designed to keep the sharp back corner of the lockback blade from abrading your pocket when closed, too. There is no pocket clip or ugly pocket clip holes - this knife is designed for in pocket carry. The lockback mechanism is both very strong and a pleasure to use once you break out of the traditional lockback mental box. The one hand opening hole works fine bare handed, but took a little getting used to with gloved hands. With a little practice, gloved hands can manipulate the blade without any problem.
I've used both knives hard. They've cut all of the typical and boring materials I usually subject a knife of this type to ... cardboard, recycleable plastics, foodstuffs, mail and packages, etc. Both knives remained sharp through the typical materials and to date, neither has required sharpening beyond an occassional stropping on my charged leather hone. Using the knives at the park is one area where the FeatherLites really impressed me. They were subjected to not only lime and the standard turface we usually use, but also to a new finer turface we acquired. Those substances are extremely gritty and they will clog up some knives so badly that they are rendered useless until they're painstakingly cleaned and reoiled. The AG Russell FeatherLites took the materials without a bobble. The actions, although gritty, kept working perfectly. When I had the chance to clean the knives, a quick rinse in warm water and a drop of oil after drying was all that was required to remove any grittyness in the action. The unusual lockback design allowed for the lock to be lifted a hair during the rinse to allow for flow through water to get the grit out quickly and very easily.
Another area where these knives impressed me was in their toughness. As a lot of you know, Care and I are in the process of self remodeling our home. While working on putting up some oak trim in the kitchen last Saturday, I had one small 9" x 1.5" section that had to be cut in half lengthwise to fit perfectly and match the rest of the trim. I was hot, tired and frustrated and unwilling to mess around with the appropriate tools for the job and in a hurry to finish, clean up, and end the looming arguement that was about to occur. Without thinking, out came the ATS-34 FeatherLite and my rubber hammer. I measured and marked the piece to be cut and I batoned the little knife through the trim, making a near perfect split. Two minutes later, the piece was sanded to perfection and tacked into place.
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A.G. Russell General Purpose Blade FeatherLite One Hand Knife
Yeah, you read that right. I batoned a folder.
The folder, AG Russell's FeatherLite, took the punishment and shrugged it off like water off a duck. Unfortunately, there was no picture taking to mark the event. There was a camera available on our rain soaked Memorial Day when it came time to start our cooking fire in the firepit, however ....
I wanted fire and I wanted to put the FeatherLite to a tough test. We had wood, but no tinder or dry kindling, so I made some ...
AG3 The FeatherLite was used to baton out some kindling and again, took the punishment without a bobble. The lock not only held, the knife still has excellent lockup with no blade play whatsoever.
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A.G. Russell General Purpose Blade FeatherLite One Hand Knife
AG4 Tinder was no problem, either. The knife's great edge made quick work of creating an ample pile of hardwood shavings and whittling up a fuzzstick.
AG2 The FeatherLite's spine proved not just ample at scraping an MFS or striking a spark ... it proved worthy.
Worthy is a key word with this knife. It's that and a lot more. Mine rides in my back pocket, behind a folded bandana. There is no perceptable signature to give away the fact that you're carrying a knife in that manner. AG will get mine back only if he outlives me and is able to pry it from my cold dead fingers. The FeatherLite is 1.5 ounces of one tough piece of kit.
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A.G. Russell General Purpose Blade FeatherLite One Hand Knife
Going ultralight? The FeatherLite fits right into that niche, IMHO. I've read of some ultralight backpackers carrying and relying solely on the diminutive SAK Classic at .75 ounce for their cutting tool. I don't quite think they'd be able to match the demonstrated performance of the FeatherLite which weighs in at less than twice that much ...
The FeatherLite is available from AG Russell, currently $34.95 for either AUS-8 version or $49.95 for either ATS-34 version.
Mike
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