Buying A New EDC. Which Would You Choose?!

L

Lucien

Joined
Jul 17, 2007
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107
Price cap is around $150. I want something that fills in my hand better than my Kershaw Leek, but isn't overly bulky/heavy like my Emerson Commander.

These are my short list i'm probably gonna choose from. Tell me which you would pick and why or suggest another knife and say why. I'm very interested in owning new brands and currently have a Kershaw, Emerson, and Benchmade.

Short list:

- Kershaw zdp/Ti Mini-Cyclone *

- Benchmade D2 710

- Kershaw S30V or SG2 Blur

- Benchmade S30V Lum Dejavoo *

- Benchmade S30V 943 Osborne *

- Benchmade D2 Apparition

- Mcusta anything! Suggest something in this price range/build quality

- Spyderco zdp/cf Caly 3 (how reliable are lockbacks, really?)

- Spyderco S30V Manix (another lockback :( )

- Spyderco S30V Paramilitary (the hell is a compression lock?)

- Microtech Mini-Socom Elite

- Kershaw S30V Specbump G10 (looks like it would be a bitch to sharpen) *

- Buck/Mayo S30V/Ti TNT


So, pick from teh list and explain your choice OR suggest another brand/model and explain your choice.
The *'s depict the knives i'm most enthralled with/interested in at the moment.
:D
 
the problem is.....everything you listed is quality.....the responses will be personal preference....that being said....the Benchmade 710 would by my choice.

I also have all of the Spyderco lockbacks you listed.....tanks...all of 'em.
 
morrowj_98 said:
the problem is.....everything you listed is quality.....the responses will be personal preference....that being said....the Benchmade 710 would by my choice.

I also have all of the Spyderco lockbacks you listed.....tanks...all of 'em.
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I'm fine with choices based off personal preference as long as they're backed by some kind of reasoning. That's the sort of thing that helps a buyer really determine which may better suit him when he can't handle every product he might buy.

How strong/reliable are lockback knives as compared to liner/frame locks?
 
I think you can't go wrong with Benchmade or Spyderco. Both are top notch brands. I have both and both get a lot of EDC time.

Just handle them yourself and see what fits you best. Just hold them and make a wise choice. But don't make a choice based on other peoples opinions. It can help but again it's all personal.

CZ
 
I'm familiar with most of the knives listed,although I don't own all of them. If I were buying the knife, my top two choices would be the BM 710 or the Spyderco Para-Millie.

The locks on both are outstanding. You're probably familiar with BM's AXIS lock and how it works. A Spyderco compression lock fits between the blade tang and a stop pin on the back side of the blade. It's a vertical slab of steel that acts like a pillar or support post when the blade is open and locked. It moves in from the side like a liner or frame lock, but it takes the load vertically where the steel is the strongest. It's really quite well thought out.

Both knives are open construction, which I like because it makes clogging with gunk less likely and cleaning when necessary much easier.

The 710 is a tad long for my taste in a folder. I like to stick with no more than a 3.5" blade. That would be the Para-Millie again. I also don't care much for recurve blades, although my EDC is an H&K 14210.

Hey... there's a thought. You might look at the H&K 14200 or 14205. That's a 3.4" blade with a pretty substantial handle and an AXIS lock. They're both open construction and the 14200/14205 blade is straight instead of recurve.

I have a Para-Millie and it gets regular woods carry. It's light enough for my wife to wear it clipped in her pocket when we're hiking. I also have an 80mm Manix that I usually carry in a pouch. The Manix ergos don't work as well for me as the Para-Millie. If she has the Para, I'll usually take one of my large Grips instead of the Manix.

That's something else you might want to look at. The Grips are more entry-level than you might want, but they are tough as nails and they come in a variety of blade steels and shapes.
 
dalefuller said:
I'm familiar with most of the knives listed,although I don't own all of them. If I were buying the knife, my top two choices would be the BM 710 or the Spyderco Para-Millie.

The locks on both are outstanding. You're probably familiar with BM's AXIS lock and how it works. A Spyderco compression lock fits between the blade tang and a stop pin on the back side of the blade. It's a vertical slab of steel that acts like a pillar or support post when the blade is open and locked. It moves in from the side like a liner or frame lock, but it takes the load vertically where the steel is the strongest. It's really quite well thought out.

Both knives are open construction, which I like because it makes clogging with gunk less likely and cleaning when necessary much easier.

The 710 is a tad long for my taste in a folder. I like to stick with no more than a 3.5" blade. That would be the Para-Millie again. I also don't care much for recurve blades, although my EDC is an H&K 14210.

Hey... there's a thought. You might look at the H&K 14200 or 14205. That's a 3.4" blade with a pretty substantial handle and an AXIS lock. They're both open construction and the 14200/14205 blade is straight instead of recurve.

I have a Para-Millie and it gets regular woods carry. It's light enough for my wife to wear it clipped in her pocket when we're hiking. I also have an 80mm Manix that I usually carry in a pouch. The Manix ergos don't work as well for me as the Para-Millie. If she has the Para, I'll usually take one of my large Grips instead of the Manix.

That's something else you might want to look at. The Grips are more entry-level than you might want, but they are tough as nails and they come in a variety of blade steels and shapes.
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:thumbup: Thanks for the input/suggestions.

I do currently have a Griptilian and while i love the ergos of the knife, i just can't get past the cheap feeling handle. I had a mini-Grip before and it's handle felt much higher quality, despite being made of the same material. Weird.

I'm trying to convince myself to pull the trigger on a Spyderco despite their looks, but fact is i just haven't handled one yet. Their rep is about as strong as you can get, though.
 
I'm pretty sure any of the locks from Spyderco will be stronger than the liner-locks you're thinking of. I'd go for the Kershaw ZDP Mini Cyclone for the handle material, the lock and the ZDP steel.
 
Don't be put off by the looks of a Spyderco. They work so well...they are the definition of form following function. They work and perform amazingly. If you do not have a spyderco you owe it to yourself to pick one up.
TC
 
I'm very traditional when it comes to knives and how they look. But I value performance over everything else. That's what got me into Spyderco in the first place and I've never regretted it.

I prefer the look of my Benchmades, especially the Ritter Grips. That is the perfect look for a folding knife in my eyes. But if I gotta face the end of the world as I know it, I'd want to be holding a Spyderco (with a Grip in my back pocket) :D .
 
flipe8 said:
I'm pretty sure any of the locks from Spyderco will be stronger than the liner-locks you're thinking of. I'd go for the Kershaw ZDP Mini Cyclone for the handle material, the lock and the ZDP steel.
Click to expand...

That's good to hear and makes the Spyderco's a stronger competitor.

The zdp mini cyclone is definitely the front runner right now. I got to handle one and it felt brilliant.
 
I did not like Syderco as an EDC choice at first because I could not get past the looks of them. Finally, after reading about a thousand wonderful comments about the knives, I bought one. Now, after a ton of use, I own a couple of Spydies and they are among my favorites to carry. Oddly, I now find them "best looking" because they work so well. I think that I enjoy the more organic and curvy lines of the Spydies.

Still, I think the Axis lock is my favorite lock overall. This is problematic for me because I want an Axis Spydie...:eek:

From your list, the 710 and the Manix appeal to me the most. The Manix is quite a brusier though and is not light to carry.
 
kbog said:
I did not like Syderco as an EDC choice at first because I could not get past the looks of them. Finally, after reading about a thousand wonderful comments about the knives, I bought one. Now, after a ton of use, I own a couple of Spydies and they are among my favorites to carry. Oddly, I now find them "best looking" because they work so well. I think that I enjoy the more organic and curvy lines of the Spydies.

Still, I think the Axis lock is my favorite lock overall. This is problematic for me because I want an Axis Spydie...:eek:

From your list, the 710 and the Manix appeal to me the most. The Manix is quite a brusier though and is not light to carry.
Click to expand...

Good to know. things like this are exactly why i made this post. :D
 
One last bump for morning crew, for more suggestions/opinions.

I'll be back on tonight for work.
 
I like your choices. My pick(s) wouls be Benchmade D2 Apparition and 707 Sequel. I EDC a 707-D2 and it carries very well and the blade is pretty good sized for the knife.

good luck:thumbup:
 
- Kershaw zdp/Ti Mini-Cyclone....no experience with this one.

- Benchmade D2 710....very nice choice, but still that hand filling.

- Kershaw S30V or SG2 Blur....one of the most comfortable handles I've ever used. The thumbstud activated AO takes some getting used to.

- Benchmade S30V Lum Dejavoo....no experience with this one.

- Benchmade S30V 943 Osborne....I had the 940 once but it's not very hand filling either.

- Benchmade D2 Apparition....no experience with this one.

- Mcusta anything! Suggest something in this price range/build quality....no experience with this one.

- Spyderco zdp/cf Caly 3 (how reliable are lockbacks, really?)....lockbacks are one of THE most reliable locks in production, much more reliable than a liner-lock IMO.
I have never used a Caly 3 but I have used several other versions of the Caly.
They are very nice cutters but the edge is a bit short for my taste...and I hate the sharp peak above the thumb-hole.

- Spyderco S30V Manix (another lockback )....An excellent knife, but it is heavy and big.

- Spyderco S30V Paramilitary (the hell is a compression lock?)....the blade is a little short considering the handle. And I don't care for the Compression-lock...it's strong and reliable when locked open, but it does not keep the blade closed that well. And sometimes it pinches my hand.

- Microtech Mini-Socom Elite....no experience with this one.

- Kershaw S30V Specbump G10 (looks like it would be a bitch to sharpen) *....no experience with this one, but I did once own a titanium Bump.
I don't care for the blade shape.

- Buck/Mayo S30V/Ti TNT....no experience with this one.


If you want an inexpensive hand filling knife, check out the Benchmade Griptilians.


Good luck,
Allen
 
My favorites are the Caly 3 CF ZDP, and Mini-cyclone TI ZDP laminate. In that order.
 
I have handled or owned most of the knives you listen, as well as many, many more, and I feel, 100%, that the Caly III is the best feeling, most useful pure EDC of that size ever made by any production company.

I actually like the look and feel of the G-10/ VG-10 version more, personally.
 
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