I think I've got knife info overload....

V

Vee3

Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
82
The last pocket knife I bought was over 20 years ago. It was an early Kershaw lockback with a one-piece rubber handle that covered the blade release (Or whatever you call that thingy that unlocks the blade to close it). I carried that knife in my back pocket until about two years ago when the rubber finally got so hard that it was cracking. Since then I've been using a small Victorinox that I got years ago as a gift for being a groomsman in a friend's wedding.

My, how things have changed.... I've paid almost zero attention to knife development for two decades even though I frequent gun stores and have had the internet ever since Al Gore invented it. It all just blew right past me.

Now that I need a (Or maybe several, it seems) new single blade locking pocket knife, I find that I'm having to do more research than when I'm buying a new car:

G-10? Whassat? (Oh, it's a phenolic like I used to make aircraft parts out of. Okay, sounds very appropriate). Titanium? C'mon... Is that really necessary? I guess so - Light, strong and corrosion-resistant.

What are all these blade materials? I rekon they must be better than good ol' 440 and Solingen for some reason (But can't find them in my 18th edition Machinery's Handbook).

Why do so many of them look like something nobody but a Klingon's mother could love? (I guess Earth knife technology has finally caught up with Star Trek).

Assisted opening? (Do I need someone to help me with it?)

SWITCHBLADES IN CALIFORNIA??? I always thought they were a no-no regardless of blade length (Ordered a Pro-Tech Runt just because I found out that I can carry one here :D ).

Lockback, frame-lock, liner-lock, pin-lock, roll-lock (What, no vapor-lock?).

Oh well - Looks like I'll be doing some reading. I'm already instinctively reaching back to check my wallet to make sure no money is flying out of it (Oops, too late - There goes some more).

Thanks for the great forum...
 
Yup, there's a lot to read here about our favourite toys... I mean tools. :D
Welcome to the Forums Vee3!!!

/ Karl
 
Yeah -- probably more carry knife development in the 20 years you missed than in all of previous human history combined.
 
The "best" is yet to come. Just when you think you've settled on your short list, with maybe a top choice out of that, then you'll trip across Yet More Information and end-up revising things. What you'll probably have to do, at some point, will be the equivilent of "Sooner-or-later, you just have to shoot the engineers and ship the product." ;)

Then, after you have your knife (or knives, as the case may be), you'll make the mistake (?) of coming back here, browsing a bit, and find out You Need More Knives.
 
Funny post, I too was amazed at all the new knives and Knife terms. Now I'm pretty much obsessed with knives like everyone else here...............Z
 
Hey I'm right there with ya buddy.

I found this website about a month ago while researching what kind of knives to buy my groomsmen knowing absolutely nothing about knives. I never carried or owned a knife unless you count the swiss army knife i had when I was a cub scout

After reading so much info about knives that my brain started to hurt I decided to buy 2 folders for myself and am eyeballing a third.
 
For all the different modern knives and materials out there, I still use Swiss Army Knives the most. Those, Opinels and Buck 110's. Don't need G10, Titanium or S30V to cut something. They can have their advantadge, but when it comes down to it I've never felt dissapointed with my SAKs ability to slice something up.

Unless I'm carrying a knife for self-defense, in which case modern knives are the way to go, I generally don't let things like blade steel, manufactuer or lock-type dictate what I carry. I think the most important thing is find a knife that is comfortable first of all, then worry about the blade grind and how well it suits your needs. For example, I tend to use my knives a lot, but it's all pure cutting, so an Opinel has fantastic blade shape for my tasks (Thin, flat / convex grind). The round wooden handles are warmer than steel and comfortable to hold. Ergonomics matter to me much more than how long it holds an edge. Incidently the carbon steel on them has outlasted some of the more modern steels in edge retention for me.

You'll find a lot of arguing about the strength of locks, pivots and handle materials, which steels will hold an edge the longest and so forth. I've found it's best not to pay attention to it. Find a reputable company with a good warranty, pick out a comfortable design with a lock you're comfortable and familiar with and have at it. Don't let all the hype confuse you.
 
IMHO the smoothest opening, most secure, and safest to use folding knife is one with an AXIS lock. Benchmade makes them and a few Cold Steel models have a similar lock. I've never used the Cold Steel version though. I like not having my fingers in the way when closing the blade. IMHO G-10 is one of the most durable and grippy handle materials. It also doesn't get hot or cold.
 
Vee3,
Welcome aboard.
Excellent introduction, good start with the Runt.
My advice is to read alot, find out what you like and then buy slowly.
To many here this is addiction, it doesn't have to be. The guy that dies with the most knives doesn't win. If you buy too quick and just foillow the herd you're going to end up buying a lot of stuff someone else loved, and in the end you're going to end up selling it for a loss just like they do.

Even if the Runt is the only knife you end up buying, this is still a great place to hang out. I found out about all this knife stuff back in 1998, and BFC in 1999. I came for the knives and stayed for the people.

Knife people are the best people.
 
Thanks for the warm welcome guys :thumbup:

I'm digesting a lot of good info here (Thanks to you all), and will hopefully make a pilgrimage to a local knife superstore with my son this weekend to see what all this new-to-me knife stuff is all about.

Guns, knives and shoes are some of the items I'm not likely to buy without handling (Or footling, in the case of shoes) first. I've wasted way too much $$$ in the past on items that looked good in a magazine write-up. I'm trying to become a "minimalist" on guns (That don't seem to be working out too good). I'm doing great on footwear, but my wife is somehow making up the difference on her side of the closet. I don't plan on buying many knives - Just the ones that I will actually use (Like my wife tells me about her shoes?). I did buy the Runt on impulse since I couldn't find one negative post about it here and it looks like it will fit my needs well and slip nicely into the watch pocket of my Levis.

On those shoes - Do two knives for me = one pair of shoes for her? I didn't find that in the forum rules section.

Honestly, I feel like a kid in a candy store - A diabetic kid who has to restrain himself.

What's this smiley guy doing anyway? :jerkit: I figure he must be cutting or stabbing something with a knife...
 
Vee3 said:
Thanks for the warm welcome guys :thumbup:

What's this smiley guy doing anyway? :jerkit: I figure he must be cutting or stabbing something with a knife...
Click to expand...

Vee3, you made me almost laugh out loud when it is so quiet here in my house and everyone is sleeping when I read that quote above:D! Try running your mouse cursor over the "smiley guy" you're talking about.

BTW, when I rediscovered this forum a couple months ago, I was totally corrupted by the members who are so into all the aspects of knife collecting. I spent more money than I care to count after reading the different threads and educating myself about the different knives that are available on the Internet. I also got a bit dizzy when I decided that I needed to get a sharpener for my collection:eek: and did a search here on the forum about sharpening systems. Enjoy the hobby.
 
Vee3,

Welcome to BF. I started carrying a pocketknife about 30 years ago, and then carried a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife (commonly referred to as a SAK) for about 25 of them. Then I found this place about 4 or so years ago and now fast forward to over a 100 SAKs in the collection. Hang on, this knife stuff can be fun.

As PhilL said in is about post, this is why I keep coming back:
PhilL said:
I came for the knives and stayed for the people. Knife people are the best people.
Click to expand...

You'll find this forum a great place to hang out, not just for the knives but for the community.

Enjoy
 
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