"Gateway" knife for each brand?

knifedepot

knifedepot

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Nov 12, 2012
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I'm thinking about writing an article on "gateway" knives for the most popular brands. Sort of like a gateway drug. This would be a knife that gets you hooked on the brand because it encompasses the brand's look and feel. For example, the Tenacious is a common gateway knife to Spyderco because it espouses some of the tenets of the brand without being too pricey, so a newbie will be more apt to try it out. (Though you could make a pretty compelling argument for the Delica/Endura, even at the higher price point.)

What would you consider the gateway knives to the most popular brands or what knives got you addicted to a brand?
 
Kershaw Blur.

My first Kershaw was actually the Blackout and Ive never carried it oddly enough, just not fond of it. I should probably sell it.
 
Benchmade: Any balisong or Griptilian

Spyderco: Delica/Manix/Para 2

CRK: Small/Large Sebenza (duh!:D)

Rockstead: Higo/Hizen

SAK: Any of them! I love my Super Tinker:)
 
Pacific Salt SE........TOTAL gateway to Spydie!
ZT 450.....down we go!
Pro Tech TR-3.....getting interesting!
Now for the really BAD one. BM 940.......hopeless!
Joe
 
ZT's gateway is the 0350 in my opinion... Inexpensive enough to get your foot in the door, and if you like it, you'll like all the rest of the ZT line.
 
I got sucked in by a Spyderco Worker G10 Run, then went off to pick up two Dragonfly2's. Only then did I pick up a Delica (Ooops forgot the Native 5) but I would say that the Delica is probably the gateway knife for Spyderco.
 
I don't have an answer for you as I am new to this, but thank you for this post. These kinds of posts are exactly why I joined the forum.
 
Nice topic. First that came to mind is izula for esee. And the victoriox sd keychain knife that cost me $8 was enough to get me into SAK's
 
These are great knives, but some of them are really pricey. Anything else from these knife makers for less $$?
 
Spyderco- Tenacious
Benchmade- Griptilian
Emerson - CQC7
Cold Steel- Recon 1
SAK- Cadet
Kershaw- leek
Buck- USA made bantam series
SOG- Flash 1
 
Spyderco - Dragonfly

Benchmade - Mini Griptillian

Kershaw - Scallion

SAK - Soldier

Buck - 110

Bark River - Woodland Special

Cold Steel - Recon 1

Gerber - LST Magnum Jr.

Ka Bar - USMC Fighter

Case - Peanut
 
Delica. Before then and even now I hate the appearance of spyder holes but I held a delica at a swap meet and had to have one. For Kershaw it's the cryo. Some might say ganzos are the gateway to benchmade. Wonder how many newbies bought a ganzo then had it fail and looked towards benchmade because it used a better version of the lock.
 
Spyderco - Delica

Microtech - Ultratech

Strider - SnG

Medford - 187 Series preferably the 187F

Benchmade - Griptillian

Kershaw - Cryo / Camber / Blur / Link

ZT - 0350 / 0770

CRKT - M16

Buck - 110

CRK - Sebenza of and flavor

Or gateway knives in general, guy gets a kershaw Cryo big improvement over his Chinese $10 special. Most people stop there but this guy got the knife bug so he gets the next step up the Kershaw Camber it gives him a taste of the higher end steel and materials the extra price affords customers. The Camber is nice and all but then its off to the super cool ZT stuff such as the 0620 and others in the big and bad ass category ZT excels at. Guy is now relatively into knives with a few ZT's and on the forums looking at all the other higher end stuff buys his first CRK/ Strider (those two seem to be the most common) Gets a Strider and loves it then starts looking at the customs and shortly after the bank account is ruined and we all know the rest. You can replace Kershaw with Spyderco or Benchmade as well.
 
Spyderco - PM2
Benchmade - Griptilian
Kershaw Leek or Shallot
ZT - 0200 but since its discontinued :( for me it is 0452
Victorinox - Huntsman
Ontario - RAT-1
KA-BAR - USMC
 
Victorinox- Pioneer/Soldier

Benchmade- Griptilian

Spyderco- Tenacious

Kershaw- Cryo

Ontario- Rat Series

Buck- 110 or 112

SOG- AirSOG (Now that it is no longer made, I don't know what has replaced it.)

Ka-Bar- Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter

CRKT- M16/21 series
 
I think the Kershaw Cryo is the gateway to ZT and Hinderer.
Click to expand...
I essentially agree, but the Thermite was the gateway for me, and with it's longer blade that even has a Spanto grind I think it's even more representative of ZTs and Hinderers. The Thermite lead to me buying a ZT 0801 and a ZT 0562CF.

I also think the Kershaw China produced Emerson designs are the gateway to the ZT produced Emerson designs and Emerson's own production knives.

Last, the Mini Tuff Lite is the knife that brought Cold Steel back to my attention. I've not bought anything higher end from them, but the Code 4 and American Lawman are temptations I can barely fight off at times.
 
Spyderco - Delica
Ontario - RAT
CRKT - Drifter
Kershaw - Cryo G10
Cold Steel - Voyager
Benchmade - Mini Grip
Buck - 110
SOG - Flash
Victorinox - Classic
Gerber - Skip it...trust me. Just skip it.
 
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