a thread about folding knives

just lost 5 roundhouses to customs :(
so, yeah- no bearings, no flipper tab, no axis lock or button lock...
Ouch.

They tryin to go all England on your ass? Next thing you know, it'll be 'no knives with pointy tips'.
 
For myself, what I think I like best is a comfortable handle that is comfortable in a variety of grips. Since that is something that CPK does very well, I trust that the handle will be nice. However, I definitely find that liner locks feel better to me than frame locks.

I also like clean lines. I like something that looks sleek. As you know, I am a Harsey fan, but even with the Harseys it tends to be the sleeker, lighter, and more comfortable knives that get carried. Since this thread could use some pictures, here is a recent lineup of my folding Harseys.

View media item 5834If I had to pick my favorites from this lineup, they would probably be the T2 (#4 left to right), the Airframe (#5), the Impinda (#10), and the Air Ti (#11).

I actually don't know if the Gerber Icon (#2, an apt number) is officially a Harsey design, but it is certainly is Harsey inspired. But it lacks the elegance or execution to ever actually make it into my pocket. I am debating modding it since it was free to me anyway.
 
I prefer blades just under the 3.5” mark without a choil. There has not been much talk to grinds in this thread. Full flat at 1/8” works for me. Frame locks are my go to. Please, use hardware on the knife that makes it easy to work on, if needed.
 
For years I tried to break my Lockback Habit...but alas I still find a Spyderco Delica making it's way into my pocket. The Lockback design for me is about confidence that the mechanism is less prone to failure when blade is deployed. I want a knife that is easily disassembled for cleaning and maintenance without Voiding the Warranty. I was shocked when years ago I discovered that disassembly voided my Grayman warranty...WHAT...I also believe Spyderco has a disclaimer on this as well.
Flippers are popular and very reasonable to exclusive high end...Picked up a Civivi(WE Knives budget line)with amazing action super detent D2 Linerlock in the same size as a Spyderco Delica...time to torture test.
 
Specifically on topic for the thread, as far as my preferences go:

- Blade length
3.5" to 4" blade. Blade profiles obviously make a difference as the 4.1" ZT0452 doesn't feel as bulky as some 3.6" blades.

Had the ZT0300. Felt like a brick in my pocket. Recurve blade sucked for a lot of things. Thick, sharpened prybar profile sucked at slicing. This is why I'm excited about a CPK folder. You guys know how to design a robust blade that isn't a sharpened prybar.

I think 3.6" - 3.75" is the sweet spot. I prefer bigger blades, but IIRC, there are places with laws regarding blade lengths of 4" and up (there may be places with laws against blade lengths of 3" and up, but who the heck wants a folder with a 2.75" blade?).

As for blade shapes, I do like the general blade shapes of the FK and FK2, with the nod going to the FK1, as I like my folders to have a blade that can get a little stabby.

- Locking mechanism
Definitely prefer locking mechanisms that can be closed 1-handed. That's the sole reason I haven't EDC'ed a Cold Steel folder with their Triad lock: I can't easily close those safely 1-handed.

I do like the one Axis lock folder I've played with, mostly because I can close it while maintaining a firm grip AND keeping all my body parts out of the way of the closing blade.

When it comes to any of the other locking mechanism options, I don't really have a strong preference. I've used frame locks, liner locks and compression locks that I had no problems with.

- Opening/deploying the blade
My favorite of all the types I've tried, is the 'pocket catch' deployment (eg. Emerson Wave style deployment). It's simply the quickest deployment out there. As I understand it, Emerson is quite diligent about copyright infringement on the 'Wave', but I've also seen/tried folders that use an enlarged thumb plate to the same effect, which is convenient, as the thumb plate works for both the 'pocket catch deployment', as well as the thumb flick.

I have a few flippers. They're OK, but I'm not the biggest fan of those, for the same reason already mentioned here: they require more of a change in hand placement to deploy the blade without interference, vs the regrip after. I've found that this can be lessened with a grip that uses the crease of the first joint of my index finger to yank the flipper (as opposed to the fingertip).

I do have a Spyderco Paramilitary 2, so I've used the Spidey hole. It's actually not bad, but necessitates a blade to stick out enough to accommodate adding that hole. A good thumb plate design doesn't, and can also be deployed with gloves on, either by the pocket catch, or thumb flick.

- Pocket clip
This is another thing where small things matter. Deep carry clips are great for being unobstrusive (and please have the option for matte black clips. I wear dark/black pants a lot, and really dislike silver clips that stand out).

My favorite clips curve up enough at the very end, so that my favorite method of drawing the folder from the pocket, is to place the heel of my hand on the end of the knife, my thumb slides in the pocket to grab the knife while my index finger grabs that raised end of the clip to pull the knife out.

I've had knives where the end of the pocket clip wasn't raised enough to grab. With hardly any surface area to grab (especially if the clip had a pretty strong grip on the pocket), simply extracting the knife from the pocket was a chore.

The raised end also makes it a lot easier to slide over the edge of the pocket.

- Handles
Another area where CPK excels. I do like G10 scales on pocket knives. I also have a variety of knives with carbon fiber and titanium handles. Some of the smooth handles don't offer the best grip when wet. The best compromise I've used was microtextured G10. Grippy wet or dry without being overly aggressive/abrasive.
 
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Cleaver blade with flipper and CFiber scales? Woops...yall dont like flippers. Flippers are adult figit spinners.
 
This is obviously purely subjective and my opinion strictly. Before that though let me preface by saying that different scenarios call for different folding knives but here are some things I like across all sizes.

-slim in pocket in both thickness and width. A folding knife spends most its life in my pocket.

-not overly “ergonomic” handles that force your hand to hold the knife in certain grips. Personally i prefer relatively straight handles (Sebenza and Emerson cqc7 are good examples)

-a blade that has some straight portion so I can lay it flat on my stone. So the opposite of what I like are blades that are all belly and recurve.

-tip up carry option

-finally as a general rule I find 3.25 inch blade length to be ideal for an edc knife. Not too long that it will scare anyone but not too short that you wish you had a bigger knife.
This ^
Except that 3” is closer to my preferred limit and I often make do with less.
TBH, due to where I live and what I use a folding knife for (daily), I don’t expect to be in the target audience for the CPK folder - as much as I’d probably want one anyway.
Even my GB1 is still unused in its box. If I need anything for rougher use or a bigger project, I’d rather grab a fixed blade.
For me, at least, something like, for example, the TRM Neutron (3” FFG blade, .1” blade stock, .015” BTE in 20CV) looks as if it might tick all the boxes.
 
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- Pocket clip
This is another thing where small things matter. Deep carry clips are great for being unobstrusive (and please have the option for matte black clips. I wear dark/black pants a lot, and really dislike silver clips that stand out).

My favorite clips curve up enough at the very end, so that my favorite method of drawing the folder from the pocket, is to place the heel of my hand on the end of the knife, my thumb slides in the pocket to grab the knife while my index finger grabs that raised end of the clip to pull the knife out.

I've had knives where the end of the pocket clip wasn't raised enough to grab. With hardly any surface area to grab (especially if the clip had a pretty strong grip on the pocket), simply extracting the knife from the pocket was a chore.

The raised end also makes it a lot easier to slide over the edge of the pocket.

These are some excellent observations. Not obvious to the uninitiated and really important.
 
If I can shake it loose, we have a problem. I've had one folder stab me in the thigh. One!

I need to it to be able to resist opening while clipped to pocket and running at full speed.
 
If I can shake it loose, we have a problem. I've had one folder stab me in the thigh. One!

I need to it to be able to resist opening while clipped to pocket and running at full speed.
A folder that opened that easily, would definitely fail the NY test.
 
I work vocationally as one of those that this knife is designed for. I have been seeing a lot of good thoughts and preferences. I like the idea of essentially having a folder that is stout enough to function as a fixed blade. One handed operation is essential. So many knives have the thumb stud so close to your hand/the body of the knife that it requires great effort to open it with one hand. One handed opening should be fluid and second nature allowing the user to work quickly and easily without a thought, and then folding it back up should be the same. One thing that I personally would appreciate, is having a pronounced guard on it to help protect the users hands from slipping forward as well as to act as a bit of a standoff from whatever is being cut (sharp wood, pvc, plastics, etc).

This is what I am carrying currently:
Zero_Tolerance_0566_SE_Assisted_Folder_Knife_3.25in_Black_Plain_ELMAX_ZT0566BW_-_Back.jpg
 
These are some excellent observations. Not obvious to the uninitiated and really important.

Here is one the the great things about knives.

I can’t stand the flared up tip, it catches seatbelts and shell layers and can pull a knife right up out of your pocket.

IMO, It also makes a clip look cheap like it was stamped or water jet cut out of a sheet and bent. It also gouges things you lean against.

I much prefer how Shiro machines the clips to create a stand off height that achieves the same ability to grip it and remove the knife, or insert into a pocket while catching the edge without making that tip stick out.

Bent clips are are deal breaker for me.
 
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