Ideas - Easy maintenance utility knife

A

AndyS

Joined
Jul 5, 2003
Messages
9
Hi,

I'm looking for some ideas for a knife to be used mainly in the garden cutting plants, bags etc maybe some small scale chopping, that can be easily maintained, possibly stripped down as they always seem to get grit in them.

Budget is reasonable, any ideas?

AndyS
 
Going to suggest you look mainly at liner or frame lock knives. By far the easiest folding to field strip. I picked up a spyderco serrated frn cricket for a water knife. Have a ss se coming soon. My tufram is in the box(wooden locked box with my spydies in it)...

I can strip the cricket down in about 2min, and have it back together in about 2-3min. :D not that I've done it enough times...

Got my frn for 26usd shipped...
 
Take a look at the FL 1 or 2 by Smith & Wesson at under $40. They have a frame lock, there is no handle slabs to hold crud between the liner and the handle.
http://www.1sks.com/store/smith-and-wesson-frame-lock-1.html
http://www.1sks.com/store/smith-and-wesson-frame-lock-2.html

Another popular knife that I like is the Camillus EDC. Another frame lock at about $50.
http://www.1sks.com/store/camillus-edc.html

Both knives can easily be disassembled to clean the pivot and just a little lungpower and a rag will keep the lock (and handle area) clean and functioning.
 
Those Gerber AR 3.50 are easy to keep clean, the handle is made from aluminium. And it is cheap. Blade steel 440A, easy to maintain.
 
Oh, you ´re from the UK?! Look for the Boker Speedlock ( if autos are allowed in the UK). Multiple blade options, full disassembly. Equipment of our frontier police, should be good. There is a large and a small one on market and one non automatic.

Basic balde steel is 420, but you can get S60V, 440C, ATS34

Handle is a bit bold, but for gardening it should fit.
 
Are fixed blades not a consideration? You can just spray it with a garden hose and wipe down with towel and then tuf-cloth.

I'm sure there are tons of others. a nice Fallkniven A1 or Becker Creman would be able to cut well and occasionally chop. If you don't need to chop small trees, just small branches, the Becker Companion or the overlooked gem, Spyderco Moran would work well.

edit: fixed spelling of Fallkniven. That gets me everytime.
 
It might be blasphemous to suggest this on a knife forum but...how about a little hand pruner? I like my Fiskars Power Gear, and it handles branches up to about 3/4" thick with one snip and larger than that with a couple of snips. Should be easier than hacking through them with a folder. For cutting bags and such, a nice FRN Spyderco Delica or Alox SAK like the Victorinox Settler would do.

If you want to stick with a knife only, try the Victorinox Harvester or Locksmith; both knives have first-rate saws for small-scale pruning.
 
I don't know exactly what you mean by "budget is reasonable", so I'm not sure if what I recommend is in your price range. I'd say that a large regular sebenza is what you want. It was desinged to be tough and easy to maintain. It's one of the few knives that the maker encourages dismantling. But if you want absolute low maintainance, a fixed blade would be your best option, which Chris Reeve also makes, and some very nice ones at that.
 
Another idea is something with a hawksbill blade. That shape is great for utility and gardening, especially pruning, but no good for chopping. A karambit or a spyderco merlin would suit you well. Karambits can be had for about $15-20 for a cheap one. The merlin you can get on ebay for about $40. Also, Opinel makes one that is really inexpensive: the OP144 is about $14.
 
I would recommend a Greco frame lock folder.

No handle slabs to trap debris, and the simple design makes for easy cleaning and user service.

The whole knife is held together with 3 bolts and can be stripped, cleaned, and reassembled in just a few minutes.

There is a good deal of clearance between the pivot pin and the hole in the blade that it occupies, which alows the knife to function even if heavily contaminated with grit or dirt. Mine got caked with cement dust and worked just fine for the rest of the day until I got the chance to clean it out.

Cutting performance is good, and light chopping isn't a problem, as the knife is very tough.

The Grecos are not pretty or particularly smooth at first, but spend a few hours oiling it up and breaking it in and you will have a fine work knife that will never let you down.
 
I'd get a fixed blade beater. A folder is out of the question if you actually plan to do the full range of yard & garden tasks without a toolbelt on. If you have a spade and shears within reach then a folder and a lifetime supply of aerosol cleaner would work. An inexpensive durable utility knife that is easy to sharpen with medium weight and length, optimized in edge and blade geometry for a wide variety of tough tasks including digging is what I would want. Handle should be sufficiently large for gloved work, knobbed fore and aft to allow multiple grips. Sheath should wear comfortably in all bending, kneeling, and twisted positions, yet be secure and durable. Although I get a kick out of the Sebenza idea, I second the Becker BK10 suggestion.
 
I think a lot of people (myself included) presumed that you were looking for a folder.

If you want a fixed blade (no reason why you should not for garden work) there are any number of great knives out there that will do what you need.
 
Apologies, I should have made it clearer, I am actually only considering a folder as it would probably double up as my EDC therefore blade length would have to be 3" or under.

Should also have said this was my first post on here so Hello :D to everyone and thanks for the replies so far, I knew I'd get some good ideas.

Budget would be up to $160(GBP 100) with the ability to handle the elements, grit etc. when put to work and be relatively simple to clean/maintain afterwards.

AndyS
 
Get a FRN Delica in Plain Edge and a FRN Merlin in serrated. You may have enough change for a Spydersaw too ;)

Maintenance is easy - stick 'em in the dishwasher. (If I remember correctly, Spyderco's big cheese - Sal Glesser has posted saying that's what he does on occaision)

Or save a little longer and get a small Sebenza.
 
ah, lets blow the budget... Spyderco Military... 157usd, though not exactly the 3" and under.
 
Yep, Brits are under 3" restriction. I'm not even sure you're allowed locking blades? If so, the FRN Delica is a good choice for EDC. That and a great garden blade (BK10) together should be under 75 quid. A Camillus EDC is another at under $50.
 
I second stich's comments. I think your requirements (EDC <3" and garden work) would be best served by getting two different blades instead of a single compromise blade. If I had your requirements, I'd get one medium length, tough fixed blade for garden work and one light economical folder for EDC. I'd hate to have to use a 3" folder for heavy garden work.

First, I think you should make sure that locking blades are allowed (and also "acceptable"). In fact, given the potential risks of carrying a locking folder in the U.K., I'd go with a slim SAK for EDC and the Becker for garden work.
 
Hold on one minute.
Okay, I can understand Brits have a 3" restriction, but is that for carry? Surely that doesn't apply to home use. You've got to have kitchen and table knives bigger than 3" for the Queen's sake.....;)
As as far as garden use, forget a folder. I bent about 6 small digging shovels, until I got my craftsmen from Sears. You definately want something heavy duty, and that means fixed.
 
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