List of Hard Use Folders

I happened upon this very unique knife. Made by a compnay in France called Wildsteer. I had never heard of this knife before but it does look very strong. It may be a bit akward for EDC but I think it would classify as a hard use folder.

http://www.wildsteer.com/gb/prods.php?fam=32#.Ud2NF_nUk3Y

Video Review - WARNING for Language.

[video=youtube;LOYlgsYhmDE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOYlgsYhmDE[/video]
 
Sirupati kukri is something I can abuse.

I also harduse my crk's. All of thrm are scuffed but that gives them character.
 
I would like to mention the Pocket Bushman by Cold Steel. In fact, pretty much any folder from Cold Steel except maybe the Kudu counts as a hard use folder in my opinion.
 
I've used my SmF for:
-Cutting fiberglass
-Scraping rust off of steel
-Cutting zip ties
-Splitting pine boards to retrieve bullets from penetration tests
-General woods usage, including scraping bark and carving tasks
-Cutting 1/4" thick armour grade leather for making a sheath
and whatever else needed doing.

I haven't put the Spyderco Tuff through the same paces yet, but the tip on it is more stout, in a tougher steel, and with more steel thickness on top of the hole. I am confident that it will hold up every bit as well, and I didn't have to reprofile the edge to make it cut efficiently. :)
 
I honestly believe you can get some very hard use out of any folder with a well designed lock. By making blades with spines thicker than 3 mm you are creating "hardly useful knives", not "hard use knives". ymmv
 
sideways said:
I honestly believe you can get some very hard use out of any folder with a well designed lock. By making blades with spines thicker than 3 mm you are creating "hardly useful knives", not "hard use knives". ymmv
Click to expand...

That depends more on the thickness behind the edge than at the spine, unless you're cutting thick cardboard a whole bunch.
 
sideways said:
I honestly believe you can get some very hard use out any folder with a well designed lock. By making blades with spines thicker than 3 mm you are creating "hardly useful knives", not "hard use knives". ymmv
Click to expand...

I understand many on here cringe at the mention of a hard use folder but I really don't want to turn this thread into that debate. I feel the same way about tiny little knives as you do about large EDC's. They have a use but I don't have much of one for them. How many of us really need more than a 2" slipjoint?
Not trying to pick on you, as you can see there are already other comments like this in this thread. Your opinion is your opinion, neither is wrong, just different.

Here is a pic of my Adamas doing some slicing. I don't know if you can tell from the pic, but if you hold up those strawberry slices you can see through them.
20130628_200227.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
We should start a 'paper thin slice' thread...

as soon as I get to work ima start slicing some food real thin, not thst I dont already haha.
 
stabman said:
That depends more on the thickness behind the edge than at the spine, unless you're cutting thick cardboard a whole bunch.
Click to expand...
In my cutting I have found that the thicker spines tend to bind up in most longer cuts through rigid materials without giving too much advantage in terms of toughness. You are correct as well though that it also depends on the thickness behind the edge.

Ford1911 said:
I understand many on here cringe at the mention of a hard use folder but I really don't want to turn this thread into that debate. I feel the same way about tiny little knives as you do about large EDC's. They have a use but I don't have much of one for them. How many of us really need more than a 2" slipjoint?
Not trying to pick on you, as you can see there are already other comments like this in this thread. Your opinion is your opinion, neither is wrong, just different.

Here is a pic of my Adamas doing some slicing. I don't know if you can tell from the pic, but if you hold up those strawberry slices you can see through them.
20130628_200227.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
Click to expand...
It's cool. I was just getting at the fact that you do not need to go way overboard with blade thickness to get a very hard working knife.

If it is the "design" of the hard use knives you are after then a lionsteel SR-1 or Spyderco tuff should tick a few boxes. The benchmade adamas also fits in that category, so do most emersons. Oh yeah and the gayle bradley is a gem too.
 
Case sodbuster jr. I beat the hell out of that knife for years and could never hurt it.
 
HwangJino said:
We should start a 'paper thin slice' thread...

as soon as I get to work ima start slicing some food real thin, not thst I dont already haha.
Click to expand...

My Mackinac Hunter is ready! I just put a nice edge on it and stropped it last night.
 
CleMs said:
The only design able to withstand hard use ( batonning etc ) is the balisong design, others will be damaged and can even break in the field leaving you hurted or in the need of a tool.
Click to expand...

Actually you can baton with any folder if your technique is correct.
 
Indiana Joe said:
Not intending to inflame or stir the pot, marcinek -- just seeking to understand. How would you describe the technique that would work with any folder?
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If you keep the point lower than the handle though the process, then stress goes off the pivot (the "weak spot" on a folder). Similarly, with a fixed blade, the stress goes off where the handle and blade join.

Of course, the blade can still break, but that would have happened with a fixed blade using the same blade.
 
Here is how Benchmade does it:)

[video=youtube;YgAtWhKBfKw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgAtWhKBfKw[/video]
 
Big Mike said:
Hard Use Folders - I find that term an oxymoron.

While it is quite true that some folders are much tougher and will take more abuse then others,

...when it comes to Hard Use, folders, by there very nature, are inferior to fixed blades.

Even with fixed blades, many are not up to the tasks I would consider Hard Use.

For every task there's a proper tool; IMHO, when it comes to Hard Use cutting chores a folder is not that tool.

Just one knife user's opinion.

Big Mike
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. However, hard use may also be an accident - hitting metal unexpectedly while cutting, sideways force a la prying (natural tendency to wiggle if the cut is difficult), and so on. In these cases certain folders stand up better than many others which do qualify for practical hard use. Along with thickness of the blade, many other aspects like steel, heat treat, fit and finish come into play, and there is no correct answer. If you choose a good maker, good steel, ergonomic (for you) handle and maintain your knife, any folder can take practical hard use.
 
marcinek said:
If you keep the point lower than the handle though the process, then stress goes off the pivot (the "weak spot" on a folder). Similarly, with a fixed blade, the stress goes off where the handle and blade join.

Of course, the blade can still break, but that would have happened with a fixed blade using the same blade.
Click to expand...

Disengaging the lock entirely will also take the stress off the pivot.
 
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