Folding knife advice

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g123

Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Messages
329
Hi Guys,

I work in a office business environment and would like to carry a light weight locking folding knife that will carry in the pocket of slacks easily. The knifes primary use will be for just having some form of protection and daily tasks. There are so many brands that I do not know where to start. What do you recommend. I would like to keep the cost under $120.

Thanks,

Geoff
 
There many knife makers and ten times as many opinions about knives on here. You tube reviews of knives, you may be interested in, are a great place to start. Opinions on this forum can be helpful as well. Your price limit is a good place to start.
Think about what you can carry in an office environment that won’t spook your co-workers. Being discreet in this regard is highly recommended. What are you really going to be using it for and how often will you be using it. How big or small should the knife be? The biggest problem with buying a knife, often you don’t get to handle it until you buy it. If you know someone who owns one or two or a variety of edc knives, that can be helpful. Search pawns shops flea markets (if you’re into that ) I believe it’s best to do some research then make your decision. You don’t have spend a lot $$ to find one you like.
Chances are once you delve into the ‘knife world ‘ and become more knowledgeable, you won’t stop at one knife. BTW- I like Buck knives. Buck Vantage Pro or Select knives- large and/or small. Check them out on Buck’s website and you tube IMO. Happy hunting!
 
Oh man.

Well, I'll take a swing at this.

Knives for "protection" bring us into murky territory, both legally, and risk-of-injury wise. Look up "Tueller drill", or the "21 foot rule", and you will see the start of the problem. Put simply, once your knife can begin to be a credible threat, his knife can be a credible threat too, and if he's serious about doing you harm, his gun has already done the job.

Before we get to the part where people slash and stab at each other, we have to talk about concepts such as "dispartiy of force", and the related concept of "brandishing". Both of these concepts relate to legal requirements which ask you to make very careful decisions with profound legal consequences, while your life is being threatened.

These are far from the only issues that need to be addressed. But threads like this tend to spiral into a never-ending series of "what if" scenarios, so I'll try to be brief.

If you are committed to this course of action, carry two knives: one is small, with wood or bone scales. Even better if the blade is part of a multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife. The other is a large, sharp, fixed blade, which conceals completely, does not "print" through your clothing, and can be brought into action fast.
 
Office friendly and personal protection knives really don't go together. Generally you want a larger knife for personal protection versus something really discreet in the office. Take a look at the AO's made by Benchmade and ZT which of course exceed your budget. I like the ZT 0770CF a lot for an assisted opener (AO) and it is fairly thin and hence "discreet". It is about the size of a Spyderco Delica. I like the Steel Will Mini Cutjack in M390 too or the larger regular Cutjack. Good flipper and one you really can open quietly if you choose to rather than snapping it open with wrist motion. I suspect these suggestions won't be much help to you due to cost. The D2 versions are much less expensive.

My office knife was a Victorinox SAK. So, you can see where I lean on that score. The budget is a bit of a problem for me as I mostly have been pushing beyond that number in recent years (but generally less than $200).

The two knife approach is a good one if you are willing to carry two. Use the small one for day to day office needs, and the larger one for possible defensive purposes. Keep the self defense knife sharp sharp sharp!
 
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If you don't mind POLICE stamped on the side of your blade the SS Spyderco Police sounds like it would fit the bill. I find that all of the SS Spyderco models "carry small". If that model is too large for your wants-needs-coworkers feelings the SS Dragonfly is an awesome blade.
 
A nice lightweight knife that locks is the Spyderco Delica, it is thin, lightweight, and very sharp. It's a good pocket knife for the office with the option of a pocket clip that you can remove if you don't want to use it.
 
Swampdog said:
A nice lightweight knife that locks is the Spyderco Delica, it is thin, lightweight, and very sharp. It's a good pocket knife for the office with the option of a pocket clip that you can remove if you don't want to use it.
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I agree as it is my favorite size of modern knife. It's a lock back and hence a little slower to "deploy" if necessary, but still pretty quick if you practice a little. The larger Endura might be a better choice for self defense. I have two Enduras and sometimes when I open them they feel like a sword. But that is me. I like the Delica size a lot. Just bought a Benchmade Mini Presidio II (#575) which is a simple axis lock knife with one hand opening capability. I like it.

One knife size (folders).... there is a reason why states often set a 3" blade limit on knives you carry. They are less effective for offensive use than the longer bladed knives. Fortunately, there is no limit in my state now. The old limit was 3.5".
 
Swampdog beat me to it. Spyderco Delica is what I would choose. Small and thin enough to pocket carry but big enough to actually use. It’s a great edc utility blade and would also work as a out of options self defense knife. The ffg blade cuts really well and the frn handle is very grippy and still comfortable.
 
I'll echo the Spyderco Chaparral, Delica, and Dragonfly suggestions. All very light and thin. Take a look at the Boker Mini Kwaiken. Blade HQ is running a sale on them right now, just under your budget.
 
g123 said:
I work in a office business environment and would like to carry a light weight locking folding knife that will carry in the pocket of slacks easily. The knifes primary use will be for just having some form of protection and daily tasks... I would like to keep the cost under $120....
Click to expand...
Sure but why spend that much?
When this could be just the thing?...
 
The Spyderco Baby Jess Horn is still available at your price point. It has gray G-10 that is a nice touch, and Spyderco does VG-10 right... it sharpens up to a razor edge with really no effort, and since this isn't a piece you carry in a real hard use role, it stays sharp for a very good while. It carries very well in slacks with its small size and 2 ounce weight, and the knife actually serves as a very effective money clip. It is a sprint run, so its something you'll have that not everyone is packing around. Very nice piece.

The Boker Urban Trapper Petite would make a fine office carry. It's a Brad Zinker design, titanium frame lock with a ball bearing pivot and super deep carry pocket clip. It's very thin and weighs in right at one ounce, so it'll ride in your slacks pocket without being a nuisance. It's an elegant design, so if you have to use it in an office setting it will compose itself as more classy than alarming. It's right in your price wheelhouse, and you can even get the version with the carbon fiber scales for under your max cap.
 
The Spyderco Chaparral Light Weight would be my first choice as it was designed as a slim, light weight gentlemans/office carry knife. My second choice would be a Spyderco Delica in your favorite color. If you want something a tad larger, then a Spyderco Native 5 Light Weight might suffice. I carry #1 and #2.
 
The advice about self defense above is very good & spot on. As last ditch, Cold Steel Tuff Lite Blue or Red is small & not very scary but a capable worker.
 
Velitrius beat me to it. The Baby Jess Horn sounds perfect for what you need. Very office friendly, and an awesome knife. It's really underrated. I gifted the one I had to a friend and I really miss that knife. I'll probably snag one of the G10 models before they're gone.

Another one that comes to mind is Spyderco's Worker. The blade profile may not be thee most office friendly, but it's not outright terrifying. And it would be a good little knife to poke into an attacker if your life was in danger. I'm not entirely sure if they're still around, but I think it'd fill both roles you're after.
 
Your brain and awareness are your best protection - use those first. But, having said that, when I'm in an office situation, I carry an Endura 4 FFG clipped inside my front, right (strong-side) pocket. It's very thin and light (3.3 ounces on my scale), and I've got one with the stainless steel clip (to blend with light-colored pants) and one with a black clip (to blend with dark-colored pants). If I want something even lighter, I go with a Manix 2 Lightweight (2.9 ounces!). It has the paperclip-looking clip, so I don't worry about the color.

Then, clipped to the inside of my front left pocket, I carry a small tactical light (Fenix, O-Light, 4Sevens, etc.). You can find several videos online on the efficacy of stopping a threat with a tactical light - just search YouTube. I've practiced to the point where I instinctively draw my light before anything else (knife or gun). Trust me, if someone is coming at you, and you blast them in the face with bright light and blind them, they WILL stop advancing. Works on dogs, too. And that gives you time to assess whether you need the weapon or not.

Hope that helps somewhat.
 
My two cents...

1. Case Tribal lock. "Traditional" knives tend to be office friendly. Many handles to choose from. Or another traditional locking knife. $70
2. Boker Plus MPP tactical pen $20. It writes and stabby, stabby if needed.
3. Small pepper spray if allowed in your state/area. < $20 . Small canister easily fits in pocket. Gives you range. Flashlight is another option.
 
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