Help me decide between FFG and not...

B

Buck268

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
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So I'm pretty well set on switching from my Tenacious back to a VG-10 Endura for no real reason other than I like the longer length but miss the ergos of my D4. What I can't decide on is whether to go FFG or not. I've gotten over the scale options- blue looks ok- but the traditional E4 blade grind, like the D4, is VERY versitile, which is important for me because I do use hte tip for stuff like popping can tabs up and releasing the latch on zip ties. Conversely the FFG looks real nice and if I don't go that route then I really have no reason not to just carry the ZDP E4 shelf-queen I already own.


What to do, what to do? :eek:
 
I wouldn't recommend using any knife for anything but cutting personally...but I guess if you're doing that stuff, a saber ground Endura is definitely better than an FFG one. I know my FFG Endura is sure a great cutting tool though. It's one of the best EDC and food prep folders out there. And by food prep, I don't mean prying open cans :D. I'd say get use a fork or get a $15 prybar, and leave your $50+ knives for cutting tasks. For that, the FFG Endura will excel. Plus the colorations are oh-so-cool. The FFG endura still has a pretty stout tip compared to other FFGs like the military or Caly 3, but def not as thick as the saber grind. If you tried to pry with the thinner Delica's tip, that thing is snapping for sure.
 
Saber grind is thicker so stronger than FFG. FFG is much better for slicing but not as strong with prying. i think the prying you describe is ok. I do stuff like that. I wouldn't do much more though.

suggestion: carry 2 knives. Shorter blade w/saber grind. Short blade should add strength for light prying. i like delica. The FFG blade should be longer. Stretch or Endura maybe. A longer blade is good for slicing sometimes. Food, apples, people you don't care for (joke) things like that.

Hope these thoughts help
 
Yeah, those are my thoughts with the saber E4 having an advantage in strength but the prying I do is really super light duty, and popping can tops is easily accomplished along the spine.

1 more question, how does the polish on the FFG compare to the saber blade? I know my D4 has a MUCH nicer finish than the FFG Tenacious.
 
Buck268 said:
Yeah, those are my thoughts with the saber E4 having an advantage in strength but the prying I do is really super light duty, and popping can tops is easily accomplished along the spine.

1 more question, how does the polish on the FFG compare to the saber blade? I know my D4 has a MUCH nicer finish than the FFG Tenacious.
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I know nothing about polishing a blade. I would think that would have more to do with the type of steel used for the blade. I don't think the grind would matter. I think the Tenacious has 8Cr13Mov and the D4 will have VG-10 or ZDP-189.
 
I'm talking about the finish/polish from the factory. My D4 has a much nicer and shinier blade than the Tenacious as well as my ZDP189 endura.
 
I'm setting here looking at My delica 4 saber grind and my stretch 2 ffg and the tip on the delica looks twice as meaty compared to the stretch . But the stretch is a drop point so that probably will factor in also
 
get the ffg. For most tasks it will perform just fine. All the ffg blades that I have I tend to like more because I don't have to worry about cutting performance. They aren't weak either. I have pried some with them with no problems.
 
Buck268 said:
Yeah, those are my thoughts with the saber E4 having an advantage in strength but the prying I do is really super light duty, and popping can tops is easily accomplished along the spine.

1 more question, how does the polish on the FFG compare to the saber blade? I know my D4 has a MUCH nicer finish than the FFG Tenacious.
Click to expand...

If you use the spine, probably you can get away with it on an FFG--and as I said before, I find FFG to be better for overall cutting performance (especially dealing with food or cardboard).

All my flat ground VG-10 spydies have a nice polish. Not mirror, although it wouldn't take too long with some flitz polish to get it near a mirror finish. But you can't really see the grinding scratch pattern like you can on s30v, on VG-10 it looks more like grain on a wood, very subtle.
 
Its still a piece of steel, I think the FFG will work fine as long as you only pop soda cans or use the tip to undo zip ties (just don't twist the tip, but slide it in under the tab).
 
mentaculus said:
All my flat ground VG-10 spydies have a nice polish. Not mirror, although it wouldn't take too long with some flitz polish to get it near a mirror finish. But you can't really see the grinding scratch pattern like you can on s30v, on VG-10 it looks more like grain on a wood, very subtle.
Click to expand...



Thanks, thats what I was wondering!
 
I'd take FFG over almost every other grind (with the exception of a well executed convex grind) any day.

I'd also take pretty much any decent knife steel over the 8cr13MoV of the Tenacious any day - If I were you, I'd upgrade to VG10 in a heartbeat.
 
Well based on what I'm hearing about the FFG VG10, that really looks like a great next step for me. Now to find that damn wallet!
 
I recently got a FFG Endura and I really love it. Cuts and slices like no other folder I've owned, tip seems strong enough for light prying, but I like it too much to ever pry with it.
 
Go for the FFG. It has superior cutting performance. That is, after all, what knives are for. That's not saying that the saber ground E4 won't cut well, because it will. Just not as well as an FFG E4.
 
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