I am looking for the smoothest production/custom knife I can get for around $500. My only preference is a blade length under 4.5 inches. The only knife I own over $150 is my Reate Hills and I love it. I haven't handled many knives at this price point so I am hoping that you guys can help my with my first Expensive Knife purchase.
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Knife Suggestion
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Well....
I think the overwhelming favorite is going to be a Chris Reeve Sebenza of some kind. There are two size, two blade shapes, and a variety of handle inlay materials to choose from.
Anything with ball-bearing pivots instead of conventional washers is going to be smooth (and fast to deploy if that's something you like).
Some companies and makers do a better job with the washers, too. Reeve knives, if I remember right, ride on washers, but they are very smooth, because the handle scales are VERY parallel to the blade tang, which means there is less tendency for the blade to "bind" against the scales. That very slight difference in "flatness" between blade and scales is probably the biggest factor influencing whether or not the knife folds smoothly.
I think the overwhelming favorite is going to be a Chris Reeve Sebenza of some kind. There are two size, two blade shapes, and a variety of handle inlay materials to choose from.
Anything with ball-bearing pivots instead of conventional washers is going to be smooth (and fast to deploy if that's something you like).
Some companies and makers do a better job with the washers, too. Reeve knives, if I remember right, ride on washers, but they are very smooth, because the handle scales are VERY parallel to the blade tang, which means there is less tendency for the blade to "bind" against the scales. That very slight difference in "flatness" between blade and scales is probably the biggest factor influencing whether or not the knife folds smoothly.
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I would look long and hard at a button lock flipper from Brian Tighe. They run on bearings and the button lock won't has as much contact with the blade as it opens as liner and frame locks do.
Button locks are very smooth and anything from Brian will be of great quality. However, keep in mind that as many openings start to slightly deform the stop pin you can start to get button creep and stick on a button lock. If Brian's done something to mitigate this, I haven't heard of it.
Smoothness comes from a lot of factors, such as lockbar tension, blade finish, and tolerances. A knife with a weak lock bar tension (thus less force on the tang by the detent) and lapped washers will make a knife feel smoother, for example, and you can easily make many well-made folders costing relatively little extremely smooth by easing this tension and polishing the washers. So smooth that they might rival an expensive un modified folder in smoothness.
Keep in mind also that the same model of production knife will have variances in smoothness between knives since so many factors go into making a knife smooth, and because these are mass produced pieces. You might get a Strider that's smoother than a Hinderer, for example, or a Hinderer that's smoother than a Chris Reeve, but that doesn't necessarily say anything concrete about which brand or which model of knife is smoother than another.
Smoothness comes from a lot of factors, such as lockbar tension, blade finish, and tolerances. A knife with a weak lock bar tension (thus less force on the tang by the detent) and lapped washers will make a knife feel smoother, for example, and you can easily make many well-made folders costing relatively little extremely smooth by easing this tension and polishing the washers. So smooth that they might rival an expensive un modified folder in smoothness.
Keep in mind also that the same model of production knife will have variances in smoothness between knives since so many factors go into making a knife smooth, and because these are mass produced pieces. You might get a Strider that's smoother than a Hinderer, for example, or a Hinderer that's smoother than a Chris Reeve, but that doesn't necessarily say anything concrete about which brand or which model of knife is smoother than another.
I say Chris Reeve. If you are willing to pay a little extra you can probably find a deal on a Sharp by Design (Brian Nadeau) Field Grade Typhoon. I have one and it is simply amazing. If you can get a Grimsmo direct they run in the $500-$600 range as well.
But if you do not want to go over $500. I'd highly recommend a Sebie. I will be getting another with Micarta soon since I sold off mine a couple months back.
But if you do not want to go over $500. I'd highly recommend a Sebie. I will be getting another with Micarta soon since I sold off mine a couple months back.
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I would recommend the following knives:
(In no particular order)
Chris Reeve Sebenza
Chris Reeve Umnumzaan
Emerson Iron Dragon
Al mar SERE 2000
ZT 0452
I have all of these knives, and say from experience that my particular examples are some of the smoothest knives I have ever used.
There are many customs which I'm sure are smooth, but the only custom I have experience with is my Crawford Falcon, which is indeed very smooth. The only problems with customs are availability of specific models, and price of some models. The rule of thumb seems to be: the more popular the maker, the higher the price, and the longer the wait.
(In no particular order)
Chris Reeve Sebenza
Chris Reeve Umnumzaan
Emerson Iron Dragon
Al mar SERE 2000
ZT 0452
I have all of these knives, and say from experience that my particular examples are some of the smoothest knives I have ever used.
There are many customs which I'm sure are smooth, but the only custom I have experience with is my Crawford Falcon, which is indeed very smooth. The only problems with customs are availability of specific models, and price of some models. The rule of thumb seems to be: the more popular the maker, the higher the price, and the longer the wait.