Looking for a tactical but not tacticool knife

[Pilot]

Benchmade 550 Griptillian, 710, 707 Sequel, 940/941 Osborne are all good choices depending on the blade length you want.

 

[Griff]

If you're concerned about sheeple, try a Sypderco Dragonfly in stainless. Small sized and attractive, but very useful.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Benchmade 550 Griptillian, 710, 707 Sequel, 940/941 Osborne are all good choices depending on the blade length you want.

+1 I carry a Mini-Griptillian every day. My wife has the little SOG Flash and it is very discrete but small.

I work in a business casual environment and initially some of my co-workers had similar reactions when I would pull my knife out to open something. After a while they got used to it. At one of the Christmas parties someone was opening a gift and was struggling to get the package open. I smiled when one of them looked at me and said "Hey, do you have your knife with you?"

 

[armored_pig]

I carry a SOG Flash 2, but that Kershaw Lahar is lookin real tempting!

SOG Flash 2:

Mine is plain edged though.. I hate serrations.

Its pretty discreet in the pocket as you can see--sometimes people ask to borrow my pen, and I have to politely decline to lend it out

AP

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

Case Mid Folding Hunter?

 

[Tim Burke]

I like the idea of having a small, benign appearing Spyderco as the "utility" knife. Something like the previously recommended Dragonfly, the Lava, or the Ladybug. Nothing bigger than the Delica, I would think. Then your tactical knife can stay out of sight.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Speaking of Kershaws...

You said "wood handles" - and "not scream mall ninjas".

While I'm not sure whether or not some of the classy-yet-black recommendations so far scream mall ninja in your book, I'm pretty sure that the Splinter does not:

http://www.nextag.com/kershaw-splinter/search-html

I believe that's what you're looking for. Looks like amazon has the best price. To me, I'd guess that most of the all-black recommendations are too "tacticool" for what you want, based on how you asked the question, since the Speedbump you mentioned is pretty innocuous.

Benchmade makes a nice knife, but I don't trust that axis lock at all - way too non-positive or "close to the edge" on getting accidentally flicked to close on your hand.

 

[The Tourist]

You said "wood handles" - and "not scream mall ninjas".

That's going to be my choice this summer.

One of my clients brought in a Bushmaster folder with a Camillus blade that looks exactly like a Buck 110. He left the building and never came back.

After three years, I don't think he's going to.

I found a nice strong Blackie Collins ballistic nylon case, sharpened the blade and polished the brass furniture and it looks brand new.

Now granted, it won't perform like a Buck 110 over time, the blade's alloy is not of the same quality. However, it could easily take ten days at Sturgis, gut three or four deer, last two weeks camping, or be traded to a trucker for a tankful of gas on my bike.

In other words, a very useful tool, indeed. And not the goofy black mall ninja style that screams 'video gamer and virgin.'

(BTW, if you are a tall bean-pole of a young man who lives in Milwaukee, shops in Madison and wears snowmobile snow pants, contact me. I have your knife, and it's in a lot better shape than when you dropped it off.)