First EDC Purchase – Seeking Expert Opinions

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Screw4Pils

Joined
Feb 19, 2024
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Hi Everyone,

I hope this finds you well. I'm currently in a bit of a dilemma and could use some expert opinions to help me make an informed decision. I've narrowed down my choices to three EDC knives, and each has its own set of features that appeal to me. I'd appreciate your insights and experiences to guide me through this decision-making process.

Kubey Creon:
  • Affordable
  • One-handed operation
  • AUS-10 steel
  • G10 handle
  • Likable overall shape
0ee749e0da8fa579acdf09d39e391403.jpg

Kizer Comfort:
  • Affordable
  • One-handed operation
  • 154CM steel
  • G10 handle
  • Attractive puukko design (though slightly over the legal size limit at 8.3 cm)
  • Might be too hefty?
8d6a595f5ce2137a2ec6b80a8fe706db.jpg

Manly Wasp:
  • Affordable
  • Very high-quality steel
  • Appealing design
  • Two-handed operation
cc20e6f124cc915d6bc352097b268487.jpg

I currently own a Victorinox Sentinel, Skipper Pro, and an old Opinel, so this new addition will complement my existing collection.

I have a few specific concerns:

  • I have little to no experience in sharpening – as I understand the 154CM would be the best from this point of view, but the Wasp's CPM S90V steel would be a huge step for me in terms of steel quality.
  • The legality of the Kizer Comfort's size (8.3 cm) compared to the 8 cm legal limit – I live in Europe. Is this something I should be particularly concerned about in your experience?
  • If the Manly Wasp were one-handed, it would be a no-brainer, but I'm hesitating because of its two-handed design – is it a potential drawback in everyday use? Honestly, I might not need the one-handedness for practical reasons, but because I've never owned a one-handed knife before, it is a factor for me.
Any thoughts, personal experiences, or recommendations would be immensely helpful in making the right choice for my next EDC knife.

Thank you in advance!
Ben
 
I can only speak to the Manly, it is very thin and a great slicer like the opinel. But you need diamond stones to sharpen s90v or it will take a while.
 
Go with the Wasp.
When it gets dull, sell it and buy something else.

On a more serious note, only you can say whether the two hand opening is a problem for you. To my eyes, the Wasp is by far the most appealing of the three...but you will need CBN or diamond stones to sharpen S90V.
 
If you can put a good edge on the Sentinel, you'll be able to sharpen the Manly as well, it will just take a little longer, but as long as you maintain an angle it will get sharp.

As for one handed opening, check out the Manly City, it's basically a Wasp with back lock and thumb stud opening and I believe they also make it in S90V.
 
I can only speak of the Manly Wasp, I have two of them with the basic Sandvik steel, very thin edge and a good slicer, however mine has the 4 position stops that at first bothered me, but now I like the action to play with when opening and closing. The screws need tightening once and awhile as I had one come loose, this could be remedied with lock-tight. I ordered the hardware kit where I have extra screws, Alan wrench and a plate that I use if I want to remove the clip.
 
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Drop bear said:
Are you allowed to carry lock knives?
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After your comment, I tried to find the relevant legislation, and it seems like spring-assisted knives and lock knives are not legal – I thought that only spring-assisted blades were illegal, but I was wrong. This brings a whole different challenge – thanks for asking that question. I might need to look at small fix blades to stay within legal limits.
 
Of your choices, if I lived in Europe (and if I were to travel between counties and communities that are knife-shy), the Manly would be my choice. Two hand operation is fine, tbh. Diamond hones are really cheap, and I have found that even if you don't get a perfect edge with a diamond stone, the edge still cuts (if a bit rough). Also, learning to strop will be your friend. It really cuts down on needing a stone as often.
 
Diamond hones aren't exactly a must as others might lead you to believe, while they will give the quickest results you can still pretty easily sharpen S90V on conventional stones and ceramic. I often use my Falkniven DC 4's ceramic side to touch up my knives, works fine on S90/110V but I never let my knives get dull enough to where I'd need to actually remove a lot of material. If a stop no longer cuts it, fine ceramic then strop again will bring it back to shaving sharp in no time.
 
D2 steel will also maintain a more toothy edge, keep cutting even if not razor sharp. The Manly knives are not Chinese d2 steel. So I say you don’t need a super steel, but one that will either keep a good edge such as d2, and has some stain resistance. Or a good basic stainless steel like Sandvik or CPM 154. The biggest need I see is the ability to stay out of legal trouble when traveling to different areas (under 3 inches) and non locking. The French have used Sandvik for a long time and find it useful. I don’t see any advantage for one handled opening, just me, but I have never felt I have needed to open a knife that fast, after all, my SA Alox Pioneer has been very useful. It is a two handed knife. :)
 
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One-hand operation might be fun: but it's not a necessity (IMHO). Go with the wasp, and get some diamond sharpening rods.
It's got a lot going for it as an edc. It's light, thin, and will give you years of happy use.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums :)
It's good to hear that you just got both!

Regarding the knife legislation, Europe is quite diverse, as in Czech Republic are absolutely no restrictions and Denmark on the other hand is very strict. (UK is no longer a part of Europe, just geographically in the same spot)

It's best comparable to the different state knife restrictions in the US.

I live in Germany, and we got quite nonsensical knife restrictions, but I can make them work for me...
 
Screw4Pils said:
Thanks, everyone – based on the inputs, I went with the Wasp, but the owner of the shop gave me a huge discount (-65%) on the Kubey Creon (I checked with local authorities, and the Kubey is also within legal limits). Couldn't pass up on that, so I ordered both. Will report back once they arrive.
Click to expand...
And so it begins...
Nobody ever eats just one potato chip! 🤣
Enjoy your journey... 👍
 
Screw4Pils said:
Thanks, everyone – based on the inputs, I went with the Wasp, but the owner of the shop gave me a huge discount (-65%) on the Kubey Creon (I checked with local authorities, and the Kubey is also within legal limits). Couldn't pass up on that, so I ordered both. Will report back once they arrive.
Click to expand...
Glad you got both, would love to hear back how you like, use and compare them. But would really like to hear about your travels in Europe using them, we live vicariously through your adventures.
 
Hi Everyone,

As promised, I'm back with an enthusiastic point of view – I am far from an expert, so please keep that in mind.

In the past month, I had the two knives in my pocket for almost the same amount of time, so I think both of them excel as an EDC addition – which was the main point of the whole purchase. I guess we can tick off from the list. The aspects that I tried to look at in the past month:

Sharpness: Both knives came out swinging from the factory. The Manly edges out the Kubey slightly in refinement, but both could ace the newspaper-cutting test without breaking a sweat. I haven't taken them to the sharpening stone yet, but I anticipate the S90V steel in the Manly might be a tad trickier than the AUS-10 in the Kubey – as discussed before.

Comfort: Kubey's one-handed operation is smooth, thanks partly to its ceramic ball bearings (although I have no comparison, as this is my first one-handed blade). The Manly's pocket clip wins points, and its slimmer profile snuggles better in my pocket. The light quarter stops at 45 degrees and 135 degrees relative to the closed position on the Manly were a pleasant surprise, offering just the right amount of resistance and added safety. The Kubey's deep finger undercut enhances grip security, but overall, it's a tie for me in everyday use.

Quality of Materials and Construction: Both sport G10 handles that feel solid. The Manly edges ahead in finishing, but the Kubey surprises with its precision despite being mass-produced. On my copy, minor gaps and inaccuracies on the Manly were noticeable but not deal-breakers. It's like comparing a finely tuned machine (Kubey) to a handcrafted masterpiece (Manly), where the latter may bear the quirks of human touch. (I am unsure if that makes sense, and I know that handcrafted masterpieces don't start at this price point; it's just the best analogy I could come up with.)

Like I said, I'm no expert; I just thought I might share my experience with my copies of the two knives. These might be subjective, and other copies of the same knives could differ. I'm delighted with both of them; my key takeaway is that they are stupid good value for the money.

Thanks again for everyone's help!
Ben
 
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