What do you think the best folding knife

[chaoss]

CRK large plain jane regular Sebenza for me.
It's my holy grail and personally I think it the greatest knife that Mr. Reeve ever produced.
Mine was born in mid December 2003 and has held up really well.

Edited to add:
It's priceless!

 

[kingofwylietx]

This thread is interesting, particularly because it's from 2017.
I have knives that I think are best today....but in 1, 2
, or 4 years...there will be another best because awesome stuff just keeps coming out. New steels or cooler designs are yet to come.

Then, once you've bought an apex steel knife, you begin finding sweet stuff that's incredibly made. Maybe it doesn't have an unobtanium blade steel but you appreciate it for some other characteristic.

It is never ending and forever evolving.

It reminds me of LED flashlights. People started just wanting the brightest, then the most efficient, coolest design, or the best CRI and color temp.

 

[scout24]

The four must-have folders for me, and the ones I use most, are the Spyderco Para3, Victorinox Compact, Pioneer, and Cadet. No super steels, no exotic materials, just sharp, solid working tools.

 

[fuyume]

I suppose exotic steels have their charms, but a knife is only as good as it is sharp, so for knives that are actual backcountry users, I tend to prefer cheap tough stainless like 420HC, because it's easy to sharpen using field-expedient methods.

Many/most of the modern powder metallurgy wonder steels are extremely expensive and extremely difficult to sharpen properly without a sharpening bench and jigs. And if you screw it up, it's that much harder to grind it down again.

With 420HC, which is actually tougher and more corrosion resistant than 440C and most of the modern powder metallurgy steels, you're not going to cry over a dinged edge in the field or an imperfect sharpening job. 420HC isn't highly rated for edge retention, but it will hold an edge just fine in normal use as a woods/camp/survival knife, and when it dulls, it's a simple matter even with a pocket stone to put an acceptably sharp edge back on it in the field.

The most expensive knives I've owned were all vintage Gerbers with 154CM steel, the two AirFrames I still own, and a matched pair of first generation Yari fixed-blades of the same vintage, which I've since sold on, since I never really used them. They were my SHTF/TEOTWAWKI knives, kept nearby, but never used so they would be perfectly sharp "just in case". I wanted to keep them, but honestly, I needed the money back out of them. And those are the most expensive knives I care to own. I don't ever use the AirFrames in the backcountry. Those are for civilisation carry, only.

My backcountry users are also vintage USA made Gerber hunting knives, from their Pro Guide II line, in 420HC. They are fetching silly prices on eBay these days. I also have a matched set of Benchmade 190 Drop Point Hunter and 192 Bird & Trout fixed blade 440C hunting knives. They go very nicely with my early production Gränsfors Bruks Mini Belt Hatchet.

That hatchet and my Pro Guide II Drop Point Hunter have processed a lot of kindling for me to survive the Winter in Northern New England, with temps down to -25°F and wind chills down to -50°F.

I have one other 420HC fixed blade, a Buck Diamondback that is my picnic knife. I use it to cut through crusty baguettes or slice apples, etc, for lunch, and it only gets used for food.

 

[kingofwylietx]

My current favorite knife for our camping is a Zero Tolerance titanium handled 0095 with an S90V blade.

My son is in Scouts, so I use it all around for cutting everything from aluminum cans to vegetables or rope. This weekend I used it to cut some rug padding.

It has a thick blade with a good grind on it.
For our excursions, it's perfect.

For running around more urban areas, my family got me what is now my favorite city knife. It is a Santa Fe Stoneworks Tesoro button lock knife with a VG10 blade. The handle is titanium and orange coral. I love it. It is so well built and precise. Bonus points for not scaring the city folk since it's so pretty. When I got it, it had a little bit of grit when opening or closing. I suspect it was from when they fit the coral, since there was a bit of polishing compound in a few crevices. I cleaned and lubed it up really well and now it is super smooth.

 

[Scotty321]

Just my opinion...

My favorite knife is whatever does the job I need to do at the time, and will last years if used as designed.

My first "knife" was a Sog Paratool about 30 years ago. I needed something to cut thick cardboard for the bailer (like the cardboard that holds a couple hundred pounds of fruit/vegetables together on a pallet). Within two days, I put it in the drawer and picked up a $1 boxcutter that worked much better. I usually have a 0.89 cent-$12 box cutter on hand for utility work.

I don't have many duties that requires me to cut through wood with a knife (I use a saw and pruners often), so I usually carry things that are specific to my needs.

Therfore, besides an MT, my most carried knives are an LM Crater C33TX (since they are discontinued I keep the PE version for when I destroy the SE I carry), and for when I don't mind the extra weight, a Buck 112 w/finger grooves. I have folders in the $200+ range, $300+ if you count custom scales, but I actually enjoy using the two I listed above more for my daily tasks... and sharpening is fast and easy.

Props to the Opinel #8 & #9, but I prefer knives that I can open with one hand... without much fuss.

Although I don't carry them very often, I really like the ZT 0909, and M4/CF BM Stryker when I feel like carrying something slightly larger.

 

[desert.snake]

There is no better knife in principle, there is a better one at the moment in a particular situation.

Very good folding knives make Ron Lake, Steve Hoel, Bill Ruple... In fact, there are several hundred of them))

For me, so far the best Spyderco Chinook II half-serrated blade. It does not rust, it has a strong lock, a comfortable handle, steel is easy to sharpen and retains sharpness well if not sharpened less than 30 degrees. But not for cutting thick rubber or wood due to concave bevels, I think for these purposes the newer Chinook 3 and 4 will be more preferable. If the goal is to save money, then - Spyderco Resilience. Recently, a tourist was able to protect himself from a bear, did not kill, but inflicted severe enough injuries for the bear to stop eating it.

*** A resident of Novosibirsk, Yegor Pyatkov, found himself at the epicenter of the tragedy that took place in the Ergaki park in the Krasnoyarsk Territory on June 21. A 15-year-old boy who was bringing food to tourists, Maxim Gabdullin, disappeared in the parking lot. In the morning he left for provisions and never returned.

Egor from Novosibirsk, together with the guide Artyom, went in search of the child. Together with them there were other tourists who went in the opposite direction.

The search for the missing boy was unsuccessful. And in general, the campaign was not a success. Egor and Artyom were attacked by a bear.

"When she grabbed Pyatkov, Artyom ran to the tour group. Yegor called him for help, but the guide only added speed. Then the man took a knife out of his pocket and began to beat the beast in the neck, "reports Mash Siberia.

The Novosibirsk man struck the beast about six blows. The bear threw him and ran away.

Pyatkov managed to get to the camp. His left shoulder blade and palm were bitten, his back and right buttock were torn.

The Novosibirsk tourist also said that when he was returning to the camp, he saw the body of the missing boy. The bear bit off his head and gnawed at the body.

Later, state inspectors found out that a bear had attacked people. She behaved very aggressively, tracking down people who were looking for her, and tried to attack them. They reported that Yegor inflicted severe wounds on the bear. And the management of the park said that the tragedy was partly the fault of the tourists, they decided to take a shortcut and walked not along the established path, but along the fir grove, where bears could be.***

 

[Andrew LB]

I've got a few great spyderco knives but the best knife I own is definitely my Emerson. Emerson are made right here in Southern California And are so highly regarded among the Military and special forces that the tactical knife carried by the SEAL that killed Bin Laden was an Emerson CQC-7. they are known for a "book" on the backside of the blade called the "wave feature" which is made to catch the edge of your pocket and flip open faster than any spring loaded or other opening method. Be warned though, they are very expensive knives.
/edit Apparently some of the newer spyderco knives license Emersons wave feature, which is awesome for those wanting such a great feature in a more affordable knife.

 

[Icefalkon]

Spyderco Para 3 S30V steel all the way.

 

[old4570]

The best ?
I have a $10 knife that kicks a $100+ knife to the curb ..
The knife market is a bag of fertilizer .. Especially when cheap knives kick the capital C out of expensive knives .

The best knife ? The one you like .
There is nothing out there I would personally guarantee ..
Most knives are bolted together really nice these days .
What it comes down to is the quality of the blade steel .
And the only way to know for sure , is to test the knife .
Or as they say , ignorance is bliss !
Most people are happy with
A) How the knife looks
B) How the knife feels
C) How the knife is bolted together

Performance for most people does not enter the equation .
The best knife ? Is the knife that your happy with .
For me , Im happy with performance and un happy with poor performance . ( But thats just me )

 

[Owen]

No such thing as "best", but the Delica 4 ruined other folders for me. Sold off the customs, large and small Sebenzas, Benchmades(though I wouldn't mind having my blue 940s and 940Ti back), other Spydercos, everything.
Crappy pic, but it's good as new after however many years. I originally bought the FFG green micarta version when it first came out, then a black FRN one that disappeared from my work bag, and was immediately replaced with the FFG gray FRN.
Since I don't have a lot of heavy knife use any more, the Delica is an ideal EDC.
Just disassembled and cleaned it for the first time in quite a while today. With some metal polish and elbow grease, even what I thought was permanent discoloration of the blade came out.

I like the Paramilitary, too, and am thinking about a PM2. When the original PM came out, I griped about the tip-down only clip(which I came to prefer), and used a Dremel tool to reshape the scales. Also ground that needle tip at an angle so it'd be more robust.
Posted that stuff on Bladeforums and/or Spyderco's forum back then. Who knew Spyderco would make my PM with the recontoured handles and a 4 way clip(PM2), and give the Delica and Endura my tip treatment?!? Always thought that was pretty cool.

My original PM had more lockbar movement/wear than I wanted, and got torture tested, which left me well impressed with the knife as a whole and the reliability of the lock, so the PM2 is an almost automatic choice for me if I do decide to get something more robust than the Delica.
Kinda liking that brown one with S35VN...

 

[Lumen83]

My EDC rotates about 5 different knives depending on how I am dressing or what I am doing. However, nothing for me feels, cuts, carries, or is aesthetically pleasing as the Spyderco Kapara. I love my Delicas, PM2s, Spydiechefs, and a whole other assortment of knives. But the Kapara does it all and does almost all of it better than the others. It also seems to disappear while carrying and is extremely lightweight. What an amazing knife.

 

[bigburly912]

I'm kind of partial right now to my Hellize Tinker's Folder. It's great for all those important tasks like rolling up shop towels and cutting them in half or even denim! Man makes amazing tools, locks, lock boxes, treasure chests, rings, axes as well. Check him out.

Csizmar Szilard

 

[3_gun]

As a brand I usually start with Cold Steel as over time I've found them to make the best cost vs function knives, thru years of trail & error. Yes they have over the top junk in the line up but that isn't the whole story, if you look past the hype. Better knives are made but they are much more expensive & often harder to get. At this point in my life I might not live long enough to get off the wait list & even if I did I doubt I'd get to use it for long .. here's hoping I'm wrong LOL

 

[The Hawk]

Another vote for Cold Steel. I have owned several Cold Steel knives, both fixed blade and folders. Never had one fail me.

 

[chip100t]

I have a few expensive locking folders but they never see much use due to British law. But around the house when I need a knife for non cooking related jobs I keep a tenacious handy and i can't fault it. It is a good size, locks up solid, holds an edge well enough and easily takes a new one if not with my lansky turnbox.
And being a fraction of the cost of some of my other knives I don feel the need to treat it with kid gloves.

 

[Nimitz68]

I own several Pena X-Series front flipper knives in different blade styles and configurations. I absolutely recommend these knives for quality, style, and pocket carry as the blades are less than three inches in length and they meet all US state carry laws as far as I know.

 

[parang]

My top four folders are the Spyderco Chaparral, Native, Native Chief and the Military. I have three to five of each. I rotate my collection with the seasons. The Chris Reeve knives are a recent addition.

Summer EDC: Chaparral, Native, Sage 1, Para 3, Dragonfly.

Winter EDC: Military, Native Chief, Manix 2, Doug Ritter RSK.

Shoulder seasons: GB2, PM2, Sebenza, Inkosingo, Swayback, Spydiechef.

Dress: Small Sebenza, Buck/Mayo TNT, Fluted Ti Native, Fluted Ti Military.

I supplement with SAKs: Cadet, Pioneer, Explorer, Rambler.

Yard work, beach: Spyderco Salts with serrated edges in H1 and LC200N: Dragonfly, Tasman 2, Native, Caribbean sheepfoot.

Multitool: Victorinox Spirit.

Disposable: Opinel #9.

 

[Modernflame]

I can't be monogamous with knives. As soon as I say the best folding knife is "X," I'm allured by another brand. I've done something insane. I've bought far more knives than I need and very expensive equipment to keep them sharp. I did something quite similar with flashlights a few years ago, then settled on two or three things that make me happy. Will I settle down and marry a favorite knife? Or will I keep playing the field? Time will tell but I'm having fun!

 

[kreisl]

then settled on two or three things that make me happy. Will I settle down and marry a favorite knife? Or will I keep playing the field? Time will tell but I'm having fun!

i married settled and hope that i stick with the choices since i am happy and stopped looking further.
flashlight: olight Smini Ti, fenis hm61r, nietcore TM15. (all others stay in armoire)
charger: MC3000. (all others are like new, stay in storage)
sharpening: RRS. (204MF and others only when RRS is inappropriate)
actual EDC: Quark Tool, Ultratac K18 SS w/ 10440; both ride on my key ring. honestly, no full knife. and unfortunately no cap lifter bottle opener *sigh*. (other EDC items stay retired)
knife: select utility knives for work (Milwaukee, Utilizer 2.0, Stanley Interlock), small stout folders for *un *ood *arry (Fox Suru, Ace Riv). (all others stay in armoire, what a waste of $$$ tbh)

Most of these items ive already reviewed on dis folum, cheers!