Muss die Bewertung von Ohtatyaro teilen. Tatsächlich hab ich auch von Rich Derespina selbst einmal mailweise bestätigt bekommen, daß er keinesfalls einen Vierfingergriff PLUS Karambit-Ring bei seinem bei Fox in Serie gebauten Kuku Hanuman beabsichtigt hatte. Hier dann dasselbe Problem, unter anderem....
Ich hab Blade Tech mal angemailt und meine Eindrücke zusammengestellt.
Falsche Präpositionen werden auch hier nicht umgetauscht, richtige nicht in Zahlung genommen:
Dear Sirs!
Some days ago I received the Riptide and compared it with several other karambit knives in my "portfolio". The combination of IKBS and several opening systems (flipper, hole, wave hook) made it very interesting for my testing work and perhaps also for use in private life and service.
At first, I encountered the same problem as with the Fox / Derespina Kuku Hanuman: You've built a full size handle and added a karambit ring. The result shows almost perfect ergonomics when handled without using the ring - but a weak ergonomics when You spread the fingers and hand wide enough to use the ring. The finger grooves do not fit while using the karambit ring, the position of the hand is too far at the rear end of the knife. Disappointing....
If You build a full size, 4-finger handle with a karambit-ring that can be removed by unscrewing 2 screws, WHY did You abstain from adding one small rear end piece without a ring?? THIS would have been really a unique feature for a folder of this kind!
The IKBS produces the need for a very strong detent by the liner / by the detent ball. As a result, it is impossible to wave open the knife solely by kinetic, by moving the hand quickly and stop the swing at once. Especially for a karambit which is handled very often in reverse grip, this is a real disadvantage, as the other opening systems (holes, flippers, thumb-studs etc.) cannot be operated with the little finger. I can open all the other karambit folders of my portfolio this way.
The Riptide can only be opened in reverse grip using the Emerson-wave, so it MUST be hooked in the edge of a pocket, belt - but You cannot open it this way in "free hands".
In addition, the pocket clip is so extremely strong that You even lift a heavy jacket or have to pull at the knife really desperately - and easily can get problems with a correct use of the Emerson-wave by getting stuck with the knife in the clothes....Emerson and Spyderco really found a better relation between safety and the needs of a quick draw of the knife...and for the correlation between wave and clip strength. A Civilian or a Matriarch even work more dependable with a "ghetto wave".
It seems that You have solved the problems with the sharpness of the knife out of the box - my one unluckily wasn't hairpopping sharp, but at least tolerably sharp.
All in all, I am not really satisfied by the Riptide...When I first saw it, I hoped to have found "THE" new karambit, but the problems with the handle size and the handling problems evoked by the clip and the resulted jamming in pulled-up clothes did not allow to evaluate the knife with best grades.
It is REALLY good conceived - but shows some weak results in the practical realization.
Please forward my comment also to Mike Vellekamp. I really like his outstanding Profili knife!
Soweit ich weiß, entspricht meine Kritik an der Griffgröße auch einigen Kommentaren auf YT, schauen wir also einmal, ob das Brieflein dem Designer und/oder dem Hersteller ein paar Zeilen wert sind 