Yojimbo 2 Review/first impressions

Evil D · #1

I hesitate to call this a review since i haven't used it enough to really have an opinion, so we'll call this a first impressions review. I was so impressed with this one, i decided to make a video about it along with a couple pics.

First, the video...which tells the whole story..I highly recommend watching this in 720p..
[video=youtube;nJlAWi1FAJw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJlAWi1FAJw[/video]

Then a few pics to follow up with the video. First, something i didn't mention in the vid, was how well lubed this thing was out of the box. I think someone at Golden is paying attention to all the complaints about rough pivots and sticky lock tabs, because this thing was basically dripping with lube. That shiny spot over "Earth" is a puddle of lube.

Second, the chips i found in the blade, which you can see here as shiny spots on the edge (my macro skills were lacking).

Last just some eye candy. This knife is very photogenic. I need to take it out to my spot and get some good shots of it before it gets (more) scratched up.

BigBill5953 · #2

Great looking pictures!

OldSarSwmr · #3

Really enjoyed the review, Evil D. Have you named it yet or is Wharncliffe Beast it's name? :D

Blerv · #4

Nice work David! My bro just got his this week and I played with it a bit. Really comfortable and great blade. Besides the hole being less natural to use than some larger frame knives it's a knock-out winner. I think that would make it wider tho in pocket so probably for the best.

Hate to say it but the dip almost begs for a zip tie :D .

Evil D · #5

I'm at work now, did about 50 back to back cuts through cardboard about two feet in length each. Immediately I can feel the difference the wharnie makes. With a bellied blade you can almost feel the blade wanting to slide along the curve during the cut, but this thing powers through cuts. The grind is high enough that I haven't felt the difference between this and a Para 2 but I haven't cut anything that a FFG really accels at.

Evil D · #6

OldSarSwmr wrote:Really enjoyed the review, Evil D. Have you named it yet or is Wharncliffe Beast it's name? :D

No cool name pops out at me just yet. I named the Sub-hilt Vallhallotton, Valhalla and Vallotton combined...and of course Darkside (carefull, he could be reading this). I might just call him Jim? Jim Bo? Sounds redneckish lol.

SDR · #7

Nice review. Thank you!

If I get one I think I'll call it the "Yo Momma, Too!"

Fred Sanford · #8

Nice vid dude. I agree with you. I also found that I had problems Spydie Dropping it as the fingers in the hole would hit the part of the G10 handle that make the big choil. Of course, I don't Spydie Drop it. :)

Thanks for sharing!

78lilred · #9

Thanks for the great video. I'd grab one of these now but still waiting on the green paras.

Evil D · #10

Blerv wrote:Hate to say it but the dip almost begs for a zip tie :D .

Oh yes...the shape of that dip above the hole would easily hold a zip tie in place without moving around...BUT, you'd screw up the thumb positioning, which for me is a huge part of what makes this knife awesome, so no zip tie for me.

David Lowry wrote:Nice vid dude. I agree with you. I also found that I had problems Spydie Dropping it as the fingers in the hole would hit the part of the G10 handle that make the big choil. Of course, I don't Spydie Drop it. :)

Thanks for sharing!

Yeah, it doesn't spydie drop very well at all. The hole is too small, too far towards the middle of the handle, and too shrouded. The hole is almost 180 degrees on the other size of the pivot which makes it more difficult to drop open. A Para 2 on the other hand, the hole is completely exposed and out from under the pivot which makes it way easier.

That said, this knife inertia opens probably easier than any knife i've ever had in my hands. You can whip the blade out pretty much effortlessly. You can thank the smooth pivot and weight of the blade for that.

Ovalprocess · #11

Excellent video!

Evil D · #12

No clue what kind of mushroom that is. It was hanging off the tree by a sort of root kind of thing.

GTPowers · #13

Gah. You're causing problems in my marriage. The extra $100 in our account could so easily be used for a Y2 and every time I walk into this thread...I feel the call.
Shoot.
Regardless, thanks for the review!

chuck_roxas45 · #14

Evil D wrote:Oh yes...the shape of that dip above the hole would easily hold a zip tie in place without moving around...BUT, you'd screw up the thumb positioning, which for me is a huge part of what makes this knife awesome, so no zip tie for me.

Yeah, it doesn't spydie drop very well at all. The hole is too small, too far towards the middle of the handle, and too shrouded. The hole is almost 180 degrees on the other size of the pivot which makes it more difficult to drop open. A Para 2 on the other hand, the hole is completely exposed and out from under the pivot which makes it way easier.

That said, this knife inertia opens probably easier than any knife i've ever had in my hands. You can whip the blade out pretty much effortlessly. You can thank the smooth pivot and weight of the blade for that.

I am really trying to like the Yo2 and indeed I do love how it feels when the blade is open and locked. I really though that practicing deploying will resolve the issue of my unreliable openings. The position and size of the hole really makes it difficult for me to continue to like this knife. I wonder if I can mod the G10 scale to make more of the hole accessible to my thumb. Also as you mentioned, zip tie wave will completely ruin thumb positioning. I also don't prefer inertial openings for SD.

I will always buy at least one backup of a dedicated SD knife that I carry and I am contemplating another Yo2 but as I mentioned before, trying to open fast from the draw feels to me like walking on a slippery floor. That's how "unconfident" I am opening the Yo 2 and I usually flub it at least 30 percent of the time when I do it cold.

Evil D · #15

chuck_roxas45 wrote:I am really trying to like the Yo2 and indeed I do love how it feels when the blade is open and locked. I really though that practicing deploying will resolve the issue of my unreliable openings. The position and size of the hole really makes it difficult for me to continue to like this knife. I wonder if I can mod the G10 scale to make more of the hole accessible to my thumb. Also as you mentioned, zip tie wave will completely ruin thumb positioning. I also don't prefer inertial openings for SD.

I will always buy at least one backup of a dedicated SD knife that I carry and I am contemplating another Yo2 but as I mentioned before, trying to open fast from the draw feels to me like walking on a slippery floor. That's how "unconfident" I am opening the Yo 2 and I usually flub it at least 30 percent of the time when I do it cold.

I'm considering sending mine back to Golden to see what they think about the lock up..now that i've opened it 100 or so times, the tab is past half way on the tang which is just too far fro me. I'd like to have one that locks up much sooner, but i don't know if that's "out of spec" or not. Beyond that, i'm planning some mods on mine to resolve some of the opening issues. One thing i realized was that part of it is how i'm opening it...and it's sort of hard to explain. If i'm opening a Para 2, my thumb basically makes an upward motion to open it. With this knife, if you try that, your thumb will hit the corner of the G10. Try making more of an outward sweep with your thumb..the weight of the blade will take over and finish opening. Your thumb may even come off the hole a bit but it'll still open without hitting your thumb.

Pockets · #16

That is a really nice blade. I kinda wished I'd jumped on the pre-order :rolleyes:

Evil D · #17

Pockets wrote:That is a really nice blade. I kinda wished I'd jumped on the pre-order :rolleyes:

There are people still waiting for their preorders...just go to Howes and order one straight.

chuck_roxas45 · #18

Evil D wrote:I'm considering sending mine back to Golden to see what they think about the lock up..now that i've opened it 100 or so times, the tab is past half way on the tang which is just too far fro me. I'd like to have one that locks up much sooner, but i don't know if that's "out of spec" or not. Beyond that, i'm planning some mods on mine to resolve some of the opening issues. One thing i realized was that part of it is how i'm opening it...and it's sort of hard to explain. If i'm opening a Para 2, my thumb basically makes an upward motion to open it. With this knife, if you try that, your thumb will hit the corner of the G10. Try making more of an outward sweep with your thumb..the weight of the blade will take over and finish opening. Your thumb may even come off the hole a bit but it'll still open without hitting your thumb.

Yeh, mine engages around 70 percent now too.

I do find that a "pushing forward" motion works better for me when my thumb doesn't slide off the hole. I've tried everything I can think of including thumb flicks and middle finger flicks.

The opening that is most reliable for me is the inertial opening but it's the kind of deployment that I don't prefer for SD since I fear throwing my knife away in a stressful situation.

cevtv · #19

chuck_roxas45 wrote:Yeh, mine engages around 70 percent now too.

I do find that a "pushing forward" motion works better for me when my thumb doesn't slide off the hole. I've tried everything I can think of including thumb flicks and middle finger flicks.

The opening that is most reliable for me is the inertial opening but it's the kind of deployment that I don't prefer for SD since I fear throwing my knife away in a stressful situation.

Ok......Here is where my fingers are as I pull it from my pocket. Notice my thumb falls directly on the hole from the beginning.......

Here is a clip of it being flicked open......I don't understand what is giving you so much trouble.....

[video]http://s115.photobucket.com/albums/n318 ... 0c6abd.mp4[/video]

chuck_roxas45 · #20

cevtv wrote:Ok......Here is where my fingers are as I pull it from my pocket. Notice my thumb falls directly on the hole from the beginning.......

I answered you once in the other forum and I'm glad that works for you, it doesn't work for me. I'm trying to find something that's helpful to me. I'm sorry but you don't have anything that's helpful to me.

Now maybe you can stop stalking my posts.