Knives you normally would hate but for some reason you love

K.O.D.

K.O.D.

Sell your cloak buy a sword
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Generally, there are things I don't like on knives. Mainly, metal handles (I make an exception for autos), thumbstuds, and tantos. I'm also normally not a fan of overly grippy scales, coated blades, or thicker blades. However, for some reason, some completely illogical reason, I love the Heretic I traded for this past weekend. Its barely a tanto, and could be easily converted to a drop point as their is no difference in the grind between tip and main blade, and the tip is large. It has rough, grippy inserts in the aluminum handle, but they are recessed so they are not annoying.

Despite the things I don't like, it has a lot of things I DO like. Its a really nice green, which trumps everything. Its my favorite color. Its not OD green, more of a forest green. It has really nice, snappy action, and is very, very comfortable in hand. So much so that with the thicker blade stock, it makes me wanna abuse the crap out of it. I haven't, because I'm saving it for Monofletch Monofletch because he really wants it, and I need to recoup money to pay for a custom coming up in November.

I've only purchased one other tanto in the last ten years (if memory serves me) and that was a Maserin AM-4 which I wanted to like, but the clip and tanto made me return it.

Anyone else have illogical purchases?

My Demko ad20.5 would fit this but for that it also has a whole in the blade in addition to the stud.
 
If you asked me to create my ideal knife, it would almost certainly be Magnacut or CPM-3V with an un coated blade, thumb ramp, <0.15” thick, full convex grind and contoured handle, so pretty much my bark river gunny or Bushcraft scout. Yet for the past year or more, I’ve almost exclusively carried a 0.18” thick knife in a simple carbon steel (80CrV2), fairly neutral slab handles with a coated blade and flat grind, (winkler woodsman/blue ridge Hunter) and I love them so much more than any other knife I own. I think it’s because they just wear better than the bark rivers. Having confidence in both the maker and the heat treatment of the knife also makes a big difference.
 
This is an excellent thread idea. I just thinking about this the other day.

On a whim about a month ago I had a few bucks in my pocket and decided that I wanted to buy a Spyderco Civilian. The idea of a single purpose knife that is easy to use without relying on stabbing for self defense was up my alley from a collection if not carry point of view. However, I generally don't gravitate toward the looks of a Spyderco. I am not one who normally would carry a fully serrated knife. I usually prefer a straight blade to anything curved. For a knife over $200 in 2023, I would like to see something a step above VG-10.

But dammit I love the knife. I love how it feels. I love how it carries. I how it cuts the few times I chanced to use it to open a box at work instead of an attacker's forearm. However, I know that's not what it's for. When I would have to be practical and ONLY carry one folder with me, it was the first thing I was forced to leave behind because all it does is SD... but I would still find myself missing having it around.

So I did the very rational thing last week and purchased a Matriarch 2 :D Half the cost, slightly thicker tip, and weighs next to nothing. I'm going to treat it like a steak knife and just use it until it's worn out to keep my Civilian in good shape. Fair compromise for work. However, on the weekends, out comes the Matriarch and in goes an OTF in its place and the Civilian tucked in my back pocket where it belongs.

I honestly have no reason to have such an affinity for a single-purpose and fragile blade, but I can't help myself. It's totally not my style, but it's one of my favorite purchases of 2023.
 
For a guy who doesn't typically like trailing point blades for EDC, strangely I find myself buying and using more and more... I'm sure other things will come to me but that's the standout!
 
Steely_Gunz said:
This is an excellent thread idea. I just thinking about this the other day.

On a whim about a month ago I had a few bucks in my pocket and decided that I wanted to buy a Spyderco Civilian. The idea of a single purpose knife that is easy to use without relying on stabbing for self defense was up my alley from a collection if not carry point of view. However, I generally don't gravitate toward the looks of a Spyderco. I am not one who normally would carry a fully serrated knife. I usually prefer a straight blade to anything curved. For a knife over $200 in 2023, I would like to see something a step above VG-10.

But dammit I love the knife. I love how it feels. I love how it carries. I how it cuts the few times I chanced to use it to open a box at work instead of an attacker's forearm. However, I know that's not what it's for. When I would have to be practical and ONLY carry one folder with me, it was the first thing I was forced to leave behind because all it does is SD... but I would still find myself missing having it around.

So I did the very rational thing last week and purchased a Matriarch 2 :D Half the cost, slightly thicker tip, and weighs next to nothing. I'm going to treat it like a steak knife and just use it until it's worn out to keep my Civilian in good shape. Fair compromise for work. However, on the weekends, out comes the Matriarch and in goes an OTF in its place and the Civilian tucked in my back pocket where it belongs.

I honestly have no reason to have such an affinity for a single-purpose and fragile blade, but I can't help myself. It's totally not my style, but it's one of my favorite purchases of 2023.
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For a long time I've disliked waved knives. Part of the reason is my cousin-in-law wanted a waved knife but could never afford an Emerson. So, at the baby announcement party, I gave him a Kershaw Emerson. He had never used a waved folder before, and I went to demonstrate. Well I was wearing jeans with rather small pockets, and it jammed in my pocket half open. It had a wicked close detent, and when I reached in to try to get it out, it snapped closed on my finger, nearly cutting it off. Ever since, I was like no way. Well fast forward eight years,, and my buddy's wife (she's also a co-worker) wanted to get him a knife for father's day, something he can open fast as he can't carry a gun at work, and the 3 block walk to the buildings he runs (chief stationary engineer in Chicago) aren't the safest. So we got him a waved endura. I put canvas micarta scales on it, and actually really liked it. I almost considered getting one for myself. He was absolutely thrilled, and has used it a lot. He normally carried a stainless Spyderco Police, fully serrated. He loves the wave feature, and I feel like the Spyderco wave doesn't tear up pockets like the Emerson style.
 
Small inkosi because it is too small ;) but it is know my favorite and most carried knife

The spartan SHF because is it too large but the ergonomics are so good to me that is carry it a lot
 
1911bphil said:
I have an extra large hand and want a knife with a larger handle. I really like the Cold Steel Tuff Lite. It still fits my hand because it has the finger choil that adds room.
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I feel the same way about the Spyderco Dragonfly, and then some. The finger choil on most Spyderco knives forces an awkward grip for me but this one is "just right".

I also don't like lock-backs but I can flick this one without keeping it super loose.

The Wharncliffe version has become an EDC MVP. One has a permanent home in a pocket on my favorite jacket.
 
For me it's definitely balisongs. Although I own a few, I have not bought any of them myself. But as time went on, I learned to appreciate a good balisong. They are definitely very solid. The fact that two pivots hold the blade, it is not possible to open it in a pocket, it can be opened with one hand, etc. all of this has turned into something I appreciate. Recently, a friend brought me a balisong on his way back from a trip. It says something in Russian on it, but I think it's an Chinese OEM product. It has a thick blade of 4 or 5 mm. There is finger choil on the blade. integral handles and G10 plates on it. There are pivot screws that are larger than the standard ones. The material and steel quality does not look good, but it made me want to buy a quality balisong with similar characteristics.
 
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I ended up keeping the Medusa. I'll be carrying it for the first time in the morning.

Another knife for me that goes against the grain is my ZT 0095BLKS90. I normally don't like full Ti framelock or coated blades. However, at the time I bought it the anti-full metal handles thing wasn't in full swing yet. It gets a pass because the blade and handle are DLC and that looks cool, especially with the green standoff. It's also extremely comfortable to hold and use, and the S90V is great. It's odd, but the dlc on the handle for some reason makes it seem to radiate temperature less, so it's only a somewhat cold chunk of metal in my pocket.
 
I used to have a strong dislike of recurve blades. And I had a strong dislike of "harpoon" style blades. Then I found myself attracted to the knife below, so I bought it. And now, it's the damndest thing, I REALLY like recurve/harpoon blades. If I were going to have a custom fixed-blade made, it would be a recurve/harpoon blade.

I think part of my change of heart is that I discovered recurves aren't really difficult to sharpen like I used to think. I use a narrow diamond file, it's easy and it works great.

qiuu7hv.jpg
 
killgar said:
I used to have a strong dislike of recurve blades. And I had a strong dislike of "harpoon" style blades. Then I found myself attracted to the knife below, so I bought it. And now, it's the damndest thing, I REALLY like recurve/harpoon blades. If I were going to have a custom fixed-blade made, it would be a recurve/harpoon blade.

I think part of my change of heart is that I discovered recurves aren't really difficult to sharpen like I used to think. I use a narrow diamond file, it's easy and it works great.

qiuu7hv.jpg
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You're right! They aren't, especially if using rods or those convex KME stones.

Of course, who knows what steel was used in that particular knife. Eafengrow has a very bad record on steel stamps and has been known to slap "D2" on 5Cr15 or 8Cr13Mov.

From a company with a better track record, I like this D2 Kubey.

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Chronovore said:
You're right! They aren't, especially if using rods or those convex KME stones.

Of course, who knows what steel was used in that particular knife. Eafengrow has a very bad record on steel stamps and has been known to slap "D2" on 5Cr15 or 8Cr13Mov.

From a company with a better track record, I like this D2 Kubey.

269B_400x.jpg
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Yeah, I don't put much stock in what Chinese makers say their knives are made of. Eafengrow says this one is 14c28n, but I don't even know what that is. I don't follow steels.

I judge a blade by how well it takes an edge, and how well it cuts. This knife cost $40, and I liked various things about it, so I took a chance. No big loss if I ended up disappointed. But I like it. If I were going to carry a fixed-blade again, I'd carry this one.
 
I don't like anything until I've held it in my hands and used it for a while. Some knives that I have sold when I didn't "like" them I have bought back after a couple of years.

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killgar said:
Yeah, I don't put much stock in what Chinese makers say their knives are made of. Eafengrow says this one is 14c28n, but I don't even know what that is. I don't follow steels.

I judge a blade by how well it takes an edge, and how well it cuts. This knife cost $40, and I liked various things about it, so I took a chance. No big loss if I ended up disappointed. But I like it. If I were going to carry a fixed-blade again, I'd carry this one.
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Some Chinese companies are much better than others. Some of the better ones include Kizer, Bestech, Kubey, Petrified Fish, WE and their sub-brands (Civivi and Sencut).

Eafengrow doesn't appear to actually make anything. They seem to be a rebranding distributor.

14C28N is an excellent budget steel originally invented for Kershaw by Sandvik. It is very fine-grained with some of the best toughness among stainless blade steels. It remains a great choice for fixed blades.
 
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