A good EDC folder?

[TMM]

Hey all- i'm looking for another EDC folder...for a variety of reasons...
i have a fairly good CRKT (point guard), but i hate the LAWKS (lake and walker knife safety) system (load of bull excretement i say... it's just in the way all the time! if you're not familiar with this, it is a manually activated thingie right where your thumb goes, and it always wobbles back and forth...) oh, and the whole knife is made in taiwan...lordy- i thought CRKT was a decent company?

aaaaanyway...

i'd like it to be around of below $80 (and it better be worth $80 if it is...)
it MUST be LESS than 4" in blade length (stupid laws)
it Must be a locking blade,not a lockback. i like locking liners, basically anything than can be easilly used with one hand.
it needs to have a pocket clip. no more fumbling in my pocket.

and that's it. thanks in advance for any help...

~TMM

 

[TMM]

hmm, i kind of feel stupid now, but i just browsed Benchmade's site. everything but the red class is affordable to me (actually, i have plenty of money to buy it, but i vust wouldn't want to use it since it's so pricey). these red class blades, of course, are made overseas in "closely monitored facilities"...

i like the "ambush" and the "snipe"... just below 4"... good maker name- however, how is the Snipes' Levitator locking mechanism used? can it easily be used one-handed?

and, of of course, other suggestions welcome.

~TMM

 

[Boats]

Here's a suggestion.

Pony up the money, even if you have to find the knife discounted on the internet, and get yourself a Benchmade 806D2 Axis and use the living daylights out of it. If you mess up the coating, you can always buy the tool kit, disassemble the knife, take the blade out, gunkote it, stick it in the oven and have the coating back. What you will find next to impossible to do is to mess up the very tough D2 carbon steel blade, or break the Axis lock.

Behold the mighty Axis lock

 

[redneck]

I'd recommend a benchmade as well. Either the 806D2, or some model of the 710. I'm also a big fan of the 720 if you want something a little bit smaller.

The 806 is a hell of a slicer, and D2 holds an edge really well and is an aggressive cutter. Its a little bit on the brittle side, and the point will not hold up to any prying. This knife will cut like you wouldn't beleive and is a nice slim peice that carries easily despite its size.
Check out the 805 for a cheaper version with 440C steel, and a thumbstud rather than thumbhole.

The 710 has a little beefier point and can be had in 154CM which is tougher (won't chip as easily) or M2 high speed steel, which is the same thing they use for drill bits and tooling. M2 will be similar to D2 in that it holds an edge and cuts like the dickens but is a a little on the brittle side. About the same price as the 806.

720 is a smaller knife with an aluminum handle. Tough as hell, nice and light and carries easily. Balde is ATS34 or 154CM and will take a wicked edge. Nice trailing point with a lot of belly to it.

Or if you really want to stick with below $80. Check out a Benchmade griptillian. Comes with 440C steel which is nice and tough, holds an edge fairly well, and sharpens up easily (just a little behind 154CM in performance, but its cheaper). This is less than $60 and is very highly recommend on bladeforums.com

Yes I'm a benchmade fan


EDIT: Check out www.newgraham.com for good prices on them

 

[Phantom Warrior]

For Benchmade, I've been very happy with the 732, the 905, and the 812 (now 814, I think, the AFCK line). Benchmades are expensive but they are GREAT knives.

If you want a less expensive knife, get a Smith and Wesson S.W.A.T. series. I've found them to be sharp, solid knives and reasonably priced (~$40). I still say you should get a Benchmade, but these are a decent second.

 

[unclestu]

The Benchmade 710's a great knife, but it's pretty big. I have, & love, a Benchmade Osbourne #941. Blade's about 3 1/2" long, matte black aluminum handle, good point, slim handle, light weight, *very* strong, has that great Axis Lock, good pocket clip, & once you learn the drill, it almost opens itself. A new one will cost more than $80, but it's a real sweetheart! I got mine used for ~$65.

 

[JShirley]

Eh. Each to his own~ I personally believe liner locks aren't usually as strong as other lock styles. My EDC for years was a Spyderco Native Lightweight. Terrific EDC knife- small enough to be easily carried, big enough to be truly useful. Of course, you wouldn't like the lock.

I'm testing out a Spydero Salsa right now, which was designed to have a very wide but friendly to thought police 2.5" blade. It has the Compression Lock, which again, you probably wouldn't like.

I carried a Benchmade AFCK for a while, and it was a pretty decent knife, as is the Griptillian. I am personally just not very happy with a decision or two Benchmade has made recently (no, I don't want to discuss specifics, but I believe they have acted unethically), so I heartily suggest you find a nice Spyderco or Kershaw!

John

 

[Felonious Monk]

Ditto the Kershaw.
I wanted to love Spydercos, but finally realized as I kept buying knives that were not quite what I was looking for, that I kept gravitating BACK to the Kershaw Ken Onion designs. The Vapor, the Whirlwind, the Blur, are all GREAT knives for under $50.00.

Worth every penny you paid for my opinion.

 

[unclestu]

I have a few Kershaws myself. For a rugged, useful, easily handled one handed framelock knife, the Kershaw Vapor & Vapor II are, IMO, two of the bang-for-the-buck champs of the universe. The Vapor is $20 at WM, the V II ~$25. No downside, *unless*: you're left-handed, or you prefer a fat grippy handle.

 

[Third_Rail]

Kershaw, one of the many Ken Onion designs - so far, they're all quite nice for the price.

 

[D-R]

SOG Pentagon Elite. Good stuff.

D-R

 

[Rupestris]

Benchmade Griptillian in D-2 steel. 3" and 4" available fron Cabelas for just onder $80.

 

[TMM]

redneck: 870, 710, and 720 are out of price range... well, on the Benchmade site... but i figure it'll only be about 10-20 dollars cheaper elsewhere.

i like the griptilian 551- $95 on the site, i figure i can get about $80 somewhere else.

to the multiple people suggesting kershaws, i don't like the flat handles.. and the edge shape seems tough to sharpen.

i just checked agrussel, $75 for a griptilian! not too bad...

thanks for the help. of course, other suggestions welcome.

~TMM

 

[redneck]

Go to www.newgraham.com ! The griptillian is only around $60! The other knives I listed are a heck of a lot less than MSRP too. Manufacturers websites are not the place to find prices

 

[bigjim]

I know its over your price range but save up for a strider SNG, Great knife very light weight and tough as hell. GREAT EDC knife.

 

[DigMe]

SOG Pentagon Elite. Good stuff.

Used to carry one, still have it. The blade developed some plat that I couldn't seem to fix without making it too tight to open. Holds a decent edge and cuts well but all said and done I think there are better offerings in the price range.

brad cook

 

[DigMe]

lordy- i thought CRKT was a decent company?

Well I guess it's all subjective, no? I've been very happy with my Crawford/Kasper Folder. It's a solid well-made knife IMO and the LAWKS system seems to work fine on mine. When I engage it it stays. Then again I paid $16 for mine BRAND NEW and that just can't be beat.

I'll probably end up getting a Benchmade at some point in the future when I have money.

brad cook

 

[TMM]

redneck- yea, i'll have to check that site out...

pentagon elite isn't that bad, but it's too long (legally speaking)

*runs off to look at prices(

~TMM

 

[OF]

I think CRKT makes the best inexpensive knives out there, but they are inexpensive knives, and while they're high-value, you do get what you pay for in the end. My vote for best bang-for-the-buck has to be Spyderco. Best value for the dollar.

The 'best' EDC folder totally depends on who you are and what you need from a knife. For some people a tiny little SAK will be it. I've got a large Sebenza that I love, but I'm bordering on wishing it was a small for EDC.

Some people live a life where an SNG or even bigger-ass Strider will fit right in with them.

I believe you should choose your EDC knife like your EDC gun: what fits you best, feels best in your hand and your pocket, works best for you under the hardest use you need from it and is of an acceptable quality and value is what you should be carrying.

- Gabe

 

[Billmanweh]

do yourself a favor...

http://www.aeromedix.com/index.php?...3099638cd72c34c7436a7909&action=sku&sku=bmrsk

I've had most of the Benchmades mentioned, a couple of Sebenzas and Striders, and the knife above is the one I still have and carry.

 

[hso]

http://www.mdenterprise.com/chris.htm

Don't be too hard on CRKT making knives in Taiwan since you'd be hard put to find an american knife manufacturer that doesn't have knives made there. CRKT was the first company that put real oversight into the manufacturing in Taiwan and held them to very high standards. They started out being there every other week and when QC improved still went every month to inspect and verify that quality was being maintaned. As a result of their breaking trail in quality knife production in Taiwan other US companies have followed suite.

If you insist on an American made knife then look around a bit and you'll find them at Spyderco, Benchmade, Camillus, Buck, etc. amongst the models made in Japan, Taiwan, Italy and Greece.

If you want an American made knife from a company that only makes knives in America then look at Chris Reeves, Mission, Stider, Tops, Case, William Henry, and the few others that make everything here.

 

[TMM]

HSO: ok, they may have some good stuff... but! i felt the edge of my knife today, and it was to dull i would probably have a hard time cutting myself with it, and i only remember using it to open a package, cut thin manila rope, and burlap. nothing very hard. and it was so dull i could see the light bouncing off the edge.

i don't mind/care if the company has knives made in places like taiwan, but the knife i have i want made in the US.

billman: what makes this improved griptilian so much better than the regular one?

~TMM

 

[Billmanweh]

billman: what makes this improved griptilian so much better than the regular one?

the only thing it has in common with a regular Griptillian is the handle. the blade is a completely redesigned, flat ground, s30v blade...

 

[TMM]

i see. too far out of the price range, though. oh well..

 

[JShirley]

i only remember using it to open a package, cut thin manila rope, and burlap. nothing very hard

Depending on how much of these things you cut, having a dull edge may be entirely reasonable.

John