Best High End Knife (over $500) for Actual Use

[Spears]

I bet it is. But they made it in Elmax, S90V, and M390. My bet is Vanax 37.

With that milling/scale pattern, I'm pretty sure those F95 (R?) Nudists were in either M390 or Vanax. I'm pretty sure the smooth scaled Nudists were made with M390, Elmax, or S90V but not with Vanax.

 

[ElementalBreakdown]

My vote is for an Olamic. My Wayfarer 247 is my EDC ... if you get fancy anodizing on the pivots it'll wear quick, but the scales are very fancy ano and have held up great despite extraordinarily use (note:not ABuse like "batoning").

I think *most* knives over $500 by highly regarded makers will hold up just fine- but Olamic gives you so many choices on every component and they were able to deliver my knife with all the custom choices I made within 2 weeks, and I want to say more like a week. Also, I was given a choice between 3 variants of the specific components I chose and none of them were listed in their inventory. I'd like to think I made interesting choices and they knew that they could sell all 3 of the knives quickly regardless, but the point is that not only did they let me pick a bunch of different options, but they built a few of them for me to pick from.

Customer service is fast, and after a few emails they called me to discuss everything and make sure I was happy. The blade itself toes the line as far as length... perfect as far as I am concerned.

When you get to this price point with established bladesmiths, it usually comes down to customer service for me, and as far as that's concerned there may be some that are as good, but no one could be better.

 

[Ajack60]

Is that Shiro F95 Nudist in Vanax? How's their Vanax hold up?

It's M390, sold the Vanax Nudist like a dummy , I had it's twin in Vanax, the thinner blade was offered in Vanax

 

[ChazzyP]

Pretty much all the bases have been covered here.

Hinderers are plenty tough and if you want one that'll cut a little better you can go with a Skinny or a Firetac. The TriWay system is great and you can choose from two types of washers if you regularly muck up your pivots or go with BBs if you prefer freer action.

Any CRK large is a great work knife--durable, dependable, easily sharpenable, and a cinch to disassemble and clean.Three of mine regularly see job sites.

I've also got three of my Shiro's in regular work rotation, my favorite being an SRBS F95T Turtle in M390 (the Vanax 37 3.5mm-bladed F95R Nudist is more of an EDC). I don't have a problem with BB pivots in work knives as I don't generally get grit, etc in 'em--they only occasionally need a good breakdown and cleaning. My other two Shiro workers are older models 100NS Tabargan and Hati which are both on PB washers. The F3 linerlock is a great knife that affords a hand-filling grip, but mine is kinda pretty and is more of an EDC like my F95R.

Another great Russian choice for regular use would be the Cheburkov Scout--great build quality, action, super blade, and proportionally very similar to an F95. It's right there for quality with my Shiros at about half the price.

Also mentioned by others is the Spartan Harsey Folder, a solid tank of a knife on PB washers, super smooth, and great in hand. I've got a nicely engraved Northwest Coast Edition for EDC and a PJ stonewashed version for work.

 

[Random Dan]

There are lots of good options, but I'm going to agree with many posters in this thread that when I hear "Nothing fancy, just extremely well designed and made for actual use", CRK is the first that comes to mind. Nobody else does usability, maintainability, and long life better than CRK.

 

[Londinium Armoury]

At this point in my collecting career, I've got quite a few knives that cost me more than $500, and at current*, my favorite would have to be my Spartan Harsey SHFs, with my Shiro F3 in strong second. I won't lie, though. Most evenings, I'll have three or four knives on my side table and I'll just sit there and fidget with them, strop one or two, and call it good. It's one of my favorite forms of relaxation.

As for actual use, SHFs can handle that quite well, and so can pretty much all of the others I own. Olamics, my CRKs, my custom Doziers, several others.




* Which, let's face it, is the only objectively relevant metric with knife guys because you know it's going to be a different answer next month! LOL

So the spartan and Shiro really replaced the 21 as your top knives? You have betrayed the sacred order of the 21.
Hand over your gun and your badge sir.

 

[Spears]

It's M390, sold the Vanax Nudist like a dummy , I had it's twin in Vanax, the thinner blade was offered in Vanax

Ah, well, at least we know (or have known) that Shiro does M390 right.

 

[Niall88]

This one from my collection is the one I prefer to carry as opposed to all others, performing as you would expect from a Lum............

View attachment 1643975View attachment 1643976

Can you tell me what model this knife is? Looks cool! I understand it is a Lum, but is there a model?

 

[CyberRacer]

I'll throw the Curtiss F3 into the mix. I've had two for a while, and just picked up a third. I find them to be well made and very utilitarian. I'm partial to the spanto blade myself, but they also come in a slicer and a wharncliff in flipper or no flipper configs. Additionally Dave Curtiss the owner is extremely customer focused. I've been pleased with all my interactions. Well worth checking out if you haven't before.

 

[Quiet]

I'll throw the Curtiss F3 into the mix. I've had two for a while, and just picked up a third. I find them to be well made and very utilitarian. I'm partial to the spanto blade myself, but they also come in a slicer and a wharncliff in flipper or no flipper configs. Additionally Dave Curtiss the owner is extremely customer focused. I've been pleased with all my interactions. Well worth checking out if you haven't before.

View attachment 1923957View attachment 1923961View attachment 1923966

Have to chime in with agreement here. Curtiss knives are excellent, and they have a mechanical nature about them I’ve always found appealing. Like you, I just purchased a new F3 myself and it should be here in a few days, I can’t wait!

 

[nevertakeadayoff]

Can you tell me what model this knife is? Looks cool! I understand it is a Lum, but is there a model?

betzner died a year ago, dude. just like this thread.

 

[Jsega51]

betzner died a year ago, dude.

Bob just posted on Monday you know, dude.

 

[J. Doyle]

Bob just posted on Monday you know, dude.

Lol....i was just thinking...."I wonder if anyone has informed Bob that he died a year ago?"

 

[betzner]

Bob just posted on Monday you know, dude.

Lol....i was just thinking...."I wonder if anyone has informed Bob that he died a year ago?"

Yes, just now, thanks John!
And as to the Lum question, for the life of me (again, not dead), I cannot remember the exact model but it would be on the old Lum site....

Edit: The model is an All Rounder.....

 

[Jsega51]

Welcome back! Haha

 

[K.O.D.]

It's been a long time since I've owned a knife at this level, and even though I owned a Brian Tighe small Tighe Rod for 2 years, I never used or carried it for fear of damaging it. I ultimately sold it.

While not quite $500 (yet), my Cheburkov Strizh immediately went into my rotation as a user. Comfortable in hand, lightweight, perfect edc.

I only have one knife in the $500+ range, an Andrey Biryukov #12. It is currently in my safe. I've opened and closed it a few times, but I'm holding out in case I need to sell it to pay for a fine I'll be getting shortly. I'm hoping the fine won't be to much, because I love the knife. I also want to try out CPM-S125V.

I don't think I'll ever be able to justify buying a knife I won't use/am not willing to use again.