C53 Herbst : Titanium or almite handles?

[AllenETreat]

To : ALL



I recently accquired this "sleeper" ; the only thing that puzzles me forumite(s), is that the 2001 catalog says the handle(s) are

titanium, then the 2002 lists it as almite. Mines the older ATS-55 blade, so I guess it's titanium handle(s) on mine. Or is it?



ATE <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

[charlie]

My 2001 & 2002 Spyderco catalogs describe the C53 handles as aluminum. In 1998 the Peter Herbst came with a 440C blade and a titanium handle according to my records. The 2001 model is listed with a ATS-55 blade and the 2002 model is with a VG-10 blade (this C53 I own). The initial C53 is hard to find!
<img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> Collector #047

[Jazzman]

The origional also has some anodizing or blueing in the grooves of the handle. If you ever want to get rid of it, let me know...I've always had a soft spot for that knife.
Matt

[recoil]

All Ti-Handled Herbst folders were marked 440C and were also marked Solingen, Germany.
and had the blue annodizing as pictured below. all others are aluminum handled.
the original ti-versions are great knives if you can find them.

[toothed]

It's good to now hear people saying nice things about the original Peter Herbst. It wasn't too long ago that some others were dissing that one smooth opener with contoured ti handles. Sure it had some cosmetic flaws but who, or what, is ever perfect? I've tried the newer versions and, imo, they just don't compare favorably with the original.

[dialex]

Enjoy your new knife ATE. Never knew about a Ti version. It's a nice knife, but those handles, with all those engravings just don't hit my spot<img src="sad.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
<font color=blue> The hole and the whole<font/>

[AllenETreat]

I would've liked that P&S version with the blue running through the grooves <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> For now, I'll settle for this almite model ( the 2001
catalog I have DOES say Ti & ATS-55 though ; probably a misprint? )I suppose the Herbst &
Shabaria are just very misunderstood knives
( foreign designer(s)) as opposed to Bob Terzoula & Tim Zowada. Go figure.

ATE <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

[toothed]

Sorry, ATE. I didn't mean to diss your new knife in my earlier post. The newer Herbst incorporates improvements that Spyderco felt were needed over the original Herbst. You have chosen wisely. I'm sure you'll be pleased.

The problem, rather, is with me--I'm just fanatically in love with the smoothness of the earlier version and am blind to whatever "faults" it may have.

Now, about the Shabaria. Oh, that's another story and another thread.

[AllenETreat]

toothed :

Rendering an opinion is not "dissin'"( as they say nowadays <img src="sad.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>) I just wonder why <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
either mis prints intentionally or unintentionally, not good from a marketing point of view <img src="sad.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> You sell a product, get the facts straight or alienate your customers.
I noticed this quite a bit in the <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> catalog,
pictures, misspelling & FACTS.
At an average of $50-$200 a knife, you'd think they have it right.
Oh well.

ATE <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

[sam the man..]

Hey Al, the Herbst is a fine knife! <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0><img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0><img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

Sam

have bone implant will travel..

[voxnaes]

Hi ATE,
**** if you really want to be sure what scales is on you´r Herbst, Just put it to the beltgrinder. If the sparks are all white and hotter than **** on a nude girls night, it´s not alu/almite<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0><img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
Congrats on a great knife, Peter H makes fine cutlery designs.
Vox.


Repeat the mantra - "Spydie is good, Round is all - Life is Round, Life is Good, Spydie is Life is Round is LIfe. Round and Round, and Round forever." (Chuck.)

[AllenETreat]

"I fear there is something rotten in the state of Denmark." <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

ATE <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

[toothed]

ATE, I hear ya about the "misprints" in the catalog. I don't know if it is rumor or not but I heard on another forum that the plain-edged VG-10 Harpy was another "misprint" (i.e., there won't be such an animal).

[Hoosierdaddy]

ATE,

I have a P&S Herbst Ti #520. It is quite an awesome knife. I bought it last December at a local knife shop for 146.00. I asked the forum about this knife and they replied. If you go back and search for a thread I started (Dec.01) you'll get a link to a thread that was started at BF. Sal himself states that "only about 300 of these hit the market, because of QC problems"
I'm German-American, so I like anything made in Germany. I also turned a fellow forumite on to another one they had at the same shop, Brian Eberhardt, he got #671. I really like this knife, it's somewhat rarity keeps it out of my pocket which I hate!

[AllenETreat]

Well guys ( and gals ) I like mine REGARDLESS
and no matter, what kinda handles, it's STILL the greatest ( beats the **** out of a Buck ( sorry Chuck Buck <img src="sad.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>)) wish <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> kept the
blue "inlay" on the grooves in the handles.
Hoosierdaddy : I have some kraut blood in my veins too, but I'm American first <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

ATE <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

[knifepunk]

theres a titanium one over at ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... =729537786

--KP--

[knifepunk]

Double post. Sorry <img src="sad.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

Edited by - knifepunk on 11/3/2002 10:54:57 AM