$650 folder suggestions for hard use work in the woods?

O

olybears57

Joined
Aug 25, 2013
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Hey guys, recently scored a Hinderer from 50 sold at retail to civilians recently, but it just isn't for me. I'm selling it, and am trying to figure out what to get to replace it.. A little about me-I work for the Washington Conservation corps building trails in the mountains of Washington state for a living, I'm also in SAR and an avid backpacker and whitewater rafter. I'll be using this blade to cut a LOT of plant material- blackberry, holly, scotchbroom, hardwoods for making stakes (to use to reinforce waterbar drains on trail). I'll probably also be using it for various fire building work (nothing abusive there don't worry... I have ESEE's for that :). I live in the PNW, and its quite wet here most of the year, so a semi stainless or better would be nice, but if the knife has a sweeet carbon steel, I'm all ears. I also dig flippers, smooooooooth actions, and high fit and finish (or else I'd just be using a production) I also want something that is going to last long enough to hand down to grandchildren (and I'm 18 now).

CRK, Strider, and Hinderer are out.

Thanks a lot guys, I know it's a tall order, but I'm sure you guys can help me out!
Thanks in advance,
Ian
 
Why are CRK, Strider, and Hinderer out? For that price range thats perfect for what youre asking. And i dont have a doubt they'll last a lifetime. So since CRK, Strider, and Hinderer are out, does that mean you want custom?
 
Stoney26 said:
Why are CRK, Strider, and Hinderer out? For that price range thats perfect for what youre asking. And i dont have a doubt they'll last a lifetime. So since CRK, Strider, and Hinderer are out, does that mean you want custom?
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Agreed, that was my thought.
 
The only knife in that price range that I could personally recommend through experience would be the Zero Tolerance 0560CBCF. S110V is an amzing steel, but since it IS a Hinderer design you may not approve. Although it does feature a ball-bearing pivot and a flipper. I have had mine for a little while and put it through some hard use work, and it has done great.
 
I disagree with your choice of a folding knife for hard work in the woods. There are better tools for that. But, hey, it's your money.
 
Save your money and get a cold steel Tri AD or a Demko if you can find one in your price range.

Think less about how much you want to spend and get a couple at 200$ and you will have a new one to hand down with the used one.

AK-47
Benchmade Adamas
ZT 0561 or 0550
Spyderco Tuff
 
$650 for hard use in the woods? Use it to make a mortgage payment (that's a little less than what mine costs a month!) and pick up a BK-16!
 
Mine have yet to be gunked up after outdoor use. Although I guess if you dropped it into a river bank you'd need to clean some silt out of the knife, same as any other.
 
Strider is out because i have one, CRK is out because I've handled them and don't particularly care for them, and hinderer is out because I have one, and am selling it. (because in my opinion, its only slightly better than a zt 560.)

I realize fixed blades are better for hard use. The problem is the way I work, its very uncomfortable to either have the knife strapped to my hip as i work or IWB (Its usually raining, and I don't want to go through like 4 layers to get to my knife everytime I want to use it.) Carrying it in my pack is also out, as I work with the pack on, and don't have the time to take it off and put it on everytime I have to cut something. I need something I can pull out of my pocket, use, and put back in my pocket easily and quickly, without worrying about it coming out as I hike, kneel, work, etc. It is too cumbersome for me to run a fixed blade with my job. I have various sized fixed blades, with various carry options, and have tried them all at work and have been frustrated with all of them.

Another part of my reason for going with an EXPENSIVE hard use folder, is I want something I can also carry when I'm at home or in town, that has exceptional quality, action, fit and finish, and is sexy. Something that will wear well, and look sexier as it ages and gets more scratches. Otherwise, like I said, I'd be using an axis lock bm, a compression spydie, or a tri ad cold steel which I could beat the hell out of. I want a hard use tool and a work of art.
 
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I bought a 3.5 " Kershaw Tension made for Cabela's that is build like a tank for $20.00. If I don't lose it it will outlast me. Thats a big "if" therefore I don't EDC it as $ for $ it's one one of the best values I own. Every pocket clip knife I've carried for any length of time I've eventually lost jumping off of tractors and dragging other stuff out of the same pocket.
The thought of carrying a $100.00 plus knife would be a another worry I don't need, like carrying a loose $100.00 bill in my pocket every day knowing one day one day it won't be there. Same with a knife. If they carry well you don't know it's there and one day it won't be.
It sounds like you lead an active life. At $100 to $650.00 a pop I'm afraid that will be an expensively painful realization lesson by the time you reach retirement. Kershaw Blur for the win.
 
If you're wanting a tank of a knife for outdoorsy stuff, you should take a look at the Wildsteer WX folder. If the design doesn't put you off, it could be perfect for your needs at only half the price. It's got a unique locking system that appears to be stronger than anything else out there. It's basically a fixed blade when locked open. Wildsteer sells it as a bowhunters knife, so you know it's designed and meant for outdoor and woods use. A member (or ex-member? Haven't seen him recently) here named blackforestghost did a hard use review of it. It seemed to handle the stuff you want a knife to handle quite well.
 
I'm sure a really nice custom or semi-custom could be had for that amount of money. I'm happy in 'hard use folder' land w/ a Three Sisters Forge 'Beast' at half that amount, even though I own more expensive folders more often used for EDC. I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions on the forum. As always, it will be what YOU like and what fits YOUR needs that is most important. Lots of folks succumb to the 'style du jour', feeding their egos in campfire and computer screen alliances, only to jump ship and swap brand allegiance later. It seems to me you've got plenty of time to aquire an heirloom knife for your descendents. Good luck!
 
olybears57 said:
Hey guys, recently scored a Hinderer from 50 sold at retail to civilians recently, but it just isn't for me. I'm selling it, and am trying to figure out what to get to replace it.. A little about me-I work for the Washington Conservation corps building trails in the mountains of Washington state for a living, I'm also in SAR and an avid backpacker and whitewater rafter. I'll be using this blade to cut a LOT of plant material- blackberry, holly, scotchbroom, hardwoods for making stakes (to use to reinforce waterbar drains on trail). I'll probably also be using it for various fire building work (nothing abusive there don't worry... I have ESEE's for that :). I live in the PNW, and its quite wet here most of the year, so a semi stainless or better would be nice, but if the knife has a sweeet carbon steel, I'm all ears. I also dig flippers, smooooooooth actions, and high fit and finish (or else I'd just be using a production) I also want something that is going to last long enough to hand down to grandchildren (and I'm 18 now).

CRK, Strider, and Hinderer are out.

Thanks a lot guys, I know it's a tall order, but I'm sure you guys can help me out!
Thanks in advance,
Ian
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Hi olybeard57! IMHO, you are asking too many things of one knife. But I admire your enthusiam and envisioned attributes you are looking for in a knife. There are a lot of well made knives out there that fit some or even many of your needs. Some have already been mentioned and no doubt more will be.

But for your intended use, I think you will be disappointed by the long term durability of nearly any folding knife, plus the eventual loss of any superb craftmanship in fit and finish. A new car is only new when you drive it off the lot. And a new knife is only new until it's first use. It will soon acquire dents, scratches and dings. It will get dirty and the grime will work itself into the deepest recesses accelerating wear of sliding and rotating parts.

Another factor is how long the knife will actually be yours. I can tell you from experience that any knife you can own can be lost, stolen or destroyed. These are the main reasons I would advise against putting a lot of money into a working knife, considering that you will not be the only one with access to your gear. For the intended years - long enough to pass it down to children twenty years from now.

For a durable knife that comes closest to your needs, a tool of your trade, I suggest that you consult with an actual cutlery designer. There are several of note who frequent this site. Ethan Becker is one. Phil Gibbs is another. Both are very approachable and would be more than happy to give you their honest recommendations even and especially if it is of a knife they have no stake in, but know and admire the design from an engineering standpoint.

One other item, I don't understand how a fixed blade would be less accessable than a folder. It seems to me that acessability is more of a function of how/where a knife is carred than whether it is fixed or folding.

Good luck in your search!

Michael
 
Why do you want something new over your strider for hardwork? They seem like a good choice... Plenty of steels, grinds, and handle styles to choose from. The massive pivots, blade stock, and warranty make seem more ideal for the task at hand. The only mid-techs/customs i can think of that would work for your price point are VECP's(hard to find) and medford knife and tool praetorian G's(decent wait time).
 
A Demko custom with the Tri-Ad?

I'll admit, the two ideas, "expensive folder" and "working in the woods" don't compute to me. Working in the woods, sure that requires a beefy knife, but I'd go for a cheap beefy knife (Rajah 2?) and then have a nice expensive folder for carrying when I wasn't in the woods.

Actually the Rajah 1, with its full aluminium frame would look pretty nice but they're hard to come by since Cold Steel discontinued them and to be honest, although the frame is extremely strong, the steel would require regular sharpening given the work you describe it doing.

A completely insane idea, get a Rajah 1, then ask Demko to make a custom blade for it in M4.
 
olybears57 said:
It's more how you use it than how "tough, fancy, etc" is it. It's more likely that you'll lose it or break it. The point is, take care of your tools, use them for what they're made for and they'll last just about forever. Any of the name brand knives will last a life time if used correctly and taken care of.

What is it that you're going to do anyway? Building trails is done better with long handled tools and chain saws ;)

EDIT
I spent a summer "parking out" some woods once, up on Orcas Island, which is in the extreme North West corner of Washington state. I didn't really need a folder much, I used my big folders to lop the heads off of stinging nettles (it's easier to just step on the though), and to mark logs to cut at 20' lengths. But that's about it.
I got a lot more work out of my machete, chain saw, shovel and rake.

What do the other guys at work carry? If the answer to that question doesn't matter, then you don't need the knife for work. You ought to just buy whatever you want and leave the "woodsman" part out of it.
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