Looking for a new mid tech.

[Greek_God]

What's up guys.

Pretty soon I will be adding another knife to my small collection. I am looking for a mid tech around the $300-$400 price tag. I really really like flippers also. I really don't mind what the blade steel is as long as it's decent. I like blade length around 3.5 inches, 4 inches maximum since that is largest blade I can carry in my state, Already have a small sebenza, which is my favorite knife, and do not want to get a large yet since I wanna try out and own other knives. I was just browsing and looking at some brous' (I like a couple of his knives) and the spyderco southard (I really like his customs but they are too expensive). Any experiences with either brous or the southard? Any suggestions will be helpful. I do not see my self ever managing to scoop a Hinderer, my dream knife, any time soon so I am looking for something else now.

Thanks for the help.

 

[TechDoc]

I would browse the For Sale Folders forum to get an idea of what is out there. A Strider SNG would be in your price range as would a Spyderco Southard (even with custom scales). The Southard is probably your best best for a flipper but you should also consider the ZT 0562CF (not a "midtech" but a fantastic flipper based on the XM-18). The only Brous I've had was the Mini Division which was very nice but a bit too thick & bulky for my liking. Another flipper knife I have not owned or held but which looks interesting is the Fox/Wilson Combat Rapid Response XL (3.5" Elmax Ti Framelock flipper with G10 or wood inlays).

Not a flipper, but a knife I bought on a lark but absolutely love is the Sasha Thiel Officer (harder to find in the US since it is a French knife) available in G10 or Carbon Fiber. Another to consider is the TAD Dauntless MK3. Also Benchmade just announced the 761 (available for pre-order) which is a 3.7" Ti Framelock with bearings and M390 steel.

I know you said you weren't considering another Sebenza, but there are a couple of options you might want to think about because they are quite different feeling in hand than the standard issue and may be in your price range if you find a gently used one. One is the Wilson Starbenza and the other is the large Sebenza with a carbon fiber scale (KnifeArt exclusive). I have the CF version with Insingo blade and love it.

Here are some random pictures:
Hinderer 3" XM-18 / TAD Dauntless MK3 / Thiel Officer CF / Lg Sebenza 21 CF Insingo

Brous Mini-Division

Fox/Wilson Rapid Response XL

Benchmade 761 (supposedly will be out before the end of the year

 

[NorthernSouthpaw]

If you like Brad Southard you can look up His current midtech, the Avo which can usually be found on the exchange at a reasonable rate. Google him & check out his site for more info on it.

 

[austonh]

Mosier Crossfire midtech

 

[Sonnydaze]

My Brad Southard AVO (midtech) came in today...from the Exchange. Perhaps an extra hundred more than you specified, but it is a fine blade.
I got blooded immediately with this blade; barely felt it going by...and then there was this blood coming out. It just floats thru 0.002" Yellow Pages...it is the sharpest that I've had by far.
Some of the dimensions are:
grip thkness: 0.460"
blade thkness: 0.140"
0.024" behind the edge
3.33" blade (tip to grip)
4.5" grip length

Very comfy in my hand.. Rock-solid, no-stick goodness...This is NICE!
I got blooded immediately with this blade; barely felt it going by...and then there was this blood coming out. It just floats thru 0.002" Yellow Pages...it is the sharpest that I've had by far.
Some of the dimensions are:
grip thkness: 0.460"
blade thkness: 0.140"
0.024" behind the edge
3.33" blade (tip to grip)
4.5" grip length

Very comfy in my hand.. Rock-solid, no-stick goodness...This is NICE!

 

[NationalWMD]

One more for the Southard AVO, picked mine up off the exchange and have carried it everyday since. Quickly becoming my favorite folder.

 

[Popsickle]

Chaves 228 midtech