Manual button lock?

dkb45

dkb45

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Dec 16, 2012
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I have been trying to find an HK Soldat for a while now since I missed it before it was discontinued, and it is a bloody hard knife to get a hold of. Only a few sites have them, most of the sites being... I don't want to say disreputable, but they aren't the big names I prefer. I also don't especially want to pay $20 over the street price it had (that's a 50% price increase!). That leads me to look for a more readily available alternative.

Only a few must haves for the specs. It has to be lefty friendly, lefty drilling preferred STRONGLY. Button lock, obviously. Manual, if you read the title this was a given. Price cap is a hard $100, lower is better. Blade steel just had to be not crap, 8cr at the lowest. Country of origin, manufacturer, handle material... none of those matter.

Tl;dr: HK Soldat is super hard to come by, I need to scratch the lefty friendly, sub-$100 manual button lock itch with something comparable.
 
Knifeworks appears to still have the Tanto Soldat if that variation works for you.
 
I know it doesn't help much to show another knife that's out of stock, but I expect them to be back in stock soon...I've heard real good things about the RealSteel Griffin E775. I've got one on order for myself.
http://www.bladehq.com/item--Realsteel-Knives-Griffin-Plunge--35563
It's not quite as lefty friendly as the Soldat and I'm not sure if you could drill out the presentation side for the clip, but it might be worth a look.
Another one I really like is above your price range, but if you ever have a little extra to spend, the 451 Freeman Button Lock Flipper is incredible...I'm not sure if you could approach Jeff about making a lefty version for you...
 
Hackenslash said:
I know it doesn't help much to show another knife that's out of stock, but I expect them to be back in stock soon...I've heard real good things about the RealSteel Griffin E775. I've got one on order for myself.
http://www.bladehq.com/item--Realsteel-Knives-Griffin-Plunge--35563
It's not quite as lefty friendly as the Soldat and I'm not sure if you could drill out the presentation side for the clip, but it might be worth a look.
Another one I really like is above your price range, but if you ever have a little extra to spend, the 451 Freeman Button Lock Flipper is incredible...I'm not sure if you could approach Jeff about making a lefty version for you...
Click to expand...

It's not in reach at the moment, but I'm 99.9 sure the E775 is righty only.

It's not available yet, but keep an eye out for the Kershaw Induction. That should be a solid, lefty friendly knife. Not a pure buttlock, but looks like an absolute ton of fun to play with.
 
Ah apparently just Soldat was not enough of a keyword to show it in a search. That sure is the knife!
 
I looked too far into the Soldat and pulled back the curtain. I found out the Soldat is far too big, both in the handle thickness and blade length. It's almost the same size as the full Griptilian, but with thicker handles.

That said, the only sub $100 manual button locks I can find are the Griffin and Soldat? There has to be more (excluding assisted models like the Kershaw Dimension). Are my searching skills just awful?
 
Already have and love my Thistle. That was actually what drew my interest in button locks.
 
What is it about the button lock that grabs your attention? Have you tried the axis lock by Benchmade? That is my absolute favorite lock to use with the Spyderco compression lock following close behind.
 
There aren't many manual button locks in your price range, if any. Perhaps look at an auto and just remove the spring after receiving? It may still qualify as a "gravity knife" at that point though if it's a legal concern. You'd have to check your local laws.
 
Boker makes a few different models with a button lock. Here are a few : toplock, gordito, strike, kalashnikov n mini, RBB, & magnum. Most are using aus-8 steel. There are a few.others as well. If you can expand your $ cap I'd suggest hogue' s collaborative designs with Allen Elishewitz. Phenomenal quality&design for a production model. You might even find one on the exchange here rite around your price point. Good luck.
 
Step up your price range (or be super vigilant in the FS section) and go Hogue. Fantastic knives.
 
mjpgolf1 said:
What is it about the button lock that grabs your attention? Have you tried the axis lock by Benchmade? That is my absolute favorite lock to use with the Spyderco compression lock following close behind.
Click to expand...

I love the axis lock, but until the patent expires on it, you can't find an axis lock for cheaper than a Griptilian (technically Presidio Ultra, but splitting hairs about about $10), of which I already have one. Same with the compression lock, but I do like it a little less since on rare occasions it will slip out of my hand and has almost skewered my foot a few times (try disengaging it as a lefty, very little purchase to keep a good hold of the knife).

I just was a button lock because as a collector I have a compulsive need to have one of every type, be that blade steel, opening mechanism, blade grind, lock type, you name it. A button lock is the one thing I don't own, and I need to rectify that.
 
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