Heavy Duty Folder Suggestions

R

RandomMan

Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Messages
147
I need a new knife for work folks, I've used and abused my old one it still has some life left in it, but won't make through too much more.

Requirements:

Blade Steel: 440C/Aus-8 or better, nothing less.
Handle Material: Aluminum or Steel. Plastics need not apply I CAN and will break them.
Pocket Clip for tip down carry. I will compromise.
Preferably Made in the USA
Price Range: Less than $40


To give you some idea of the odds this knife are up against over the past 3 years, I've put my current knife through hell and back. I rounded off the tip cutting fiberglass insulation on concrete, I ground a new..very crude tip back on it with a bench grinder. I've used my knife as a hammer, pry bar, wedge, lever, and the handle and blade both as a sheet metal form. I regularly cut(as in every day), cardboard, copper wiring, duct tape, plastic, rubber insulation, fiberglass insulation, use the tip of my knife as a sheet metal scribe, and occasionally the back of the blade(not the tip!) as a screwdriver.

As you can see, the knife needs to be tough. My current carry is a S&W SWAT I bought about 4 years ago and have used for work for the past 3...and it's still together, but the blade has worn down to where it won't sharpen and of course the tip is f'ed up, and it never really took that good an edge or stayed sharp very long anyways.

In short, I need something tough, fairly sharp, and affordable that I can lose. Any and all suggestions will be considered thoroughly.

Thanks,

-Rob
 
For what you are using your knife for, i wouldn't even get a knife. Get yerself a leatherman.
 
I've tried that before, multi-tools are actually not the tools for the job, they're too many tools for the job. A leatherman doesn't have the leverage necessary, the fine tip necessary, the blade is really too small to cut extensively with and too difficult to access when I need it quickly.

A knife is actually the tool for the job despite sounding like it's not.

-Rob
 
Consider a Frost or Ericksson Mora FB -- cheap, tough as hell (and a lot tougher than a folder for your purposes). Break it if you can, and buy another. Around $10.
 
A fixed blade is also not an option. I work in HVAC service, mostly residential. Carrying a fixed blade around can potentially scare the customers, not too mention it's too bulky for use in an attic....

This is a pretty tall request to fill now that I really think about it...

-Rob
 
Benchmade 10300 Monochrome maybe.

The steel is N690 though. Benchmade describes it as:

"An Austrian made stainless steel, which is comparable to 440C in performance and value. Keen edge qualities with excellent corrosion resistance. "
 
BM Monochrome: excellent steel, tip down, metal handle (frame lock), very sturdy and the smoothest opening sub $100 folder I've seen so far.
It's made in Taiwan though, but for 40 bucks it would be hard to meet all of your criteria.

Ryan posted while I was typing.
 
RandomMan said:
I regularly cut(as in every day), cardboard, copper wiring, duct tape, plastic, rubber insulation, fiberglass insulation, use the tip of my knife as a sheet metal scribe, and occasionally the back of the blade(not the tip!) as a screwdriver.
Click to expand...
A Spyderco Endura. You won't break the FRN handles doing any of the above.

-Cliff
 
spyderco native.. about $10 above you budget but like Cliff said, you won't break that FRN & you get S30V...
or the native 3 which is VG10 & only $3 above your budget at NGK
 
2 Ka-Bar/Dozier folders. $40 total.

AUS-8 steel is good enough, and more importantly is pretty tough abuse-wise and takes an edge easily. You won't break the Zytel handles. Zytel will hold up much better than aluminum.

Or, get one of them, and a Victorinox Soldier. That way you have a knife for knife stuff, and screwdrivers (one of which can pry nicely) for the screwdriver stuff. The reamer tip probably works better as a scribe than a knifetip too.

I wouldn't reccomend a Spyderco Delica/Endura. Although they're excellent knives, they're made for slicing, not "hard" use. The tips are particularily succeptable to breaking if used improperly. A Native III would be a better Spyderco choice.
 
1st = Spyderco Native
2nd = CRKT KFF, but the AUS-6 might be too soft for your hard use requirements.
 
You're not going to break the FRN handle of a Delica or Endura, and VG10 is among the best. Delica = Best Buy.
 
My first choice would be a BM Monochrome, but the Camillus EDC or a steel handled Spyderco fits the bill just fine.
 
I've used my knife as a hammer, pry bar, wedge, lever, and the handle and blade both as a sheet metal form. I regularly cut(as in every day), cardboard, copper wiring, duct tape, plastic, rubber insulation, fiberglass insulation, use the tip of my knife as a sheet metal scribe, and occasionally the back of the blade(not the tip!) as a screwdriver
Click to expand...
Mate, it looks like you use your knives to the fullest, great to see. However, I think that you will struggle to find a knife under $40.00 to fufill all of your requirements. It sounds like a solid lock back with some weight is what you require, a Spyderco Manix or Chinook II would do, but will set you back a ton. A Buck 110 might be closer to your price range.
If your S&W SWAT lasted 3 years with this sort of treatment, and cost less than $40.00, buy another, or spend a little extra on a Manix or Chinook - it might last 10 years and thus be still good value.
 
I used a Spyderco Endura with the serrated edge for nearly 15 years to do the same types of activities you described. It held up fine. The point is intact, the molded-in clip is still there. I'd suggest a plain edge, however. My serrated edge eventually became a plain edge anyway.
 
RandomMan said:
I regularly cut(as in every day), cardboard, copper wiring,
Click to expand...
I could never bring myself use my knife for cutting wire. At work I like to keep a leatherman in my back pocket and snips on my belt. The snips take care of cat-3 or cat-5 cable, the leatherman can handle pretty thick solid wire. If I have to, I'll get down off the ladder and go find the dikes. Anything to avoid cutting wire with my knife. :)
 
Andre said:
2nd = CRKT KFF, but the AUS-6 might be too soft for your hard use requirements.
Click to expand...

A relatively soft steel will actually take that kind of abuse better than a really hard one.
 
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