There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
The first knife I bought was a Pro-Tech Newport for $179, and I thought that I must be crazy to spend that on a knife. But I wanted an OTF, so I went into BladeHQ and said, "I'd like to look at your OTFs in the $80 to about $150 range." Well, it turns out there actually arent any OTFs in that range. You can get a very decent Schrade or Lightning for $40-50, or you can get the real deal with a Microtech/Guardian Tactical/Paragon-A.S./HK in the $250 realm. Well, naturally I had to have the Microtech Ultratech with the stonewashed bayonet blade, for $268.
My point is that I tried to keep arbitrary caps on how much I would spend on a knife, but I busted through one with my second purchase and just kept going from there. Now I'm at the point where I saw a knife for $700 a cpl days ago and thought, "hell yeah, what a steal!" and jumped right on it, no second thought. It WAS a steal though, a piece by Mike Vangino with Timascus bolsters and gold- anodized Ti liners? Full sized? $700 is a way good price.
Just to clarify: the Hellhound is only an Ultratech, not a Troodon or Combat Troodon. I dont really like the Combat Troodons--too bulky and too expensive. Microtech finally made some of the smaller regular Troodons, so I may pick one up, but then again, maybe not. Why pay $358 for a knife that's smaller than a comparably appointed Ultratech, which costs $265 or $275? I only own Ultratechs, and UTX-80s and 70s, plus the SOCOM folders and a Marfuine custom MSG 3.
So that Hellhound Ultratech is "Signature Series" mid tech I picked up for just about exactly half of the $700 you correctly said a Hellhound Combat Troodon would cost. Interestingly, the most valuable OTF I have might be a UTX-70, the one with the Damascus Hellhound blade. But that all white "Storm Trooper" variant Ultratech dagger has appreciated the most since I bought it, and I think eventually it will be the best investment. I'm on the prowl now for the Boba Fett...