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I've narrowed it down. Little confirmation please...

D

Drivie

Joined
Jan 31, 2003
Messages
31
Alright guys,

I'm down to the following knives. If any of you recall, I posted several days ago about the need for a utility knife of 3" or less in blade length.

1) Benchmade Griptillian 556S (Partially Serrated) - like the axis lock and the lugs. Feels good in the hand. I only wish it locked closed but that wish may be unfounded.

2) Kershaw Leek (Partially Serrated) - Sweet SpeedSafe assisted opening. Closed lock. Concerned that if I don't lock the blade closed it will open in my pocket. Any experience with that? Any legal issues with this? In other words, this is not classified as an auto correct?

3) Camillus CUDA EDC (Partially Serrated) - Decent looking knife. Meets the requirements.

4) Kershaw Avalanche (Partially Serrated) - Again, the SpeedSafe. Little spendy.

I'm thinking about getting the BM and the Leek and either selling one or keeping both. Any advice. Also, where should I go to purchase these knives?

Thanks for your time and assistance!

Drivie
 
Drivie,
Go with either the EDC or the mini Grip. Both have stout locks and both have great blades. As far as the mini Grip not locking closed, I've never had an Axis folder open in my pocket. I think that with the tip up arrangement, your pocket will do a good job of keeping her shut. At any rate, if it becomes a problem, just tighten the pivot a little bit and it should be fine.
Matt
 
Of the ones u listed get the Benchmade. The lock is rock solid and the knife is very strong. Try a Spyderco Native also.

www.knifeworks.com great prices and the best Customer Service. Just ordered a BM 710HS today :D
 
what are you going to be using them for? i would go with the grip for tougher jobs. leek for regular duty. i have both and love em.

oh, by the way, i've never had a problem with the leek opening in my pocket with the safety off. and it's not an auto since you don't push a button that releases the blade from the start. you are required to start the blade before it gets going. so technically, no it's not an auto but it sure acts like one!!:D
 
Are you sure that you want partial serrations on such a small knife? I can almost see the value of a partially serrated blade on a larger knife, but not something that small. You just end up with two blade sections that are too small to make the cut, without drifting into the other section.

Trust me. I started out with many small partially serrated blades. None of these knives get used now. In theory, they look incredibly versatile. In reality, they are not.
 
They're all good choices. My preference is the Camillus EDC. The handle is a good shape and size as kind of a 3 finger knife which is probably how it's meant to be. The recurve is very practical and the quality is up there.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys.

Scar1, I'll be using the knife mainly for utility purposes like opening boxes and those persnickity plastic packages that are a real pain to get into and general zip-tie cutting etc. I'm looking for something relatively small and light but big enough to get the job done.

Looks like everyone really likes the BM.

I was in a knife store today and the young man that was assisting me pointed out a Mel Pardue BM 350 and I really liked the feel of it. The only down side for me was the liner lock but it didn't seem too bad. He recommended that knife due to the fact that the steel is superior to that of the BM mini grip and Kershaw Leek.

What do you think now?

Thanks!

Drivie
 
First off, let me just say:

:eek:

The 350 has 154CM, the mini-Grip has 440C, and IIRC the leek has 440A. It will outperform 440A and has the potential to outperform 440C, but I doubt you'd be able to tell the difference between 440C and 154CM in actual use. 440A may dull quicker, but there's no guarantee.

All three knives you've mentioned are great. All of them will handle the tasks you've mentioned. I like the mini-grip better, but that's me. If Kershaw made a lefty version of their Blackout knife, I wouldn't care that it's only 440A. It feels perfect in my grimy mits and I usually only have to answer to me. Do you like the tip-down liner lock over the speed-assisted liner and axis lock? I think that either the Leek or the mini-Grip will grow on you over time. Nice to know that the young man helping you was a steel snob (at least I'm not alone in my foolish behavior!), but it sounds like you like the Leek.

Go on, take it. ;)

I just told another Bladeforum dude to take a Leek. <Beavis and Butthead laughter>
 
In most of the world spring assists aren't classifed as autos (expect in Australlia). But you have to prove to that the LEO that it is a spring assist in case something happens
 
Thanks for the assistance, thombrogan.

I guess I just want a knife I could consider keeping and using for the rest of my life as I'm not a knife nut right now.

I'm actually considering purchasing two or three knives to try out and then see if I can either return the ones I don't want or sell them online.

What difference does tip-up versus tip-down carry make? I still have a slight concern with the speedsafe opening in my pocket if I forget to engage the saftey.

Thanks!

Drivie
 
IMO if you bought the minigrip you would need no other knife........theoretically.:D :D dtsoll
 
Tip-up knives clipped to your pocket rely on the tight the knife is tensioned or how tight they're pressed against the back of your pocket to keep the blade away from your fingers. In real life, if you're clipping a righthand knife to your right pocket, this is a non-issue and the reverse for lefties. Tip down knives clipped to your pocket rely on that same tension/friction AND gravity. However, they can bite you just the same if you don't clip them to your pocket.

I'd try before you buy. Otherwise, you'll find that you'll take a beating in trying to recoup your losses.

All knives will eventually wear out if you use them long enough or hard enough, but a single knife can outlast one person's lifespan if you keep it clean, oiled, and sharp and <gasp> use it to cut things versus serve as a makeshift screwdriver or crowbar.

Not to open the can of worms deeper, but have you considered Spyderco? Their stuff satisfies people looking for dependable user knives, low-cost/high-quality knives, steel that makes steelsnobs happy, and collectors of exotic objects.
 
thombrogan,

Thanks for the additional info. Based on what you're saying with regard to tip-up/tip-down carry, which is preferred for safety?

I have looked at some spydercos and just don't care for them. I think at this point, it's 95% that a Benchmade will find it's way into my pocket, although I may purchase an inexpensive Kershaw for the speedsafe feature alone and to keep the BM company...hehe!

Drivie
 
Thanks youngcutter. I'm out on the avalanche at this point.

Thinking pretty seriously about the Mel Pardue 350.

Drivie
 
I have a BM 350 BT (Mel Pardue). It was my first 'good' knife.

I don't like the black blade coating much after using it some (don't look new anymore :( ), and fit and finish are in the 85% range, but it is a sharp, rather sheeple friendly knife.

I only have a Kershaw Chive with speedsafe, but have Vapor and VaporII without. FANTASTIC handle shape! VERY sharp out of the box. And fit and finish SMOKES the BM 350. Oh and they cost together less than that BM. :D
 
Drivie,

The tip-up/tip-down thing won't really matter if you keep you knife clipped to your pocket instead of laying in the bottom or if you carry it in a sheath. On the other hand, the axis lock helps keep the blade closed if you choose to do so and most liner locks are initially tight enough to put in the bottom of your pocket as well. My brother used to own a 350 Benchmade (he lost it), but he never kept it clean and it was eventually held partially open by lint. Lucky for him, he didn't sharpen it either and the blade had dulled a bit before the lint set in. It's something to keep in the back of your mind to prevent the tip of the knife from doing bad things to your hand or fingers. Some times, you can't have the pocket clip showing, but those are the same times when you can't reach for your car keys and pull back a bloody stump. Then again, I don't when a good time for that is.

The 350 or the mini-Griptillian will serve you well. Which fits better in your hand?
 
Thanks for the additional info.

I'd have to say that the BM 350 fit my hand really well. I really liked the way it felt and I was able to open it relatively easily even though I'm a novice and I look like a dork trying to open a knife!

I'm still considering ordering more than one knife. At this point, I'm thinking about the BM 350 and one of the Kershaws.

Drivie
 
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