With the hundreds, possibly even thousands, of knives out there, what criteria can I use to narrow the field down? I need it for urban EDC uses, and costing less than $150. But that still leaves hundreds of knives. I just don't understand, and I don't mean this offensively, how you can look at two knives and prefer one over the other.
This is a very good question....certainly nothing to be embarrassed over.
Mongomondo hit the nail right on the head....
I think comfort in the hand is the biggest. Doesn't matter if a knife looks awesome if it's not comfortable. It will end up sitting in your drawer.
The first thing I do when looking at knives is open it up and actually hold the knife....and if it doesn't feel good in my grip then I simple will not buy it.
This is one the pitfalls of buying an unfamiliar knife online....you don't get to handle it.
Now let's say you've got two or three knives that are equally comfortable in your grip....
I then look at the locking mechanism.
I just don't like liner-locks, so if the knife is a liner-lock then it's also off the list.
I prefer frame-locks, Benchmade's Axis-lock, Spyderco's Compression-lock, or the good old reliable lock-back.
Now let's say that all of the contenders have a locking mechanism that I like....
I then look at where it's made.
Some folks don't mind a knife made in China, but I do.
I don't mind a knife made in Japan or Germany so much, but I try to buy U.S. made knives whenever possible.
I wont get into specifics but basically I think that a man's knife is something special and not just another appliance...so I prefer a knife created by my fellow countrymen.
Now let's say that all of the contenders are made in the U.S.A.....
I then look at the overall knife dimensions.
Basically it must be neither too small nor too large, neither too short nor too long, neither too fat nor too thin, and neither too heavy nor too light.
These are all totally subjective for every individual so there is no right or wrong answer here.
Pocket-clips:
I can take'em or leave'em.....overall, I think that they make about 99.9% of all knives less comfortable to use.
These days I prefer a belt sheath (unless I'm wearing a suit or my hospital scrubs).
Luckily, I haven't found many knives that you couldn't remove the pocket-clip and find a good sheath for.
I then look at the blade design.
I prefer a knife with a nice sharp point and a little bit of belly (but not too much belly).
I also prefer a blade at least 3.5" but no more than 4.5" in length....it just a good everyday cutting length IMO.
I also have a few pet peeves concerning blade shapes....I don't care much for partial serrations, full serrations, tanto tips, hawkbills, extreme recurves, or double-edge blades.
I then consider the materials.
I want a knife that will last for a long while and one that can take alittle rough treatment.
Luckily, most quality folders today are plenty tough....it's really becoming a non-issue.
Blade-steel:
I admit that I'm abit of a steel snob....I like S30V and VG10 the most.
But I also admit that for about 90% of all cutting, the blade-steel really doesn't make much difference.
But if I'm considering two knives, and one has better blade-steel than the other, and the price isn't too much higher, I'll go with the one with the better steel everytime.
I also consider the maker of the knife.
I prefer to support companies whom I know have great customer service and who have consistantly produced good products.
And if it's a U.S. company all the better.
This falls low down on the list, but I do consider the appearance.
All other things being equal, why not choose the more attractive looking knife?
And last, but not least, I consider the asking price.
If I think that something is over-priced then I simple will not buy it.
I've done so in the past and have learned my lesson well.
And just in case you're wondering, my current EDC is a Custom Shoppe Buck 110 with S30V blade.
Good luck,
Allen
If your interested in "cheaper" knives and you can't tell the difference in any of them than just go to walmart or home depot for your knives and pick one.