A knife for all seasons.

Carlos

Carlos

Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Messages
1,654
If you could imagine one optimal knife, well suited to 95% + of all your daily cuting tasks, what would it look like?

Blade shape, grind, and length? Steel? Hole size? Edge type?

Lock type? Targetted lock strength?

Handle style and materials? Handle thickness? Clip style and positioning?

Weight?

Realistically (compared to anything similar in the market), how much do you think it would cost (MSRP)?
 
Well the Native Lightweight S30V PE is very close to "ideal" for me just as it comes. Blade shape and grind are great. Handle fits my hand perfectly, offers great traction and is easy to clean. Lockback and reversible clip make it great for a lefty. Clip removes without leaving unsightly holes in the handle. Hollow clip mounting screw makes it easy to install a lanyard if that is your pleasure. When closed, there are no sharp edges anywhere on blade or handle to wear out your pockets and the fully enclosed back minimizes the possiblilty of foreign objects contacting the blade, if you choose to remove the clip. Have no clue as to how lock strength is measured, but I can't think of any use I have ever put any knife I have owned to where I would be afraid to use the Native for fear of failure.

If I could change anything it would be to slightly increase the depth of the finger groove closest to the pivot, so that the entire hole was exposed when the blade is closed. Not talking a lot of material here, so don't think there would be an adverse impact on the strength of the handle. Also think the knife would look a tad prettier if the top grinds were continued back until they just merged with the spine of the blade. Mind you, neither of these very minor points would stop me from buying another one, or from recommending one to anyone else, they would just make a great knife even better for me.
 
Flat grind
Good belly
3.5-3.75"
(I'm no steel expert)
Large thumbhole
Plainedge
Liner Lock
G-10 scales

Um, sounds like a millie!
 
I think the upcoming Chinook II, ATR, and Dodo all fit my bill for ideal. Possible exception being adding a tip-down carry option on the ATR.
 
Carlos,
I'm close to The Deacon on this one.
I like the 3" spearpoint blade hollow grind although a full flat grind may 'look' less aggressive. I have 440V and VG10, I feel these and S30V would all be fine. 3MM blade, 12mm hole, and the 80/20 CE. I really like the integral lock of my Ti Salsa, but for 95% of the time a lockback is fine and lefty friendly. Handle, I like the current shape. It wider than the calypso Jr., which has a similarly sized blade. I prefer G10 over FRN for the feel. Also I like the flat 3mm scales vs the Native III's. For clip I like Tip-up and wire. The wire clip is less noticeable in an office environment. I actually moved my Native III clip to my FRN native. The clip wasn’t flat on both wires against the scale, but it worked. I only changed it back so my son could take it on a scout trip to Yosemite (He’s there right now).
Weight, what it is today. MSRP, I don't know. But I would pay a more for a G10 vs FRN.
My 2cents US.
Chris
 
FB05 temp with a 4.0" blade, choil, full tang, and g-10 handle... vg-10, moran(convex) edge.

Pretty much a FB millie, with a rounder handle.
 
If we're talking about a folder, it would look just exactly like the Military model, except that it would be "lefty-friendly" (ambidextrious clip), it would have a back-lock rather than a liner-lock, the steel would be VG-10, and it would have dual steel liners.

If we're talking fixed-blade, it would be just like my Gerber Yari, only larger.
 
I use my Delica for 95% of my cutting tasks and I do have a few great Spydies to choose from, believe me (Native included). I'm not sure I'd change much to the Delica. Maybe a full flat ground but then why not pick a Calypso jr. ?
If the Lil'T would weight less than those 4.25 oz, I'd give it a try. It has that S30V steel, full flat ground, great ergonomics and that incredible lock. The size fits me and those G-10 handles are cool.
Though it complies to my idea of "good knife", the Military is too big for me (mostly because of sheeple reaction).

Now speaking of the ideal knife, it should have IMO a 2.5 ÷ 3" blade, 3 mm thick, pointy shape with a bit of belly (a la Millie), with hump and some texturing (not rough like the Chinook's or Native's, but rather like the Vesuvius') where the thumb rests, full flat ground, S30V steel (ZDP-189 or Hitachi Blue welcome :rolleyes:), hole size 12 or 13 mm, plain edge (for sharpening reasons mostly).
The lock could be a front lock or a compression one (non pinching type, he, he), heavy duty rated (or MBC if possible).
Linerles handles made out of G-10. Open construction with backspacers like the Shabaria or Military.
Ambidextrous clip, mounted at the very end of the handles so the knife would ride low in the pocket. Since the knife is linerless, the clip could be attached to a modified backspacer (somehow similar to the Mnandi).
Weight: the less, the better.
 
A big brother to the Dragonfly/Calypso Jr. (maybe you could name it Dragonfly Sr.).

Blade:
  • Calypso/Dragonfly leaf shaped with decent belly and non-threatening tip, ergonomically I love the thumb-rest and blade+handle finger choil;
  • flat ground (IMHO the best all around utility grind type);
  • total length 3-3.25, blade length 2.5-2.75", approx. halfway between Dragonfly and Calypso;
  • plain edge
  • hole size, don't know much about those but 12mm seems to work for me.
  • thickness, 3mm should be plenty strong enough and still give a good thin edge. Perhaps 2.5mm with a flat sabre grind would work as well.
  • steel, most preferred first: VG10, S30V, ATS-55
Lock Type:
  • Ambi friendly front lock although a compression or frame lock would also be acceptable.
  • lock strength, strong enough for normal use (not abuse).
Handle:
  • SS. Optionally Al to keep weight down.
  • Length around 4-4.5". 4.125" would be perfect.
  • Clip: Tip up is preferrable because of depth and lack of grip interference.
  • Did I mention that I love the smooth handle+blade choil ala Calypso Jr./Dragonfly? The Kiwi's may be too deep for proper strength.
  • Thickness: hmm, whatever the Endura II is at.
Weight:
  • Enough in the handle to easily do the "flick".
Cost: Depending on steel+handle, I'd expect between $60-$120. $150 wouldn't be out of the question but it would have to be close to perfect.

Edit: Forgot to add cost. And handle thickness. Edited to fix calypso vs. calypso jr confusion, duh. Now that I think of it, the calypso Jr. is pretty close to my ideal knife. Excuse me while I go buy another knife.
 
An endura, 3 1/2" blade, 70/30 serrations, or higher swedge, or flat grind, g-10, either the existing lock or compression.--Kind of the paramillie, but a little bit of a finger guard built in.--Joe
 
Gunting with S30V steel blade, preferably with a blade just UNDER 3 inches in order to be legal in more places than the current blades which are just OVER 3 inches.
 
A military exactly the same as the currant one except 20% smaller.
 
I'm with glockman99 on the slightly revised Military for a folder but the fixed blade it would be a small clip point bowie with 3.5 inch blade on the Ronin handle.

Pricing would be in the same range as the Millie and the Ronin.
 
Wanted to add Li'l Temperance with ambidextrous tip-down/tip-up option with everything else the same.
 
2.75"-3" blade, VG-10, good belly, classic drop point blade (Sebenza style) flat ground, convex edge, lanyard hole, tip up/down wire clip.
normal straight grey G-10 handles (no fancy shape), with nested liners and compression lock. Internet price around $100.

Sounds like the Paramilitary but I'm afraid the blade will be too pointy for me and the handle too big for the blade (from what I've heard...)

Ted
 
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