Thin, pocketable, tactical EDC

I have enjoyed carrying a Boker Trance I bought through CPF a year or so ago -- until I misplaced it last weekend. The Trance has a big enough handle to be easily controllable, but it is also thin enough to be very comfortable in a hip pocket. The only draw-back is, I wish the blade was an inch or so longer.

I have another Trance coming (from another CPFer) so I won't go through too much withdrawal. One of the other attractions of the Trance is the semi-serious blade steel (AUS-8) for very little money. I like a bargain so what can you recommend with 440C or better blade about 4 inches long in a nice, thin, pocket-friendly package with a tip-down clip under $100?

I hope that's not an impossible combination.

You MUST check out the Spyderco Endura G10. The blade is 4", the G10 scales are perfect, VG-10 full flat ground blade, strong lock back design and the package is very slim, attractive and relatively light. You can't go wrong with this knife, very high quality, and right around $100.

Gonna be hard to beat the Spydies in terms of cost.

Take a look at the SOG Twitch I or II. Both extremely slim and smooth.

OfficerCamp said:

You MUST check out the Spyderco Endura G10. The blade is 4", the G10 scales are perfect, VG-10 full flat ground blade, strong lock back design and the package is very slim, attractive and relatively light. You can't go wrong with this knife, very high quality, and right around $100.

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Thank you. :thumbsup: The Endura 4 looks like a very nice package. I don't have any knives yet with VG-10 blades. This is at the top of my list now.

I cannot yet find all dimensions online. If you have one, what is the thickness (not counting the clip)? Are the G-10 scales more rigid, lighter or just more prestigious than the FRN?

Ajax517 said:

Take a look at the SOG Twitch I or II. Both extremely slim and smooth.

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Thanks for the lead. Prices on the Twitch I/II look nice, but sogknives.com shows these blades about the same as or a little shorter than the Boker Trance so I'll keep looking a little while for competition for the Endura 4.

G10 is going to be much stronger than FRN, G10 is basically fiberglass, hence more expensive. I don't have a ruler handy, but this knife is a very comfortable, thin package; you will not be disappointed. If you have never owned a G10 handled blade, this would be a great first one. It is not too aggressively textured, but gives nice grip. I just checked prices online, looks like it can be had for less than $90 now.

FRN is Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon. G10 is Fiberglass reinforced Epoxy.

The G10 is in fact more brittle, not stronger in any manner you will notice and it weighs more. The peel ply kind also shreds pockets more than the FRN. G10's main advantage is it does not "feel" plasticy and it is generally grippier, but that depends on type and design more than anything. Both are excellent materials for a pocket knife. The FRN is the better buy, but has less prestige.

Spyderco Delica or Endura.

I like them exactly because they are THIN in pocket!

I'm more of a Benchmade fan, but there is nothing wrong with Spydie and the Endura is a proven design... Go for it!

You guys talked me into it! Thanks for giving me the benefit of your experiences. :twothumbs I have one more question.

I'm now looking for an Endura at a good price and see most are VG10 blades, but a few have ZDP-189 blades. What are the practical differences between VG10 and ZDP-189? The comparison table at AG Russell shows about 7 points harder (Rockwell C scale). How does ZDP-189 work out in EDC? Is it too brittle? Is it too hard to sharpen? I have a DMT sharpening kit so that should help. (No steel is harder than a diamond).

If tactical is your main criteria, you may want to look at the Endura or Delica with the "Emerson wave". This feature allows the blade to open as you pull the knife from your front pocket. I EDC a Delica with FRN handle and plain blade in VG 10. Nice weight....around 2.5 oz. I like it better than G10 scales. Check out Youtube for videos on how the Emerson wave works.

I found a "used" Endura 4 FRN PE on eBay for a very low price. The pictures were accurate, and he made no bones about it being "experienced." I still think I got a reasonable deal since I got a VG-10 blade that is basically sound even though it desperately needed reprofiling. I'll have to work on that a bit more, but it is sharp enough for EDC needs at the moment.

I've been carrying it for a few days. :thanks: You are right; it is relatively thin and light for such an impressive blade. I am embarassed to say that I may have asked for more than fits my hip pocket well. The tip of the Endura pushes out the bottom of my pocket so it may wear through long before the rest of the pants wear out. I haven't asked anyone to look closely while I'm seated to see what it looks like. I have a Boker Plus M-Type on order to see if 1/2" shorter feels better. Either way, I'm glad I have an Endura!

A previous owner tried to sharpen it by various means. There is evidence of inexpert use of a small stone (significant scratches on the sides). It also looks to me like someone tried one of those drag-it-through-a-carbide-V sharpeners. It took a while with a DMT Aligner to correct 90% of that. I got a little heavy-handed with it so my DMT "stones" lost a lot of their grit. New stones are on order. Learning is a good thing. :thumbsup: And I won't care so much if I make a mistake on this blade since I have a lot less invested in it than I would a newer Endura 4.

A previous owner also moved the clip around a bit. The clip screws were a bit damaged. One was not even fully tightened. I send e-mail to Spyderco, got a reply in 30 minutes flat and got 3 new screws (and a full catalog) in the mail a few days later. Spyderco service is amazing! :twothumbs

I find the FRN scales a bit too rough and "grippy" for easy pocket clip use. I sanded down the clip side of a Byrd Robin to make it easier on my pockets (to be legal while visiting California schools). I wonder how G-10 scales would be on the Endura. I do not see replacement scales for sale on Spyderco's web site or elsewhere on the Internet. Perhaps I'm not looking in the right places. Any ideas?

Thanks again to all who recommended an Endura. If anyone is interested, I'll update as the blade is reground to fix the old sharpening scratches and the Boker Plus M-Type is tried for size.

What do you guys think of the SOG Tac Auto?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVuuw8BSa34

If the Endura is a bit big - then try the Delica! Sounds like it will be perfect...

OfficerCamp said:

You MUST check out the Spyderco Endura G10. The blade is 4", the G10 scales are perfect, VG-10 full flat ground blade, strong lock back design and the package is very slim, attractive and relatively light. You can't go wrong with this knife, very high quality, and right around $100.

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+1 for that

cheers

thin :kershaw leek?

lightweight: sog flash2 (my favorite.. the knife weighs almost nothing and still has a really good size)

but i also could vote for spyderco delica: gonna buy one sometime soon. (i just like assisted openers currently.. like sog flash2 and twitch2... those are my main edc knives.. sog twitch xl might be cool too)

smflorkey said:

440C or better blade about 4 inches long in a nice, thin, pocket-friendly package with a tip-down clip under $100?

I hope that's not an impossible combination.

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No its not...infact one knife pops in my head instantly and it is EXACTLY what you are looking for. The spyderco police in stainless steel handles.

http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=2

you can get it in plain edge ofcourse. But the blade is 4 inches, tip down, very pocketable...and so thin that its rediculous!

Great suggestions from everyone. I've got a CS Voyager that I've been carrying for a long time. Aus 8, 5 inch blade, Clip ideal for placement in my right pocket; thin and light and very very sharp. It's a lock back and is thumb assisted, very fast and locks up like a bank vault.

Lots of people diss CS, but this voyager of mine is a workhorse and it fits all the criteria of a folding, concealeable, quik deploying SD pocket knife.:devil:

smflorkey said:

I'm now looking for an Endura at a good price and see most are VG10 blades, but a few have ZDP-189 blades. What are the practical differences between VG10 and ZDP-189? The comparison table at AG Russell shows about 7 points harder (Rockwell C scale). How does ZDP-189 work out in EDC? Is it too brittle? Is it too hard to sharpen? I have a DMT sharpening kit so that should help. (No steel is harder than a diamond).

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I've EDC'd ZDP-189 before, I like it as a blade steel. Compared to VG-10, the ZDP-189 will hold an edge better, but it will also be a little bit more work to resharpen. As far as toughness goes, neither steel is really known for toughness, but both have at least functional toughness, and VG-10 might have a slight edge there.

Overall, I would probably pick ZDP-189, all else being equal, but it will cost more.