Need a knife for an Illinois Police cadet...

I'mGatMan!

I'mGatMan!

Joined
Dec 13, 2007
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I don't post over here too often, but I figured this is the best place to find an answer to my question. I'm hoping you people can help a brother out.

My Brother-in-law is in a police academy in Illinois state, and I wanted to get him a good folding knife as a gift. He's not a knife guy, but I know that now he's in the academy, he will see the need/use of a good, solid knife he can depend on.

So here's what I need:

3" blade
Coated
Combo edge/half serrated
G-10 or Micarta slabs
Pocket clip
Frame or Axis lock (if possible)
CPM 154, D2, or comparable steel (maybe s30v if it's HT'ed by Paul Bos)
Good, solid warranty
Made in the USA

I found the 14210SBK-701 and 14210SBT:
http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=14210

but the blade on that knife is recurved, and I'm thinking a recurved blade would be pretty difficult for a knife-rook to learn to sharpen without lots of practice.

Any advice you good people can give me toward which knives fit my needs would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Jason
 
Get him a nice flashlight instead. Something with a metal body that you could have his name engraved on perhaps. So many different departments have their own different rules about what sort of knives can be carried, it would be best to wait, as to not buy your brother in law a knife he could not use at work. Just my two cents.
 
A black serrated Spyderco Native sounds like it would work. A tough knife with S30V steel and a 3" blade. :thumbup:
 
A composite leek would be nice but I second the flashlight idea. Go for a surefire 6P and a malkoff drop-in, unless he plans on working the day shift.
 
How about a black serrated para-military.
Blade is a little over 3, but barely.
CPM- S30V coated blade, black g10, has a pocket clip, and is made in the USA.
 
I wouldn't worry about the recurve. Since you're looking at the combo-edge models, the recurve portion is serrated. A serrated recurve isn't any harder to sharpen than any other serrated edge, since you need to sharpen each serration individually (or use something like a sharpmaker).
 
I hear the concerns about the knife, an I was thinking about getting him a good light, but I had my sister ask his cop friend about regs forthe knife and he said 3". My sister is going to get him the light.

KJ, that's a good point. I really should have realized that myself. D'oh!

The para-mil won't work because it's longer than 3", but I'll look into the native. Anyone know who does the HTing for Spyderco? Quite frankly, I'm not convinced about S30v.

Will look into the leeks as well, but I'm personally not a big fan I the design aesthetic.

Oh, and btw...my dollar limit is around 150$
 
It doesn't really fit any of your criteria, but I love my spyderco scorpius, and I think it would work well as a duty knife and is within the 3" limit.
 
Realistically , get him a good multitool , or a SAK . A good LED light would also be very usefull to him . As far as SAK's go , I would pick something small , like a Spartan , or a recruit .

Once he gets past his probation , then treat him to whatever model he wants . You dont want his training officers thinking he's Jimmy Neutron , mall ninja .

Chris
 
cdf said:
Realistically , get him a good multitool , or a SAK . A good LED light would also be very usefull to him . As far as SAK's go , I would pick something small , like a Spartan , or a recruit .

Once he gets past his probation , then treat him to whatever model he wants . You dont want his training officers thinking he's Jimmy Neutron , mall ninja .

Chris
Click to expand...

I think this is also a good idea. Perhaps pick him up a nice multi tool, and then buy him a knife once he's done with his probation. It will give him time to feel out what sort of knife the other officers carry, and perhaps decide what exactly he wants. Especially because you state he isn't a knife guy. If you really want to get him a knife, I would look at spyderco, benchmade, and CRKT. The M16 series has alot of good choices.
 
The RC3 does fit all the criteria---if fixed knives are approved, then certainly go for that. :thumbup:

If not, then I might recommend the Benchmade Mini Griptilian; perhaps the Doug Ritter RSK series version with a black-coated, combination edge blade. Benchmade S30V is excellent---I have no complaints with the steel. I find the edge geometry of the Mini RSK Mk1 to be superior to that of the regular Cabela's D2 model, but I wouldn't hesitate to carry either---both can come coated in a CE.

Those knives are far enough under your price limit that you could also get him a nice Victorinox to carry in his pocket as well---the Farmer is a classic, but they make countless models. Perhaps a cadet, just for the pun. :D
 
starboard said:
Get him some anonymous Chinese junk to slip into the hand of an expired "suspect". :)
Click to expand...

:D

The multitool/Sak idea sounds good. I was actually thinking of the RC3, but I have to ask about fixed blades.

Thanks for the advice people. I still have a few days to do research because I'm selling a knife to buy his. We'll see if the deal actually goes through.

J
 
Double check because a lot of academies will not allow students to carry knives of any kind.
 
I'mGatMan! said:
I hear the concerns about the knife, an I was thinking about getting him a good light, but I had my sister ask his cop friend about regs forthe knife and he said 3". My sister is going to get him the light.

KJ, that's a good point. I really should have realized that myself. D'oh!

The para-mil won't work because it's longer than 3", but I'll look into the native. Anyone know who does the HTing for Spyderco? Quite frankly, I'm not convinced about S30v.

Will look into the leeks as well, but I'm personally not a big fan I the design aesthetic.

Oh, and btw...my dollar limit is around 150$
Click to expand...

Sal of Spyderco is a top-notch guy ... why, he's as trustworthy as any Hog, my friend. :D

I can second the Native.

You might also want to glance at A.G.Russell's site. A. G. is another totally trust-worthy old-timer who sells a lot of extremely good 'stuff.' So, take a look there and see what you can see.
 
I'd say a Spyderco Paramiltary
81gsbk.jpg
 
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