My First Folder

S

sean1999

Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
149
Hello everyone. Just joined the board. I'm eager to purchase my first folding knife. I want a general all purpose knife that is under $100. I've narrowed it down to 3 options.
-Endura 4 FRN C10BK
-Endura 4 Stainless Steel C10
-Kerhsaw Junkyard Dog 2

My question is, does it make any difference if the handle is stainless steel or Nylon/Fiberglass when it comes to handling and slip resistance. I'd guess that a stainless steel knife handle could possibly slip if your palms are wet/oily/sweaty during an aggressive cut. Am I wrong? But then again the steel handle would last longer and is more durable. What would you choose out of the 3 I've listed. Sorry if my question seems dumb. I'm not a knife collector, just want a good all around knife that will last me for years to come. Thanks everyone. :D
 
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You are not wrong. Get an Endura like the first one you described. Very few knives come sharper outta' the box and it is a great slicer. Oh and welcome to the forums!
 
The Endura is indeed an excellent choice for your first all-around folder. I recommend you check out the waved version too, nothing opens faster :thumbup:
 
Welcome. I prefer the FRN over the SS handles generally because of my concern for slipping. The FRN is tough stuff BTW, don't underestimate it. It'll last well past the time when you start buying dozen upon dozens of knives because of these forums anyway.

Kershaw makes a great knife as well. I personally would get the FRN Endura 4 Wave over all of them. After 2 years of going through these endless pages on this forum, I've concluded that the Endura 4 Wave is one of the best values per dollar out there in all price ranges. But of course, that's just my opinion.
 
Welcome, and it seems you've prolly been reading up quite a bit before taking the plunge (your FIRST folder? Really? Not even a Swiss Army Knife before?) as your choices have many fans.

I have both the Endura in G-10 (or whatever they call the nylon) with the wave opening feature, and also the JYD 2, I like them both, you won't go wrong either way. The Endura is thinner, less bulky, probably better for everyday use (I find it a bit long for that, in my profession I need something smaller so I use its smaller cousin the Delica) the JYD is thicker, a bit sturdier (not that the Endura is flimsy) love the shape of the handle, fits my hand very well, the texture is quite grippy. Blades have different profiles, I haven't done much cutting yet but the Endura came sharper out of box, the blade on the JYD is broad, like a spear. Would make a fearsome stab wound for sure if self defense is a consideration. I love the flipper opening feature on the JYD2, it is VERY fast, and fun to use too.

I like the look of SS handles but the only one I ever held (another Spyderco, dunno the model) felt a bit heavy. I think the possibility of slippage would be greater with wet hands, unless you did some texturing--there was a great post by someone who did just that to his Spydies, quite cool, do a search.

Bottom line, great contenders all. Check ebay, the forum sales, etc and you can probably get both for under $100 total or close to it.

Enjoy!
 
Welcome to BladeForums...

If possible, try to handle the knives you're interested in buying first. Pick the one that you'll actually carry and use based on how it feels in your hand. Both companies have a lot of fans here and both turn out quality products. Both the Enduras and the JYD 2 could last a lifetime if used & cared for properly.

Personally, I would choose the C10BK Endura because of the FRN scales. I don't think you'll find a tougher production knife in those price ranges than Spyderco's FRN Delica 4 / Endura 4 series. I've dropped an FRN Delica onto a concrete warehouse floor from 10 feet in the air before with no harm done to blade or scales. The FRN feels very different than stainless or titanium, but it is not weaker in this application and you may find that scales that aren't affected by heat, cold, or liquids suit you better than metal scales. The FRN Endura will also be the lightest of the three knives, if that's a concern for you.

I don't know anything about the 13C26 blade steel Kershaw uses in their JYDs, but I use Spyderco's VG10 all the time... it's my favorite steel for an EDC folder because of it's toughness and ease of resharpening. S30V, BG42, and ZDP189 all hold their edges longer, but they can be difficult to resharpen if you're new at it or don't have the equipment to do it.
 
If you can carry a large folder, then by all means get a Kershaw JunkYard Dog II...I have one, and it's AWESOME!! You might also want to take a look at the Kershaw Cyclone before you spend your money...The Cyclone is MY all-time favorite folder.
 
This is a great board! I appreciate everyone's input. It definitely made my choice easier. I'm going to try out the Endura 4 FRN C10BK. Who knows, maybe I'll catch the fever too and become a knife nut!
 
Sean, if you really want an "all purpose knife" you could not do better than a Victorinox Soldier from www.eknifeworks.com

Victorinox® Textured Silver Alox Soldier™ $19.99

brand: Victorinox® V5720M

In 1897, the Original Swiss Army™ Knife was created by Master Cutler Karl Elsener in the small village of Ibach, Switzerland. Since that time, Victorinox® has achieved international success as a result of a continued commitment to functionality, versatility and precision.

·Large blade
·Bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper
·Can opener with small screwdriver
·Punch
·3-1/2" closed
·Stainless steel blades and tools
·Textured silver Alox® handle
 
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