First high end folder recommendations.

Hermit_Knight said:
Hello I have about 7 folders all cold steel or Spyderco and I think my most pricey one is my Ronin 2. I have been working hard and doing a lot of night shifts now I can finally afford a high end folder that will admittedly just sit in my safe. I have been looking at Emerson, Chris Reeve and Hinderer knives but just want to ask all you fine folk what you would recommend on a $450 USD budget for a safe queen! Thank you.
Click to expand...
Holt blade works, Koenig. May be a bit more than your budget, but I think it will be worth it to take a step up above the few you named off.
 
One of the new DLT exclusive gen 6 XMs i think there’s still a no choil Spanto with battle blue lockside available
 
Thanks for all the replies I just learnt about a whole lot of knives I didn’t know about and now I want quite a few..I think I will go for the Inkosi and after reading a few posts I think I’ll edc it it’s usless in my safe as I probably wouldn’t want to sell it, it’s just hard seeing that first scratch/wear mark on something pricey! Thanks again I’m still open to more models as maybe one day I’ll be able to afford another high end blade.
 
Fire Beard said:
Reate. Unbelievable overall quality in F&F, action, design...you can’t go wrong. All of the CRK suggestions are warranted, as the Sebenza is incredible. But having had a few CRKs and now my first Reate, I’m giving the nod to them.
Click to expand...

Was not very impressed by the Reate produced Liong Mah SDC. Lots of unchamfered corners.

The Reates have many beautiful knives I just don’t think they are as good as CRKs which are entirely no nonsense and a great bar by which to judge other knives.

To the OP be aware that CRks don’t have the best flicking action.
 
Hermit_Knight said:
Thanks for all the replies I just learnt about a whole lot of knives I didn’t know about and now I want quite a few..I think I will go for the Inkosi and after reading a few posts I think I’ll edc it it’s usless in my safe as I probably wouldn’t want to sell it, it’s just hard seeing that first scratch/wear mark on something pricey! Thanks again I’m still open to more models as maybe one day I’ll be able to afford another high end blade.
Click to expand...

Nah man the scratches and wear are what make a crk beautiful. There are entire threads dedicated to people showing off their worn crks. You will be very happy with your Inkosi! Are you getting the large?
 
Lapedog said:
Nah man the scratches and wear are what make a crk beautiful. There are entire threads dedicated to people showing off their worn crks. You will be very happy with your Inkosi! Are you getting the large?
Click to expand...
Yeah the 3.60” blade length one I’m pretty excited to use it I can’t wait to actually handle it and see why people say these are on another level to other brands.
 
Hermit_Knight said:
That looks really good but my country is very afraid of flippers and waves and all that assisted openings. I should have mentioned that in my op!
Click to expand...


Ah, knowing that makes all the difference. I prefer the 21 to the Inkosi so I'd go with the Sebenza 21 of some variant. Probably this one:

chris-reeve-a-30__28893.1501191715.jpg


Large Insingo with red linen inlays.
 
Out of the three companies you’re interested in I’d say go with Chris Reeve. I feel every collection deserves a Lg. Plain Jane Sebenza 21. That was my first CRK and I originally bought it as a safe queen but it’s now one of my main users. I have 5 now:D
 
Lapedog said:
Unfortunately alot of used Slyz Bowies are going for huge markup. I think it is a great knife at about 350$ tops, but at the 350$ mark a used CRK becomes a better choice. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

I think you can find a real nice Slysz Bowie for $300, but again, the CRK is a great choice...
I've carried both a LOT, and right now I like the Slysz. I suspect one reason is that I prefer the harder CTS-XHP blade-steel over the S30V and S35VN of the Sebbies.
Jim Ankerson says "Spyderco runs XHP in the 60-61 range....." which I appreciate in terms of edge-holding... CRK says that their Sebbie in S35VN is now offered at 59-60 RC, but the earlier ones in S30V were a fair amount softer than this...~57-59?
Which is better? Gosh, I don't know; I've carried CRK's for years longer than I've carried this Slysz Bowie. But, both knife models are excellent, and the customer service from each is outstanding.
You won't go wrong with either one.
 
Lapedog said:
Nah man the scratches and wear are what make a crk beautiful. There are entire threads dedicated to people showing off their worn crks. You will be very happy with your Inkosi! Are you getting the large?
Click to expand...
I love a good boba fett finish! Badass.
 
Pena. Don't go half way. If you have to, save your money. Just look at his knives, you'll see what I'm talking about.
 
I have nothing against CRK's but as others have mentioned, I wouldn't buy a CRK to put in a safe (unless it's a super rare inlay damascus one) since to me they are built to be used, there isn't anything particularly fancy or rare/limited about them, they are easily serviceable so if you get one of them, use it.
 
Lapedog said:
Was not very impressed by the Reate produced Liong Mah SDC. Lots of unchamfered corners.

The Reates have many beautiful knives I just don’t think they are as good as CRKs which are entirely no nonsense and a great bar by which to judge other knives.

To the OP be aware that CRks don’t have the best flicking action.
Click to expand...

From what I understand, Reate is extremely deliberate in their designs. If there were unchamfered edges it was done that way for whatever reason (likely aesthetics), but certainly not due to F&F. I have a New Torrent and the chamfering on the Ti scales is impeccable. Not a sharp edge on it, aside from the blade.

The truth is, there are Chinese companies out there that are producing knives just as well (if not better than) CRK, Hinderer, etc. The higher end WE, Reate and Rike immediately come to mind. While I agree there’s nothing quite like a CRK, using them as a bar to judge other knives is, while still fair, no longer the end all, be all. I’d put my New Torrent up against a Sebenza any day. Same with the K2 and, I’m sure, many other examples I’ve yet to handle.

Again, I’ve owned a few CRK knives and loved them. But there are now other companies out there that can match the tolerances and F&F of a CRK (with arguably better steel), for less money. To each their own. The nice thing about this hobby is that I can own and enjoy products from all of them.
 
Fire Beard said:
From what I understand, Reate is extremely deliberate in their designs. If there were unchamfered edges it was done that way for whatever reason (likely aesthetics), but certainly not due to F&F. I have a New Torrent and the chamfering on the Ti scales is impeccable. Not a sharp edge on it, aside from the blade.

The truth is, there are Chinese companies out there that are producing knives just as well (if not better than) CRK, Hinderer, etc. The higher end WE, Reate and Rike immediately come to mind. While I agree there’s nothing quite like a CRK, using them as a bar to judge other knives is, while still fair, no longer the end all, be all. I’d put my New Torrent up against a Sebenza any day. Same with the K2 and, I’m sure, many other examples I’ve yet to handle.

Again, I’ve owned a few CRK knives and loved them. But there are now other companies out there that can match the tolerances and F&F of a CRK (with arguably better steel), for less money. To each their own. The nice thing about this hobby is that I can own and enjoy products from all of them.
Click to expand...

I don’t know that they match crk tolerances. Just because they can make an impeccable knife doesn’t necessarily mean they are matching crk tolerances. I believe crk tolerances are quoted as being as thick as cigar smoke.

I’m just saying leaving the interior of the spine of the handle where your finger falls when flipping unchamfered was an oversight. It creates a sharp edge your finger falls on. When my friend spoke with Liong Mah and asked him why it was like that and if there was anything they can do about it Liong said he asked Reate to fix it and Liong was told there was nothing that Reate could do. It sounds like someone is BSing.

But for them to leave a sharp edge there left over from cncing right where your finger falls is definitely a nuissance that I feel should have been noticed and dealt with.

See the two sharp points here? This one is my friend’s he rounded the edges himself. But when he got it they were as sharp as a knife.

OyM4Xgr.jpg

uMtd0cM.jpg


I’m just saying that is a pretty big oversight for 400$ knife.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top