I lost my favorite custom EDC recently. I have other nice knives, but have decided they're just too damn expensive to commit to use as tools, or risk loosing. So I'm considering a new EDC folder in the $120 or less price range. Ideal wold be a conservative looking titanium framelock with 2.5" to 3.5" flat or high ground S30v spear or drop point blade, that weighs in around 4oz or less. I generally prefer a tip-down pocket clip. The small Sebenza isn't in my price range, so the knives I've been looking at that are, include the Spyderco Para-military G10, and the Benchmade Ritter Mini-grip. Would appreciate any recommendations, suggestions, or advice here.
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Budget EDC small/med folder
- Thread starter JDBraddy
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2006
- Messages
- 16
Hmmm, Benchmade 635 comes close. It boasts a 3.43in s30v blade, 3.92oz, and is a framelock. However, the blade is a "modern reverse curve interpretation", and isn't exactly conservative. But, it basically meets all your reqs.
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2006
- Messages
- 2,166
go up 25 bucks more and take a look at the mini cyclone zdp- ti-framelock,speed assist with on/off and zdp 189 blade steel-i like mine a whole lot
hell of a knife for 150 bucks
not a whole lot of choice on ti framelocks at 120 $ crkt had one a few years ago with a at34 blade i think and maybe a benchmade mini skirmish,it has s30v-
being a edc you can also go used
hell of a knife for 150 bucks
not a whole lot of choice on ti framelocks at 120 $ crkt had one a few years ago with a at34 blade i think and maybe a benchmade mini skirmish,it has s30v-
being a edc you can also go used
I could go up to $150 if there was a clear difference. I like the leaks I've picked up and played with at sports-stores. I'm not familiar with this ZDP-189 steel though, is it a premium stainless? Is it comparable to other premium stainless like S30v, D2, VG-10, etc...?
Stephen Tolar
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2005
- Messages
- 1,143
Check out the Bradley (Benchmade) Alias. It fits almost all of your criteria. I carry the large version all the time and love it. You should be able to find the small version for close to your $ limit.
I replaced the blue anodized barrel spacers and thumb stud on mine with aftermarket pieces for less than $12. It makes it look less like a Sebenza copy and more like a semi-custom.
Stephen
I replaced the blue anodized barrel spacers and thumb stud on mine with aftermarket pieces for less than $12. It makes it look less like a Sebenza copy and more like a semi-custom.
Stephen
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,544
Kershaw's Blur S30V or Mini Cyclone with ZDP-189.
ZDP-189 is also a powder type steel. Very good one(imo)
If you willing to spend more - Buck TNT
ZDP-189 is also a powder type steel. Very good one(imo)
If you willing to spend more - Buck TNT
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2003
- Messages
- 3,154
It's supposed to be the latest greatest. It Rockwells in the mid 60s. William Henry uses it, as does Spyderco and Kershaw. If you want to try it for less than $150, Spyderco has some FRN (fiberglass reinforced nylon) midlocks well under $100.
My thanks to everybody who contributed to this thread. It's been an interesting refresher on what's out there, and an edjucation about myself. The knife I lost was a wonderfuly strange cobination. One of experienced knifemakers first attempts at making a folder, after years of making fixed blades. Beautifull jigged bone scales, and heat treated coloring of bolsters, lockup of liner and fit where less than perfect, but size, shape, and blade style all just worked for me!
I had a similarly sized Obenauf small #2, that is a masterpiece of fit and finish with carbon fiber scales, magnesium bolsters, and excellent execution, but it just didn't excite me, and a bad experience with trying to get Mike Obenauf to make one the way I wanted it, had left me frustrated, and it made me angry all over again, each time I looked at this knife of his, I did have.
So I sold it, along with a Microtech auto that had never been used, and came here for advice about shopping for production folders, that it wouldn't break my heart to use/loose. And I learned quite a bit in that search.
First, I have several inexpensive folders, CRKT, Victorinox, Gerber, Beretta, etc.....that all seem like junk to me now, many are NIB, though I've owned them for years, and I've decided to get rid of them, as I'll never use them, and they bring me no pleasure as drawer queens.
As I shopped on-line, I was choosing full sized knives, wich I discovered where larger than I really want for EDC once I actually went to a brick and morter store to see them. For example: On line I would choose the Spyderco Para-military, but when I went to a store to look at one, I found the Calypso or Delica where more the size I had envisioned. I managed to narrow it down to several reasonable choices, but found I was using my customs and Sebenza as reference standards, and at 1/3 the price, the production knives just seemed to leave me wanting.
So I abandoned the self-imposed price cap, and decided to carry my large Stars&Stripes Sebenza to work for a week. It's a wonderfull knife, but larger than I wanted for EDC, and I did notice that while no-one said anything to me whenever I pulled it from my pocket, and opened the large shiney blade, the eyes of those arround me widened and wandered toward it. So I found and agreed to buy small used regular Sebenza at a reasonable price $260. I'll use it untill I find and/or can afford something (probably another custom) that works better for me. Thanks again to everyone who offered advice. I learned a lot!!!
JDBraddy
I had a similarly sized Obenauf small #2, that is a masterpiece of fit and finish with carbon fiber scales, magnesium bolsters, and excellent execution, but it just didn't excite me, and a bad experience with trying to get Mike Obenauf to make one the way I wanted it, had left me frustrated, and it made me angry all over again, each time I looked at this knife of his, I did have.
So I sold it, along with a Microtech auto that had never been used, and came here for advice about shopping for production folders, that it wouldn't break my heart to use/loose. And I learned quite a bit in that search.
First, I have several inexpensive folders, CRKT, Victorinox, Gerber, Beretta, etc.....that all seem like junk to me now, many are NIB, though I've owned them for years, and I've decided to get rid of them, as I'll never use them, and they bring me no pleasure as drawer queens.
As I shopped on-line, I was choosing full sized knives, wich I discovered where larger than I really want for EDC once I actually went to a brick and morter store to see them. For example: On line I would choose the Spyderco Para-military, but when I went to a store to look at one, I found the Calypso or Delica where more the size I had envisioned. I managed to narrow it down to several reasonable choices, but found I was using my customs and Sebenza as reference standards, and at 1/3 the price, the production knives just seemed to leave me wanting.
So I abandoned the self-imposed price cap, and decided to carry my large Stars&Stripes Sebenza to work for a week. It's a wonderfull knife, but larger than I wanted for EDC, and I did notice that while no-one said anything to me whenever I pulled it from my pocket, and opened the large shiney blade, the eyes of those arround me widened and wandered toward it. So I found and agreed to buy small used regular Sebenza at a reasonable price $260. I'll use it untill I find and/or can afford something (probably another custom) that works better for me. Thanks again to everyone who offered advice. I learned a lot!!!
JDBraddy
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2000
- Messages
- 2,262
Don't really know the size (blade and handle length) of the two knives you posted here, but judging from the blade shape, I would think the Ti-ZDP Cyclone would be the perfect replacement for either one.
However, I would also keep the Sebenzas.
However, I would also keep the Sebenzas.
Blade length on both kives was 2.75" from tip to bloster, handle length of the Obie was 3.875" and handle length of the one I lost was 4.125". The Ti-ZDP Mini-Cyclone was one of the two top contenders I was going to buy, before I changed my mind and went with the small Sebie. It was the one I most wanted to find locally and handle for myself, but in pursuance of Murphy's law, I wasn't able to. However, at $140 I may take a chance and buy one online, once my wallet recovers from buying the Sebie. The other two where the Camillus CUDA EDC A.G. Russel D2, and the Benchmade Mini-Grip-556 Doug Ritter MINI RSK Mk1 . I was also not able to find either of these locally.