M60-14PK SOTFB or prodigy?

DeadFall27

DeadFall27

Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
1,476
I have been torn between the CRKT M60-14PK SOTFB and the Gerber prodigy for some time now. Have any of you handled these two knives that can shed some light on my decision or suggest alternative blades that will suit me better? I am looking for a medium-sized fixed blade ,<$70 that can take abuse here and there.

I will be using the blade I choose for light batoning, camp chores, possibly bushcraft?, and to satisfy my knife addiction. It will see the desert, the river, the mountains etc within its lifetime.

Any suggestions or comments? I'd appreciate it
 
Hi. Welcome to BF! Lots and lots of great information can be found here. With that said, I'm going to probably give some not so good info. Reason being is that I have not had either of the knives mentioned. I have held a CRKT Ultima though, and I really liked it. If I were going to use the knife as you intend, especially to baton, then I don't think that the CRK&T offerings would be up to the task as they are relatively thin at .160" thick. I could not find any info on the Gerber as to blade thickness, but it uses a 400 series steel, probably 440A, and I'm not too sure how well it will hold up. I read some reviews and they were not real flattering. Also, I wouldn't go with a tanto as that takes away some versatility you may need, and the same with the serrations both knives feature. For the under $70 price limit, I would look at Ontario Knife Company, specifically the Spec II series of knives. These feature 5160 carbon steel blades, and this is an excellent steel for the jobs you mentioned. The one I'm thinking of is the Gen II SP-42. It has a 7" blade with a kraton handle that surrounds a full tang. Blade thickness is 3/16", and the cost is right at the $70 limit. There are others in this line and also other OKC lines to look at. If a shorter knife will do, the new OKC Ranger Falcon, 3 7/8" in length and 1/4" thick 5160 steel, would be a great choice I would think. It can be found for the mid $50's if you search a little. If you can go up to a $100 limit then you could find something in the OKC Ranger lineup, specifically the RD series. I have an RD-4 that has a 4.5" X 1/4" thick blade that is bombproof.

You could also look around at the Kabar/Becker lineup of knives that use Kabar's excellent 1095 CRO-VAN carbon steel. The Becker Campanion has a 5.25" X 1/4" blade and can be found for under $70. This is an EXCELLENT knife and EXCELLENT value.

There are some other great choices out there in the range of $70, and a $100 opens it up more. I'm sure more experienced folks will come along with some great info.
 
A folder like the M16 would be better suited to just cutting tasks. I would go with a fixed blade for bushcraft. Hang out in the Wilderness and Outdoor Gear section, and you'll see a lot of different knives are available. A lot of the commercially available manufactured knives out there have too thick of an edge for me. I prefer the custom makers knives, and many are very affordable.

I had a lot of M16-13 and M21 knives, and my favorite was the M16 with aluminum scales and AUS8 blade. The M21's were great knives too. If you can get a titanium model, I would go for that. AUS8 isn't a bad steel. I would stay away from the Gerber. Their quality has really gone downhill. Don't jump on the anti Gerber bandwagon, go ahead and buy one and find out for yourself.

In addition, the LAWKS system is favored by many on here, and quite a few friends of mine, but I absolutely hate it. If you can find an older M21 or M16 w/o the LAWKS, I would get that one. The AUS4 M series knives are near junk, the AUS6 models aren't bad.
 
Thanks guys, this is great info! I didnt think I would feel welcome at BF being a newbie but I was wrong!

If I saved up a little more, do you think an ESEE3 mil would be adequate?
I usually carry my CRKT Mirage and Bk3 with me whenever I go up the mountain, but I love being able to carry and rely on only one blade.
I love the suggestions, I'm drooling at the pics on google :D
 
ESEE's get nothing but good reviews, at least I haven't seen any bad ones. The Esee 3 looks to be a nice sized knife and one that could handle a lot of work. Don't know about batoning though as it has a blade that is .125" thick, or 1/8", and I'm unsure if it would stand up to it. If you go over to the ESEE forum on the Manufactures site I'm sure you can find out about it from real user's!

But give the OKC Ranger lineup a good look as they are some great knives for the price!

We were all newbies at one time, so fear not as you will be welcomed here, AS LONG AS YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT WE SAY.:eek::D:thumbup::)
 
cutter17 said:
ESEE's get nothing but good reviews, at least I haven't seen any bad ones. The Esee 3 looks to be a nice sized knife and one that could handle a lot of work. Don't know about batoning though as it has a blade that is .125" thick, or 1/8", and I'm unsure if it would stand up to it. If you go over to the ESEE forum on the Manufactures site I'm sure you can find out about it from real user's!

But give the OKC Ranger lineup a good look as they are some great knives for the price!

We were all newbies at one time, so fear not as you will be welcomed here, AS LONG AS YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT WE SAY.:eek::D:thumbup::)
Click to expand...

You guys are the greatest :D
Best of wishes! :thumbup:
 
I have an RC-3 and I would recommend it, but I highly suggest you look into JK handmade knives, he has a forum here. For about the cost of an RC-3 MIL you could work with John to get the right design for you. For bushcraft activities, I like a shorter fixed blade, preferably with a scandi or zero grind.

I like this one for almost any outdoor task.
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Cheers
 
That actually is a sound idea, thanks brother!
Now, what about a Condor Bushlore with the micarta handles? Would that suffice as a cheaper and 'quality' option for my price range if I don't get a custom? There are too many knives to look at, its like porn I swear
 
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