Knives that you're glad you gave a chance

Anything from Benchmade, but more so with the Griptilian. Over the years I have bought a dozen+ Benchmades and sold them soon after. I Just never liked them, but would keep buying them thinking my dislike for them would change. Lately, they just clicked for me. The Griptilian and Mini-Grip are brilliant.
 
Add another to traditionals. The history and character about these knives really did it for me. Also hanging out on the porch, reading and learning about trads hooked me even further. I seldom carry a modern folder anymore.
 
Buck Spitfire Extreme, SVN35.
I have always carried 2 blades at work or play, usually fixed and folder. ZT, Case, Busse Family.
Picked up a Spitfire here, well pleased! Slim profile, smooth action, quick touch up on edge. Invisible in your pocket.
 
Comeuppance said:
I thanked Eric Glesser personally and specifically for designing the Manix 2 way back when I visited Spyderco HQ and got to meet the Glessers (who seemed shocked that anyone would want to meet them). It's just the best freaking knife. Also, really nice people.
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Eric's best design to date IMO.
 
In general, Spydercos. I never really liked them because they just looked...well, weird. Then I decided to give the PM 2 a try a few years ago & discovered that the blade shape, ergos, etc, just plain made it a good all around user. The Manix 2 LW was my next Spyderco. Same results. Then came the Native 5 LW. Another winner.
 
Cold steels everything about them is so hokey, but for 70$ you get a super steel perfect fit and finish great ergos (for me) and they just work
 
Southern Grind Spider Monkey
Giant Mouse GM3
(Both of the above are smaller than I usually like; but they're among my most frequently carried knives)
Hinderer MP-1 (almost didn't because I have an XM18; but WOW)
Bark River Mini Fox River (a sub 3" fixed blade...why bother? Because the handle FITS, and I can carry it in my pocket if I want to.)
Malanika puukko (just do it)

Honorable mention goes to Bradford's 3D scales for the Guardian 3. (Had the knife & never carried it because I didn't like the scales. The 3D scales transformed it into a frequent carry option.)
 
JupiterPaladin said:
Anything Spyderco. I thought they looked weird but gave it a shot. Literally less than 5 seconds and I understood. Now I see the designs as beautiful.
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Me too! When I first started with knives I started with fixed blades. Then I wanted to try folders but ignored spyderco because I thought the hole looked ugly and they all look the same. It's funny how your taste sometimes changes with time and experience
 
CASE Sow Belly Stockman.. I thought they would be a brick in the pocket.. I was o so wrong.. Rides in the rfp real nice!!! And performs as a stockman should!! John:thumbsup:
 
Nocturnal13 said:
Me too! When I first started with knives I started with fixed blades. Then I wanted to try folders but ignored spyderco because I thought the hole looked ugly and they all look the same. It's funny how your taste sometimes changes with time and experience
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Me three. I just didn't like the looks, but gave a Delica a try due to the huge amount of recommendations. I was impressed by the feel and performance (KC exclusive with Pakka wood). Then I got a G10 Native 5. That was it. I was in. Glad I did.
 
I tried out the Byrd Cara Cara 2 Stainless on a whim and it turned out I really liked it. I expected not to like it because polished stainless handles are heavy and slippery, the steel is just 8cr, and it's a budget knife well below the price point I normally purchase knives.

But I haven't been able to kick it out of my pocket since getting it. I love the patina that the scales develop from wear, I love the slick stainless sliding into my pockets, and I enjoy the handle shape with finger choil more than the E4/E3 series. And it has a wicked thin blade stock with a full flat grind, so it slices so well and I can get a great edge on the 8cr in no time at all.

The only downside is it's clearly not built up to the same standards as other stainless Spydercos because it has started to develop a little bit of side-to-side play.
 
Grayman Ground Pounder.
I initially didn't think too favorably of chisel ground blades and figured the Grayman fixed blades would be unwieldy and not cut well.
After numerous videos and written reviews as well as talking it over with my girlfriend I went ahead and ordered one, I'm glad I did.
It's not the prettiest knife but i really like the look of it. It feels great in hand and honestly the weight distribution can fool you into thinking it's actually much lighter than it is.
It cuts and chops quite well and the edge held up to some hard impacts with no noticeable deformation. It also handles finer and close cuts surprisingly well for its size. It has a natural feel in my hand and I'm able to shift grips quite easily. In short, it's become my go to when I hit the woods or go rockhounding with my girlfriend.
 
JupiterPaladin said:
Anything Spyderco. I thought they looked weird but gave it a shot. Literally less than 5 seconds and I understood. Now I see the designs as beautiful.
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i had a similar experince, in the very beginning, i prefered benchmade over spyderco because of design (not that BMs are that pretty either, but i used to think spydercos were hideous). while i still don't like spyderco designs much, they're F&F, QC are significantly better than benchmade and competitors. The slysz bowie has become one of my favorites (if not all time favorite), and has kicked several knives out of my collection that don't pass the slysz bowie test (includes a couple of shiros, ZTs, a large sebenza, 940-1, etc.)

Another I'm glad i tried, are chinese made knives in general. WE, REATE make fantastic knives, and kizer makes a damn good knife for the dollar
 
I have to go with the Benchmade 94x series. I always brushed it off for 2 main reasons. The first being hype. Along with this forum, I frequent the several knife forums/subreddits on Reddit.com. Seems there are multiple postings daily about the BM 943. I was honestly bored seeing the posts and rolled my eyes at "oh another 943 post." Secondly, the blade shape never spoke to me. Purely aesthetic but, like my food, I eat with my eyes first.

Then my song changed. I was at my local brick and mortar store (shout out to Classic Edge in Richmond, VA) and I handled a 943. At first I was like I dunno, it seems too small. Then I compared it to the PM2 I had in my pocket. Same blade length and a bit more conservative in the handle region. I slid it in my pocket and it basically disappeared. Slim and unobtrusive, it fit very well along with anything else I might need to stow in pocket. I decided to take the plunge and cough up the dough. Wouldn't you know it, I love the knife. It's light and agile but robust and substantial. The action, like most Axis locks, smoothed out to buttery smoothness in very little time. My example had perfect fit and finish with a beautifully centered blade and uniform grinds on both sides. I have had a while now and I decided to carry a different knife today to change things up and you know what? I wish I had the 943 back in my pocket.

Edits for grammar.
 
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IMG_2431.JPG For me it was the Sebbie.
Didn't have anything against them, but really not much interest.
A really good deal presented itself and I pulled the trigger.......and was blown away!
Only knife I have seen that will have no blade play with the pivot screw hand tight. What???
I now have 2 and they find their way into my pocket very often!!
Fantastic knives!!
Joe
 
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palonej said:
Only knife I have seen that will have no blade play with the pivot screw hand tight. What???
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Funny you mention that...
When I reassembled after changing the scale on my XM18, I used my thumbnail to tighten the pivot screw. Perfect. Never used anything more than my thumb on the pivot of that knife any of the times I've disassembled/reassembled it since.
 
Well, all of them really.

The Tenacious was my gateway knife, just to try one of those funny-looking Spydercos. I've had a couple dozen, sold off a few while consolidating the collection, but still have eighteen or so. Benchmade started for me with a 710 bought used on The Big River Site, of all places, just to try out that AXIS lock thingy. I've still got two dozen BMKs and am really glad I took a flier on my first Grip, too, as there's now five of those, though no stock scales on any.

A lot of those I was glad I gave a chance were knives by makers that moved up me progressively in price level. My ZT0350 gave me an in to the better KAIs, though I never did have a Kershaw, and while the 350 is gone now it's led to four other ZTs.

It seemed dumb to me to pay 300 bucks and up for a knife, but I tried one just to see and my first CRK has begotten six more. That much for a heavy, overbuilt tank of a Hinderer? No way, right? My 3.5" XM18 begat another, then an XM24 and an MP1. I gave lionSTEEL a try with a great deal from a member here on a Damascus TiSpine and it's led to two others from that maker. I tried Wilson Combat with a Les George Eagle and now have bought 4 WCs and another Les George. Same for my first Shiro, which was fairly well researched and bought with the advice of a couple members here. I love that one and the other four Bears in my den.

There's some singles in my collection that I'm glad I tried an enjoy, though they haven't (so far) led to more--Olamic Wayfarer 247 and North Arm Skaha are two like that. There've been some clunkers along the way, though not so many, and a number that I liked OK but wasn't carrying or enthused about that I've moved out. Overall, I'm pretty glad that I've tried every knife I've picked up if only to find out it wasn't something I wanted to keep or to buy more like it. Such is the way of the knife knut. :oops:
 
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