First real knife

[Prat]

Help me pick an EDC knife!
I haven't had a knife since I was a kid and had Swiss Army ones and I'm looking for a folding, locking, and combo blade (serrated and smooth) knife for EDC. I'd like to spend less than $50 (retail price can be more as we all know that we can get items for much less than that price much of the time).

I saw the Gerber Firestorm recommended on this forum, and have found it here at a great price:

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerc...ext=firestorm&Submit.x=0&Submit.y=0&SKU=G7174

Is this a good knife and trustworthy store? Any other recommendations?

I've been looking at the Spyderco Bryd series too, but they don't seem to have many combo blades, or they are too much one or the other (the Firestorm is about the right length of both), although the Meadowlark is interesting.

Oh, and I have no idea what the different blade steel compositions or strengths mean or which is better, nor what the different handle materials are or what is better. It isn't really a factor in my price range I guess. :shrug:

TIA!

 

[jzmtl]

Does this combo edge look right? http://newgraham.com/store/product/4567/Tenacious-PS-SC122GPS/

Start here on knife steels. http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml

 

[Prat]

Does this combo edge look right? http://newgraham.com/store/product/4567/Tenacious-PS-SC122GPS/

Start here on knife steels. http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml

Yea, that looks like what I'm looking for, about half straight and half serrated.
Thanks for the link, I need to read up on blade materials.
This guy looks interesting...

http://www.knifeworks.com/crktlakethunderbolt2aluminumhandlecomboedge.aspx

Btw, I should mention that looks are important to me, if I don't like how a knife looks then I'm probably not going to go for it. For instance, that knife linked above looks good quality wise, but it doesn't "do it for me" lookwise. Stupid I know, but I need cool and sexy! I like drop point, tanto, and black or gray colored blades the best.

 

[mossyoak]

the tenacious is just about the best bang for the buck, and that crkt thunderbolt is a POS.

 

[Prat]

Is it really? Are CRKT knives of low quality? Because I like the way the Pharaoh and Scarab look too.

I should also mention that I will probably never even use this knife. I just want one for ECD or "just because", a kind of peace of mind in the pocket (along with my mace). So I don't care if it can cut through metal or not, or will not dull after 100 years of constant cutting through phone books and cord wood, just be sturdy and comfortable in hand and look cool.

It is possible that I will buy one knife for looks/edc and another of better quality for more utilitarian/pragmatic uses though (what I could use a knife for in everyday life though I don't know).

 

[mossyoak]

crkt knives are very low quality. they build knives to look cool, they arent to concerned with useability.

 

[PG5768]

The companies that are considered the top production knife makers are (in no particular order): Spyderco, Kershaw, Benchmade, and Buck. SOG, Gerber, CRKT, and others produce knives that usually aren't considered to be on the same level, for a variety of reasons.

I've had good luck buying knives from (again, in no particular order):

http://www.2brothersknife.com/

http://www.knifeworks.com/

http://newgraham.com/store/

http://www.knifecenter.com/

 

[Prat]

crkt knives are very low quality. they build knives to look cool, they arent to concerned with useability.

Ok, duly noted. But they do look cool!

The companies that are considered the top production knife makers are (in no particular order): Spyderco, Kershaw, Benchmade, and Buck. SOG, Gerber, CRKT, and others produce knives that usually aren't considered to be on the same level, for a variety of reasons.

I've had good luck buying knives from (again, in no particular order):

http://www.2brothersknife.com/

http://www.knifeworks.com/

http://newgraham.com/store/

http://www.knifecenter.com/

And now you put CRKT in the "quality" list. I don't know what to think!

Thanks for the list of sites to buy from, I'll check them out. :thumbsup:

Again, I'm more concerned with looks than quality as I won't be using this knife often, if at all. But I of course don't want to buy flimsy crap either and would like to have looks and quality. But, as I said, maybe I'll buy one for each criteria. :shrug:

 

[PG5768]

Ok, duly noted. But they do look cool!



And now you put CRKT in the "quality" list. I don't know what to think!

Thanks for the list of sites to buy from, I'll check them out. :thumbsup:

Again, I'm more concerned with looks than quality as I won't be using this knife often, if at all. But I of course don't want to buy flimsy crap either and would like to have looks and quality. But, as I said, maybe I'll buy one for each criteria. :shrug:

Sorry if I wasn't clear, should have spelled it out a little better. SOG, Gerber, CRKT are all considered lesser quality brands and generally not as good as the Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, and Buck knives.

 

[PG5768]

Don't know if this will help, but here is a way to look at all the knives below $50 from what ever maker you want at Amazon. I just looked at those sold directly by Amazon. Here's an example with Kershaw:

http://www.amazon.com/s/sr=41-8/qid=1252784809/ref=sr_av_p_6_7?ie=UTF8&rs=3375251&keywords=kershaw%20knives&bbn=3375251&rh=n%3A3375251%2Cn%3A!3375301%2Ck%3Akershaw%20knives%2Cp_4%3AKershaw%2Cp_36%3A-5099%2Cp_6%3AATVPDKIKX0DER&page=1

Benchmade:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_p_6_0?rh=n%3A3375251%2Cn%3A!3375301%2Ck%3Abenchmade+knives%2Cp_4%3ABenchmade%2Cp_36%3A-5099%2Cp_6%3AATVPDKIKX0DER&bbn=3375251&keywords=benchmade+knives&ie=UTF8&qid=1252785274&rnid=331592011

Spyderco:

http://www.amazon.com/s/sr=41-7/qid=1252785403/ref=sr_av_p_6_6?ie=UTF8&rs=3375251&keywords=Spyderco%20knives&bbn=3375251&rh=n%3A3375251%2Cn%3A!3375301%2Ck%3ASpyderco%20knives%2Cp_4%3ASpyderco%2Cp_36%3A-5099%2Cp_6%3AATVPDKIKX0DER&page=1

Buck:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_p_6_0?rh=n%3A3375251%2Cn%3A!3375301%2Ck%3Abuck+knives+folding%2Cp_4%3ABuck+Knives%2Cp_36%3A-5099%2Cp_6%3AATVPDKIKX0DER&bbn=3375251&keywords=buck+knives+folding&ie=UTF8&qid=1252785473&rnid=331592011

None of the regular on-line knife stores have this sort of capability, so it makes it nice to look and see which knives you like the looks of in pictures first before visiting their sites.

 

[Prat]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, should have spelled it out a little better. SOG, Gerber, CRKT are all lesser quality and generally not as good as the Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, and Buck knives.

Opps! No, you were clear, it's just that I've had a fever off and on over 100 degrees since Thurs. and that with the crap sleep I've gotten has fried my brain!

So, although those brands are lesser quality, they aren't crap right? I might as well order something like the Thunderbolt for $23 whole dollars (+ shipping); what have I got to lose? (Well, about $25 dollars! But I doubt it'd break just being carried in my pocket and looking cool...).

Don't know if this will help, but here is a way to look at all the knives below $50 from what ever maker you want at Amazon. Here's an example with Kershaw:

http://www.amazon.com/s/sr=41-8/qid=1252784809/ref=sr_av_p_6_7?ie=UTF8&rs=3375251&keywords=kershaw%20knives&bbn=3375251&rh=n%3A3375251%2Cn%3A!3375301%2Ck%3Akershaw%20knives%2Cp_4%3AKershaw%2Cp_36%3A-5099%2Cp_6%3AATVPDKIKX0DER&page=1

Thanks, I've been doing the same thing on a few knife sites. There's so many to consider! :thinking:

 

[PG5768]

Opps! No, you were clear, it's just that I've had a fever off and on over 100 degrees since Thurs. and that with the crap sleep I've gotten has fried my brain!

So, although those brands are lesser quality, they aren't crap right? I might as well order something like the Thunderbolt for $23 whole dollars (+ shipping); what have I got to lose? (Well, about $25 dollars! But I doubt it'd break just being carried in my pocket and looking cool...).



Thanks, I've been doing the same thing on a few knife sites. There's so many to consider! :thinking:

No, they aren't crap, just not as nice as the knives from the top makers. I've got recently made CRKT and SOG knives and they are okay. If you're like me, those are what got me started and then I moved on to the other brands. Good luck.

 

[Prat]

No, they aren't crap, just not as nice as the knives from the top makers. I've got recently made CRKT and SOG knives and they are okay. If you're like me, those are what got me started and then I moved on to the other brands. Good luck.

Yea, that makes sense. Mid-quality is fine with me! Just wondering, since mossy called the Thunderbolt a p.o.s. lol.

Any other makers to look out for? Boker looks nice...

 

[Ajax517]

I should also mention that I will probably never even use this knife. I just want one for ECD or "just because", a kind of peace of mind in the pocket (along with my mace). So I don't care if it can cut through metal or not, or will not dull after 100 years of constant cutting through phone books and cord wood, just be sturdy and comfortable in hand and look cool.

For an EDC blade, it's quality should be above reproach. This is the blade that you will call on in an emergency and you want it to be able to perform whatever task you may be confronted with. If you want a "pretty" blade then go buy some crazy looking dagger and put it on your mantle.

Go with the Tenacious. It's cheap but it still looks sweet, is of above average quality steel and the G10 handle is highly durable. If you're willing to spend more, take a look at the Spyderco Delica or Endura.

I also disagree with the assessment of SOG as a low quality knife maker. Their steels are good and their fixed blades are legendary. Some may not like the Zytel handles in their folders but the reduction in weight makes them excellent for pocket carry. Also they have the best pocket clip in the game...hands down.

 

[PG5768]

Yea, that makes sense. Mid-quality is fine with me! Just wondering, since mossy called the Thunderbolt a p.o.s. lol.

Any other makers to look out for? Boker looks nice...

You captured it with "mid-quality". They aren't "low quality". That would be more the cheap gas station knives and copy-cat of the brand name knives sold by Fury and others.

CRKT does have some very famous people collaborating on their designs. I bought a couple of their assisted opening framelocks, designed by Kommer, to give as gifts and wasn't terribly impressed by the overall product. They weren't bad, just so-so. Haven't seen or handled a Thunderbolt, so I can't comment.

Bought a SOG Flash II kept it over nite. Just felt "clunky". Returned it and bought a Kershaw S30V Blur for about $20 more. The Blur was more than $20 better, IMO. I do own a Twitch II and was initially impressed, since it was my first AO knife. It now sits in a drawer.

Don't have any experience with Boker, but they seem to be popular.

The best thing to do is pick a couple of each brand that you like the looks of and try to find a store where you can actually handle them.

 

[Prat]

For an EDC blade, it's quality should be above reproach. This is the blade that you will call on in an emergency and you want it to be able to perform whatever task you may be confronted with. If you want a "pretty" blade then go buy some crazy looking dagger and put it on your mantle.

Go with the Tenacious. It's cheap but it still looks sweet, is of above average quality steel and the G10 handle is highly durable. If you're willing to spend more, take a look at the Spyderco Delica or Endura.

I agree; if I was trying to cut myself out of a seat belt twisted around me in some car accident, it would be quite a time for my "cool looking" but "so-so" quality knife to break!

But then...what's the likelihood?

That is a bad pic of the Tenacious above; I found this one and it's much more to my liking:

http://www.igun.com.ua/images/C122GPS_Tenacious_G-10.jpg

You captured it with "mid-quality". They aren't "low quality". That would be more the cheap gas station knives and copy-cat of the brand name knives sold by Fury and others.

The best thing to do is pick a couple of each brand that you like the looks of and try to find a store where you can actually handle them.

Yep, I'm all about mid-quality! My first real flashlight is an EagleTac T20C2, my stereo is "budget hi-fi" or "mid-hi-fi" (i.e. it "only" cost about $2,000 with all the components put together), my car is an "economic" car, my house is modest but nice, and L.L. Bean/Land's End is about as much as I'm willing to pay for clothes. Sure I could buy much "nicer" things (like a $400 dollar knife), but I just don't feel the need for it. That's just how I am.

I'll have to see if I can find some of these knives so I can handle them in person, but I'm betting that's not going to be easy as many of them are ID (internet direct) only, no?

I have to ask something about handles: I know that G10 and FRN are praised over metal (and metal can/will be slipperly of course), but why do they look so cheap and plasticy? I mean check out this Benchmade:

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BM10452SBK

Great blade, great price, but that handle just looks so hokey, like a joke! The same with this Gerber:

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=GB1584

As well as the Gerber I linked in my original post (which no one seems to recommend here? I think it is selling for $60 - $90 around the web, the non Iraqi Freedom version anyway).

Do these look/feel better in person? I'm guessing so. But metal looks "sophisticated" and it's going to be solid.

Thanks for all the input so far everyone! :thumbsup:

 

[cbxer55]

My opinion is that if you are going to buy just one knife, make it count. Don't buy a second-rate knife like a CRKT. I've only had one CRKT, and it now resides in the Midwest City, Oklahoma, city dump, where it belongs. I will never ever purchase one again.

I am all for the looks thing myself, and it is the first thing that catches my eye on a knife. CRKT is all about looks, real short on performance. SOG and Gerber are mostly the same, and I will not purchase them either.

I just got a new knife yesterday, it is the middle knife in this photo of Cold Steel Espadas. Depending on who you talk to, there is a lot of hate for Cold Steel, due to its owners antics. If you can ignore those, most of the knives are fairly nice. This one is, IMHO, exceptional. And its looks are really eye-catching, gotta admit that.

We'll see how it goes, its the new edc for awhile.

 

[derrickd803]

My opinion is that if you are going to buy just one knife, make it count. Don't buy a second-rate knife like a CRKT. I've only had one CRKT, and it now resides in the Midwest City, Oklahoma, city dump, where it belongs. I will never ever purchase one again.

+1 Spend money on a good knife now, and you will save money in the long run by not having to buy a replacement for the mid level knife.

 

[Prat]

Ugh! I know you guys are right, and just about every time I put a price limit on an item and then ask for advice in a forum from those much more knowledgeable about the item(s) I am seeking, I get talked into spending more!

But I have yet to regret doing so. :thumbsup:

There's so many different knife makers it's hard to tell the low-mid-high quality makers apart! Price is a way of course, but there is always good budget buys and bad budget buys and just plain high priced rip offs. I guess we've covered the most popular/well regarded brands in here. (I'm looking at Benchmade and Spyderco for sure, and a few others as well). I'm going to take my time looking around for now (I research a lot before purchasing many things, just how I am), it's fun to look at all bad *** little these knives anyway!

 

[daloosh]

If you're only buying one, get one quality knife. I think you'll find you'll use it more than you expect.

For a mix of quality and price, my one knife for you would be a Spyderco Delica or Endura, or a Benchmade Griptilian or Mini-Grip. OK, maybe a Kershaw Leek.

Good hunting for your knife
daloosh