Thank you, gentlemen, for your kind words. Although I've never been much of a knife collector, I'm happy with this first effort.
Keeping in mind that I'm a relative novice in knife arcana, but a life-long knife user, here are some thoughts...
1. Spyderco Spur C32. This is a well constructed knife, with a characteristically Spyderco design. It is one of the models made in Japan, and its fit and finish reflect that. Solid lockup and no blade play. It is, however, a very diminutive knife, and so its uses are limited. It is also difficult to deploy, in spite of the large thumb hole. If I had to sum up the C32 in one word, I'd say "cute."
2. Benchmade 705 sbt. Not as solid feeling as the C32, but a lot more usable. The blade flies out on command. The liner lock is adequate, but not impressive. Little, but not non-existant, blade play. The slightly longer handle and blade make it a better EDC than the C32, provided you're not doing much more than cutting open boxes for your wife.
3. Chris Reeve large Sebenza with cocobolo inlay. Hard to say much that hasn't already been said about this knife. It is VERY precisely crafted, as its reputation suggests. It has a rock solid lockup and a very sharp blade. It is not, however, a perfect knife. The imperfections are more a matter of design than execution. Specifically, the thumb stud sucks. Sorry, Chris Reeve fans, it sucks. It's pointy, shallow, uncomfortable, difficult to find, and not well positioned relative to (a) the thumb recess and (b) the angle of deployment. And don't tell me to practice. I already have. After a day or two, I can now deploy the knife quickly, safely, and reliably. So what's the problem? At the risk of sounding like a dilettante, there is simply NO JOY in deployment. If the Sebenza were redesigned to solve the deployment problem, it would be close to a perfect knife, IMO. As it is, it's a great knife. I can certainly see why it's widely regarded as the gold standard among non-custom folders, as it is a beautiful design executed to a ridiculously high level of precision. It is also a great EDC.
4. Pohan Leu Bluephin with carbon fiber. IMO, a work of art. It rivals, but IMO does not quite achieve, the manufacturing precision of the Sebenza. The blade is scary sharp, with no play whatsoever. Deployment is good, but not great, as the flipper is relatively small and hard edged, and the detent resistance is significant. Having said that, it may be my favorite of the bunch, because of its artistry and unique design. It's a little too large for EDC, however, if you're planning on carrying any else in that pocket.
5. Zero Tolerance 0301. Surprisingly well constructed for the price. Seems like it will take a beating, which I've not yet had the opportunity to inflict. Does not approach the Sebenza or the Bluephin in terms of craftsmanship, but it's perfectly respectable among economy-of-scale production knives. Between the large flipper, assisted opening, and modest detent, deployment is a thing of joy. You just look at it and it opens. And then it says, "let's cut something." Nice.
6. Ka-Bar Becker BK2 with micarta handles. What is there to say? It's stupid. In a good way, and in a stupid way. What possible reason could I have for owning this knife, other than I saw it and had to have it? With 1/4" thick blade, you could chop firewood. I won't try, as I own a perfectly good axe. But it's nice to look at and imagine that I actually had a use for it.
As always, IMO, IME, YMMV, etc. etc.
Bryon
