I'll start with the TLDR version: I wanted a new knife, overthought it, and found one I like.
I still remember my first pocket knife. My dad gave me and my brother identical Buck knives when I was about 9. I didn't know the model, but I suspect it was a Buck Lancer. I remember the secondary blade being shaped a little differently, but really could not swear that it was. It's been 40 years since I got that knife, and 15+ since I've seen it. I have no idea what happened to it. I carried that knife for a few years, moved on to a Gerber, the likes of which I was unable to find on the net, but it was a wood-handled drop-point lockback. Nice little knife and I still have that one. I picked up a few more knives along the way, and eventually moved on to a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, probably the one now (and maybe back then) known as the Spartan. I probably carried it longer than any other knife, but life circumstances eventually got in the way of carrying a knife somewhere in my mid- or late-20s, and I quit doing it altogether.
Now, I've had a few "dangit-I-wish-I-had-a-knife" moments, but there haven't been a ton of them. That said, a few months back, I decided that I've missed carrying a knife. I dug out all of my pocket knives that I could find, and it looks like I have a whole bunch of sharpening that needs to be done. I also decided to take a look at what's available because Internet shopping for a knife these days is worlds different from gun show shopping for them in the 1980s.
I decided that I wanted:
I thought I had what I wanted in a Kershaw Volt SS. As soon as I got it, though, I noticed the blade was stamped "China." That was disappointing and I hadn't noticed that in the product description. It seemed large and heavy (at 4.3 oz), and I didn't really care for the way it opened. Still, it will do the trick in a pinch, so I clipped it to my range bag. It'll work for that.
I decided that maybe I needed to suck it up and spend a little more than I had on the Kershaw. I called a buddy of mine who's a big fan of knives and he recommended Spartan Blades. Wow! Those are great-looking knives, . . . . but if I spent $300+ on a knife, I'd need it to build my lean-to in the back yard after Mrs. McGee found out. Sorry, I just don't have that kind of cheese to drop on a knife. I decided that I could probably go $100 or maybe $150, but only if I was getting a really great deal. So I hit the Benchmade & Spyderco sites. After much reading, and a fair amount of time comparing different knives, I settled on the Spyderco Native 5 FRN Black. I got it last week and I am really pleased with this knife! I paid less than $100, and it ticks off all of the boxes. It's made in the USA. It opens easily with one hand. It's very light at 2.5 oz. It has the smooth edge. As far as I can tell, it's decent steel (CPM S30V). One of the things I've found really amusing in my old law-dork way is that Arkansas has a law called "Carrying a Weapon," which deals in part with knives. However, it defines a 'knife' as having a blade "three inches (3") or longer." My Native has a blade of 2.95 inches. Thus, for purposes of that statute, my knife is not a knife!
I've re-discovered that I like pointy, slicey things.
I still remember my first pocket knife. My dad gave me and my brother identical Buck knives when I was about 9. I didn't know the model, but I suspect it was a Buck Lancer. I remember the secondary blade being shaped a little differently, but really could not swear that it was. It's been 40 years since I got that knife, and 15+ since I've seen it. I have no idea what happened to it. I carried that knife for a few years, moved on to a Gerber, the likes of which I was unable to find on the net, but it was a wood-handled drop-point lockback. Nice little knife and I still have that one. I picked up a few more knives along the way, and eventually moved on to a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, probably the one now (and maybe back then) known as the Spartan. I probably carried it longer than any other knife, but life circumstances eventually got in the way of carrying a knife somewhere in my mid- or late-20s, and I quit doing it altogether.
Now, I've had a few "dangit-I-wish-I-had-a-knife" moments, but there haven't been a ton of them. That said, a few months back, I decided that I've missed carrying a knife. I dug out all of my pocket knives that I could find, and it looks like I have a whole bunch of sharpening that needs to be done. I also decided to take a look at what's available because Internet shopping for a knife these days is worlds different from gun show shopping for them in the 1980s.
I decided that I wanted:
- Something made in the USA, if feasible. I could go with a few other countries, but I was going to try to find something American made.
- One-handed, manual opening. That keeps me from running afoul of any automatic knife / switchblade laws. Being able to open it one handed definitely seemed preferable from a self-defense perspective, something I didn't consider in my teens.
- Lightweight. I don't need another half pound of steel dragging my pants down.
- Smooth edge. I seriously considered a serrated edge, but I can't sharpen one of those myself. I don't have the tools. I do have a Washita stone, though. I'm rusty at sharpening knives, forgive the pun, but I do have some recollection as to how that's done.
I thought I had what I wanted in a Kershaw Volt SS. As soon as I got it, though, I noticed the blade was stamped "China." That was disappointing and I hadn't noticed that in the product description. It seemed large and heavy (at 4.3 oz), and I didn't really care for the way it opened. Still, it will do the trick in a pinch, so I clipped it to my range bag. It'll work for that.
I decided that maybe I needed to suck it up and spend a little more than I had on the Kershaw. I called a buddy of mine who's a big fan of knives and he recommended Spartan Blades. Wow! Those are great-looking knives, . . . . but if I spent $300+ on a knife, I'd need it to build my lean-to in the back yard after Mrs. McGee found out. Sorry, I just don't have that kind of cheese to drop on a knife. I decided that I could probably go $100 or maybe $150, but only if I was getting a really great deal. So I hit the Benchmade & Spyderco sites. After much reading, and a fair amount of time comparing different knives, I settled on the Spyderco Native 5 FRN Black. I got it last week and I am really pleased with this knife! I paid less than $100, and it ticks off all of the boxes. It's made in the USA. It opens easily with one hand. It's very light at 2.5 oz. It has the smooth edge. As far as I can tell, it's decent steel (CPM S30V). One of the things I've found really amusing in my old law-dork way is that Arkansas has a law called "Carrying a Weapon," which deals in part with knives. However, it defines a 'knife' as having a blade "three inches (3") or longer." My Native has a blade of 2.95 inches. Thus, for purposes of that statute, my knife is not a knife!
I've re-discovered that I like pointy, slicey things.