Bang for your bucks knives - Good and bad

[alaskanativeson]

I'll admit, I've become a knife snob. I've recently re-discovered just how good a Busse knife feels in your hand, I'll have and use one the rest of my days. That said, I can still appreciate a good "bang for the buck" knife. I just got my first two Mora knives, a model 860 with a stainless blade and a model 911 with a carbon blade. Both feel like great knives, I really like what I've seen of them. With what I paid for my most recent Busse (a NMSFNO LE for those who understand Busse terminology) I can buy exactly 50 of the model 911 knives. Good, practical sheath, good, practical, inexpensive knife.

On the other hand, I also got an Opinel knife. I've had two previously, both were pieces of junk in my opinion. I've heard a lot of people on here talk about how much they liked their Opinels so I decided to give them another try. I ordered my Moras from Ragweed Forge who also carries Opinels. I ordered an OP7 which seemed like a good size for a pocket knife. I have to say, my opinion of Opinels remains unchanged. Apparently the French do great with hairy pit chicks and really stinky cheese, but they don't seem to be able to make a good pocket knife. It's loose, the blade opens on its own, and the edge bent from just a little whittling. BENT! Strike three for Opinel. I plan to give it a decent burial at sea when I go out seal hunting next fall.

One thing I got from Ragweed that I'm really excited about is a Brusletto Ulu blade without a handle. I don't know what kind of handle I'm going to use for this, but I'll probably choose some kind of wood.

So what other knives give a decent bang for the buck?

 

[barman]

Apparently the French do great with hairy pit chicks and really stinky cheese

We're also doing great without your business.

 

[Carl Levitian]

Having been in buisness since 1890, and the company doing better than ever in international sales, it looks like several million people don't agree with you. I'll have to agree to disargee with you as well. I've been using Opinels since 1982, and I have little complaint. I don't know what knife you are comparing them to, but in real world use an Opinel is a great cutter. They have only one Achilies heel that I know of, that of not liking water too much. That problem is cured by giving it a coat of spar varnish.

I would like to know what you bent the edge on, as my experiance with Opinels is quite the opposite of your rude oppinion. But then there is a saying about oppinions. I could post an oppinion on people who spend high dollar amounts on Busse knives when a plain old butcher knife would do for what they need, but I won't.

But I will say I find your post offensive, and I'm not even French. You have some growing up to do.

 

[Zeke/PA]

I too think that Opinel knives are great and many of my friends share my opinion.
However,Opinels make lousy prybars or screwdrivers.
Zeke

 

[mio]

i bought a smith and wesson borderguard a couple years back for $20 and it has been an excellent general use knife. not a good screwdriver but prys nice and has been used for just about everything else.

i like my marbles for gutting/skinning deer.

 

[Piraticalbob]

Opinels can be inconsistent at times. I've had some that were too tightly fitted, and some that were a bit loose. Once the ring collar is locked, though, that shouldn't be a concern for usage. The are thin-bladed for light work; you shouldn't be chopping with one. They are typically used by their French owners as lightweight utility/picnic knives.

I do have complaints about Opinels, though. I don't like the modernised notch in the lock ring that allows the knife to be locked closed. It also weakens the locking mechanism, allowing the blade to close inadvertently.

Why Opinel hasn't ever offered a model with stainless blade and Zytel handle is beyond me. Cold Steel did a very popular knock-off of the Opinel for a number of years with just such a knife, calling it the Twist-Lock.

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

I don't find your post offensive at all. In fact, my experience with Opinels has been so-so as well. I have a No. 9, I think, carbon, that I got at Zermatt. It didn't come sharp, is a pain to work with when it gets wet, and can be hard on the fingers due to its relative lack of exposed blade. The round shape also makes it a pain to carry. That said, it is a good slicer now that I sharpened it up, and it's good for a backpack for use when picnicking.
Moras are also a great value.

 

[JR47]

Opinels were all over Vietnam in the 1960's. We soon found that the wood would absorb water, and that it would swell enough to freeze the lock ring. These were Opinels, and not the local knives.

The design is interesting, from a historical point of view, but brings little to EDC.

 

[franconialocal]

Spyderco, all the way. I have several and love them. I also have some other brands, so comparison wise, the spydercos still take it! Prices range from 20-30 bucks to several hundred depending on model. I buy on EBay. Good prices from SpydieGuys.com I'll enclude spyderco's catalog link below too.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/

Enjoy!

 

[Poor East Texan]

I share one quirk that I find with Opinel knives. The round shape sux!

Benchmade knives like the Griptillians don't cost a fortune and carry and use VERY well!

But my EDC right front pocket carry is a Superknife Tactical replaceable blade razor knife. I can get it out and use it FAST one handed and when the blade gets beat from opening boxes and such a new blade is cheap! I cut lots of rubber and vinyl hoses and cardboard and that is no way to treat a quality knife!

Superknife is quality in all but blade and that is easily changed!

 

[Big Bill]

Kershaw Junk Yard Dog. BTW, I also think Opinels SUCK!

Moras however are great knives despite how cheap you can buy them.

 

[Leadhead]

From Laisse Béton,
"Viens faire un tour dans la ruelle
J'te montrerai mon Opinel"

Good bang for your buck knives would be Buck....they've even got some modern knives with good steel at a steal!

 

[gripper]

Cold Steel meck knives like the Scimitar Spike ( my EDC) and the Double Agent ( think Kerambit for non Pencak Silat practitioners).
For a thinner blade, the K4 neck Knife ( sort of a "tactical chef's knife) is a great $20.00 option ,but it IS a thinner blade-do NOT try to pry up man hole covers or the like....

 

[MikeJackmin]

Used knives can be had cheap on ebay - old Bucks are hard to beat.

 

[alaskanativeson]

I said nothing offensive in my post (at least it was not meant that way) and if you found offense in it you misunderstood my words. I find au natural chicks sexy, and the stinky cheeses are the ones that command the highest prices. It's all a matter of opinion, and everyone is welcome to their own.

Carl, to answer your question, I was cutting a frozen piece of willow. It was the same piece of willow that my Becker Patrol Machete cut just fine. I may have hit a knot or an extremely hard and/or frozen spot but I'm just not impressed with the Opinel. I do have several of the Cold Steel Twistmasters, it's the only CS copy of a knife that I like because it took a good knife design and did a good job of executing it in build.

The more I use my new Moras, the more I like them. I'm not going to be giving up my Busse knives because I count every penny worth the expense to have a knife of this quality out here where equipment failures can be catastrophic. That said, the Moras feel good and I appreciate them for what they are.

I also like the Cold Steel K4 Neck Knife. I have several I leave around the house. They're useful, easy to care for, and cheap enough to have extras around.

 

[Piraticalbob]

A great bargain Cold Steel knife is the Kudu. It is a copy of the South African Okapi, but with a Zytel handle and better steel. It is only $8.99, a steal at that price. It's a nice knife.

 

[JShirley]

I think Kershaw and Spyderco make great bang-for-buck knives, and Buck ain't bad. Pre-Sino takeover, I would have suggested a Shrade, too.

How y'all like your women is really outside the scope of this forum, guys, and probably offensive to the occasional female member or guest.

John

 

[gb6491]

I've found the Douk-Douk folders to be a good value pocket knife.

Himalayan Imports khukuri are, big bang for the dollar, big knives.

A little pricey, but my Chris Reeves Sebezna has been a constant companion for many years and I consider it very good value for the money spent.

Regards,
Greg

 

[Mp7]

to OP.... get... get somthing. You seem to be missing it

Opinel & Mora are the best for under 15$. period.

 

[JShirley]

Greg,

I can't believe I forgot HI! I also think John Greco is a heck of a bargain for "semi custom" fixed blades.

John

 

[7X57chilmau]

Years ago, Mom and Dad bought me this little knife set... An Imperial lock back, a little keychain size version of it, and a pair of kitchen "utility" scissors, you know, the ones with the flathead screwdrives protruding from the handles, and the "branch notch" in the blade?

Well, the scissors were pretty uninteresting to me, but I'd carried pocket knives since I was 4 or 5, and these were teh first lockbacks I'd owned. I carried that lockback for at least 6 years, and it did it all. To this day, this is the only Irish steel I own, and I was genuinely surprised by the usability of the knife. It's still in the woodshop today, the one that gets pulled out for abusive tasks....

Had a fat black plastic handle with a bright yellow rectangle inset. Half plain-half serrated blade, crude grind, but sharp!

Replaced that with a CRKT liner lock all-metal unit, then a D. Ralph paragee, and now me home made EDC. Of all of them, only the Paragee wasn't a bang-for-your-buck knife, but it is still a great value and highly serviceable.... THo light duty design.

J

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Kershaw, Spyderco, & (most) CRKT, thumbs up.


Buck & Gerber, thumbs down, particularly Gerber.

 

[mp510]

All the implements in the picture are good quality and were (pretty much) under $20. Most, well under. Too bad it's an old picture- I've added several more since it was taken

Opinels can be inconsistent at times. I've had some that were too tightly fitted, and some that were a bit loose.

I have found that heat and humidity make a big effect on how Opinels fit. That's probably the worst thing about them.

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

What's the fixed blade between the Mora and the hatchet?

 

[mp510]

Ontario Spec 101. It is one of their imported products. It was like $13 at Brigade Quartermaster's when I bought it. Has a cheap but solid plastic lined nylon sheath. That knife holds up real well, and is one of my harder used knives. The factory edge could have been a little better (though it was certainly functional), though I have since had it redged (and beveled). The nice thing (for me) is that the edged portion is just under 4", so I can legally carry it when I'm out and about but am not hunting/fishing/ trapping- though I have been known to carry it then too.

Here is a picture of it in its sheath: