3" Or Under, Drop-Point Recurve Folder?

EDCeeker

EDCeeker

Joined
Apr 9, 2006
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732
Camillus' CUDA EDC really caught my eye. Unfortunately, it's only available in AUS 8 now, so I'm still lookin'.

Ideally, I'd like something in a 3", or slightly less, drop-point, slight recurve, in 154CM, ATS34 or VG10 steel. I like frame-locks, particularly Ti frame-locks, but have no particular bias against any lock, handle type, handle material, etc.

The Benchmade 14210 comes darn close, and I wouldn't mind trying an axis-lock, but I prefer to carry tip-down, blade-in.

The Benchmade Mini Skirmish looks to be nearly perfect, but the blade is far longer than I want and I think I'd prefer to avoid S30V. (That pocket clip doesn't look particularly beefy, either.)

The Kershaw Boa comes close, and I wouldn't mind giving an AO knife a try, but the blade's longer than I want and I'm not sure about the 440V.

What else might I look at?

Thanks!
 
If you like the 14210 (which doesn't have a recurve really), then you'll probably like the Mini-Grip as phil000 suggested. Very good size folder. The handle feels plasticy and cheap, but AXIS is very smooth.

Oh, also, the Boas no longer come in 440V. Kershaw switched all their 440V/S60V knives to S30V since 440V is no longer available. But if you buy online, the store may have some 440V still in stock, so just ask which you'll get if you decide to go with a Kershaw.

I love recurve blades myself, and I also looked around for a sub-3" recurve folder in similar steels, but I couldn't find any without going custom. If you don't mind custom, take a look at Matsuoka knives...his Mejiro is very nice, but way out of my price range. It comes with a 2.75" recurve blade (blade shape looks similar to a Kershaw Baby Boa, which is my favorite recurve blade shape). I've decided to get a Kershaw Mini Mojo since its blade is 2.38" (<3") and feels very good in hand. It only uses 440A steel tho, but I haven't had a prob with the 440A on my other Kershaws (tho, I would prefer one of the steels you mentioned also).
 
EDCeeker

I may be able to help you out with the 154cm Cuda EDC

pm me if interested
 
7k7k99 said:
EDCeeker

I may be able to help you out with the 154cm Cuda EDC

pm me if interested
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I'm interested, but one needs to be at least a "basic" member to PM. How about I email you via the site's "send email" function?
 
7k7k99 said:
that'll work, that is what I meant

just click on my ID and send email
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On the way.

Please note the "aggressive anti-spam" warning and let me know via the
web form if your reply gets rejected. Or follow-up here.

Thanks!
 
I liked the BM 14210 so much that I used the first one and bought a second for just in case. The textured G10 is about perfect. Some have said it is too slick, but I haven't found that to be the case. 2.95 inches is the blade length I believe. It would fit your description very well.
 
JSR said:
If you like the 14210 (which doesn't have a recurve really),
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Actually, it does. Just a slight one, but it's there. Even Benchmade thinks so. Go to the product page and note it has a link to "find more modified drop point with recurve."

JSR said:
then you'll probably like the Mini-Grip as phil000 suggested. Very good size folder. The handle feels plasticy and cheap, but AXIS is very smooth.
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Has neither the blade shape nor the carry orientation I desire. And while I wouldn't shun an axis-lock if all else was what I wanted, I will say it's probably one of my least-favourite locks.

JSR said:
Oh, also, the Boas no longer come in 440V. Kershaw switched all their 440V/S60V knives to S30V since 440V is no longer available. But if you buy online, the store may have some 440V still in stock, so just ask which you'll get if you decide to go with a Kershaw.
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Not sure if that's an improvement or not. Thanks for the heads-up.

JSR said:
I love recurve blades myself, and I also looked around for a sub-3" recurve folder in similar steels, but I couldn't find any without going custom. If you don't mind custom, take a look at Matsuoka knives...his Mejiro is very nice, but way out of my price range.
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Customs are definitely out of the question--for that very reason.

JSR said:
I've decided to get a Kershaw Mini Mojo since its blade is 2.38" (<3") and feels very good in hand. It only uses 440A steel tho, but I haven't had a prob with the 440A on my other Kershaws (tho, I would prefer one of the steels you mentioned also).
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No offense intended, but those spring-loaded catch mechanisms in the blade strike me as Very Wrong--a gimmick and a malfunction just waiting to happen.

Wow. It's looking like Camillus is the only knife manufacturer to have made a knife meeting my specifications. To bad they didn't make many of them and the company's probably going bye-bye.
 
If you're willing to try out the benchmade 10210 (mini-ambush), it's under 3" has a pretty pimp lock (rolling lock) and has the slightest of recurves and a big bowie style curve at the front (thought not a single picture shows it...), however it only has AUS-8 steel...thought by now you've probably decided, so tell us what did you get?!
 
EDCeeker said:
No offense intended, but those spring-loaded catch mechanisms in the blade strike me as Very Wrong--a gimmick and a malfunction just waiting to happen.
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EDCeeker, IMO..... AUS8 is a fine steel. It's not AUS6 or 440A. It's actually pretty decent stuff. Also, the assisted opening is no gimmick. When thousands among thousands of knives across most of the major companies use them, not too mention at least two extremely well regarded custom makers, Darrel Ralph and Ken Onion, you can hardly call it a gimmick. And as far as malfunctions go, well....... You can get killed by a coconut falling from a palm tree. Does that mean that you're going to avoid visiting beaches and islands?
 
phil000 said:
If you're willing to try out the benchmade 10210 (mini-ambush), it's under 3" has a pretty pimp lock (rolling lock) and has the slightest of recurves and a big bowie style curve at the front (thought not a single picture shows it...),
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But it's tip-up only. I guess that's the thing with axis-lock: No way to mount the clip on the pivot end w/o getting in the way of the lock.

That being said: I do plan on having an axis-lock of some type, some day.

phil000 said:
however it only has AUS-8 steel...
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Yeah. If I was willing the settle for AUS 8 (actually, I am), I would've just picked up a CUDA EDC in AUS 8 right off.

phil000 said:
thought by now you've probably decided, so tell us what did you get?!
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Oh... heh. Yeah, I guess I could've said something, eh?

Well, as luck (and persistence) would have it: I found a NIB Camillus CUDA EDC up for auction on eBay :). Won the auction. Been carrying the knife for about a week and a half.
 
Walking Man said:
EDCeeker, IMO..... AUS8 is a fine steel. It's not AUS6 or 440A. It's actually pretty decent stuff.
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No argument there. But if I could find what I wanted in one of my favourite steels, that's what I would do.

Walking Man said:
Also, the assisted opening is no gimmick.
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I was referring to the spring-loaded lock in the blade. As I originally wrote: No offense intended. Maybe it's really a wonderful thing. But it just strikes me a gimmicky and failure-prone.

As far as Kershaw's AO: I handled a Chive at a local shop several months ago. I liked it. In fact: I really, really liked it. I believe it'll be on my Christmas wish list. I think it'll make a great "gentleman's folder" for infrequent occasions on which I'm dressed up.

Walking Man said:
And as far as malfunctions go, well....... You can get killed by a coconut falling from a palm tree.
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/me looks out at the falling snow...

Not bloody likely :D

Walking Man said:
Does that mean that you're going to avoid visiting beaches and islands?
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Not at all. But I might seek to avoid camping under palm trees.

C'mon, what's this forum for if not to discuss the pro's and con's of the various knife technologies. And if everything (steels, locks, handle materials, finishes, etc.) should be just as acceptable as everything else, there'd hardly be any point, no?
 
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