Knife similar to Spyderco Street Beat, but not so durned expensive?

[Insipid Moniker]

Maybe the White River Backpacker? It's a bit smaller than the others I suggested, but it has a deep choil and S30V for around $80 or $90. Cord wrapped handle, though.

 

[jimh0220]

SPEW is a great knife, super pointy. That's a good and bad thing. If you wanna open things. slice off a hunk o' cheese, whatever, it's great. For prying, digging, it'll be 2 knives is 10 minutes. Look into the Boker Plus knives. Alot of small fixed blades that fit your need, all 440c, which I've found to be really great. Look at the Rambler, Gent's Scapel, and the CLB and VOX lineups. You be right around 35-60 bucks.

 

[Planterz]

Maybe the White River Backpacker? It's a bit smaller than the others I suggested, but it has a deep choil and S30V for around $80 or $90. Cord wrapped handle, though.

That looks pretty nice. I like the low profile. I don't mind the paracord handle, but I might have to soak it in epoxy to protect it getting soaked with sweat. I question the specs stated on their website though: 3.5" blade, 6.75" overall. Looking at the knife though, there's definitely more handle than blade.

SPEW is a great knife, super pointy. That's a good and bad thing. If you wanna open things. slice off a hunk o' cheese, whatever, it's great. For prying, digging, it'll be 2 knives is 10 minutes. Look into the Boker Plus knives. Alot of small fixed blades that fit your need, all 440c, which I've found to be really great. Look at the Rambler, Gent's Scapel, and the CLB and VOX lineups. You be right around 35-60 bucks.

I've looked at the SPEW before. Steel leaves a lot to be desired in a user, but would suffice for a SHTF knife, like I'd lash to my backpack strap.

As for the Bokers, I didn't really see any you listed that fit what I'm looking for. However, in looking up them, I came across the Boker Plus Trigonaut, based on a custom by David Mosier. Jaxx posted some great pictures of the knife here. 3.25" is a bit smaller than I hoped, but not too small, and the price and style are definitely right. And I love the wharncliffe-ish edge profile. It appears to be discontinued (I can't find it on Boker's website), but one can still find them available.

EDIT: It is on Boker's website (apparently it's an "outdoors" knife, and not a "tactical" ).

I looked on Mosier's website, and he makes a small and a large Trigonaut. The small is 3.5", with the large being 4.75". I'm thinking one at about 4.25" would be perfect for me. Maybe, when I have the scratch, I'll contact him about a possible "medium" model.

On a side note, my current late-night EDC blade is a Spyderco Endura Wave (SE). Fast to deploy, but obviously a fixed blade is faster. I think of the Endura as a 4" knife, but when you break out the ruler, the length is a bit under 4" to the handle, with actual cutting edge of less than 3.5". However, if you measure penetration, because of the Wave protrusion, the effective blade length is only 2.75". So even with a "shorter" knife, even a 3.25-3.5" fixed blade would be about the same as what I'm carrying now, as far as certain "applications" go.

Beter yet, buy the stuff to make your own and it will eventually pay for itself I guarantee :thumbup:

I indeed do have aspirations of making my own knives some day, and my first knives will definitely be of the "knives I wish somebody made but nobody does" variety (a reason, I'm sure, many people get into knifemaking). My first 2 will definitely be my version of a Perrin-style SPOT/Swick/La Griffe, and the knife I'm trying to describe here. That's at least a few years down the road though...

 

[Boozoo Chavis]

The answer is the Boker Krein Pocket Bowie - 3" 440C blade, G-10 scales, and a great little slicer. The best part - it's under $30 bucks.

 

[Planterz]

Poking around amazon I came across the SOG Swedge line (3 different lengths), and the 5.11 Tactical / Bladetech Wharn Surge. Not sure either would work terribly well carried IWB (certainly not without getting a custom sheath made), but they definitely fit my criteria of blade length and secure grip.

I'm most likely still going to end up getting the Street Beat; the more I think about it, the more I still want one. I might still get one of these other knives (one with a straight blade) to replace the SWICK on my backpack strap though. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Hadji Flip Me Over]

If price is really no object you could get the custom version in S30V, but it runs around $450.

Did you not read the OP?

Try a Scrapyard 411 or 511. They're $105 shipped and you could probably find a sheath of some sort for around $30 (I have a Mashed Cat kydex sheth for $45 + shipping with an included Tek-lok for belt carry, but it's not much better for your price). Comp-Tac c-clips will help you carry IWB. I use that setup and it works very well.

 

[ice186]

New to the forum....a bit late on this one but figured I would chime in (hopefully you're still monitoring this thread). I am a big fan of blades. I'm also extremely picky. What I've learned is that carry knives and/or knives that you would use for self-defense can be a very difficult item to warm up to. I have learned is that when I see a blade that interests me (in a magazine, online, etc.) I try to find it in a local store or someone who owns it. Having the opportunity to handle a knife that you are interested in prior to purchasing it is an absolute must. I carry a firearm but I also carry a blade...all the time - every time as I feel they go together (personal opinion of course). Before I buy, I need to see how the blade fits in to my "kit". If the knife fits, then I handle it and check out how it prints on my clothing. If it works, that is when I make the decision on whether purchase or not. I have a knife that I absolutely love and is permanently worked into my everyday "kit". That knife - Emerson Karambit. I absolutely love this blade and this is my defensive/weapon retention go to blade. I have a few options as my secondary knife/offensive blade should my firearm fail.

To make my long story longer, what I'm trying to convey is that if you handle a blade and you like it....a lot, my advice would be to buy it. Blades are an extremely personal item for those of us who truly understand them. It sounds like you have made the decision that you really like the Street Beat. In my opinion, there is no reason to spend your hard earned money on a blade that you consider a constellation prize as you will most likely end up spending again to purchase what you probably knew you should have in the first place....the Street Beat. If money is an issue, save up and buy it when you can (and if you can without causing a financial hardship)....you won't regret it. Thanks and good luck.

 

[Planterz]

Thanks for your input ice186. I didn't see your post until just now.

My new Spyderco Street Beat arrived on Saturday. It's everything I remember. I set up the G-clip sheath to carry IWB on my right (strong) side, and it's not uncomfortable, but it'll take some getting used to. Although I still like a few of the other knives above, particularly the Boker Trigonaut. But I'm glad I got the Street Beat instead, especially if I'm going to carry it IWB. The knife presses and rubs against the skin of my side (especially while riding my bike), but since the handles are smooth, it's not painful or particularly uncomfortable. This almost certainly wouldn't be the case if I tried to carry the Trigonaut IWB. The "toxified" handles would chew my skin up.

 

[ice186]

Congrats on your purchase Panterz! I find that I have the same problem that you have with your "accessory" rubbing/irritating your skin. What I've done to combat this is to wear a tank top under my outer shirt....this eliminates any rubbing issues that either irritate my skin or leave imprints on it! It also reduces the amount of sweat and/or body oils that may lead to rusting or corrosion. I have a question on the Street Beat as I have been looking very much at this blade for a few months now. You are deploying it the same way that I would (IWB). I would tend to wear thinner shirts (t-shirts, thin long sleeve shirts or casual button down shirts). How badly does the handle "print" on your shirts? Thanks and congrats again!

 

[Planterz]

I have a question on the Street Beat as I have been looking very much at this blade for a few months now. You are deploying it the same way that I would (IWB). I would tend to wear thinner shirts (t-shirts, thin long sleeve shirts or casual button down shirts). How badly does the handle "print" on your shirts? Thanks and congrats again!

When I first got it I carried it straight up and down, but the other day I experimented with it at a 45° angel with the handle pointing back. I find that it's easier to draw from that angle, and it rubs against my side a lot less. Carried OWB straight up-and-down it prints a bit under a loose T-shirt. Reverse the G-Clip to carry IWB and you can still carry it OWB between the belt and your pants, and it prints a lot less, but of course it's still visible since it's OWB. Carried IWB it barely prints at all. Carried at the 45° angle it prints only slightly if you twist or bend in certain ways. Maybe it prints when standing/moving normally, but it's practically unnoticeable that you're carrying something. I don't worry about it. For one thing, it's perfectly legal for me to carry without any permit. Secondly, it's not odd to see people "packing" here in southern AZ, be it concealed or openly. Thirdly, people carrying huge cell phones on their belts is so common that even if somebody did notice a bulge, they'd probably just assume it's a phone. Not that it matters to me anyway.

You can always get a custom kydex/concealex sheath made as well. The G-Clip allows repositioning, but if you get something with a dedicated IWB loop, it should be a bit lower profile. I'll likely get one myself some time, probably angled at around 20-30°

 

[liamstrain]

What about one of the patch knives from Blind Horse? Something like the Frontier Valley? Smaller blade, but every other box ticks.

I'm also curious about the Arno Bernard Meerkat (with G10 handle). Tiny overall length, again, smaller blade - but looks very usable.

(I see now you got a Street Beat - very cool. I have one on my list, but also cannot justify the price).

 

[Planterz]

(I see now you got a Street Beat - very cool. I have one on my list, but also cannot justify the price).

It's all in the handle, and the work to make it fit the hand so well and comfortably. Consider the Street Bowie for example. Same blade steel, longer blade, black coating, yet much less expensive. How? The molded handle is far less costly than the micarta. Perhaps about the same in material costs, but far, far less in labor costs. As for the Street Beat, take a look at custom made fixed blades that cost 2-3X as much as the Street Beat, and look at their handles. Most won't have even close to the amount of refinement. Many people pay lots of good money for custom scales/handles for their production knives. As far as I'm concerned, the Street Beat is the equivalent of custom handles on a production knife.

I say go ahead and bite the bullet like I did. Pay the $140-160 for a knife that you think should only cost $100. A month or two from now you'll forget about the extra money, and you'll still have the awesome knife. Think about it...how much do you spend on a dinner at your favorite restaurant, or a night at the movie theater with your family, or a bottle of your favorite booze? How long did that last? If you've never handled the Street Beat, and you like the design, you owe it to yourself to handle one. Do so, and you'll be a believer, just like me.

I probably sound like a fanboi gushing over this knife...and I am. When you poke around these forums, you don't see many people who own and carry the Street Beat. But the ones that do are very emphatic about how great it is.

 

[Gramps]

It's all in the handle, and the work to make it fit the hand so well and comfortably. Consider the Street Bowie for example. Same blade steel, longer blade, black coating, yet much less expensive. How? The molded handle is far less costly than the micarta. Perhaps about the same in material costs, but far, far less in labor costs. As for the Street Beat, take a look at custom made fixed blades that cost 2-3X as much as the Street Beat, and look at their handles. Most won't have even close to the amount of refinement. Many people pay lots of good money for custom scales/handles for their production knives. As far as I'm concerned, the Street Beat is the equivalent of custom handles on a production knife.

I say go ahead and bite the bullet like I did. Pay the $140-160 for a knife that you think should only cost $100. A month or two from now you'll forget about the extra money, and you'll still have the awesome knife. Think about it...how much do you spend on a dinner at your favorite restaurant, or a night at the movie theater with your family, or a bottle of your favorite booze? How long did that last? If you've never handled the Street Beat, and you like the design, you owe it to yourself to handle one. Do so, and you'll be a believer, just like me.

I probably sound like a fanboi gushing over this knife...and I am. When you poke around these forums, you don't see many people who own and carry the Street Beat. But the ones that do are very emphatic about how great it is.

...I think your observations and conclusions are quite objective. I too believe the Street Beat comes very close to custom quality at a production price point. For $150 bucks you get remarkable function and design. I think it's probably the very last of my fixed blades that I would part with.