Help me choose the only knife I will ever own!!

[Morientes]

Ok OK, so you heard the question a million times: What knife would you use if you could only have one for life? Well, in my case, the scenario is real. (Well almost, I do have a SAK that my dad gave me many years ago).

I do love knives but I have too many expensive hobbies to start a collection. So I want to purchase an EDC under $150 to serve me for life.

It will need to be a folder that easily fits in my pocket. I will use it for fishing, hunting and traveling (I love to backpack through the world). I don't believe in a knife for self defense but its always nice to have a knife nearby while sleeping alone in a tent, so add self defense also.

I researched knives for a few weeks and pretty much narrowed it down to:
Benchmade 943
Spyderco Native

What would you get?

p.s. I know, owning only 2 knives is crazy but hey traveling, scotch, beer, cuban cigars etc. are expensive hobbies. Plus I have a girlfriend so you do the math. :grumpy:

 

[rebeltf]

The Native will serve you well , I have no experience with that Benchmade knife.

Native -
Good steel
Pocket friendly
Cost around 40-60 $ depending on where you get it from
Easily replacable if lost
Great ergonomics
Good looking knife
Can be used in many manners of applications , would double as a SD tool if needed.

My two cents.

Welcome to BF , post often , buy us pizza and dancing girls. :thumbup:

 

[Butcher]

I would get the Benchmade, but for you the Native. Why? Because it's cheaper to replace and it's a good knife. Since you'll be traveling the world count on it being confiscated for whatever reason..You say you don't believe in using a knife for self defense, well SD starts with mindset and you should have some basic fighting skills. Good luck out there and remember to always keep your blade sharp..

 

[mark greenman]

I bought my amigo a SE Native before he went to India for 6 months, he told me it kicked ass, and the knife is still going strong. Its definitley a beast, and you'll lose it/have it confiscated long before it wears out. Personally, I prefer the Delica/ Endura series myself, as their thinner and easier to flick open, but the Native has slightly better blade steel. Good luck!

 

[JPD1998]

I think any high quality knife from makers like Spyderco or Benchmade would probably serve anyone for years.

The truth is... even though I own many knives from many different makers ( including Benchmade), a regular Buck 110 for $35.00 would probably serve most anyone for the rest of their life.

I was looking over my Buck last night and came to that conclusion. It's also the knife I'll carry deer hunting this Saturday.

However I'm also a huge Benchmade fan , so between your choices , I'd go with Benchmade.

 

[Chadilac]

Get the 94x. The axis lock is awesome, and the knife is very strong but still very light/thin, easy to carry in the pocket. The native is a great knife for $40, but I think the BM is worth the dough...

 

[medusaoblongata]

I'd go with the 943 over the Native for sure.

But before you decide, take another look at the Benchmade 710. I've been carrying mine as my primary knife for over 7 years and, while I've seen a lot of knives come and go, it's still the best one I have.

 

[buddylee]

Go with a Sere 2000 or save your pennies and buy a Chris Reeves Sebenza

 

[gmarthur]

If I could only have 1 knife to ever carry again I'd choose my BM 520.

Out of your choices you can't go wrong. If possible try to handle both and which ever one fits your hand better that's the one you want. Also note that there are two different versions of the native currently available, so you actually have three knives to choose from. Good Luck. No matter which you decide on you'll have a great knife that will last a long time.

 

[gine]

Depending on what blade length but ,by what you said (fits easy in pocket )and for travaling.Maybe spyderco caly 3.

 

[J.S. Carter]

I just dont care for plastic handled knives... I say Gerber Para Frame w/Titanium Nitride Coating. High Carbon Stainless blade and Stainless framelock handle, oh here...
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/rev...r Paraframe II/Owner Review by Andrew Buskov/

 

[carrot]

Spyderco Para-Military/Military?

 

[Confederate]

I researched knives for a few weeks and pretty much narrowed it down to: Benchmade 943 [and the] Spyderco Native. What would you get?

For life? Well, I certainly can't see the deminutive Native. Too bloody small. And you didn't mention your age, so we don't know how many years to...umm...plan for. (Me, I've stopped worrying about 30-year mattress warranties. :grumpy

The Benchmade 943 gets my vote hands down. It's got a strong axis lock and premium S30V steel. It's also durn purty. But if it were me, I'd get TWO Cold Steel Recon 1s for about the same price. That way you get TWO knives with strong axis locks and decent, but not premium, AUS8 BLACK blades and a frame with G10 scales. In short, the Recon 1 won't leave your hand until you open it. But, one Benchmade 943 or two Recon 1s, you can't go wrong. The only reason I mention the Recons is because they're black, with teflon coated blades. The only black 943s I've seen have partly serrated blades, which I don't like.

 

[Lavan]

Whatever you get, if you ever compare it to the BM Ritter/Grip, you will change your mind.
I...hate.... my Ritter. It has stopped me from even LOOKING at other knives.
I'ts plug ugly, but a cuttin FOOL!
And holds an edge like none I've had before.

You might want to consider the Ritter.

IF you want to lose the knife bug.

(which is a sad sad thing to happen)

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

I just dont care for plastic handled knives... I say Gerber Para Frame w/Titanium Nitride Coating. High Carbon Stainless blade and Stainless framelock handle, oh here...
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/rev...r Paraframe II/Owner Review by Andrew Buskov/

Those are junk. . .

 

[talonturbo]

Spyderco Para-Military/Military?

I'll second the Para, If I could only have one in that price range.

 

[kenk]

Do take a VERY serious look at the mini-Rittergrip. Its actual name is the Doug Ritter Mini-RSK Mk1.

Read all the details about it at http://www.equipped.org/rsk_mk1.htm .

Buy it at http://www.aeromedix.com/category-exec/parent_id/14/category_id/151/nm/Doug_Ritter_RSK_Knives

 

[Foilist]

If you get the Native (I have one - a great value) or Buck 110, both of these are cheap enough that you probably CAN accumulate a few others that may catch your eye.

I stumbled onto this forum a couple of years ago looking for suggestions for "one knife." Now I'm creeping up on 1000 posts and I have a drawer full of the sharp little bastards.

 

[Confederate]

I just dont care for plastic handled knives... I say Gerber Para Frame w/Titanium Nitride Coating. High Carbon Stainless blade and Stainless framelock handle....

Gerber at one time made fine knives. The review you cited was from 2005, and the date of manufacture of that knife was 2003. In the last couple of years or so, Gerber began making the Paraframe blades with junk steel. The Paraframe goes for about twenty-something dollars and is made with "400-series stainless," which means it could be made from anything from 400 to 440C. Because of the price and a recent Paraframe I tried, I'd have to say it was a very low-grade steel. (I was unable to cut even through some of the hard plastic packaging from hanging products in a store.)

Gerber used to advertise its grade of steel. Now they don't. They sometimes say "surgical stainless" or some other nonsense term. Most people don't know that modern surgical implements are disposable. They're only made for one use and are then discarded.

Those are junk. . .

Aw, c'mon, Rat, give the guy a break. He apparently feels they're good enough to recommend. We all have opinions, and this is an exchange....

 

[Confederate]

Whatever you get, if you ever compare it to the BM Ritter/Grip,
you will change your mind.

It's worth considering. And I don't think the black ones are ugly. In fact,
I may have to get one of these myself! More info here.