High end folders ?

[eisman]

Why buy ugly knives? I've owned hundreds of knives, I bought 4 this week, but a lot of what I buy now is old stuff, unusual patterns, or cheap enough I may make a buck if I sell it. You want a good looking large folder it's really hard to beat something like this Kansei Matsuno folder in a 4" drop blade (Loveless pattern):

Chris isn't making many knives anymore (I got my first from him in 1988). Darrel's dead. A number of the others mentioned are really just semi-production makers. Figure out what you want; size, shape, blade, etc, and then have it made "for you". That's custom.

 

[3D Anvil]

I'd go Shiro with the given choices. Otherwise, I'd take a look at Herman Knives which are similar to Shiros but probably less expensive for equivalent tiers. Can be found here: https://polishcustomknives.com/folding-knifefolder-ishtar-113-m398-herman.html

 

[Hyesouljah]

I hear Shiro's are great. I've never handled one myself yet. I've handled a Koenig at a show, and it is amazing American Made and great folks. The problem with Shiro is they're all the way over in Russia, and I don't know how I'd feel having to send a knife all the way there for service, especially with the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and how that might disrupt trading.

 

[The True North]

William Henry gets my vote.