I need some advice on Greco knives.

Will P.

Will P.

Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
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Well, too make an uninteresting and short story vanishingly brief, I need a new fixed blade. I broke a Kabar doing lawn chores. One of John Greco's knives would currently be affordable for me, but I must move quickly, and obviously I cannot handle the knife before I buy it. Quality is not a problem in this case, of course, but I do like to get a feel for a knife before I buy.

I like both of the knives listed in the $99->$50 range on his site, grecoknives.com. Both of them seem ideal. I really like the Whisper C.T., and if one were available (sent an email a few minutes ago to find out), I think I would get it. However, the blade shape is sort of unusual. Does anyone own a version of this knife? If so, how well does it cut? Is it pryable? Would I be better off with a M.S.T.?

BTW, I will be attending West Point (starting this summer) and hopefully entering a combat branch of the Army. So I am considering these knives as a potential combat knives - sort of far in the future, but I sincerely doubt that there will be any of Greco's knives available in the near future.

Edit: BTW, if this is the first you have heard of Greco's retirement, please do not swoop in and order the last knives before I can get one. It would be extremely cruel. By all means, get one, but wait for me. :D
 
I like the explorer of the $75 page better. :D

Greco makes a good, tough, no frills knife. I have several. As much as I like the Greco knives, I would rather have a Becker. ;)

Keep in mind they are not stainless. I noticed in your other thread that one thing that turned you off from the Becker line was the lack of stainless steel.
 
I own a Whisper C.T. I think it's an excellent fighter and a good blade for utility, but I would hesitate to pry with it, at least near the tip. Based on the pictures I'd say the broader tip and thicker grind on the M.S.T. would have the advantage for serious abuse.

--Bob Q
 
I own both, and if you're looking for a general use blade, there isn't a comparison in my opinion. The MST is a good, solid, useful design. The Whisper is an INCREDIBLY narrow knife, and its handle is downright petite. I believe it'll pierce with the best of them, but I had to seriously reprofile the edge to get any kind of cutting out of it. It is, I think, pretty much a dedicated stabber. Even my sister, whose hands are nowhere near as big as mine, finds the handle too slim on the Whisper. I probably won't get rid of mine, as I like John a bunch and am really sorry to see him have to leave the business, but I don't imagine I'll ever use it. The MST, on the other hand, is a good all-arounder. If all of those are gone, the Companion is pretty much the same knife, just minus an inch as it eliminates the choil. The folders are awfully robust, also.
Greco makes solid, industrial grade stuff that you can depend on. You won't be disappointed.
Warren

I'll edit to add that I also have an X-Plorer, and it is a great knife. Alas, John is all sold out of them, as I found out when I tried to order a "backup" model a while back.
 
Thank you all for the fast response. I have yet to find out what is available, but I hope to purchase a MST or Companion. I am 5'9" and 150 pounds, so the X-Plorer seems a bit big.

I heard that 8670 had some degree of corrosion resistance, and I like the geometry of the M.S.T. much better than I like the crewman, the comparably sized Becker product. At these prices, I might get a Becker too, see which I like better, and have a kydex sheath made for the better one.
 
The Greco MST is a real handfull of a knife. It is everything any tough guy, hard user could ever need. It isn't pretty but it IS tough and hard. Production knives in that price range, don't compare to John's knives.

Bill
 
I recently bought two Grecos and I'll tell you what I wish someone had told me. The fit and finish is not very good and I've seen better sheaths. Having said that, I got what I paid for, I was just hoping for a lot more (aren't we all). Anyway, the knives appear be tough enough to do just about anything you'd do with a knife. In addition to Grecos, I'd recommend looking at the swamp rats.
 
I've got all the models listed above except the whisper. For general utility I'd get the Companion. The Cub Companion is good too. I find the glass breaker at the back of the MST gets in the way (but I do have the older model in A2 which is more pronounced) and have considered cutting it off myself but maybe thats just me. Thanks, Rod.
 
The only thing I will point out is that the edge on these Greco mid-tech series of knives is thick - just like Busse. Not the case for true Greco custom knives which are expertly ground.
The BK10 and BK7 offer more utility while still retaining plenty of strength. This also applies to the RAT7 and TAK.
 
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