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228
Jan 31, 2018
Standards are the (mini) griptilian, 940, delica/endura, native5/shaman, stuff from Kershaw (skyline? leek? I don't really pay attention to them), and probably there are things from Chinese makers that I don't keep track of. The Chaparral is my favorite knife, but it's not for everyone (I really like a smooth lockback). In that price range you could also get an Al Mar ultralight. If you prefer a more burly knife, there's always Cold Steel.
Personally, I would go to BladeHQ and stick my preferences into their search tool.
Personally, I would go to BladeHQ and stick my preferences into their search tool.
Illinois_knife_guy
243
Jan 31, 2018
Where to start? budget knives. everybody started on budget knives before getting to the big guys. I would get a couple Kershaws or Bestech's until you feel as though you are ready to commit. stay away from the Gerber brand. And also be careful of getting Buck knives, they are hit or miss a lot. SOG knives is in the same boat as Buck. Ruike is supposed to be an excellent brand for the money.
Cheaper knives to consider: Kershaw Vedder - Extremely underrated (BladeHQ @ $25 as of 01/31/2018) SteelWill Cutjack - Good luck getting one but it might be the most functional knife to date. Kershaw Natrix Copper - Not released yet, looks like a winner Spyderco Delica - well made and known for its excellence Rat-2 in D2 - Outstanding tool Esee Avispa in D2 - Outstanding
If I had $150 to spend on a knife right now I would buy a Spyderco Chaparral in Carbon Fiber. or a Benchmade 940
Then look into Rike, WE, ZT, Spyderco, Benchmade and then the more exotic. You don't like fixed blades huh? You'll join us... They all join us sooner or later..
Cheaper knives to consider: Kershaw Vedder - Extremely underrated (BladeHQ @ $25 as of 01/31/2018) SteelWill Cutjack - Good luck getting one but it might be the most functional knife to date. Kershaw Natrix Copper - Not released yet, looks like a winner Spyderco Delica - well made and known for its excellence Rat-2 in D2 - Outstanding tool Esee Avispa in D2 - Outstanding
If I had $150 to spend on a knife right now I would buy a Spyderco Chaparral in Carbon Fiber. or a Benchmade 940
Then look into Rike, WE, ZT, Spyderco, Benchmade and then the more exotic. You don't like fixed blades huh? You'll join us... They all join us sooner or later..
LazarusLong
210
Jan 28, 2018
I would suggest to not spend too much for now. There are actually a lot of knife offerings out there that are good quality but expensive and impractical. With that said if you have your heart set on something at that level then go for it but expect some trade offs. The Rike you chose is a good example. The handle is metal with crevices. So potentially slippery, get gunk build up, and not easy to grip in cold weather.
Maybe stick with the big companies like Kershaw or Spyderco , think about what you will be using it for, and check out Youtube.
Just to give an example. I unfortunately have a small collection of knives - framelock, flippers, spideyhole, thumb studs, customs, and mid tech.
But the knife I always come back to is my Cold Steel American Lawman in low tier steel. It’s a knife that has great ergonomics, a satisfying thwack sound upon opening, and a blade shape that allows me to use it in different situations and easy to sharpen. Also cheap enough that I have no regrets if I scratch it.
If you ask members of the knife community there there will be a few that will look down on my choice. But it’s mine and it works for me. It was a journey but mine to travel.
Have fun with yours.
Maybe stick with the big companies like Kershaw or Spyderco , think about what you will be using it for, and check out Youtube.
Just to give an example. I unfortunately have a small collection of knives - framelock, flippers, spideyhole, thumb studs, customs, and mid tech.
But the knife I always come back to is my Cold Steel American Lawman in low tier steel. It’s a knife that has great ergonomics, a satisfying thwack sound upon opening, and a blade shape that allows me to use it in different situations and easy to sharpen. Also cheap enough that I have no regrets if I scratch it.
If you ask members of the knife community there there will be a few that will look down on my choice. But it’s mine and it works for me. It was a journey but mine to travel.
Have fun with yours.
JonasHeineman
5987
Jan 26, 2018
This is a common question, and very reasonable one. Although sometimes it's hard to start out because you don't yet know all the things you don't yet know to say/ask, the community will be able to help you more if they know a bit more - like what is your budget, and what are things that you definitely do / don't like - handle materials, size, opening and locking mechanisms, etc.
Omniseed
1972
Jan 28, 2018
Check out the Falcon
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-ferrum-forge-falcon-wing?utm_source=linkshare&referer=SCCUSS
or in plain blue for $15 less
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-ferrum-forge-falcon?utm_source=linkshare&referer=SCCUSS
Also if the Gent or Crux drop again, those are phenomenal knives and have more mass appeal than the heavily stylized Falcon, so they may be a safer bet for you.
For a great low-cost daily driver sort of knife, here's a list of great ones off the top of my head-
Steel Will Cutjack or Modus (D2)
Anything by Ruike, but the best carrying knife they make is the p831, which has a sharp learning curve and can be a frustrating knife until you break it in and get the hang of the opening technique
Bestech's budget lineup is great, I have a Lion that's a perfect full size working knife. Check out their knives with nested liners and ceramic bearings for under $50, insane value.
Sanrenmu 910+, 9103, 9104. All basically the same knife, all under $20 in very ok 12c27 steel, and they're the same maker as Ruike. My 910+ is one of my smoothest knives, and lockup is great. These are inexpensively built, but far from 'cheap'. They also run on bearings.
Tekut Zero, it's super light, the design is like a lightweight version of the Benchmade Nagara but with a different (and more popular) steel.
Clones aren't something I would normally suggest, but I did have good luck with two copies of the Benchmade 940-1, one of them a frankenknife with the blade of the 943. They're carbon fiber and probably D2 steel. They're marked S90V, but that's just because they are shamelessly copying the 940-1. Maybe it's S35VN, I'm not sure, I haven't used either of them hard enough to have any insights on the way the metal behaves. Build quality is great though, the axis lock isn't quite as smooth as your typical good Benchmade, but the spring tension is about right and the pivots are smooth and easy swinging without blade play. That's more than I can say for some of the Benchmades I have owned, which often require you to choose between a free action or a secure feeling when open.
The best knife for the money right now, though, is the Factor Equipment Iconic or Absolute. They have a 20% or 35% off coupon code and the knives are already clearance priced at $100-120. The Absolute is not as sexy as the Iconic but it's a good knife. I think it's ugly, but the design matches the handle and blade profile up very well and as a result it has a great blade:handle ratio. The blade is also nice and narrow, so the knife carries very well, it's small for what you get, and the blade steel is the impeccable Bohler M390.
The Iconic compact in carbon fiber is my favorite, it's basically perfect. The scales are contoured better than a ZT (not nicely chamfered like a ZT though) and the blade has a great flat grind to it. In almost every way it is a smoother knife than the Absolute, although to be fair the three different Factors I have all lock up perfectly and have a great detent. The Iconic is just my current fixation, that's all.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-ferrum-forge-falcon-wing?utm_source=linkshare&referer=SCCUSS
or in plain blue for $15 less
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-ferrum-forge-falcon?utm_source=linkshare&referer=SCCUSS
Also if the Gent or Crux drop again, those are phenomenal knives and have more mass appeal than the heavily stylized Falcon, so they may be a safer bet for you.
For a great low-cost daily driver sort of knife, here's a list of great ones off the top of my head-
Steel Will Cutjack or Modus (D2)
Anything by Ruike, but the best carrying knife they make is the p831, which has a sharp learning curve and can be a frustrating knife until you break it in and get the hang of the opening technique
Bestech's budget lineup is great, I have a Lion that's a perfect full size working knife. Check out their knives with nested liners and ceramic bearings for under $50, insane value.
Sanrenmu 910+, 9103, 9104. All basically the same knife, all under $20 in very ok 12c27 steel, and they're the same maker as Ruike. My 910+ is one of my smoothest knives, and lockup is great. These are inexpensively built, but far from 'cheap'. They also run on bearings.
Tekut Zero, it's super light, the design is like a lightweight version of the Benchmade Nagara but with a different (and more popular) steel.
Clones aren't something I would normally suggest, but I did have good luck with two copies of the Benchmade 940-1, one of them a frankenknife with the blade of the 943. They're carbon fiber and probably D2 steel. They're marked S90V, but that's just because they are shamelessly copying the 940-1. Maybe it's S35VN, I'm not sure, I haven't used either of them hard enough to have any insights on the way the metal behaves. Build quality is great though, the axis lock isn't quite as smooth as your typical good Benchmade, but the spring tension is about right and the pivots are smooth and easy swinging without blade play. That's more than I can say for some of the Benchmades I have owned, which often require you to choose between a free action or a secure feeling when open.
The best knife for the money right now, though, is the Factor Equipment Iconic or Absolute. They have a 20% or 35% off coupon code and the knives are already clearance priced at $100-120. The Absolute is not as sexy as the Iconic but it's a good knife. I think it's ugly, but the design matches the handle and blade profile up very well and as a result it has a great blade:handle ratio. The blade is also nice and narrow, so the knife carries very well, it's small for what you get, and the blade steel is the impeccable Bohler M390.
The Iconic compact in carbon fiber is my favorite, it's basically perfect. The scales are contoured better than a ZT (not nicely chamfered like a ZT though) and the blade has a great flat grind to it. In almost every way it is a smoother knife than the Absolute, although to be fair the three different Factors I have all lock up perfectly and have a great detent. The Iconic is just my current fixation, that's all.
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I've recently been trying to get into knifes, especially EDC knives, but I'm really lost on where to start. Can anyone recommend a good place maybe?
Edit:
I should probably clearify, that I do want to learn about (and get) a proper knive, not a multitool, which just happens to have a blade attatched.