Advice on a new work knife

[Shorttime]

A similar thread some years back called my attention to the Ontario Utilitac II.

This is the one with the most stable point, I reckon, but it comes in a couple of flavors. For thirty dollars. Because although I love the 4Max (and Demko designs in general), $360.00 is more than a "wee bit" more. It's more than twice as much.

I see this happen with every suggestion thread, and sometimes you can hear my eyes rolling, right through the Internet. I shouldn't talk, because I don't do any better of a job at controlling my enthusiasm for the next "perfect knife" that comes down the pike, but we're talking about a tool that will get used to open a paint can, or scrape a sticker off a window, at some point.

Also, the Boker Strike. This was just the first configuration that came up in the image search.

If you can find one, the CRKT Folding Razel might work.

Mine doesn't get terribly sharp (Columbia River's heat treat protocol strikes, again), but it's a knife you don't have to be worried about treating badly.

 

[Rykjeklut]

Lots of great suggestions, but I'm gonna suggest a fixed blade, like someone else did.

For a looong time I had a Mora Companion hanging from a button on my pants, about halfway down the thigh, and it's just a great beater.
Now, I would always pair it up with some sort of folder, but it was the main knife of my working day.

Good ergos, okay steel, and ridiculously cheap.

 

[DocJD]

Either of these Cold Steel would be excellent work knives .

The orange handled one is an "Ultimate Hunter" and has a nice hand filling handle . Very ergonomic .

Both are the newest models , that now come in S35VN steel . Great , well balanced type steel .

 

[Workingsloth777]

Thanks for the input! I will have to check some cold steels out. How easy is CTS-XHP to resharpen?

I don't have any experiance with CTS-XHP but I have a lot of experiance with s35vn which is what cold steel uses now and I hear they are very similar. Anyways the s35 I sharpen doesn't give me much trouble as I keep them very sharp but if you let it go dull it will be a little harder to sharpen. Still a lot easier than something like m4 or s110v.
Heat treat plays a big roll in this as well.

 

[cchu518]

Pickup a used Spyderco milli!

That said the Endura and Delica are great knives. I've reverted back to them after roughly 5 years of trying out much pricier knives. My favorite thing about the Endura and Delica is that they're true work folders. You're not afraid to get them used and abused and in fact you want to use and abuse them. Just yesterday my wife needed a knife in the yard I had on my a different Spyderco which I wasn't going to let her use. That said I grabbed the Endura and flung it across my yard 60 feet into the dirt. She picked it up proceeded to cut open bags of dirt without missing a beat. You can whack the scales with a hammer, which I've done, they're pretty indestructible.

 

[cut it out]

If you get the Endura with a saber grind and not the full flat grind there is a lot more meat at the top making for a strong tip. It’s a fantastic knife at your budget

 

[cut it out]

Oh or the American lawman is a great option as well in that price range. Or the cold steel tuff lite is another sweet work knife for very cheap prices and has a box cutter shape blade. Sorta

 

[Hologram]

Once you've narrowed it down to 2-3 knives, go on Youtube and watch some videos on each one, especially the vids where they compare your choices. Most popular knives have comparison vids with other knives in the same class.

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

Once you've narrowed it down to 2-3 knives, go on Youtube and watch some videos on each one, especially the vids where they compare your choices. Most popular knives have comparison vids with other knives in the same class.

Good idea! Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[Ajack60]

I have considered that, I actually do occasionally. What kind of sheath do you use?

This set up works for me.

 

[buckeyejake]

Delica by a landslide. The main purpose of a knife is to cut . Just brought one , 87.oo bucks

 

[Dr Heelhook]

Get a Spyderco Endura. It won't annoy you.

 

[Baggins]

I would go for a Cold Steel Broken Skull over an Endura. About the same price but with way better steel.

 

[jux t]

I would go for a Cold Steel Broken Skull over an Endura. About the same price but with way better steel.

Forgot about that one, good call. Better knife in a lot of ways apart from the ridiculous name. IMO.

 

[Mingecutter]

Any of the Cold Steel options mentioned should work quite well for you, imo. I have preferences towards the American Lawman, shorter blade length than what you're requesting though, and the spear point Recon 1.

Good luck with your choice!

 

[rustyspike]

Endura. Beat the hell out of mine. Heavy boxes,straps,light work,slicing. ETC. And don't forget warranty. Spyderco will sharpen for it for free. Do need to pay $5 for return shipping.

Rich K.

 

[TheChunk91]

If you want something that is super tough but has decent cutting ability the recon 1 is hard to beat. I used to have an aus8 one that I beat the heck out of, which never phased it. I still have my xhp.

 

[Velitrius]

Get the Spyderco Endura used on the Exchange here at BFC.

Great knife, and usually some good deals to be had on the exchange.

Nothing wrong with an Endura for a work piece.

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

This set up works for me.

Very Nice! do you have trouble re holstering at all? I just started experimenting with an Ulti-clip on a small kydex sheath clipped strait to the pocket. It is working okay so far.

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

Delica by a landslide. The main purpose of a knife is to cut . Just brought one , 87.oo bucks

It is about an 1 inch to short for what I would like it to do. It looks good though.

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

I would go for a Cold Steel Broken Skull over an Endura. About the same price but with way better steel.

Thanks for the suggestion. That is a really good looking knife, I think I would prefer the CTS-XHP any way. I am putting it at the top of my list currently. Its a dumb name in my opinion though. And with the name painted across the whole blade... It would probably wear off in a few moths maybe?