Best Plastic-handled small folder?

fulloflead

fulloflead

Joined
May 3, 2002
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There are PLENTY of companies that offer plastic-handled economical small folders. They DO have a purpose in life and most of us DO buy them sometimes. What are you're favorites?

For example, my favorites in order are:
SOG Autoclips: great adjustable pocket clip, great steel and heat-treat.

Spyderco Endura, Delica, etc.: great designs and quality, period.

Cold Steel Voyager series: strong handles, good steel, ALL different sizes.

Many, many manufacturerers offer one or two of these types. What are your favorites and why?

These are all GREAT knives to buy when you're BORED and have a few extra bucks and have the itch to get something new in the mail!

Come ON! ADMIT IT! You've bought some of these cheapo's, I KNOW you did! What do you like about them?

Give it up!:)
 
I have a Spyderco Meerkat. I carry it with me every day and wouldn't be without it. It's small and easily carried, can handle most tasks I have for a small knife and it doesn't unduly panic the unwashed masses when I open it up in public.
 
Spyderco Native with S30v blade. Great little knife. Lots of performance for the cash outlay.
 
FRN Spyderco Delica/Endura...They come with the excellent VG-10 steel, and the Boye dent, as well as an ambidextrious pocket clip.
 
Originally posted by gajinoz
I have a Spyderco Meerkat. I carry it with me every day and wouldn't be without it. It's small and easily carried, can handle most tasks I have for a small knife and it doesn't unduly panic the unwashed masses when I open it up in public.
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention that one because it's a little more complex design than a regular simple folder with a plastic handle. But, it's one of my favorites of all time!:D I carry mine all the time too. I love it.
 
Small CS Trailguide. Got that good Carbon V, and really holds a nice edge. It rides just right in a front jeans pocket, and is nice and light.
 
I love the Spydercos...

but one of my favorites in this category is the Gerber LST. It's inexpensive, lightweight, rides in the pocket well, holds an edge, locks up tight, and doesn't scare anybody.

I gave my grandfather an LST for Christmas years ago, and he carried it every day. I got it back when he passed away. Some day one of my boys will carry it along with one of his old slip joints.:)
 
Well, considering about 40% my collection of spydies are frn...

I love them because even if I somehow manage to loose one or break it, it's cheap and readily available to replace. I have 1 EDC that even a replacement would be lower, the frn/se/ats-55(98 model) Endura I carry left/front when ever I have clothes on(no pockets? iwb). Got it as a christmas gift last year(02) on the forums.
 
Spyderco Native. I don't own one but my wife does and I really like it. I'm also a big fan of the Delica which I do own, but after using both I prefer the Native.
 
First one hand opener I bought was a Spyderco Endura and that was about 12 years ago, carried it daily for about 6 years. It does not see much carry anymore but its still around love that knife.

Have a couple Cold Steel Voyagers, great knives for the money. Had a friend you put his 5 inch tanto through hell and back, using it as a pry tool, and to chop through things when it wouldn't chop he'd hammer on the back of the blade. It's beat to death the serrations are about gone but I was able to get an edge back on the non serrated section. Lock up was not as tight as new but still pretty solid.

Either Spyderco or Cold Steel Zytel folders offer a lot of performance at a next to nothing cost.
 
My biggest problem with the CS Voyagers is the thumb stud. I tried to take one off and it BROKE off! There's only a TINY screw holding them on.

They really need a bigger thumb stud held on with a bigger screw so that they are totally reversable.

The BEST CS folders are the "Pro Light" folders that have a hole instead of a stud. They have plastic scales too, but they're so good I wouldn't put them in this catagory.
 
I'll chime in with a Spyderco vote, but my preference goes to the Lwt. Calypso Jr. It's tip down like all my other knives, but doesn't weigh down even a pair of jogging shorts. Other than it, I like my knives with a bit more weight to them.
 
No one has mentioned the Native III. VG-10, comfortable sculpted FRN handle, wire clip (love it or hate it). It's a great knife.
 
A couple of my favorites have been mentioned already. I love both FRN Natives and A.G. Russell's One Hand Knife. Two other favorites are of mine are the Spyderco Dragonfly and Spyderco's Vesuvius. I also love a plain edge delica even though I don't own one right now. Finally, the small Griptillian also belongs in this category even though most of us tend to think of the lockbacks first.
 
I forgot to mention the BM 350 liner lock spearpoint. It was one of my absolute favorite zytel knives. I understand that BM is bringing out the 530 axis lock spearpoint as a replacement. I'll have to check one of those out also.:D :) :cool:
 
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