I'm ready to spend $400 to $500 on a knife that's worth it - ideas?

[kadinh]

I didn't go through the whole thread, but I would check out the Les George FM-1.

I always liked the look of the Yuna too.

 

[Noctis3880]

You guys need to use one of Yun's knives before you assume anything about the steel. The edge geometry is done in a way that I am not worried about my edge chipping. The two that I own have an edge that would be considered convex. This steel with this edge geometry is a work horse. They just keep cutting and every so often a quick stropping is all that is needed.

Same rule as the Sebenza huh?

I should be able to handle one in a couple of weeks:thumbup:.

 

[kadinh]

what about a RJ MARTIN Q36

 

[nozh2002]

That is my sentiments exactly regarding the steel and the clad steel at that.

If Yun offered different steel and unclad steel in a different variety I might already have an order in with him.

Too bad for me.

I can assure you that for few years I used it (and because of price, I used it a lot - it should pay back IMHO) steel show only best what you may expect.

Whatever people who has only experience with knives chatting on knife forums say - this one is one of the best. It holds perfect edge for quite long and tougher then many others I know.

What I am talking about is based on my personal experience. Here evidence of why I am claiming that this is one tough knife:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0PHxVP6WSo

I did this with different knives and this one is one of the best. Even it is ZDP-189 which so many here called brittle.

The fact that it is laminated make it even more rust resistant and tough as well it add few points to look. I had quite a few laminated blades and never see any problems with that.

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[Noctis3880]

This one is far more convincing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQsatmsxvdA

Not sure if the blade is laminated though.

The reports seem to be conflicting anyways. I believe Ankerson had a picture of his micro-chipped Endura after the rope cutting, though I can't seem to find it.

But given the vid of the guy hammering his kitchen knife, I have this ugly thought I'm reluctant to bring up. If anyone remembered, I believe Sal had mentioned a bad heat treat on the ZDP mules. I'm sort of wondering if the heat treat on those Enduras also had the same issue. Mine was technically sort of old as it was one of the saber ground ones, though Ankerson's FFG Endura should have been newer.

Still, it's curious. ZDP-189 at Rc 65-67 should by all means be brittle given the elemental composition. With 3% Carbon and 20% Chromium, it should be chalk full of carbides. I know CPM-M4 is plenty tough at Rc 62-64, but it has half the carbon content and only 4% Chromium.

Though I believe Gator97 explained it best here:

For detailed account of the testing and its results, including micrographs, see the article linked above, but in short, soft edges failed miserably, and I didn't observe a single chip on 67HRC ZDP-189 steel b12 spearpoint edge. Obviously, a lot depends on cutting, and heat treatment is crucial, just the Rockwell hardness doesn't tell the whole story, two knives from the same steel, at the same hardness may behave very differently because of the differences in heat treatment, but when it's done right, ZDP-189 is not all that brittle as some users report.

Just boggles the mind.

 

[neuron]

I didn't go through the whole thread, but I would check out the Les George FM-1.

I always liked the look of the Yuna too.

Oooh, I really like that. Looks like he's not taking orders for new custom work at the moment, but I'll definitely try to grab a spot on the list when he opens his books again. Thanks for the pointer! :thumbup:

 

[nozh2002]

This one is far more convincing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQsatmsxvdA

Not sure if the blade is laminated though.

The reports seem to be conflicting anyways. I believe Ankerson had a picture of his micro-chipped Endura after the rope cutting, though I can't seem to find it.

But given the vid of the guy hammering his kitchen knife, I have this ugly thought I'm reluctant to bring up. If anyone remembered, I believe Sal had mentioned a bad heat treat on the ZDP mules. I'm sort of wondering if the heat treat on those Enduras also had the same issue. Mine was technically sort of old as it was one of the saber ground ones, though Ankerson's FFG Endura should have been newer.

Still, it's curious. ZDP-189 at Rc 65-67 should by all means be brittle given the elemental composition. With 3% Carbon and 20% Chromium, it should be chalk full of carbides. I know CPM-M4 is plenty tough at Rc 62-64, but it has half the carbon content and only 4% Chromium.

Though I believe Gator97 explained it best here:

Just boggles the mind.

Well, as I sad before - my conclusion based on my personal experience not second hand, not from what I read about other members and other knives. I do not know about what this or that people have with this or that knives, I do not want to speculate. I have this knife for years - no chipping issue ever. It handle it in this regards better then any other knives.

It did not chip after hard use (not only this digging but drywall works, plastic pipes, wood, leather, paper, pepsi-cola cans etc, of course ropes).

I do not really care if someone hear about someone else read that someone else see for another person having a chip in very different knife from different manufacturer. I am using it for hard work for years and will continue to use.

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[misterjuiceman]

Another great knife for that price is anything by Kirby Lambert. He made me an Inferno a little while ago, and I've got another one from him on order.

 

[mac-t]

Well what I can tell you is that I had the same Strider itch and was on the fence. I always over research my purchases because I hate buyers remorse. I generally like medium to small knives for EDC and was worried that the SNG would be too large for me but in fact it is just perfect so If you like larger knives the SMF should be just right. I waited and finally found one used in excellent shape at a great price from a very reputable seller. The cherry on top was that all the specs checked out...blade centering etc. and it had a reprofiled and polished edge which is exactly what I was hoing to do anyway.

 

[Reeek]

I ended up with a sweet SMF CC in black the same way so I now have that knife in my rotation and it's awesome. I also have an Unmumzaan coming, a new one from a dealer, and I just ordered a Gray Ti Lionsteel SR-1 this morning so I'm sitting in a good, high end, Mid-Tech knife spot right now

Well what I can tell you is that I had the same Strider itch and was on the fence. I always over research my purchases because I hate buyers remorse. I generally like medium to small knives for EDC and was worried that the SNG would be too large for me but in fact it is just perfect so If you like larger knives the SMF should be just right. I waited and finally found one used in excellent shape at a great price from a very reputable seller. The cherry on top was that all the specs checked out...blade centering etc. and it had a reprofiled and polished edge which is exactly what I was hoing to do anyway.

 

[Capolan]

Yuna! I forgot about Yun. Thanks for the reminder.

anyone throw crusader forge out there yet? Jim Burke?

I have been on a quest to find the strongest folder.

I think DEMKO may have the lock on it.

I ordered mine in M390 with .10 titanium, titanium back spacer, contour G10 (not sure what color yet..suggestions???) - and for the hell of it i asked for annodizing of the scales and for him to sign the blade.

the only other stuff I could do would be deep-carry pocket clip or find some really cool exotic carbon fiber..

After my Demko -- would be crusader forge on my list.

 

[Noctis3880]

Played around with my Yuna Mini Hard 2 for a couple of days. Edge went from paper push cutting sharp to more of a paper slicing sharpness. Roughest cutting was with a particularly thick and sturdy piece of cardboard(the kind you'd use at the base of a large pallet to reinforce it). Ease of cutting seems to be roughly the same as my Para2 in S90V with a FFG, so one might not be particularly better than the other in cutting such materials.

I'd observed no chipping on the edge, which is quite decent given how much I was muscling that knife through the cardboard.

I'll keep using the knife with just a daily strop on bare horse butt leather until I can no longer slice paper(which is the point at which the edge is no longer practical for me to keep using).

Blade play is just weird on this one. It wiggles a lot in the handles(though never seems to hit either side), but once it's open it won't budge an inch. I assume this is to help make the flipper action smoother. From a performance standpoint all that matters is that there isn't any blade play when you're trying to cut something. Lock is a bit sticky, so I assume it's still new(not my knife originally). Lockup is early at about 25% and very solid(did a small spine tap).

What Yun did with the Ergonomics is like what Dozier did to D2 really. The finger grooves gives it an even more exaggerated "fits like it was made for your hand" feel that you get with Hinderer's XM-18. I like the hollow grind, as it cuts me them apples easier than any Spyderco FFG knife I ever tried. However, I think Yun tapped the full potential of the leaf blade shape by making it more of a drop point blade shape rather than having the tip lower in the more spear point blade shape on most Spydercos. Combined with the fact that the cutting edge is placed "below" the handles like in a wharncliffe blade, I somehow feel like I have a hell of a lot more than 3 inches of knife blade.

Flipper action isn't as smooth as IKBS, but still much easier to pull off than my XM-18. Though the blade protrusion is much harsher on the finger due to the lack of a jimped "slope" on one side like the XM-18 or Galyean Pro Turbulence.

At a price point between $500-$600, it seems like quite a steal for such a well-made handmade knife:thumbup:. I think I've lost any desire for a Strider SMF with this one.

 

[jackman2]

That was a really interesting thread. I have a Lambert Orion ordered. It will be my first custom. I am very excited. Spent several months pouring through threads like this before I decided. Love my Sebenza and Strider, but I really want a beautiful hand made knife. I love the look of Rexford's knives as well. Someday I will own an Epicenter. My favorites in here where those, the Les George and the black Dozier. I like some of the RJ Martins, especially the Trooper, but they are pretty hard to find. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places though.