Looking for the ultimate EDC folder

freq18hz

freq18hz

Joined
Mar 4, 2010
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1,093
Alright folks,

Got an itch for a new knife. Looking for the ultimate EDC folder.

I care about functionality, weight, ergonomics, fit and finish, workmanship. I do not care about fanciness, or exotic materials.

I have a CRKT m16-10kz, I hate it.

I'm currently rocking an OD mini benchmade D2 griptilian.


What should I replace these two with, for my EDC blade? Looking for something I will really enjoy.

-$150 bucks or under (don't believe in wasting my money on a name like Sebenza)
-Must be comfortable in my pocket
-Blade at least 2.5 inches long
-Must be thinner than the mini-grip
-Must be shorter than the Delica
-Very strong lock
-High end blade steel



-Freq
 
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"I care about functionality, weight, ergonomics, fit and finish, workmanship. "

so what functionality, weight, and ergos are you looking for specifically? The question is a bit vague. All those are preferences.
 
I'd suggest a BM 943/940 or a BM 960. Light, functional, excellent fit and finish.

I have yet to handle a knife that's smoother than my 943.

Sage 1 or 2 are also highly recommended.

Plus, they are about a third the cost of a Sebenza (which will eventually be suggested)
 
price constraints would help. if you can spend ~$300 ish i would say a plain sebenza. it works plain and simple, great F&F, really lightweight, at least the small one, and i think it feels good in the hand.
 
Well, if you like your griptilian, then I would recommend
a 710. Just got mine yesterday, so I can't really speak
to its performance, But I can say I really enjoy it. :D
 
redplague said:
Well, if you like your griptilian, then I would recommend
a 710. Just got mine yesterday, so I can't really speak
to its performance, But I can say I really enjoy it. :D
Click to expand...

While I like my 710, I've found that it is a bit big to carry around and use. It's not a knife that I would feel comfortable opening up to use around non-knife people; in fact, every time I have used it around people it seems to make them nervous. It is a big knife, but it carries well. At 4.5 ounces, it's ~ 2 ounces heavier than the 943.

For EDC purposes I prefer a smaller, slimmer, knife that doesn't look as "weapon-like".

I've found that the sleeker and slimmer the knife, the less people think of it as a weapon. A couple weeks ago I was using my Sage 2 to cut some fruit, and my brother's girlfriend was creeped out by it, because she claimed it looks like a weapon. Yet, my brother's Delica 4 doesn't elicit the same response, and they are roughly the same size.

The more comfortable other people are with a knife, the more likely you are to use it in public. That's why my 710 has sat on my desk for about 95% of the time i've had it (two years), while my 943 (which is now almost 4 years old) is in my pocket about 60-70% of the time.

I would suggest the BM 10700 Nagara, as it is a rather nice knife. However, I'm just not as confident in the strength of the nak-lock as compared to the Axis-lock. A liner-less Axis-lock Nagara would be an awesome EDC.
 
If you like the Mini Grip but want something a little more stout I suggest the BM Mini Presideo. It's essentially the same length as the Mini Grip but has a thicker blade and stronger handle. I find it feels a little nicer in the hand too. It's a bit heavier though.

The Mini Nitrous Stryker is fun and light, I like mine.

Spyderco Caly 3 is a pretty cool knife too. I don't have one myself but I have a UKPK that's the same shape and it's really comfy and light.

I'm just assuming you wanted something on the smaller side judging by the Mini grip and the CRKT you already have. All of these knives are around the same size.
 
I second the 710. I love mine and I plan to do a little bit of "pimpin" in the near future!

To be honest though, I dont like Benchmades jimping on the axis folders...Ill have to file the edges on mine.

Also, if you can get a Bradley Alias, those are quite good. $150 is the limit though...you could always get an Izula too.
 
Caly 3 sounds like a good choice. Cuts like nearly nothing else, rides great in the pocket with a wire clip.
 
A Spyderco Manix 2 that comes with foliage green G10 and a full flat grind CTS-XHP blade would fit the bill...
 
Small Benchmade Bone Collector. It's a bit larger than the mini grip, but in my example the fit and finish are impeccable.
 
Well the Spyderco Sage 2 is a tiny bit higher than your budget(usually between $160-170) but it's one of my favorite EDC knives. It's one of the most comfortable knives in the pocket. no texturing or sharp corners to catch your fingers when you are reaching for something else in your pocket. my hand just slides past it when i go into my pocket. awesome blade shape and steel. It's everything anyone can ask for in an EDC knife.

I'd also recommend one of the FFG Delica 4s. amazing slicer, feels great in the hand. However my knuckles catch the texturing when i go into my pocket for my wallet which is my only gripe with the knife.

A lot of benchmade knives have fat handles which are good in the hand but obstructive in the pocket. Which is the reason i don't really carry my minigriptillian.
 
Caly 3. or a Sage.

try 'em both if you can see which you like. Can't go wrong with either.
 
freq18hz said:
Alright folks,

Got an itch for a new knife. Looking for the ultimate EDC folder...
-Freq
Click to expand...

There are lot's of people who have looked for unicorns throughout history too but I honestly don't think either exist.

There are MANY great edc knives within your parameters and price range. The question is which will YOU prefer.

I started off over a decade ago with a spyderco delica. Phenomenal edc. It could still be a great edc (I do still use it from time to time) but my desires changed and then I moved to a BM mini-stryker, then an afck, then a microtech... do you see a pattern? Today I'm carrying either a small sebenza or an umnumzaan (didn't want to hear that did you :) ?) as my folding edc switched in and out at times with an endura, lava or a zt300.

Just a suggestion but don't count out anything just because you think it's "just a name" and discover what you like. If you go with spyderco, benchmade, zt, higher end kershaws or a host of other great knife companies then you will find a multitude of great edc's that fit within your price range. It's also very likely that the longer you hang around here the the higher the chance that your preferences will change, curiosity will get the better of you and your price point will go up.

I say all of that to say be careful of chasing unicorns, don't dismiss anybody and enjoy the ride. The experience of finding what you like is 90% of the journey.
 
freedoom said:
A lot of benchmade knives have fat handles which are good in the hand but obstructive in the pocket. Which is the reason i don't really carry my minigriptillian.
Click to expand...

Seriously....? As I read this, I had a mini-grip laying on my pc. I can hardly think of a thinner edc-blade! Atleast it's thinner then my Native and only a fraction thicker then my Sebenza (and I dont have my Sage2 at hand, but i'm sure it wont differ by much) Most of my slipjoints are thicker then the mini-grip! Strange....
 
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