What knife should I get?

[Arethusa]

Hey, this is my first post here. I've lurked a fair bit, but never posted. I'm looking to get a knife (overdue replacement for my mini Gerber Applegate, which I embarrassingly lost), but I'm not sure which.

I've been looking at Emerson and Benchmade, primarily. More specifically, I'm looking for a tanto style blade, half serration, black (tacticalol ^_^) folder. Specifically, I've narrowed it down to these four:

http://www.emersonknives.com/Specwar_B_SFS_GH.html

http://www.emersonknives.com/CQC7BW_BTS.html

http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=722

http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=942

I really like the Specwar B's handle shape, especially the finger guard at the top. However, it doesn't have the wave feature as the CQC 7B. Of course, I am worried that the wave will damage my precious designer denim couture, so I don't know about that.

The 722 looks ok, but possibly chunkier than I'd prefer for something I'd carry around everywhere. There is also this, which is ugly, I'm assuming functional, and still in production.

I like the Osborne design a lot more, but I'm really unsure of the blade design. It looks like an attempt to retain the aesthetics of the tanto design with none of the functionality. That may be completely wrong, however. I'm also quite interested in the Axis lock, which is one of the reasons I'm unsure about going with an Emerson. Well, that and Benchmade's lifetime sharpening program, which seem quite nice to me. My budget is a little over a hundred, and with some quick Googling, all of these seem to be attainable for about that much (I think the SPecwar B came out cheapest at 104). Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

 

[mindpilot]

Emerson

I have over 2000 knives and the ones that are my favorite are the Emerson. The CQC7BW_BTS is one nice knife for the price. They are awesome customer service wise and they are way better then Spyderco and Benchmade for durability.

my $.02

 

[MacPelto]

If you think that the 722 is chunky, let me tell ya, the emersons are chunkier. Also, it's not the wave feature that'll be hard on your jeans, it's the clip itself. The clip will abrade back and forth on the lip of your pocket and cause it to get all ratty - I've never seen a clip that doesn't.

Any of the ones tha you mentioned will be good durable knives.


Mac

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Same thing happens with my Spyderco Endura. It rubs against my pocket and causes the jeans to fray.

 

[Arethusa]

I never actually had a problem with that on my Applegate. The clip was strong, but not rough. Obviously, damage isn't something I particularly care about if I have to pull it out in a fight, but the likelyhood of that is (also obviously) not great. In all seriousness, I don't want a knife that'll damage my clothes for general daily use.

 

[middy]

The 722 is actually quite slim, but it's a very solid knife. A friend of mine has one just like you're looking for and I'm always impressed with it when I handle it.

Personally, I can't stand tanto points and serrations. Just thought I'd throw that in.

 

[hso]

Get the Osborne.

BTW, why do you want a "tanto" tip shape?

 

[Arethusa]

Partially, personal preference, and partially, personal preference for the durability it offers. On that note, I'm not really sure what the 'modified reverse tanto' blade on the Osborne does, exactly.

 

[JShirley]

What do you want to do with this knife? Is the primary mission SD with a daily user ability, or a daily user with SD capability, or...?

For either one, honestly, unless your daily use is attacking car doors, you'd do better with something other than a chisel point.

John

 

[Arethusa]

The latter, though I should note that daily use for me would not be particularly strenuous. I just want a solid, rugged knife that can stand up to a lot more if necessary, however unlikely that may be. Why is the tanto shape not a good idea?

 

[hso]

I'm going to be blunt and somewhat harsh.

If you're going to carry for self defense then get 2 knives.

The first for SD only. No opening letters. No cutting your steak. No nothing else except practice.

The second will be your everythingelse knife.

Don't waste a lot of money on either knife (you could just buy 2 Spyderco Enduras) and spend the money you save on some training in knife self defense.

Why is the tanto shape not a good idea?

It's a perfectly good idea for some things, just not what it's pimped for. It's bullsheit tactikool ninja hype that marks the noobs from the folks that have researched and avoided chugging the killer kool aid.

OTOH, if you spend a lot of time cutting boxes it works as well as a box cutter (it is similar in shape) and costs a lot more.

The 'tanto' tip is BS hype from left coast knife pimp/manufacturer that has developed a following of legions of vid watchers that don't bother to train or study. Look at knives used in warfare in the past 500 years. Years when blades were the essential tool of the professional killer. You will not find the broken tipped 'tanto' having surpassed the various other knives and swords across the globe. Heck, you won't find hardly any examples of it during the peroid of the great samurai wars of Japan. This thing is a work of marketing genius and not knifemaking inspiration.

 

[Arethusa]

Two knives seems rather excessive. I won't be using it heavily for everyday stuff, though I've found it often comes in handy for minor things. I have never found a knife useful for self defense— which is, of course, not to say that I won't, but neither eventuality is putting enough wear on it justify purchasing and carrying two. Not to mention that I question the viability of remembering just which knife is good for a fight in the middle of a high stress situation.

As for the tanto, aside from cutting boxes, just what is it good for? Everything I've read suggested that the shape trades cutting effectiveness for substantially enhanced durability. Is this not the case? Will I not be tacticolol ^_^ if I buy one? That is very obviously what I am interested in.

 

[MacPelto]

It's just another blade shape. Personally, I think it's a pain to sharpen, since it doesn't 'flow' along a stone. I have a benchmade elishewitz stryker, and I have finally just about sharpened the corner off of the thing so that is has a nice roundness that moves along the stone without sticking.

Mac

 

[hso]

Two knives seems rather excessive.

If you want to carry for SD then a dedicated SD knife is advisable, but not required. The advantage to the dedicated SD knife is that you can select a blade shape and size that is well suited to the SD role with no compromises to the more common tool use design requirements. Your tool knife can be a sturdy 3" folder with a stout warncliff or slinder toothpick blade depending upon what you use it for most. Your SD knife can be long and pointy or curved or recurved for thrusting or cutting deeply depending upon your training. The other, more important, reason is that it you will be able to keep it amazingly sharp with a razor like edge instead of the steeper sturdier bevel of the tool knife. (It's not like a second wallet, Warlock. It's like having a roller and a brush. They both put paint on the wall, but their value comes in the fine detail.)

Not to mention that I question the viability of remembering just which knife is good for a fight in the middle of a high stress situation.

Feel free to raise questions. It's how we learn. If you carry the tool knife on the left and you keep the SD knife IWB at 2:00 or right pocket then you won't have a confusion problem. This will seem odd at first, but you'll be amazed at how quickly you get used to it. I carry a Spyderco CoPilot as a money clip in my front left pocket. I use it to scrape and cut and lightly pry (and it holds what little cash I have left after buying knives). It's natural to me now, but it took a little while to get used to.

As for the tanto, aside from cutting boxes, just what is it good for?

Selling knives and cutting boxes. It's a long straight edge and does what long straight edges do well.

Everything I've read suggested that the shape trades cutting effectiveness for substantially enhanced durability. Is this not the case?

A chisel bevel tends to stear left or right. A double bevel doesn't. The double bevel broken tip tanto cuts like a box cutter and very efficiently. It's the ground on one side chisel bevel that people consider to be annoying.

Will I not be tacticolol ^_^ if I buy one?

Brother, the fact that you want to carry a knife at all and are even remotely interested in SD makes you cool regardless of what you carry.

 

[Byron Quick]

I don't carry two knives on a daily basis. I do carry two guns on a daily basis. With more in the truck close at hand.

BUT, listen to hso. I also don't consider my knife to be primarily for self defense. If I did then I would do exactly as he suggests, i.e, a dedicated weapon and a dedicated tool.

I live and work in carry states. I avoid victim disarmament areas. My plan of self defense is to avoid, evade, run like hell, or shoot them as necessary. Most places where I would need to use a knife, the authorities will have prevented me from having it or my gun by using a metal detector.

 

[shane justice]

Just 2 cents...

Stick with Emerson...but opt for the CQC8.

Lots of reasons...

I hated the 7 because the much hyped chisel edge will only cut circles...anybody who owns one will know what I mean...

The chisel point is good for something...I only found one thing though...scraping scotch tape off glass...it was great for that!

Also the chisel is a bit weird for a traditionalist like me...when you gotta sharpen it...

The 8 is a better knife...but what the hell do I know...

I can't recommend either of the Benchmades...no experience with them.

Shane

 

[Valkman]

Hso knows what he's talking about - I agree 100%. I also agree with the CQC "waved" 8 - I have it and a waved Commander and they are awesome knives. Myself I do not carry knives for SD but I do like high quality so I'll usually be carrying a Emerson and a SAK or Case.

 

[akluvr]

Just a thought. I fell into the "gotta have a tanto" hype and purchased a Benchmade/Emerson CQC 7. Everything was grand until it was time to resharpen the chisel point. What a pain. I am that guy that likes to resharpen my own stuff, and it took me quite a while to figure out what I was doing. The tanto is definately "tacticool", but I agree with others that you would be served better with other blade styles. The tanto now sets in my memories cabinet (it was carried for 8 yrs law enforcement- until I attended a unarmed/knife fighting self defense course and learned the true "tacticool" stuff). I carry a Spyderco Military daily that backs up my Glock 26. In times that I deem that I could actually go in harms way, I carry a fixed blade TOPS street scalpel AND the Spyderco to back up the Glock.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

If you liked the Applegate, have you tried SOG's Pentagon Elite

http://www.sogknives.com/pentagon.htm

A similar design, and it is a very sturdy knife, easy operation, and great handle for knife fighting.

I, personally, have not found a more comfortable fighting knife, exept the gunting.
http://knifedealer.net/spyderco/Gunting.shtml

both knives are great for reverse and dagger grip and are easy to change grip. (anyone who tells you to fight with only one style grip doesn't know what their talking about.)