Lone Wolf Harsey T2 Ranger
Review by Phil Elmore
The Lone Wolf Harsey T2 Ranger is an extremely attractive, full-sized tactical folder. With good attention to fit, finish, and detail, as well as good ergonomics and clean aesthetics, this is a knife you could carry regardless of dress and in a variety of environments. While priced a bit higher than the average folding knife of this size and type, the added cost seems well worth the gains in quality and design.
According to Lone Wolf's website, the T2 Ranger is a scaled-down version of the T3 ranger. It has a stainless steel frame and locking liner, a traditional drop-point blade, and handle scales of fiberglass-filled Nylon.
The CPM-S30V high-carbon stainless steel blade is 3.9 inches long, ground on both sides. It was nicely sharp out of the box and retained its keen edge very well in test cutting. The blade opens smoothly using the ambidextrous, graduated thumb studs; it locks open positively with no play. The liner engages the tang securely, all the way to the left (leaving much room for wear).
The very wide pocket clip had good tension from the outset. Because of its width, it provides a very stable and secure point of retention. It is removable but configured for right-hand, tip-down use only. For those wishing to secure their knife with a lanyard, a lanyard hole has been drilled through the handle scales and frame near the butt of the knife.
The knife's superb ergonomics start with the organic-looking texture of the handle scales, which provide good traction. The shape of the handle is itself very comfortable, with scallops and curves in all the right places. A cut-out for both the liner and the index finger almost provides an integral guard (it doesnt' extend quite far enough to consider it a guard).
I have a great preference for thumb grooves, and the T2 Ranger does not disappoint. There are grooves on the frame behind the thumb ramp built into the blade, and there are grooves on the underside of the frame. The result is a knife that feels great in the hand -- comfortable but firmly controlled, with many points of tactile feedback.
The T2 Ranger is the only Lone Wolf knife I have handled to date.
The company should be proud of the first impression this folder
makes. >>