Recommendation? Looking for a new knife

[dkb45]

I've been out of the knife game for a while, mid-late 2022 was when I stopped collecting for a while. I'm finally getting back into the game, and man 3 years made a LOT of difference and there are so many new companies I've never heard of, and new options from a lot of companies that were previously nigh unattainable. One of the biggest ones being the North Arm Knives Skaha now having lefty options!? That's what's currently in my sights, with the new Vero Avid 1 just barely to the side, to the point that a great deal on either (or an alternative I'm unaware of) will take the lead.

So my hard requirements are blade length between 2.75-3.5" (preferably under 3.4" but good designs get a little wiggle room), lefty clip drilling, under $300, and a non front flipper (I think back flipper is the term?) specifically with SUPERB action. Some preferences on top of that are inline flippers (always liked the disappearing flipper tab and sleek lines) and a high end steel (but budget knives aren't out of the running if the action is there). Handle milling and/or contouring is nice, but so long as the blade is the only sharp part I'm good. Novel design elements like the flat detent on the Skaha are always welcome.

I'll most likely wind up eventually getting both the Avid and Skaha because they have what I crave (action on the Skaha, marginally worse on the Avid with the inline flipper) but I love seeing new options especially with all of the new boutique brands using the various OEMs to make their designs. One that sits just outside my preferences is the Big Idea Design Ti Knife, but it looks like the action on it is a standard good quality flipper, good but nothing outstanding, but a cool design nonetheless.

 

[edgelion]

I humbly submit the Case Marilla.
3.4" S35VN
She flies on bearings, frame lock.
The clip is reversible on aluminum scales. Some people have strong feelings about it, so if you're flipping it to the other side anyway, consider swapping out the screws.
A tad thick, not what some would call "slicey", but not overbuilt. Partial serrations are an option.
Can easily be found for less than half your max price. Might as well get 2.

https://flic.kr/p/2qQR8P5

Shown in carbon fiber which has only the one clip option.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

If I had that kind of budget available, I would get the TRM Atom. Scales of any iteration, although titanium would be a favorite.

 

[WedgeAntilles]

As a fellow lefty, save up a few extra bucks and get a full lefty. I've seen lefty Shirogorov Ne0ns go for 450. Chris Reeve is not a flipper type company, but full lefty carry is awesome.

If the budget is firm, Kansept has made some lefties worth owning, such as the Shard in a full lefty configuration. Many ZT models, including a few discontinued ones would fit you as well. Happy hunting!

 

[abcdef]

A southpaw is duty bound to get a CRK.

 

[dkb45]

As a fellow lefty, save up a few extra bucks and get a full lefty. I've seen lefty Shirogorov Ne0ns go for 450. Chris Reeve is not a flipper type company, but full lefty carry is awesome.

If the budget is firm, Kansept has made some lefties worth owning, such as the Shard in a full lefty configuration. Many ZT models, including a few discontinued ones would fit you as well. Happy hunting!

I actually recently bought a lefty Kansept Model 1. Good knife, but definitely just not quite there for the action. It requires a firm light switch instead of a normal flip and the blade has to be shaken shut. Glad to have another lefty liner/frame lock because there are so few production models, but it doesn't give the lizard brain satisfaction that the Skaha has. Another knife I forgot about for the excellent action is my Kunwu S-Tao, but I think same as my ZT 0562 the action is cheesed a little by a heavy blade. Great knife and my only thing in Vanax, though.

For the Shiro, I definitely can't stretch the budget that much. I'm barely comfortable shelling out for a Skaha but the action is just too good to pass up.

 

[dkb45]

I humbly submit the Case Marilla.
3.4" S35VN
She flies on bearings, frame lock.
The clip is reversible on aluminum scales. Some people have strong feelings about it, so if you're flipping it to the other side anyway, consider swapping out the screws.
A tad thick, not what some would call "slicey", but not overbuilt. Partial serrations are an option.
Can easily be found for less than half your max price. Might as well get 2.

https://flic.kr/p/2qQR8P5

Shown in carbon fiber which has only the one clip option.

Not a bad knife, I was aware of it but never looked into it much. Seeing some reviews it looks like the action is pretty standard for a bearing flipper, good but not dangerously smooth. If I get disposable income to start properly collecting again I'll probably grab one to fill the "US made bearing flipper under $150" niche, though. It looks like Kershaw went all in on the crossbar locks and abandoned flippers, so options aren't super wide in that field.

If I had that kind of budget available, I would get the TRM Atom. Scales of any iteration, although titanium would be a favorite.

I actually had an Atom. Excellent thumb stud knife, but I can't find a lefty one anywhere (not even actually sure they make one) and am pretty dead set on a flipper. Not having a lefty clip was the only reason I got rid of mine, thinking back on it I was pretty shocked it didn't have bearings with how smooth the action was. Without being fully broken in it was almost drop shut with a very light blade too. Being a lefty is torture in the knife world (but we only make up ~10% of the market so I can't really expect us to be catered to).

A southpaw is duty bound to get a CRK.

I was actually working my way up to that before my finances went belly up and I had to stop collecting. CRK is a gold standard in the knife world for a reason, I just can't swing it on the price. Stretching my budget to $300 is already requiring me to thin out my collection (granted I have a LOT of room to thin out) of some of my more expensive stuff.