First Knife

G

G-Money

Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
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I thought there would be a sub-forum or a thread for this but i couldn't find one, but please let me know if i missed it.

i am relativly new to the world of knives and was looking for some advice on what to get, im looking for a small to medium sized folding knife. other than that i dont know much. advice on brands, style, types of metal or anything else ill need to know is greatly appreciated.
 
Welcome to Bladeforums! :)

You asked in the right place. Actually, at any one time, we usually have 2 or 3 requests for that same information. Browse awhile and you may pick up a few ideas.

A few basics you will have to learn:

How much you spend does effect how good a knife you get, but it's not an exact one-to-one relationship. There are some great bargains out there.

It helps to understand the relationships among steel, blade geometry, heat treatment, and projected use of the knife.

Learning to sharpen your own knives will give you a better understanding of what makes a knife work and how to make yours work better for you.

All this is very complicated -- but not hard to learn. :) That's what Bladeforums is here for, to go over the basics in every imaginable permutation.

To get you started, I recommend you look over the knives from Spyderco and Kershaw first, for relatively inexpensive, lightweight, utilitarian knives of excellent quality.
 
I just recently bought a Spyderco Native at Walmart and have to say I really like it and think it would be a great place to start.
From what I've learned so far here on this forum (I am very new to this as well) it is a good knife, made with a good steel for the blade.
It is light weight and feels good in my hand.
I do have to say that the steel it is made of is not the easiest to sharpen because it is very hard (that is what I gathered on this forum anyway). I haven't actually sharpened it yet, and didn't need to since it hasn't dulled yet. :)

Long story short. I think it's a great buy for 40$ and would definitely buy it again! :thumbup:
 
If you want to pull all the stops out get a Chris Reeve Sebenza. That will be the first and last knife you will ever need.:thumbup: If that is too much, I like the Spyderco Manix.:D
 
I'd recommend starting out with a Swiss Army knife. No accusations of carrying a weapon, easy to sharpen and the multiple uses it can serve will make keeping it in your pocket an easier habit to pick up. Try the soldier or Tinker model, both two well-rounded SAKs.

Soldier:

0_861026_g_soldier.jpg


Tinker:

VI14603.jpg
 
Welcome to the knife world, lots of sage advice here, I would be looking for a Spyderco Delica, VG10 steel or a Benchmade Minigrip in 440C or 156CM steel. Either one of these two quality folders would be a good choice.
 
G-Money, all the above advice is good, don't be overwhelmed. Remember, there was a time, not long ago, when all you needed to know about getting a knife was which one caught your eye and fit your pocket and budget. You don't need to be an 'expert' on steels, blade styles or lock mechanisms (unless thats what you want). Just have fun and follow your interests and needs. The 'knowing' will come with time and experience.
 
Welcome aboard!
Be advised that whatever you get, your taste will change according to your needs and tastes. Having said that, the Wal-Mart Spyderco Native is one of the best deals around. And Swiss Army Knives are inexpensive and useful tools.
 
Welcome to the forum.
All advises above are good, but to receive even better you need to provide as some info as Esav said. What are you looking for: fix blade or folder, slip joint or lockblade, what is intend of use and how much you are willing to spend.
Good luck
 
I'd have to agree with Vivi that if this is truly your first knife then a SAK is probably the way to go. Well made knives with many useful features. On the other hand if you want a one-handed opening folder then I'd recommend a Spyderco Delica or a Cold Steel medium Voyager.

Whatever you get keep it pointed away from you and don't get in the way of the sharp edge. Especially when closing it. That's probably the most common way people get bitten.
 
You specified that you want a small to medium-sized folder. This gets one criterion out of the way; you want a folder. Other than that, there are several areas you will want to clarify, which comprise the questions I ask friends when suggesting a new knife.

  • What are you willing to spend, or do you have a general price range?
  • What are the main purposes of the knife? Cutting boxes, food prep, general cutting tasks?
  • What kind of environment will the knife be used in? Conservative office area, salty seas?
  • Is weight a concern?
  • Do you have much experience sharpening?
  • How important are looks versus functionality?
  • Is rusting/staining a big deal to you?
  • Are you comfortable ordering online, or would you rather see the knives in person at a possibly higher cost?
  • And lastly, if possible, can you provide a clearer indication of what dimensions would be appropriate for the knife you need?

I'm sure others here can think of a few more questions. If you can answer even a few of these, we can all recommend some knives that will be very close to exactly what you want/need.:)
 
Alright, thanks for all the help so far, ill try and narrow things down.

I will be using it for your basic everyday cuting tasks.

One handed opening is important as at work i often have to hold on to things and cut or am on a rope and can only use one hand and im tired of fumbling with scissors and such. are the spyderco's easy to open with the hole as opposed to the the thumb stud?

I would like to keep the price as low as possible but still getting a solid quality knife, around or under $50 would be fantastic.

I would prefer it didnt stain or rust but its not parmount.

Ordering online would be ideal, if anybody could direct me to a reliable website that would great.

And i have zero experiance sharpening.
 
I love my Spyderco Native, and yes it is very easy to open one-handed. Wal-Mart has the best deal I have seen on Natives at $40, but there are online sites that have them for a few bucks more (not including shipping). If you dont have any sharpening experience, than the steel that the Native is made out of may not be right for you as it is very hard and it takes more time to sharpen than most knives. I would recomend getting a Spyderco Sharpmaker sharpening system with whatever knife you buy, because you will need to sharpen your knives and the Sharpmaker is very easy to use (it comes with a very informative book on sharpening and an insructional video), it will put a razor edge on your knives if you do it rite (which is not very hard to do, so don't worry). Wal-Mart has a very good selection of knives, or do you want to purchase online only? Also, do you like serrated knives? For easier sharpening, I would get plain edged knives only. Answer the questions I have asked, and I will try to help you more.
 
mauiblue said:
If you want to pull all the stops out get a Chris Reeve Sebenza. That will be the first and last knife you will ever need.:thumbup: If that is too much, I like the Spyderco Manix.:D
Click to expand...


The ONLY folder I own is a Sebenza.

That being said, for a newbie, the Spyderco Manix is a very solid suggestion and one I second.

We'll separate him from his hard earned $$$$ down the line. LOL

Hard to go wrong with a Spydie.

Rob
 
Spyderco Delica. One hand opening, slim, light, and well built. Not too big, not too small. Not too expensive but not a junker either. I recommend plain edge over serrated.
 
G-Money, I can second the recommendations of both the Cold Steel Medium Voyager and the Spyderco Native. Both are good knives, though the Native has a bit better steel, the Voyager will be a bit easier to sharpen. Another knife of similar proportions and price is the Benchmade Mini-Ambush. Another knife you might want to look at would be the Byrd Cara Cara. Byrd is a subsidiary of Spyderco, which you may have gathered is a very good brand. The Cara Cara can be had in G10 as a handle material, as well, which is a grippy, tough material usually only found on more expensive knives. It is a bit larger, but has steel liners for a bit more strength, all for less than $25.00.

Oh, and a good place to buy from online is New Graham Knives. Good luck, and keep asking questions. :)

Josh
 
You cannot go wrong with any Spydercos. They are the best value for a buck.
Under $50 is Native, Native3, Delica4, and Centofante3. All of them have 3" VG10 blades except Native, which has S30V. Both steels are very good premium steels. These knives come with FRN (fiber reinforced nylon) handles, Delica4 available with stainless steel handle as well. New for 2006 is Delica4 wave (wave is invented by Ernest Emerson, the feature on the blade, which allow knife to be open while you pulling it out of your packet). All knives above are lock backs. And last, but net least Spyderco Cricket. 1 and 7/8" VG10 reverse S blade Frame lock with stainless steel handle. All Spydercos are good knives, but have only one problem. They are addictive, so if you buy one, do not blade me, that I did not warn you :D :D :D
Not bad idea is learn to sharpen and Spyderco Sharpmaker is a great tool for that for $40-45.

Good luck
 
Another good point of buying one of he lightweight Spydercos that bh49 just mentioned is that even if you decide to get a heavier or more expensive knife later, the Spydie will still be a useful knife for ordinary carry. It's not like you'd have gotten a piece of junk.
 
I would second the vote for Spyderco knives. The Spyderco/Byrd Meadowlark (FRN or G-10 scales) is a great knife and is cheap in price. I carry one daily (both pictured here):
meadowlarks002.jpg


If you want to spend a tad more, you could purchase the Spyderco Delica - another great knife.

Also, Vivi's suggestion for purchasing a Swiss Army Knife (Wenger or Victorinox brand) is a good one. My favorites are the Victorinox Cadet, the Victorinox One Hand Trekker, or the Wenger Handyman, pictured here:
sakpics008.jpg


Chances are, after you get the one, you'll be searching for another and another and...good luck! :D
 
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