Neck Knives: I'm torn between a few. Help!

[W.T. Beck]

I own three neck knives - a WM1, Arclite, and a TOPS Street Scapel. Of these I like the WM1 best, owing to the more comfortable and secure handle.

 

[kevtan]

beck, my point exactly.

 

[rdangerer]

Originally posted by fulloflead
I'm leaning toward the La Griffe and MOD.
I'll be using it for mostly utility use and potentially defense.
I'm concerned about the thick ones' cutting performance.
I also consider weight, printing under the shirt of a short, fat person and rust resistance.
[/B]

Buy the knife you want, have a nice sheath made for it... i.e., don't skew your decision because it comes with a cr@ppy sheath.

The LaGriffe is a really small, light, neat design for a small, last ditch, and wicked little ripping claw for self defense. It is NOT a utility knife.

Make sure you take a good hard look at the Darrel Ralph ArcLite... I've got a custom in 420V and it's a gem. Check out the Camillus ArcLite Cuda for a nice cheapie.

Also, I really like several of Pat Crawford's designs... clean, light, functional. I like their original "Neck Knife" in a simple drop point at around 3", also the Sparrow Hawk and Kasper. Definitely look these over before you decide:
http://www.crawfordknives.com/html/neckknives.html

I like the smallest Bud Nealy Pesh Kabz. Pointy, but stout point, then deeply hollow ground slicing main edge. Clever blade grind overall.

I really like the looks of the Spydie Ronin mentioned earlier, but haven't handled one. I would only change the butt of the handle to have some drop to it.

Decide what features are important to you, and evaluate all you can find against that criteria. Example... here is what is important to me in a neck knife, not necessarily in order... your list will probably differ, so just food for thought:

1. lightweight... skeletonized is nice, but not to point of weakening at blade/handle junction.
2. blade 3" or less, OAL of 7" is adequate for my hand size typically
3. secure grip... index finger "guard" of some kind at least... thin material stock to keep it light/small. Some bit of drop in the butt helps grip security on removal from sheath and on a draw stroke.
3b. handle works in reverse grip... comfortable, and a place for your thumb on butt.
4. stainless steel... corrosion resistance is more important to me than edge holding in a neck knife, but you get both with 420V and S30V. I.e., I'd rather 440C than D2 in a neck knife scheduled for carry in the deep South (humidity, sweat). ATS-34 is borderline. VG-10 would work.
5. breakaway chain (as you noted). Don't skew your purchase because a sheath lacks this... you can add yourself. Or you can use paracord and just make a 2" segment of the paracord loop from breakaway chain so you can't be choked out as easily with the thing. I still prefer all breakaway myself... rather not give anyone any length of paracord to use against me.
6. snug flat, narrow kydex sheath
7. no double edges (no sharpened top edge) if for utility use... you'll just cut yourself more often than anything else.
8. grind that leaves point sturdy enough to avoid fragility, but made from reasonably thin stock (e.g., not the Assault Shaker, too thick/heavy unless you are a really big guy).
9. I don't care for serrations for utility, but they can make a short knife more of a ripper for self defense. Rounded serrations (e.g. Benchmade) make more sense than the really pointy ones, in the sense that rounded ones will come back OUT of a target whilst pointy ones might get hung up more easily.
10. blade grind for utility AND self defense is good (but I still like the LaGriffe for pure, last ditch claw/defense). Hawkbills are for self defense and make lousy utility knives (except in a niche, like cutting carpet down to size). Janich's Ronin design might make the best compromise out there, a very pointy flat edge (just need to tweak the handle butt design for my tastes... Janich might have a good reason he did it that way though).

 

[rdangerer]

Nealy's Mini Pesh Kabz... a design that happens to hit on my own personal requirements more so than any other... although the two that follow are very close: (photo from AZ Custom Knives):

I don't own one of these... if someone wants to cut loose with the mini for a good price, drop me a line.

 

[rdangerer]

A Pat Crawford design that hits most of my own requirements pretty well (and I own one of these):

 

[rdangerer]

...and a pic showing 3 of Darrel Ralph's Arclites, one big belt knife, and two that are neckers, a custom (I own one) and a cost effective Camillus Cuda:

 

[rdangerer]

Originally posted by Danbo
I have one of the Bitteroots in S30V, and I like it a lot. I am thinking about putting some thin carbon fiber slabs on it, but the knife is a keeper. For $45, it's also a no-brainer. Heck, I paid more than that for dinner last weekend for me and the Wife. Get one!

Thanks for the link cpirtle on the Bitterroot. I hadn't seen either.

Geez, that is a bargain for $45. S30V at Rc60? Simonich knows what he's doing. Now, this thing has a 1-5/8" blade and is 3-7/8" OAL, only 0.6oz (I assume w/o sheath). That's very small and light... might fit the bill for the poster, FullOLead (AH Ah ahhhh...).

 

[rdangerer]

Pic of the Janich designed, Spyderco Ronin... in the $90 range and 3" VG-10 blade, 7" OAL:

One of the things I like about this knife is how pointy it is... also it's flat ground.

Janich did his best, with his experience and his ideas for an ideal neck knife, to make this design a performant one... cutting, slashing efficiently, and with some thought about using a breakaway chain with an outer para sheath to keep Concealex material from rattling on the chain (read his explanation... I think you could simply use a short sheath of para in the neck sheath area only to prevent rattling). A good link articulating Janich's design thoughts:

http://www.martialbladecraft.net/the ronin.htm

 

[rdangerer]

Microtech Medallion. I haven't handled one of these. I can kinda tell by jes' lookin' that the handle will be a bit short, but then so is anything that's only got a 3" handle (incl Bitterroot). You'd have to hold it to see... 3 fingers probably. The Emerson LaGriffe is very small but the design lends some degree of security... index finger through hole, leveraged hold with index + middle finger.

 

[rdangerer]

Emerson LaGriffe... small, light, wicked (I own one):

 

[rdangerer]

...one more, and then back to work for me.

The MOD Scorpion. Hmmm... looks means.

I dunno. I'd have to handle this and play with it, carry it a bit, but...

Just looking at it, I'd say I don't care for:
1. a sharpened/serrated top edge (but would allow a back cut motion)
2. So much belly
3. Trailing point design
4. pointy butt for reverse grip reasons (but does offer a sharp point for using the butt in a pressure point region... I just wonder if handle is long enough to really allow you to use the butt effectively this way in 3 finger grip. Maybe 3.5" handle allows 4 fingers for medium sized hands.

YRMV, YMMV, YOMV.

Neutral:
1. Some minor index finger guard recess.
2. 2.5" blade, 6" OAL, probably 4 finger grip only for up to medium sized hands.
3. Probably strong enough, but there ain't much meat behind the blade where it connects to the handle. Neutral. (might be plenty strong, just haven't handled it).

Pros:
1. Very light for size I suspect.
2. Looks mean.
3. Can use it right-side-up, or upside-down to get a hawkbill effect.
4. very sharp point

 

[YoungCutter]

I had a 420HC Arclite that I used to carry, I ended up selling it because I bought a Mike Cooper Custom Neck Knife which was quite a bit nicer (and because it was built to my specifications, it had alot of qualities I liked).

Arclite was a fine knife, sharp, strong, didn't print for beans, and it was certainly affordable. I was kind of surprised at how much edge you can really get out of that thing (as neck knives go it's kinda long). I'm sure the D2 version is great, but I don't really carry neckies that much anymore and for those times when I have the itch, I still have my lovely Cooper custom.

Though this Midtech Bitteroot might get the better of me, being the Simonich fan that I am

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Originally posted by YoungCutter
Though this Midtech Bitteroot might get the better of me, being the Simonich fan that I am

At the price, you can hardly afford to pass it up. I like mine so much, I strung red, white, and blue beads on the neck chain, and a different sequence of beads on the keychain, which I threaded through the arrowhead cutout.

 

[geegee]

This is one of the best "necker threads" in a long time. Carry on! geegee

 

[vactor]

for me, nothing (so far) comes close to my Camillus Mini Talon neck knife. talonite cuts like mad, zero corrosion. AWESOME ergo handle!! on an aside, where can i get a Simonich Bitteroot?? i looked and saw that TAD was sold out ... anywhere else i could get one?

 

[bquinlan]

Originally posted by vactor
i looked and saw that TAD was sold out ... anywhere else i could get one?

You can get the S30V version from Arizona Custom Knives ($45) and the Talonite version from BladeArt ($80).

For keychain use S30V makes perfect sense. For a necker I think the Talonite is well worth the extra $35!

--Bob Q

 

[fulloflead]

I'm glad I started this thread.

You got me all turned on by neck knives over the last few days.

So far I've got coming:
A Benchmade Tether - because someone offered me it in a pretty fair trade.

Microtech Medallion - because someone made me a deal I couldn't pass up.

I went to my first Custom Show today and ALMOST picked up:

a Dozier for $150 but they didn't take credit cards and they were pretty long overall (7-8")

a little Snody for $175 but it only came with a belt sheath and again, no credit cards and I can't see spending ove $150 for a neck knife, even if it's a Snody. I think it was a little overpriced.

Still considering a MOD and a LaGriffe. And I also gotta look up a few of the customs and a few others that people are talking about.

Just watch; a couple months from now I'll be selling a couple of neck knives that I don't like and keeping a few I do.

Nothing wrong with buying something to try it and then selling or trading if you don't like it. Things don't lose their value that much on the forums and at least you got a chance to try something new.

 

[rdangerer]

Originally posted by fulloflead
Nothing wrong with buying something to try it and then selling or trading if you don't like it.

Right on, bro.

Finding the few you really want to keep and use is out of the dozens and dozens of designs out there is what's fun. Those you keep will mean more to you, and the keepers will be worth the small losses you take on the sales of those tried and freed up for others to enjoy.

 

[fulloflead]

Originally posted by rdangerer
Right on, bro.

Finding the few you really want to keep and use is out of the dozens and dozens of designs out there is what's fun. Those you keep will mean more to you, and the keepers will be worth the small losses you take on the sales of those tried and freed up for others to enjoy.

Yep. That's what I was thinking.
The crazy thing is that I've occasionally done this with guns too except one at a time.
I tend to take a little bigger hit selling a used gun than with a knife. Somehow once a gun is "used" at ALL the price has to drop about 10% to sell it because people worry what you might have done to it and they expect a DEAL on a used gun. With knives, it seems, people don't care too much if a knife is a little used if they're saving just a little bit unless, of coarse, it's something that people often "collect only" and don't use like a custom or high-end production.

Some of my best knives I actually bought slightly used and I think a lot of people feel that way too. You can try out a knife without really even making any cosmetic marks on it.

But back to the subject, who's that guy that makes damascus neck knives on this forum for really cheap?
(TheBadGuy are you paying attention?)

 

[Mitchell Knives]

How about a Spyderco Ronin? I'm quite fond of mine...