Benchmade Vex vs. Spyderco Tenacious vs. Kershaw Skyline

offsetlover said:
again the OP in bold.

OK, so i understand the testing. That makes sense. the very last sentence, the one in itallics, has me a touch confused however. From that i gather, it isnt a big sense you seem to be polishing the blade anyway. Also, you say that you will deal with the rust. In most cases, when a knife rusts, its just simple surface rust and is a quick fix for most people. You seem to be one of those people as you can "deal with the rust".

So, whats the point here Vivi? Just because its a small hassel to wipe a blade down after use, and/or do some preventative maintenence (like kneedeep said) on a beadblast finish, it isnt worth buying, or having any for that matter?
Click to expand...

Dude, calm down. He never said it wasn't worth buying because of the beadblast finish, maybe you should read what he wrote.

Seriously, some of you guys from the Kershaw sub-forum can be a bit ridiculous sometimes. Don't jump on the guy because of his opinions...


Back on topic, I would go with the Tenacious. Spyderco's 8cr13mov performs much better than Kershaw's 13C26 and Benchmade's 8cr13mov in my experience.
 
kindred_spirits said:
Dude, calm down. He never said it wasn't worth buying because of the beadblast finish, maybe you should read what he wrote.

Seriously, some of you guys from the Kershaw sub-forum can be a bit ridiculous sometimes. Don't jump on the guy because of his opinions...


Back on topic, I would go with the Tenacious. Spyderco's 8cr13mov performs much better than Kershaw's 13C26 and Benchmade's 8cr13mov in my experience.
Click to expand...

i did read what he wrote. I am sorry that i came off kinda strong. not something i want to do, as i prefer to have an honest discusion. Just been one of those weeks in forum land if you will.
 
offsetlover said:
So, whats the point here Vivi? Just because its a small hassel to wipe a blade down after use, and/or do some preventative maintenence (like kneedeep said) on a beadblast finish, it isnt worth buying, or having any for that matter?
Click to expand...

.....?

Vivi said:
http://raum.10gbfreehost.com/Articles/skyline.html
Both good knives. The Tenacious is bulkier and heavier in the pocket, but I feel it offers a more robust grip and blade. I think if you're ok with the locks, materials and opening methods of each knife, you'd be happy with either one.
Click to expand...

And to quote my review:

Vivi said:
The Kershaw Skyline is a small, lightweight folder with a good overall design. Carry, ergonomics and grip / lock security all rate high.
Click to expand...

The bead blast finish is not difficult to deal with. I just think it's a poor decision as a consumer. If the difference in blade finish means wiping the blade down every hour or so as opposed to once at the end of the day (Like I do with my EDC's and they do not show a speck of rust anywhere), I'm going to prefer the latter. I don't know why this is such a controversial viewpoint. I am buying stainless steel after all. If I didn't care about corrosion resistance I'd have all sorts of interesting tool steels to choose from, but I do.

This very reason is why I bought a CPMS30V Paramilitary over the CPMD2 sprint run for example. I'd like to test out CPMD2 more but as an EDC CPMS30V fits my needs better.
 
Vivi said:
The bead blast finish is not difficult to deal with. I just think it's a poor decision as a consumer. If the difference in blade finish means wiping the blade down every hour or so as opposed to once at the end of the day (Like I do with my EDC's and they do not show a speck of rust anywhere), I'm going to prefer the latter. I don't know why this is such a controversial viewpoint. I am buying stainless steel after all. If I didn't care about corrosion resistance I'd have all sorts of interesting tool steels to choose from, but I do.

This very reason is why I bought a CPMS30V Paramilitary over the CPMD2 sprint run for example. I'd like to test out CPMD2 more but as an EDC CPMS30V fits my needs better.
Click to expand...

Not so much a controversial view, as the fact that you keep flogging it when others have pointed out that the constant maintenance you are complaining about, can be avoided with preventative maintenance. As has been mentioned, wiping most knives down with a rust preventative or even oil (mineral oil for food prep) before you put the knife in your pocket, will reduce the occurrence of the sort of rust you are talking about.

Rust - issue brought up, valid point taken.
Preventative maintenance - issue addressed.
Move on - in the hopes that the OP will be able get more opinions on the actual knives in question instead of blanket opinions on finishes.
 
kneedeep said:
As has been mentioned, wiping most knives down with a rust preventative or even oil (mineral oil for food prep) before you put the knife in your pocket, will reduce the occurrence of the sort of rust you are talking about.
Click to expand...

I don't buy stainless steel knives to oil the blades like a carbon steel. There are too many quality stainless steels out there not requiring such maintenance, that unless Kershaws 13C26 was ahead of those steels by a large margin in toughness, edge holding etc, I see no point in putting in my time and effort to make it approach the performance of other knives from factory. Knives like the Ener-G I'm perfectly content with in this respect.
 
Vivi said:
I don't buy stainless steel knives to oil the blades like a carbon steel. There are too many quality stainless steels out there not requiring such maintenance, that unless Kershaws 13C26 was ahead of those steels by a large margin in toughness, edge holding etc, I see no point in putting in my time and effort to make it approach the performance of other knives from factory. Knives like the Ener-G I'm perfectly content with in this respect.
Click to expand...

Apologies to the OP, hopefully this information will be useful.

http://spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/index.php?item=5

Care and Feeding of Your Spyderco
Spyderco knives are an investment. Knives are designed to perform one particular function, that is cutting. With that in mind Spyderco uses exclusively high-carbon stainless steels. High-carbon premium stainless steels provide superior edge retention but can rust if not correctly cared for (rust is rarely the result of a manufacturing defect). Rust may form when your knife is used in a saltwater environment or exposed to moisture in general. If surface rust appears, buff the steel with a metal polishing compound before the steel becomes pitted. Thoroughly rinse salt water off with fresh water, dry your knife completely (inside and out) and apply a light coat of oil or silicone to all steel parts.

To ensure safe operation regularly inspect the interior of the knife for pocket lint and grime. Clean both the well of the lock and inside the handle often using a toothpick, hot water and mild soap or detergent. Rinse thoroughly, dry the knife inside and out and lubricate all steel components with oil or silicone. A couple drops of lubricant at the locking and pivot points will ensure smooth action.
Click to expand...

I added the bold type.

To the OP, to allay any concerns regarding 13C26 used in the Skyline it might be worth skimming through this thread. There are a few generally highly regarded "darksiders" that seem to think a great deal of 13C26.

Since you like the idea of the flipper on the Skyline, do check out Vivi's video demo of it.
 
kindred_spirits said:
Seriously, some of you guys from the Kershaw sub-forum can be a bit ridiculous sometimes.
Click to expand...
They differ from the Spydie, BM, CRK, Busse, etc... guys how?



Back on topic, the bead blasting we do on 13C26 can bring forth some of the surface spotting some of you have experienced, which is one of the reasons why we are in the process of changing over to a new proprietary steel, Sandvik 14C28N. 14C28N will roll out this month with the intro of a new flipper, an RJ Martin design called the Zing.

We should have a complete changeover on all our current 13C26 patterns by the end of 2008. 14C28N will not have the corrosion issues that 13C26 does, and will be much more resistant when bead blasting.

I do agree with Spyderco with their suggestions for care of stainless steels as well.
 
shecky said:
They don't. That's the problem.
Click to expand...
What problem is that? The forum has a large following of members that are here because of a specific sub-forum or manufacturer. That doesn't make them ridiculous or a problem.
 
I've only owned the Tenacious and that is an impressive knife, when it comes to weight, blade design, blade quality, ergos and price. Great knife.
 
Thomas W said:
They differ from the Spydie, BM, CRK, Busse, etc... guys how?



Back on topic, the bead blasting we do on 13C26 can bring forth some of the surface spotting some of you have experienced, which is one of the reasons why we are in the process of changing over to a new proprietary steel, Sandvik 14C28N. 14C28N will roll out this month with the intro of a new flipper, an RJ Martin design called the Zing.

We should have a complete changeover on all our current 13C26 patterns by the end of 2008. 14C28N will not have the corrosion issues that 13C26 does, and will be much more resistant when bead blasting.

I do agree with Spyderco with their suggestions for care of stainless steels as well.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should wait and see what new steel brings, I'm in no hurry :D. Anybody have any specs?
 
Tenacious:
flat ground
G10
Thicker blade

Skyline:
flipper
lighter

Those are the pros on each one from my personal perspective. My hands/uses/opinions are different from everyone else on the forum...hopefully the Kershaw Mafia lets me live.

<name removed by witness protection>
;)
 
Im about to buy a tenacious, but first I would want to know how thick the handle are?

/johan
 
Hi Johan,

The handle on the Tenacioius is .470 thick overall (12mm).

Liners are .065 thick (2) (1.65mm).
G-10 is .080 thick (2mm).
Blade is .120 thick (3mm).

I realize I'm biased since I designed the Tenacious, but in my opinion, there is no comparison between the Skyline and the Tenacious. They are two different kinds of knives. (sorry Thomas).

The Tenacious was created to be a tough no nonsense handfull of knife, The Skyline is more of a light gents folder.

The Tenacious also has a very ergonomic four way hourglass clip.

sal
 
Hi Sal!

Thank you very much for that! Much appreciated!
This knife really looks like a winner to me!

/Johan
 
I'd go with a Skyline first, because it is cheaper than the Vex and made in the USA. It also has good Scandinavian steel.

After that, I'd go with the Vex. Sorry, Sal, but I don't really care for thumb holes. Of course, this means I have to go with a tanto.

There seems to be a lot of hate for the Vex around here, which I totally don't understand. It's a great knife for a bargain price. Mine hasn't been sharpened since November, and it is still going strong. The only problem I've had is that the pocket clip screws tend to wiggle and worm their way out.

Also take a look at the Kershaw Zing. If you're looking for a more hard-use knife, then the Kershaw Needs Work would work well.
 
Sal Glesser said:
I realize I'm biased since I designed the Tenacious, but in my opinion, there is no comparison between the Skyline and the Tenacious. They are two different kinds of knives. (sorry Thomas).

The Tenacious was created to be a tough no nonsense handfull of knife, The Skyline is more of a light gents folder.
Click to expand...
I own both knives (all 3 actually), and agree that both (Skyline and Tenacious) are knives designed for different purposes.

In spite of my bias, I like them both.
 
Having groped all three knives and owned knives from all three companies many times over, here is my 0.02

I am also one of those nutty guys from the Kershaw sub-forum, but Im objective having had a bad accident (read: ER) with a Byrd and still liking/buying/owning quite a few Spyderco and Byrds.

The Spyderco Tenacious is a nice knife for the price. Uses good materials, no mid-grip lock back (thank god) and has a decent price tag. The detractor was that one handed opening was slow for me, and the fit/finish wasnt much different than the Byrd line, so it might as well have been from a Byrd series. It is also thick and wide knife, and I've found that wide knives keep me from reaching the keys below, so I dont care much for them.

The Benchmade Vex has been covered, its not a contender imo. I've owned a bunch of BMs and you gotta spend some cash to get a good knife.

The Skyline only has a single liner, which some people freaked out about. So theoretically under some extreme cutting you might be able to make it fail (you wont get hurt much if it did), but I'm a rather strong fellow and I cant get it to even dent the handle on the other side. It isnt the smoothest Kershaw, but with a lil flick of the wrist and the flipper, it opens quickest of the three. It is a slim, medium sized knife that is easy to carry without much notice...either from you or the people that might see it. The knife steel is an improvement over the other two (just my opinion, put the torches away).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top