Recommendation? Looking for a nice folder/flipper for a decent price!

To each his own. Thread was for reasonable price recommendations. Obviously there are many. Far from me to judge what others see in a knife. To me the Cottidae brings something new and a bit different in a short blade, non-tactical presentation, fidgety as hell, and is a fun carry to boot. About the price, i’m not sure if it’s ok to name vender of purchase in the forums, but knifecenter seems to have lots of presence here.
 
Lawilli2 said:
To each his own. Thread was for reasonable price recommendations. Obviously there are many. Far from me to judge what others see in a knife. To me the Cottidae brings something new and a bit different in a short blade, non-tactical presentation, fidgety as hell, and is a fun carry to boot. About the price, i’m not sure if it’s ok to name vender of purchase in the forums, but knifecenter seems to have lots of presence here.
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Knife Center is a supporting dealer here. That's where I saw it.

I was just answering "what's not to like". Really, that's become an ongoing issue with CRKT. They and a few other companies have fallen behind the curve on their Chinese-made stuff. Speculation seems to be that having a presence in stores like Walmart where brands like Civivi, Kizer, Petrified Fish, etc. are not there to compete has alleviated the need to either drop prices or upgrade materials.
 
All good points. I certainly do not have the knowledge or experience to expand on USA made/assembled va China/foreign made. I just fell into this rabbit hole based on my 12 yr old stumbling upon my old box of beater folders. Maybe its just the novelty, or the sheer simplicity of the finish.
 
Lawilli2 said:
All good points. I certainly do not have the knowledge or experience to expand on USA made/assembled va China/foreign made. I just fell into this rabbit hole based on my 12 yr old stumbling upon my old box of beater folders. Maybe its just the novelty, or the sheer simplicity of the finish.
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It's a good rabbit hole to explore. CRKT, Kershaw, and other companies have been using Chinese manufacturers to make their budget lines for a very long time. In recent years, we've seen some pretty amazing innovation in Chinese companies going direct, using better materials, engaging with enthusiasts and teaming up with popular designers.

If you want to explore budget knives around that price, definitely search Civivi and Kizer over at Knife Center.
 
Absolutely, thanks. I have added a few new ones in addition to the Cottidae, including a Civici Elementum, it is really smooth.
I could use some advice. I am looking for a one-handed opener, but with spine lock for the kid. He has a Victorinox Evogrip, bit really wants non-multi tool folder.
 
Lawilli2 said:
Absolutely, thanks. I have added a few new ones in addition to the Cottidae, including a Civici Elementum, it is really smooth.
I could use some advice. I am looking for a one-handed opener, but with spine lock for the kid. He has a Victorinox Evogrip, bit really wants non-multi tool folder.
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What is the price range?
 
I have been looking at sub $40. So far i have found buck 112 slim ranger for 30, kabar mini Dozier for 22, and outdoor edge small trailblaze for 17. Many seem to recomment the spyderco ambicious, and the 50 is not unreasonable, but i just thought a lockback would be safer initially. He handles my liner locks fine, im more concerned about the ability of the lock to fail.
 
Lawilli2 said:
I have been looking at sub $40. So far i have found buck 112 slim ranger for 30, kabar mini Dozier for 22, and outdoor edge small trailblaze for 17. Many seem to recomment the spyderco ambicious, and the 50 is not unreasonable, but i just thought a lockback would be safer initially. He handles my liner locks fine, im more concerned about the ability of the lock to fail.
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Spyderco is a great company but I have a hard time recommending their base line in 8Cr13Mov. That's an okay steel in like $20 knives but at over $50, the value relative to the current market is pretty weak. Of course, if you really like one of the designs and don't mind paying that much, go for it. It's just that the competition pool in the $50-70 range is pretty deep. For back locks though... I don't know. One of my all-time favorite little EDC knives is the Spyderco Dragonfly. It's VG-10 but at $70-80, that's also pretty expensive for what it is.

The Buck knives are decent enough for what they are. I've had a full-sized Dozier in AUS-8 as a glove-compartment beater for years. It's also decent for what it is. I don't have experience with folders from Outdoor Edge but I like a few of their budget fixed blades.

I wouldn't be too concerned about lock failure. Remember that all folding knives are just that: knives that can fold. Any activity that would test the strength of Lock Type A versus Lock Type B is necessarily not an activity suited to folding knives. Could kids do dumb things with folding knives? Sure, but you really have to ask if whatever dumb thing it is will necessarily be safe with one type of lock over another. The more fundamental question is how well he understands and adheres to the teaching you give him on knife safety.

One question on flippers versus thumb studs or Spydie holes is how they get opened. The latter two are easier to slow roll. The former is often more fun for me. On other questions, the flipper tab can sometimes act like a guard, both during use and upon closing depending on the knife. For some knives, it becomes part of how I close them.
 
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Wow that gives me a lot to consider! The point on the lock amkes so much sense, opening the search to include liners would certainly give a lot more options. The flipper thoughts are interesting. I guess i just considered a flipper to appear more aggressive where i want him think of the blade as a tool, but the slip protection gained in use us a worthy consideration.
Thanks for all the advice, i will post the section once i get it straight.
 
We have narrowed it down to the small feldspar which has liner lock, D2, and g-10 vs kabar mini dozier with lockback, aus-8, and xytel.
 
So the kid wants a Baby Banter in blue. Pretty nice selection. He says he will pay for it if i will get it. If it is anything like the We Banter, should be a nice one for a biys second knife. No flipper protection from forward slide, or lockback. But, then again, he cut himself good once with the Evogrip so maybe good attention, safe handling, and respect for the blade is more important!
 
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