I Need Advice.....

winmagfrog said:
Maybe Jerry's anniversary Steel Heart will have a hinge in the middle and we will all be able to stop searching!
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That is some funny chit right there... :p

I had some Cold Steel nonsense for a while, but have switched to Spyderco's for the light duty stuff. Still looking for a powerhouse that is bigger as well. Those ZTs look great! :eek:
 
Wow, If a Sebenza is really worth $405-450, if a Hinderer is really worth $425-475, and if a Strider is really worth $400, (and I do believe they are all worth every penny), then those Kershaw ZTs represent an excellent value. Especially if you can grab one at $225. I may have to get one just for fun.
 
The ZT300 series are great. Be aware that some of them have a minor flaw. In earlier production ones the blade hits the backspacer when closed. This may result in a rolled edge. According to Kershaw/ZT (spoke to them at IWA Nurnberg Germany last week) they're adressing this problem. In the near future the knife will have an extra stop pin to solve this inconvenience.

I solved it myself by grinding the backspacer down a bit. It's a great knife nonetheless:thumbup:
 
I like the Spyderco Paramilitary. Big enough for most jobs and still fits well in your pocket. Great steel and angles are designed for the sharpmaker which makes keeping a razor edge no trouble at all. Large handle looks a little awkward but actually feels good in the hand. One hand opening and closing is easy and I think that the compression lock is superior to the liner used on Striders and many high end folders.
 
VTW, I'm more of a customs guy... So I'll toss this one in the mix. Yes, it's gonna run ya near $500 since he's not taking orders for them right now, BUT it's a TANK, AND he fixes them IF you can actually break it. His website shows a pic of a car or truck (can't really remember) parked on one, it still worked unaffected. What is it???

The Hinderer X-18.
...Comes either as a flipper or folder, and should be able to take a convex edge... not that it NEEDS it, LOL it'll press cut right into your flesh. :eek: :thumbup: He's using a new steel... Mine is s30v steel, but now they are... s20v? I can't find my notes on it.. It'll do until the BUSSE FOLDER arrives! Heh-heh... ;)
It's the bottom one. The top is a Firetac Extreme with 8-ball anodizing. :D
Hinderers_Front.jpg
 
The cheapest hardcore knife I've found is camillus dominator. It's thick, not huge, but very well built. IMO, every bit as good as many customs, and better than some. I haven't found that customs really outshine high end productions by much, expect in personality. BTW, I've had striders, customs.... etc. I also really like the Spyderco Volpe, but it's a little smaller and might not be your cup of tea. Other than that, Spyderco makes some really nice monsters, like the Manixes, and the Chinook. I trust the lockback the most, but a solid framelock works very well for me too.
 
Crafft said:
The ZT300 series are great. Be aware that some of them have a minor flaw. In earlier production ones the blade hits the backspacer when closed. This may result in a rolled edge. According to Kershaw/ZT (spoke to them at IWA Nurnberg Germany last week) they're adressing this problem. In the near future the knife will have an extra stop pin to solve this inconvenience.

I solved it myself by grinding the backspacer down a bit. It's a great knife nonetheless:thumbup:
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+

I have four of the ZT300s and each blade has touched the micarta backspacer a little, but it has not rolled the edge on any of the blades. I would certainally hope the blades are tougher than the micarta! I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I have a Manix, very solid and sharp as hell. Fills the hand nicely too. However it's a full flat grind so I wonder about its long-term durability. The blade gets really thin towards the edge. Haven't had a chance to beat on it yet, or on my Emerson CQC-13 which is getting drilled for left-side carry at EKI. The 13 is pointy and sharp and I like the wave feature but the handle feels skimpy compared to my other heavy folders.

I also have a ZT0300. Excellent lockup but I'm a little skeptical about the steel on that one. I've only cut some rubber fuel line with it and found a chip in the tip. Plus, the coating is bubbled/chipped off the lockbar and the torsion bar is rattling. It's going back to Kershaw ASAP for repairs. I have a ZT0200 which is nice and solid but the 154CM edge (again) is a little ragged near the tip after minimal use--I used it to split some wood but that was at the choil area of the blade, not the tip. I'm starting to wonder about the heat treat on these blades.

I have a TOPS 711 Magnum on the way...I'll be sure to let you know how that knife holds up.

So far in my experience all of these folders are compromises. A fixed blade would be better, and INFI would be better still. If I were you I'd get a folder made out of one of your smaller Busse blades. ;)
 
Jaxx said:
VTW, I'm more of a customs guy... So I'll toss this one in the mix. Yes, it's gonna run ya near $500 since he's not taking orders for them right now, BUT it's a TANK, AND he fixes them IF you can actually break it. His website shows a pic of a car or truck (can't really remember) parked on one, it still worked unaffected. What is it???

The Hinderer X-18.
...Comes either as a flipper or folder, and should be able to take a convex edge... not that it NEEDS it, LOL it'll press cut right into your flesh. :eek: :thumbup: He's using a new steel... Mine is s30v steel, but now they are... s20v? I can't find my notes on it.. It'll do until the BUSSE FOLDER arrives! Heh-heh... ;)
It's the bottom one. The top is a Firetac Extreme with 8-ball anodizing. :D
Hinderers_Front.jpg
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Man, I can't wait until Rick finishes my XM. I'm on month 6. I hope it's not too much longer.
 
I have had a Strider AR, Rick Hinderer Flame Gen 2 MKI, and Airkat Tripwire #7. Both the Tripwire and the AR are huge. They will take over your front pocket and anyone can tell you have a knife. The Flame was a very very sweet folder, if I would have kept it if I could. Now I EDC a large classic Sebenza. Great knife, period. If you are looking into a tough as nails folder go to the Striders. If you need something less tactical go for CRK or Emerson HD. I carry my CRK cause the Carillo would have gotten me arrested :(
 
Strider AR or any of the Airkat Knives. Airkats are the M1 Abrahams of Folders! If you want to go cheap than the Spyderco Manix is pretty beefy as well. Here's a pic of the Airkat next to a Spyderco Military.
 
007 Agent ZZero said:
I carry my CRK cause the Carillo would have gotten me arrested :(
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LOL, is that an AirKat in your pocket or are you ....

Never mind.

Truthfully the "massive overkill" of the Carillo knives appeal to me on some primitive level but I doubt I'll ever buy one.
 
Can't forget the Terzuola ATCF-4. The original trendsetter, and standard by which all combat folders can still be measured.
 
Depends on how "big" of a folder you want. I've had the ZT 200 & 301, as well as a standard large Sebenza, and a Camillus Dominator. I like all three, but traded or sold all for one reason or another. I've handled the Micarta Sebenza and I think it makes a huge difference in the "feel" of the knife in the hand when compared with the plain titanium scales. The 301 was a little big for me for edc, but was a great knife, other than being a little big for my paws. I bought the 200 thinking it would be smaller, and it was, but still not small enough. All are good choices.

GregB
 
Just throwing this out there. Have you checked out the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter? It's cheap, $30-50, and built very well. It's lock back is strong and very secure. The overall weight is very lite and the handle is very secure, but there isn't alot of material for a finger guard. The blade is thick and the VG-1 steel holds a good edge. The pocket clip is only mounted for tip up carry and on the the right side. Check it out. If nothing else, you can use it for a back up in the glove box.:)
 
The Kershaws are great, but I would say my toughest folder is a custom from choctaw forge. Their combat folder I think. Diff heat treated 3/16" O-1 blade and titanium framelock with micarta scales. I don't know if Steve Shiffer is still making them anymore, but I took it out the first day and chopped down a 2" diameter sappling with it. I'm not sure I'd do that with my strider SMF.
 
I have to suggest Airkat again. The Tork-NVTR series is the only folder I've handled that compares to Busse in quality and heft.
 
I found the Choctaw knife yesterday on the interweb...looks interesting.

My TOPS CQT-711 arrived today. The thing is immense. Lock-up is pretty ridiculously solid, too. I don't see how any amount of torquing or levering will cause the liner to release...they're stainless and nearly as thick as those on the ZT0200. This thing makes my HRLM look like a GW. ;) Hope to beat on it a little this weekend and see how it holds up.
 
One of the tougher framelocks you'll find (not going to argue about which is toughest, they are all beast) is Darrel Ralph's combat elite series.
http://www.darrelralph.com/ddr_knives_custcollab_main.htm
These are some of the stoutest you'll find. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a huge fan of DDR folders! :D
Added:
Here's another popular one that was well received:
http://www.wilsontactical.com/detail.aspx?ID=53#
Assisted action used to be $100 extra, but I just noticed it's only $50 extra now!!!!
 
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