Best custom hard use knife?

[Scottcityman]

Love my Hinderer xm-18. With that in mind...who makes something similarly tough but is custom built? (Kirby?) Thanks....

 

[Jason.Lee740]

Strider?

 

[LX_Emergency]

Strider?

Not custom....and kind of lame.

 

[Charlie Mike]

Demko

 

[Bruce Bump]

I had a table next to Kirby a few years ago. His knives sure went away fast. They look great but I didnt get to handle em.

 

[misterjuiceman]

Kirby Lambert makes great knives and is a great guy with whom you can deal, and he fits the bill. Yun of Yuna Knives is also great, I'd check him out as well. Shane Sibert and Neil Blackwood's customs are tough, but their order books are closed, and those will go for quite a bit more on the secondary market (3-4 times as much). The quality of Tom Mayo's folders are second to none, and the lockup is as tight as anything mentioned here, but I think the blade stock is a bit thinner than Hinderers and Siberts, in general. Also check out Les George. I'm not sure if he's still taking orders, though.

Demko's tri-ad lock is supposedly stronger than a frame/linerlock, but I don't think it matters for anything a reasonable human being would do. The overall designs just don't do it for me, and the whole association with CS leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Guy Vanderveken]

You could look at Ray Laconico, Perfectionist, meticulous, You cannot fault his folders- great to deal with, prompt, and will keep you informed on every step of the way- he has a few patterns out now with frame locks and just introduced flippers.

All the best with your quest.
Guy

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

You could look at Ray Laconico, Perfectionist, meticulous, You cannot fault his folders- great to deal with, prompt, and will keep you informed on every step of the way- he has a few patterns out now with frame locks and just introduced flippers.

All the best with your quest.
Guy

I agree. I have been using one of Ray's folders, a large liner lock, now for several months. I use my knives hard, and his has also been used hard. It has held up wonderfully and come back for more.

Andy