A lot of expensive knives, but what about cheap ones?

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

It, along with all Victorinox SAKs are very nice, inexpensive knives. Not to be laughed at, but certainly not because they "badass." They are the exact opposite of "badass."

They are well made, highly functional knives.

As is an Opinel. Which you, no doubt, could have bought for the amount of money you spent on that padded "tactical" case.

Get one of those. Get a Mercator. Get a Mora. Get a RAT 1. Get a Kabar Dozier Folding Hunter. etc etc etc.

You are currently buying "cheap", not "inexpensive."

Those are different things.

All of the knives beside the buck 119 were bought on sale, usually 50%. The padded "tactical" case is a gun case which i bought to just store my stuff in

 

[jc57]

If you are buying an expensive knife to "be like one of [us] guys" that seems to me to be a poor justification. My most often carried and used pocket knives range in cost from $10 to $80.

Buy whatever you want and can afford comfortably, but don't waste your time trying to impress the Internet.

 

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

If you are buying an expensive knife to "be like one of [us] guys" that seems to me to be a poor justification. My most often carried and used pocket knives range in cost from $10 to $80.

Buy whatever you want and can afford comfortably, but don't waste your time trying to impress the Internet.

The endura and delica are just beautiful. I could just say i own them to impress someone.

 

[marcinek]

All of the knives beside the buck 119 were bought on sale, usually 50%. The padded "tactical" case is a gun case which i bought to just store my stuff in

Yes. They are "cheap" but of low quality. You could have spent the same amount and gotten much higher quality.

And then you spent more money to buy a tactical padded gun case to put low quality knives in and protect them.

You could spend your knife money much more wisely and efficiently.

Read more.

 

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

Yes. They are "cheap" but of low quality. You could have spent the same amount and gotten much higher quality.

And then you spent more money to buy a tactical padded gun case to put low quality knives in and protect them.

You could spend your knife money much more wisely and efficiently.

Read more.

I got those knives before i had a job so i didnt even save money back then. I dont want to order anything online because i dont know what it will feel like in my hand

 

[marcinek]

The endura and delica are just beautiful. I could just say i own them to impress someone.

They are great knives. Not "impressive" ones though. The folks here would find them a smart choice that all knife fans are aware of. Non-knife folks wont know, or care, what you are talking about.

It takes a lot to impress the folks here. And a lot of cash. But it doesn't take much money to make people here think you are smart and know your knives.

Read more.

 

[marcinek]

I got those knives before i had a job so i didnt even save money back then. I dont want to order anything online because i dont know what it will feel like in my hand

You are missing the point. People here are suggesting high quality knives you could have bought with the same money, so next time you can buy something good on your budget.

But you are rejecting many of the suggestions. Moras are badly designed, Opinels are round and would feel funny. I don't know what you are basing these rejections on.

Maybe you have enough experience to know why you don't like an Opinel or Mora ... but then it seems you would have enough experience to know what the good, budget knives are.

And if you don't have the experience (and everyone here didn't at some time), then listen to the suggestions you are asking for and read more.

I'm outta this thread. Good day. :thumbup:

 

[22-rimfire]

Don't concern yourself with impressing anyone here on BF. Get what makes sense for you and your situation. The Vic Trekker is a good knife. I have two actually (camo and red). For me, it's something I toss in my day pack as it's too thick to pocket carry and I usually have a fixed blade with me in the woods on my belt.

 

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

Don't concern yourself with impressing anyone here on BF. Get what makes sense for you and your situation. The Vic Trekker is a good knife. I have two actually (camo and red). For me, it's something I toss in my day pack as it's too thick to pocket carry and I usually have a fixed blade with me in the woods on my belt.

Yea when i go to the woods i al2ay have a fixed blade on my belt too. Either the new 119 or the gerber moment

 

[Czechmate]

$20 bucks at a flea market for this Tramontina; helluva knife for the money and I'd take it over a BK2 any day (I have both FWIW.)

Crappy sheath but still functional and this thing has more blade length, chops better, and is easier to carry due to the thinner blade stock. Still roughly .200 thick though. Holds a great edge too and rust has been a non-issue. :thumbup:

Tram has definitely been a brand I've grown to enjoy; I have five knives by them and might have $100.00 invested in the lot of them LOL. :thumbup:

I still regret passing on the crate of $4.00 dollar Tram machetes back in the day; I could have had a lifetime supply... :foot:

 

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

$20 bucks at a flea market for this Tramontina; helluva knife for the money and I'd take it over a BK2 any day (I have both FWIW.)

Crappy sheath but still functional and this thing has more blade length, chops better, and is easier to carry due to the thinner blade stock. Still roughly .200 thick though. Holds a great edge too and rust has been a non-issue. :thumbup:

Tram has definitely been a brand I've grown to enjoy; I have five knives by them and might have $100.00 invested in the lot of them LOL. :thumbup:

I still regret passing on the crate of $4.00 dollar Tram machetes back in the day; I could have had a lifetime supply... :foot:

Brazilian, cool. I have one, a hunting knife

 

[Seriousbladeno1]

My regular cheap user knife is Ontario Spec Plus fighter, about 50 bucks knife, but ideal for many utility tasks in the woods 1095 carbon steel, holding well

 

[killgar]

Long post. I was going to start my own thread, but I think this thread is right on topic.

Awhile ago a member here (Twiki) posted a pic of a fixed-blade with characteristics that caught my eye. This is a rare event because I'm rather particular about what I like, and I rarely see it. The knife was a Master Cutlery MU-1132, an inexpensive knife made in China (it says "USA" under the company logo, but "Made in China") on the other side of the blade).

I did some online searching and the dimensions were exactly what I look for in a fixed-blade- 10 3/4" OAL, 5 1/4" blade length, 3/16" thick blade. The prices for the knife varied, with the highest being a little over $30. Amazon had it for $19, and I do a lot of shopping there, so I added it to my "wish list", but I wasn't in any hurry to buy it.

The prices on Amazon often go up and down. One day while checking the prices on my wish list I saw that the knife was $10. A few days later it was $9. When it dropped to $8.50 I said "Well hell, now I HAVE to buy it". I had no idea what the quality of the knife would be, or if it would be a piece of junk, but I figured for $8.50 I could easily afford to find out.

Here's a pic of the knife (minus the sheath).

My initial impression was that it felt good in my hand, provided an excellent grip (like my hand is locked onto it), and it appeared to be well-made. The blade was straight, the grinds were even, the G10 handles felt good and were mated well to the tang. It's a full-tang knife, which is one of the things that appealed to me. Here's a pic without the handles. The fact that the handles are held on with screws and can be easily removed is another detail that appealed to me.

Naturally I wanted to know how the knife would perform. I wasn't interested in owning something that just looked like a knife, I wanted something that would serve my needs as a knife. I was happy with the fit and finish, next I wanted to know what kind of edge it would take, and what kind of edge-retention it had.

The knife came with a sharp, mostly finely ground edge (slight hollow grind), but the edge near the tip is thicker. After a few strokes with a fine hone the edge was hair-popping sharp. I have no idea what steel it's made of, I can't find that information, it's listed only as "stainless steel"

To test edge-retention I marked off a two inch section of the edge, then I used that section to make 12 cuts through a strip of tanned, full-grain cowhide 1/2" wide and 3/16" thick. After the 12 cuts the edge would easily shave hair. It was no longer hair-popping sharp, but I was satisfied. Now I'm not suggesting that this test represents the most definitive edge-retention testing method possible, but it was good enough for me. That leather is very tough stuff and will dull a blade pretty quick.

After performing that test I immediately ordered a second knife before the price went back up. Then I performed a few mods to make one of the knives more to my liking. I ground the false edge flat to convert the spear-point into a clip-point, and I removed the lanyard loop.

I regularly carry a fixed-blade, and I like the fixed-blade I carry to serve as both a cutting tool and a prybar. The fb I've been carrying for almost a decade has served me well in both of those roles, so I set out to test the prying capabilities of the Master knife. I took the knife to a job site where I have a crew remodeling a house, and I used the knife to pry some 3/4" thick plywood sheets away from the wall studs that they were nailed to. This required some hard prying, and normally I would use a real prybar, but I wanted to test my knife. The knife handled the task with no problem. The blade didn't break, and it didn't bend.

I followed that test with batonning the blade through some 3/4" rope. Again, no damage done to the knife (other than dulling the edge a bit).

I'm very happy with the knife. The sheath that came with it is crap, but as soon as I get around to making a new one I'm going to make this knife my new regular-carry fixed-blade. It's the best $8.50 I ever spent.

Here's a pic of the Master Cutlery with my current regular-carry fixed-blade I mentioned, a Wilson Tactical model 25 (that cost $300).

Sometimes a "cheap" knife can really surprise you and serve you well.

 

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

Long post. I was going to start my own thread, but I think this thread is right on topic.

Awhile ago a member here (Twiki) posted a pic of a fixed-blade with characteristics that caught my eye. This is a rare event because I'm rather particular about what I like, and I rarely see it. The knife was a Master Cutlery MU-1132, an inexpensive knife made in China (it says "USA" under the company logo, but "Made in China") on the other side of the blade).

I did some online searching and the dimensions were exactly what I look for in a fixed-blade- 10 3/4" OAL, 5 1/4" blade length, 3/16" thick blade. The prices for the knife varied, with the highest being a little over $30. Amazon had it for $19, and I do a lot of shopping there, so I added it to my "wish list", but I wasn't in any hurry to buy it.

The prices on Amazon often go up and down. One day while checking the prices on my wish list I saw that the knife was $10. A few days later it was $9. When it dropped to $8.50 I said "Well hell, now I HAVE to buy it". I had no idea what the quality of the knife would be, or if it would be a piece of junk, but I figured for $8.50 I could easily afford to find out.

Here's a pic of the knife (minus the sheath).

My initial impression was that it felt good in my hand, provided an excellent grip (like my hand is locked onto it), and it appeared to be well-made. The blade was straight, the grinds were even, the G10 handles felt good and were mated well to the tang. It's a full-tang knife, which is one of the things that appealed to me. Here's a pic without the handles. The fact that the handles are held on with screws and can be easily removed is another detail that appealed to me.

Naturally I wanted to know how the knife would perform. I wasn't interested in owning something that just looked like a knife, I wanted something that would serve my needs as a knife. I was happy with the fit and finish, next I wanted to know what kind of edge it would take, and what kind of edge-retention it had.

The knife came with a sharp, mostly finely ground edge (slight hollow grind), but the edge near the tip is thicker. After a few strokes with a fine hone the edge was hair-popping sharp. I have no idea what steel it's made of, I can't find that information, it's listed only as "stainless steel"

To test edge-retention I marked off a two inch section of the edge, then I used that section to make 12 cuts through a strip of tanned, full-grain cowhide 1/2" wide and 3/16" thick. After the 12 cuts the edge would easily shave hair. It was no longer hair-popping sharp, but I was satisfied. Now I'm not suggesting that this test represents the most definitive edge-retention testing method possible, but it was good enough for me. That leather is very tough stuff and will dull a blade pretty quick.

After performing that test I immediately ordered a second knife before the price went back up. Then I performed a few mods to make one of the knives more to my liking. I ground the false edge flat to convert the spear-point into a clip-point, and I removed the lanyard loop.

I regularly carry a fixed-blade, and I like the fixed-blade I carry to serve as both a cutting tool and a prybar. The fb I've been carrying for almost a decade has served me well in both of those roles, so I set out to test the prying capabilities of the Master knife. I took the knife to a job site where I have a crew remodeling a house, and I used the knife to pry some 3/4" thick plywood sheets away from the wall studs that they were nailed to. This required some hard prying, and normally I would use a real prybar, but I wanted to test my knife. The knife handled the task with no problem. The blade didn't break, and it didn't bend.

I followed that test with batonning the blade through some 3/4" rope. Again, no damage done to the knife (other than dulling the edge a bit).

I'm very happy with the knife. The sheath that came with it is crap, but as soon as I get around to making a new one I'm going to make this knife my new regular-carry fixed-blade. It's the best $8.50 I ever spent.

Here's a pic of the Master Cutlery with my current regular-carry fixed-blade I mentioned, a Wilson Tactical model 25 (that cost $300).

Sometimes a "cheap" knife can really surprise you and serve you well.

I have seen a few Master USA knives at one store. That is not G10, I think it's Micarta, because all of the ones I have seen were Micarta. Great find.

 

[killgar]

I have seen a few Master USA knives at one store. That is not G10, I think it's Micarta, because all of the ones I have seen were Micarta. Great find.

It was advertised as G10. It could be micarta. I like both materials, so either way I'm happy .

 

[jc57]

Could be fiberglass epoxy-resin Micarta.

 

[THEJimmyN]

I'd check out a rat I/II. Or Spyderco persistence/tenacious for the ~$30 price range. Those were my first quality folders!

 

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

I'd check out a rat I/II. Or Spyderco persistence/tenacious for the ~$30 price range. Those were my first quality folders!

Do you still have the tenatious, I am interested in that too.

 

[ThePeacent]

I was very impatient to see your new FB since you said you intended to change your usual carry

I've been loving your pics and stories of the Wilson Tactical, and you really caught my attention when you said it was being replaced. Glad the newer one fits your EDC system at such a price!

Even though these cheap FB knives from Master Cutlery, United Cutlery, MTech etc. tend to be crap, there are some gems to be found (very few) among their offerings
In my case, it was this badass tacticool useles-serrations tanto. Strong, thick, sharp, holds reasonable edge...I use it for heavy chopping, prying, opening and bendong stuff and so. It's my cheapo sharpened prybar.

Nice post, Killgar, as usual. Have a nice day you all!

 

[Ragnar Lothbrok]

I was very impatient to see your new FB since you said you intended to change your usual carry

I've been loving your pics and stories of the Wilson Tactical, and you really caught my attention when you said it was being replaced. Glad the newer one fits your EDC system at such a price!

Even though these cheap FB knives from Master Cutlery, United Cutlery, MTech etc. tend to be crap, there are some gems to be found (very few) among their offerings
In my case, it was this badass tacticool useles-serrations tanto. Strong, thick, sharp, holds reasonable edge...I use it for heavy chopping, prying, opening and bendong stuff and so. It's my cheapo sharpened prybar.

Nice post, Killgar, as usual. Have a nice day you all!

I like your pants

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