Don't know what the ricasso is but I got tagged by my S5 the day I received it on my index finger near the first joint by the edge at the front of the choil. Don't know if this makes sense???

Great review. I had mine camping two weekends ago and it was a fun knife to carry. I have quickly fell in love with this knife.

Click the link in my sig for a tutorial. If you need more help, let us know. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Nice review - thanks!

Sweet review. Great excuse for heading out bush I say <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

great review, i shure hope i get the pants for mine so i can take it out campin this weekend

Good writeup. I am starting to warm up to mine more every day.

The HR is a great knife. But for me, there really is no reason to bring the HR when you could take the S5. The extra reach for chopping is noticable and the extra length for baton work is also very clear. Also, for me, I like to fillet some fish that I catch and in times past, there simply is not enough blade on the HR to do this quickly with ease. While I have yet to try this with the S5, I can see how it will greatly outperform in this area as well.

Don't get me wrong, the HR is a powerhouse for its size/weight and a great hunting blade. Just for me, the S5 is SO much better in so many areas for a very little weight penality that it is the clear winner for a backpacking blade (for me).

Where were you? That place is Gorgeous! I actuall like the choil on my S5...fits me is all I can say. I am gonna have to get a kydex crossdraw like yours as thats how I prefer to carry my smaller knives. I have made by me leather pouch sheath but a nice kydex would be better.

Thanks all for the encouraging words, glad you liked it (was a fun trip)!


The placement of the choil for batoning got me thinking so here are a few unscientific photos comparing some of my smaller knives (4-5 inchers). I think that this also lends itself to the discussion of the mudder vs old school res-c handles. For me, I feel like the rubber on the old schools is more tacky than that on the mudders. The ripples on the mudders make up for this as far as “retention” is concerned. Personally, either handle shape works equally well for me (little girl hands) but I think the mudders LOOK better. That being said, if we could get mudders w/o the ripples but instead with the tackiness of the old schools, I think that would be the best of both worlds. I believe the “lack of tack” on the mudders is due to their being a bit harder, which I thought I remember Dan saying recently was a difference in the manufacturing process between the two handles. Anyway, here are some more pics of the various options:

first the mudders; the SS4 and S5. Notice that the guard puts the edge only about an extra 1/8 in beyond my first finger contrasted to the SS4:

[img]http://[image]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/damonstage/backpacking%20and%20knife%20review/DSC04720.jpg[/img][/image]

[img]http://[image]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/damonstage/backpacking%20and%20knife%20review/DSC04721.jpg[/img][/image]

Compare that to the old school res-c w/ "guard" on the HR.

[img]http://[image]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/damonstage/backpacking%20and%20knife%20review/DSC04722.jpg[/img][/image]

The last one, the SAR5 is a great design IMO...just way too heavy overall and too handle heavy for me to take it over the S5. This one is harder to judge (pretty subjective) due to the blade config. But I just held it where my hand naturally grabs it. IMO a SAR5 with a res-c handle (thin blade, Sr101 or SR77) would be about my dream woods knife.

[img]http://[image]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/damonstage/backpacking%20and%20knife%20review/DSC04723.jpg[/img][/image]

Great pics. I def agree with the statement about the old res-c having tackier grips. I do like the mudders though, I agree the appearance is better and I dont really miss the tackiness.

Thanks, I live in God’s Country (Colorado) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> and this is an alpine lake at about 11,000 ft off of the Gore Range Trail. This is one of our favorite areas to frequent, but the forest is currently being decimated by Pine Beatles. I have never seen destruction like this before and the sad part is that we CAN stop it, but the so called “environmentalists” <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> won’t let us use the proper pesticides <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif" alt="" />. Sad thing is, if something is not done, my guess is that in the next three years or so, more than half of the pine trees seen in my pics will be dead. Anyway, the Gore Range is in the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness (and I think a bit in the White River National Forest too) which is located between the towns of Dillon and Vail CO (about an hour or so from our home).