Most Overrated Folder

[extrastout]

Have to say the mini griptilian. It was to bulky in the pocket for how much knife you get IMO (very light and rugged though). I don't care for 154cm, it dulls to quickly for me, not to mention the knife came dull from the factory. Scales feel and look lackluster, and tear my pockets with the sand paper underneath the clip. The clip has enough tension where Benchmade should be able to smooth that area out a little. At 80 bucks I was hoping for more, but for 50-60 it's a lot more appealing.

 

[OrdnanceBubbaUSMC]

I guess it's not necessarily leverage but similar... Media has more leverage on you?

I do prefer 4"+ blades aside from cutting in crowded, public places.

 

[evilgreg]

Evilgreg, could you list the knivs that you do like? I am curious to see what your preferences are other than the 710 that I assume you do like.

Sure, though I'm kind of a cheap and easy knife whore--I like lots of knives.

A quick sampling below of some of the knives I like for some reason or another and use/carry:

My three favorite small and light, easy-to-pocket Benchmades are:

707 - Sure, the handle is too small, but it's a whole bunch of knife for the pocket space it takes
940 series - Disappears into the pocket, again hard to see how much smaller a 3.4" bladed knife could be
710 - Love these, I admit it--this is just a great design, as far as I'm concerned

For pretty knives, lately I've been into William Henrys. For days that I have to wear business attire, the E6-3 and E10-3 are jazzy little slicers that I enjoy.

For small fixed knives, I stick to mostly Mora Companions (I have the MG, F, and a Robust).

For tiny knives (e.g. to carry in restrictive locales like Chicago, Milwaukee or Boston), I like the Spyderco Kopa a bunch (I have it in CF and blue dyed bone), but if I was planning any sort of hard use with a small folder I'd use a CS Tuff Lite.

For mixed use machete, I'm partial to the Svord Kiwi (though admittedly, my needs for chopping are pretty low these days).

For fun, I like the Spyderco Southard and the CRKT Ripple/Eros line. The CRKTs have terrible fit and finish, but after you sand down the rough edges they're great little toy knives to flip. The titanium Eros is the nicest of the bunch, super light and like the rest of them the skinny little spike of a blade snicks out in a very fun way. The Southard is a different animal, with great fit and finish and excellent flipping action to play with, but with the Southard there's something to the handle and blade shape, along with the thick blade stock, that appeals to the lizard brain side of my tastes. It's the same part of my brain that likes the ZT 560, or the looks of a Strider. With the Southard, though, I get the aggressive looking thick bladed flipper without all the heft--my customized Southard weighs ~3.8oz.

My most used knives are not the knives I use in the yard, around the house, or at work, though. My most used knives lately are made by the mall ninja company, Cold Steel. For an hour or two at a time, sometimes more, I cut continuously with a Tuff Lite and a Mini Tuff Lite--I've gotten into whittling and carving, and I've been using these two sturdy little CS wharncliffes more than anything (though I also have a Mora 122 and a Drake woodcarving knife).

I think the knives I picked on, the PM2, Sebenza and Southard are all great, solid knives. I just think the first two are overrated, and the third is ugly. I'm not sure why that would offend some as much as it has.

 

[bld522]

Doesn't matter who Rick Hinderer sells his knives too. Even if they were open to the public, they would still be at the exact same price on the secondary market. Supply Vs Demand. If he can't make enough for everyone that wants one, they rise in price.

Right. And as they rise in price, they pass through strata that I, as an educated knife buyer, cannot ignore. With each incremental rise in an XM's price, I have to judge the opportunity cost for buying the XM instead of something else. By the time I arrive at where secondary prices are now for XM's, what's on the other side of the scale outweighs the XM in terms of fit, finish, overall quality, uniqueness, etc. Then again, I'm well into full custom country by that point. I might be willing to overlook that fact if I had more money to throw around. Then I'd put on the blinders and buy an XM if for no other reason than to say I have one. But I don't. So I can't.

 

[Bugout Bill]

Right. And as they rise in price, they pass through strata that I, as an educated knife buyer, cannot ignore. With each incremental rise in an XM's price, I have to judge the opportunity cost for buying the XM instead of something else. By the time I arrive at where prices are now for XM's, what's on the other side of the scale severely outweighs it. I might be willing to overlook that fact if I had more money to throw around. Then I'd put on the blinders and buy the XM. But I don't. So I can't.

I've warmed up to the XM series knives, but when a knife costs the same as an AR15, I'll take the AR15.

 

[bld522]

I hear you. And I don't collect guns. So for me it's more like Menefees and Vagninos and Laconicos and Doziers and Lamberts and DDRs and Tighes and Gedraitises and . . . oops! Pardon me. The scale just tipped over on me.

 

[FCM415]

Thanks for the reply. Good stuff.

I carry my 707 clipless in a CRK slip. I prefer the ergos without the clip.

Big 710 fan here also. Im with the majority when it comes to the Southard and PM2's.

 

[Psyko19]

I agree, I think the Southard is overrated and unattractive, But I think it would hold up to be good knife. and I would pick one up if it was a third of the price.

 

[50mmnormal]

This is really unanswerable and entirely subjective. I think that every folder is often overrated, and that our tastes change individually enough that next week what I see as most overrated may be my favorite.

I loved my very first Delica from the early nineties when they were new and cool. These days I don't know if I could find the two or three Spyders I own, but back then my one Delica was the bees knees. I had a pretty sour experience with a Caly3 and warranty service a couple years ago and they really do nothing for me any more. Currently, I think most Spydercos are overrated and overpriced.

I used to lust after Benchmades. Owned forty or fifty of them over the years. At the time I was happy. I look back and am glad I enjoyed them, but today's offerings elicit an underwhelming "meh" from my tastes. I think just about all of the current BM offerings are entirely overrated.

I went through a rabid Strider fanboy stage. I think they are overrated for my needs, but if I were headed in to hell, I'd get another HT-T (I know, not a folder) and SMF for the trip in a heartbeat.

These days I split my carry between a small stable of Reeves and Emersons, and I have a thing for ESEEs if I need a fixed blade. All have very different pros and cons, and a few years ago after I got my much lusted after very first small Sebenza I would have told you they were overrated. Today, I basically always have at least one CRK on me. My Emersons go with me to the places I would beat the CRKs up more than I would like - rock climbing, caving, etc. and if I have a pack on, there is at least one ESEE in it. Emersons and CRK's are on people's overrated lists for many very different reasons. Even the CQC-6 I once owned was not overrated on my value system of knives, but it WAS just too expensive for me to enjoy.

Honestly, I'd say that for 90% of us, an Opinel would suffice as a folder and meet our needs and just about all of our choices are overrated in one way or another.

One of the things I tell people about my knives is that it's not about need or ability to cut, it's about my own desires, affinity for features and designs, and changing tastes. I recently started bladeshots.com in part because I have all of these photos of knives I've owned over the years that I have gone through as my tastes have changed and my ideas of what is cool or under/overrated has evolved. If owning a folding knife was purely about using it as a cutting tool, places like that and this wouldn't exist.

So, honestly, I guess most of the knives we "knife people" like are probably all overrated.

 

[shootz]

any folder with a long "L" shaped gash down one side.

 

[egally08]

Right. And as they rise in price, they pass through strata that I, as an educated knife buyer, cannot ignore. With each incremental rise in an XM's price, I have to judge the opportunity cost for buying the XM instead of something else. By the time I arrive at where secondary prices are now for XM's, what's on the other side of the scale outweighs the XM in terms of fit, finish, overall quality, uniqueness, etc. Then again, I'm well into full custom country by that point. I might be willing to overlook that fact if I had more money to throw around. Then I'd put on the blinders and buy an XM if for no other reason than to say I have one. But I don't. So I can't.

I completely agree with you, and I was just like you up until a week ago. I never wanted to purchase an xm-18 at these high prices because what if Rick started to up his production and they didn't become so scarce? I would lose half of my money. I own quite a few custom folders as well as a lot of mid range production knives.

Really what happened with me, I got bored with everything out there. I am not rich by any means, and dropping $750 on a folder would have my wife up in arms. So I decided to sell off some of even my favorite production folders. Pm2, southard, benchmades, things of that sort. I had a hard time doing it, but once I received my first hinderer I was glad I did.

I love my custom folders, especially by R. Laconico and Ken Onion. Even though the XM-18 isn't a custom, its unique and nice enough to quench my thirst. For how long, we shall see.

You should pick one up, or at least borrow one for a short time to check it out. You might be surprised on how it compares to most customs now a days. You should remember, even Ricks early customs are made the exact same way as the current Xm's, besides the blade being hand ground. You still get that attention to detail and amazing F&F

 

[fadugleman]

Spydercos are one of the brands you pretty much either love or hate.

 

[Bugout Bill]

Spydercos are one of the brands you pretty much either love or hate.

I don't think so. I like some of their designs and I dislike some of their designs, that doesn't mean that I have to love or hate the company. They do things that irritate me (like their cheesy FRN, sabre ground blades, and pinned construction), but they have a lot of designs that I really like.

I do, however, think the Paramilitary 2 is really overhyped. I'd much rather have something like a FFG Manix or Superleaf that has a bit more useful of a blade. The blade profile on the PM2 is a little weird and doesn't seem like it would perform any better than a leaf shaped FFG.

 

[bld522]

You should pick one up, or at least borrow one for a short time to check it out. You might be surprised on how it compares to most customs now a days. You should remember, even Ricks early customs are made the exact same way as the current Xm's, besides the blade being hand ground. You still get that attention to detail and amazing F&F.

I hear you. I've had an opportunity to inspect Hinderer XMs and as you've said, they're terrific knives. But I just can't imagine being willing to talk myself into buying one. On the other hand, I've learned never to say never. So we'll see...

 

[egally08]

I hear you. I've had an opportunity to inspect Hinderer XMs and as you've said, they're terrific knives. But I just can't imagine being willing to talk myself into buying one. On the other hand, I've learned never to say never. So we'll see...

Yep, I definitely know what you mean. I had to sell off some of mine to rationalize it to myself. The only good thing with really any type of high end knives like this, they hold their value, so you shouldn't take a loss if you decide its not for you.

Good luck though, I am sure you will eventually come around

 

[FCM415]

Spydercos are one of the brands you pretty much either love or hate.

What's there to really hate about a brand though? Hate is a strong word. I understand disliking their designs and preferring others over them though.

I do, however, think the Paramilitary 2 is really overhyped. I'd much rather have something like a FFG Manix or Superleaf that has a bit more useful of a blade. The blade profile on the PM2 is a little weird and doesn't seem like it would perform any better than a leaf shaped FFG.

Who is doing the over hyping? I don't really see anyone saying that it is the best folder in the world or anything. Spyderco is having a hard time keeping up with demand. Maybe because people like them so much, it's all in the numbers... People are voting with their wallets by buying and... Labeling it as "Overhype" Is more of a knock on a product, which I disagree with.

 

[Bugout Bill]

Who is doing the over hyping? I don't really see anyone saying that it is the best folder in the world or anything. Spyderco is having a hard time keeping up with demand. Maybe because people like them so much, it's all in the numbers... People are voting with their wallets by buying and... Labeling it as "Overhype" Is more of a knock on a product, which I disagree with.

People on forums and on youtube have hyped up the PM2, creating a large amount of excess demand, raising prices. Higher price = higher performance for some people, creating more demand.

 

[FCM415]

If you like the knife, you are gonna say nice things about it. Many who own/held it seem to like it... I am not sure what we should expect them to say about it other than good things. I suppose a positive review/feeling towards a knife and be construed as "hyping" it.... Spyderco's Colorado facility cannot keep up making it the prices temporarily go up. I am sure they want to sell as many of these as they can.... Sal has stated the prices he expects the dealers to sell them for should remain the same.

 

[Bugout Bill]

If you like the knife, you are gonna say nice things about it. Many who owned/held it seem to like it... I am not sure what we should expect them to say about it other than good things.

If I like a knife, I almost always find a flaw in it. I wonder what that says about my personality?

There is nothing wrong with liking a knife and telling people about it. It is a little weird when you make repeated videos singing the praises of the same knife. (I.E. Cajun Blaze).

 

[FCM415]

If I like a knife, I almost always find a flaw in it. I wonder what that says about my personality?

There is nothing wrong with liking a knife and telling people about it. It is a little weird when you make repeated videos singing the praises of the same knife. (I.E. Cajun Blaze).

Noone says it is perfect. I don't think it is either, but I do like it a good bit. Some want the handle shorter, or the blade longer, some want the grind to be thinner, the finger choil removed etc. etc.

I've seen those CajunBlaze vids lol. The guy loves his PM2's and small Sebs. My favorite everyday folder is the Stretch, I can probably make multiple vids about that knife hah!