Hey everyone,
This project started when I first met Dew Hara in October 2017 at the 2017 Seki City Knife Show, where he was displaying his handmade knives in his home town. When I first saw his designs, they immediately grabbed my eye - then I picked it up, and was even more impressed when I felt the incredibly smooth action. Apparently, I was not the only person taking note of Dew’s work - just a few months later, Dew’s “Raikiri” knife won the “Most Innovative Knife” award from the editors of EverydayCarry.com in their “Best of SHOT Show” roundup.
When Dew makes custom Kabutos by hand, the pivot mechanism is built around a R188 bearing, like those used in fidget spinners. We first considered utilizing the same setup in our production version, but our partners at WE Knife found that variances in the thickness of the bearing races from at least two suppliers were not consistent enough. The result would have been a high likelihood of some lateral blade play, which we all agreed was not acceptable.
At WE Knife’s suggestion, and with approval from Dew, we decided then to try a more proven system of pivot barrel and caged bearings, which we found on the prototypes was able to preserve the fast, smooth action - both opening and closing. And really, that’s what makes this knife really fun and useful - being able to swing the blade open and shut, quickly, with one hand. The addictive nature of this action did prompt us to make one production change, which is having the steel used in the backspacer hardened in heat treatment - the same as a stop pin would be - to withstand repeated impact from the blade tang.
Dew and I had a chance to review the final production samples together in Las Vegas at GX (the USN forum’s 10th annual Gathering), and I am pleased to say that Dew gave them his enthusiastic seal of approval.
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Thanks for checking out the drop - and make sure to check out the video posted in the Description; I hope it helps to show the sweet action on this until you can get your hands on one of these to see for yourselves.
A few housekeeping notes as the drop kicks off:
* This drop is limited to 600 units.
* All units from this first pre-production drop will be serialized. Units in future drops will not be serialized.
* Our Estimated Ship Date is February 15th, 2019.
Carry On -- Jonas
JonasHeinemanYou got me. I swore I wasn't going to pre-order any more collaborations, but this is too damn unusual not to. Thanks for making all this cool stuff.
JonasHeinemanJonas- I'm loving the collaborations, but I'm tapped out on paypal for September. Maybe you should consider making drops that end on the first of the next month, so people in my situation could still order the knife. Just a suggestion. Thanks for all of the great collaborations. I really like this model.
JonasHeinemanJonas, can you post a picture of the pocket clip, directly down over the spine of the knife (to show a profile of how far the protrudes off the handle) thank you
Gunnersmate2There are a couple of short videos showing the Dew Hara Kabuto Custom, that look sort of similar to this knife. The blade and button are different but you get a view of the pocket clip as it gets rotated. Here’s a screen shot of one of the videos looking down over the spine showing the pocket clip.
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Heres the video. I don’t know if this helps. I can’t believe he didn’t do another take when he didnt flick it open right the first time.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4ugjJ4eogkQ
DougFLA123The action on the knife didn't appear to be very smooth. When the operator was closing it it seemed to stick a little. I know the bearings are different (the entire knife is different besides the general design) but ya I'm with you, I would have reshot the video. Thanks for the post.
Gunnersmate2When I first saw it, I wasn't all that crazy about it. The pocket clip bothered me...the standoffs push that pocket clip so far out there...but the more I look at it, the more I like it. It‘s starting to look like a collectors piece to me, not so much a user. So, I’m not 100% sure yet, but I’m leaning towards getting in on this one. I do have a $10 credit. 🤔 It’s so smart of them to give a $10 credit every time you join a collaboration. It gets me in on the next collab every time.
DougFLA123True, I have not had any issues with the fulcrum on any of my FF or WE knives. I haven't had any issues with anything on WE produced knives. To me that is truly impressive.
Gunnersmate2Agreed. Any collab built by WE knife or Reate...you just know it’s going to be very well done.
I just received my Massdrop x Schwarz Perpetua built by Millet knives. Not so great. Pretty disappointing.
DougFLA123Well I pulled the trigger on a rosewood handle one. I just got my crux in the mail today. I'm waiting on so many collaborations I ordered a crux to get me through. I need help.
Gunnersmate2Once I join this Dew Hara drop, I’ll be waiting on seven collaborations, three of which I won’t be getting until February 2019! Will I even still be alive by then?!? Who knows? I hope so! 😀 I want to see these knives!
DougFLA123I actually had that exact one pick out myself but I had to pull out I needed the cash for something else at the time. It work out though because as soon as I had enough cash in my knife fund I just put it on the MD/ Gavko Thresher Drop. 😎
DougFLA123I thought I had it bad😄 I'm waiting on this in rosewood, the FF dao w/blue and bronze, the orcha w/carbon fiber and moku-ti, the gent w/carbon fiber scales and the spyderco delica with super gold steel. Thank God the crux and prism were in stock items.
DougFLA123Nice! This is the first custom collaboration knive with wood scales I've jumped on. I wasn't even tempted by the other colors. This is just too unique of a knife to pass on. Imo this production has kept the feel or the "flavor" of Dew's custom knife this is based on.
Gunnersmate2This is my first knife with wood scales as well. The design of the knife itself and the Rosewood scales make this such a unique piece. It really does look so similar to the custom! I actually liked the black G-10 scales/black blade version a lot too, but I had to go with the uniqueness of the Rosewood handles.
JonasHeinemanOne of these days the knife community is going to crowdfund a papparazzi photographer to stalk you during big knife events for a heads-up on these collabs you know.
We're a results-oriented bunch after all!
DougFLA123I think the Perpetua is the only collab I haven’t ordered or thought of ordering. If you are building a knife that will last you forever, you had better be in love with the design. I’m reminded of a friend who bought a car he didn’t like purely for its efficiency, resale, reliability. Nine years later he’s been driving a car he hated the whole time and was bound (in his own mind) to keep it going until it died. He was miserable. He called his resilient little Toyota ‘The Penalty Box (of cars)’... Is the Perpetua the penalty box of EDCs...?
This project started when I first met Dew Hara in October 2017 at the 2017 Seki City Knife Show, where he was displaying his handmade knives in his home town. When I first saw his designs, they immediately grabbed my eye - then I picked it up, and was even more impressed when I felt the incredibly smooth action. Apparently, I was not the only person taking note of Dew’s work - just a few months later, Dew’s “Raikiri” knife won the “Most Innovative Knife” award from the editors of EverydayCarry.com in their “Best of SHOT Show” roundup.
When Dew makes custom Kabutos by hand, the pivot mechanism is built around a R188 bearing, like those used in fidget spinners. We first considered utilizing the same setup in our production version, but our partners at WE Knife found that variances in the thickness of the bearing races from at least two suppliers were not consistent enough. The result would have been a high likelihood of some lateral blade play, which we all agreed was not acceptable.
At WE Knife’s suggestion, and with approval from Dew, we decided then to try a more proven system of pivot barrel and caged bearings, which we found on the prototypes was able to preserve the fast, smooth action - both opening and closing. And really, that’s what makes this knife really fun and useful - being able to swing the blade open and shut, quickly, with one hand. The addictive nature of this action did prompt us to make one production change, which is having the steel used in the backspacer hardened in heat treatment - the same as a stop pin would be - to withstand repeated impact from the blade tang.
Dew and I had a chance to review the final production samples together in Las Vegas at GX (the USN forum’s 10th annual Gathering), and I am pleased to say that Dew gave them his enthusiastic seal of approval.
Thanks for checking out the drop - and make sure to check out the video posted in the Description; I hope it helps to show the sweet action on this until you can get your hands on one of these to see for yourselves.
A few housekeeping notes as the drop kicks off:
* This drop is limited to 600 units. * All units from this first pre-production drop will be serialized. Units in future drops will not be serialized. * Our Estimated Ship Date is February 15th, 2019.
Carry On -- Jonas
Heres the video. I don’t know if this helps. I can’t believe he didn’t do another take when he didnt flick it open right the first time.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4ugjJ4eogkQ
I love my Crux! I got the Juggernaut in Blue.
We're a results-oriented bunch after all!