Best Folder for SD <=6 oz

readyaimcut said:
benchmade 610 rukus is great.
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Yes, it is--I have one, but it's about 25% heavier than he asked for.

Personally, I would carry a fixed blade, but I don't think knives make good self defense weapons; they are way too short. In order to use it, the offender has to be close enough to lay hands on you.
 
Spyderco Military...quick deployment, awesome large blade and one of the most ergonomic grips i have ever held.
 
A CS Ti-Lite just screams self defense, features their wave/quillion for quick opening and a nice stiletto blade, mine came razor sharp out of the box.
 
regal said:
In state parks here we can't carry our concealed handguns.
I am ordering one of those tactical walking sticks. I would feel better with a decent knife in addition to the stick.


What is a good, fast opening, tip up carry clipped folder that you would defend your life with?
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Benchmade 710 is as fast as it gets, lightweight and has enough blade for SD or general bushcraft. Can be had for around 100 bucks or less.
 
Jake Bauer said:
for your purposes, I would go for a spyderco endura 4 waved. It's lighter than most emersons and I find the spydie wave catches and opens easier
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:thumbup: Yup! Spyderco waved Endura/waved Delica. You won't find a better, lighter, faster to deploy, SD knife in my opinion.

Regards,
3G
 
I suggest looking at my thread on 'sport utility,' i.e. so-called 'tactical,' folders.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=596948

Of the suggestions offered, I liked the Kershaw Ram. However, that is a somewhat small knife (3.6 oz, blade length about 3.5 inches). If you can legally carry a fixed blade, of course that's the way to go.

You can't really go wrong with an Emerson, but I think the 'wave' feature only works if carried in the front pocket. That means you might not be able to get to it with your off-hand in an emergency. I guess the wave could work in the back pocket if you partially sew the pocket shut. I agree that it's probably the fastest.

If you feel like considering a custom knife, I suggest looking at Darrel Ralph's stuff:
http://www.darrelralph.com/1mainframe.htm
 
IMO fastest knife to deploy is a fixed in a well-designed Concealex or Kydex sheath. Big handle to grab and ready immediately - you don't have to worry about keeping your fingers clear then changing your grip. If size is an issue go with a neck knife.

The CS Ti-Lite and Emerson Waves are very fast to open but only if you can get to your pocket fast too
 
regal said:
Best Folder for SD
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Honestly... none of them. A two part knife will fail on you at the worst possible moment. Not really what they are designed for. If you want a knife for SD get a fixed blade. You're basically trying to use a spork to drive a nail here. Not the right tool for the job.

The only exception that comes to mind... is a quality Balisong. 99.999999% of the time if they fail... it will be because the blade broke... and that can happen with any knife. Once those two handles are together... it's super rare for that blade to come crashing down on your fingers. But I guess it is possible.

For SD and comfortable carry (If you're going to use a knife instead of a gun of course) I like a nice 4" to 6" blade, 3/16ths to 1/4" thick, with a nice spear or drop point. But that's just me.
 
just a couple spyderco fans on this thread.....:jerkit:
spyderco military is a great knife but there are better knives for the outdoors.
emerson for SD tho! how about a fixed blade, could serve as much more that just a SD tool ie survival knife.....fallkniven or RAT, even a BRK&T.
 
One other real world suggestion for personal defense is an ASP baton. They're compact, they make a light weight version, and can end a fight in one swing. Do get some kind of training with one though. You can kill a man with one in one hit if you're not careful. Plus they are intemidating. I would rank this superior to a knife in a Self Defense situation. But only in that situation. That is all an asp is designed for... to hit people. A knife would be a better all around tool... but folders make for poor defense weapons.
 
Spyderco Endura with Emerson "waved" Opener if someone hasn't mentioned it already.
 
Since a price range hasn't been mentioned yet, I'll post an average price next to each knife that I suggest.

From what the OP said, it has to be outdoorsy and capable of being used as a self defense knife. Here is what I can think of:

Benchmade:
1. the benchmade 710, 3.9" blade, G-10 handles, axis lock, dual steel liners, 4.5 oz, usually around $120.00 or less if you can find a used one.
2. the benchmade Griptilian (model number is typically 550 or 551), 3.45" blade, axis lock, nested steel liners, 3.25 oz, great deal and one of the best knives for the money IMHO, usually around $60.00 just about everywhere, maybe $50.00 used.

Spyderco:
1. Spyderco Waved Endura, 3 13/16" blade, lock back, dual skeletonized liners, 3.6 oz, has the wave feature so it opens when it's pulled out of your pocket, usually runs about $60-$75.00
2. Spyderco Police 3, 4 3/8" blade, G-10 handles, lock back, 5 oz, great knife for the money, this ones going to run you about $130.00 new.

Emerson Knives:
1. Emerson CQC-12, discontinued, one of the best and one of two frame locked emersons right from the factory, I believe it has a 3.9" blade, the lock side is a thick titanium frame lock, the other side is G-10, of course has the emerson wave so it opens when you pull it out of your pocket. Great knife for outdoor use and SD, one of my all time favorites. This will run you about $285-$300.00 easily, unless you can find someone who is willing to sell theirs used. That is actually a really fair price for such a great knife, any other company using the same materials would charge an extra hundred or so (no names mentioned).
2. The other emerson knives are great, but they all have a liner lock which isn't the most trusting of all the knife locks out there, so i won't suggest one of those to you, don't get me wrong they are all great knives, it's just a personal preference, especially for SD.

Chris Reeve Knives:
1. Large Sebenza, can't go wrong here, 3.6" blade, all titanium handles, titanium frame lock, S30V blade steel, 4.7 oz, this knife won't let you down, this knife will run you a standard $385.00 brand spanking new, anything less than that will be second hand or a blessing :o.
2. Umnumzaan, new from CRK, really can't go wrong here, 3.6" blade, all titanium handles, titanium frame lock, S30V blade steel, 5 oz, basically a beefy version of a sebenza with a few added features, this will cost you $400.00 brand spanking new, not many second hand umnumzaans yet since they are relatively new.

Strider knives:
1. Strider SNG, beefy knife, best warranty on the market, beat it or break it and it will get fixed, 3.5" blade, titanium frame lock on one side and G-10 on the other side of the handle, thick blade stock, S30V blade steel, can't find a weight, this will cost around $400.00.

That's my list of possible outdoorsy/self defense knives. Let us know a price range and we can help you out better. Hope this helps, J.
 
Unbreakable said:
One other real world suggestion for personal defense is an ASP baton. They're compact, they make a light weight version, and can end a fight in one swing. Do get some kind of training with one though. You can kill a man with one in one hit if you're not careful. Plus they are intemidating. I would rank this superior to a knife in a Self Defense situation. But only in that situation. That is all an asp is designed for... to hit people. A knife would be a better all around tool... but folders make for poor defense weapons.
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+1:thumbup:
 
SD + knife? Not reality. Knives rate after a good stick in the general public's uneducated list, as Justice Dept. stats show. 1- Gun, 2- anything else, 3- knife.

You have much more standoff, strike length, and impact with a good stick than any knife, plus a variety of attacks and defenses. Somebody's loose dog is more likely a threat, other than marijuana farmers, and I bet you'd prefer distance to handling dogs, rather than go tooth and knife with it.

Choose your knife for it's utility on the trail or in the wilderness, which is 95% of what you will do with it. A fixed blade is a better solution, 4-5" blade, with a secure scabbard. Avoid tactical features or gimmicks. Any 3 1/2" folder would probably do - and is what the average soldier, park ranger, or wilderness guide commonly carries. The common Buck folder would do as well as a $200 custom knife. Don't ignore the large locking Swiss Army knives with saw blades, another frequent choice everywhere in the world except good ol' here.

Get instruction on your choices, they are useless if you don't know what weaknesses they have. Of course, none of the above may be any good because gun free zones are obvious victim selection opportunities for the bad guys who simply walk in with a firearm anyway. Only a concealed firearm will meet the force equally - park rules are being challenged - and experience shows me someone will have to be killed to wake up management to their foolish policy.
 
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