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Favorite Knives

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mwyates View Drop Down
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    Posted: June/27/2006 at 09:38

I was reading the preferences posting below and started thinking about favorite knives.  I've been "into" knives for a good while and have had enough of them to develop some real preferences.  I'm not into fancy knives (see www.knifeart.com) or tactical knives.  I need a good hunting knife, a good pocket knife, and a good folder for those in between times.

 

Hunting knives - I think Bob Dozier of Arkansas( www.dozierknives.com) is the best out there.  All his efforts go into making a quality knife that handles well and stays sharp.  They are around $200 and are a steal at that price.  I have several, but my current favorite is the K-29 Sweetwater.  I also like the K-18 Straight Personal.  I have no need for a blade over 3".  After you wear one of these in the horizontal kydex sheath you'll never go back to a vertical sheath.

 

Pocket Knives - I have been carrying a Lone Wolf Loveless City Knife for a good while ( http://www.lonewolfknives.com/store/pages/products-loveless- cityfld1.shtml)   This may be a bit big for some, but the design is just about perfect.  It also uses a new steel that is the best at holding an edge I have seen.  I use this knife every day and it rarely needs sharpening.  At $100, it's a bargain.

 

Folding Knives - I'll admit I'm not a big fan of folders; I can do just about everything with the two knives above, but for those times when I need more than the City Knife and don't want the Dozier on my belt, I carry a Benchmade 690 ( http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model= 690).  This knife is big enough to do anything, but because of the titanium liner and graphite bolsters is very light.  You never know it's clipped to your pocket.  They are kind of expensive at $150, but that's what you get with titianium and graphite.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/2006 at 17:39

Knives can be really interesting.  Some of the best ever made are available right now. 

Anyone with a real interest should visit the "agrussell.com" web site, and also check out "Blade" magazine.  You can learn a lot from both! 

 

Best knife I've ever owned:  Morseth laminated blade with leather handle.

Close runner-up:  Marble's Expert II with 52100 steel.

Unfortunately, these are both out of print.

 

A.G. Russell has been trying for years to get a run of the laminated steel used on the older Morseth knives.  Watch that site.  He may yet pull it off.  He regularly features some really good knives.

 

Favorite pocket knives:  Gerber silver knight series, 3" blade (again, out of print), and the little Victorinox Classic with scissors, toothpick and tweezers.  (This one's still made.)

 

Now for the good news:

 

The Kershaw Kai kitchen series with laminated blades are really good, and really sharp!  You can find them at "knifecenter.com". I recommend the 3.5" paring knife and the 6" utility knife.  A.G. Russell also has a white handled version of these.

 

If you haven't tried kitchen shears for cutting up game birds and small animals, you really should.  They work much better for this chore than a thin-edged knife.

 

For a cheap knife that cuts with the best of them, order up some of the Frost stainless fishing knives from Smoky Mountain Knife Works at about $9 or so each.  These are the ones with the blue handles.  The 4" deck knife is a great all-around little utility knife, and works well for field dressing and skinning.  You will have to make (or adapt) a sheath, since the sheath is as bad as the knife is good.  It's a great buy, and you can lose it in the woods or drop it overboard without crying.  

 

For a big knife, the KA-BAR Marine Corps knife is a classic.  I like the new version with the shaped Kraton handle even better than the old one!

 

Larry Weishuhn designed a great little field dressing knife for Foster knives.  It's sturdy, but also has a fine enough point for detailed work.  Check this one out at "knifecenter.com".

 

Have fun!  This is a great subject!     

 

        

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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/06/2006 at 01:06
It is indeed a good time to be a knife nut.  There are many that I like.  For every day carry I tend to prefer either a mini Griptilian (with S30V blade) or a mini AFCK (M2 blade).  Both knives are sufficiently small to not scare people while still having a useful blade.  I am too lazy to sharpen my knives frequently so I typically end up going through all my folders and sharpening them and then rotate through carrying them as they get dull.  Once they all get dull, I spend half a day or so sharpening them all.  All in all I have to to serious sharpening once every couple of years, I think.

For fixed blades, I like my DuStar ARAD1 knife as well as a Murray Carter six inch Muteki utility knife. 

For allround utility it is hard to beat various puukkos though.

Oh, and for good prices and good service I highly recommend www.newgraham.com

ILya
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mwyates View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/06/2006 at 10:42

I'm glad there's one more knife guy out there.  It definitely is a good time to be a knife nut.  Seems like not too long ago you could get a Buck or a Case, and didn't have much then.  Puma made good knives until they moved their production.  The number of choice out there now is amazing.

 

I like the Griptilian as well.  I have one of the big ones, but wish I had the Mini.  Benchmade has a lot of nice folders.

 

Another company making good fixed blade knives at a decent price is Bark River. 

 

 

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Trinidad View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trinidad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/06/2006 at 18:06

I am a big fan of Cold Steel folders, I am in the process of purchasing a Hatamoto.

I feel that the Hatamoto is the best value in folders right now.  For fixed blades I like

folded clay tempered Carbon steel tantos from Paul Chen. I definetly agree that the

selection of knives today is outstanding compared to just 6 years ago.

 

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Garrand View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Garrand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/05/2006 at 13:51
Ah,  blades!

My personal bowie is an 1830 repop of Jim & Resin Bowies first knife. The Serrel's Bowie. Clean, fast, ballanced.
I oncve cut thru a 1/2 inch mudflap with 3 fingers push and no effort. Sold thru Dixie Gunworks.

To acompany it, is my 1750 F&I war tomahawk. 100% nasty sharp. Cut my leg the first time I practiced with it. Sold via a forge back east on the net.

Then there is my sword. A 14th century Katana called a Shubo Zukri.  Designed to cut thru Mongul Armor.
Sold thru Bugei Trading CO via the net.



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Trinidad View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trinidad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/06/2006 at 00:47

Hello Garrand

 

I love katana's the one I own is a 19th century Shirasaya with a Bo-Hi,

confused wave hammon and 6000 folds in the Masamune construction.

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cheaptrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 03:49

I like my SOG SEAL pup.

I have worked the piss out of this knife and it contiunes to stay sharp.

I'm like koshkin, I'm too lazy to sharpen a knife, so I like those that hold an edge.

 

Thanks for the input on the Cold Steel folders.

I need a new folder pretty bad and will look into one.  

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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 12:11
Cheaptrick, what do you need in a folder?

I became a knife nut way before a gun nut, so I may be able to offer some advice here.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 15:41

Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Cheaptrick, what do you need in a folder?

I became a knife nut way before a gun nut, so I may be able to offer some advice here.

ILya

 

I need something VERY rugged.

In construction, specifically concrete construction, my knifes are constantly hitting rebar, concrete (wet and hard), iron columns, you name it.

The SOG SEAL pup has held up VERY well actually, but I don't like wearing a knife outside my pocket.

 

Must at least hold an edge for a day or two before needing sharpening.

 

I had a older Case folder that I used for several years.

Let some yahoo use it to cut something and he didn't give it back and I forgot.

Bought another just like it, but it didn't hold up near as well.

Ended up giving it away.

 

Smallish, so it easily fits in my pocket.

2 blader or 1 REAL good one.

Serrated blade is OK.

 

What else??

 

Thanks for your help, koshkin.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 16:41
If you want something really tough I think a single blade knife is the way to go.

Another note here is that a decent fixed blade is always tougher than a decent folder.

How much money are you willing to spend?  It sounds like you do not want to spend your children's inheritance since with what you do you'll kill any knife eventually.  As far as knife companies, I am a big fan of Spyderco and Benchmade.  I've never been a fan of Cold Steel.  Their reasonably priced folders are, IMO, not built very well.  Besides, I do not like Lynn Thompson.

Some of the toughest folders I've ever seen are John Greco's Whisper folders.  They cost around $150 and are framelocks with incredibly tough 8670 blade steel.  These are not stainless though.

Spyderco Manix folders are built like proverbial tanks and use S30V steel which is stainless and quite tough.  These come in a couple of different sizes and are typically between $110 and $140.

Spyderco D'Allara are probably the best bang for the buck considering their modest ($50-$60) price tag.  Good blade steel (VG10) and a very solid lock.

Benchmade Griptillian offers a lot for the money.  It is available with several different steels: 440C, 154CM, S30V and D2.  D2 is the toughest of the bunch.  I think Cabelas used to have it for about $70.

Benchmade Sequel is a successor to AFCK and is a good knife also for just under $100.

Buck Strider is a pretty tough design, but standard models use a crappy steel (420HC) and versions with better steel are  bit pricy for what they are.

As a lin-up CRKT knifes offer a lot for the money.  They tend to use lower end blade steel, but some models use AUS-8 and ATS-34 or 154CM which are good steels for what you need to do.

If you have a particular price point in mind, let me know and I'll provide some better targeted information.

ILya




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 16:51

Appreciate your info.

 

I guess $100 would do.

Most of my knives, not my hunting knives, are considered disposable due to concrete dust and all the other crap that goes with my job.

 

As an aside, I have a fixed blade hunting knife made in Spain that's pretty decent.

It's made by Muela (sp)??

Any intel dumps on them?? 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 17:05
Muela makes a gazillion different models. Some are good some are bad. QC can be a bit spotty.  If you've  got a good one, it is a decent knife.

How long of a blade do you want?  Typically the choice is between ~3" or ~4" blade.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 17:07

Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Muela makes a gazillion different models. Some are good some are bad. QC can be a bit spotty.  If you've  got a good one, it is a decent knife.

How long of a blade do you want?  Typically the choice is between ~3" or ~4" blade.

ILya

 

3" for sure.

 

What about Emerson? Any account?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 17:17
Emerson makes good knives, but I think they start at about $150.  In the past they had some sort of a QC issue, but it has been straightened out for while.  Most of his knives either have geometrical tanto points or recurved blades and I do not like either.

With a 3" blade I would have to go with this one:

Doug Ritter's version of Benchmade Mini-Griptillian with S30V blade.  Small light and plenty tough for anything you would use a small folder for.

http://www.aeromedix.com/?_siteid=aeromedix&_sessid=166a 431e9d70c77db3ce2b102dfaf49f&action=sku&sku=bmrskmin i

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trinidad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 17:42

Hello Cheaptrick and Koshhin

 

When it comes to folders I like Titanium bolsters,Titanium liners, G-10 scales

and multilayered steel blades. I am not rough on my folders so maybee they

are not as tough as I thought they were. They do stay very sharp though for

what I use them for, I would say my toughest task I have put them through

so far has been bob wire but this is a extreme all other uses are general day

to day tasks. Koshkin if I am presented with a hard task do you think my

folders will hold together.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 18:03
It all depends of what you call a tough task.  You folders should hold up just fine as long as you do not use them as prybars.

I am indifferent to bolsters, to be honest.  As for liners, titanium actually wears faster than mild stainless steel that is typically used for the liners, since titanium is a bit softer.  Where titanium has a clear advantage is corrosion resistance.  However, unless you dive into seawater with it on a regular basis, it should not make any difference.

As far as laminated blade steel goes, San Mai does not have a reputation for being especially good for users, although it looks nice.  San Mai is a Cold Steel trademarked term.  The Japanese name for layered steel is varikomy, I think.  Cold Steel San Mai has a core of AUS-8 which is a tough but unexceptional steel.  Better layered steel blades use much harder core steels like VG-10 in Mcusta and Fallkniven offerings, SGPS ina small Falkniven and Hitachi's excellent ZDP-189 that Spyderco started using recently.  Layered steel concept started in order to combine edgeholding of hard center layer with toughness and flexibiity of softer outer layers.  Using AUS-8 for a center layer defeats the whole concept.  For example, a ZPD-189 blade is likely to hold its edge 2-3 times longer than Cold Steels SanMai blade.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trinidad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 18:42

Thanks Koshkin I will look into all of the info on folders more closely.

I want my folders to live up to thier claims and not just look good.

This info has really helped me out in what to look for.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 18:47
Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Generally, Cold Steel is not a very respected name among the knife nuts.

As for folders, what are you looking for in a folder?  That's the first question to ask yourself.  There is no one do it all knife (or gun).  Think of what functions you want your folders to perform and then you can figure out which available knives fit your criteria the best.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mwyates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2006 at 20:54

Spyderco does make some nice knives, if you don't mind their appearance.  This is a good knife:

 

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=sp38pb rg

 

I'm a fan of laminated blades, and I think they would suit your purpose.  The center is harder than any normal knife, but the outer layers are much softer, allowing for sharpening.  They hold an edge very well.

 

Cement will dull any blade pretty quick.  I normally don't care for serrated edges at all, even partials, but I have a Griptillian that's half serrated that works great for opening bags of cement.

 

Also consider the Benchmade 690 I mentioned earlier works well.

 

As far as edge holding ability, the Lone Wolf Loveless City Knife I have holds an edge as well as anything I've got, including the Doziers.  I've used it for everything you can imagine for six months and it's just starting to need a touch up.  The steel is new, LV 03, and is only available in this knife, I think.  Here's the link again.

http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_maker/l_through_r/lone_wo lf_knives/lone_wolf_loveless_city_knife.html

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