Knives you expected little out of that surprised you

I will have to say Mora's and Opinels, I didnt expect much out of either brand.....but now I do. Both have proven to be worth many times what I payed for them.
 
My vote goes to my S&W "Extreme Ops" auto. After losing a Benchmade auto during a rescue, I started looking for a "beater" auto. Wound up with the S&W as part of my EDC. While about 25% of the coating has come off the handles, it does hold an edge, locks up solid, and I'm not afraid of abusing or losing one of my "good " knives again.
 
Gerber LST - I got it as a gift before I really got into knifes. It's been displaced as EDC, but lives in my camping gear. Aside from the usual outdoor tasks, it excels at spreading peanut butter. Doesn't pick up much gunk, and easy to clean. That alone keeps it around for the innumerable other jobs that happen on a hike.
 
Another vote for Opinel. Cheap as heck ($5-10), insanely sharp, and classy enough to give as a gift.

I've got one of the huge 6" blade versions (#12) for work. I'll be about to cut up appliance cartons, or tear out old grout, and momentarily hesistate to abuse "such a nice knife". Then I'll remember it cost me $7, and I'll hack the opposing materiel into pieces.

-MV
 
Spyderco D-Allara

Boker Subcom

Both really surprised me by their cost/value ratio and their ability to perform many varied tasks.
 
Gerber LST, Buck 444, Schrade Raider, and KaBar Dozier - all picked up for under $20, all used more than many other "better" knives in the drawer. Also a Wenger Pocket Tech that lives non-stop on my keychain. Surprising how often I use the scissors (better design than the Victorinox spring), the small screwdriver, or even the blade.
 
bikermikearchery said:
27 years ago I bought a Bolo in P.I. for $8.00. It was to go through the J.E.S.T. school. I have now carried that Bolo from the equator to the arctic circle, 13 country's,two combat zones,three police actions, two major forest fires, a couple of rescue missions. and a lot of camping trips.
I don't leave home with out it. If I could get away with it as an EDC I would.
Click to expand...

Yep! :thumbup: Still have our family's "old reliable" of plain carbon steel with "natures' G-10": carabao (water-buffalo) scales!
 
Victorinox Soldier... probably one of the most solid folding knives available.
tuff as nails.
 
Spyderco Calypso Jr..
I thought it was gonna be like my Gerber LST (hey, I was 14 at the time). I open it up, take a drinking slaw and take a slice at it..whoa..
 
The Ontario RAT 1 folder is one fine knife. It opens smooth and locks perfect. To me it is a great knife for the price.
 
I'll agree with the MORA's, you can get them amazingly sharp and they will hold an edge. All for under $10 except the 2000. They really do make you smile.
 
A mystery knife an old lady gave me from her home town in Kyushu Island in Japan. She brought it back as a souvenir gift at our work. Camp knives for the boys, umbrellas for the girls. All I know is its 440 stainless and its the same one her brother has always used. It doesnt even have a brand name. I didnt think much of it at the time and basically abused it for cutting plastic, cardboard etc.

After about 4 years and not even sharpening it was still in pretty good shape and I decided to actually take care of it. Its now my absolute favorite knife and maybe favorite posession. My wife and I use it every day for food prep and random tasks. It is also great for boning out meat, and filleting fish.

My only complaint is that the corners of the blade`s spine werent very smooth originally. I just rubbed it against a stone for a while to round them off, and my thumb is quite comfy there now. :)
 
Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn Mini Covert. I think the blade is only 2.25 inches long so I bought it as a work knife for cutting open boxes, cutting wire, and any fine work I needed. It didn't cost much and was out of a Wal-Mart display case so it was going to be the red headed step child of my collection.

It's the best small knife I've ever owned. I wouldn't stake my life on it out in the woods, but it's my first choice for every little job I come up against on a daily work basis.
 
original kershaw KO chive. little nothing knife for 30 bucks from some know name online dealer 5 years ago.

little thing stood up to more abuse than any of my previous knives for much more, and introduced me to kershaw as a manufacturer, which has changed the way i view factory knives. it was my EDC for 4 years before it needed a complete reprofiling, but rather than spend the money to buy a system or send it to someone, i retired it with dignity and it just lives at home.
 
I've had 4 that were shockingly good for the price, or the expectation.

Another vote for Opinel- I got one for a couple bucks in some country or another as a simple dungarees utility knife for nasty work parties, a 4 inchish one. That thing lasted until I gave it to a boot saving my ass on the flight line. Still going strong, probably.

My Meula Ranger, which I bought in Spain and took all over the middle east. I figured it was another one of the touristy spanish steel things at the time, and hell, they are dirt cheap in country. But I need *something* right then and there and it was what I could get (and I had my SAK anyhow). Stronger and more durable than it has any right to be. I got bored during a month of 12 on 12 off watches in the middle of Nowhere, Saudi Arabia and put more serrations on it, then made them sharp. Worth doing.

Number 3 is the Gerber AR I got 5 years or so ago on super big5 clearance for like $20. I was going on a trip and didn't want to take anything worthwhile. Once I remoiled it, it got lightning fast, it stays sharp better than I expected, and it's now in the pocket of a female friend who needed a decent light utility knife and wanted a tactical side. Sharp, smooth,and simple.

And- not that this was a HUGE surprise, but my most recent SAK is a lockblade Outrider. I know what to expect from the can opener, screwdrivers, and such. But the blade holds up better in my work than I expected (and I've abused it, even cutting low voltage wire when I have to) and the saw turned out to be usable enough that I don't run off to my bucket for a pruning saw for small stuff. I know they're good, I've been sarrying Victorinox since I was in the cub scouts, but this one is a bit more useful and durable than I had expected.
 
My cara cara g-10 tends to be used more often then my manix and seems to hold an edge quite well. For a quarter of the Manix's price I'd say it was a good buy.

Other than that I tend to buy knives I KNOW will preform very well.
 
Camillus HEAT. although relatively sheap in price, it is aone heck of a knife for the price... especially the recent fire sales.

the other one is my Microtech Scarab OTF. i bought it as a novelty, but the more i used it, the more i found it to be one of my most useful and safest knives i own.
 
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