Where to start for a knife newbie? *some choices made*

[Rudi]

SolarFlare -- thanks for the help

 

[GhostReaction]

this thread is getting me hooked like a fish with all this knife things.
LEDcandle do try some spyderco stuff, trust me they are worth it. So which knife did you buy?

I ve heard rumors there are harpy with G10 handles. G10 handle are super grippy even when wet :rock: <is there a way I can make this guy shake the head faster till it drop?

Alright just one more blade and thats it for me. Me gonna get Salt I next but the cricket is also calling me.

 

[03lab]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

I'm staying away from fixed blades, thank you.

Oh boy, are you missing out!

 

[LEDcandle]

this thread is getting me hooked like a fish with all this knife things.
LEDcandle do try some spyderco stuff, trust me they are worth it. So which knife did you buy?

I got some cheapies to try out first
Buck Iceman and Buck Stealth Mantis, as well as a cheapie knife from Ebay to see the difference. All black.

I posted links to the Iceman and Mantis a couple of posts back
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/1385833&postcount=66

I think my next knife will be a hawkbill, prob a Spydie Harpy or Salt.

 

[flashlight]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

Oh boy, are you missing out!

It's just that folders are a bit more compact & easier to carry discreetly.

LEDCandle, did you get my PM?

 

[LEDcandle]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

Hi flashlight bro, yup got it, was about to reply after but my comp crashed. Been happening more often recently oopps... better ghost my drive... thanks for the heads up!

 

[Synergy]

this thread is getting me hooked like a fish with all this knife things.
LEDcandle do try some spyderco stuff, trust me they are worth it. So which knife did you buy?

I ve heard rumors there are harpy with G10 handles. G10 handle are super grippy even when wet :rock: <is there a way I can make this guy shake the head faster till it drop?

Alright just one more blade and thats it for me. Me gonna get Salt I next but the cricket is also calling me.

The G10 Harpy is a discontinued model. You can occasionally find one on ebay or at a dealer with old stock. I liked it much better than the stainless steel version.

 

[SJACKAL]

SJACKAL, oh ok, I didn't know that place was cheap. I saw some fantasy weapons online, some go like for US$17-20.. but shipping to here US$100 odd so it ends up being around the same By Tomahawk Cutlery, apparently a brand under United cutlery. Not sure about the quality though.

It depends on the item actually. If you are into these, better to join their membership for members discount. I am not, but got a friend who is a fanatic about katanas, armors and swords related to history (not fantasy), so his in and they always got private showroom sales for members first where the real goodies probably got purchased before they even reach their Suntec shop front. Afterall, these type of shops are rare in our country

 

[03lab]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

It's just that folders are a bit more compact & easier to carry discreetly.

Sure, but we all have big lights too.

 

[LEDcandle]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

I think some of the nicest looking folder hawkbills are the MOD Ladyhawk and Caracara.... Prob overpriced and positioned as 'tactical' type, but boy, I love their look!

 

[ghostrider]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

I think some of the nicest looking folder hawkbills are the MOD Ladyhawk and Caracara.... Prob overpriced and positioned as 'tactical' type, but boy, I love their look!

The Lady Hawk isn't a bad knife. It is small compared to some of the others. I believe that it is also discontinued. Mine came with a rather poor edge, but I don't know how the other MOD stuff is.

I think even Buck came out with a hawkbill recently, but TBH I think the best deal out there is the Tasman.

 

[flashlight]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

Sure, but we all have big lights too.

Yeah, I carry the one on the left together with a Leatherman e307x as EDC. :naughty:

 

[ACMarina]

Re: Where to start for a knife newbie?

Sweezizzle..

 

[Roboholic]

Hello LEDcandle.
I am a newbie Flashaholic and been buying a ton of single cell led's. But my first love is a good pocket knife.
I know how much information overload you are on, with all the blade types, metal, lock, etc. Just did the same thing with all the flashlights.
I satrted with one knife now have 42. Started cheap, got expensive ones next, then customs. Now buy what I like.
What you get with a better steel is edge retention and strength. Now with some of the mass produced knives you can step up to S30v. Good news is you will not have to sharpen very often. Bad news is it will be tougher to sharpen.
I have been a little of a snob recently and only buying expensive Chris Reeve or William Henry Knives but now there is a great knife for under $100.00 by Kershaw. Kershaw has just come out with a Ken Onion knife that has G10 handles and a S30V blade. This would more then handle most projects you could though its way. By the way it is assisted opening. Not automatic but looks that way to some people so you get a good, wow, factor from people who do knot care that much about knives.
I saw you looking at a serrated blade. Buy a cheap one so you can see how you like it. I guess you will figure out that a sharp strait edge will do more then the serreated, easier to sharpen, more functional.
Enjoy your new hobbie/obsession.
Robohilic

 

[LEDcandle]

Thanks Roboholic!

I am indeed starting off with a few cheapie knives and extreme cheapie knives to ease into the hobby first; prob will get a Spyerdco sharpmaker to try too and practise my sharpening.

Once I'm good, I'll move in to the better steels

 

[ghostrider]

A little add on note to what Roboholic said about getting a cheap knife with serrations. Not all serrations are the same. Some are so small that sharpening them is not as simple as putting them on the Sharpmaker. Cold Steels exclusive serrations are an example of this. They are tiny, and close together. A friend of mine had a couple cheap, Chinese made knives with serrations that he wanted me to sharpen for him. I didn't do the serrations because they were so small and close together that the corners of the Sharpmaker Rods wouldn't fit in them. The Sharpmaker can make sharpening serration very easy, but only if those serrations will fit the Sharpmaker rods. It doesn't even have to be a cheap, serrated knife to give you problems. I'm familiar with the serrations of Cold Steel, Spyderco, byrd, and Timberline. Of those the Cold Steel, and Timberline serrations are too small for my Sharpmaker. I can't say about other brands.

 

[flashlight]

Speaking of serrations & from my limited knowledge gleaned mostly from this & a couple other forums, serrated or combo edges are useful only if you plan to cut stuff like ropes a lot as the serrations make it a little easier, if not a plain edge would be easier to maintain & serve most purposes.

 

[Roboholic]

Just a little more about those serrations. The reason a serrated knife would be better on rope is that it is tearing not cutting. I'll put up a freshly sharpened blade against a new serreated any time. I do understand that not all like to sharppen a knive and might have to fall back to a serrated knife on occasion. But a dull knife is more dangerous then a sharpone. IMO
Just like flashlights, get 'em all and rotate.

 

[LEDcandle]

Wow, I wonder whether the manufacturers had sharpening in mind when they made the serrations that close. Any sharpener from those brand themselves that work on their own knives?

I really don't know what I'll end up using the knife for, but as I mentioned before, I envision it being an outdoor tool (well, at least the one that I'll bring out), and there might be a need to cut net/rope/wood etc... A combo gives me more flexibility, although I've noted that a 'roughly' honed plain edge can cut rope well too.

I don't think combo-serrations get in the way much; most slicing and cutting should be well handled by the front half of the blade. I can only imagine it being a nuisance if I am trying to cut something that needs it to be place all the way at the back of the blade (for more torque or whatever reason).

I guess a combo edge can be likened to a SF A2... multi-tasking

 

[ghostrider]

Wow, I wonder whether the manufacturers had sharpening in mind when they made the serrations that close. Any sharpener from those brand themselves that work on their own knives?

Lansky does make a sharpener for the Cold Steel serrations, and they also make on for the Spyderco serrations.

I also agree with Roboholic that a dull knife is dangerous.