personally i don't give two shits if the knife was ground by machine or grinder. The most important thing is that the knife works and that the makers put effort into their product
I like your 'Murica accent, lol. Great and honest review Jim. I had one of the first run Norsemans (vid on my channel) and it was a great knife for his true first attempt in the folding knife world. I think if you watch John's knife making Tuesdays series, you'd get an even better idea of all the work John and Erik had put into making these knives, but most importantly you'd get an idea of who the Grimsmo brothers are and they truly are good guys. Thanks for the review, keep 'em coming!
Jim, very honest and comprehensive review - I'm a self taught machinist like John and Mr. Hoback its not easy. John has always taken the time to answer my anodizing questions and even sends me referrals. Not everyone would take the time.
By the way Jim you said if John made a more classical knife in the blade shape you would buy it immediately, so are you planning or did your already bought the Rask ?
I've followed John for a long time and really wanna pick one of these up but I could never get over the looks of that blade! Maybe it's time. I def dig the inlay models way better
not until a few minutes into this second video did I get where you were going with this Sir but now I do. It IS very cool and in a different class. It's a custom knife done with just different tools nothing not to respect about that
I don't think I've waited for one or your reviews on a knife more then this one. The Norseman is one of those kinda sorta custom knives that I can actually afford and want real bad, and I was anticipating your take on it. You didn't disappoint. The one negative thing you dislike, mainly blade shape, I actually like very much. I really hope to get a spot next time they open their books.
Other than the things I mentioned in my other comment, I love this knife from a technical standpoint. It has the best/smoothest action at this price point that I have ever seen. It's pretty amazing.
It's the Marmite of the knife world. I hate Marmite (as should everyone), but I love the Norseman. John and Erik are great fellas, and following their work gives you a great understanding of the level of perfection that they aim to achieve. I agree that the blade shape is a little fuggly, but it performs very well at almost every task that you could put a folding knife to. I'm trying to get Erik to send me a pre-ground blade so I can hand grind one.
Only changes I would make would be to the blade (have the spine go straight down/across instead of dipping/bowing down like it does) and the show scale (do a different pattern than the honeycomb). Oh and I also hate that shade of green lol. If it was a dark emerald or hunter green, I would like it, but that seafoam/lime/avocado green color is nasty IMO.
Hi Jim, Your knives are on a different level from mine, so I'm stepping out on a thin limb here even attempting to compare one of my knives to yours in any way. I do have about 25 knives, all production, no customs, they range from $200 to $400 each. Okay here we go, I purchased a WE Knives Yucha, $253, and out of all my knives, this knife has some of the tightest tolerances I've ever seen. They could of improved it by not adding the rounded slippery carbon fiber that widens the overall width, but this knife opens and closes so smooth, smoother than my Reates or ZTs, any of them. The thing that blows me away is that the damn pivot is so super tight, and still buttery smooth. I can't put the knife down. When you said, "this pivot must be loose," that's exactly what I said. HaHa! Okay, I'm done embarrassing myself trying to compare a Grimsmo to a WE knife, but I just had to say something. You'll probably never see this, but I am blown away by the WE Yucha.
I dont know if he is still planning this or not but at one point he was going to do an integral. I'm excited to see what the Grimsmo brothers do with an integral knife.
Jim, I respect your opinion very much, but this knife has one of the sexiest blade shapes I've ever seen. This is my new grail. All the best, Christopher
I dig the green, just not the contrasts that were thrown in. Yeah, I think I might search out an inlay model (since their books are not currently open)
My gripe has also been the blade shape and no steel on steel insert. I would prefer having the lines grounds but if that keeps costs down I can live with it. Really looking forward to what they do next. However, I wish wish Grimsmo would make some nice fixed camping blades. They are very popular with the preppers. lol Aaron over at Gough Customs is making a killing on his simple fixed blades. He's backed up two year now and I can't get on his list. If Norseman would make something with similar features and the ergo of a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 at a reasonable price I would buy several. lol
Awesome knife, but personally I just cannot get over the blade shape. I'm still waiting on a more conventional blade shape. Kind regards from Amsterdam again.
Let me beat it up man I'll retire my griptilian in a heart beat. Been EDC'ing the grip since 2002 I think. It was the knife that was carried through 2 tours of Iraq and is still in my pocket till this day... albeit and new blade courtesy of the life sharp guarantee. But still my grip would disappear as soon as one of these masterpieces hit my hands. Coming from someone that is disabled I have to have a one handed operational knife.
+WyldIndigo There is a big difference in how they're done. If you look at Brian's work, the flutes are sharp and very precise in their definition... like a decoration (which is exactly how he treats them... the majority of his knives are hand ground/finished so they do not have the lines).
yeah but the flutes in this knife are optional I understand that you bought this knife on the 2nd market but if you were ordering the knife from the shop you could choose to have those polished out. :)
I would call this an artisan made or cottage industry knife. It's like a super small factory, small numbers production. It isn't the same as "production" knives like Boker and Benchmade, but I don't think you can call it custom. It's like the modern version of the old school haberdasheries and cobblers: skilled workers with love for the product.
Sean Hodges Semi custom is a fair word. You can order different options: colours, inlays, blade steel? But custom and factory aren't inherently at odds. Custom denotes that it is made for a particular customer. Factory mainly carries the implication of machine building of the same type of items. Jason Brous's runs of 500 are factory. While factory has connotations of huge production lines and the same thing being produced without any difference, it isn't inherent to the definition. The word that specifies that is production. Jason Brous's runs of 500 are also production, making them factory-production run knives. Looking at Brous, we can see that factory and production aren't words denoting quality. Grimsmo knives are factory custom. But a handmade knife, such as Moki or Canal Street Cutlery, are not inherently custom. Custom is a mater of individuality, separate from production. Despite these definitions, we have the connotations of inherent in the words that are hard to get away from, such as custom implying hand work, factory implying machine work. Then you have umbrella terms like mid-tech. In short: buy the knife you like and hold the door open for strangers.
Chine has surpassed this Canadian knife in all respects in less than a year and at a fraction of the cost just as I predicted. Now the heat is on all makers to incorporate CNC. One has to spend over $1,500 on a full custom knife to match the performance of the latest knives coming from China. American knife makers have lost the war. I for one am sick and tired of buying thousand dollar custom knives from custom American makers that can't match the performance of the new wave of China knives. Call them what you want, American knives can't come close to matching the performance of these new China knives!
Great video bro i started carrying mine and i believe your right buddy, this is awesome im glad i watched your video bro i thank you so much, God Bless ill still let you know okay
How does it compare to your new ZT 0801cf?.......looking at those 2 knives it's hard to justify this knife being $400-$500....both knives made with machines, assembled by hand and both have great fit and finish, tolerances, action, material quality, etc.....I'm not putting down the Grimsmo's awesome ability to run a CNC and the creativity they have when it comes to a unique looking knife.........Just wondering your take on comparing the 2......I guess prices are irrelevant when people are paying double or triple the retail on most of these knives anyway.
A LOT more time goes into this knife than the 0801cf. Also, with ZT there could be 20 guys making them (I have no idea how many), here.. it's two guys. The Norseman action is far smoother, and there seems to be a great deal of consistency (whereas my two 0801cf's displayed wild variation in actions and detents). The 0801cf is $320 (but you'll pay $500 as of now, more soon) so the norseman is $80-$180 more. Not a big jump considering what I referenced above.
On my part one comments I rambled a bit. Here I'll just summarize. Mark my words. In 2015 an identical knife in every respect will be on eBay for under $40.00 USD delivered. How do you like CNC now?
Highly doubtful. Take out your dislike of a CNC process.. the tolerance are dead-on, the action is among the best I've handled, and it does everything a great EDC flipper needs to. I've paid 3X more for handbuilt customs from makers that could not hit all the points that Grimsmo did. There are $100 knockoff Chinese Sebenzas, Hinderers and Medford Praetorians out there too... don't fool yourself into believing they are in any way comparable, they merely look like the knife.
As usual Jim, you are right. That is why in my part I comments I said that I would pay $400 but not $500 for the knife. It's not that I dislike CNC, thinking of buying one myself but it is a two man factory and a factory knife. It's the old adage, if you want something done right do it your self. I trust and believe you when you say they did it right. Now if they would only get rid of that butt ugly blade!
The debate on CNC vs "Hand Made" will go on forever. There is no definite line or border you can draw. Not that my opinion is of value to anyone, but here is my opinion. It's not how you do the job as long as the job is done well. Many Hammer and Anvil guys will tell you stock removal isn't hand made, and there are guys in Japan who make a lot of the guys who forge in the US look like total panzies. For some, waterjet is a total turn off. Some are very open to use of CNC technology because of the benefits in producing a more accurate and precise part more efficiently. Bottom line is, it makes no difference. The custom knife community, though relatively small, has so much to chose from that you can find exactly what you want and exactly the way you want it made, with a little bit of patience. If a maker uses technology you don't like, than move along. There is no reason to bring bad energy to a guy who is doing his damnedest to make ends meat, all because he has a different take on something. CNC is not magic, and it is very ignorant to believe someone who runs CNC has it so much easier than someone who does not. Each come with their benefits and downfalls, and unless you have experienced that firsthand, your opinion is completely invalid. There are an infinite number of ways to build a knife, and each way requires a particular skill set. Whether it be programming or knowing how to use a file, to become a master at either of them you must practice and refine your skillset over many years. Your hands will never get it right the first time, and neither will the machine.
why is the hand ground blade so important to you? not saying its a bad thing. but personally I don't think its the most important thing. at least for me.
@@JimSkeltonKnives I mean the maker price. Not secondary, and actually the market is pretty down lately. Can get them all day at maker price. On Ebay they go for more but then Ebay takes 10% and PayPal takes 3.5%
I was wondering the same thing 760rudogg. I have #2963 in the mail right now at 990. Little extra for the acid wash blade and multi ano job. Glad I waited to be drawn because I was about to buy one on eBay for slightly more.
Buy a knife that doesn't cost you a arm or leg that way if you lose it or set down and it mysteriously disappears and you know murphy's law so save your arm and legs after all my knife is 25+ years old and is as sharp or sharper then a knife that cost $1500.00.
its the materials that the knife is made out of, like blade steel that holds a razor sharp edge longer and that are made out of beautiful steels like damasteel and damascus and exotic handle materials like mokuti and timascus. the fact that a lot of custom knives you can customize how you want them, make them worth every penny. the time put into making the knife by the maker, that makes the knife even more special. its not some bland piece of shit chinese production knife.
What people do with their money is their own business. If they want to pay for higher quality workmanship or materials, custom products, or just pure art, why do you feel the need to tell them they're wrong for doing so just because you only ever buy your most basic need?
You know Jim you really should go way easier on the norseman it's funny how many norseman's do you see up for sale on the Internet yeah none you know why because as soon as they're available they're gone now look and see how many skelton blade works are up for sale I rest my case The best thing you can do is jump on a CNC machine and hope that you come out with something is half as good as the norseman
Robert Ryan You’re sounding pretty smug for someone who clearly isn’t working with all the facts. I wasn’t going hard on the Grimsmos at all. Had you watched these videos, you’d have seen that before buying this first one, I WAS hard on them, but bought this one to put my money where my mouth was and see if I was wrong. I repeatedly stated how wrong I was. And exactly why. That was the main focus of these videos. You’re being critical for absolutely no reason. Furthermore, I’ve owned 6 Norseman now and have gotten to know the brothers well. You’re also feeding off info that’s several years old. Holy hell this video is old. Also: why bother to compare my work (handmade fixed blades) to the work the brothers do? There isn’t even a line of comparison. They’re not made the same way, they aren’t made for the same purposes and they aren’t even the same type of knife. As of today (when you posted these snide remarks), there are exactly two of my knives for sale on the secondary market. Both from the same collector. Who owns 19 of my knives, 15 of them directly ordered or purchased from me. He’s scaling back his collection overall from every maker. All of my knives are sold out from me directly, I closed my books and can no longer accept orders, and distribute through a dealer network including DLT Trading, Knifecenter, TheHollowGrind, Knifejoy and Fort Henry Custom Knives. Out of all my customer orders, more than 80% were repeat customers which means they owned examples of my work and wanted more. After only making knives for 9 months, I got my required signatures for the Knifemakers Guild and gain my permanent status in March when I’m re-inspected at the next ICCE Show. This isn’t to toot my own horn or compare myself to anyone else, but simply to question WTF it is you’re talking about and why you seem to have such a shitty outlook on my career. As a matter of fact, these aren’t even things I’ve said aloud before and don’t feel comfortable with. I’ve now gone for two years as a full time knifemaker and am able to support my family, which is all I need to do in order to be successful. Your opinion means very little to me, and I’m only responding because you’ve chosen to make such foolish and uneducated statements publicly, otherwise I wouldn’t care. In private, I wouldn’t have given your opinion enough weigh to have even responded.
Mr. Skelton I see the comment that you are referring to that came from my account but I can assure you that was not me that made that comment as a matter of fact you are the reason that I got into knife collecting in the 1st place and I've been watching your videos ever since you did a video on an ADV full dress 5 years ago. I actually came upon that video when I was Looking for a way to fix my crappy Gerber at the time. Your videos are what lead me in to the upper echelons of knife collecting. I don't know who is fucking around with my account or for what reason But I can assure you it was not me who made those comments. I'm a huge fan of your work matter of fact David from the hollow grind is a very close personal friend of mine and if it wasn't for a shortage of funds I would own your Littlefinger he has. Which by the way is a kick ass fixed blade. I am trying to wrap my head around what is going on I just got woke up at 1:30 in the morning seeing your comment and I had to respond because I would not want you thinking those comment came from me. I don't comment on videos ever but it is very odd because earlier this afternoon I commented on a video that Nick Shabazz did about The CRKT fossil From about a week ago that I just finally watched and my comment was that the fossil was the only other knife that I have ever felt that is almost as smooth as the norseman because I have a weird obsession with that knife and for being a $30 CRKT it is crazy smooth and then 6 hours later there's a comment on your video And by the way I don't think you were hard at all on the norseman. And I could not agree with you more whatever dumb fuck made that comment is comparing 2 completely different things I have seen your videos when you went live showing how you make your knives all by hand and how you might send them out to get cut but that's it and I have also seen all of the grimsmo videos on how their knives are made because I am a huge fan of the norseman also. Long story short I apologize for any confusion but let me just say again I did not make those comments and nobody made those comments from my phone because I live with my wife who knows nothing about knives and my four-year-old son so I can assure you I will be changing all of my passwords right now And again I apologize for any confusion sir I think you are a incredibly talented artist and I would love to own a piece of your work one day
Robert Ryan Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate you taking the time. Sounds like someone’s doing some hacking wizardry on your google/RUclips acct lol
I have now gotten up out of bed and I'm trying to get someone on a virtual chat from RUclips as we speak This is not right And I wanna know how this happened And who it was because I'll be dammed if someone is going to attack someone from within the knife community that I love so much through my name it's not going down like that. Especially someone that I have always looked up to in this community. I felt sick to my stomach when I saw your response and even though I have not met you and you have not met me Watching every single video that you have put out in the past 5 years I definitely did not want you thinking that these comments came from me you might not know me but like I said I have always looked up to you and your opinion matters to me. I do not buy a knife without checking your database 1st Because I know whatever you're saying is going to be the straight facts and exactly how it is Again I apologize about the confusion and I assure you I will get to the bottom of this and I will let you know what happened because the last thing we need is some fucking troll who doesn't have the balls to say what he really means to people and has to post it on other people's accounts.
That's total nonsense and clearly you know absolutely nothing about knives. China has some decent stuff out like the spyderco Byrd line but that's nothing even close to their Taiwan manufactured knives. 1500 means nothing at all, Jim is posting basic overviews of art knives without much functional info. A $400 sebenza has tighter tolerance then most makers on any level, and $150 spyderco will functionally perform as well as any knife that exists. Stop spreading ignorant nonsense or show what magical Chinese knives your talking about. Jim I posted on your yuna for a specific reason In terms of hard use ergonomics but you didn't seem to understand what I meant, otherwise these are cool overviews of very difficult to obtain and pricey blades so thank you.
Maybe you’re right but I thought to be a recurve it needs to curve both ways. I guess this one kind of retantos. I could always learn something... Earlier I just meant that you really seemed dead set against C&C work and were almost resisting giving the blade a fair shake. I know you don’t (or didn’t) like the shape but lots of people went crazy for it...
personally i don't give two shits if the knife was ground by machine or grinder. The most important thing is that the knife works and that the makers put effort into their product
I like your 'Murica accent, lol. Great and honest review Jim. I had one of the first run Norsemans (vid on my channel) and it was a great knife for his true first attempt in the folding knife world. I think if you watch John's knife making Tuesdays series, you'd get an even better idea of all the work John and Erik had put into making these knives, but most importantly you'd get an idea of who the Grimsmo brothers are and they truly are good guys. Thanks for the review, keep 'em coming!
Jim, very honest and comprehensive review - I'm a self taught machinist like John and Mr. Hoback its not easy. John has always taken the time to answer my anodizing questions and even sends me referrals. Not everyone would take the time.
I am glad you gave it a chance. I wasn't crazy about the blade shape at first but now I love it.
definitely giving you props for the open mind…my thoughts are very similar to yours…excellent knife and functionality for the money…good stuff…
By the way Jim you said if John made a more classical knife in the blade shape you would buy it immediately, so are you planning or did your already bought the Rask ?
I've followed John for a long time and really wanna pick one of these up but I could never get over the looks of that blade! Maybe it's time. I def dig the inlay models way better
not until a few minutes into this second video did I get where you were going with this Sir but now I do. It IS very cool and in a different class. It's a custom knife done with just different tools nothing not to respect about that
I don't think I've waited for one or your reviews on a knife more then this one. The Norseman is one of those kinda sorta custom knives that I can actually afford and want real bad, and I was anticipating your take on it. You didn't disappoint. The one negative thing you dislike, mainly blade shape, I actually like very much. I really hope to get a spot next time they open their books.
The blade shape us so... different, you almost have to buy it on that alone!
Other than the things I mentioned in my other comment, I love this knife from a technical standpoint. It has the best/smoothest action at this price point that I have ever seen. It's pretty amazing.
I just wish I could afford one... my poor paramilitary II already getting old...
Man youre having the sale on my birthday. Im gonna need tomtry to plan my day to see if I can make it for the show.
It's the Marmite of the knife world. I hate Marmite (as should everyone), but I love the Norseman. John and Erik are great fellas, and following their work gives you a great understanding of the level of perfection that they aim to achieve. I agree that the blade shape is a little fuggly, but it performs very well at almost every task that you could put a folding knife to. I'm trying to get Erik to send me a pre-ground blade so I can hand grind one.
Only changes I would make would be to the blade (have the spine go straight down/across instead of dipping/bowing down like it does) and the show scale (do a different pattern than the honeycomb). Oh and I also hate that shade of green lol. If it was a dark emerald or hunter green, I would like it, but that seafoam/lime/avocado green color is nasty IMO.
Get over it bro
Part 2 here we go. I really cant get enough of this knife... it is my holy grail of work knives
Hi Jim, Your knives are on a different level from mine, so I'm stepping out on a thin limb here even attempting to compare one of my knives to yours in any way. I do have about 25 knives, all production, no customs, they range from $200 to $400 each. Okay here we go, I purchased a WE Knives Yucha, $253, and out of all my knives, this knife has some of the tightest tolerances I've ever seen. They could of improved it by not adding the rounded slippery carbon fiber that widens the overall width, but this knife opens and closes so smooth, smoother than my Reates or ZTs, any of them. The thing that blows me away is that the damn pivot is so super tight, and still buttery smooth. I can't put the knife down. When you said, "this pivot must be loose," that's exactly what I said. HaHa! Okay, I'm done embarrassing myself trying to compare a Grimsmo to a WE knife, but I just had to say something. You'll probably never see this, but I am blown away by the WE Yucha.
From the history of the steel composition to the build its self, so utilitarian I have to have one.
I dont know if he is still planning this or not but at one point he was going to do an integral. I'm excited to see what the Grimsmo brothers do with an integral knife.
Jim, I respect your opinion very much, but this knife has one of the sexiest blade shapes I've ever seen. This is my new grail.
All the best,
Christopher
You did a great impersonation of Greg Medford spot on!
The design is very polarizing. Do you think you would like one better that you had made with your choices of materials, colors, etc.?
I dig the green, just not the contrasts that were thrown in. Yeah, I think I might search out an inlay model (since their books are not currently open)
Jim Skelton If you search for an inlay model and end up wanting to sell that knife, please let me know I will gladly take it off your hands ;]
I believe the blade shape was based on a Jens Anso blade shape. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I must have a weird taste in knives because i love that blade shape. Its really unique. I do wish the lines were ground down though.
"derp be der, I like to open my knives with two hands!" lol you crack me up Jim!
My gripe has also been the blade shape and no steel on steel insert. I would prefer having the lines grounds but if that keeps costs down I can live with it. Really looking forward to what they do next. However, I wish wish Grimsmo would make some nice fixed camping blades. They are very popular with the preppers. lol Aaron over at Gough Customs is making a killing on his simple fixed blades. He's backed up two year now and I can't get on his list. If Norseman would make something with similar features and the ergo of a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 at a reasonable price I would buy several. lol
And it's amazing what a self taught machinist can do.
Thanks for the video Jim
Awesome knife, but personally I just cannot get over the blade shape. I'm still waiting on a more conventional blade shape.
Kind regards from Amsterdam again.
Let me beat it up man
I'll retire my griptilian in a heart beat. Been EDC'ing the grip since 2002 I think. It was the knife that was carried through 2 tours of Iraq and is still in my pocket till this day... albeit and new blade courtesy of the life sharp guarantee. But still my grip would disappear as soon as one of these masterpieces hit my hands.
Coming from someone that is disabled I have to have a one handed operational knife.
A question ; you say you do not particularly like the ridges on the blade of this knife , YET you love the ridges on the Brian Tighe knife ?
+WyldIndigo There is a big difference in how they're done. If you look at Brian's work, the flutes are sharp and very precise in their definition... like a decoration (which is exactly how he treats them... the majority of his knives are hand ground/finished so they do not have the lines).
yeah but the flutes in this knife are optional I understand that you bought this knife on the 2nd market but if you were ordering the knife from the shop you could choose to have those polished out. :)
I really like the blade shape but I can't afford a custom piece. I just wish I could find a production knife with this blade shape.
Jim check out his channel he had a video of his grinder it's awesome! Great review btw
I would call this an artisan made or cottage industry knife. It's like a super small factory, small numbers production. It isn't the same as "production" knives like Boker and Benchmade, but I don't think you can call it custom. It's like the modern version of the old school haberdasheries and cobblers: skilled workers with love for the product.
In the future everyone will have a CNC in their garage. Still, it's just a factory knife made the way we all want.
the word you're looking for is semi custom
Sean Hodges Semi custom is a fair word. You can order different options: colours, inlays, blade steel? But custom and factory aren't inherently at odds. Custom denotes that it is made for a particular customer. Factory mainly carries the implication of machine building of the same type of items. Jason Brous's runs of 500 are factory. While factory has connotations of huge production lines and the same thing being produced without any difference, it isn't inherent to the definition. The word that specifies that is production. Jason Brous's runs of 500 are also production, making them factory-production run knives. Looking at Brous, we can see that factory and production aren't words denoting quality. Grimsmo knives are factory custom. But a handmade knife, such as Moki or Canal Street Cutlery, are not inherently custom. Custom is a mater of individuality, separate from production. Despite these definitions, we have the connotations of inherent in the words that are hard to get away from, such as custom implying hand work, factory implying machine work. Then you have umbrella terms like mid-tech. In short: buy the knife you like and hold the door open for strangers.
Chine has surpassed this Canadian knife in all respects in less than a year and at a fraction of the cost just as I predicted. Now the heat is on all makers to incorporate CNC. One has to spend over $1,500 on a full custom knife to match the performance of the latest knives coming from China. American knife makers have lost the war. I for one am sick and tired of buying thousand dollar custom knives from custom American makers that can't match the performance of the new wave of China knives. Call them what you want, American knives can't come close to matching the performance of these new China knives!
that color is stunning
How can I get my hands on one of these knives? I can't find one for sale anywhere, everywhere is sold out
It's so funny that their new model the "rask" is literally a grimsmo version of the Shiro.
Finally, Thank you
i agree with your assessment of this blades looks. Its got that platypus/peen look to it.
Great video bro i started carrying mine and i believe your right buddy, this is awesome im glad i watched your video bro i thank you so much, God Bless ill still let you know okay
the Grimsmo brothers have got a new prototype knife with a new blade. its on their channel, check it out.
How does it compare to your new ZT 0801cf?.......looking at those 2 knives it's hard to justify this knife being $400-$500....both knives made with machines, assembled by hand and both have great fit and finish, tolerances, action, material quality, etc.....I'm not putting down the Grimsmo's awesome ability to run a CNC and the creativity they have when it comes to a unique looking knife.........Just wondering your take on comparing the 2......I guess prices are irrelevant when people are paying double or triple the retail on most of these knives anyway.
A LOT more time goes into this knife than the 0801cf. Also, with ZT there could be 20 guys making them (I have no idea how many), here.. it's two guys. The Norseman action is far smoother, and there seems to be a great deal of consistency (whereas my two 0801cf's displayed wild variation in actions and detents). The 0801cf is $320 (but you'll pay $500 as of now, more soon) so the norseman is $80-$180 more. Not a big jump considering what I referenced above.
Lets call them hybrid customs. Part hand made part machined BY the knife maker himself.
Has your RASK come in or has anybody received theirs yet?
Love it
thanks for this vid Jim
Very funky knife, but I really like it.
great talking. Enjoyed both parts
On my part one comments I rambled a bit. Here I'll just summarize. Mark my words. In 2015 an identical knife in every respect will be on eBay for under $40.00 USD delivered. How do you like CNC now?
Highly doubtful. Take out your dislike of a CNC process.. the tolerance are dead-on, the action is among the best I've handled, and it does everything a great EDC flipper needs to. I've paid 3X more for handbuilt customs from makers that could not hit all the points that Grimsmo did.
There are $100 knockoff Chinese Sebenzas, Hinderers and Medford Praetorians out there too... don't fool yourself into believing they are in any way comparable, they merely look like the knife.
As usual Jim, you are right. That is why in my part I comments I said that I would pay $400 but not $500 for the knife. It's not that I dislike CNC, thinking of buying one myself but it is a two man factory and a factory knife. It's the old adage, if you want something done right do it your self. I trust and believe you when you say they did it right. Now if they would only get rid of that butt ugly blade!
so does the thumb stud work?
Works fine.
The debate on CNC vs "Hand Made" will go on forever. There is no definite line or border you can draw. Not that my opinion is of value to anyone, but here is my opinion. It's not how you do the job as long as the job is done well.
Many Hammer and Anvil guys will tell you stock removal isn't hand made, and there are guys in Japan who make a lot of the guys who forge in the US look like total panzies. For some, waterjet is a total turn off. Some are very open to use of CNC technology because of the benefits in producing a more accurate and precise part more efficiently.
Bottom line is, it makes no difference. The custom knife community, though relatively small, has so much to chose from that you can find exactly what you want and exactly the way you want it made, with a little bit of patience. If a maker uses technology you don't like, than move along. There is no reason to bring bad energy to a guy who is doing his damnedest to make ends meat, all because he has a different take on something. CNC is not magic, and it is very ignorant to believe someone who runs CNC has it so much easier than someone who does not. Each come with their benefits and downfalls, and unless you have experienced that firsthand, your opinion is completely invalid.
There are an infinite number of ways to build a knife, and each way requires a particular skill set. Whether it be programming or knowing how to use a file, to become a master at either of them you must practice and refine your skillset over many years.
Your hands will never get it right the first time, and neither will the machine.
Gorgeous.
jim are you planing on selling this?
Wish they were $500 again. Lucky to get one under $1000
Grimsmo brothers rock!!!
a little late but i think it says September 2013 or 18
unafordable but beautiful maybe there will be good copies made much less expensive. I hope I hope I hope
why is the hand ground blade so important to you? not saying its a bad thing. but personally I don't think its the most important thing. at least for me.
Do you think it's still worth it at $925?
760rudogg they sell for much more these days.
@@JimSkeltonKnives I mean the maker price. Not secondary, and actually the market is pretty down lately. Can get them all day at maker price. On Ebay they go for more but then Ebay takes 10% and PayPal takes 3.5%
760rudogg worth every penny
@@JimSkeltonKnives awesome! Got a plain on the way directly from grimsmo. Super excited!
I was wondering the same thing 760rudogg. I have #2963 in the mail right now at 990. Little extra for the acid wash blade and multi ano job. Glad I waited to be drawn because I was about to buy one on eBay for slightly more.
Buy a knife that doesn't cost you a arm or leg that way if you lose it or set down and it mysteriously disappears and you know murphy's law so save your arm and legs after all my knife is 25+ years old and is as sharp or sharper then a knife that cost $1500.00.
+Carl Smith LOL. You can make anything sharp
its the materials that the knife is made out of, like blade steel that holds a razor sharp edge longer and that are made out of beautiful steels like damasteel and damascus and exotic handle materials like mokuti and timascus. the fact that a lot of custom knives you can customize how you want them, make them worth every penny. the time put into making the knife by the maker, that makes the knife even more special. its not some bland piece of shit chinese production knife.
What people do with their money is their own business. If they want to pay for higher quality workmanship or materials, custom products, or just pure art, why do you feel the need to tell them they're wrong for doing so just because you only ever buy your most basic need?
You know Jim you really should go way easier on the norseman it's funny how many norseman's do you see up for sale on the Internet yeah none you know why because as soon as they're available they're gone now look and see how many skelton blade works are up for sale I rest my case The best thing you can do is jump on a CNC machine and hope that you come out with something is half as good as the norseman
Robert Ryan You’re sounding pretty smug for someone who clearly isn’t working with all the facts. I wasn’t going hard on the Grimsmos at all. Had you watched these videos, you’d have seen that before buying this first one, I WAS hard on them, but bought this one to put my money where my mouth was and see if I was wrong. I repeatedly stated how wrong I was. And exactly why. That was the main focus of these videos. You’re being critical for absolutely no reason. Furthermore, I’ve owned 6 Norseman now and have gotten to know the brothers well.
You’re also feeding off info that’s several years old. Holy hell this video is old.
Also: why bother to compare my work (handmade fixed blades) to the work the brothers do? There isn’t even a line of comparison. They’re not made the same way, they aren’t made for the same purposes and they aren’t even the same type of knife. As of today (when you posted these snide remarks), there are exactly two of my knives for sale on the secondary market. Both from the same collector. Who owns 19 of my knives, 15 of them directly ordered or purchased from me. He’s scaling back his collection overall from every maker. All of my knives are sold out from me directly, I closed my books and can no longer accept orders, and distribute through a dealer network including DLT Trading, Knifecenter, TheHollowGrind, Knifejoy and Fort Henry Custom Knives. Out of all my customer orders, more than 80% were repeat customers which means they owned examples of my work and wanted more. After only making knives for 9 months, I got my required signatures for the Knifemakers Guild and gain my permanent status in March when I’m re-inspected at the next ICCE Show. This isn’t to toot my own horn or compare myself to anyone else, but simply to question WTF it is you’re talking about and why you seem to have such a shitty outlook on my career. As a matter of fact, these aren’t even things I’ve said aloud before and don’t feel comfortable with. I’ve now gone for two years as a full time knifemaker and am able to support my family, which is all I need to do in order to be successful. Your opinion means very little to me, and I’m only responding because you’ve chosen to make such foolish and uneducated statements publicly, otherwise I wouldn’t care. In private, I wouldn’t have given your opinion enough weigh to have even responded.
Mr. Skelton I see the comment that you are referring to that came from my account but I can assure you that was not me that made that comment as a matter of fact you are the reason that I got into knife collecting in the 1st place and I've been watching your videos ever since you did a video on an ADV full dress 5 years ago. I actually came upon that video when I was Looking for a way to fix my crappy Gerber at the time. Your videos are what lead me in to the upper echelons of knife collecting. I don't know who is fucking around with my account or for what reason But I can assure you it was not me who made those comments. I'm a huge fan of your work matter of fact David from the hollow grind is a very close personal friend of mine and if it wasn't for a shortage of funds I would own your Littlefinger he has. Which by the way is a kick ass fixed blade. I am trying to wrap my head around what is going on I just got woke up at 1:30 in the morning seeing your comment and I had to respond because I would not want you thinking those comment came from me. I don't comment on videos ever but it is very odd because earlier this afternoon I commented on a video that Nick Shabazz did about The CRKT fossil From about a week ago that I just finally watched and my comment was that the fossil was the only other knife that I have ever felt that is almost as smooth as the norseman because I have a weird obsession with that knife and for being a $30 CRKT it is crazy smooth and then 6 hours later there's a comment on your video And by the way I don't think you were hard at all on the norseman. And I could not agree with you more whatever dumb fuck made that comment is comparing 2 completely different things I have seen your videos when you went live showing how you make your knives all by hand and how you might send them out to get cut but that's it and I have also seen all of the grimsmo videos on how their knives are made because I am a huge fan of the norseman also. Long story short I apologize for any confusion but let me just say again I did not make those comments and nobody made those comments from my phone because I live with my wife who knows nothing about knives and my four-year-old son so I can assure you I will be changing all of my passwords right now And again I apologize for any confusion sir I think you are a incredibly talented artist and I would love to own a piece of your work one day
Robert Ryan Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate you taking the time. Sounds like someone’s doing some hacking wizardry on your google/RUclips acct lol
I have now gotten up out of bed and I'm trying to get someone on a virtual chat from RUclips as we speak This is not right And I wanna know how this happened And who it was because I'll be dammed if someone is going to attack someone from within the knife community that I love so much through my name it's not going down like that. Especially someone that I have always looked up to in this community. I felt sick to my stomach when I saw your response and even though I have not met you and you have not met me Watching every single video that you have put out in the past 5 years I definitely did not want you thinking that these comments came from me you might not know me but like I said I have always looked up to you and your opinion matters to me. I do not buy a knife without checking your database 1st Because I know whatever you're saying is going to be the straight facts and exactly how it is Again I apologize about the confusion and I assure you I will get to the bottom of this and I will let you know what happened because the last thing we need is some fucking troll who doesn't have the balls to say what he really means to people and has to post it on other people's accounts.
I know Robert personally and this comment did not come from him. No way on earth would he ever write that comment. His account must have been hacked.
Ultra high end, small batch, production knife.
wanna sell it?
The blade on that Shiragorov is so fucking boring lol. Wanked as fuck knife
Why don't we just call it machinetech
FUGGLY as shit
That's total nonsense and clearly you know absolutely nothing about knives. China has some decent stuff out like the spyderco Byrd line but that's nothing even close to their Taiwan manufactured knives. 1500 means nothing at all, Jim is posting basic overviews of art knives without much functional info. A $400 sebenza has tighter tolerance then most makers on any level, and $150 spyderco will functionally perform as well as any knife that exists. Stop spreading ignorant nonsense or show what magical Chinese knives your talking about. Jim I posted on your yuna for a specific reason In terms of hard use ergonomics but you didn't seem to understand what I meant, otherwise these are cool overviews of very difficult to obtain and pricey blades so thank you.
And it’s not a recurve
Eskimo Quinn It is a recurve. The primary is recurved.
Maybe you’re right but I thought to be a recurve it needs to curve both ways. I guess this one kind of retantos. I could always learn something...
Earlier I just meant that you really seemed dead set against C&C work and were almost resisting giving the blade a fair shake. I know you don’t (or didn’t) like the shape but lots of people went crazy for it...
Eskimo Quinn Gotcha. You should also watch part one. I swallowed my earlier words 👍. And gladly. I’ve owned 5 since.
Full credit for seeing it for what it is. Love to get my hands on one someday soon
Might have to wait and see if that massive bubble bursts a bit first...
This knife exposed you for who you are
Eskimo Quinn What does that mean
But, but it's ugly.
damn ugly knife
Titan9mm maybe but my eyes are still perfect! the blade looks like a fucking albatros beak!