Recommendation? Heavy duty pocket knife for everyday use. Which one of the two options?

[whereismyknife]

Hi there. This is my first post. So please understand if I'm doing something wrong. I need a recommendation for a (overbuilt) pocket knife that is suitable for heavy use and everyday carrying. I have learnt a lot from here. That's why I wanted to ask you. Thanks to everyone for taking the time.I 'm stuck between two models. Which one should I choose? If you have better options than these, I'd like to know about them. Fox (fkmd) meskwaki or midgards Messer hermod

 

[LimpCroissant]

Hmmm, that's quite a bit of money that you'd be spending on the Midgards Messer. Looks like they're 300 on they're website. Honestly I'd buy a used Chris Reeve Sebenza for about 350 myself. Then you'd be starting out with the sort of "ultimate knife" that most serious knife guys lust after once they've been in the knife game for a bit. Then you could buy a fixed blade for the heavier duty chores. Fixed blades are generally less expensive, so you could have kind of the best of both worlds right from the jump for not a whole lot more.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

If you're gonna be beating on it, I'd personally get a Cold Steel 4Max Scout and save yourself a big chunk of change.

 

[whereismyknife]

Hmmm, that's quite a bit of money that you'd be spending on the Midgards Messer. Looks like they're 300 on they're website. Honestly I'd buy a used Chris Reeve Sebenza for about 350 myself. Then you'd be starting out with the sort of "ultimate knife" that most serious knife guys lust after once they've been in the knife game for a bit. Then you could buy a fixed blade for the heavier duty chores. Fixed blades are generally less expensive, so you could have kind of the best of both worlds right from the jump for not a whole lot more.

Thank you for your reply. Sebenza is a great knife, a work of art but I like the overbuilt sharpened prybars.

 

[whereismyknife]

If you're gonna be beating on it, I'd personally get a Cold Steel 4Max Scout and save yourself a big chunk of change.

I have a 4Max scout. It's a great knife (just like other cold steel knives). You're absolutely right.

 

[LimpCroissant]

Thank you for your reply. Sebenza is a great knife, a work of art but I like the overbuilt sharpened prybars.

I hear ya. I used to be into the sharpened prybars back in the 2000's, they're fun knives, however now days I tend to like knives with thinner grinds. I have a ZT 308 that's a pretty beefy basterd, you just made me pull it out to mess around with it. Those are a nice knife if you've never seen them.

 

[irsh]

I have a 4Max scout. It's a great knife (just like other cold steel knives). You're absolutely right.

For the $$, CS is hard to beat for a burly folder. I'd be sad if I broke/lost a CRK.

 

[ferider]

Don’t like either, sorry. The Meswaki is 15.69 oz (!), I have some large fixed blades that are lighter, and I don’t like compound grinds. The Midgards looks better but is made in China, which I avoid.

Save some money and buy a large Hinderer, like an XM24.

Or buy both

 

[whereismyknife]

I hear ya. I used to be into the sharpened prybars back in the 2000's, they're fun knives, however now days I tend to like knives with thinner grinds. I have a ZT 308 that's a pretty beefy basterd, you just made me pull it out to mess around with it. Those are a nice knife if you've never seen them.

Unfortunately, I haven't got to that stage yet. I've seen it before, but I've never held it in my hand. It looks very powerful, very practical. I never thought about it, but I think I want to get one.

 

[ferider]

Unfortunately, I haven't got to that stage yet. I've seen it before, but I've never held it in my hand. It looks very powerful, but very practical. I never thought about it, but I think I want to get one.

308 is a great knife.

 

[Enzo’s Woodshop]

If you're gonna be beating on it, I'd personally get a Cold Steel 4Max Scout and save yourself a big chunk of change.

This. It’s not my style and I do not have one, but a guy I know has one with a LOT of miles on it and it’s a tank.

 

[whereismyknife]

For the $$, CS is hard to beat for a burly folder. I'd be sad if I broke/lost a CRK.

There's absolutely nothing better. Cold steel doesn't compare to anything.

 

[Drop bear]

Hi there. This is my first post. So please understand if I'm doing something wrong. I need a recommendation for a pocket knife that is suitable for heavy use and everyday carrying. I have learnt a lot from here. That's why I wanted to ask you. Thanks to everyone for taking the time.I 'm stuck between two models. Which one should I choose? If you have better options than these, I'd like to know about them. Fox (fkmd) meskwaki or midgards Messer hermod

What are you using it for?

 

[whereismyknife]

What are you using it for?

For long hikes and I like big knives.

 

[whereismyknife]

Don’t like either, sorry. The Meswaki is 15.69 oz (!), I have some large fixed blades that are lighter, and I don’t like compound grinds. The Midgards looks better but is made in China, which I avoid.

Save some money and buy a large Hinderer, like an XM24.

Or buy both

You're right, fox is heavy and the fact that midgards is OEM confuses me too. I'll think about Hinderer. Thank you for your help.

 

[Veldara]

Well I'm biased for Midgards Messer as currently own 2 knives from them and have one on preorder. But they are expensive and just because they're robust I would hope you're not using them as pry tools. They also are in cpmd2 which for some people lacks corrosion resistance as other more stainless steel types.

And of course as some mentioned, they are made by Kansept Knives in China if that's an issue with you. Personally a great knife is a great knife be it made in Pakistan, China, Fukushima, or the great state of Georgia.

 

[midnight flyer]

Courtesy of Bladeforums, about 15 years ago I bought a CS American Lawman. I wanted a heavier duty knife that I could use to cut, scrape, lightly pry and wedge, and rely on not to close when I was using it. I am in construction and was looking for a knife that could do all of those things (realizing one knife can't do it all) on the job site. BF steered me right and started me on CS. I have never felt under-knifed on even the nastiest of tasks.

I was so happy I have bought the Ultimate Hunter which is also a great camp/hiking knife, the Bush Ranger (excellent all around and the molded handles are great), the 4 MAX Scout, a Code 4, and a Recon 1. The only one that was unsatisfactory to me was the Recon 1 as the knife is too skinny in my paws and was uncomfortable for me to use. Didn't like the grip on it when my hands were really sweaty, either.

I also have the king of work knives (TO ME) that they make, the SR1 tanto in S35vn. There is a lot of love from heavy users (using it as a tool) and a lot of hate for those that want to use it as a slicer. It can pry, scrape, cut fiberglass shipping straps, be used as a chisel (tanto), and is great for my house framing and big wood trimming chores. It cuts OK, not really well, but it is my go to knife for really hard work. Locks up like the proverbial bank vault, and after about 4 years on site, it still does. Since it is on washers, cleaning is easy to get the gunk off when working with adhesives and I clean the scales with charcoal lighter fluid if I get them covered with tar, glue and other nasty stuff. You can get the "lite" version for under $50 to try out the size and weight, or buy the S35 model for under $150. What a steal. Buy both!

For your hiking and outdoor use, take a look at the Bush Ranger. Again, a suggestion by a like minded BF member to me, I bought it and I love it. S35 steel, molded grip, and the TriAd lock. All good when I am hunting, hiking or when I am in the water. Smaller than the SR1, but a much better cutter.

 

[Shorttime]

Grayman Knives "Satu" or "Dua". You'll need to keep an eye on the exchange or the big auction site, they've been out of production for a while.

Anything by "Wander Tactical", or Miller Bros. if you really want to spend some money. Their folders will put you into four figures.

 

[Olumin]

Get yourself a pocket sheath & buy a 3.5-4" fixed blade.

 

[Macchina]

What do you currently own for folders? The 2 you asked about aren’t really knives meant for cutting. To be honest both of them fit into a weird category of knives that are too big to carry, too thick to actually cut, and too expensive to use them for their intended task (which I’m not exactly certain what task that is, maybe splitting tiles during bathroom installs).

The Hermod appears to have a pull-pin lock with a $0.005 ring attached. That ring seriously looks like the cheapest hardware I’ve seen in my life. It is made in China and I would be skeptical that the CPM-D2 is actually what it is. Otherwise not a terrible looking knife, I’d recommend it 100 times over the Fox.

The Meskwaki is much worse. It weighs a pound and is over a foot long! It has 2 locks (probably to support that 0.2” thick blade)!!! The tracker grind is bad enough on a fixed blade (meant to be mostly used as a hatchet) and makes no sense on a folder. If that wasn’t bad enough, they also made it a tanto somehow???