Favorite knife brands and why

I listed out my favorite brands and why. I also felt I had to comment on where they fall short for me.

Spyderco - I love their innovative designs and the fact that they make a huge variety of useful knives for cutting. They also come out with some off-the-wall stuff that works really well too (Dodo, Massad Ayoob, Gunting, Warrior). Sal Glesser, although I've never met him, seems like a true gentleman. Cons are that I think their MSRPs are whack and their customer service is unfortunately not "best in class."

Zero Tolerance - All my ZTs have been well-designed, well-constructed knives. I sprung a clip accidentally on a chair arm and they sent me a new one for free within a matter of days. Very impressed by their customer service. Wish the special edition knives were more available.

Busse - Great solid using designs. I've never bought a Busse that I wouldn't feel comfortable putting to hard use. Exemplary customer service. There's always SOMETHING available but I wish they would keep a core lineup of some of the more classic designs in production.
 
^^^couldn't agree more on Busse. However that makes em special too. Just gotta get on the stick and order em when your model comes up! If you don't, you may not get the chance again.
 
A company no one has said so far... guardian tactical. My helix has the most superb fit and finish of any knife I've ever owned. (Even my CRK). I just wish they would come out with more stuff. They produced that new intriguing auto knife for rat worxs and that's on my radar.
 
Great Eastern Cutlery and Spyderco

They're great American companies that make the best knives in their respective markets.
 
Mora, JP Peltonen (= Fiskars) and Victorinox. No bullshit pure function great quality/price knives. The kind of knives you actually turn to and use, alltgough you have "nicer" blades around.
 
I always loved Buck knives especially their 110 , but a couple months ago a friend got me interested in Case and GEC both quality knives .
So instead of carrying a big Buck110 on my belt or in my pocket , today I'm carrying a Case 4 1/4" Copperlock . But I have a good feeling I'll be buying some different brands too after reading what you guys have to say . Though to me I'll stick to made in the USA knives .
 
Kabar Blades, including Beckers, are great blades. They just work well.
CRKT: Yeah, I know, not expensive or custom. They make great knives with so many different styles, great designers, adding more all the time, and affordable!
Benchmade: I have never felt a bad Benchmade. They just have exceptional quality to a science.
 
Buck, GEC, Case, Spyderco, Benchmade, Cold Steel, Emerson and others. I have never had a bad experience with any of them.
 
1st: Spyderco
2nd: Kershaw
3rd: Tie between Victorinox & Leatherman

The Spyderco line is so extensive. They have something for everyone. Their knives are made all over the world and the quality levels coming from all the factories is superb and well ahead of the industry standards for a given price point. I can't recall ever having an issue with any Spyderco or Byrd knife. Their prices range from $50 to $300, and from the bare essentials to the super exotics. The only reason I can think of where someone would fail to find something they liked from the brand is if they just don't like the opening hole and prefer tumbstuds or some other type of opening method. But seeing as the thumb hole works so well, those people make up a very small minority.

Kershaw used to hold the top spot for me. The Leek was the knife that started it all for me. But Zero Tolerance put an end to the full time production of super high-end knives coming from Kershaw. Their products now top out at the $110 dollar mark with their new Carbon Fiber Skylines. However, most of their designs are fantastic and they have some great collaborations with some of the most respected custom knife makers.

Victorinox and Leatherman are multitool giants. Between them the is something for absolutely anyone. Not everyone is willing to carry a pocket knife, but I cant imagine anyone who would object to having a Victorinox Classic or a Leatherman Squirt on their keychain. The performance, convenience, utility, quality, and longevity of their products is remarkable when you consider the price.

Other Makes to consider:

Benchamde: Some really fantastic knives come from Benchmade in my opinion. The 940 is in my top 5. But not all of their products are homeruns, and since their prices are a bit steep I feel like I sometimes have unreasonable expectations that leave me feeling underwhelmed.

Zero Tolerance: The high end Kershaws in my opinion. Even though they're typically expensive, you still get alot for your money.

CRKT: This is another brand they helped kick off my knife addiction. But their quality levels are all over the map, but they're doing much better in recent years. Their designs are hit or miss, but every now and then they produce something worth taking a serious look at. They're certainly not afraid to push the boundaries with some really innovated and exotic designs.

Chris Reeve: Uncompromising perfection, but at a premium price. They're second to none when it comes to material and build quality. They are to knives what Rolex is to watches.

Strider: Really highend, and really expensive knives come from their small shop. The SNG is a masterpiece.

Microtech: Best known for Out the Front knives and Autos. But, like Benchmade, they're a bit pricey.

Emerson: Some of the most wickedly awesome knife designs come from Mr. Emerson himself. The Wave and thumbdisk features won't be found anywhere else. But unfortunately their quality levels leave something to be desired when you consider they price. But still, their products won't let you down.

Cold Steel: Tough and cheap, but are not lacking quality when you consider the price. I personally find them to be a little coarse for my tastes, but I've had my eye on a few lately.

Buck: Classics designs. But the golden years for Buck have passed in my opinion. Quality levels are sporadic based on my experience.
 
Spyderco & KAI/ZT - variety, innovation, design & pricing
CRK - unquestionable quality & easy to disassemble
Ontario - superior low & high end quality
 
Kershaw is probably my favorite since they make high quality knives that won't break the bank. Don't get me wring I love spyderco and benchmade but when I shell out so much for a knife I tend not to carry it nearly as often for fear of losing it and I tend to shy away from hard use with them as well. I also like Buck a lot . As far as fixed blades I like KA-BAR, Buck again, cold steel, and some SOG's.
 
Spyderco - competitively priced, many modern steels and styles, great QC
Ontario - bang for buck almost unparalleled in my experience.
ZT - great customer service, design, build quality, materials. Very stout blades for a good price.
Strider/CRK - both for different reasons, but both hold their value very well, have great warrantees, well designed cutting machines.

and many more. nice thread
 
Spyderco - innovative and great leadership
Great Eastern Cutlery - Quality traditionals that I can't seem to get enough of
Fallkniven - practical and well executed designs
Bark River - some great designs and options
Victorinox - just as cool and efficient as they were when I got my first one as a kid
 
I like a lot of makers enough to buy their products. There are a lot of great companies producing blades. My favorites are Spyderco and ZT.

Across a number of price points, Spyderco provides outstanding value. They deliver superior steels at more aggressive prices than competitors (Delica, Manix 2 in S110V, multiples in M390, etc) and have offerings among the best and/ or most popular at every range below $300.

ZT is simply on fire. 0550, 0560, 0566, 0770cf, 0801, 0562, 0350... WOW! ZT is why I simply don't care to spend more than $250 on a blade. I've handled Sebenzas and the like, and I just don't feel like they are better buys than some ZT offerings.
 
Crk - precision and quality.. When you get one, it's no question it's going to be mechanically flawless if taken care of properly.

Rhk- another precision and over built beauty. Customizable. I know when I buy one, it's going to give years of dependable service as well as cripple my wallet ;)

Zt- bang for your buck. They offer things that knives triple their cost do. Quality materials, great usability.

Esee - my go to outdoor work horses. Tough simple and no questions asked lifetime warranty.
 
Folders: Spyderco (great designs, ergo's, materials, and customer service);
Fixed: Bark River (ditto all above).
 
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