ALOX goodness

[Grant Lamontagne]

It's been a few good days- a win on EDCSource and a win on eBay has paid off with 4 new ALOX knives this week.  I really wasn't all that interested in bidding/buying anything lately as I've been a bit broke, but these four knives (plus other non-ALOX models) cost less than $40 combined.



First up, the knockoffs.  I knew they were knockoffs when I bid on them, but for $.01, they seemed decent enough.  I can honestly say they were worth what I paid for them!



One says US Marines, and the other says US Army- otherwise they are identical.  Both are hunks of poo.



If these were issued to the Marines or Army, the US would be the most vulnerable country in the world!



You can tell by the giant gaps in between the liner, backsprings and scales that these were just dripping with quality.... and it all dripped out on the assembly line! 

Now onto the pretty stuff.



An old Electrician that has obviously seen it's share of action.  Other than the blade being a bit worn out, this knife is in great shape, and I would see no reason it couldn't keep working for years to come.



Now we get into the real gem.



Red ALOX is beautiful, and I'm at a loss trying to decide what appeals to me more- brand new, pretty red ALOX, or respectably worn old red ALOX!



Is anyone still reading, or are we all just drooling over the pictures at this point?  Either way, may I present, the Elinox Seaman?



I hadn't yet managed to score one of these, but I have now and I'm happy as a pig in poo that I did!

Def

[Chako]

They all look nice, even the knock offs.

[Whoey]

nice score, I need to pay more attention

[Grant Lamontagne]

Must be my excellent photographic skills, because in reality they are !
 
Def

[Chako]

Nothing wrong with the photography.

I know they are junk, bur for the price, you can't really go wrong. Think of them more as a conversation piece. 

[bren10man]

FYI: as a member of the U.S. Army for the past 16 years active duty, and 20 years ago when I joined the reserves (my, how time flies!!!), I can assure you that we are NOT issued that type of junk.  In fact, we are not issued any knives....even the Camillus knock-off of the Soldier....they are produced and sold in the GSA catalog, but so are Gerber, Leatherman, and other multi-tools; Benchmade and Blackhawk automatics; other types of knives.  Most Soldiers I come across use multitool pliers or one-hand opening knives.  Pilots purchase automatics (from Camillus MC-1's from WW2 era- bought one at a Korean pawn shop last year for a rediculous low price of $30- to Benchmade Strykers- I got one of those, too, a mini-Stryker), and those fixed-blade survival knives (those go for $100+ here in Korea, go figure...as do Ka-Bars, $200...but $35 at the PX....fixed blade knives over 4 inches are banned in Korea, hence the high price).

Marines are issued the new bayonet-field knife by Ontario that replaces the M9 and M7 bayonets and the Ka-Bar.
Army is issued (kept in the arms room) M9 bayonets.

In Iraq, I carried: SOG EOD black oxide Power Plier, Vic Champion SAK, Benchmade Emerson Design CQ-7 1-hand opening knife, and Gerber Mark-II combat knife-dirk-dagger (I couldn't find a Randall #1, or #14, in time prior to shipping out).  I was issued an M9, but after it continued to bang against my thigh, I turned it back into the armorer.

[Whoey]

I like how the Army knockoff looks like a knock off of the Marines knockoff...

[Chako]

Well that only bespeaks quality Whoey. 

I noticed that also.

[jazzbass]

That Sailor is very nice - congrats. I remember that guy on eBay Sigsal had one of these a couple weeks ago, but not as nice or as old as this one. Looks to be from the early-mid 60s judging by the old style positive rake saw. Is the saw polished? I guessing not since they didn't typically polish any of the Elinox tools back then except the blade. Seriously nice get.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Nope, the saw isn't polished, although I doubt it would be anyways, if it every was- this knife has been through the ringer a few times by the looks of it.  Still perfectly functional, and all of the tools still open and close smoothly.

And I don't think anyone ever expected the US military (or any military for that matter!) to issue any knives as bad as these knockoffs.  If they did, then that country probably also fields plywood tanks and aircraft fashioned from paper mache!

Def

[Neil]

Congratulations Def... at least on one of them  

[Sea Monster]

Nice gear!

From my POV even the Knock offs are added in the win, a couple of ratty beaters never hurt anyone.

I still dream of the day I have an Alox with that Marlinspike.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Love the Seaman and Electrician

You can keep the other crap

[J-sews]

That red one is a real beaut! I like that it is thinner than the First Mate.


But why is there no liner between the layers?

[Neil]

There is but it doesn't rise much beyond the height of the springs in the middle.  So you can't see it on the last shot but you can on the one higher up

[Grant Lamontagne]

There is, but it follows the contours of the backsprings rather than sticking up to separate the tools.  The idea is to give the maximum amount of space to the sacking needle so it can be as thick as possible.

Def

[Fisting_Chili]

Hey,
Any chance you could take a pic of the red one but from the other side of it?  I'm interested in how it looks with the cutout.
Thanks!

[North Man]

Hi Def

The search pays off, Alox mania

NM

[Grant Lamontagne]

Hey,
Any chance you could take a pic of the red one but from the other side of it?  I'm interested in how it looks with the cutout.
Thanks!

This side?

  Or you mean the cutout side with the needle closed?   

Def

[Fisting_Chili]

Hey,
Any chance you could take a pic of the red one but from the other side of it?  I'm interested in how it looks with the cutout.
Thanks!

This side?

(Image removed from quote.)  Or you mean the cutout side with the needle closed?   

Def

The other I think...looked like it had some kind of cut out?  Thanks!

[Grant Lamontagne]

It does, on the sacking needle side.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Sailor&highlight=sailor



BTW, its a Sailor, not a Seaman.  My bad.

Def

[J-sews]

It does, on the sacking needle side.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Sailor&highlight=sailor

(Image removed from quote.)

BTW, its a Sailor, not a Seaman.  My bad.

Def

Freudian slip?

[Fisting_Chili]

It does, on the sacking needle side.

http://www.sakwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Sailor&highlight=sailor

(Image removed from quote.)

BTW, its a Sailor, not a Seaman.  My bad.

Def

Freudian slip?

[nuphoria]

Call it what you like, it's lovely