best edc $500 max

S

smitty1505

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Oct 24, 2009
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i am a small estate manager/ landscaper/ carpenter (with my dad). i am also the type of person that likes to buy the best once and keep it for years. so id like a outstanding warranty too.
cutting tasks include:

some food prep
fishing/ hunting
cutting thick speaker wire
cutting roots when moving a tree
cutting sod
cutting rope
cutting cardboard
and i think i might starting hiking/overnight camping nothing too crazy.

im leaning toward a sng i think some of this stuff might be a little hard on a sebenza. never been a big fan of spyderco designs. any other suggestions/opinions?
 
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Take a look at Benchmade's Skirmish-discontinued but strong.

Zero Tolerance series is pretty good too. Cheaper than Striders anytime.
 
Since no one mentioned it, I'd put my vote for Umnumzaan :D

I don't understand why a lot of people don't regard the Umnum as heavy duty folder.
 
Good suggestions so far. I throw my .02 in for a Dozier D2 folder. They retail for more than your max, but if you buy something slightly used, you can easily come in under $500.
 
I suggest a SAK soldier, Case CV sodbuster jr or if you want a lock fallkniven U2. The rest is just about personal taste and with 500$ you have very free frames. Also get a good sharpening stone that is the most important thing when a knife would be put up to extended use.
I have never seen a Sebenza in real life but I have reed about them and seen them on pictures. Surely it must be an ideal knife for this kind of one knife to all use.

Bosse
 
You listed the SnG as one of your prospects. I suggest the SMF. I personally found the SnG to a bit short on actually sharpened blade length. A like new SMF can be found on the exchange for <$500
 
I don't see it.

You are going to be doing stuff that will wreck any knife over time. I'd rather wreck a $10 knife than a $500 one. It seems very unlikely that a high dollar knife will do a better job of cutting wire and digging around in the dirt than a cheap one.

Go ahead and buy the best, but keep it in your pocket. I'd have a box of $10 expendables in the truck.
 
For dependability, versatility and after sales service, it's going to be hard to beat a CR Sebenza or Umnumzaan. IMO, they are more pouch & pocket friendly than a Strider, but perhaps a little less hardy. Maybe - if you push it to silly limits that are going to void the warranty anyway. At that level, it's really going to be a matter of taste. For the criteria you've list above, I'd probably go for a Micarta Large Sebenza, but that's me.

I am fortunate enough to have a couple of Seb's, but will probably consider an SNG - CC in the future.
 
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find something in D2 and with a strong lock.
You have a wide choice.
From industrial to custom made.
I prefer custom made. Look ant Anso knifes.
 
mostho said:
find something in D2 and with a strong lock.
You have a wide choice.
From industrial to custom made.
I prefer custom made. Look ant Anso knifes.
Click to expand...

I love Jens Anso's designs, are his knives generally robust enough for the tasks he listed? How do the tolerances and fit and finish compare to other high end knives like Hindererers, CRKs, etc. I saw in one post a user was unimpressed with F&F.
 
In your case, I would carry a Buck 110 for the *really* abusive/dirty work (digging tree roots, cutting heavy wire, etc.), and if I felt the need to spend Strider or Sebbie-class money on an EDC, I`d probably roll with something from Crusader Forge:

http://www.crusaderforge.com/
 
I would say get a Sebenza. Nothing else comes close, IMO. And pick up a couple Moras for the abusive stuff. Not that a Sebenza can't take it, it's just silly to beat on a nice knife unless you really need to. A Sebenza is as tough as a Strider, but better engineered, more comfortable, and better looking IMO.

Sebenzas rule. I don't think I'll ever carry anything else as a primary EDC.
 
Have you considered a small fixed blade? It seems that if you need a super tough knife for that kind of abuse it'd be easier to go with a couple of cheap replaceable knives, perhaps in the fixed category.

Izula or small Busse-kin?

Also maybe a multitool that has a saw, file, wire cutters, etc. Knives are the original multitool, but sometimes you can afford to specialize a little if you know what you're going to be doing regularly.

SOG Powerlock or Leatherman Charge/Surge.
 
If you are going to be doing all the tasks you listed, you should be carrying a pair of diagonals on you anyways.
 
Roof-8146.jpg
 
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