Any suggestions?

[5ptdeerhunter]

My cousin was over yesterday and I was showing him my sypderco navigator. He really liked it and now he wants a good pocket knife. I tried to show him some stuff online but he had to go.

He can't really decide on a certain knife. So I figured if I asked here it might help him on his decision.

What he wants in a knife is:
Between $20 and $50
Blade length between 3" and 4"
Part serrated
He also whats to make sure he gets good steel. I really don't know much about steel so I couldn't really help him on that one.

Can anyone suggest a good knife?

Thanks,
5pt

 

[JShirley]

CRKT makes good knives in that price range.

John

 

[Jim March]

Ehhh...CRKT steel is...BAD. Not quite the basic United Cutlery butterknife steel, but...

If you can find one: Spyderco Goddard Light. ATS55 steel, 95% as good as ATS34, has a well-done lockback lock, very reliable. Grip shape and blade shape don't scream out "combat monster" but can still fight.

The 4" Cold Steel Voyagers in AUS8 are another decent choice.

Look, in this kind of price range, don't trust a linerlock. Go with a lockback. The sole exception is the CRKT Ryan7 and that's because the blade shape and grip were designed to compensate for the linerlock's drawbacks.

 

[Arcli9ht]

I'll second the CRKT, and recommend a model, the M16-13. Cheaper than dirt has them for 35 or so, so its within the price range.

Its really sharp, seems to be holding its edge very well. Very fast opener.

It has this LAWKS thing which positively locks the locking liner for a redundant safety.

The blade is 3.5" and with the clip, it carrys point down (my only gripe with it)

It looks pretty good, IMHO.

If not that, then I would also recommend the large Berretta Air-light. Its 45 or so, but I've had mine for a number of years, and its still great.

Extremely light, carrys point up. Blade is three inches and change, and its skeletonized, which looks good.

If he likes this one, dont let him do the dumb thing and get it in camo. Thats what I did.

If I finally lose it one once and for all (it spent a little under 6 months in my backyard before I found it again, which is when I got the CRKT) I will buy another with the BLAZE ORANGE handle.

My two cents.

/Arcli9ht

 

[Sir Galahad]

I own and carry all of the following in various combinations:
1.) CRKT M16 "Big Dog"
2.) Kershaw Ken Onion Blackout
3.) Kershaw Ken Onion Whirlwind

All of these knives came shaving sharp right out of the box. I wholly trust all of these knives. You cannot go wrong with a CRKT M16 or a Kershaw Ken Onion. The CRKT is a LOT of knife for the money and zip-fast opening. The Kershaw Ken Onion assisted opening folders are even faster.

 

[hso]

Jim, It may be more accurate to say that the CRKT steel (AUS8, yes the majority are AUS 8) isn't as good as Spyderco's ATS 55.

Considering that some of the Spyderco's are still AUS8(as well as ATS 55, and the "super steel" SV30) I don't think they consider it to be POS steel. Oh, and btw, AUS8 is vastly superior to the 420J used by United.

5pt, knifecenter has the new VG10 Native 3D for $49 http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-ProductSpec?SP78PSBK

 

[Paul Gomez]

Spyderco Delica or Endura.

 

[Guyon]

Nothing in the world wrong with AUS8 or CRKT for that matter. AUS8 might not hold an edge quite as long as a high end stainless like ATS-34, 440V, VG-10, S30V, etc. However, it takes an excellent edge and is easy to resharpen / touch up.

To be honest, I'm not all that crazy about ATS-55. I've had several Spydercos (Standard, Rookie, SS Dragonfly, Goddard LW) with it, and I've had better edge retention out of some of my "cheaper" CRKTs. YMMV..

hso, I bought the Native III a week ago and have been carrying it. I agree. It would be a good choice.

Benchmade makes the mini-Griptillian on the upper end of that price range (maybe just a little over $50). 440C with a good heat treat is nothing to sneeze at.

The Spyderco Delica comes in VG-10, a steel of which I am a big fan. Takes a very wicked edge.

Another fantastic knife in VG-10 is the Spyderco Calypso Jr. Lightweight. Now discontinued but still easily found on eBay. This one would be my number one recommendation for your friend. Great little knife.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Definitely check out a Spyderco Delica. I carried one every day for several years, until I lost it last week. :banghead:

OTH, my wife gave me a Griptlian for Father's Day so I now carry that.

 

[Jim March]

Many of the CRKTs are AUS6, and in my experience not heat-treated all that well. Yes, they do some AUS8 and I have an ATS34 Apache, but the bead-blast finish tends to rust.

Even on the Apache, I'm not impressed with the heat-treat.

On a knife intended purely for defense, AUS6 the way CRKT treats it is adequate. For daily utility, in my opinion, there are better option. For food prep, I have sterility concerns about bead-blasted surfaces in general, regardless of steel.

I gave an ATS55 Spydergo Goddard Light to a former roommate. He used it for hard daily utility in a car stereo business, he cut open boxes, cut speaker felt sheet, all sorts of stuff. He was deeply impressed with the edgeholding and general functionality; I was able to observe his progress with it for over a year.

I don't think any CRKT piece would have done nearly as well as that fine-polished ATS55 piece.

 

[hso]

Jim,

No one said that ATS55 isn't superior to AUS 6M or 8. It's as much a better steel to the AUS as the AUS is to United's 420J "butter steel". That's reflected in the price. Do I wish CRKT used it in their Carson M16? You betcha! I would even pay the price that it would cost, but I'm not sure that your budget and mine should be what CRKT is marketing to.

Where they gonna find a Goddard light these days now that Spyderco has dropped it from their line?

 

[5ptdeerhunter]

What do you guys think about a Spyderco Native with S30V. I have heard some good things but not very many.