My new knife

L

LilLaz

Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
24
So I'm once again having trouble deciding what knife I'm going to get, but I narrowed it down to 4 choices. Kershaw Skyline, Ontario RAT 1, Spyderco Persistence, and Spyder Delica 4 (This one is a maybe as I might not have the funds for it).
My criteria:
Good, sturdy, durable build quality
easy to sharpen (Whichever knife I purchase I will also will be getting a Spyderco Sharpmaker with it)
decent edge retention
Comfort when in the hand and in the pocket
 
holy reoccurring topic batman!

let me break it down for you:
1. all of those knives are built well. for harder use go with the rat1 or spyderco persistence (or tenacious).
2. all of those knives will be pretty easy to sharpen.
3. all will have pretty good edge retention, but you're getting a sharpening system so you'll sharpen the knife whenever it's needed.
4. comfort is subjective and different for everyone.

so i would suggest either the rat1 or persistence out of your list, but the rat 1 is much bigger and heavier than all your other choices. i would recommend either the persistence or the tenacious.
 
Just go with what you like.

Don't know about the kershaw... it has a flipper if you like flippers in that price range, personally i'd hold out for a nice ZT.

Spyderco makes good knives, people seem to have a lot of them. I've had 3 and they are good blades. The Persistence has G-10 handles which is a plus and a fairly standard 8Cr13MoV blade steel, which from my experience is a solid middle of the road chinese stainless. Edge retention isn't the greatest, but the 8Cr13MoV blade I have has held up well and is quite serviceable. Personally I find spyderco knives boring, as its really the same knife pattern over and over again with different materials. Nothing against their quality though, they are good knives, I just don't carry mine because I favor other knives. To each his own.

Ontario Rat-1 is a hell of a good knife for 30$. If the handles were G-10, they could easily charge 60$ for them and people would still buy them. Mine was a bit larger than I expected, but it carries well in the pocket and has a great utility blade shape. Construction is rock solid and very durable, action is smooth and the lockup is excellent with no hint of blade play. The steel is AUS8, which is again, a fairly standard mid-range steel, probably right on par with 8Cr13MoV if not slightly better. If you buy the RAT-1, I would suggest a non coated blade, as the coating is basically paint and will scratch off fairly easily. The handles are nylon, which while not a deal breaker is inferior to G-10 in most peoples books.
 
I have Rat 1 and its build like a tank , its heavy but it doesnt bother me , razor sharp and comfortable
 
Hi Lil,
Let me suggest something that may be stupid, but it works for me.
To buy a Sharpmaker and the extra stones and the $20 hone that I see recommended, you're going to pay maybe $80-100 total. Why don't you take that money and upgrade your knife AND the blade-steel to a better steel that won't need sharpening nearly as often. AND...when it does need sharpening, you send it to Spyderco in Golden and they sharpen it for you. This is from the company website...

REPAIR INFORMATION
Blade Sharpening: Complimentary on PlainEdges, SpyderEdges and CombinationEdges provided. Please include $5.00 USD for shipping and handling.

That's awfully cheap. I've sent them knives for sharpening, and I'm without the knife for two wks. It's razor-sharp when I get it back.
If you can be without your knife for two wks while it's gone, you can get a MUCH nicer knife and blade-steel than you are presently looking at. Just my opinion. I do this with both my Spydies and my BenchMades. No complaints from me. Once you choice a knife, you can use it and earn some more money for a Sharpmaker. It's a good unit; wil last you a long time.
best regards whatever you choose to do...
Sonny
 
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Sonny brings up a good point.

It really depends on what you plan on using your knife for, and how much hard use it will actually get. If your job/duty/whatever requires a lot of cutting and you're looking for a cheaper knife to beat on a bit then by all means drop money on a sharpener. For general EDC and around the office/house tasks you may be better served skipping the sharpener and getting a blade in the 80-100$ range where you'll find more options, better steels and maybe that elusive "cool" factor that will really make you bond with your knife :) The only knives I regularly sharpen are my outdoor knives in 1095 that get a beating from wood processing. My EDCs in the 100$ range rarely need sharpening because i'm not beating on them all that much and the steels (S30V, 154CM etc.) hold a better edge than 8Cr13MoV or AUS8. Something to consider!
 
Sonnydaze said:
Hi Lil,
Let me suggest something that may be stupid, but it works for me.
To buy a Sharpmaker and the extra stones and the $20 hone that I see recommended, you're going to pay maybe $80-100 total. Why don't you take that money and upgrade your knife AND the blade-steel to a better steel that won't need sharpening nearly as often. AND...when it does need sharpening, you send it to Spyderco in Golden and they sharpen it for you. This is from the company website...

REPAIR INFORMATION
Blade Sharpening: Complimentary on PlainEdges, SpyderEdges and CombinationEdges provided. Please include $5.00 USD for shipping and handling.

That's awfully cheap. I've sent them knives for sharpening, and I'm without the knife for two wks. It's razor-sharp when I get it back.
If you can be without your knife for two wks while it's gone, you can get a MUCH nicer knife and blade-steel than you are presently looking at. Just my opinion. I do this with both my Spydies and my BenchMades. No complaints from me.
best regards whatever you choose to do...
Sonny
Click to expand...

CLE said:
Sonny brings up a good point.

It really depends on what you plan on using your knife for, and how much hard use it will actually get. If your job/duty/whatever requires a lot of cutting and you're looking for a cheaper knife to beat on a bit then by all means drop money on a sharpener. For general EDC and around the office/house tasks you may be better served skipping the sharpener and getting a blade in the 80-100$ range where you'll find more options, better steels and maybe that elusive "cool" factor that will really make you bond with your knife :) The only knives I regularly sharpen are my outdoor knives in 1095 that get a beating from wood processing. My EDCs in the 100$ range rarely need sharpening because i'm not beating on them all that much and the steels (S30V, 154CM etc.) hold a better edge than 8Cr13MoV or AUS8. Something to consider!
Click to expand...


i'm not a fan of that ^ idea.

my thinking is: if you own and use knives, any type of knives, you should have a way to maintain/sharpen the edge.
 
Fair enough but it really comes down to frequency and type of use. Since OP is on a budget, he may be find buying a nicer knife now and getting a sharper a month or two down the road when and if his blade needs it is feasible. For lighter EDC use -- cutting plastics, tape, cardboard, rope etc, you'll probably see only light edge-folding with AUS8 or 8Cr13MoV or any steel for that matter, which can be buffed with some stropping on the back of a belt. I've literally had a 100$ EDC S30V blade that has gone a full year of such every day tasks that hasn't needed a sharpening stone yet, can't say the same for my 8Cr13MoV spydie which does dull faster. It really depends on what OP plans on using the knife for.
 
jimnolimit said:
holy reoccurring topic batman!

let me break it down for you:
1. all of those knives are built well. for harder use go with the rat1 or spyderco persistence (or tenacious).
2. all of those knives will be pretty easy to sharpen.
3. all will have pretty good edge retention, but you're getting a sharpening system so you'll sharpen the knife whenever it's needed.
4. comfort is subjective and different for everyone.

so i would suggest either the rat1 or persistence out of your list, but the rat 1 is much bigger and heavier than all your other choices. i would recommend either the persistence or the tenacious.
Click to expand...

That's a good breakdown. Let me add my opinion (not considering the Delica):
1. The Skyline would be the best EDC. It is the lightest and thinnest of the bunch. The flipper design takes some getting used to. The steel is supposed to be an upgrade over the other choices (Kershaw/Kai claim 14C28N is better than 8CR13MOV). I haven't done any destructive testing, but if weight and feel are any indication, the Skyline would be the least sturdy of the bunch.
2. The Persistence and Tencious are essential the same knife in different sizes. Both feel very sturdy in hand. They look/feel bigger than their blade length because of the leaf shape.
3. The Rat 1 feels like the sturdiest of the bunch by far.
4. To me, the Rat 1 and Tenacious are too big for EDC. (The reaction I get from people when they see my Rat 1 is: "Wow, that's a big knife.")

If I didn't own any of them and someone asked me to pick one for myself to add to my collection, I'd take the Rat 1. It feels the most special and comes in different colors. This is the most knife for your dollars. But again, it's too big to carry every day.

So, if I had to pick one knife of this group to have for the rest of my life (yikes!) I'd take the Persistance. It's the best combination of EDC size and heft. (The Tenacious is an equal choice, depending on where you're using it. If I pulled out a Tenacious in my office in Los Angeles, people would freak.)
 
I'd go with the Persistance and use the left over funds to go towards a sharpening system. These imported spydies will really suprise you as far as overall F&F goes also the blade steel isn't half bad either.
 
calvinw said:
3. The Rat 1 feels like the sturdiest of the bunch by far.
4. To me, the Rat 1 and Tenacious are too big for EDC. (The reaction I get from people when they see my Rat 1 is: "Wow, that's a big knife.")
Click to expand...

True dat. I've gotten the "isn't that ILLEGAL?!" from the RAT-1.
 
Every time I think about a Sharpmaker and the fine and UF stones and the hone...I always say : "Gosh, with another $100, I could buy a real nice (put in model) with D2, CPM M4, 154CM, 20CP or M390. With the limited light use that I require from my EDC, the knife will go forever...darned near.
I've got five or six very nice knives (good blade-steel) in the $200 range and about every couple of yrs, I send one back to Golden with $5.00.
It works so far for me; not for everybody.
Sonny
 
I saw the OP make another post asking for good online retailers, so it looks like the decision's been made (and it looks like a Skyline).

Most of the knives I own are in the sames price range as the four you listed here. This price range is full of 8CR13MOV and Aus-8. They require sharpening every once in a while, but I rather like sharpening (I use a benchstone and a Sharpmaker). I think part of my knife obsession has to do with the act of sharpening. To me, it's like sanding and woodworking - some woodworkers find a pleasant calm in sanding, others hate the laborious chore. I'm proud of how sharp my knives are, even if the Sharpmaker doesn't require much skill to use.

If I got something with D2 and didn't have to sharpen it, I'd feel disconnected from the knife.
 
either kershaw or spyderco. getting the kershaw will be cheaper, and have less of a "slam" on your happiness if it breaks or gets lost.
plus, kershaw is pretty damn good.
 
Well Here Is MY Opinion.

I Agree With Sonny.. IN A WAY.
Spend Less On The Sharpening System.

Grab A Nice Lansky System For $20-$30 And Get A Good Knife For Around $75 - $100!

Lansky's Are A Good System, And Much Cheaper, And Really Easy To Use.

I Have 2 Sharpening Systems I Use - Neither Of Them Are Name Brand At All And They Work Fine For Me. They Give Me Crazy Sharp Polished Edges! But I Guess That's Because I Also Know How To Sharpen Well. Either Way... You Can Get A Good System For $20 And A Damn Good Knife For More Than $30 - $40.

I Would Look At A Spyderco Manix 2 Or You Can Aim Even Higher. Or Get Yourself A Spyderco Sage 1 On Amazon For $95.99 Shipped.

And Then Add This Lansky 3-Hone Sharpening System For $22.36 It's Eligible For Free Super Saver Shipping On Orders Over $25, And The Sage 1 Is $95.99 And Will Ship For Free With Free Super Saver Shipping. Add On The Lansky And It Ships Free Too.

You End Up Spending $118.35 For A Damn Good Knife And A Good Sharpening System.

Here's The Links To Those Two Things:
http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-3-Hone...L6LI/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1332297596&sr=8-6

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013AW8Y2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Or You Can Get A Spyderco Native - GREAT FOR THE MONEY - s30v Steel And Good Materials For $48.02..
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IO16E/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Plus Your Lansky That Only Comes Out To $70.38
 
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