Introduction

[coaltrain]

Hello BladeForum folk! My first post here - didn't find an introduction section, so I guess this is good enough. Mods please move my thread to the appropriate section if need be.

I've been lurking here for the past week or so - such a wealth of information and what seems to be a very nice and helpful group. Actually I am a bit overwhelmed by it all right now, but hopefully I will be steered in the right direction as I venture into knife collecting. First a little about myself -

I've been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which has spun out of control to the point of having to stop work and giving up most all of my hobbies. I'm not looking for a pity party here - it is what it is and I am learning to deal with the limitations - one reason I am here at BladeForums right now. I used to work 70 hours a week (I love to work!) plus had a few hobbies like buying and fixing up VW Turbo Diesel cars. Because I can no longer even hold a wrench, I gave up all that. I've always loved photography and have immersed myself into that since it is one of the few things I can do that doesn't make me hurt.

Even though my illness isn't terminal or anything like that, it has been such a life changing event that I am working on a bucket list of sorts. Many years ago before the advent of the interwebs, I remember relaxing in an evening looking through my Smokey Mountain Knife Works catalog. I live in the deep woods of NW Penna and spend a lot of time outdoors - or used to anyway. The only knives I've had were tools for what I did - nothing fancy and surely nothing collectible. The 2 knives I have are in rough shape but love to hold them and think of what I did with them all these years.

So, without much money to work with, I want to get started buying a couple nice new knives. These won't be used much - more or less for everyday carry and just to hold and feel a good quality piece of craftsmanship.

To get myself started, I quickly became overwhelmed with all the manufacturers and choices out there. I know it will take me a long time to look at and assess all that is out there. My primary object is very good quality/craftsmanship without getting into any real expensive stuff. The first knife I am looking at is ~$100.

Of course I haven't done enough research to take it all in yet, but in my travels the last week or so, I am drawn to the Benchmade Mini-Griptilian. As a matter of fact, one site I've been to has a special edition currently available (don't know if I am allowed to post vendor links....??). This is the Benchmade 556 model Limited Edition with a CPM-M4 blade. I like everything about this knife, but wonder if buying a Limited Edition is worth the extra cost or not. I thought that for an extra $20 it might be worth it.

And with all the other hobbies I've been into over my lifetime, I always wonder about resale value. To me part of collecting is to buy and try different things, and possibly sell off the ones I don't like to help pay for other ones I want to try. Just curious as to the resale protocol and if this is common in knife collecting.

I'm usually way too long winded, so I'll end my first post with that. I will be back later this evening to do some more research and check on my thread here for any updates.

Stan S

 

[abcdef]

Welcome to BF.

I can't help with your Griptilian question. Be careful about what to expect from resale value on any knife.

Just a few words of advice - friction folders and Spyderco slipits. These are good knives and will be easy on your hands. Research them if you have not already done so.

 

[choombak]

The resale protocol is more or less similar to other trades in terms if demand/supply, and rarity.

Welcome to bladeforums. You'll spend a similar relaxing time here as you did with your knife catalog. Even better.

 

[Blade-fiend]

Welcome to the forums stan

With that particular limited edition the M4 blade upgrade is totally worth the extra coin but its small size might not be the best on your hands. The axis lock is very nice and easy to use so that part should be ok. You might want to look into some of the larger benchmades like the full size griptilian or the adamas

 

[Yo Mama]

Hey Coaltrain!

Welcome to the forum.

I'd also recommend looking at a full size griptilian, but I would get the plain Jane normal one. They are excellent blades, and the 154cm steel is done right. With the axis lock it's really easy to open and close the knife. If you want the same setup, but a bigger piece, check out the Benchmade 15020

Also, try to see if there is a store with a good selection of knives near you so that you can try a few out and see what fits you.

 

[Mossyhorn]

Welcome to the forum coaltrain.

 

[GIRLYmann]

coaltrain
life is what we make of it.
seems to me nothing can keep a good man down.
especially one with a purpose to excel in all undertakings.
but life will especially be fulfilled once we surround ourselves with things of beauty or perfection as seen in our minds eye.
a healthy hobby does just that.
keeps the mind busy and occupied with passion.
anyway welcome!!
Figure you might take a look at case knives
Dunno if a Case Carhartt Double-Dyed Synthetic RussLock
would stir up any emotion in you.
Or if there will be a good resale value in future.
But i figure, anyone starting a collection could do with at least one case knife.

 

[coaltrain]

Welcome to BF.

I can't help with your Griptilian question. Be careful about what to expect from resale value on any knife.

Just a few words of advice - friction folders and Spyderco slipits. These are good knives and will be easy on your hands. Research them if you have not already done so.

I try to keep my expectations low with any type of gear as far as resale. I've been into buying and selling a lot of camera lenses, and feel if I can get 75% of what I bought something for, it is kind of like a rental fee I've paid to be able to try one out to see if I like it.

Thanks for the recommendation - I'll take a look and the Spyderco Slipits. I welcome any and all recommendations as I am new to this and need some direction to follow.

The resale protocol is more or less similar to other trades in terms if demand/supply, and rarity.

Welcome to bladeforums. You'll spend a similar relaxing time here as you did with your knife catalog. Even better.

Thanks - I do find reading the forum here and others I belong to very relaxing while learning - it seems I have this constant hunger to learn.

Welcome to the forums stan

With that particular limited edition the M4 blade upgrade is totally worth the extra coin but its small size might not be the best on your hands. The axis lock is very nice and easy to use so that part should be ok. You might want to look into some of the larger benchmades like the full size griptilian or the adamas

Thanks for the recommendation of the larger Griptilian along with the Adamas. The size and working is a big concern of mine since my fingers don't work so well anymore. I did find a couple comparison shots/videos showing the size difference, but it is still so hard to tell without actually holding them in my hands. This is a tough part along with just about everything - I live in a very remote area and don't have access to any shops at all. I went about nuts when buying my last camera trying to find out the feel of it without actually holding it. I have to rely on reviews and forums like this to get a "feel" for anything.

Hey Coaltrain!

Welcome to the forum.

I'd also recommend looking at a full size griptilian, but I would get the plain Jane normal one. They are excellent blades, and the 154cm steel is done right. With the axis lock it's really easy to open and close the knife. If you want the same setup, but a bigger piece, check out the Benchmade 15020

Also, try to see if there is a store with a good selection of knives near you so that you can try a few out and see what fits you.

Thanks also for the recommendation of the standard Griptilian - as I said above I need something that is easy to hold and use, and I do have big hands.

coaltrain
life is what we make of it.
seems to me nothing can keep a good man down.
especially one with a purpose to excel in all undertakings.
but life will especially be fulfilled once we surround ourselves with things of beauty or perfection as seen in our minds eye.
a healthy hobby does just that.
keeps the mind busy and occupied with passion.
anyway welcome!!
Figure you might take a look at case knives
Dunno if a Case Carhartt Double-Dyed Synthetic RussLock
would stir up any emotion in you.
Or if there will be a good resale value in future.
But i figure, anyone starting a collection could do with at least one case knife.

Very good advise and well taken - thank you! You are exactly right in a healthy hobby keeps the mind busy and occupied. This has been such a life changing event for me - turned my whole life upside down. But, as I've said above, my motto is "it is what it is" and I am now learning my limitations. I desperately need something to fulfill my needs for learning and having that passion - just been hard to find the right path. Funny you mention "stirring the passion" as that is exactly how I feel about a lot of things - it is harder to do this without actually holding any of these great knives in my hands, so I have to go with my gut and the reviews here.

--------------------------------------

Thanks so much for the warm welcome everyone I am just overwhelmed! I've belonged to a number of forums over the years, and only actively participate in 2 where the members are so generous, understanding and helpful. I already feel all that from my thread here and want to thank you all. It looks as I have started down that slippery slope already, but can see a nice future for me here at BladeForums.

 

[Blade-fiend]

Another really great knife is the Hogue EX-01 its a a bit more than a griptilian but its button lock is very smooth and easy on the hands it also comes in 3.5" and 4" blades so if you have big hands the 4" model might work nicely. The ergonomics are very well done its extremely comfortable to hold and comes in aluminum or "gmascus" (g10 with swirls) handle scales. Ill post pics of my 3.5" aluminum model when i get on my computer


ok heres my Hogue next to my mini griptilian, paramilitary 2 and ZT 0561 for a size comparison the 4" version is almost exactly the same size as the ZT 0561

 

[coaltrain]

Another really great knife is the Hogue EX-01 its a a bit more than a griptilian but its button lock is very smooth and easy on the hands it also comes in 3.5" and 4" blades so if you have big hands the 4" model might work nicely. The ergonomics are very well done its extremely comfortable to hold and comes in aluminum or "gmascus" (g10 with swirls) handle scales. Ill post pics of my 3.5" aluminum model when i get on my computer


ok heres my Hogue next to my mini griptilian, paramilitary 2 and ZT 0561 for a size comparison the 4" version is almost exactly the same size as the ZT 0561

View attachment 363142

Thanks for the pic! I hate to be a pain, but could you tell me which is which in your photo (list the models from top to bottom)?

-------------------------------------------------

I don't know if I should continue this here or another section, but I've come up with a short list of duties for this new knife plus some questions/concerns:

First and foremost the blade must lock in both the open and closed position.

I can not work a lock back (proper term?) - ones that you press a lever on the back of the knife to release the lock. I think the Griptilian locks/unlocks with a thumb slide - that is what I want.

I like the idea of the axis lock but don't truly understand how it works. What I need is a blade that is very easy to open and close.

I want a plain blade - non-serrated.

While most of the handles I have seen are composite materials, when I looked at the Bone Collectors', I think I fell in love seeing the walnut handle. I need to know any cons to having a wooden handle vs. a composite.

What is the purpose of the thumb hole in some blades? Is that to ease grabbing the blade while opening and closing?

Most of the above I need since my fingers/hands/wrists are very weak most of the time.

Uses: most of my time is now spent in my house or a short walk around my property. For home use, I need it to do stuff like opening a potato chip bag (who would have thought - can't even do that without a knife or scissors), cut open other various food packages, open envelopes and packages for UPS etc. Outside will be stuff like slicing open an apple to check if it is ready to pick, shave the bark off a twig, and just little things like that.

I have looked at the various models you kind folks have offered to look at, but each time I look at a different manufacturer, I get off on a tangent. So, for my first knife I think I will just stick with a Benchmade since I want to buy one soon. Then I can take my time researching other knives to add as I can afford it.

------------------------------------------------

Thanks for your patience everyone - I tend to get obsessed when making any purchase like this as I want to do it right the first time. I hope my summary above will help with any recommendations.

 

[Blade-fiend]

top to bottom is ZT 0561 with custom scale, spyderco paramilitary 2, Hogue EX-01, mini griptilian.

ok now working down your list.

1. the only knives that lock closed are usually assisted or auto knives, some manual knives have an added feature to keep the lock from disengaging in the open position making it similar to a fixed blade like the EX-O1 you can see it on my pic its the oval slider under the button lock.

2. the axis lock and the botton lock are probably the easiest to close specially for someone with advanced arthritis. for the axis lock you simply slide the lock slightly downward to disengage I use my index finger and thumb at the same time to make it even easier. the Botton lock is just that a simple button you press to release the blade.

3. composite handle scales are much stronger than wood but in the case of the bone collector it has full steel liners so its plenty strong but again nowhere near as strong as say
G10 or carbonfiber.

4. the hole is something spyderco pioneered and use in almost all their blades, its a great alternative to thumb studs as it gives you an nice smooth controlled opening

with all that said I still highly recommend the botton lock on the Hogue. Benchmade is definitely a very close second the axis lock is very smooth and if you like the bone collector it should meet your needs no problem

 

[MAKnifenut]

Steer clear of coldsteel since you have arthritis. I love them but their locks are really hard on the hands

 

[coaltrain]

Thanks Blade-friend. I'm getting an idea of the features now. The Hogue is just beautiful but puts me a bit over my self imposed budget of ~$100. I've got some good information to sleep on now.

Steer clear of coldsteel since you have arthritis. I love them but their locks are really hard on the hands

Cold Steel - please excuse my naivety but I don't know what that means or how it pertains to the knives I am looking at. Could you explain for me please?

 

[Blade-fiend]

Cold steel makes some of the strongest lock back folders on the market not only in durability but in just pressing the release notch, they will destroy whats left of your hands, steer very clear of them specially since you already said no lockbacks lol I dont have arthritis yet and they hurt my hands after just a couple times closing.

As much as i think the button lock will benefit you the axis should just as much and will still keep you in your budget. I went a bit overboard a few times buying knives im trying really hard to either set budgets or just not buy at all lol its so hard though i want so many more

 

[coaltrain]

So many choices is right - I'll drive myself nuts if I don't just make a decision soon and order a knife.

After thinking some more on this, I became concerned with the different blade materials. I see there were a few recommendations for the 154CM stainless steel which the Griptilian has. While looking at the Bone Collector, I see that is made with D2 tool steel. Then the Limited Edition Mini-Griptilian is CPM-M4 powered steel. From what I have read, and my interpretation could be wrong of course, I think I am eliminating the Bone Collector knife because of the D2 steel.

So this pretty much narrows it down to the standard Griptilian with 154CM, or the Limited Edition Mini-Griptilian with CPM-M4. The CPM-M4 might very well be overkill for me, but I keep getting drawn to this knife for some reason.

I am going to do some more web searches for the difference in size between the Griptilian and Mini-Griptilian. I've found a couple images of the 2 together, but none of them have anything in the photo to show their relative size for comparison. I've drawn out a chart of sorts with the dimensions of each, and use an old Buck folder I have here to help with size comparison. If I could hold both in my hands I'm sure the decision would be easy, but that isn't possible. And while I hate returning items to vendors, I may just have to order both from a vendor with a good return policy so I can feel both, then return the one that I don't want.

And while I understand everyone's recommendation for the standard Griptilian for the larger size and possibly ease of use for my Arthritic hands, I get to wondering if smaller might be better sometimes. Not to get into a pity party here or anything, but I am currently having one of my attacks that is affecting my hands and it is a bad one. When I am having an attack like this, I can't hold a pen and write with it let alone even think about using a screw driver or anything like that. One of the most frustrating parts of this concerning knives is that when I am like this, my wife has to cut my meat for me at dinner time. I am trying to relate that to a carry knife for myslef as I need to be able to use a knife for simple tasks even when my hands are like this. With that said, I am going to try to make an educated decision between the two Griptilians. The larger handle may make it easier to hold, but the larger blade may make it harder to negotiate for simple tasks.

I know many will think that if my hands are that bad, I shouldn't even be handling a knife. But, this is one of the main reasons for my getting myself a proper knife so I don't have to rely on others as much for simple tasks.

 

[coaltrain]

Well I took a left turn of sorts.......

I had the specs I wanted written down, and did a category search on the Benchmade site for Axis Lock being that is the one category I was sure of. As I am going through the pages, it hit me - the 943 Osborne. The blade style is more of a gentleman's knife and I really like the slimmer style. I realize a drop point will be more robust, but for my uses I feel the clip point blade will actually work out better for me. The blade material is S30V which is fine. I also really like the aluminum handle. I realize the composite handles on most knives these days is probably superior, but I have this old school thing going on liking the wooden handle of the Bone Collector, and now the aluminum handle of the Osborne. And the handle shape looks like just what I need to hold it properly.

This puts me a bit over my budget, but I will just find/save the extra money over the next week or so. I only want to buy my main knife once, and this is the one I am going to order.

Thanks so much for the great welcome here, and sorry for all the questions and my obsessiveness. Blade-friend - you have been most helpful and I certainly appreciate it! Once I get the knife I'll do a little review in the proper forum section. I also have a maintenance question for an old knife I have and will head over to that section soon also.

 

[Blade-fiend]

The 943 is a really really nice knife, the aluminum holds up well and their s30v is superb i think you will enjoy that one for sure

 

[Bob W]

Hi Coaltrain, and welcome to Bladeforums.

NW Penna, is that Northwest Pennsylvania? Did you load coal trains by any chance, or work for the railroad? I'm often at the coal mines in Pennyslvania, usually south of Pittsburgh around Washington.

Did you consider a fixed blade? A small traditional hunting knife sounds like just the thing for woods-wandering and chores around the house. In case you haven't found it yet there are some very talented makers who sell their knives here on Bladeforums in the For Sale by Maker area.

Your interest in photography will go right along with your knife hobby too. There's a photography sub-forum here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/847-Photography-Discussion
And The Gallery here, for sharing knife photos: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/734-The-Gallery

 

[coaltrain]

Hi Bob W - thanks for the welcome!

Yes - Northwest Pennsylvania. I always have a hard time picking user names, so a couple years ago I looked out the window to see a train load of coal going by on the other side of the river - colatrain it is. Some years back I hauled soft coal from this area and Southwest Pa up to Niagara Falls - not my favorite run at all.

I have a pretty good fixed blade knife but it needs cleaned up - have had it for over 30 years. So I decided on a folder this time, but I am sure there will be more purchases in my future. I've dabbled in the knife maker section and will certainly be looking at them again. I really like the idea of owning a couple unique knives made by hand.

Thanks for the links for the photography section - I didn't know they were there. During the long winter I like to do product shots and macro work inside since I can't do anything outside. You are right in that starting a knife collection will go along well with my photography hobby.