I like a guard. I have a nice scar on my hand from cutting out roots with a machete. My hand slipped and went the length of the blade. I was lucky and have nearly full use of my hand. It nearly severed my thumb at the palm of my hand. I have since been extremely careful how I use any sizable knife without a guard. If I have a choice I will use a guard and a thong to keep my flesh away from a sharp blade. The same injury would likely cost me my career now.

People buy combat knives, just like people buy skinning knives. I'm not Dan so I can't say exactly what he had in mind for the Regulator but it looks like a fighter to me. I'm pretty sure Busse Combat Knives make combat knives as well, Not Busse Camp Knives, Although they definately produce some camping oriented knives. Should anyone not gutting animals and using a "skinner" oriented knife to cut veggies make it a safe queen? Honestly I'm 100% sure you know more about the Regulator than I do, But with such a wide variety of knives that have been offered so far am I insane for thinking there might be a fighter in the lineup?

I voted no opinion because I think it is what it is and Dan's not going to change it any more than he already has.I don't think it would be cost effective at this stage to incorporate a reinforced guard.
It would be nice but not really needed.
Leave that poor dead horse alone already. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />
Just my 2 cents worth of opinion. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I voted not to buy without the guard. Not that I don't like the knife I LOVE it, but I am without a stout chopping/batoning knife and I was hoping this would foot the bill. I know there are other great knives in the line for this task but none of them are available under the crazy secondary market prices. Just my 2 cents.

It looks like a Bowie to me. But even if I concede that it is a pure fighter design, I still think it's dumb to claim anyone using it for anything other than fighting isn't using "the right tool for the job" or any other such nonsense


That is my point though - the Muk is a skinner design, yet people USE the dang thing for all kinds of jobs, and no one says "hey thats not the right tool for the job!!!"



The guard design on the regulator is poor. I'm sorry if that's not politically correct or sounds unkind of me, but that is my opinion. That amount of res-c, protruding in that fashion, is simply not up to the hard use we expect out of Scrap Yard knives. I am disappointed to see folks making so many excuses to justify such a terrible design choice, and even more disappointed to see people trying to tell others how they should be using their knives, to keep them from hitting the limitations of that poor design choice.


I have praised the regulator thoroughly since the test team period was up, because I was absolutely certain that Dan would rectify such a glaringly huge shortcoming in the knife. When he didn't, I was more than disappointed - I felt bad for anyone who reads my glowing reviews and ends up buying a knife that is, IMHO, not up to the standards of quality design I've come to expect from the yard.


Again, sorry if that hurts anyone's feelings, but I am a fan of quality products and hard use knives, and with the omission of any protection for the huge protruding chunks of res-c in the guard, I don't think the regulator fits EITHER of those descriptions.

I agree with your arguement about the guard here even though at first I was saying it looks like a pure fighter but what I think is nonsense is the "Why would it be a fighter, I'm not running around stabbing people to death, I don't need a reinforced guard, I don't get knife fights!!" arguement that keeps popping up.

How many of you carry handguns versus People who have been in civilian gun fights?
If you've never shot someone does that mean you shouldn't own a gun?

There are two different sides to the "I don't stab people" argument...

One says "I don't knife fight, so I don't need a reinforced guard". That argument is nonsense - the lack of reinforcement on the guard negatively affects a lot more than just knife fighting.

The other side of saying "I don't stab people" is asking what other tasks are "suited" for this knife in the minds of people who use the "it's a fighter" argument to try to argue that it's OK for the knife to suck at batoning.

Wow. I'm not an argumentative person, so most of the time I keep my mouth shut and quietly nod my head and smile.

My only point was that if this tool doesn't meet your needs then find one that does. If you feel it works great for whatever you want to use it for, then awesome!

I'm sorry Dan didn't take all your suggestions James, you spent a lot of time testing it and I'm sure your input was spot on. I'm not patronizing you, I'm serious. I just feel bad you are taking it so personally.

I'm not taking it personally - I just think it is a downright terrible design choice, and am disappointed to see Dan producing an inferior product, and his fans making excuses for that, by saying we shouldn't use knives for something as mundane as batoning to split some firewood.



I baton with my freakin' active duty and muk, for crying out loud. If I can't baton a 1/3 of an inch thick bowie knife, because the guard will fall apart, that is a poor design.

I baton with folders, so I know exactly how you feel. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I guess this one will have to be a "pass" for some.

I haven't said anything yet, but I don't really like the looks of the new design compared to the Test Team version. So I'll be one of the "passers" myself.

Looking forward to the next one though! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

It is what it is; if you don't like it - don't buy it. I personally am getting pretty tired of the same old complaints day in and day out. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> Dan made some changes, sticking to the "Superior Performance to Price Ratio" policy as he sees it and applies to HIS company. Continual whining will not change anything and will make the forum more negative in general. How many knife companies ask for and incorporate some of their customers' ideas in producing their product? We should be happy that Dan asked us for suggestions and valued our opinions, instead of constantly criticising them. Get over it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

Agreed!

Moving on!

Where's that ScrapAxe?

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />