folding knives will ball bearings

Half the fun in this hobby is browsing the sites looking for the perfect knife. Next time try using the search filters at your favorite retailer to find what you're looking for.
 
It’ll be hard to find M4 steel in sub $100 folder, especially with your requirements.
‘Don’t want Chinese knife ? You’ll probably have to pay little more for something made in the good old US…
Civivi are not bad knives… Mostly gents folders type but decent quality and will have ball bearings.
‘I never needed bearings, in fact I prefer washers but whatever flies your kite…
‘Most of them are flippers and liner locks, few frame locks of their “top shelf” models but they won’t be <$100 I think.
 
jbmonkey said:
I have the full size one. it aint great. its real thin and flimsy feeling. wrong thread for a review on it. I thought I'd really like it and I dont. its okay at best
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Thanks ! Yeah getting a bit off topic , but nice to have your response . SOG has been mostly off my radar for many years .
 
Civivi. If you like one you like them all, they’re all very similar. I wouldn’t worry about dirt in the bearings. If the dirt can get in, the dirt can get out (rinse it out and blow canned air through pivot). If you’re cutting around in the mud, probably should use a fixed blade anyway.
 
nevertakeadayoff said:
Screw it - i bought the Civivi ($50). I just want to take it apart and play with it a couple times and sharpen it. Probably won't use it much if at all.

THANKS ALL!!
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Since you mentioned your new to the knife scene, make sure you get some torx bits if you’re gonna take it apart. Most knives use T8 on the pivot and T6 for the body/clip screws 👍
 
I wouldn't say I'm new to it, but that is all very subjective. Carried a knife since I was preteen. Sharpened with EdgePro for many years. Upgraded to Tormek and I'm fucking loving it!

Still trying to find the perfect 2 folding knives (one smaller and one bigger). I'll probably just be buying knives for the rest of my life. I'm sure that last sentence made everyone here smile lol

I'm very happy with my pistols, though. I carry a S&W Airweight .38 and always have a 1911 in my car or backpack or somewhere in the room I'm sitting.

My machete is a SOG Kukri. Needs replacement but I'm not even thinking about that until I get the 2 folders set... and the fixed knife... ya, it's never gonna stop... lol
 
nevertakeadayoff said:
Civivi made in china... that just thwarted my impulse buy.

And I'm thinking I know a reason why I haven't seen these ball bearing knives... they're all liner/frame locks. Those locks don't suit me too well unless it's a box cutter...

Requirements:

<= $100
not made in china
flipper
high edge retention steel like S30V or M4 (on 2nd thought, this req probablly isn't compatible with #1 on this list)
< 3" blade


Thank you everyone!
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I wouldn't get hung up on knives being made in China. It's a fact of life. Lots of Chinese companies have gotten very good at it too. With a sub-$100 requirement, most of your better options are going to come from China. Civivi is an obvious recommendation precisely because they tend to deliver high quality for the price. I'd also say that about their parent company in the next tier up. WE Knives really impressed me in 2021.

If economic patriotism is going to be a factor in purchases, I prefer to do it at tiers where Americans or Westerners are more competitive and the dollars I spend will make a bigger difference. Effectively, that's custom knife makers and smaller companies like TRM.

As far as liner or frame locks, I like them. I've carried knives with various locks over the years, from back locks to Axis locks. I carried a Spyderco with a compression lock just the other day. Following basic folding knife safety and using quality knives, any difference in strength is negligible to me. Since my favorite action involves flippers and caged bearings, I mostly carry liner or frame locks and I've gotten very used to it.

BTW, which Civivi did you get?
 
I hate sending my money to china. I prefer to keep my money in Michigan.

I found a Michigan guy who makes knives, I think he will make my next fixed blade. The Benchmades I get are all made in USA. I love the AXIS lock. I have no fear of it folding on me and it is quick action open and close one-handed.

I'd be totally fine with a liner/frame lock with all of the work I do throughout the day. However, an unexpected adventure in the woods makes me feel unprepared carrying one of those.

I ordered the Civivi 200242 Lumi because it reminds me of the Kershaw Leek that I carried for many years. I'm lookin forward to playing with the action! I might just like the flipper and the ball bearings enough to use it sometimes : ) ...eh, if I like it enough I'll probably get one made in USA ; )
 
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