Knife for wife - getting there, but..

P

Pier23

Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
64
Hi all,

A while back I posted for suggestions for a folder for my wife with limited thumb strength due to arthritis. Purpose would be general farm use-it is unlikely it would not be castrating hogs (we have no hogs) or doing any tacticool fighting off ninjas. Mainly, cutting bailing twine, opening packages, cutting fruit and so forth.

The Kershaw Dimension was one suggestion, and it looked like a good match. It is a flipper and pin release, all perfect. But, for my wife, too large to fit comfortably in her pocket, and heavier than I think she would like. So, her loss is my gain, BUT I am still looking for a decent locking folder, easy open and close, ~$50, but less is perfectly fine!

The Kershaw has a 3" blade, which is probably too large for the intended user. If I go to the 2" blade or even a bit smaller, what options are there in the easy open (flipper or other system) and a button release (THIS is a really nice feature my wife likes).

In short, something LIKE the Kershaw Dimension, but smaller and lighter. The blade does not have to be tactically massive. Ease of use, ease of folding and weight are the major considerations.

I have searched a bit on knife sites, but the search engines don't offer this level of granularity. So I thought I would try a more analogue approach.

Ideas???

Thanks, all!

A good used blade would be fine too, btw.
 
I know this isnt what you were asking about directly, but what about an opinel in a colored handle, or a Svord Peasant or Mini Peasant, they also come in colored handles.

The Svord is what my misses carries and the friction folder is great for gloved use, cold weather is fine, no worries of gunk in the mechanism since they are Incredibly easy to clean.
oh, the colored handles arw synthetic, so no worries of tracking animal/farm/dirt sruffs into the house due to it getting into the wood, or nooks and crannies some other knives have.

The opinel handle can be sanded down to allow more clearance to get the blade opened while gloved, but are more temperamental in regards moisture. Also, you can get them personalized by Opinel for a relatively cheap price and make it "hers".

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
Just picked up a second hand FRN Spyderco Dragonfly, should meet your requirements
 
The Kershaw Cryo G10 should meet your needs well. It is an assisted flipper, The blade is 2.5 inches, it is a capable slicer, and it is well withing your price range. I have a longer review here if you want to read it http://centergnome.blogspot.com/2015/02/knife-review-kershaw-cryo-g10.html

My only concern about the cryo would be that I have found that the lock can be stiff to disengage. Not impossible, but sometimes stiff. Also, for hands my size I sometimes actually accidentally put my fingers on the framelock as I try to disengage the framelock, but I have large hands. That should actually be easier for your wife.
 
NJBillK said:
I know this isnt what you were asking about directly, but what about an opinel in a colored handle, or a Svord Peasant or Mini Peasant, ...
Click to expand...

Problem, in this case, with the Peasant, or any friction folder, is that the thumb, in effect, is the lock.

I'd avoid the while issue entirely and get a small fixed blade. If its for farm use, there should be no "carry" issues. Which one? Whichever one you would get yourself.

I'll suggest a Case or Kabar little finn, or a AG Russell Woodswalker, or a Fallkniven WM1.
 
Hi Pier23,

Unless it's meant to be a surprise gift, I'd say let her pick the knife she likes best. If you have any brick & mortar shops near home, it might be worth the trip so she can handle a few before choosing.

Good luck! :)

-Brett
 
+1 on the small fixed blade, Id suggest an Anza 13, ckrt spew, folts minimalist, becker bk14 and or one of our custom makers by the name of hardedge knives that makes some awesome smaller edcs.
 
marcinek said:
Problem, in this case, with the Peasant, or any friction folder, is that the thumb, in effect, is the lock.

I'd avoid the while issue entirely and get a small fixed blade. If its for farm use, there should be no "carry" issues. Which one? Whichever one you would get yourself.

I'll suggest a Case or Kabar little finn, or a AG Russell Woodswalker, or a Fallkniven WM1.
Click to expand...

Well, with the peasant the extended tang comes up kind of in the middle of your palm when you're using it (assuming normal grips). Also, there is a stop pin in there that locks it during "pressing downward" cuts. So I'd be willing to bet even someone with arthritis of/in the thumb wouldn't have a problem using it. I have seen some friction folders with shorter tangs though, where I would be worried about that exact problem (Higonokamis, etc).

You make a good point though. If you're worried about gunk/etc getting into the knife, and how she is going to open/close it, then a small fixed blade is a great idea. I second the woodswalker (comes with a great back pocket sheath, and has a nice big handle). Another option might be a BK14 with the Zytel grips (or BK13 if you need something much smaller, but you'd have to make handle scales yourself).

The Kershaw OD-2 is a good small knife with a flipper, but its a liner lock, which might be a non-starter.

Good luck with whatever you do :).
 
Svord Peasant knife might be easier to open for arthritic hands

therionarms_c1196.jpg
 
Yep, with the longer tang it takes the "thumb" out of it, in regards to holding it open. I find that the tang tends to settle from under the pointer to mid palm depending on the hand size.

In regards to a fixed blade, a bk14 would be a Great option. If you wanted to go Slightly larger with an upgraded sheath, there is the bk16. Great ergos, really nicely designed grip that fits the hand Great. A Really good steel that can either take a beating (bk4 and 9), or a really keen edge when thinned down a little for slicing like on the bk15.

You can find then on the bay for under your price point, or on the exchange for around $60ish.
 
Thx. There are no brick-and-morter stores aside from Walmart that has any decent selection of knives. So in principle yes, she should make the decision. In this ONE particular, I probably have a firmer idea of what she would like than she does, mainly based on the trial and error attepts in the past <sigh...>
 
The Pheasant is really interesting! But where does the "flipper" go when the blade is in the handle? Does it just jut out? That seems awkward. Otherwise, that could be a solution.
 
Liner locks are out due to usage issues, which is why she likes the Kershaw button release. Just more knife than she likes.
 
Yep, pokes out the front, it isn't that large to be cumbersome, but it can be noticed. When the misses gets home, I will snap a photo of hers, her hand, and a dollar for reference. She is thing, only 4'8" so the knife will look larger compared to get hand, but both will be tiny to the dollar.

Keep in mind there is the outdoor opinel model with synthetic handles and a (quality) stainless blade that will stand up to moisture and grit fine, juat hose it out and hit it with wd40or a dry lube in the joint.
 
WuGod said:
+1 on the small fixed blade, Id suggest an Anza 13, ckrt spew, folts minimalist, becker bk14 and or one of our custom makers by the name of hardedge knives that makes some awesome smaller edcs.
Click to expand...


A small fixed blade is planned also. For years we both used an Ag Russel neck knife, but the locking sheaths kept failing, so I stopped replacing them. But its time to see if time has improved them, and they afe certainly in a price range where if it fails, no huge financial tears will be shed.

I am thinking a small folder might work better as one option, since she likes to drop a knife in her pocket and not worry about it. So:

Closed length 3-3.5 inches
Weight: 2-3 oz.
Ease of opening and closing

Are my priorities right now. In a sense, this is function follows form.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top