Victorinox Hunter Pro 0.9410.3

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have a number of knives from CRKT and a number of knives designed by Ken Onion that were produced by other companies and I have to say that I don't think you can go wrong with that one, although I don't have that specific model.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on it when it arrives!

Def

[ragingspeed]

no no no no no no ... wait a sec ... slight misunderstanding over there ... I wiiiiish I can order it... but 1) apparently it is limited edition and can't find it anywhere online for sale and 2) it's very very very veeeery expensive ... BUT ... i can't get my eyes off this one ... toooooo beautiful !

[downunder]

The black handled one I mentioned earlier has arrived. As with the orange handle one it has absolutely zero blade play. For its price point, I personally love this knife. It carries really nicely in a horizontal position on my belt (I don't find it hard to remove from the sheath and it carries comfortably all day in that position) and I am now using it in the kitchen all the time simply because it does a fine job (skinning pumpkins, taking the eyes out of potatoes with that sharp point, cutting up dog meat etc). Generally my preferred carry is in the waistband (need a thin knife like my Esee Avispa for this to be comfortable for all day carry),but on the belt isn't bad. I don't like carrying them in a pocket but some like my Sog Tomcat 3 have to carried that way because there is no pocket clip. Does it open up as smoothly as my Benchmades or Sogs? No it doesn't, but it does open easier than my Cold Steel folders and quite frankly this is not really a problem for my uses. The main con I have found is that the blade gap in the handle when gripped really tightly feels somewhat sharp on the hands but I rarely need to grip it that hard and generally I like the grip. How long it will last over time I have no idea but I have not read any reports of a problem. I have to admit that 4 inches is my ideal blade length. I have a few folders at that size or close to it (Boker Kalashnikov 101, Sog Tomcat 3.0 and Pentagon Elite 1 and I have a Kershaw Emerson CQC-4KXL on order).These are all great knives but this is the one I am using more often. Both my knives came sharp but not shaving sharp. I am finding that they do all I want with the factory edge and I simply strop the knife on a leather strop after a bit of use and the blade keeps on keeping on.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Mine arrived yesterday and I have to say, it is better than I recall.  I like the sheath but I find it flops around a lot on my belt and gets caught on things.  Plus I don't see a sheath as being necessary these days for a single bladed folder.  If I am going to wear a sheath I want more- a fixed blade or a multitool or a traditional type SAK.  Maybe I have been ruined by single bladed folders with pocket clips but I have little to no interest in a sheath for a folder.

The knife itself is nicer than I recall the last time I played with one, but then one should expect top quality from Victorinox.  I have no issues with the quality, just the execution.

The blade feels a bit awkward, but I am going to carry it for a while and use it before commenting on it further as it might just be a "getting used to it" kind of thing.

The handle still strikes me as a lot more bulky than it needs to be, and also heavier than it needs to be.  A tactical knife needs to be light in the hand because ninja are fast and if you can't keep up they will steal your underpants and you really don't want that to happen.  Too much to risk with a bulky handle.

I'll report back once I have had more of a chance to use it.  It seems perfectly functional and you probably wouldn't regret purchasing this knife, but I still don't think it's an ideal choice.

Def

[downunder]

I find the weight of the Pro Hunter is reasonable for a 4 inch bladed folder. The nearest folder I have in my collection that has similar blade size, shape and steel is the 4 inch Kershaw Emerson 4KXL. The Kershaw is in fact slightly heavier (not that the weight of either worries me) and it is a more expensive knife in Australia. I like wearing the Pro Hunter horizontally on my belt in its sheath and would not ever consider wearing it vertically. That of course requires the right belt. I find it wears as a less obvious and a more compact package that way than any equivalently sized 4 inch fixed blade knife. I admit I do like the pocket clip on the Kershaw and the wave opening action is very quick but I haven't found a time when this is really a necessity, althought there is a certain enjoyment in opening it that way. However, I like the handle on the Pro Hunter better than the Kershaw. In fact the more I use it the more I like the Pro Hunter grip. I don't know what it is but the Pro Hunter just feels secure in my hand. As mentioned previously, I can open my Pro Hunters reasonably easily one handed and that is not an issue for me. Both the Kershaw and the Pro Hunter have blade shapes and sizes I enjoy for utility use. I think I am beginning to sound like an advertisement for the Pro Hunter but I like the knife. I would love to hear from someone who has been using one for some time to gauge how they hold up long term.

[dks]

I just find it annoying that it costs twice as much here as it does in the US....... seriously, if it was made in the US, it would have probably been cheaper here

[Sea Monster]

One of these might be my present to myself, but it doesn't seem to be getting the love here?

Anyone want to persuade me to get one?

Grant, any more feedback after a few months?