Strider FAQ

  1. Who is Strider Knives?
  2. Are Strider knives production or custom?
  3. Where can I get a Strider?
  4. Does Strider accept custom orders?
  5. What is Strider's warranty? Will the warranty follow the knife? Where do I send my Strider for warranty work? What do I include with my knife sent in for warranty work?
  6. A Note On "Pimped" or altered Knives from Josh:
  7. Will Strider send out parts?
  8. How do I sharpen my Strider? What is the angle used to sharpen my Strider?
  9. How are Strider Knives made?
  10. Who heat treats Strider Knives?
  11. How are the stripes made?
  12. Will the stripes on the blade wear off?
  13. Will Strider redo the stripes if they show wear?
  14. What is the "Strider smell"?
  15. What do the names of the different Strider knives mean?
  16. What does MSC or DDC mean? What about other acronyms?
  17. How do I know if I have a custom Strider?
  18. Why a Full Bevel Grind instead of a Hollow Grind?
  19. Why are some knives numbered and others not numbered?
  20. Why is the lockbar cutout on the outside of the Ti instead of the inside?
  21. Why does only the lower section of the lock bar contact the blade on Strider Folders?
  22. Hinderer Lock Bar Stabilizer Explained.
  23. What is a LAME knife? How can I tell if my knife is LAME?
  24. The stampings on my knife are light can they be redone?
  25. What is a Nightmare Grind?
  26. What is the CC dagger?
  27. What is the CR axe?
  28. What is a Mod 10 knife?
  29. What are the Strider dealers' exclusive lines?
  30. Strider Collaborations:
  31. Has Strider collaborated with a Production knife company?

1. Who is Strider Knives?

Strider Knives is an American owned and operated Company, whose goal is the evolution of Problem Solving Tools. Around the globe, people stake their lives on our tools; because of this we spare no expense when designing and manufacturing our products.  Using only the finest materials and latest technology, Strider Knives continues to set the pace in cutting geometry, function and durability.

The world is our Research and Development facility.  We at Strider Knives include our customers as part of the Company. We LISTEN to what our customers are saying. We understand people’s needs and attempt to fill them with the best tool available for the job at hand.

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2. Are Strider knives production or custom?

Per Josh Lee:
"We have catalog and non-catalog knives. Catalog meaning our regular designs, non-catalog meaning MSC and DDC. All Strider knives are custom knives, meaning that there is a large amount of hand finishing done on the knives."

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3. Where can I get a Strider?

Most Strider knife models can be obtained by contacting an authorized Strider dealer. Contacting Strider Knives directly for a specific model could take a significant length of time.  A listing of authorized Strider dealers can be found on the Strider Knives web site.

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4. Does Strider accept custom orders?

Strider does NOT accept custom orders. You can obtain custom knives at knife shows or through authorized Strider dealers.

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5. What is Strider's warranty? Will the warranty follow the knife? Where do I send my Strider for warranty work? What do I include with my knife sent in for warranty work?

Custom knives carry the same warranty as production Strider Knives.   Strider’s warranty follows the knife, not the initial purchaser of the knife.

For Strider production, Mick Strider Custom (MSC) send to:
SKI
603 Seagaze Drive #418
Oceanside CA. 92054
760 471-8275

returns for anything DDC, Duane Dwyer Custom or DCG:
DCG
1050 Linda Vista Dr Unit D
San Marcos CA 92078

It is recommended to NOT use Strider Knives, INC as the company name on your package as you will be advertising the contents of the box. The first line of the address can be changed to "Strider, INC." or "S.K. INC" to keep the contents discreet.

Include your name, address, phone number, problem and $25 for return shipping.

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6. A Note On "Pimped" or altered Knives from Josh:

"If you purchase a used knife that has been modified in any way you buy at your own risk and we STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU DO NOT BUY "PIMPED" folders because 90% of them are ruined beyond normal repair and it will cost just as much to fix them as it would to purchase a new knife"

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7. Will Strider send out parts?

Strider Knives are hand fitted and assembled, they do not have interchangeable parts.  Send it in.

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8. How do I sharpen my Strider? What is the angle used to sharpen my Strider?

Use any means possible to keep your Strider knife sharp. Some use free hand sharpening, others use devices to assist with maintaining a constant angle. Strider can also sharpen it for you (see answer 6 for instructions). Strider knives usually leave the shop with a 22.5 degree (+-.5) angle one each side or 45 degree (+-1) inclusive.

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9. How are Strider Knives made?

Per Mick Strider:
"We take a piece of metal, and grind off EVERYTHING that doesn't look like a knife!

We use fixtures

We use jigs
We use CNC
We use grinders
We free hand
We use hammers
We use fire
We use ice

If there is ANY way we can make the knife better......we do so.


.....it's tough to hold a part in your hand in that damn CNC machine.....and ya get all that damn coolant on your shirt.....

To answer your question, we use ANY means necessary to make the very best product we can......

Just for the record.....we DO NOT water jet cut our profiles. We water jet cut an oversized blank, then mill the profile."

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10. Who heat treats Strider Knives?

Paul Bos performs a UNIQUE to Strider heat treat on all Strider Knives.  The hardness for S30V is 59.5/60RC

Strider Knives, Inc. performs the heat treat on their Damascus blades.

Update 9/8/05
Per Mick Strider:
  "We don't use Paul on ALL of our gear any longer.  When they (BUCK) made the move up to the new place, there was half a year with no heat treat. Paul founded the place we use here, and we still use his procedure. We just can't ship every knife to our ol' uncle hot fingers any longer....

So rather than bother with the stamping of the knives he actually does....we just stopped stamping the logo."

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11. How are the stripes made?

BG42 and ATS-34 are dark colored after heat treat, the blades are then bead blasted to create the stripes (this gives the stripes a red tinge).
S30V is light after heat treat so it is black oxide finished and then bead blasted to create the stripes.

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12. Will the stripes on the blade wear off?

Per Mick Strider:  "They won't wear all the way off. They just get cooler looking."
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13. Will Strider redo the stripes if they show wear?

NO! Strider no longer refinishes blades nor do they do any cosmetic repairs.  Knives were meant to be used, let em' look that way...

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14. What is the "Strider smell"?

C.R.T.
Chemical Rot Treatment.

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15. What do the names of the different Strider knives mean?

The names of our models come from several things, some are the initials of the person the knife was designed for, sometimes the name has a personal or funny meaning to us, and sometimes the initials are those of a warrior or hero we wish to show our respect.

If you know the meaning of a name, keep it to yourself!

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16. What does MSC or DDC mean? What about other acronyms?

MSC = Mick Strider Custom
DDC = Duane Dwyer Custom

GG = Gunner Grip Handle
CC = Concealed Carry Handle

T = Tanto blade
DP = Drop Point blade

FWP = Flying War Penis (Strider's Logo)

SW = stonewashed
BO = black oxide
Digi = digi camo finish

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17. How do I know if I have a custom Strider?

The blade will be stamped or signed M. STRIDER or DWYER.  Production models are stamped STRIDER. ***Update: 08/2017 - New production knives are stamped "M.STRIDER".

     Duane Dwyer crossed rifles logo

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18. Why a Full Bevel Grind instead of a Hollow Grind?

 

Per Mick Strider:  "Most everyone likes the way the hollow grind looks better....including me.

 

I know that the AR and GB work WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better with the full bevel grind.

 

We make the damn things to cut.....not look at!"

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19. Why are some knives numbered and others not numbered?

Knives can only be numbered prior to heat treat. Strider generally numbers the first run of a new knife design up to 100.

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20. Why is the lockbar cutout on the outside of the Ti instead of the inside?

Per Mick Strider: "If you think about the geometry of the knife, and the lock in particular, you will notice that the line of the stress caused by the lock interacting with the blade runs in a (mostly straight) line from the back of the blade down the lock and into the ti side handle.

If the cut was on the inside, the stress would run down the lock bar until it reached the cut, then it would transfer over to the other side of the lockbar…and cause the bar to flex and pop off the blade, rather than transfer the energy down into the rest of the handle."

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21. Why does only the lower section of the lock bar contact the blade on Strider Folders?

Per Mick Strider: "The reason we only want contact at the lower section of the lock bar is this:

    1. For the most solid lock, you need two points of contact, as far apart as possible. (bump stop and lock face)

    2. For the most solid lock, your lock contact should be as far away from the center line of the pivot as possible. This keeps your lock from "rolling" off the blade.

    3. No matter how far from the pivot center your lock surface is, if its contaminated with crap (sand), it will fail. We send knives into some nasty shit. This is a huge concern for us. By making contact at the lowest section only, it creates a "shit vent" above the lock surface. That is the same reason we make our detent hole go all the way through the blade....its a "shit vent"."

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22. Hinderer Lock Bar Stabilizer Explained.

Per Rick Hinderer:

 

I felt that I should write a post explaining the new feature on Striders framelocks, the Lockbar Stabilizer.......Of course as all of you have found out it is obviously a overtravel stop..in other words it prevents the accidental overtravel of the lockbar during closing of the knife...some of you have stated that sometimes repeated closings sometimes weakens the lockbar and thus the lockup is not as tight,well, I can visualize that,but actually the problem I wanted to correct concerning overtravel is the complete overspringing of the lockbar thereby rendering the knife useless...can't be done some say?...a little story of how I came up with it...I am firefighter as a lot of you know...while working a accident scene I was using one of my Firetac's to cut the upholstery material around a seat post prior to using the jaws to cut the post...being that it was a good wreck, and adrenalin was running high,and the fact that we wear heavy gloves when working a MVA, I pushed the lockbar way too hard thereby springing it,and of course the blade could no longer lock, not a good thing to happen, at the wrong time! I knew then I needed to do something about it...The other issue I wanted to address was the lockbar springing towards the back of the knife when gripping it...this is what is not so obvious in an improvement...the reason is that sometimes the movement in the lockbar is not really noticeable when using the knife under normal conditions...but when you use the knife really hard, and really grip it you WILL move the lockbar..this is because to make a framelock or linerlock for that matter you have to cut the long slot in the frame or liner to make the lockbar, it does not matter what size slot you cut you will still have material missing there...simple physics, suggests that you have a lever and it will move toward the back of the knife...guaranteed...now, what does this mean...1, whenever you have movement in a mechanism it is a chance for that mechanism to fail..2, extra movement in the lock to blade joint will wear the lockface quicker...3, when the blade is locked up on a framelock with the lockbar stabilizer there will be absolutely no movement in the lock....
So given all this is the improvement overkill? Extreme?.....when do we stop designing extreme use knives, as in ... is good enough the way it is
Myself and Strider Knives design hard use knives gleaned from actual field experience,I didn't hear of this problem from anyone else in the field,I was in the field and experienced it!...Given the addition of the Lockbar Stabilizer Strider framelocks are even tougher and more hardcore than before..worth it? YOU BET!!"


(Diagram by Rick Hinderer)

 

 

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23. What is a LAME knife? How can I tell if my knife is LAME?

LAME refers to a miss-stamped knife, usually a S30V knife stamped as BG42. A BG42 knife’s stripes have a red tinge to them where as a S30V knife’s stripes are black. If your knife has black stripes with no red tinge and it is stamped BG42, then you have a LAME knife. The LAME ARs also had larger stop pins then usual and most had black belt clips. Although there were a few double LAME ARs which were miss-stamped and had silver belt clips.

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24. The stampings on my knife are light can they be redone?

Stampings are done by hand prior to heat treat using a stamp and a sledgehammer. There is no way of restamping the blade post-heat treat.

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25. What is a Nightmare Grind?

A Nightmare grind is actually a combination of a hollow grind, flat grind and upper swedge grind. The hollow grind is on the belly of the knife and the tip is a flat grind for strength. The hollow grind typically meets with an upper swedge grind and at this point there is a triangle the complete thickness of the blade. This triangle has been nicknamed the “Triangle of Doom”.

Mick Strider once said that a certain knife was a nightmare to grind and the term stuck.

Examples of the Nightmare Grind:
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26. What is the CC dagger?

Per Duane Dwyer:  "The CC dagger is our evolved USMC Raider Stiletto from 1942. #XM01 and #XM02 were made with blued A2 steel, 6/4 Ti handle and a 6/4 Ti guard. Future CC's will be made with S30V in .190" thickness instead of A2 steel. The CC will include a retro leather sheath as soon as we get it all worked out. Meanwhile, it will come with a kydex lined, cordura sheath suitable for multiple carry methods."

Per Mick Strider:  "We at Strider Knives have been given a great honor. Both our Raider Dagger/CC and the V42/RF have been chosen by their founding families to carry on the tradition. What this means is that most of the knives produced will be sent to the US Government for issue and awards. The Raider Dagger/CC and the V42/RF will remain custom only pieces, with all of the STRIDER models being issue items"

CC Dagger #XM01
(Photo by Duane Dwyer)

CC Dagger, Modern Configuration 1911 and Strider system for mounting an edged weapon to the Safariland leg rig (left)
Authentic USMC RAIDER Dagger, Union Switch and Signal 1911A1 in Issue Leather holster (right)
(Photo by Duane Dwyer)

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27. What is the CR axe?

Per Mick Strider:  The CR is designed to be a hard substance destruction tool.

The materials and construction are intended to give optimum impact and prying strength.

The CR works as a system. The base of which is a .285” thick 6AL4V titanium head, with .775” thick cantilevered S7 impact bits. S7 is an incredibly strong material, most commonly seen on “Jackhammer” bits. The CR bits pivot on .312” dia 416 stainless steel custom made shoulder bolts that have been tapered and crowned to protect them from impact and abrasion. The system is designed to remove all stress on the bolts by letting the bits pivot on the head and strike a steel anvil (bit) against a titanium anvil (head).

In addition to removing bolt stress, this cantilever action also allows for a multi strike action of the bits. The initial strike is achieved with human force by swinging the tool against a surface. The secondary strike is caused by the inertial force of the collapsing cantilever system. By using this system, the axe is actually working as a human powered Jackhammer.

The user is protected both from impact shock, as well as electrical shock by a Delrin sleeve (handle) that fits over the titanium tang of the impact head. The sleeve is then filled with silicone which acts as a damper for impact vibration.

*Notes on the CR.
Feel free to impact any surface. (Sheet metal, glass, concrete, tarmac…)
The Edges are not intended to be “sharp”.
The heads are supposed to be able to move. (It’s the cantilever system).
Its supposed to make that rattle sound. (It’s the cantilever system).
The impact bits are made of S7 and coated with black oxide. They are not stainless.

USE EYE PROTECTION!  (Photos by Mick Strider)

 

The CR is available exclusively from Blue Line Gear.

 

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28. What is a Mod 10 knife?

A Mod 10 knife is any full size Strider fixed blade knife with .75" of the blade and .75" of the handle removed.

MTL overall length 13.5" (left), MT overall length 11.5" (middle), MT-10 Sniper overall length 10" (right)

(Photo by ????? on USN)

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29. What are the Strider dealers' exclusive lines?

a. Blue Line Gear Exclusives:

 

First run of numbered (0 to 101) and non-numbered.


SMF Tanto
 
CR Axe
 

CH Breachers Axe

b. True North Knives

 
Framelock GB
 

c. Plaza Cutlery

 
ED Dog Paw
 
SLCC Dog Paw

d. TAD Gear

Pic of the TAD Gear Gen I AR
(Photo by TAD Gear):


 

TAD Gear GBs were a numbered run of 100 units, the G10 was slotted, the blade had a straight spine, Tiger Striped and was stamped with the TAD Gear Logo. There were a few TAD Gear GB's that were not Tiger Striped, but had a black blade.

Pic of the TAD Gear GB
(Photo by TAD Gear):

TAD Gear Gen II AR's were unnumbered, the blade had an upper swedge grind, Tiger Striped and was stamped with the TAD Gear logo. The TAD Gear Gen II AR's could be had with slotted G10 or with solid G10 with the ambi-belt clip. TAD Gear also released an upgrade option for the TAD Gear Gen II AR's - Replacement Thumbstuds with Tritium.

Pic of the TAD Gear Gen II AR

(Photos by TAD Gear):

Pic of TAD Gear Gen II AR w/ Tritium thumbstuds

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TAD Gear SnG were unnumbered, the blade had an upper swedge grind and was stamped with the TAD Gear logo. The blade was finished in standard Tiger Stripe as well was in the Digicam finish.

Pics of the TAD Gear SnG
(Photo by TAD Gear)

TAD Gear SMF were unnumbered, the blade had an upper swedge grind and was stamped with the TAD Gear logo. There were 4 different combinations for the TAD SMF:
Black G10 w/ Tiger Striped blade
Ranger Green G10 w/ Tiger Striped blade
Black G10 w/ Digicam blade
Ranger Green G10 w/ Digicam blade

Pics of the TAD Gear SMF
(Photo by TAD Gear)

 

TAD Gear Gen III AR were 30 unnumbered pieces, they had an upper swedge grind with Ranger Green Grooved G10, Tiger Stripes and the TAD Gear logo.
The TAD Gen II GB were 30 unnumbered pieces, they had a heavy spine with Ranger Green Grooved G10, Tiger Stripes and the TAD Gear logo.
The TAD Gen II GB has a similar grind to the original TAD GB, but without the straight spine.

Pic of the TAD Gear Gen III AR / TAD Gear Gen II GB
(Photo by TAD Gear)

 

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30. Strider Collaborations:

 

 

Strider Knives collaborated with Joel Pirela to create the Operator. The Operator was a limited run of 25 knives, although there are number of XM's.
(Photo by TENDONCUTTER on USN)

Strider Knives collaborated with Laci Szabo to create the U.U.K. The U.U.K. was a limited run of 60 knives. The U.U.K will be featured in the film "The Vault".
(Photo by TENDONCUTTER on USN)

Strider Knives collaborated Liong Mah to create the EF. The EF has a 6.5" blade and is 10.5" overall. The blade profile is a modified spearpoint featuring a hollow grind.
(Photos by TAD Gear)

Strider Knives and SureFire teamed to produce the Model SF combat knife / Millennium M2 tactical flashlight limited edition collector's set. The Strider M2 knife is hand stamped with the SureFire logo, has a clip point and features the patented Tiger Stripe finish. The Millennium M2 flashlight features a laser engraved Strider Knives logo and the Click-on Lock-out tailcap. There were less then 600 serial numbered sets produced.
(Photos by TENDONCUTTER on USN)

 

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31. Has Strider collaborated with a Production knife company?

Ken Onion and Kershaw Knives to create Zero Tolerance Knives
A portion of the proceeds from every sale is donated to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Folder Models: 0200, 0301, 0302, 0400
Fixed Blade Models: 0100

Buck Knives to create the Tactical Buck Line. 
The Tactical Buck Line includes folders and fixed blades.
Folder Models: 880, 881 and 882
Fixed Blade Models: 888 and 890

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