best folder I can get around $200?

exmaxima said:
That was great to see the comparo pics with the PM2. Can you also provide the difference in WEIGHT and BALANCE? I was under the impression that the ZT was very heavy in your pocket.
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I had and loved my 801 for a while and while it isn't a lightweight I would just leave the weight at adequate. The balance is pretty nice and the knife holds great.
 
I see a nice variety of good recommendations...
The Spyderco PM2 in various good blade-steels for your money... or the Military model (4" blade) for even heavier work.
Zt 0770c.f. is new and very nice in Elmax or M390
Spyderco Gayle Bradley in CPM M4 is a great knife...very capable of heavy-duty...
Spyderco TUFF is available (often as new on Exchange) for $200. Blade is CPM-3V Capable of EXTREME heavy-duty woods use.
The Gayle Bradley and the TUFF are both made in Taichung, Taiwan. Spyderco proudly points to this particular plant, under close control of Colorado Spyderco, and this plant produces many of the FINEST Spyderco models in terms of fit and finish.
I have owned at least twenty Spyderco folders from Taichung and they are all wonderful, IMO.
 
Sonnydaze said:
The Gayle Bradley and the TUFF are both made in Taichung, Taiwan. Spyderco proudly points to this particular plant, under close control of Colorado Spyderco, and this plant produces many of the FINEST Spyderco models in terms of fit and finish.
I have owned at least twenty Spyderco folders from Taichung and they are all wonderful, IMO.
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I see this as a BAD TREND for Spyderco. Doesn't matter what the percieved quality is, this Walmart mentality will eventually bite them in the arse.
 
exmaxima said:
I see this as a BAD TREND for Spyderco. Doesn't matter what the percieved quality is, this Walmart mentality will eventually bite them in the arse.
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Its not a trend. They have been producing folders out of there for some time. Spyderco's Taichung models are the only ones I can give a pass to on being a non USA made knife and purchase one. They are that well made and put together. It has nothing to do with Walmart. Walmart sells crap, for low prices. They have a market there and I don't begrudge them one bit for it. If they didn't have a market for their business model, the market would force them to close. Same with Spyderco's business/manufacturing model. Do I wish I could get a Golden, CO blade that is as well made as the Taichung models? Yes I do. To say that Taichung models are following some kind of Walmart mentality is misguided. They don't sell or produce cheap junk out of that facility, they have earned a lot of respect and admiration from the knife community for the types of high quality product they consistently produce.

Anyone who has been around knives and knows the difference would immediately notice the higher level of fit/finish and consistency from that plant. The old adage applies, you get what you pay for. Well, most of the time :)
 
Man, is that the truth. I'll carry my Seb 25 or SnG for a while and then go back to one of my Spydercos and I wonder why the hell I've been carrying the other ones.
exmaxima said:
The thumb hole is outrageously easy to use, and you would quickly learn and like it. I have many knives, and while I sometimes cut myself trying to open a standard knife w/thumb stud (such as a Sebenza), I never get cut with a Spyderco---the Stretch CF is my favorite by a large margin. A flipper knife is also cool, especially the ball bearing ones like the ZT 0562.
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DREW78 said:
Its not a trend. They have been producing folders out of there for some time. Spyderco's Taichung models are the only ones I can give a pass to on being a non USA made knife and purchase one. They are that well made and put together. It has nothing to do with Walmart. Walmart sells crap, for low prices. They have a market there and I don't begrudge them one bit for it. If they didn't have a market for their business model, the market would force them to close. Same with Spyderco's business/manufacturing model. Do I wish I could get a Golden, CO blade that is as well made as the Taichung models? Yes I do. To say that Taichung models are following some kind of Walmart mentality is misguided. They don't sell or produce cheap junk out of that facility, they have earned a lot of respect and admiration from the knife community for the types of high quality product they consistently produce.

Anyone who has been around knives and knows the difference would immediately notice the higher level of fit/finish and consistency from that plant. The old adage applies, you get what you pay for. Well, most of the time :)
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I've been carrying knives for over 50 years, and I feel I can tell what is quality. Not the issue or problem. My issue with Spyderco is that they are marketing Taiwanese knives as their highest tier, unlike companies like Kershaw, Buck, etc that promote USA-made for top tier and imports for the secondary marketplace. And those imported knives cost far less to produce so they are maximizing profits----just like Walmart----at the expense of American jobs. And it promotes the notion that we HAD to go to Asia to get the quality we wanted, instead of investing in America.

Not everything at Walmart is junk, but they make a concerted effort to buy offshore products---at the expense of American jobs--- at every opportunity to add profit. That's why I won't shop at a Walmart.

Rumor has it that Sypderco is building a new facility. Hopefully they will invest in the means to put "USA" on their future best products.
 
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Look. I'm all about us made knives. I'm an avid collector of ZT knives and they are my daily carry knives.

I think perhaps you may be possibly assuming some things about Spydecos business practices and internal costs.

I would LOVE the spyderco expansion to increase output and quality all while allowing for more jobs here in our country.

Now, back to work!

Btw. I'm need to withdraw from this side conversation. Im not a fan of derailing threads even though I may be guilty of it here. Sorry OP.
 
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thanks for all the input guys, and no problem derailing the thread, it was good reading, so its no bother. :)

Everything suggested are awesome, haha. ill never be able to decide.

But my eyes and thoughts keep going back to the emerson horseman. And I love the emerson Tiger, but looks like it cant really be found with a non coated blade.
I keep going back to emerson because I have fallen in love with the wave. the emerson/kershaw i have is flawless with this wave feature.

I would be sold on the ZT/Emerson if it were not a tanto blade.
 
Own ZT 0350, 0801, 0562. Out of those three, it is very tight between the 562 and 801, depends on your aesthetic flavor. Both are very awesome flippers. If push came to shove, I'd have to go with the 801, mainly because the 562 has one side that is G-10 over steel, and I have had knives like this before where enough pressure was applied to the side of the knife, allowed the g-10/steel side to bend in ever so slightly, the g10 flexes back, but then you have semi - warped steel liner that can affect the action of the blade opening/closing. It is one of those bizarre instances, but not impossible, both really are just sick knives.
If you want something that once you lock it open, it will stay....the Benchmade 275 Adames.....I love my ZT's, and my Kershaw Knockout for EDC, (plus my Benchmade 111 H2O when I'm working in the water treatment side of our powerplant due to its resistance to corrosion) but if I truly had to pick one to be my one and only for any kind of crazy scenario, the BM 275. But since that depends on you, if you got some good fixed blades already, then really, the 275 can be bulky for casual EDC.

Personally, the ZT 801 or 562 are truly a couple of the best knives as far as how much function you're getting for the money....most other knives more expensive, your paying for borderline "artistic" craftsmanship that really has minute advantages IF ANY.
 
Emerson Roadhouse. -Big, tough, grippy. I'd personally get the Super Roadhouse, but I dig larger knives usually.
Spyderco Military or Paramilitary. -Sleek, comfortable, and stupid easy to open. What's not to like?
Spyderco Endura. -Cheaper, sleek, and again stupid easy to open.

Really it depends on what you want and what you'll use the knife for. I'd get the Roadhouse or Paramilitary. They're both awesome and proven knives.
 
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