As for folders not quite as big, but tougher than most larger, the Hinderer XM line runs 3"/0.145" thick (a scale model by request of the cubical/office crowd styling today with oxymoronical "tactical EDCs" and who likely carry 3" "fighters", too), 3.5"/0.165" (original size hot number with military/firefighters), and 4"/0.185" (requested by gloved military/first responders, Rambo, and myself, of course). Most large folders of Endura size run circa 1/8th"/0.125.

For even tougher than previous posted spearpoint knife, Rick originally did his hallmark cross between a tanto and spearpoint, called whimsically, Spanto, which still is immensely popular. It features the exact same blade silhouette as the spearpoint (visa versa, actually). The difference being not as acute primary grind leading to an even thicker edge, and even less acute on the flat front grind, to an even thicker edge than that of the belly. On a 3/16ths" thick blade already quite stout.

Still quite useful an edge, and finer than most 3/16ths" modern tough fixed blades, but the spearpoint certainly better for finer cutting angles. I admire a fireman/military tough knife able to dismember seats and dashboards or rip a hole through a door to unlock other side, bust airdrop pallet straps, still remain a knife, and in a folder, no less. Small wonder guys in services snap these up.

Rick has been one of the few to not gouge during peak demand, and, instead, used his going from handmade to shop made to increase quality/precision, to where he was making much of his profit increase on the bottom end via cost cutting such as tool life increases vs raising prices. When his XM-18 3.5" came out circa 2006 it was a $385 knife. Today, it is $425...the $385 bumped quickly to $390, sat there for years, even as his knives sold third party for $800-$1000. As the bubble burst, as eventually they all do, nobody took a hit who bought direct. It was bad enough at the time that fire and police agencies lucky enough to have budget to supply such gear, were having fire stations buy and then flip their knives for a profit, abusing Rick's preferential treatment of our finest. It was sad. Strangely, he still only makes several thousand per year in his 15 man shop, by batches, and freely admits most of company income still from design royalties from major factories.
















the "dark" spots on choils are actually shiny contact points from stop pin when folded.

PS-after posting these, I noticed both pivot screws on the larger pair clocked to same setting. Rick is all about precision to 1/2 thousandth inch, all work and parts done in-house aside from blade primary bevels/heat treat and clip screws, his tolerances of aerospace quality, as is gauging using latest computerized optical comparators for hole location, critical surface locations, and runout. But the clocking had to have been a fluke, as I have dis/reassembled these knives, adjusted tension to my own likes to where both felt the same, and this had to have been a fluke, for sure, right?