Al Mar Sere 2000 Or Kershaw Boa

I have never handled a Boa before. But I would be very hard pressed to believe it is as good as a knife as the Al Mar SERE 2000 in overall quality.

The SERE 2K has the following qualities:

VG-10 SS blade
Perhaps the thickest liners on a production liner lock (not counting the massive TOPS knives).
The lock-up is better than anything I have felt in any other folder.
Although I have never hard-used this knife, it has never closed on me, nor as it failed some hard spine whack tests.
The knife is SOLID, has a solid SS chunk of back spacer and three large spacers pins as well, in addition to the thick liners and thick slabs of G-10. Between its construction and its lock-up virtues, it feels like a bank vault.
It is comfortable in the pocket, but weighs an impressive 6 oz.
It is not too big, either. It is built like a spark plug: rugged but compact.
The F&F on the SERE 2K is well-known for its outstanding quality. It is near custom. I have not handled too many custom knives, but other members make that comment.
 
Honestly I have never handled either of those knives, but they both look very respectable(I'm not sure what types of steel they use for blade). I like the "carson flipper" style opening device on the Boa. For that kind of money, I would look at an Emerson folder, like the Mach1 or Commander, or maybe a Microtech. just my opinion :D
 
for light easy jobs, i might choose the boa because the speedsafe is so fun, but if you want to use it for heavy duty work, go with the sere. the g10 handles are great, the vg-10 steel is one of the best, and lock up is good (older ones did have problems).
 
By the way, welcome to the forums.

Forgot to add the S2K has a pocket clip attached to the butt end of the handle. As a result, it rides deeply in the pocket. This may or may not be a good thing, depending on what your needs are.

I don't want to start a flame war here, but the quality and construction of the Al Mar Sere 2k is leagues ahead of the Emerson Commanders. The Sere is less expensive as well.
 
Browning@mc, welcome to Bladeforums! I hope you like it here and stick around!

It's hard to recommend a knife without knowing what you want it for.

Komondor is right about the SERE 2000 being a strong and well-made knife. The Boa is more of a finesse knife, maybe you could call it more elegant, but I'd go with the SERE for strength and reliability.

If you're looking for a daily carry knife in a more formal environment, go for the Boa. If you don't want to scare the non-knife people, go for the multicolored Boa. :p
 
Not much to compare between these 2 knives, the SERE is built better, has better materials, and fit and finish is better but your talking a big price difference between the two. If the money difference if not a problem go with the Al Mar SERE it's a better, stronger product and it just feels great in the hand like you could cut a car in half with it :)
 
The Sere gets lots of praise here, and I'm sure that the knife deserves every bit. But you have to admit..... The Boa is an awesomely KEWL knife. It win hands down in the looks and fun department. If I were the type that occasionally used my knife, and didn't have plans for using it outdoors, and didn't have aspirations of fending off bad guys, I'd do the Boa. The Boa is amazingly fun. I tried one out once, and fell in love with it. I thought that the speedsafe on the Boa was more fun than the Axis lock.

But if you plan on using the knife hard, I'd go with the consensus of opinion and get the Sere. It's built for abuse and I like the steel better than the Boa's 440V.
 
Both are cool knives and I am sure that you would be happy with either one. If "I" had a choice between the two I would go with the SERE. Mainly, just because it is built tougher (I think that is a word) and the fit and finish on the Al Mar is great
 
I own both of these knives and you would be hard pressed to go wrong with either one. Choosing one will depend on your preference of materials, G-10 or aluminum for the handles and VG-10 vs. CPM-440V. I personally like the Boa a little better for a carry knife, it has a slimmer profile and the assisted opening mechanism makes it a quick opener. Money wise the Boa is cheaper, but not by much. Either way you are getting a solid knife, just my $.02

What the hell, buy them BOTH and forget about deciding.
 
It really depends on what your ultimate use for the knife will be. For hard use, rugged, survival use, I'd go with the SERE 2000. It's built like a tank and the lock-up is very stable. The VG-10 steel is probably easier to maintain as well.

For everyday use, the Boa is no slouch and it would probably handle some really tough abuse if necessary. It's a bit easier to handle in the EDC situation. It is very well made--even has bronze bushings.

You really have to decide what the main carry-purpose is going to be. It's been said before, but you can't go wrong either way.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide to do and your reactions.:)
 
It's funny because I wouldn't put these two knives in the same category--yet this is the second time that this specific comparison has been asked about (Here's the other thread). I carried a Boa for close to two years as my primary EDC and it held up great. I still carry it on occasion, but my LCC has replaced it as my primary. I don't own a Sere so I won't comment on that, but the Boa is a great knife and I have absolutely no qualms about recommending it. It would help to know the intended use, though.

Welcome to the forums...:D

-Z
 
I don't think you could go wrong with either! My wife carries a Boa and I carry the Sere.

The Sere is WAY more of a "heavy duty" knife. The Boa has a slightly more ergonomic handle. It also has the speed safe opening. (very cool!)

The Sere is built like a brick sh!thouse - plain and simple. I have owned beefier folders (Buck Strider) but the Sere is PLENTY tough for what it's supposed to do. The fit & finish is EXCELLENT on the Sere. I got mine second hand (thanks Mike!) and have used the hell out of it. It has the black coated blade - I don't know what they use to coat the blade but it is tough stuff! I have done stuff with the Sere that would strip the black T right off an Emerson easily and it hasn't even blinked. It has surface scuffs, but NO missing coating. (this is after 2 hard users!)

The Boa is a fun knife. It also has great blade steel. My wife's Boa is almost never dull. I check it all the time and it never seems to get dull at all. (CPM 440V) The Boa has a VERY comfortable handle. It fits my hand well even though I have huge hands, but it fits my wife's small, dainty hands great too.

If money were no object, and I was looking for a knife to carry for the long haul - I'd pick the Sere. If I was looking for a "wow - look at this neato knife!" type of thing, I'd get the Boa.

No matter what you choose, you have made a GREAT choice! Sometimes I play around with my wife's Boa and I wonder if the Sere was the best choice....
 
I think a lot of folks look down on the Boa as a "gimmick" knife. The fact is that while it is an amazingly cool design, it is also a tough, well-made, and very practical design. Fit and finish were excellent on the three I have personally owned, with room for improvement that I could see. The materials are all top-quality. The Boa is as good as any production knife on the market. Whether it is comparable to the SERE 2000 depends on the specific tasks to be performed and the personal preferences of the user.

--Bob Q
 
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