Most indestructible pocket folder?

Z

ZTFan

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Oct 6, 2016
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I'm sure no one has thrown their knife against a brick wall 500 times, but my question relates to extreme abuse and durability. I know that the title is ambiguous, so I thought I'd lay out some criteria below:

1. Scales or frame must be made of a very hardy material resistant to warping and breaking.
2. Opening method would most likely be bare bones manual, I assume. No springs to break or bearings to get dirty.
3. Locking method needs to withstand as much force as possible.
4. Blade material, for this concept, could forgo sharpening and overall sharpness qualities in exchange for edge retention, scratch resistance and corrosion resistance. In other words it doesn't have to be super sharp, and sharpening can be a bitch, but it just needs to maintain itself. Thick material.
5. Blade shape should be short, snubbed and fat enough to avoid chipping or breaking. Length and point are not necessary for this build.
6. Any screws or bolts holding it together would need to be high-quality. The less pieces to break the better, so one-piece construction would obviously be better for the knife overall.

I'm sure I left out some crucial components of a durable knife, but that should get the ball rolling.

So are there any knives that meet this criteria? What in your opinion holds the title of most indestructible folder? What materials are considered the most durable for blade and handle?
 
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Opinel, compliment it with a small Leatherman (squirt) for ultra edc coverage. Your welcome :thumbup:
 
ZTFan said:
I'm sure no one has thrown their knife against a brick wall 500 times, but my question relates to extreme abuse and durability. I know that the title is ambiguous, so I thought I'd lay out some criteria below:

1. Scales or frame must be made of a very hardy material resistant to warping and breaking.
2. Opening method would most likely be bare bones manual, I assume. No springs to break or bearings to get dirty.
3. Locking method needs to withstand as much force as possible.
4. Blade material, for this concept, could forgo sharpening and overall sharpness qualities in exchange for edge retention, scratch resistance and corrosion resistance. In other words it doesn't have to be super sharp, and sharpening can be a bitch, but it just needs to maintain itself. Thick material.
5. Blade shape should be short, snubbed and fat enough to avoid chipping or breaking. Length and point are not necessary for this build.
6. Any screws or bolts holding it together would need to be high-quality. The less pieces to break the better, so one-piece construction would obviously be better for the knife overall.

I'm sure I left out some crucial components of a durable knife, but that should get the ball rolling.

So are there any knives that meet this criteria? What in your opinion holds the title of most indestructible folder? What materials are considered the most durable for blade and handle?
Click to expand...

When it comes to extreme abuse and durability, it is difficult to say anything meaningful without clarifying what kinds of abuse the knife might be subjected to.

For example, knives which are durable versus some very harsh conditions may prove to be particularly fragile versus niche situations. The Tri-Ad lock has proven to withstand tremendous amounts of force and shock in its many configurations. However, the lodging of a small stone in the mechanism can put the entire knife out of commission in an instant.

If you gave us an idea of what kind of extreme abuse the knife you have in mind might be subjected to, then it will be easier to answer your questions and provide recommendations.
 
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I'd like to add, if you need uncompromising strength, screw the folder and go fixed. Keep a tough folder like a Coldsteel 4 max on you but have a fixed blade close by for actual hard use. Trusting your fingers to a device made to fold isn't a good idea.
shinyedges said:
Opinel, compliment it with a small Leatherman (squirt) for ultra edc coverage. Your welcome :thumbup:
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the responses. To clarify, this is the abuse I had in mind:

1. Cutting a variety of materials including wood, plastic and clothing.
2. Being dropped from handheld heights.
3. Exposure to the elements including saltwater, snow, sand and mud.

And as far as fixed blade, I understand that's obviously a better choice. I'm just curious how close a folder can get.
 
Of all the folders I've had I'd choose XM18 3.5 spanto for any major beating tasks.
 
ZTFan said:
Thanks for the responses. To clarify, this is the abuse I had in mind:

1. Cutting a variety of materials including wood, plastic and clothing.
2. Being dropped from handheld heights.
3. Exposure to the elements including saltwater, snow, sand and mud.

And as far as fixed blade, I understand that's obviously a better choice. I'm just curious how close a folder can get.
Click to expand...

I think most folders should be able to survive being dropped. The possibility exists that on folders with thin liners and polymer or fiberglass scales that a drop may cause these liners to bend and thus components of your knife to become out of alignment. If this occurs with a frame or liner lock, the integrity and/or strength of the lock could suffer.

Temperature changes (you mention snow) can also cause locks to behave slightly differently, but this is to a greater extent on button locks, liner or frame locks in my experience. I think that you should use a protectant such as Marine Tuf-Cloth on all the parts of your knife, including hardware, to protect it from saltwater. Marine Tuf-Cloth should take care of everything except immersion.

Debris has the potential to interfere with all locking mechanisms, so I would say choose the locking mechanism you are most comfortable with opening and closing safely when your knife or your hands are slippery or coated with debris. With well made knives the risk of lock failure, in my view, is significantly less than the risk of slippage.

With these factors in mind I would personally agree with shinyedges' suggestion of the Cold Steel 4-Max.
 
Or hell, a spyderco salt meets the criteria. Impervious to corrosion, polymer handle that can be dropped probably a million times and will cut like the dickens.

That said, if you just want a folding pry bar there are a plethora of choices like Medford or extreme ratio folders just to name a few.
 
maybe one of them extreme ratio folders, or a fat cold steel....big bastard from medford, or the like? I dont think without purposly beating on any of these would fail too much
 
Sounds like you need a folding pry bar. You could even put a chisel grind on one side and if using titanium to make the pocket brick lighter weight, you could use one of those machines that electrically deposits carbides along the edge. Maybe even have a recessed area where you could put a replaceable razor blade if you actually need something sharp.

As mentioned, there are videos showing the Triad lock withstanding lots of weight and shock. A beefed up AXIS lock should also be a sturdy lock especially if a secondary lock is added so that the lockbar can't be pulled back until the secondary lock is disengaged. A Benchmade Adamas is pretty darn sturdy.

A balisong is actually the strongest folding design and it would have to break in half before it could fold in a way that puts your fingers at risk. An oversized balisong should be able to go far in the zombie apocalypse or after AI is implemented into all new products and the rise of the machines begins and your refrigerator starts trying to freeze your brains.

Thinking about a knife that meets all those requirements makes me picture a knife I never want to know and is almost as absurd as the above 'scenarios'. Different strokes for different folks!!!

Edit: Just wanted to add that I would absolutely want to avoid a frame lock knife if trying to go for bomb proof like you are describing. They are the only lock that I have had multiple knives close on me when I didn't want it/wasn't ready for it to close. From an engineering standpoint it is a design of compromises IMO. I feel the main reason they are popular is that it is a one hand lock that does not have a patent and anyone can use on a knife and can be made with rudimentary tools for makers just starting out (though that doesn't mean it's made 'correctly'- though there is no foolproof correct way!) Again all IMO as a mechanical engineer and knife user!
 
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ZTFan said:
Thanks for the responses. To clarify, this is the abuse I had in mind:

1. Cutting a variety of materials including wood, plastic and clothing.
2. Being dropped from handheld heights.
3. Exposure to the elements including saltwater, snow, sand and mud.

And as far as fixed blade, I understand that's obviously a better choice. I'm just curious how close a folder can get.
Click to expand...

Cutting shouldn't be hard use. Dropping from hand held heights isn't hard use either - sure the handle might get dinged a little but unless it's got a pretty acute point it shouldn't be a concern. Environmental stuff seems like the biggest challenge to me. I've never used a g&g mudd folder but it seems like that was a prime consideration. I also think most frame locks are pretty resistant to junk and relatively easy to clean out if necessary. Given that I think any of the many "heavy duty" non-bearing tactical folders around these days is a good choice. Hinderer, SMF, etc.
 
I don't think he was asking for a capable edc combo at all.

shinyedges said:
Opinel, compliment it with a small Leatherman (squirt) for ultra edc coverage. Your welcome :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Let's take a look again.
Do you think a beechwood opinel would fit this description?
ZTFan said:
I'm sure no one has thrown their knife against a brick wall 500 times, but my question relates to extreme abuse and durability.

1. Scales or frame must be made of a very hardy material resistant to warping and breaking.

What in your opinion holds the title of most indestructible folder?

What materials are considered the most durable for blade and handle?
Click to expand...

I would suggest a pin locking friction folder with 1/8" steel slabs for liners (HT for toughness around 56-58) with G10 or micarta slabs.
Since stainless was preferred, I would defer to others for specifics but I would think AEB-L.

Though not production, it should be relatively inexpensive to have made custom.
 
Extrema Ratio RAO 1 or 2. I think that is the toughest folder hands down. Other than that Cold Steel's triad lock is pretty damn tough.
 
Lapedog said:
Extrema Ratio RAO 1 or 2. I think that is the toughest folder hands down. Other than that Cold Steel's triad lock is pretty damn tough.
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Check out the video on the 4-Max vs the RAO. The RAO is tough, but it definitely seems to fall well short of the Triad on the 4-Max.
 
Remember when bld22 or what ever his name was kept egging on Coldsteel to do the video of the RAO? Then when they did, he disappeared like a fart in a tornado.
Insipid Moniker said:
Check out the video on the 4-Max vs the RAO. The RAO is tough, but it definitely seems to fall well short of the Triad on the 4-Max.
Click to expand...
 
shinyedges said:
Remember when bld22 or what ever his name was kept egging on Coldsteel to do the video of the RAO? Then when they did, he disappeared like a fart in a tornado.
Click to expand...

Yup! Haven't seen him since. I honestly prefer the Cold Steel knives that are linerless and a bit more focused on good cutting geometry, but I have to admit that the SR1 might be a guilty pleasure purchase just because it's such a damn caveman folder and such a big chunk of S35VN for not that much cash.
 
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