Best high end folding knives?

[whiskeyloaf]

 

[Ajack60]

 

[Kmikaz3]

 

[tony281sc2]

I’m sure it’s out of my price range, but what is that knife on the right? Very nice

 

[unwisefool]

I must say I've been pretty impressed with this Berg blades iron wolf!!!! I'm not overly enthusiastic about flippers either..View attachment 1576531

Yeah that's a nice knife, hard to find though. I only ever see the smaller wolf pup ones

 

[afishhunter]

Honestly, I've never needed a "high end" anything.
Seems to me a lot of the time "high end" is just an attempt to brag. They don't work any better than a mid price or quality budget priced model.

When I was a fabrication welder and heavy equipment mechanic back in 1975 to 1978, while in So Cal. My lifetime guarantee from Sears tools worked just as well as the off the truck Snap-on and Mac tools.
Ditto my lifetime guarantee tools from walmart, when I was an auto mechanic, 1995 to 1997, in Missouri.
They just didn't impress others by the name stamped on them.
My 15 to 20 plus year old 300 and 500 Amp pipeline welders said "Lincoln" not "Miller", and were powered by a flathead inline 6 cylinder Continental gas engine, not some 4 cylinder turbo diesel, like the Miller had. My Lincolns both had a100% duty cycle, so why quote/unuote "upgrade" to a newer much more expensive machine with the same or lower amperage and duty cycle rating?

Also, Snap-On and Mac visited the job site (a metal recycling center) once every two to 3 weeks. If I broke a Craftsman tool (very rare, about as often as I broke a Snap-On or Mac tool) or lost one, Sears was on the way home. I didn't have to wait up to 3 weeks to get a replacement.
(In Missouri, Walmart was only a short one or three town over drive.)

My Sears, Camillus, and Old Timer knives did everything I needed a knife for, from removing the insulation on 000 and 0000 welding cable, scraping gaskets and rust, cutting various hoses, opening boxes of welding rod, etc. as any more expensve knife would/could have. Also, when (not "if" ) the knife was eventually lost, it didn't put as big of hole in my wallet to get a replacement.

 

[Chefget]

I'm going with the incomparable Stan Wilson


View attachment 1576695

 

[Kmikaz3]

I’m sure it’s out of my price range, but what is that knife on the right? Very nice

Its a Shirogorov F95R NL

 

[Ron Sabbagh]

It's a pretty big jump from Shirogorov to Scott Sawby & others, and an even bigger jump to Bob Loveless and Tony Bose

If I'm understanding the OP correctly, I agree with taking a look at Koenig and Grimsmo as high end production pieces. I'll add Andre Thorburn and Brian Nadeau (Sharp by Design).

Customs are a completely different animal.

 

[jideta]

IMO, the best high end folder is one that only you have.
If I'm going to step up to the plate, I better not see my blade in the "what EDC you carrying today" thread.
Some smiths work patterns but that doesn't mean that every blade has to be the same.
Or if you do custom work on production blade, that could separate you from the rest.
It also depends on what you consider 'high end.'
Since I am a self described knife snob, high end to me is pretty high end. Would I go there? probably not for you are in full dress closet queen land (I admit there is one $5k knife I'm lusting for).
Once you get over a certain price point, there is no best, only what you are willing to pay and what you like.
They are all awesome.

 

[Richard338]

I haven't handled many of the others mentioned to compare, but I love the Thorburn I have. Part of it was buying it in person from Andre and chatting about knife making for a while.

 

[betzner]

THIS is a high end folder.......

 

[woodysone]

THIS is a high end folder.......

View attachment 1576967

Thanks again for sharing another one of babies with us Bob, the only thing is you put my kids to shame.

 

[unwisefool]

THIS is a high end folder.......

View attachment 1576967

Hmmm....does it come in blue?

 

[CyberRacer]

Been really happy with my OZ Roosevelt. The dual ceramic detent/lock insert combo is very innovative and makes the deployment smooth as silk.

 

[crzyhorse]

I was introduced to high end knives a few months ago, and now have a small collection consisting of Rockstead, Shirogorov, Gareth Bull, and Holt. My favorites are Shirogorov and Gareth Bull. I love the simple minimalism of the GB Shamwari, and of course the design and action of Shirogorov's are unmatched. I'm just curious to see what else is out there, and what is everybody else's favorite?View attachment 1576124

The perfect folder is the Spyderco Military. That's my favourite. Really the only knife I need unless I'm traveling somewhere where it would be illegal based on blade length or lock.

 

[rexromic]

Thorburn,Scott Cook Lochsa,Michael Raymond knives,Tighe knives…

 

[eisman]

You'll have to rewrite your entire initial post when you get your first knife from Ron Lake.

 

[tiguy7]

I vote for William Henry B-15 in ZDP-189 at 67 HRC. This has been my EDC for over 20 years shown here with a custom Darrel Ralph MADD MAXX folder in S-90-VView attachment 1577666

 

[alacrity11]

Filip De Coene, Ray Laconico, Andrew Demko, and Peter Rassenti.

Kornalski Knives for the Godzilla. I don't want to know what that piece of Caldie cost him!

Busse for their deserved reputation.

A company called Mercworx produced three folding knives in similar patterns, that they called The Three Fates. They come up on the auction site once in a while, and while they may not be truly "high end".....

They're more than I can talk myself into paying.