Got My First Knife

[Hath]

I remember coming here first and asking everyone for suggestions. At first I was trying to get a Spyderco Endura, and then everyone here told me to get a Griptilian. I read around, liked how the Griptilian sounded, so I decided I would purchase one of those instead. I went to a local knife store to test the knife out first, and it was a really nice blade. So back home I went to order, but before I did, I read around some more. It took me about two weeks before I finally decided what to get, but the UPS man just arrived today with a Benchmade 806D2 AFCK.

Very nice knife, extremely sturdy, opens smoothly, fairly sharp. It has a very high quality feel too it, I'm glad I started off with an AXIS lock knife. Now I think it's finally time to order a stainless steel Delica.

 

[tkl]

good choice, i like the AFCK. i wish they made that model with a thumbstud.

 

[bigcozy]

I had one of those, traded into it. Too large for me, but a really first rate blade. The AFCK has really stood the test of time, I just read an article from years ago when the knife first came out. The D2 is great, tough stuff, bear to sharpen,I would get some diamond sticks.

Good choice.

 

[dano]

For an AFCK with a thumbstud, look at the TSEK, which is an AFCK with a thumb-stud but with a slightly different blade shape.

--dan

 

[Skyline]

Nice choice! I also have the 806D2. It serves duty in my glove box. It's kinda large for pocket carry heheh. I do prefer thumb studs myself... but it's nice to have something different.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Hath]

Since I got the knife, I've been carrying it everywhere. I do not notice it at all, but I'm used to having a lot of stuff on me. PDA, cell phone, wallet, ID holder, money clip, flashlight (using an LGI as my EDC right now... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif), etc. A small 5 inch object goes unnoticed.

I purchased a Spyderco Sharpmaker at the same time as the knife, and that is one awesome tool. I don't think I'll be trying to sharpen the AFCK anytime soon though, I did a horrible job sharpening other random items in the house, haha. All the items could shave, but they look terrible.

The longer I have the AFCK, the more I like it. I've never had any other knives, so I'm not sure how a thumbstud is, but I really like the hole. It's comfortable. I think the only thing with the thumbstud is that it looks a little better.

 

[beemerphile]

[ QUOTE ]
Hath said:
Now I think it's finally time to order a stainless steel Delica.

[/ QUOTE ]

Only problem with the Stainless Steel Delica is that it weighs a lot. I have a stainless steel and a FRN Native and the FRN is much more of a joy to carry. Same blade and much less weight. I don't have a stainless Delica, but I do have a FRN Delica and Endura. My advice is to skip the stainless. - Lee

 

[tkl]

[ QUOTE ]
dano said:
For an AFCK with a thumbstud, look at the TSEK, which is an AFCK with a thumb-stud but with a slightly different blade shape.

--dan

[/ QUOTE ]

dan, IIRC the TSEK is made with a lesser steel. i really want the D2.

 

[Skyline]

[ QUOTE ]
Hath said:
I do not notice it at all, but I'm used to having a lot of stuff on me. PDA, cell phone, wallet, ID holder, money clip, flashlight (using an LGI as my EDC right now... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif), etc. A small 5 inch object goes unnoticed.


[/ QUOTE ]

I also carry a lot of crap..ahem...stuff.. on me, but I do notice the 806D2. Plus, the 806D2 doesn't fit in any of the BM nylon holsters. The 705 fits very nicely at the bottom of a pocket, or in a holster.

Cell phone, 20GB iPod, Surefire G2Z, money wallet, card wallet, Metro card, house+car keys, pill fob, Photon Microlight, Fisher Bullet, eye drops, BM 705, tissues...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[ygbsm]

TSEK axis is 440C.

I really like my BM 941D2CF. D2 steel with all the benefits set forth in this thread, light but very strong carbon fiber handle, axis lock, and nice size.

 

[Hath]

941 with D2 and carbon fiber handles is indeed a very good looking knife. If those were readily available, I would have purchased it. I guess I'll have to wait around for some other nice limited edition items to get released.

 

[ygbsm]

Hath -- I just saw a BM 940D2CF on the tadgear.com site. There is a picture there. The Cutlery Shoppe 1-800-231-1272 is also supposedly getting them. Carbon fiber handle, Axis lock and D2 blade (no coating).

 

[Hath]

For some reason, the 940 doesn't look as good to me. The blade looks a lot different. Doesn't look as sleek and dangerous. Does anyone else agree? If most agree with me that the 941 looks better, I wonder why Benchmade doesn't just keep producing them.

 

[ygbsm]

The blade is pretty funky looking. My suspicion (pure speculation) is the 941 was designed to offer a more appealing looking blade.

The 941D2CF I have is part of a limited run of 500 and I got it not that long ago (about three weeks) from the Cutlery Shoppe.

 

[tkl]

the black blades looks cool but they look like crap after you use it a couple times. never cared for the carbon fiber.

i wish they would make a tsek with d2 steel, that i would buy. or better yet, bm should stop screwing aorund with 154 and d2 altogether, sv30 is the way to go. maybe even sv60 and 90.

 

[Hath]

Yeah I know, I'm afraid to cut anything remotely salty with my D2 blade. I don't want it rusting, plus I don't want the BT2 to wear off. I wish it came in BC1 instead, I heard that stuff is much tougher.

 

[ygbsm]

The carbon fiber on the 941D2CF is pretty nice -- the handle shape keeps it from feeling slick. I don't know if youve seen the CF on one of the older Elishewitz custom folders -- it was nicely contoured and fit the hand well. I think handle geometry is centrally important to grip in a practical sense -- often the texture on the G-10 handled knives I've carried wears fairly smooth after prolonged carry.

I personally never have had any problems with 154CM or its Japanese analog ATS-34 (which appears in all but one of the Striders I own (DB, AD, HT EB-S and EB-LS) and which are pretty tough knives). A lot of the performance of the steel depends on the sort of heat or cold treatment it has had.

BM does have an S30V blade, but I am not particulaly fond of the knife's design. If you want something stronger or with better steel you'll likely have to pay more. For example the Strider AR is a tough folder in S30V.

I never buy black coatings but not just for cosmetic reasons -- the 941D2CF is polished -- you just need to keep it clean. The sort of black coatings on the some of the BMs and the Emersons is particularly bad -- I have seen instances where corrosion built up under the coating itself. The best protection I've seen is the hard chrome on the Emersons.

 

[Orcinus Orca]

"the black blades looks cool but they look like crap after you use it a couple times."

"...plus I don't want the BT2 to wear off."

This comes as a major suprise to me, as it was previously my understanding that the BT2 finish was more wear/corrosion/scratch resistant than the satin finish. I have been considering the purchase of a Benchmade for about a week and naturally would prefer to maintain aesthetics as well as corrosion resistance for as long as possible. If I could justify the price of a BC1 finish blade I would likely choose that in stead, but as it stands, I would like to know which finish is better: Satin or BT2?

Your responces are all greatly appreciated, as always.

Respectively,
Dale

 

[Hath]

Well I have had my AFCK for over a month now and it has been used a decent amount. I try not to cut too much stuff, but I couldn't help but stab cardboard a few times. When I did that, I noticed wear on the BT2 coating immediately. There's nothing I can do to get it shiny and new looking.

This is the first knife I have owned, I have never had one with a satin blade or seen anyone elses used satin knife. But personally, I think I am going to stick to satin from now on and possibly BC1.

 

[Minjin]

I have to comment on this:

"I try not to cut too much stuff, but I couldn't help but stab cardboard a few times."

Whats the point in having a knife you're afraid to use? When I purchased my Al Mar SERE 2000 (which I EDC), I ordered it in black. I had heard very good things about the black coating being very hard and holding up very well and the knife looks very good all black.

http://www.onestopknifeshop.com/images/almar/am-sere-2000.jpg

However, when it arrived, I discovered that I had been sent the satin blade version rather than the black one I had ordered. After a little bit of soul searching, I finally made the decision to keep the plain one. Why? Because I knew that I would be afraid to use it as long as it was pretty and had a pretty coating on it. So, do I abuse it? No. I won't use it to unscrew fasteners, nor will I use it as a prybar. But when it comes to any cutting task that its designed for, I don't hesitate. Its a great knife with great steel (VG10) and I'd hate to own a tool that I couldn't use.

Its kind of funny reading your first post because you passed up the knife I'd say would be ideal for your first knife. The Spyderco Endura is one hell of a knife. I put my SERE away when I'm at work and I carry my FRN Endura in fully serrated VG10. Wires or rubber hoses in my way when working on a junk car? Cut em. The serrations go through anything, stay sharp longer than plain edge, and when it gets dull, send it back to Spyderco for free sharpening. If I need precision cutting (very rarely), I'll grab my Al Mar. The Endura costs around 40 bucks, is super light, and has a smaller profile than the AFCK, yet nearly the same length blade. If you lose it, you won't beat yourself up over it. I'd recommend the Endura to anyone.

Mark