First knife: CRKT Lake Bandera Knife?

R

rydude87

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Feb 27, 2010
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Hey Guys!

I am new to this knife forum. I have a leatherman and army swiss knife. Now I just want a nice knife that I can use it everyday and carry it with me if I go hiking, or to wherever. I just want a knife that can do anything.

I saw the CRKT Lake Bandera Knife One Color with combo edge selling for around $22 on sale.

I do not really want to spend more than around 25 bucks. Would you say this is a great price? Is this a good knife for everyday? Or would you get the CRKT Lake Bandera 2 Knife which is smaller for a EDC?

Also, do you think I should get a spring assisted knife like the gerber fast or something like that? Is it much cooler an much faster to open the blade? Would i be able to get one around 25 bucks?

Thanks!!
 
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I have the very similar (perhaps even exactly the same) CRKT Laredo. I wonder if the name was simply changed.
I think it's pretty decent at the price, reasonably sturdy, but mine is a bit stiff.
If you want to see it in the hand, I discus it from 6:44 onwards in my video review .

An interesting alternative is the Byrd Meadowlark G-10, available for a bit under your $25 on ebay. It's also a backlocking folder. If you stretch your budget another $5 or so then the bigger Byrd Cara Cara G10 is a true workhorse, or perhaps the Spyderco Persistence (liner lock, 3" blade) is also interesting, or the frame lock Boker Trance.

Now I do have another interesting alternative for your $25. Since you have a SAK which is a pretty ok edc, perhaps for your hiking you want to add a handy fixed blade knife? Probably the best ones at this price are the Swedish Moras. Really capable stuff for outdoor use. Check on ebay or on Ragweed forge for the Mora 2000, or the cheap Mora 946 and Mora Craftline Allround knife.

Also, do you think I should get a spring assisted knife like the gerber fast or something like that? Is it much cooler an much faster to open the blade?
Click to expand...

Personally i think that assisted opening is only very occasionally useful, and it will definitely not charm non-knife-people in your environment (if you care about that).
 
I am definitely looking at the spyderco persistance and tenacious and also the kershaw skyline. Any links to good priced EDC/tactical knife list?

A bit more than my price range...is it that much better than a CRKT bandera lake knife or a gerber evo?

Yah I kind of want to impress the non knife community, but if the assist doesnt, i Probably wont get it lol
 
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I'll take a look into that.

Would it be good as a tactical knife as well?

The kershaw skyline's blade is a bit bigger which i like if i have to use as a tactical in a worst case scenario
 
I find that I like my Opinel no 8 for edc. Hair splitting sharp, and for your $25 budget you could get two. Definitely a non-tactical knife but more than well worth the 10-12 dollar price tag.
 
rydude87 said:
I'll take a look into that.

Would it be good as a tactical knife as well?

The kershaw skyline's blade is a bit bigger which i like if i have to use as a tactical in a worst case scenario
Click to expand...

Here's some info I found.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=556413

The term Tactical is more a marketing ploy than a actual description the way the term is used so loosely IMO. I would rather have a tough knife than some black spraypainted piece of junk that's being marketed as tactical.
 
Thanks for the links. Any comparison ones that is not just the drifter? I guess I would like a knife that in the worse case scenario I can use it for self defense...But i guess any knife would be able to do that
 
Like you said any knife could be used for that. Right now the Kershaw Ener-G is around $20-30 shipped on feebay. It's one of my personal favorites.
 
OH cool.

I guess i should pass on the the CRKT lake bandera cuz it didnt get many great recommendations? Is the $24 dollar price of the CRKT lake bandera really amazingly good?

I guess I will look into the:

Kershaw Ener-G (are you talking about the 1740 one? Is there a difference between the Ener-G 2 and the Ener-G or the 1740 or 1745?)
Kershaw skyline
CRKT drifter
Spyderco tenacious/persistance

How is the Gerber evo? There is a package on amazon thats selling gerber evo and gerber evo jr for $22 total shipped together for both!!!
 
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Have you looked into the CRKT Ignitor? I think it fits with most of your requirements...it is not too expensive at around $38, it has somewhat of a "tactical" look, decent sized blade to get things done and is assisted opening, if you consider that a bonus. I have owned plenty of CRKTs and have always been happy with what I paid for but Gerbers are decent as well. My EDC right now is a Kersaw Blur, for what it's worth.
 
man soo many choices lol.

I am still looking at the :

kershaw cyclone/mini cyclone-even though it is discontinued
Kershaw Ener-G
kershaw skyline
Kershaw leek
CRKT ignitor
CRKT drifter
Spyderco tenacious/persistance
sog flash 1/2

So many great choices at great prices! Cant decide on which one would be a good EDC knife/a knife that would be somewhat ok for self defense as a last resort. (I also have a leather man and a multi use swiss army knife but never carry those around.)
 
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fyi persistence is more edc-able than tenacious because it's smaller.
If you can still find it below $30, the Browning Ice Storm (the one with slightly curved handle) is probably the best deal as it's in essence a rebranded Mcusta that costs 3 times more. It also has the better steel than all the knives you're contemplating.
 
Ahh ok. I kind of like the tenacious better since it is bigger, and prob is better in a tactical position as a last resort though...

Maybe the sog flash 2 fits the bill? or the kershaw skyline- seems good and cheap and is made in USA (which doesnt really matter to me).

Out of the ones I listed in a few posts up, which ones would you guys prefer as your only edc? Or which would be your number 1,2,3
 
no not really...does that matter on the knife I choose?

You have a link that tells you how to sharpen and what to buy to sharpen?

What 3 would you choose from the above list?

Also, I am very scared of having the blade come down on my finger, which of those have the safest lock mechanism so that the knife wont fold down on accident, even on hard applications?
 
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