Help me pick a left handed folder for my father

bquinlan

bquinlan

Joined
Jan 5, 2001
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I recently talked with my father about upgrading his pocket knife. He looked through my collection and said that he liked my Benchmade 940, but that he'd want something maybe 2/3's that length. We established some requirements and preferences, but I'm having trouble finding a knife that really fits the bill. I'd love to get some suggestions, but please read through the specs below first. :)

  1. Must be fully left-handed or ambidextrous.
  2. Must have a clip (left-handed).
  3. Must have a blade length under 3".
  4. Blade must open one-handed and lock.
  5. Needs to be "slim". Narrow in both width and thickness.
  6. Needs to have a certain elegance of appearance.
  7. Must be under $150 street price.
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    The left-handed requirement seems to have knocked out most of the liner lock designs that I know about. The "slim" requirement eliminates most Spydercos, since they tend to have rather wide blades for their length.

    I thought the Benchmade 770 might be just right, but I'm not sure that it's available with a left-handed clip. The Spyderco Viele would be great if it weren't for the right-handed liner lock.

    Can anyone point out some options that I'm missing?

    Thanks!

    --Bob Q
 
a bump and a suggestion for ya,

I think you may get more lefties in here if you changed the thread's title to something like "Need a Lefty folder for Dad, Help!"

some ppl are pretty dedicated to knowing what models suit lefties, grab their attention with the title ;)

i'm a leftie but never had a knife as such, sorry i can't help. Spyderco gets mentioned alot however, and if you could find a proper thickness, i'm sure it would please.

good luck!
:)
 
Thats a good idea Gonzo I hope bquinlan does not mind :).
 
Gonzo_Beyondo: Thanks for the suggestion. I changed it. :)

J-man_the_jet: I don't know why I didn't think of the 705. That might be my solution!

Can anyone comment on how thick the 705 is? I love my 710, but it's a customized version with ironwood scales, so I have no idea how thick the regular versions are.

--Bob Q
 
Check out the Benchmade 921 Switchback. It seems to meet all of the requirements you stated only the blade is 3.4 inches.


921.jpg



NEW! Our first dual blade offering, this synthesis of fluid curves, mechanical motion and advanced technologies is a distinctive assertion of mind over matter. • It explodes with functional opportunity by incorporating and unrivaled AXIS™ actuated main blade with a slip-jointed second blade out the back end. • Lean on girth and big on satisfaction, the Model 921 fits the pocket with all of the right stuff.

Small Blade:
Thickness- .115"
Length- 2.00"
Weight- 2.90oz

Extra:
Handle Material- Blue Color Anodized 6061-T6 Aluminum
Handle Thickness- 0.41"
Liners- Double 410 Stainless Steel

Features of the 921 Switchback™
Blade Length: 3.4"
Blade Thickness: 0.12"
Blade Material: S30V and 440C
Blade Hardness: 58-60
Blade Style: Modified Wharncliffe
Weight: 2.9oz.
Clip: SS Split Arrow
Lock Mechanism: AXIS™
Overall Length: 7.87"
Closed Length: 4.47"
Sheath Material: sold seperately
 
Being a Southpaw I find it to be a real challange to find a good knife for one handed opening at times.

My current favorites may not be all that attractive to look at but they are functional with the reversable clip, easy to open due to the opening device on the blade and fairly non intimidating to the sheeple.

The Benchmade Griptillians would be a interesting choice, and you can get into the different colors too. I like the modified sheepsfoot shapes more than the drop points. Not for the blade shape but because they have the oval shaped opener. So the model 550 and 555 may be of interest although they are not the most attractive knives.

I currently have a 921 switchback and its ok, the clip is reversable, its easy enough to open but I find that the handles are a little too slippery.

I have also had several 940s and they were pretty much like the 921.

My favorite carry right now is a Spyderco 3D Native, and it meets all your criteria again but it also is not all that attractive of a knife.

If I think of some models that meet all your needs I will post again, there is one that comes to mind but its discontinued. Thats the Kershaw Minitask. I have one and its a lefty friendly knife, the clip is on the proper side, its small (2.5 " blade?) but very attractive with its polished G10 handles. Its a Speedsafe knife and is very smooth and reliable. I actually bought two at the time, one for me and one for my dad but he didnt like the speedsafe design so I still have a spare if the first one ever fails.


Good Luck.
 
Bob - the 705 is quite thick especially when you consider how slim the blade is.

You might see if you can get a Kershaw Mini random task model 1500L

This is a full lefthanded version, liber lock and all with very nice polished G10 scales.

They are out of production but I'm sure you could find one on the web.
 
Hows the hunt going?

Kershaw makes very nice stuff, but i find them uncomfortable (i've handled Leek, Vapors, and Chive versions) due to their small size and handle shapes. Spring assist is kinda scary when you can't feel secure holding the handle in the first place. I don't think my hands are that large, obviously i don't know about your dads :)

Any chance of taking him to a couple stores to try some out? I think that would help a whole lot.

Theres three places i've found around me, and i've seen:
Wal-Mart, (Kershaws, Gerber, Buck)
Remington, (Kershaws, Benchmade, Boker)
and a gun store, good selection of styles there.

Prices go in that order as well, but for the sake of trying them out it costs nothing but time.
 
They seem to be, what you are looking for.

The Native III is a nice knife, but not what i would call narrow in width...

BM 705.

I´m a leftie and pleased by BM!!
 
thombrogan: I got some conflicting information about the 770 clip so I finally contacted Benchmade directly. They say that the clips on the 770-series are not reversible. :(

--Bob Q
 
thombrogan: No problem. Even the person I spoke with at Benchmade had to go get a 770 and examine it to be sure. :)

--Bob Q
 
Originally posted by fudo
Spyderco left-handed CF Police, Native III.
Click to expand...

I think the CF Police would be wonderful, but the recipient said he wanted something about 2/3 the size of a BM 940.

The CF Delica is also available left-handed, is the right size, is slim, elegant, opens one-handed, locks, and costs less than $150...
 
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