folding knife help

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jackbauer

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Im looking for a general purpose folding knife preferably with some type of assisted opening. I really like the kershaw chive but the blade is less than 2 inches. I also would like to stay right around 50$...

thanks for the help
 
Take a look at Cold Steel folders. The overall quality is good and the price is in your area. The blade(s) in my opinion are a little less durable than some of the other upper end folders but I use mine everyday and only need to touch up blade with steel once a week or so.

The 'Recon' that I have is not true assist but with a flick of the wrist she will open right up.

If you can find quality auto for 50 bucks I would like to hear about it as well.
 
Ahem, :rolleyes: "some type of assisted opening"


Assisted openers are made by Myerco, Kershaw, Timberline, SOG, Camillus, CRKT, United, Randal King, and I'm sure some others.

Good assisted openers in your price range are mady by the first 5 of those. CRKT and Randal King are outside of your price range and I wouldn't have anything made by United.

I don't care for the look of the Myerco knives even though they are very durable.

Kershaw makes more assists than anyone else so you've got a lot to pick from.

SOG Flash are uniformly good as are the Camillus Heat and Timberline models.
 
i think i narrowed it down to the camillus heat series, the sog twitch or the kershaw leek. I am interested in these because they are assited open as well as have the index opening feature which looks interesting to me... Any opinions on which of these 3 is best. They are all just under 50$.

thanks for the help
 
I got one of the Kershaw assisting openers when they first came out (and were *expensive*), i was very pleased with it. I dont think you will go wrong with the leek. I havent tried the others you mentioned though.
 
In that price range I wouln't count out the Benchmae Mini-Griptillian. It's not an "assisted opener" but is still very easy to open and close one handed. I believe the blade is made of little better steal than the Kershaw's, sharp and pretty durable too.
 
Out of the three you narrowed it down to, I would take the SOG. The Blink is a good knife IMHO. That said, I'm not an assisted opening fan. I like it either to be manual, have a button, or most preferable- a bali. Assisted opening knives tend to want to open unless you engage the safety, which takes some fumbling around to disengage.
 
The Heat has more "hand" to it than the other 2 flat knives so if how it fills the hand is important you can either exclude the the Heat or the other 2.

The steel is important so I'd rule out the Leek since 440A isn't as good as AUS 8 used in the other 2.

The liner lock on the Heat has the Vallotton bend on it so it won't collapse easily. The SOG is a backlock that has proven itself for decades.

Then it becomes whether you like the feel of the Heat or the Twitch. Fat or Flat.
 
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I just got a SOG Twitch XL. I really like the "kick" button on the back. Right around $50 unless you get the all black one like I did.
Check out www.newgraham.com Great Prices, cheap shipping, fast service.

I also have a Flash I, with a Flash II coming in next week. (Along with a Benchmade Griptilian)
 
I've owned most of 'em...

... and, FWIW, here's my ranking:

1. Benchmade Mini-Griptilian: $60
A $100-knife-for-60-bucks-bargain. Slender but rugged. Disappears in your pocket, too. Axis lock is fast, proven, and super-reliable. A big seller. Pick one up and you'll understand. 440C (not 440A) steel is very good, sharpens fast and holds an edge well. Great Benchmade company "genes" and customer service. Of its different versions, the plain-edge/thumb-stud opener (model 556) is my favorite, and often "out of stock." It's THE ONE I'd go to war with in this price range.

2. Spyderco Delica: $50 +/-
All-time best seller. Good value. Great VG-10 blade steel. Thumb-hole opener doesn't work for everybody. Lightest weight (1.9 oz. w/the plastic version; the stainless version is heavier, costs more, and has slightly inferior AUS6 steel).

3. Kershaw Leek: $50
Nice sleek design. Average 440A steel is OK for moderate tasks. The most "sex appeal." Some think the assisted-opener is a less-than-durable boy-toy gimmick, and it does break. Excellent Kershaw customer service, however.

The tiny Kershaw Chive is "cute" but has so-so 420HC steel and is hard to open under stress when your fingers turn to clumsy thumbs. If you're really hot for the Kershaw assisted-opener deal, consider their new Mini Mojo ($65) with its 440A steel and improved speed-safe device. It's kinda like a Chive on steroids.

My advice is to go to a gun show, play with 'em, then go with your gut. FWIW, my favorite on-line sellers are New Graham Knives and Cutlery Shoppe.
 
I am not prone to fads, but recently I discovered a small-to-medium class folder that has become my permanent every-day carry. It's the Spyderco Calypso Jr.

That name alone didn't make any major impression on me so it wasn't 'till I actually handled one that I saw its qualities. I have quite a few Delicas and Enduras, but this one is simply PERFECT . . . and I'm a fussy kinda guy!

The price is right around $45 or so and go with the plain edge model if there's any choice.
 
Ken Onion Leek

I like the Ken Onion Leek Kershaw folder...It's got one of the smoothest openings in the business...The much-vaunted SOG is hard to close although the
little Flash I feels good and isn't prone to slipping as the Leek.
 
Spyderco "waved" Delica. The waved knives are super fast opening. Faster than autos and spring assist.
 
I have a Camillus Blaze (part of the Heat series) in my pocket know. It's my favorite AO. I have a kershaw leek, black and chive. I have a SOG Trident due in any day so the Blaze could be bumped out of first place.
 
SOG Flash II would be a great place to start. You should be able to find one at one at one of the knife stores online. Good way to start is to go to a large knife store that sells a wide range of products made by Spyderco, Benchmade, SOG, Camillus, etc. and just start looking for what makes sense to you.

IF you like knives, you will certainly buy more than one knife. So, just pick a reasonable one and go with it. A good non-assisted opener is the Spyderco Native available at Walmart. Excellent knife. It is still pretty fast to open with one hand. I'm not much of a proponent of the assisted openers. But to each his own.
 
Knives with the hole in the blade, while mostly spyderco, but there are others, are just as fast if not faster to bring to action than the assisted openers. It has to do with how you start to get it out of your pocket. I start to pull my knife out by the hole and as it leaves the pocket I give one little whip with my hand and the knife is open. I own several Auto's and assisted's and none are a fast as the finger/thumb hole knives in actually being ready to use. The auto's have to leave the pocket, the finger has to find the button and the hand has to clear the path of the blade and then press the button. It just takes longer to get it open.
 
My vote goes for the Mini-Griptilian also. Not assisted opening but really fast.

mine has the D2 steel and has been a dream. over a year of pocket(daily) use and is still tight as a drum. only need to touch up the edge now and then.
 
I got one of the Kershaw assisting openers on ebay pretty cheep. I think its the onion or the chive. I love their customer service. When I first got it I must of opened and closed it a thousand times. Then the "assister" broke. :mad: After one phone call to them and with no questions then sent me 10 "assisters" within a few days. I got 2 packages from them on 2 different days and one had 7 in it and the other had 3. I was very happy with the way they do business.

thats my 2 cents
 
My friend received great service from Kershaw also. His Kershaw wouldn't spring open completely anymore so Kershaw sent him spare parts, no questions asked. My friend put in the spare parts and the knife was in working order again. He was happy with the customer service.
 
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