SUPER! Eye candy preview!!
New Hot off the press!
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| Extrema Ratio Shrapnel ONE |
Extrema Ratio of Italy have just released another great model. The Shrapnel ONE. Those of you already familiar with the very versatile and cool looking smaller Shrapnel, are going to love it's bigger brother. In fact Extrema Ratio are saying: "Bigger is better" for this beefed up version of the very popular Shrapnel and Shrapnel OG.
Despite being bigger than the Shrapnel, the Extrema Ratio Shrapnel ONE is still very EDC.
A full flat grind on a 6.3mm spine of N690 martensitic stainless steel, the Shrapnel 1 boasts Extrema Ratio's signature super ergonomic grip made with Forprene. A single fixing socket head/slotted bolt, removable for cleaning, with either a flat bladed object or an Allen key.
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| As the LASER engraving says, HRC is 58, one signature Allen socket head or flat blade fixing bolt, maximising how the handle can be removed for maintenance. BTW, that's not corrosion on the spine but some oil! |
Like all good knife manufacturers, Extrema Ratio engrave serial numbers on all their models. The Shrapnel One also came deadly razor sharp out of the box. These knives, if you are not familiar with this manufacturer are HAND GROUND edges.
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| Note the small amount of gimping on the finger guard! It is this attention to detail I like about their knives, nothing is superfluous. |
The first thing I noticed about the Shrapnel One is that it looked to me a bit like a "kitchen knife on steroids". The Shrapnel 1's lines are very Japanese in my opinion, a bit like a Yo deba on but with a bigger blade curvature.
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| 6mm beefy thick spine but a thinned out swedge for maximum penetration value of the tip of the Extrema Ratio Shrapnel One |
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| Extrema Ratio's Mil Spec anti-reflective blade coating. |
Anyway but that's where any resemblance to kitchen knives ends. Far from any "kitchen knife"- even one on steroids, the Extrema Ratio Shrapnel One is built like a tank but can easily be wielded around the campsite for general duties.
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| Chopping garlic, onions and goat meat, no problems. |
I don't know about you, but when I'm hiking and camping and or hunting, I want my knife to be as versatile as possible as I'm generally walking in and can't carry the whole shebang with me. Already I think the Shrapnel One will serve me well on coastal hikes where fish will be caught and eaten but there will be heavier jobs required around the campsite.
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| The Extrema Ratio Shrapnel One easily dissects a hard tough Bread Fruit from the tropics |
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| Cooking Bread Fruit outdoors on a Trangia Alcohol Stove |
Fire preparation
various tasks
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Campsite fire preparation, no problems, with a thick spine close to the grip, it can easily be struck with a wooden baton
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Camp kitchen duties, why eat like a peasant when you can deftly use a knife such as this prepping the camp cuisine and then butcher game, prepare wood for fires and lastly gut and clean the fish that just came in, all with one hardcore knife.
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| Razor sharp out of the box, the geometry is good for quick cutting. |
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| BBQ duties, no problems! |
The deep blade geometry is perfect for big horizontal penetration into food stuffs, from vegetable matter to cutting through the spine of your game.
In fact some are already suggesting hunting as possible end use. Certainly the blade curvature looks good for this although, not a skinner for sure and dedicated hunting blade as any clumsiness with this deadly tip and there goes you skin! With a good distance from spine to blade, a knife such as this will be very ergonomic for big cutting power. The Shrapnel One's almost central tip, will lend itself to easy penetration due to the partial spine swedge. Like Extrema Ratio's Dobermann IV, which also of course sports a deep sectioned blade, the Shrapnel 1 will be of great use for food prep as well, with little fatigue on the hands and no knuckle knocking!
Versatile carry options in a well-made scabbard is to be expected from this company. I'll do a separate blog/video on this as the scabbard however, suffice it to say the following:
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| Frontside carry |
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| Backside view of all straps |
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| Excellent durable stitching |
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| Extrema ratio place thick high density foam between the two halves of the scabbard along with a stiff nylon insert. The foam prevents accidental severing of the stitching and the semi rigid insert helps to protect the scabbard too. For "soft"scabbards i think they make a good design. They are of course not the indestructible scabbards like those of the more "military" knife models such as the Fulcrum and others but none the less, very well constructed IMHO (and field experience with them) |
Full Molle compatible
Super secure retention straps over guard and handle
Right of left handed release possible-by reversing retaining straps.
Dangler or short vertical carry
Total strip down of all non necessary straps should the occasion arise (ie keep the guard retaining strap and ditch all others) produces an even slimmer carry.
Press studs are covered with nylon webbing.
Zero rattle, silent removal and insertion.
Stick around for the upcoming field test results of the Extrema Ratio Shrapnel One on BushCampingTools..
OK here it is UPDATE The field results of the Extrema Ratio Shrapnel One; check it out!
BCT.
