Knife for work site.

Q

Quehanna

Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Messages
16
Hello all,
I want to get a gift for a carpenter friend.
I'd like to hear your recommendations for a good sturdy folder suitable for the work site.
Price range $100.00-150.00.
 
A Great Eastern #21 or #71 if a traditional is more his speed.

A Smith and Sons Mudbug is an unbeatable deal if you can catch one. Keep an eye on the sale forums here.
 
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cold steel recon 1 cold steel makes some of the best user/beaterd for the price high quality steel great lock and good ergos.
 
BM Grip is fine...Spyderco Gayle Bradley is a great folder (don't have the 2...only the 1st model) a few more $$ and you could get a used Spyderco Southard off the exchange...beautiful knife. Or a ZT..

I know you said folder, but an Izula or Izula 2 are small, handy and inexpensive.
 
You would be the best gift giver of knives ever if you got your friend a HAP40 Spyderco Endura or Stretch sprint run.
 
Very generous of you! If he's comfortable sharping/stroping and oiling his knife then i agree with RPN in recommending either of thr Gayle Bradley spydercos.

If he's like any carpenters i know, you might want to go with something a little more hardy like ZT/kershaw. They have thr best warranty out there for when he breaks/damages the blade.

Good luck!
 
As a long-time carpenter, I find a two-knife carry useful--one that's a really sharp, really good cutter/parer/slicer/carver and another that's a beater. My work edc is a CF Sebenza along with a Tenacious or RAT, both of the latter with combo-edge. The issue with the beaters is poor edge retention.

If I had to go with just one blade I think a Spyderco Manix, either regular or LW would make a good choice. The regular with S30V steel would give good edge retention. A Benchmade Griptilian would also be good in that role. The Pardue version in 154CM is good steel, holds an edge OK, and is at the lower end of your price range. A Doug Ritter Griptlian from KnifeWorks has a broad, strong blade of M390 and would be a helluva choice and a great gift at your upper end.
 
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Spyderco is a good place to start. Somewhere in the 3 inch blade length and over should be good.
 
For a work site ...

Cold Steel Recon 1 in CTS-XHP

Benchmade Doug Ritter Griptilian in M390

Spyderco Gayle Bradley 2 in M4
 
The Griptilian is a great work knife. The 154cm steel is a good choice for a work knife. It keeps an edge well and is tough and relatively easy to sharpen.
 
Nothing beats a Para/Manix/Gayle Bradley when you have thick gloves on:thumbup:

What about a fixed blade?
 
I've learned to appreciate frame locks and axis locks more and more in dirty dusty environments... While dirt will be an inevitable part of certain environments, which will affect every knife; (pivots and moving parts), framelocks and axis locks ive found to be the two easist to "quick clean" without taking apart. Aside from the pivot itself, the other moving parts and locking mechanisms are more open to freely clean and blow debris free with a simple air nozzle.

Benchmade and Zero Tolerance would be the two top brands in my opinion.
 
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Can't go wrong with the Benchmade Grip or ZT 0350. Can pick up either in your price range.
 
Is this Carpenter in an environment like Buffalo or Miami? It makes a difference. Very cold glove wearing environment or a hot humid sweaty environment? What type of Carpenter? A framing Carpenter or a finishing Carpenter?
The devil is in the details.
 
Go with the Grip, had mine over ten years & still going strong. Gary
 
ZT0550 is a great hard use/worksite knife. Beefy, ergonomic (even with gloves), great materials, and you can usually find them in the $150 range. Otherwise I would look into a 0566 or an 0200.

If you aren't a ZT fan I would have agree with the recommendation of a manix 2 - great overall knife..
 
Check out the DPx HEST 2.0's. Very tough, durable knives. At the top of your budget though.

Some of the less expensive Cold Steels mentioned would be good if you didn't want to get into the ZT price range.
 
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