Whenever I buy a knife unseen, which is all of my knives, I call the company on the phone and tell them what you're looking for. They'll hand pick one for you. The one Case knife I own I told them I wanted good looking scales, blade centered, and no problems. That's exactly what I got.
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Knives you would never buy again!
- Thread starter outdoorsurvivors
- Start date
Whenever I buy a knife unseen, which is all of my knives, I call the company on the phone and tell them what you're looking for. They'll hand pick one for you. The one Case knife I own I told them I wanted good looking scales, blade centered, and no problems. That's exactly what I got.
Gotta say I'm quite surprised by some of these answers.
Never thought I'd hear a bad thing about Spyderco, particularly favorites like the Delica and Tenacious (not personally into those models but I love my Endura and my value Resilience).
Same goes for Benchmades when some have decided they won't buy ANY at all.
A few I saw don't like Buck and the Vantage... I just ordered one hoping to add to my budget user knife category (my favorite category to grow). Hope it's good.
I am not into most of CRKTs offerings but I really like my M-21 although I don't carry it often.
And from the few responses about Case I have to wonder if they've changed over the years? Last one I bought was about 10 years ago and although I don't carry traditional slipjoints often it is one I'll always be glad I bought, looks pretty and a long, thin pair of blades on it.
When my father was growing up, Case was pretty much THE company that combined effective working class blades with aesthetic beauty, so when I was growing up I always thought of Case fondly as a company that produced quality that also looked pretty.
A lot of the knives I still have but don't use much I probably wouldn't buy again just because I try to only buy knives I know I will use, I'm not into collecting just to have it sit around... but most that come to mind are when I was young and first into collecting... Frost, S&W, and the like. I even had a few... M-Techs....
And although I can't really stick up for Gerber... I've had a few Gator folders that have performed very well as budget blades, no complaints at all. Despite the fact that I probably wouldn't buy anything else Gerber (my first knife after I got my first paycheck was an A.R. 3.5) I can't complain about the Gators, perhaps the only model I can really stick up for, which sadly doesn't say much.
Never thought I'd hear a bad thing about Spyderco, particularly favorites like the Delica and Tenacious (not personally into those models but I love my Endura and my value Resilience).
Same goes for Benchmades when some have decided they won't buy ANY at all.
A few I saw don't like Buck and the Vantage... I just ordered one hoping to add to my budget user knife category (my favorite category to grow). Hope it's good.
I am not into most of CRKTs offerings but I really like my M-21 although I don't carry it often.
And from the few responses about Case I have to wonder if they've changed over the years? Last one I bought was about 10 years ago and although I don't carry traditional slipjoints often it is one I'll always be glad I bought, looks pretty and a long, thin pair of blades on it.
When my father was growing up, Case was pretty much THE company that combined effective working class blades with aesthetic beauty, so when I was growing up I always thought of Case fondly as a company that produced quality that also looked pretty.
A lot of the knives I still have but don't use much I probably wouldn't buy again just because I try to only buy knives I know I will use, I'm not into collecting just to have it sit around... but most that come to mind are when I was young and first into collecting... Frost, S&W, and the like. I even had a few... M-Techs....
And although I can't really stick up for Gerber... I've had a few Gator folders that have performed very well as budget blades, no complaints at all. Despite the fact that I probably wouldn't buy anything else Gerber (my first knife after I got my first paycheck was an A.R. 3.5) I can't complain about the Gators, perhaps the only model I can really stick up for, which sadly doesn't say much.
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- Jun 5, 2012
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Kershaw's US made knives. Besides the Zing Tanto, they've all been thoroughly "whatever" in terms of quality, compared to their Chinese offerings. Same with Spyderco's Seki City-made knives.
There are many knives that I'd never buy. For starters, nothing under $25. I don't see a reason to go with junk when a Rat 1, Rat 2, Tenacious, or Persistence are barely above that price point and are quality tools.
Benchmade doesn't really do anything for me, either. I don't like the cheesy grips or their thumb studs. A Rift with a thumb hole might change my view, but I got a Manix 2 with G10 and CPM S30V FFG for under $100... I can't justify dropping more on a knife that won't outperform that.
Benchmade doesn't really do anything for me, either. I don't like the cheesy grips or their thumb studs. A Rift with a thumb hole might change my view, but I got a Manix 2 with G10 and CPM S30V FFG for under $100... I can't justify dropping more on a knife that won't outperform that.
Add the Kershaw Thermite to my list. What a dog. The quality isn't there, the ergonomics suck unless you have tiny hands, and the spanto is the worst of a tanto and spearpoint. Seriously, I think the spanto is about one of the worst grinds I've ever used.
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- Nov 9, 2009
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- 44,314
Not every knife will fit every hand. Not every price will fit every budget. Not every design style will fill every need perfectly. I tend not to buy items that I know I don't like. I tend to buy items when I have a certainty that they will fit my hand comfortably and do the task needed.
I would say the HTM/DDR Gunhammer. I was completely let down as a customer. Long drawn out delays with no communication for weeks and weeks on end. Very poor finish on the knife after the cost and wait time was ridiculous. It was really a surprise that it took such a long time and the process was such a dramatic one, complete let down and a very expensive mistake. Never Again.
I would say the HTM/DDR Gunhammer. I was completely let down as a customer. Long drawn out delays with no communication for weeks and weeks on end. Very poor finish on the knife after the cost and wait time was ridiculous. It was really a surprise that it took such a long time and the process was such a dramatic one, complete let down and a very expensive mistake. Never Again.
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- Nov 23, 2013
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For me it has to be a SOG fatcat that I bought when I started collecting. Don't get me wrong it is a very nice knife but it is Soooo big all it has done is sit in. My display box. I will never carry it. Anyone want to trade for a fatcat...never carried? Ha ha
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I ghetto waved the buck vantage. Its opening mechanism is not perfect. But once opened its one of my favorite knives. I will pick it every time over my mini grip and mi I presidio. Equally as much as my skyline. For no nonsense knives the skyline and buck vantage are great! The vantage has the better blade shape of the two!
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Won't buy again:
Spyderco Endura( or any of their plastic handle lock back offerings have had less blade play on $8 knives and lock is poorly made. Just cause it has good steel doesn't make it a good knife. I'll take just about any Aus8 knife over it.)
CRKT Hammond Cruiser (don't see anything else worth trying from them either)
Sog (except maybe vulcan)
Gerber
Companies will continue to buy from:
Benchmade
Buck
Ontario
Cold Steel
Marttiini/Mora
Spyderco Endura( or any of their plastic handle lock back offerings have had less blade play on $8 knives and lock is poorly made. Just cause it has good steel doesn't make it a good knife. I'll take just about any Aus8 knife over it.)
CRKT Hammond Cruiser (don't see anything else worth trying from them either)
Sog (except maybe vulcan)
Gerber
Companies will continue to buy from:
Benchmade
Buck
Ontario
Cold Steel
Marttiini/Mora
CJZ
Gold Member
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Please elaborate more on this. I've owned more than a dozen US Kershaws/ZT's, and they've all been awesome. Even my Chinese one, the Cryo, is awesome.
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Won't ever buy anything with assisted opening, serrated or semi-serrated blade, or tanto style knives. They just aren't for me anymore. I also will never get a SOG Vulcan again. Great knife, VG-10 steel, smooth fast opening, great lock, but it cut me too many times when reaching into my pocket. I have the Visionary 1 & 2 and they are both great.
Not interested in anymore cheap knives either, that was for back in the 80's and 90's when I couldn't afford/didn't know about some of the nicer knives out there!
Not interested in anymore cheap knives either, that was for back in the 80's and 90's when I couldn't afford/didn't know about some of the nicer knives out there!
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- Dec 12, 2013
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- 266
Strider sng, paid over $400 and came with scratches, blade centering way off, blade play, and a sticky lock because they refuse to carbidize the lock face on a $450 knife.
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That is not a be-all, end-all industry wide solution. It can create more lock rock in some cases. I would be more to believe it is a case of bad geometry, rather than surface treatment.
Never Again?
Buck Vantage - to bulky to clip in my pocket, haven't been able to disassemble the knife since the screws seem to get jammed and feel like they will strip. The diamond wood scratches and the hardware feels cheap.
Buck 110 - my wife got me a nice one in S30v, the grind is way off center. Its heavy bulky and requires a belt sheath so I don't tend to carry it. I also don't find clip point blades very useful.
Blind Horse Knives Frontier First - horrible fit and finish and terrible edge geometry. Mine came with a blunt tip and cold chisel edge.
Svord Peasant - way to much material behind the edge for such a thin blade. Too much belly, I might turn mine into more of a drop point to give it a tip.
ESEE Izulla - Too thick, half the blade is belly. I used it a lot at first because I was excited about it. Now it just gathers dust because I don't find it to be useful for its size and weight.
CRKT M-21-04 - I guess this was my "Rambo" folder. It was awesome when I was a kid. I grew out of the whole large folder hard use thing after owning this knife for the most part. It simply was not good at cutting things.
Buck Vantage - to bulky to clip in my pocket, haven't been able to disassemble the knife since the screws seem to get jammed and feel like they will strip. The diamond wood scratches and the hardware feels cheap.
Buck 110 - my wife got me a nice one in S30v, the grind is way off center. Its heavy bulky and requires a belt sheath so I don't tend to carry it. I also don't find clip point blades very useful.
Blind Horse Knives Frontier First - horrible fit and finish and terrible edge geometry. Mine came with a blunt tip and cold chisel edge.
Svord Peasant - way to much material behind the edge for such a thin blade. Too much belly, I might turn mine into more of a drop point to give it a tip.
ESEE Izulla - Too thick, half the blade is belly. I used it a lot at first because I was excited about it. Now it just gathers dust because I don't find it to be useful for its size and weight.
CRKT M-21-04 - I guess this was my "Rambo" folder. It was awesome when I was a kid. I grew out of the whole large folder hard use thing after owning this knife for the most part. It simply was not good at cutting things.
I'm looking forward to trying it out when it gets here. I hear complaints about it being a bit too large for pocket carry but I pocket carry bigger knives all the time, and actually end up belt carrying a lot of my knives in belt pouches, I tend to like that method more and more.
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I would agree with geometry being a huge factor and I will admit it got better when they switched to the linear cut but if done right, carbidizing can definitely aid in the sticky lock problem. Some MSC's even come carbidized and I definitely noticed a difference.
