Hey guys. Hit me with some facts. im still a noob.

[White.]

So since i feel like i have formed opinions and they are completely biased with no facts behind them i want you good folks out there to spread the knowledge with me.

Emerson

They are all very highly priced, atleast in my opinion they are. I hear they dont have very good QC and their materials aren't anything special. So what makes them cost what they cost? Are they worth this price? Looking at a cqc7b stonewash full plain edge tanto priced at 147$. Worth it or not?

Are they good for EDC and daily chores and tasks or are they more of a self defense fighting type of blade?
WARNING !!!! I do not intend to use the knife for self defense or fighting. I do not know how to knife fight nor would i ever risk my life to try to hurt someone with a knife unless my life was already in danger. Just so we are on the same page . I just like the simple look and i like to fondle knives and use them for edc stuff including cutting up my snacks and opening the occasional box.

Spyderco

Seems like there is a large shortage of paramilitarys. There has to be a reason that idk of and it has led me to form a "lazy" opinion of spyderco and i know this is a misinformed and quite ignorant statement.

Pricing. Seems like they have some high prices on their golden colorado models specifically the military, 160$ for satin blade digi cam handled version. Good price is it worth it?

Zero tolerance

Seem like great knives but the models i like are all assisted and i feel like the assist takes away from the function of a knife. I like the option to flick open or just casually open it. Can they work properly without the mechanism? Are they difficult to take out?


S30v Blade steel

Is it really that hard to sharpen and prone to chips? I have a sharp maker and thats my only sharpener should i stay away?


Sog

I have a sog flash 2. I like the design but i feel as though their quality control is just sub par because i have 2 of them and both have horrid bladeplay up and down right out the box. Is this the company or are their arc lock models better quality? Also most of the arc lock models are only vg10 and frn for a 100+ price point are they worth it?


I hope you guys dont take this the wrong way. This is me honestly asking questions to expalnd my knowledge and help me make informed knife purchases. I also intend to take on a bet with my lovely gf and mom. That i cant buy 1 knife and use it for a year. Do i get anything for doing this? Nope just a i told ya so HA!. But it seems like fun and has no harm and i feel like it would be fun to post a thread and update it weekly on the blade for a whole year. Maybe if i succeed there will be a give away .

What would you guys recommend for a year long user anyway? Something in the 100-150ish range maybe. Ive already gotten a lot of suggestions and thats not this threads focus but if anyone cares to throw that in at the end of their comment i would appreciate it.

Thanks a lot guys.

 

[K.O.D.]

1) I don't know a lot about Emerson so I'm not gonna comment on them.
2)Spyderco makes great knives, the pm2 can be found. I have a Gayle Bradley, paid $150, and it is worth every dime. You will pay a premium for their USA made knives, but they are really good knives.
3)There are quite a few ZT's that are not assisted (0200 for example). The 0350 can have the spring assist removed should you so desire. I'm not sure about the difficulty to remove the spring, others here have better knowledge of the procedure.
4)S30V-I don't think its hard to sharpen, and have had not problems with blade chipping or rolling yet.
5)SOG--I have many SOGs. Their assisted openers use either the arc actuator or a slide lock. Both are similar to the arc lock, but the QC is not as good (hence the blade play). SOG's best knives are the ones made in Seki, Japan. I steer clear of the cheaper ones, though I do have a Flash 1.

 

[annasoH323]

I know my post count isn't terribly high, but I've got a lot of pent up knowledge on ZT from lurking.

Kershaw and ZT assisted opening works with a torsion bar. Inside the handle is a cutout which acts as a guide for the bar. One end of the bar sticks up into a socket in the blade of the knife. When the knife is closed, the bar is bent. This is the "loaded" state of the spring. Because of the direction the spring is pushing, the knife is actually pushed closed. When you want to open it, you start pushing on the flipper or thumb stud and when you push it to a certain angle, the direction of the spring's push changes and pushes the blade out.

What will affect your ability to remove the spring assist is whether or not the knife has a detent. The aforementioned 0350 does have one and people have successfully removed it. The 030x series, however, does not. So, in removing the torsion bar, you remove the mechanism for keeping the blade in the closed position. But, they aren't too terribly difficult to remove. You just have to open up the knife (using a T6 or T8 size torque bit typically) and pull the bar out of the slot.

I'm assuming that you've researched the ZT models. The only assisted knives in production are the 030x series and 0350. The 0770 and 0566 will be assisted but they aren't out yet. So, to reiterate, the 0350 may be deassisted but the 030x may not. The 0750 (talon shaped blade) and 0400 (super tanto) are not in production anymore. I'm not sure which models caught your eye, but that's the scoop on that. I know that opinions vary on assisted knives, so I won't try to change your mind.

 

[White.]

I know my post count isn't terribly high, but I've got a lot of pent up knowledge on ZT from lurking.

Kershaw and ZT assisted opening works with a torsion bar. Inside the handle is a cutout which acts as a guide for the bar. One end of the bar sticks up into a socket in the blade of the knife. When the knife is closed, the bar is bent. This is the "loaded" state of the spring. Because of the direction the spring is pushing, the knife is actually pushed closed. When you want to open it, you start pushing on the flipper or thumb stud and when you push it to a certain angle, the direction of the spring's push changes and pushes the blade out.

What will affect your ability to remove the spring assist is whether or not the knife has a detent. The aforementioned 0350 does have one and people have successfully removed it. The 030x series, however, does not. So, in removing the torsion bar, you remove the mechanism for keeping the blade in the closed position. But, they aren't too terribly difficult to remove. You just have to open up the knife (using a T6 or T8 size torque bit typically) and pull the bar out of the slot.

I'm assuming that you've researched the ZT models. The only assisted knives in production are the 030x series and 0350. The 0770 and 0566 will be assisted but they aren't out yet. So, to reiterate, the 0350 may be deassisted but the 030x may not. The 0750 (talon shaped blade) and 0400 (super tanto) are not in production anymore. I'm not sure which models caught your eye, but that's the scoop on that. I know that opinions vary on assisted knives, so I won't try to change your mind.

the 0350 caught my eye. Along with a bunch of other blades lol. Im stuck in a inner struggle of wanting 10 but only being able to buy 1.

 

[9blades]

Hmmmm...

So since i feel like i have formed opinions and they are completely biased with no facts behind them i want you good folks out there to spread the knowledge with me.

Emerson

They are all very highly priced, atleast in my opinion they are. I hear they dont have very good QC and their materials aren't anything special. So what makes them cost what they cost? Are they worth this price? Looking at a cqc7b stonewash full plain edge tanto priced at 147$. Worth it or not?

Are they good for EDC and daily chores and tasks or are they more of a self defense fighting type of blade?
WARNING !!!! I do not intend to use the knife for self defense or fighting. I do not know how to knife fight nor would i ever risk my life to try to hurt someone with a knife unless my life was already in danger. Just so we are on the same page . I just like the simple look and i like to fondle knives and use them for edc stuff including cutting up my snacks and opening the occasional box.

Spyderco

Seems like there is a large shortage of paramilitarys. There has to be a reason that idk of and it has led me to form a "lazy" opinion of spyderco and i know this is a misinformed and quite ignorant statement.

Pricing. Seems like they have some high prices on their golden colorado models specifically the military, 160$ for satin blade digi cam handled version. Good price is it worth it?

the paramilitary 2s sell faster than they can make them, usually 25 minutes or so afyer they get them and blade HQ is out of stock...

I think they're worth it. They quality is very very high...I don't have a military but I would say it's worth the price. All the examples I've held have been top notch.

Zero tolerance

Seem like great knives but the models i like are all assisted and i feel like the assist takes away from the function of a knife. I like the option to flick open or just casually open it. Can they work properly without the mechanism? Are they difficult to take out?

They are! The 030X series can't be de-assisted, the 0350 can be though. There's the up and coming 0770CF and 0566 which are still up in the air.

I say if you like the looks of one of the models go for it, I own a couple and I'm yet to be disappointed. best kershaw/ZT dealer in my opinion is kershawguy (Dave) prices are great and you'll be hard pressed to find a nicer gentlemen to deal with.

S30v Blade steel

Is it really that hard to sharpen and prone to chips? I have a sharp maker and thats my only sharpener should i stay away?

I don't find it hard to sharpen and I've never had any problems with chipping. You should be fine with the sharp maker. as far as performance it holds a working edge for a long time and will take a nice edge.

Sog

I have a sog flash 2. I like the design but i feel as though their quality control is just sub par because i have 2 of them and both have horrid bladeplay up and down right out the box. Is this the company or are their arc lock models better quality? Also most of the arc lock models are only vg10 and frn for a 100+ price point are they worth it?


I hope you guys dont take this the wrong way. This is me honestly asking questions to expalnd my knowledge and help me make informed knife purchases. I also intend to take on a bet with my lovely gf and mom. That i cant buy 1 knife and use it for a year. Do i get anything for doing this? Nope just a i told ya so HA!. But it seems like fun and has no harm and i feel like it would be fun to post a thread and update it weekly on the blade for a whole year. Maybe if i succeed there will be a give away .

What would you guys recommend for a year long user anyway? Something in the 100-150ish range maybe. Ive already gotten a lot of suggestions and thats not this threads focus but if anyone cares to throw that in at the end of their comment i would appreciate it.

for long term?...a ZT 0200, bechmade mini onslaught, and if you're willing to go a little higher the ZT 0801 is an amazing knife!

Thanks a lot guys.

That's all I've got to say...
Peace
Kirby

 

[yoko]

What do you want the knife for? My spyderco knives feel more like slicers, my zt knives aren't as good of slicers, but feel more beefy

For me a spyderco is in my pocket 95% of the time

3 knives are a staple that get rotated in and out of my pocket, the military, para2 and my manix

 

[White.]

What do you want the knife for? My spyderco knives feel more like slicers, my zt knives aren't as good of slicers, but feel more beefy

For me a spyderco is in my pocket 95% of the time

3 knives are a staple that get rotated in and out of my pocket, the military, para2 and my manix

slicing i dont intend to take down a forest with any of my folders.

 

[yoko]

I'm an automotive painter and use either my manix or para 2 instead of razor blades when i mask off cars

 

[White.]

I'm an automotive painter and use either my manix or para 2 instead of razor blades when i mask off cars

I do some minor detail work on the side, designs on things with tape then painting or pin striping. Not a professional by any means though.


Also amazon has para 2s in stock but i havent seen one sell in the past week cause they want 165 for em. And some of the fullfilled by amazon sellers that are selling them for 130 ship and sell from china... yea those arent fakes.

 

[GMAHN]

So since i feel like i have formed opinions and they are completely biased with no facts behind them i want you good folks out there to spread the knowledge with me.

Emerson

They are all very highly priced, atleast in my opinion they are. I hear they dont have very good QC and their materials aren't anything special. So what makes them cost what they cost? Are they worth this price? Looking at a cqc7b stonewash full plain edge tanto priced at 147$. Worth it or not?

Are they good for EDC and daily chores and tasks or are they more of a self defense fighting type of blade?
WARNING !!!! I do not intend to use the knife for self defense or fighting. I do not know how to knife fight nor would i ever risk my life to try to hurt someone with a knife unless my life was already in danger. Just so we are on the same page . I just like the simple look and i like to fondle knives and use them for edc stuff including cutting up my snacks and opening the occasional box.

Spyderco

Seems like there is a large shortage of paramilitarys. There has to be a reason that idk of and it has led me to form a "lazy" opinion of spyderco and i know this is a misinformed and quite ignorant statement.

Pricing. Seems like they have some high prices on their golden colorado models specifically the military, 160$ for satin blade digi cam handled version. Good price is it worth it?

Zero tolerance

Seem like great knives but the models i like are all assisted and i feel like the assist takes away from the function of a knife. I like the option to flick open or just casually open it. Can they work properly without the mechanism? Are they difficult to take out?


S30v Blade steel

Is it really that hard to sharpen and prone to chips? I have a sharp maker and thats my only sharpener should i stay away?


Sog

I have a sog flash 2. I like the design but i feel as though their quality control is just sub par because i have 2 of them and both have horrid bladeplay up and down right out the box. Is this the company or are their arc lock models better quality? Also most of the arc lock models are only vg10 and frn for a 100+ price point are they worth it?


I hope you guys dont take this the wrong way. This is me honestly asking questions to expalnd my knowledge and help me make informed knife purchases. I also intend to take on a bet with my lovely gf and mom. That i cant buy 1 knife and use it for a year. Do i get anything for doing this? Nope just a i told ya so HA!. But it seems like fun and has no harm and i feel like it would be fun to post a thread and update it weekly on the blade for a whole year. Maybe if i succeed there will be a give away .

What would you guys recommend for a year long user anyway? Something in the 100-150ish range maybe. Ive already gotten a lot of suggestions and thats not this threads focus but if anyone cares to throw that in at the end of their comment i would appreciate it.

Thanks a lot guys.

You don't have to make preemptive apologies about using a knife defensively. Ever since cutting tools were discovered thousands of years ago they have been incredible defensive weapons.

 

[White.]

You don't have to make preemptive apologies about using a knife defensively. Ever since cutting tools were discovered thousands of years ago they have been incredible defensive weapons.

Well i mean i see a lot of people take a lot of heat on here for saying they want tactical knives for tactical things when they dont know how to knife fight. I know how to fight, but not knife fight.

 

[GMAHN]

Well i mean i see a lot of people take a lot of heat on here for saying they want tactical knives for tactical things when they dont know how to knife fight. I know how to fight, but not knife fight.

The sharp edge cuts things and the point stabs things. Ancient humans were using blades as weapons before the term martial art was even invented. There are a lot of people on this forum and around the world that have been conditioned into not having the moral courage to defend themsleves and to support this they go around saying that people aren't capable of defending themselves without some special certification like a shiny badge pinned to their chest. Nothing could be farther from the truth, a man should have the mental ability and the moral fortitude to defend life and don't ever let someone try and tell you otherwise.

All this being said there are tons of great knives out there. Emersons btw are expensive in part because of their history. Opinions vary on them so you should find some internet resources and read up on them before jumping to conclusions but in my opion while they may have faults in some areas their designs are amazing.
As you are just starting to get into quality knives I would definitely say that you should pick a knife that you can easily afford and is known to be of good quality and then as you experience different knives, brands, and features you will start to refine what you look for and can go from there.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

GMAHN, the morgues fill up with people who "know how to fight" or "don't know how to fight".
If you look for trouble, you will find it. If it comes looking for you, do what you have to do.

As White said "I do not know how to knife fight nor would i ever risk my life to try to hurt someone with a knife unless my life was already in danger. "

 

[Rhinoknives1]

Don't you know that it is impossible to defend yourself with a kitchen knife and you need someone to have called you "Grasshopper" and it needs to be a "Tactical" knife for you to be able to defend your self with?

If you ever need to, You can start by waving your knife in a figure 8 type pattern in front of you.
No one wants to walk into a buzz saw. If they come forward slash at what they present and keep moving your blade.

I truly hope you are never in a situation like that.

 

[GMAHN]

GMAHN, the morgues fill up with people who "know how to fight" or "don't know how to fight".
If you look for trouble, you will find it. If it comes looking for you, do what you have to do.

As White said "I do not know how to knife fight nor would i ever risk my life to try to hurt someone with a knife unless my life was already in danger. "

It isn't whether anyone thinks that you know or don't know how to fight. And it isn't about looking for a fight. It is about not going down without a fight. When you wait until your life is already in danger to acknowlege your knife as a self defense tool you have been a fool and waited till too late to think about it.

 

[GIRLYmann]

cost prices are based upon overheads, production/material cost and labor.
suggested retail prices are based upon all of the above
plus hidden cost and optimistic wishful thinking by marketing heads.

 

[jazub]

OP, hook yourself up with a Spyderco Military. You will not be disappointed. S30V may be chippy -but not in any cutting application I've ever encountered. Lots of people love the PM2 but I just don't dig it. I've purchased a few and always end up selling them because the Military is superior.

Good luck in your search :thumbup:

 

[1Hiker2]

Got my first Emerson Commander about six weeks ago after watching alot of vids that were pro and con, read quite a bid about them as well. I was disapointed with the way the knife was held together, so I did think it was overpriced. The wave opening feature was unpractical for me, alot of the time I am on laying down or stuffed under a sink or something and deploying the knife could be difficult. Sold it last week and unless Mr. Emerson changes the way he screws his handles together I will never purchase another. I really like the way they look though.

 

[White.]

Got my first Emerson Commander about six weeks ago after watching alot of vids that were pro and con, read quite a bid about them as well. I was disapointed with the way the knife was held together, so I did think it was overpriced. The wave opening feature was unpractical for me, alot of the time I am on laying down or stuffed under a sink or something and deploying the knife could be difficult. Sold it last week and unless Mr. Emerson changes the way he screws his handles together I will never purchase another. I really like the way they look though.

Why were you disappointed in the way that it was held together? What was wrong with it?

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

I handled a mini-CQC-7 and thought it was a tight, solid knife with no blade play. I would have bought it but the blade was coated black.

S30V is not known for chipping and is a good all round SS.