If you were really going to abuse a folder, who could take the pain the best?

B

Brian6244

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Aug 25, 2004
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Which folder would you use if money was no object and you wanted/needed it to last as long as possible?

I mean if you were going to pry with it, use the blade tip as a screwdriver, dig holes in the dirt, cut up tin cans.... you know... the usual stuff. lol ;) You're not so concerned with super spectacular edge retention (though you're also not against it) so having to latest, greatest super steel (often also brittle steel it seems) isn't really necessary.

I figure 10 people will attempt to drift the thread in to a "I would never do that/ Thats not what a knife is for" debate. Hopefully not though.

I figure the word Strider will come up. I thought I heard that Busse made a folder at one time though I have never seen one. I wonder if those would be candidates for such abuse.

No folder I have ever heard of is made to take this type of abuse repeatedly but I wonder which would take it the best. I know someone will say Sebenza. I have owned plenty of Sebbies and I dont think they qualify. The handle is and lockup is nice and strong but the blade wouldn't last a day of real abuse.

There are a good supply of fixed blades out there that can do everything I mentioned on a regular basis without too much damage to them. So why not a folder. Okay it has a pivot and that is an inherant weakness, but you can still make a damn strong folder if you really want to. But does anyone?

In a world that is becoming increasingly anti-knife and certainly anti-fixed blade, I think this is a valid topic for discussion and a reasonable thing to search for whether you're a user, and abuser or a collector. I know I could certainly use such a knife, even if it did use a softer, more ductile steel and require a little more sharpening than a S30V, M2, etc blade.

The knife I am thinking of isn't going to be a tomato slicer... thats for sure. ;)
 
Did this today. Replacing the fender, having the knife modded, blah blah just wanted to do it before parting with it for a couple weeks. Blade and edge look the same as before, but new marks on the finish. Oh BTW, repeated another five or so times.

gbdsm.jpg
 
thats an awesome photo... :thumbup: i carry an smf.. but i havent tried anything like that. :)
 
I've always wondered why they don't make a folder out of some tough tool steel.

Perhaps the BM 710HS is what you are looking for.
 
laCie said:
thats an awesome photo... :thumbup: i carry an smf.. but i havent tried anything like that. :)
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I'm EDC'ing a SNG for life and thinned it to 30 degrees for medium jobs, and wear a HAK for small stuff. 3 blades, but couldn't be more ready for anything. :D
 
J85909266 said:
I've always wondered why they don't make a folder out of some tough tool steel.
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Greco Whisper. :)

Brian, my current vote for toughest folders would be Extrema Nemesis, Strider, and Greco.
 
Ahh yes - Pics say it all.
Man I wish Mick would come out with a deep carry pocket clip.
Another you might consider, if you don't mind lugging around at least twice the weight of a Strider, and lose a lot of cutting ability is an Extrema Ratio Fulcrum - you could pry, dig, and abuse until your hearts content.
The tips so big, and the blades so thick, you might need a hammer to get your hole started in the Tin Can though..
 
My Extrema Ratio Nemesis could do it, but for most of what you want a tanto might be better, so the Fulcrum would get my vote. My tanto SnG and tanto Sebenza probably could, too.

I think the real problem is the pivot and lockup, taking that kind of regular abuse. Check out the original Buck Strider folders, also, for a lower-cost approximation.

By the way, the "Busse folder" is a sort of ongoing joke. They haven't really gotten around to it. But their budget division of Swamp Rat Knife works does have a folder, the Rat Trap, and the design comes from a small Busse fixed blade. I don't think the Rat Trap is a demolition machine, though. :)
 
Isn't there some strider kershaw collaboration called ZT coming up? That might be good.

Me personally, I can't even imagine spending 400+ on a knife to tear up...I'll spend 110 on a Manix....much more replaceable and, really, I imagine it's pretty close to toughness as well.

The market is just so big for overbuilt folders that I'm really tempted to try my hand at knife making. If I wanted to do a fixed blade, I could just sharpen the top edge of a bar of 440c and wrap some paracord.

As for folders, everyone debates lock strength....so I figure I'll just give it to you. I can combine an axis-esque lock and a framelock with no trouble at all, though it'll be a pain to close--but actual usability doesn't seem to deter the customer base.
I've actually developed a method for a double liner or framelock design that surprisingly should be easier to close than just a normal one. At least, in theory.
And finally, why not just let a hole be through the tang of the blade, and let that hole line up with some holes in the titanium+g10 handles, and then we can put a steel bar through it and screw a nut onto the other side.
I rather doubt that any one of these would be satisfactory to this crowd, so we should skip these steps and combine all three. A bilateral framelock with an axis lock with some sort of bar stop, maybe through the axis hole itself.

We can have G10 screwed into place wherever there isn't lockbar, which could be made of a quarter inch of titanium on each side.

The blade should be three quarters of inch at the base of the spine.

Of course, in reality, whenever I need the functions of a blade and a crowbar, (when a crowbar isn't present, obviously), I just carry a large flathead screwdriver. Probably a better weapon anyway.
 
Artfully Martial said:
Of course, in reality, whenever I need the functions of a blade and a crowbar, (when a crowbar isn't present, obviously), I just carry a large flathead screwdriver. Probably a better weapon anyway.
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So when the negative connection corroded to the point of shutdown for my winter car, and I was stuck at the side of the road with limited tools, I should have used a flathead?? My DB, not a folder, but a quarter inch thick mini sharpened crowbar was used to
-pry the battery terminal off (flathead MAYBE would have worked)
-scrape the inner surface of the terminal (NOT have worked)
-Scrape the outside of the battery post (MAYBE have worked)
-Scrape the firewall down to bare metal for a new ground point (NOT have worked)

Glad I didn't have a Delica, a SAK, and a flathead :jerkit:

EDIT: actually, I did have a flathead, and other tools that didn't get used. But I'm most thanksful for spare R123's in my coat.
 
And finally, why not just let a hole be through the tang of the blade, and let that hole line up with some holes in the titanium+g10 handles, and then we can put a steel bar through it and screw a nut onto the other side.
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The less holes in the blade the better. Extrema Ratio puts the crossbolt at the backlock. MOD puts a thumb-activated secondary lock to back up their plunge lock. CRKT adds LAWKS to liner locks.

The original post aknowledged that knives aren't the natural tool for some of these uses, but it would be nice to know that carrying one or two items instead of a toolbox could get you out of trouble.
 
ALL things considered, I'd bet only one would survive such abuse: Extrema Ratio Fulcrum
 
Don't forget there is another factor to consider. The user. We've read stories here about much less robust knives performing way above what they were designed to do. I think a lot of it has to do with the user. You can break the strongest folder by trying to or by really careless use. You can get outstanding performance from a lesser product by working with its strengths and taking it slowly on a particularly rough job.
 
Why would anyone risk cutting his fingers or tendons with a folder?
Safety first!
Use a fixed blade.
 
It's only a risk when you forget which edge is sharp. Not to mention, city kids don't always have the option of a fixed blade big enough to do any good.
 
Of the knives I currently own, I think my Hinderer Firetac, DMKnives Instigator, and RRF would stand up!! I also think my Sebbies would too
 
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