Am I Going To Like My Kizer Dukes?

redsquid2

redsquid2

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I just ordered a Kizer Dukes, even though I have never handled it. Never had a Kizer knife and never had anything in N690. But... I did some research and thought this would be a good one.

So excited I couldn't wait to post.

N690 is supposed to be good.
Textured handle.
3" - just the right length.
Very light claimed weight - 2.66 oz.

It does not have to be super tough, as I am more focused on lightness.

What is y'all's experience with quality, fit, finish, lockup?

Thanks
 
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I was pleased with mine and it is a pretty good knife for the money. Mine is VG-10. It may well have been the last flipper I purchased. Been moving away from flippers in general.

I have no issues with lockup, fit & finish, or the steel. It is very thin in the pocket and very easy to carry and still be quite functional.
 
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Sounds like you're getting the Vanguard Dukes. I had one that I used for a while with VG10 steel. Fit and finish were fine, the ergos were fine, the action was fine. I had trouble with holding an edge. It seemed to dull quickly, even for VG 10. I kind of retired it and moved on to other knives. N690 might be an upgrade and your performance might be better. If the weight is a concern, you should feel good with 3" of blade and 2.5 ounces of weight in a knife with nested liners.

It should make a fine EDC for you.
 
The old Cucchiara Dukes Ti model is built like a tank and good for many years of exclusive EDC use. If the new model is as good as the older model, you’ll definitely be happy with it.
 
only kizer i've handled was a velox in vg-10

i was happy with the fit and finish and lockup, as well as EDC purposes. i've since passed it on, but had no issues with it during the 6 to 8 months that I carried it
 
I'd like to add that the Kizer Vanguard knives were a great value when they first came out a few years ago. Since then the market has been flooded with budget lines of (mostly) China manufactured knives. The competition has gotten fierce in that market sector. The Vanguards are still great knives but I think the current leader of the Chinese budget brands would be CIVIVI by WE Knives.

Either way, us knife knuts have more choice for great knives at a reasonable prices than ever before. We're in a kind of knife renaissance where there are many options for high quality at appealing price points.

Besides, do you know what it means when you buy a knife you love at a great price?
It means you can use it to open the next knife you get!
 
Lots of people love the Dukes. It's been pretty popular with reviewers. While I don't have a Dukes, I've had the chance to play around with some other budget Kizers including the Mini Domin in N690. That left me with a positive impression of the brand.
 
I really really want to try a kizer out, but the whole made in china thing stops me.. There are just too many nice looking murican knives in that price range for me to bite the bullet on china
 
i just pulled the trigger on a Mini Begleiter too, just to check out the 154 and another Kizer. will report back if i can remember
 
Crikeyyy said:
I really really want to try a kizer out, but the whole made in china thing stops me.. There are just too many nice looking murican knives in that price range for me to bite the bullet on china
Click to expand...

It's easy to forget that major companies have been using Chinese manufacturers to make their knives for decades now. Those manufacturers and their workers have learned a lot over that time. Now we've got companies like Kizer, WE, Bestech, etc. making some truly wonderful knives of their own.

Especially at the budget level, these companies are innovating and churning out better quality than some of those same big companies that have gotten complacent. For instance, Kizer's budget brand Tangram is offering very nice knives in the $20-40 range. WE's budget brand Civivi is offering exceptional knives in the $40-80 range.

The Vanguard Dukes in question here is what, $60? Are there really "too many nice looking murican knives in that price range... to bite the bullet on china"? Which ones? I have less experience with Kizer but the Civivi and Bestech knives I have in this range have been nothing short of remarkable.
 
Chronovore said:
It's easy to forget that major companies have been using Chinese manufacturers to make their knives for decades now. Those manufacturers and their workers have learned a lot over that time. Now we've got companies like Kizer, WE, Bestech, etc. making some truly wonderful knives of their own.

Especially at the budget level, these companies are innovating and churning out better quality than some of those same big companies that have gotten complacent. For instance, Kizer's budget brand Tangram is offering very nice knives in the $20-40 range. WE's budget brand Civivi is offering exceptional knives in the $40-80 range.

The Vanguard Dukes in question here is what, $60? Are there really "too many nice looking murican knives in that price range... to bite the bullet on china"? Which ones? I have less experience with Kizer but the Civivi and Bestech knives I have in this range have been nothing short of remarkable.
Click to expand...
Oh...

Well 60 bucks isnt bad then
 
Id considered buying one of their titanium framelocks, but decided to go with a benchmade instead.

I might still grab one, but not for a bit. I've already spent about 800 bucks this month on knives (personal xmas present to myself)
 
I just got it. I am very impressed.

Lockup is just right and the blade is centered perfectly.

It was truly shaving sharp from plunge line to tip, right out of the box, and the main bevel and cutting bevel look flawless.

One thing to be aware of: while it fits my medium-sized hand perfectly, there may not be enough handle here for some people.
 
Still getting used to the flipper action. Never had a flipper before. There’s a moment right when I am about to flip it when it feels weird like something is going to go wrong.
 
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