Thread: Suggestions on a pocket knife?

I have been very happy with Benchmade. Have had my AFCK (800) for years, and it has been just about perfect. I always wondered about the axis locks, and recently, my AFCK was joined by another modern classic - a Benchmade 710 McHenry-Williams. I like the larger blades. Four inches is the limit in CT.

Personally, I am not a fan of tanto blades. The tanto point is a piercing design, and since thrusting is not really the strong suit of small folding knives, I prefer something with more belly, which is more effective at slashing.

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

A friend has this Gerber Ridge Tanto- GerberGear > Product Details > Ridge ™

It's really thin and the blade actually folds flush against the single grip. Although light, it feels good in the hand.

Ooh, I like that. blade shape and minimal handle. Just a little too small and it's 440A. The torch looks to be about the right size but 440A again and serrated.

The AFCKs look nice but a bit fat with the liners and I don't think I want a liner lock. Benchmades are out in front at the moment though.

The Emmerson mini commander looks nice too but 3.4" blade... how come there aren't just a boat load of 3" blades? liner lock again and 57-59 Rc? even though it's 154 or ATS-34? I thought that was all 59-60 Rc.

Cold Steel Voyager series. You can get clip point or tanto point. I also like various Spydercos. I EDC a Salt I right now. Well, I rotate between that, a Cold Steel Trail Guide and a CRKT M-16-10KZ. Sometimes my big Voyager Tanto. It is a bit big, but it will hold an edge. When I want a fixed blade, I go for my Cold Steel Brave Heart. Needle sharp tip, kydex sheath.

I don't think the 440 will bother you as much as you'd think. Gerber makes a quality product and has great customer service- if it breaks, just send it back and they'll replace it. My friend that uses it is a climber and knife nut, tending to actually use his blades and be rough with them through use. If he trusts it, it's gotta be a decent tool.

Gerber makes a decent product and I've owned several, but they never seem to keep an edge.. they'll be razor sharp for a day or 2 and then dull again.. 154CM seems much better..

I could go on about the EDC knives I've got in my pocketses and how they are customs etc. The general tenor of this thread is for production knives so I'll add one more. All the companies mentioned previously make very good stuff, no doubt about that. But I have been able to afford to try any number of them because they caught my eye at a knife show. I really comes down to what's comfortable in your hand, and not just in a standard grip but being held upside down like you're cutting rope. And, the blade has to perform, or be easy(ier) to sharpen, otherwise it'll get dropped somewhere and forgotten. Then it's just money wasted.

But look here: Boye Knives

Just to expand the range of the debate a little, David has been around for a long long time and is underrated. He's done some very interesting things in moving along the character of steel and his cobalt alloys are very interesting indeed.

I was not going to comment because my plebian tastes might cause me to be banned from making further comment in this august assemblage; however, reviewing past practice, this has never really slowed me down that much before.

I have two favorites: one a Victorinox Swiss Army knife and a Buck Stockman. The Swiss Army knife is in currrent use as I have mislaid my Buck. Neither are classy knives, but they are serviceable. The Victorinox has two blades, two screwdrivers, a tweezer, awl, and toothpick - all very handy. I once had to replace a schrader valve in a tire which had been vandalized by someone who was fortunate I didn't catch in the act. The tweezer worked to screw the valve out of an old tire and into the flat. Maybe the red handled work horse could best be called a premier field expedient.

My Buck I got just out of high school and carried it to Vietnam and back and I abused it viciously for probably 20 years before I placed it in safe storage somewhere. I reground the spey blade to a pen point as I never had a need to castrate sheep and honed away about half the width of the clip blade as it seemed to need frequent sharpening. I told a Buck representative at the NRA show in Minneapolis that I was not too impressed with the steel in the blade and, as it turned out, he was one of the scions of the company founder and took a bit of umbrage at my comment. He asked what I used the knife for and I admitted I had repiped my house and used the clip blade to deburr all the iron, and copper, pipe I had cut for that 2 1/2 story old house and on a friend's house that needed the same work, plus other pipe here and there. I admitted that the blade sure was tough but that I still thought at least the smaller blades could be a bit harder.

Mr. Buck did very generously offer to replace the knife, but I said "no thanks" as I had carried it for a long time, had worn most of the pattern off the plastic scales, and was actually quite fond of it. Mr. Buck then said that they would replace the clip blade only, if I wished. I think that's when the knife went into hiding.

I only wish my taste in razors ran to those came basics, but I'm not sure what I'd do with a screwdriver on my razor.

Good whittling,

Well, I've looked at a million knives so far. Always something... everything perfect except it has a liner lock.. except it's softer steel than I want... except it's a 4" blade... except...

I keep coming back to the Spyderco Native. The "standard" one comes with a CPM-S30V blade and FRN handle. Blade's a bit wide. Found other Native models with skelonized aluminum handle (thinner) but the blade is VG-10 and doesn't have the thumb grip serations on the spine. Same for the carbon fiber handled one. sigh.

My pocket knife from Boker(Solingen). Small and convenient.

Wow, a Handi Razor...that's pretty sweet.