I am so confused. I don't know what to get for my first knife

Z

zimmerDN

Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
68
My first knife. After spending 15+ hours reading posts on this forum in the last 4 days. I am more confused then ever.

The very first knife I wanted was the CRKT M16 because they looked cool but that was before the discovery of this website.

After that I've considered getting the BM 806D2, 705 and the Kabar Dozier.

Today I think I've finally made up my mind about getting the BM Griptillian with the D2 blade from Cabela.

Should I get it? Or maybe I should just get the regular Griptillian (instead of D2) or stick with the cheapy Kabar? Is D2 really worth the extra money over 440C used on the griptillian?

So many choices and I know so little.
 
First, the good news. You live in an age when there are hundreds or thousands of good choices.

Next, the bad news. You live in an age when there are hundreds or thousands of good choices.


For what task will you use the knife? Hunting? Fishing? General camping chores?

What is you budget?
 
Buck 110, a true classic, quality knife, useful
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, another classic and very useful
Any Case or Camillus slipjoint, once again classic, timeless, useful, people friendly
Benchmade Griptilian, strong, well made, I suggest the D2 version from Cabelas
Spyderco Delica or Endura, the ultimate IMO user knives, the new classics
Kershaw Speed-Safe line, maybe not good for a first knife, but we all end up w/ at least one
CRKT KISS or PECK, great little knives that double as money clips, friendly

WELCOME TO BLADEFORUMS.COM :D
 
The D2 blade will be a bit tougher than the 440C and will stay sharp a lot longer. The 440C model is a good knife. The D2 model is a great knife. Try and get a chance to handle a Griptilian before you buy one. The handle is very practical, but some people don't like the way it sounds. It is made of a type of plastic that seems too plastic for some tastes.
 
As a first knife I think your choice of the Griptilian in D2 is a fine one. The design of the knife and the Axis lock is proven and so is the quality of the steel. Put them together and you have a great first knife. I say go for it. :)
 
I agree with Thomas Linton--are you planning on using this for any specific purpose as in hunting, or just regular EDC?

And how much are you planning on spending for your knife?

I myself have several Benchmade knives with the Axis lock. I suggest you try one out to see how smoothly that design works.
 
I like the Griptilian... I don't own one but a friend does. It's a good knife, great design and a good handle. But, the handle, to me at least, feels too light. I'm used to my Kershaw Vapor II and Buck 110 which are heavy knives.

I like the idea of the Buck 110. Every knife person should have at least one in their collection.

If you go for the Grippy, I'd go all out and get the D2 blade. And get a few cheap knives to learn to sharpen on, because if you try to learn sharpening with D2 you'll get very frustrated (I know how to sharpen freehand very very well but still get frustrated with D2).
 
Don't get confused and start second-guessing as a result of lots of different suggestions. You'll drive yourself nuts. Everyone has his own favorite. But you've researched well: The Griptilian in D2 would be an excellent first knife. ;)

Next you'll need a decent sharpening system. I recommend the Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker.
 
Wow look at all the replies already from a bunch of knife nuts. :D

Here's what I'm looking for in a knife.
- I want a EDC for general purposes (but I will bring it to camping with me if I don't get another one).
- Something that's sharp and stays sharp.
- Being able to open AND close one handed adds lots to the cool factor
- Good locking system like the Axis (hard to top that right?)
- Opens, close and locks smoothly everytime
- Around 4" when closed
- Under $75.00, best to be around $50
- It has to feel like a quality knife meaning it has to have some weight to it and be rigid
- Plain edge only because they are easier to maintain

So I think BM is probably my best bet. Unless there's something out there that I didn't come across yet. Please enlighten me.
 
Welcome to BFC! Wish there was an easy answer to give but if there were only a few "perfect knives" this forum probably wouldn't survive.:confused:
I just wanted to add to your problem :rolleyes: by advising that the pre-owned market should be considered, even for a first purchase. Just as in the automotive world, there's a lot of clean low mileage blades out there that offer great bargains to shoppers of all types.:cool:
Take a deep breath, get ahold of your eagerness and force yourself to wait a week or so, and keep reading....there's a ton of info to be had on this and other forums as well as "googling" around the net. I think after another week you'll feel a lot more confident with your decision.;)

Larry S.
 
The "Grip" is a good choice. I think you'll like it.
You could also consider a Spyderco. Their FRN models are affordable, have great materials (we're talking VG-10 or S30V here), great ergonomics (some of them may look ugly, but the ergonomics are always outstanding) and are VERY sharp.
 
Go with the Grip, if you can get over the handle (I actually kinda like it) then it is the best fit for your requirements. Buy it, give it a shot, and if you don't like it sell it or give it away.

-Duffin
 
Ok, here is my opinion: if at all possible, go to a knife store and get a feel for a lot of different knives. Get an idea of handle shape, blade style, size and materials. Just as you are doing here, immerse yourself for a bit in the many different ways that folding knives feel in the hand. Ultimately, if you can, hold a Griptillian and see what you think, particularly in comparison to other knives.
At least, this is how I went about it when I first started getting into knives, a couple of years ago.
From my experience, a knife may look super-cool on the 'net but may feel completely ugly when you actually get to handle it. Therefore, handle a bunch before you buy.

All that to say, I have the D2 Griptillian and it's a great EDC. And, yes, it's a pain-in-the-butt to sharpen :D
 
Hi,

I bought a grip some time ago and was not pleased with the "plasticy" feel. I loved the blade shape though.

I sent it back and asked for the mini-grip. IMHO a totally different animal. I LOVE it.

Try to handle both, but if you like a bit more 'weight' for the size, go with the mini grip .. in whatever steel you fancy.

Good luck.

Joe
 
I will now summarize the next forty posts.

What's your budget? Oh, $75? Well, get a Spyderco Manix. That's only $110.

No, get a Strider! That's only $350!

No, get a Sebenza! That's only $500!

No, get a custom folder for $1200!

SPYDERCO!

BENCHMADE!

SPYDERCO!

BENCHMADE!

And the really scary thing? They're ALL right...

In any case, my EDC knife is a Spyderco Centofante III. It's kind of new, and nobody else seem to have it for some reason, but I love it. It's razor sharp right out of the box (Like all Spydies), IMHO more stylish than the average Spyderco, and it cost me $40 on eBay, and you can find it at the same price on a lot of online stores.
 
I won't tell you what to get, but I can help you decide for yourself (if you choose).

What I did (before Bladeforums):
I first bought a cheap, but solid(ish), el cheapo knife to handle the junk work I didn't want to wear out my SAK on. It was one-hand opening (a big deal when I first started; now it is so "normal" I forget it is there), combo-edge, liner-lock with a metal handle. I soon learned that I preferred plain edge and large, hand filling handles. Metal felt wrong, too cold, too rigid, too "dead". Plastic, like on a SAK feels easier to bond with. In other words, it felt MORE like an extension of my hand, like a handle should. I also learned "hard use" for me means torqueing a blade and twisting the knife,* so liner locks were out. Lock-backs were in. I soon bought the knife I really wanted.

What I suggest:
Buy a low-cost knife you think you will like. Then use that experience to buy a knife with what you really want. You can even use the first knife as a back up/ don't-worry-if-I-lose-it knife.

The most imporant thing I learned is than I didn't need a $250 dollar knife when I was happy with a $25 knife. I am yet to spend over $50 on a knife.

Good judgement comes from experience, but experience comes from poor judgement :)

*note, cutting on a curve dulls blades. I good edge, always used to cut straight on non-fiberous, non-hard material should dull slower than a man ages. But what fun is that?
 
The best thing you could do is to simply go to a store, handle a lot of knives, then pick the one that fits best in your hand and feels good. Try to handle some of the top brands, like Benchmade, Ka-Bar, Case, Camillus, Victorinox (even Wenger), Spyderco, Kershaw, CRKT, Buck, SOG, and even Cold Steel (some people still like em'). Stay away from anything in the Winchester, Gerber (ok some people will disagree here but they have gone down hill), Frost, United, China, Paki, etc...

Ok so it's not always so simple to find a store that actually carries knives these days but it's worth it to "Hold before you buy". Unless you find a good good price at said store you would be better off ordering online once you find something that fits the hand good and whatnot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top