Best sub 400 USD tip-down folder?

@JDunn709 LOL

ozgooner said:
I'm exactly the same. If it can't be carried tip down it doesn't see time IWB with me, although I may carry it loose in the pocket.

The Para2 is definitely worth a look because it is just such a great knife, but my favourite by a very long way is the ZT550 which can be carried tip down. Great knife, cuts brilliantly and built like a tank.
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Yes, I will definitely buy a Para2 one day. But I refuse to pay 170/190 USD for a plain ass S30V Para2 due to the current low availability.

The 0550 has definitely caught my eye, but I wish it hadn't a steel liner on the G10-side and I have the feeling it isn't a great cutter due to the assumed thick blade geometry(?)
 
Everything I read just shows that you really like the Military. I have owned a lot of knives and I share a lot of your preferences. I cannot rule out everything, but **I** have found nothing at 500 or less that outperforms the Military for how I define performance (and preference).

Personally I like the G-10 models of military (I have the Ti and a Ti/G-10 model and both add unnecessary weight IMO).

Im not saying there are not better knives out there (by some other criteria) but its a great package.

Perhaps, you should find a nice variant of Military and then find someone very skilled to tune and customize it for you. Then you can have a one of a kind, special knife, that also is EXACTLY what you want.

Anything less would just be what some guy on Blade Forums suggested...and 400 bucks is a lot of cheese to toss out on a stranger's suggestion.

Think about it. Polished pivot, customized edge geometry (thinned subtle polished convex, perhaps some work in the plunge area to reduce the recurve at the choil, custom grips, or just customize the stock ones via polishing or texturizing....the options are endless!)
 
Another vote for the Socom Elite. I LOVE mine. Spyderco Military is also a good suggestion. Maybe a Ti version to give it a little more "specialness"?
 
unit said:
I cannot rule out everything, but **I** have found nothing at 500 or less that outperforms the Military for how I define performance (and preference).

Think about it. Polished pivot, customized edge geometry (thinned subtle polished convex, perhaps some work in the plunge area to reduce the recurve at the choil, custom grips, or just customize the stock ones via polishing or texturizing....the options are endless!)
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Very, very good point. Thank you very much. I was thinking about that too. It may well be that I'll end up buying some cheaper knives which I know I like and let them customize to my liking. I'm thinking about an Ontario RAT1 with skeletonized liners and G10 scales and a de-assisted black 0350 with blackened skeletonized liners. And of course a Ti Millie with a custom non-linered G10 scale.
 
Kershaw JYD

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On the subject of tip down preference, I have gone so far as to convert 2 Benchmades and a Cold Steel Recon 1 to tip down carry. That's pretty much how I'm hard wired.
 
Jeru said:
I know! A Socom Elite is actually already on my list for a long time. Unfortunately discontinued and I'm picky: I want an all black plain edge with carbon fiber inlays. S35VN is fine. Very hard to find nowadays.
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Yes. I prefer a plain edge clip point (not tanto) black blade with carbon fiber inserts myself as well. Unfortunately, you can only find them with green aluminum handles!

Jeru said:
Like I stated in the first post 'Until now my favorite folder of all time is the Spyderco Military C/F M390'. It is my EDC since the day I got it. (I have to send it to Spyderco though because it recently developed up and down play unfortunately.)
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Sorry, it wasn't clear to me that you already had one in your possession. I just thought it was your favorite.

Jeru said:
The 0550 has definitely caught my eye, but I wish it hadn't a steel liner on the G10-side and I have the feeling it isn't a great cutter due to the assumed thick blade geometry(?)
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Great manual folder. Cuts very well but not as good as the Millie. The 0550BLK with a black blade somehow is smoother from day one. That's what I have with Hinderer carbon fiber scale instead of G10. The G10 has a rough texture.
 
Fallkniven PXL.

It might exceed your budget and while it is a linerlock and tip-down only carry, the gentlemanly look and heft at 6.2 oz might or not appeal to you.
 
Akcir said:
On the subject of tip down preference, I have gone so far as to convert 2 Benchmades and a Cold Steel Recon 1 to tip down carry. That's pretty much how I'm hard wired.
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That is freaking awesome! The Recon 1 tanto is the only tip-up folder that I am not selling (yet). Would be awesome to convert it. Although I'm not a fan of hollow grinds and back-locks, the Tri-Ad is unbeatable. But I have the Ontario Joe Pardue Utilitac II tanto with custom G10 scales on my short list ;)

RamZar said:
Yes. I prefer a plain edge clip point (not tanto) black blade with carbon fiber inserts myself as well. Unfortunately, you can only find them with green aluminum handles!
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Yes :) Hence I don't have it on my short list cause it's impossible to find and I don't want to pay double if I ever find it :)

mesoscopic said:
Fallkniven PXL.

It might exceed your budget and while it is a linerlock and tip-down only carry, the gentlemanly look and heft at 6.2 oz might or not appeal to you.
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Awesome - and gorgeous - suggestion thank you very much! Less than 8 oz (ZT0300) I can manage, certainly if it gives me something extra - in this case sheer beautifulness :) A very respectable eBay'er sells PXLmm's for 269 USD + 20 USD shipping, so it will be definitely on my list thank you. However I do think that it is not the best slicer, due to it's thick grind.


So thank you for all the responses people!


On my short list are now:

Ontario RAT 1 with custom scales;
Ontario Utilitac II with custom scales;
Zero Tolerance 0350;
Zero Tolerance 0550;
Fallkniven PXLmm;
Spyderco Para-Military2 Camo Black Blade C81GPCMOBK2;
Spyderco Military Titanium C36TIP;
Spyderco Military Fluted Titanium C36TIFP;
And grail: Spyderco Military Ti/G10 CPM M4 KnifeWorks Exclusive C36GTIP.


BUT..!!... Since Jake Hoback announced he is going to produce Midtech Kawaibacks I was able to convince him to make it tip-down for me if I ordered. So I did and I am now on the list for my first custom/midtech! A tip-down Midtech Kawaiback! :) It probably won't cut or carry as well as a Millie, but I'm very very excited anyway!

So I am selling all my non-users now (Horseman, 0300, Centofante 2, Longhorn and Lum Chinese Glass Fiber) on the local secondary online market here in Holland to pay for this coming badboy :)
 
Thank you very much bdmicarta! Awesome suggestions! I've been eyeballing an old 913 Stryker with thumb disks for a while! I forgot it to put it on my short list above.
 
Thank you.

Funny that most people suggest sub-150 USD knives, while I stated I have 400 USD to spend :) I wonder if it would be the same if I asked for recommendations without the tip-down limitation... ;)

From the discontinued Benchmades, I'd rather have a Benchmade 425 Gravitator BM425BK by the way.
 
I sold a Speedform for almost $500 a few months ago, if that makes you feel better. There's also the Ti JYD with the laminate blade, that will get up there in price if you can find one. I'm just throwing out some cheaper and more available alternatives out there in case you want to get more than one knife for your $400 :)
 
Jeru said:
Yes, I will definitely buy a Para2 one day. But I refuse to pay 170/190 USD for a plain ass S30V Para2 due to the current low availability.
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Just (pre-)order one from one of the major online knife stores. They get them in stock as they are produced and if you already placed an order, you'll get one. I waited about one month before it came into stock.
 
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