High Quality/High End Folders

MikeC

MikeC

Joined
Sep 16, 2005
Messages
1,364
I'm getting ready to shop for a new high quality, high end, hard use, folder these are the companies I'm looking at, am I leaving anyone out??

1) Emerson
2) Mission
3) Strider
4) Chrise Reeve
5) Trident Forge/Crusador Forge

I thought about Air Kat but I don't like his designs, thought about busse but he don't make folders, wouldn't mind an Obie model 2 in Ti but his waiting list is over a year last I heard, and I can't even find his contact info anywhere. A Shane Siebert pocket rocket wouldn't be bad either but his web site said he's so backed up he's not even taking orders for them right now. So the above list is what I've got to choose from unless I'm missing something. If I'm leaving something out please let me know.

Thanks
 
There is an obie 2 for sale either here or on one of the other forums just can't remember which forum. Don't forget the Blade Tek Rijbak about as nice a frame lock high end folder as you will find. Also another sleeper is the Wilson Combat Elite framelock. Uses 440c for the steel but it is a high hollow ground and it is a big very well put together folder. Hand assembled etc. etc. All this being said there is a fella in the TF's here with a Mission MPF pse in A2. He may be willing to negotiate with ya. If anyone has the uber knife for me it would be the same knife only in a pe. There ya go, have fun with the sorting process. Its half the fun. keepem sharp
 
To show just how opinionated I am I will say that I would prefer a high-end Spyderco like the CF BG-42 Mili or simply a Manix or a high end Kershaw over any of the listed ones for anything that still resembles a knife, so I would obviously add those to the list. And for those applications that require something more of the sharpened pry bar category, I think Extrema Ratio has all listed ones beat. So obviously I would add that company as well
 
I would take a look at the Bradley Alias , an I would take Emerson off the list . I dont consider Emerson to be the superior to hi end Benchmades , Kershaws , or Spydercos .William Henry makes some nice stuff , the Gentac , an a few of the bigger models might fill your bill .

Chris
 
I would add Rick Hinderer to the list, he is not taking orders at this time but you can find his knives on line if you are quick enough. Steven
 
If you want high end, save yourself some time and money and by a Sebenza. Best in its class IMO.
 
I really like Emersons for the money. If you don't like his grinds (Chisel, V Grind) though, you will be unhappy.

The Sebenzas are wonderful in fit & finish, but just don't fit my hand as well as others.

Strider Knives are a workhorse of a knife, but generally bigger than I prefer to EDC.
 
Don't forget to take a look at the Zero Tolerance ZT 0200...They are one excellent, stout folder!
 
cdf said:
I would take a look at the Bradley Alias , an I would take Emerson off the list . I dont consider Emerson to be the superior to hi end Benchmades , Kershaws , or Spydercos .William Henry makes some nice stuff , the Gentac , an a few of the bigger models might fill your bill .

Chris
Click to expand...

Huh? are you kidding me? Emerson CQC-8 or CQC-10 are about as good as they come. :D
 
emersons are excellent and so are are blade techs. I am saving for a sebenza so I can stop rotating so much.
 
Thanks for the comments, Long Bow I've got three Mission MPF already, I've got one mpf3, and 2 mpf 1's all in ti and in plain edge, Glockman 99 I've got a ZT0200 inbound right now. I have located a obienauf large model 2 in ti and D2 on steeladdictionknives.com, I am thinking about it or maybe trying to locate one of those blade tek's. Thanks for all of the suggestions.
 
Your list doesn't make sense. Comparing super-heavy duty folders like Strider or Crusader Forge to a Sebenza is a mistake. The Sebenza will outcut the others, but the others are thicker and stronger. So what do you need? (Always a good question.) A almost-fixed-blade-strength folder or something that cuts really well?

The Strider or Crusader Forge or Extrema Ratios can be very heavy duty, with .25 stock blades. But they don't cut all that well. The Sebenza is a cutter, with a thinner, hollow-ground blade, better fit and finish and a convex edge. The Spyderco Military, with its thin flat grind, with cut with extreme efficiency, but don't expect it to be as strong as a Crusader Forge. Neva happen GI.
 
Twindog, I'd like an almost fixed blade strenght folder, I want something that is durable. I am scared of the extrema ratios I don't like the handle material same goes for the blade tec knife. I included the sebenza because of its all titanium handle. I like folders that have all titanium handles, I find them to be more durable and robust than knives with handles made of other materials and combinations of other materials like ti on one side and g10 on the other, I like all ti handles. That is what draws me to the missions their handles are just stout solid thick slabs of ti, same as to why I included the sebenza on this list, maybe I was in error, I always assumed the sebenza was a heavy duty hard use folder, I guess I was wrong. I included the strider's because they use titanium liners, and the ZT 0200 I have inbound was acquired as a trade.



Thanks for the info
 
It's not usually the handle that is going to fail. It's the lock or the blade pivot or the blade tip or blade edge. Extrema Ratio has that bizarre new folder (RAO?)with a second lock pin that basically makes it a fixed blade, but if you don't like ERs, there is still Strider and Crusader Forge. You might like something with Ti handles, a frame lock and a quarter-inch blade stock.
 
MikeC, I'm not sure what you mean by "hard use". Do you mean using an ordinary cutting motion but cutting tough materials? Or, do you include prying with the blade as part of a "hard use" knife? Or, is there some other way you want to define "hard use"?

Thanks,
Rich
 
cdf said:
I would take a look at the Bradley Alias , an I would take Emerson off the list . I dont consider Emerson to be the superior to hi end Benchmades , Kershaws , or Spydercos .William Henry makes some nice stuff , the Gentac , an a few of the bigger models might fill your bill .

Chris
Click to expand...

are younuts emerson makes some of the best knives out there.
 
What about Blade-Tech as was mentioned? A few of their knives would fit into the "hard-use" category, especially with the tip profile.
 
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