Help me Decide - New EDC

S

Slidetechnik

Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
739
Well, I've been narrowing it down lately and have narrowed it to 3 for my new EDC. These will all be available to me around roughly the same time.

Spyderco Paramilitary 2
Pros:
Light, spyderhole(my favorite blade deployment), full flat grind, price

Cons:
Black instead of digicam

ESEE HEST Folder
Pros:
Multitool element, killer warranty, d2 steel

Cons:
Looks rather aggressive, blade a touch short, picture on scale

ZT 0550/0551
Pros:
Mr. Hinderer, very stout

Cons:
Price, heavy?


Some info about the way I carry: I don't clip my knives, I bury them in my pocket. My use is general cutting tasks...no prying or anything. I cut anything and everything from cardboard to paper to rope to wood to plastic to food. I'm not hard on my knives, but not soft.

Which would you choose and why? Thanks.
 
I'd say the Spyderco for the uses you described. However, my next folder is going to be the HEST for sure, can never have too many bottle openers. I'd say all will suit you just fine tho.
 
For EDC I think the ZT would be a little bit big and heavy. That might not be the case for you. I would pick the Para 2 with the HEST slightly behind.
 
I think the para would be more than enough for the uses you describe.. that said - If I had to choose ONE out of the 3... i'd probably go insane choosing between the ZT and HEST.. (love the feel of a big slab of titanium locking in place) - thankfully.. I have both on pre-order...
 
As soon as I can find a Paramilitary 2, that's my new EDC. But all three are on my list for sure!
 
PM2. The other two are waaay overkill for your uses IMO. The Para Military is probably half the weight of the other two yet isn't by any measure small, and it will cut through things easier.
 
If you bury it in your pocket get the lightest one. Heavy knives are guaranteed to turn horizontal on you and become uncomfortable.
 
I'm surprised people think that ZT might be too big compared to the spyderco--the PM is a pretty big folder itself. I obviously haven't held a HEST, but seems like it would be the biggest by far.

I was considering these knives and went with the ZT. My choice was based on:

1. the ZT blade seemed to be in between the HEST and the PM in terms of beefiness--the HEST looks to be an EXTREMELY beefy blade for a folder, and I would rather have a thinner blade to compliment my swamp rat fixed blade ... for example, I want a smaller, thinner blade for hunting tasks rather than a folder that has a blade that is just as thick as my fixed blade. But the ZT definitely seems to have a stronger blade design than the PM2, so it was a happy middle.

2. I wanted a stainless blade in my first nice folder. Maybe in the future I will want a non-stainless like the spyderco gayle bradley (another knife you might want to consider) or the HEST, but since this is my first hard use folder and I already have a good non-stainless blade in my swamp rat, I wanted something that would give me more corrosion resistance.

3. It seemed to me that the ZT was all around a tougher design (not trying to suggest that the spyderco isn't tough as nails). The HEST looks to be about as tough as a folder can get.

4. This is somewhat speculative at this point, since it is new, but it SEEMS that the ZT's elmax steel may have a step upon S30V. I'm not sure about the heat treat of the HEST's D-2, but if it is good, the HEST's steel may have an edge on the spyderco's S30V as well in terms of edge retention, toughness, etc. Probably harder to sharpen though.

Maybe some of that helps with your decision. If you want a hard use folder with a big beefy blade (basically a fixed-blade made into a folder) and are able to keep it dry, then sounds like the HEST is for you. If a fixed-blade type thick blade will get in the way or you want to go with stainless, then I would say it is between the other two.
 
For carrying loose in the pocket I prefer a handle that is not to grippy so it slides out of the pocket easier (at least on one side of the knife). You might want to compare your choices with regard to that.
 
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