Today's New Pocket Knives

[heeler]

Well I certainly appreciate the comments and suggestions that have been made so far.
I received my two little Buck Vantage Selects yesterday in the mail.
One was perfect the other not so much.
The good one opens really fast and locks very positively.
Sharp little knife as well.
I will give that one to my injured brother.
The other requires way to much wrist movement to fully open and lock.
And about half the time it just doesnt at all.
If I can get someone to tell me what size torx drive to get I will see if a slight adjust on the area of the pivot might work otherwise I will have to send it back to Buck.
Another thing about that one compared to the good one is that when the blade is fully locked the liner lock is almost full right to the back of the blade where as the good knife stops square in the middle of the back of the blade.
I can already tell I want a bigger knife than the Vantage small model.
So after looking at lots of youtube reviews and checking prices I have somewhat started considering the following knives in no certain preference.
1.Kershaw Skyline.
It can be had cheaper than all of the others and prices range from $35-$45.
And you get an awful lot with that little bit of money such as G-10 scales,14C28N blade steel and a lightweight knife of 2,3 ounces.
Best part is it's American made.
2.Buck Vantage Pro.
Pricier than the Kershaw but also come with G-10 scales,S 30V blade steel and pricing around $56-$60.
Sure wish both of my Vantage Selects would have been alike as it would have easily made a favorable impression with me towards the larger Pro model.
3.BenchMade Griptillian.
Looking at the Mini and the larger Griptilian and both with the modified drop point blades as the modified Sheepsfoot just doesnt do it for me.
Pricey but found a price of $80.75 shipped for the Mini and the large for $89.25.
Nice steel and they look to be well made and should be for the price.
Better yet American made.
4.Spyderco Delica.
Considering the regular blade and the flat ground blade on these.
Strange looking knives but they do grow on you.
They seem to have quite a following.
Good blade steel and come supposedly razor sharp from the factory in Japan.
Need to read up on a few more of their models as well such as the Endura and Centofante,Manix,etc.
There are some truely nice knives out on the market today.

 

[zxcvbob]

I'm a big fan of Opinel knives with carbon steel blades. I carried a #8 until I lost it, so now I'm carrying a #6 until I get around to ordering another 8 and maybe a 7. They are razor sharp and pretty easy to keep that way, and they are cheap. Also light in your pocket.

 

[hso]

Another thing about that one compared to the good one is that when the blade is fully locked the liner lock is almost full right to the back of the blade where as the good knife stops square in the middle of the back of the blade.

Send it back. That is far too far over to be acceptable.

What do you mean, "too much wrist movement"? You're not trying to flip the knife open without using the thumb stud are you?

 

[Wangmuf]

You make inertia opening sound like a bad thing? On lower quality knives, I could see it loosening the blade at the pivot. I do it with an Emerson super cqc-7b quite often when I don't use the wave to draw open it, haven't had any issues in over a year of use. Did the same with a cqc-7 when Benchmade made them, carried/frequently used that knife for about 5 years before it got lost, had no issues with it, either.

 

[heeler]

hso,What I am saying is you REALLY have to put real effort into opening the knife and yes I am using the flipper as there is no thumb stud on the Vantage model.
The first one of the two I ordered was the one I have with me.
At first I thought it was just me not being use to such a new by me type of knife.
But when I took the other knife out it's opening and locking was absolutely effortless.
Smooth as butter really with a good mechanical clack as it locked.
Not so at all for the other.
So I will send the defective one back to Buck and reserve the flawless unit for my brother as one of his Christmas presents.

 

[Tirod]

Sorry to hear about the Buck, your experience mirrors mine. They are hit and miss for me and I've not be able to generate any liking for their style even after all these years.

As for the FRN, many have no problem. In my younger days it seemed tighter jeans and clip carry of the Gen1 Endura caused two problems - the clip would bend back to an open position, and the scales collapse, trapping the blade. Spyderco no longer offers integral clips and adds liners to their better knives using it.

When it comes to a liner lock, I expect it contributes to handle flex and helps a poor design walk the leaf out of engagement. I just avoid the stuff now. Maybe I like to impress myself I'm a knife snob on material specs.

 

[heeler]

Is that FRN so lightweight that because there is no inner liners,even a skeletonized one, that it causes the sides to collapse??
If so that's a crap design!!

Mailing the Buck back today.
Hate doing that but who knows they might send me something back with the repaired knife like a coupon or something.
My experience with past Buck products has been truely stellar.
But 1973 and 1981 was a long time ago.
Hopefully this was a fluke.
And by the way both of the knives I received from the online discount place was old stock as both of these knives had January 2010 dates on the box.

 

[Patriotme]

Benchmade Griptillian. It is offered in two sizes, a variety of handle colors, has a stout blade, and some versions have either a thumb stud or thumb oval opening in the upper portion of the very thick blade. It features the super-strong Axis Lock, which is very easy to open, and just as easy to close. Made in United States of America. I have several , and will never own a better pocket knife.

I agree. This is a great knife. After showing mine to a couple of friends and family members I was suprised that 3 of them ordered their own. I can't say enough good things about this knife and would recommend them to those with about $90 and a love of quality American made products.

 

[Toml]

Emerson folders are built to unlock with either the left or right thumb. I think this is a desirable feature.

 

[heeler]

Well guys one of the posters in this thread sent me a pm link and I ordered the large Griptilian just a minute ago from an online place.
A great price too!!
I am still thinking of ordering one of the Spyderco models.
But I need to let the credit card cool off some as I ordered a bunch of ammo just last week.

 

[pikid89]

Is that FRN so lightweight that because there is no inner liners,even a skeletonized one, that it causes the sides to collapse??
If so that's a crap design!!

Not So!...it does have a steel liner, but it is skeletonized and very lightweight, but remains quite stiff...they are a pretty darn good deal for a spyderco on amazon as well
http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Endu...1SQ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319818950&sr=8-1

 

[heeler]

That is a good deal Pikid.
And since the gen 1 Endura Tirod was describing had no liners to bolster the frame I guess Spyderco learned a lesson and upgraded the knife.
Improving one's product insures a lasting business.

 

[22-rimfire]

Sounds like you are going to have a few knives to choose from in the coming months. Welcome to the addiction.

I will put in my plug for the Spyderco Delica. It is really an excellent thin knife which I am EDCing these days along with a swiss army knife. You can one hand open it, but I usually use two hands. No big thing. I like slipjoints too.

Added: I like the Endura too (have two of them), but found I didn't want to carry it because of its larger size based on my normal usage patterns. The Delica is just about perfect for me. .... at least this month...

 

[Yo Mama]

I can already tell I want a bigger knife than the Vantage small model.

Yup, and now you're hooked!

Glad you got the Gripi, they are great blades.

Now you need a Spyderco . (Endura now)

Soon you'll be able to color coordinate with your clothing.

 

[heeler]

LoL Yo Mama.
You know as a hunter I have always appreciated a good knife and loath a bad one.
And I have to admit that after watching scores of Youtube edc knife reviews and looking at dozens of makes,scale colors,blade lengths,wounded hands,descriptions of blade steels,etc. I have come away with a new found desire to own a few more not only because they are functional and state of the art compared to pocket knives of my younger years but also because a lot are down right beautiful in appearance.

22-rimfire,the Delica is on the list.

 

[Tirod]

The first generation Enduras weren't a crap design - those didn't have steel liners, tho. Not many were as progressive as Spyderco in trying new materials, but when you do, you also learn the boundaries. Some of us were using and carrying them in ways that weren't forseen by the designers. Me, I was sitting in jeans estimating commercial hardware bids, and that put a lot of pressure on the knife over eight hour days. Six months of that, and the FRN took a set.

It's no different than the toolboxes for pickups molded from it back in the '90's, I've seen them filled to the brim with over 500 pounds of gear - and a concrete block under them propping them up. Get enough glass in the mix to meet G6 specs, it's great stuff, but in injection molded small parts, all that glass is hard to get in there. It slows production or increases costs, so the ratio is trimmed. More nylon in the mix is much easier, higher volumes are made, profits go up, but the product is more flexible. That may not be desireable.

I've yet to read a complaint posted about it with the Griptilian. That was then, this is now. They are supposed to be great knives, I would expect it to be one.

 

[ugaarguy]

Even the 3rd Gen Delica & Endura were FRN handled, and didn't have liners. I have a gen 3 Endura, and the FRN mix used is quite strong compared to previous the previous generation (the gen 2 was stainless, unlike the gen 4 that can be SS handled or FRN).

I like how thin the handles are on the Delica & Endura for carry. I like the thicker rounded handles on my Griptilian for longer periods of use. I really like the Benchmade Mel Pardue 530. It's a very thin knife with steel liners, and axis lock, but it's still comfortable to use.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Small Vantage

Anyway after watching a NutNFancy video about the Buck Vantage Select I ordered one online for myself and one for my brother for $23.95 each.
This is the smaller model 340.

I wish I'd seen this sooner.

I find the smaller Vantage series simply too small for the inertial blade flick design.

On the "large" Vantage, the thumb hole makes it easy to open smoothly with one hand, and the flipper tab at the base of the blade makes it easy to "twitch-n-flick" the blade open as fast as an assisted opener. The blade has enough mass to make that reasonably low-effort.

On the smaller version of the Vantage, however, the blade has too little mass for an easy and smooth "twitch-n-flick" action. I tried a couple. Even bought one. Took it back, paid the difference, and upgraded to the larger version. I now have several Vantages.

My favorite is the Vantage Avid in Sandvik steel, and having smooth scales. The one I usually carry has had its clip removed. It was kind of a toss-up on that, but I usually carry it in-pocket or in a slim-profile outer tool-loop style pocket.

I have both the Paperstone and FRN versions of the Vantage Select. The Paperstone has a rougher finish, which is good if you need "grippy" in a handle.

Oh, and on the subject of the classic 110 pattern, I recently picked up a couple with Paperstone handles (EcoLite Buck 110), and I find that they are just enough lighter that you can contemplate pocket carry with them. I have a couple of EcoLite 112s that I can actually drop into a pocket and they don't make me lean to one side. They're not as thin as the "BuckLite" versions, and they're not as heavy as the traditional wood & brass handles.

Quite robust and lightweight. I think you may like them.


Ah, and since Kershaw has been brought up, may I also recommend their Packrat. I have one in orange G10 (Sandvik steel as well). Very nice indeed. The blade shape is very useful, and the grind gives a good edge. I have removed the clip from mine.


Also, pay attention to the Spyderco guys. They're really not kidding about the quality and durability of those knives.

 

[heeler]

Arfin,I agree the small Vantage is too small but it might be perfect for others that just need a knife for small tasks.
The one I am giving my brother is very fast opening and locks very tight and the opening is effortless.
Hoping my replacement will be that way too.

About that Sandivik steel model,I read somewhere that type of steel rusts easily.
Have you had any issues with that??
Any reason you picked the Avid over the Pro model with S30V steel?
Thanks for the info on the Paperstone material.
Might look into that.

 

[TimboKhan]

gen 1 Endura Tirod was describing had no liners to bolster the frame I guess Spyderco learned a lesson and upgraded the knife.

Yup. They are on something like the 4th or 5th generation now. You really don't need to worry about FRN handles, in my opinion. The Spyderco Endura is my favorite knife of all time, and it is the knife I carry more than any of my others. It is also the knife I reach for first when I know I am going to be using a knife hard. Never had any complaints with them, and in fact an orange fully flat ground Endura will be mine in a matter of days.

I have carried a Delica, and in fact that is the knife that got me into Spyderco, back in 1992 or so. My only real problem with the Delica is simply that I prefer the larger size of the Endura.

Like I said, and suggested, in my earlier posts, there are lots of good knives made by lots of different companies. For me, if I had to only buy from one company, it wouldn't even take a split second of thinking about it: Spyderco, all the way. Other than just enjoying the products, I have also met some of the people from company, and they were super nice and very willing to talk about stuff with me. I am just some average joe, and I had an hour long conversation with one of the reps at a knife show a couple of years ago, in which he answered all of my questions and seemed to be happy and interested to do so. Plus, I have been to the factory store in Golden, and it is incredibly awesome!

 

[76shuvlinoff]

A Benchmade mini grip with a smooth blade is my everyday cutter. I keep it as sharp as possible and I can't imagine a lock failure with it. When my wife is working with kids and horses she has a honking big Spyderco Rescue clipped in her front pocket.

I also tote around a buck 110 in my coveralls or insulated carharts. A big, heavy, sharp knife I can open with gloves on.... and if I can't open it I can use it folded to beat just about anything else into submission.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Sandvik Steel

About that Sandivik steel model,I read somewhere that type of steel rusts easily.

Have you had any issues with that??

Rust?

No, I've had absolutely no problem with rust. I bought several Sandvik steel folders that had been on the rack for more than 13 years at a local sporting good store, and not a blemish among them. This steel is also used in their fillet (fishing) knives, so that should give you a clue about their resistance to staining.

I have a number of knives, both American and Swedish, made with different Sandvik steels (12c27, 13c26, 14c28n) from Buck, Kershaw, Mora, and EKA, and have carried and used them for years, including kitchen duty.

They don't rust. They don't stain. They hold an edge, They're easy to sharpen.

I have no reservations recommending Sandvik steel for knives.

Any reason you picked the Avid over the Pro model with S30V steel?

Well, part of it is cost, part of it is the roughness of G-10 handles, and part of it is my fondness for Sandvik steel. I only have a couple of knives in S30V. They cut well and have a good edge, but it's a harder steel and can be a bit more work to sharpen in the field. I have nothing bad to say about S30V, but my personal preference runs to the Sandvik line.

Thanks for the info on the Paperstone material.

You're quite welcome.

I find it light, warm, and durable. Buck uses two primary finishes for this material. In the 110 and 112 for example, they use a kind of satin-glossy finish. It's not overly slick, but it doesn't tear up pockets. Buck also does something called the "Paperstone Ranger," (also a 112) which uses the rougher matte finish for the same material. It's also light and warm, but a little more grippy.

There's also a Paperstone version of the Vantage Select, and it's an even rougher matte finish. Not as rough as G-10, but clearly not satin either.


I look forward to hearing how your choices work out.

 

[451 Detonics]

Pocket knives have come one hell of a long ways in the last few years with their opening and locking mechanisms,steel quality,pocket clips,and of course price.

Yep...

Opening Mechanisms...I have seen a lot of complicated spring assist knives that either fail or pop open unexpectedly...

Closing mechanisms...some are easy to use, some complicated, some stick, some fail...I depend on using a knife properly to protect my fingers rather than relying a lock that can fail.

Steel...Lot's of high speed low drag new steels out there...not too many will out perform D-2, Case's CV, and most of the other old school carbon steels.

Quality...good point...many of them don't have it.

Pocket clips...annoying things that get caught on seat belts, dig into your palm, and position a knife to dig into your hip if you sit wrong.

Thankfully high quality slip joints and belt pouches are still available today...

 

[heeler]

How old is that Case Detonics?
Nice looking.

 

[sKunkT]

I have several that I like, but one that really stands out is an assisted opener made by SOG called Blink. It is a short little knife with a flat handle that pockets really well. Unlike most modern pocket knifes, it is a lockback, and it also has a safety lock to keep the blade closed. It is a fairly handy little guy, plus the pocket clip orients the blade tip up- the way the good Lord intended. Not going to clear the back forty with it, but for opening packages, cutting rope, and most other daily tasks it works great.