3" slipjoint knife for EDC in the UK.

[Mizar]

Hello,

A local company (Manly knives) just released a new folder - a slipjoint knife with 3 inch blade, reversible pocket clip and G10 handle with steel inserts. I believe that one of the steels for the blade will be D2. I plan to get the mentioned knife as a gift for a friend in the UK, as it seems like a good carry blade. So, my question is: given the limitations, what do you think about such a folder for EDC - pros and cons? General use - cutting cardboard boxes, envelopes, stuff like that. I know it's hard to judge from just a single picture, but at least one can see the design - judging from other Manly knives I have handled I believe it will be a sturdy one.

Photo courtesy of Ivo Angelov.

 

[ugaarguy]

Those look like good knives from the one picture. The pros are that D2 has very good edge retention. The cons are that D2 isn't quite a stainless steel, and that with no lock allowed the knives pictured don't have much of a finger choil for added safety. The unknown is what the pocket clip on those knives is like.

If I was forced to carry a slip joint I'd probably get a Spyderco Squeak in N690 (equivalent edge retention to D2, but much better corrosion resistance) or a Spyderco UK Pen Knife in S110V (more corrosion resistant than D2 and even better edge retention). Those Spydercos have nice nice finger choils that add a bit of safety if the blade starts closing, and the choils have nice jimping that also helps protect against the finger slipping onto the blade.

The con to the two above mentioned Spydercos is that while one handed opening is still legal in the UK (last I checked), other EU countries like Denmark prohibit / restrict both locking blades and one hand opening. Living in Bulgaria, you're certainly more familiar with various European countries' laws than I am. So, if your friend travels around Europe he may want a two handed knife. If that's the case the Spyderco Roadie or the Spy-DK (recently discontinued, at least in the US market) might be better choices. Both still have N690 blades and Spyderco's well executed finger choils, and both are two handed opening knives which makes them legal in even more places.

Being in the US, I'm most familiar with Spyderco since they're the only large knife manufacturer based here that I know of which also truly caters to the UK and other European markets.

 

[saddler]

Looks nice, but as with a lot of things, the price point may be a deciding factor.

 

[hso]

I'm concerned about the lack of protection from slipping onto the blade as well.

 

[Jim Watson]

The Manly 2 Hand is $70 and up, depending on steel, in the USA.
Now, there's my Opinel, but where's my Gerber LST? I just found my old Sodbuster Jr yesterday.
What do you need a pocket knife to DO?

 

[Mizar]

Thank you all for the replies - much appreciated! I have carried traditional folders - no finger protection, carbon steel and etc., so I'm used to their limitations and know how to work around them, but I understand that for someone else it can be a deal breaker. I think that I would give that knife a try, despite it's obvious shortcomings - the price here will be lower and I really would like to give him something that is local made and of good quality (which is something quite rare in Bulgaria unfortunately...). And after all if he cuts himself, or the blade rusts, I can always say: "You Brits are sooo stupid!"

 

[Jim Watson]

I really would like to give him something that is local made and of good quality (which is something quite rare in Bulgaria unfortunately

Reason enough.

 

[ugaarguy]

The Manly 2 Hand is $70 and up, depending on steel, in the USA.
Now, there's my Opinel, but where's my Gerber LST? I just found my old Sodbuster Jr yesterday.
What do you need a pocket knife to DO?

Well, his friend is in the UK, so the knife needs to be less than 3 inches in blade length, and the blade can't lock open. That eliminates the LST and most Opinels.

The Sodbuster JR is even more of a safety concern with its smooth handles on top of lacking a finger choil. Also, Case uses cheap steels and hides their true identities behind trade names. Their CV steel is very likely plain old 1086 or 1095 which Case is heat treating to only around 55 HRC. That's going have much lower edge retention and lower corrosion resistance than the knives in the OP, assuming they do even a moderately good heat treat on the D2. Case's Tru-Sharp stainless is very likely (even outright claimed by some to definitely be) Latrobe 420HC, which is a very low end stainless steel. 420HC will be more corrosion resistant than D2, but edge holding will be far, far lower.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Your option looks good.

I think I would like something like this as it will be a bit easier to open (if legal) and the blade design will give a little protection from it closing on ones hand. Pulled from another post on this forum;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LDOKVL...nc&pd_rd_r=BDVWZMYQXRY393E0DGVW&pd_rd_w=wMErm
Katsu knife.

 

[ugaarguy]

I think I would like something like this as it will be a bit easier to open (if legal) and the blade design will give a little protection from it closing on ones hand. Pulled from another post on this forum;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LDOKVL...nc&pd_rd_r=BDVWZMYQXRY393E0DGVW&pd_rd_w=wMErm
Katsu knife.

That knife has a liner lock, so unfortunately it's not UK legal.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Sorry, missed the liner lock. Still like that design with the "flippy thingy" on the blade.

 

[Mizar]

A quick update - they would release it only in S90V for now. Which is a good thing because Manly heat treats it well, but I'll wait to see the price for it... Again, thank you for the replies!

 

[Mizar]

Got the knife. I like it - seems sturdy made with well centered blade, nice flat grind and strong back spring. It has a 3 point ratcheting tang, which I find a good thing as it prevents the blade to snap back if you lost grip on it while opening. Comes with a 30 degree edge, fair sharpened. grips are G10 with steel liners. The pocket clip is not the best, but at least it's reversible and it allows deep pocket carry without any parts of the handle showing. Some dimensions:
Blade length - 2.95"
Blade thickness - 0.1"
Blade width - 0.94"
Overall length open - 6.81"

 

[John Joseph]

Lots of news about more knife control laws coming in the UK. Proceed with caution is all I have to say.

 

[Mizar]

Yep, I heard - best luck for our UK friends.