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Need Help Finding a EDC Folder

L

Lazor

Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Messages
14
Hey guys, I'm new to the forums here so I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I need help looking for a quality EDC blade. There's a lot of options out there, and for someone without a lot of experience in steel types, it makes it difficult to make a selection.

Here are some basic requirements:

1) I am not a fan of big knives for EDC, mostly due to legalities. In Canada, an officer can confiscate your knife if he/she believes that your intentions of carrying the knife are in self defense or something of the sort (which is bullshit). I am looking for something with nothing more than a 3" blade, maybe +0.25" on that.

2) I'd like it to have a slim profile, as I intend to not use the clip and simply put it in my pocket.

3) I'll be using it in cold weather and in moist conditions (this is Canada we're talking about) so I need something that has good rust resistance.

The knife that I'm looking at right now is the Spyderco Delica 4 FFG, but I'm not so sure about it. I've read good reviews from Nutnfancy and other youtube reviewers like the Late Boy Scout, but I'm unsure about how the knife would function in a cold/wet environment. Also, in Canada, it's hard to get the knife for under ~75$, which means that value may be in question too.

I'd appreciate any suggestions, also, I will be using gloves so preferably something that I can open easily one handed with gloves would be a nice addition.
 
Welcome to the forum

Delica vg 10 is great, if you are willing to spend a bit more I would go with spyderco caly 3 inch blade. Carries like the delica but has g10 scales.
Good luck with your search
 
I don't have any problems spending ~~ 130$ on a knife, but I'm not very experienced with them and don't own very many. I'd like the next knife I purchase to probably be around 70-90$, or something around there.
 
before getting to the note after 3) my exact thought was a Delica. Great knife bought, sold and traded many of them. the FFG is on my list of want to gets
 
I live in Canada and I have never had any issues at all, with the size of the knife I carry or with rust, for what it is worth here is what I think;

- Cally3 CF is great, slim, light and beautiful but it is ZDP so you could have an issue with rust (although if you take care of it I doubt you would, I haven't). If you are worried about rust maybe the 3.5 with VG 10 would be better, it is also a little less money, in the $120ish range.

- Manix2 is awesome, great ergos a steel for the price ($100 range) probably my favorite Spyderco. Hollow grind though if that's an issue, S30v which is a great steel.

- Native 5 is a great, great knife, if you can find one in stock. More in the $130 range, more compact than the Native 5 but thicker than the Caly line. Very robust, great liner lock and ergos S35VN, which some people like and some don't, I like it.

Delica and Endura are great as long as you like FRN handles and I do. I think they are on sale at W&W in Canada right now for under $70. I like a choil so for me I prefer the other knives on this list.

Salt H1 - I haven't had any of my Spyderco's rust but if you think the knife is going to be spending a lot of time in a wet environment then the would be great but if it is just normal use in our climate I doubt you need it. In your price range, no choil.

Hope that helps.
 
I think either Caly 3 or 3.5 in VG-10/G10 would be perfect for you. Its super slim and a good shape for loose pocket carry with the clip removed, better than the delica I think. It's [the 3.5] also quite small folded for a 3.5" blade, closed its the same size as the Delica which has >.5" less blade however with the choil you can choke up on the blade effectively lengthening the handle. Also the UKPK would be a good one for cold weather since there's no lock to operate, its a Caly 3 handle/blade without a lock and BD1 is one of the most stain resistant stainless steels out there (and also very easy to get really sharp)
 
I'm down here in Duluth (or over here in Duluth, for that matter.). I wear gloves quite a bit too. I've had a Manix2 hollow ground 154CM blade for about a year and a half now. It has been exactly what I need. The blade size is exactly what you're after too. Plus, if you can wait it out a liiiitle longer, the FFG (Full Flat Grind) S30V version will be out soon.

I don't know how much of a crazy improvement S30V is over 154CM, but I do like a FFG blade.
 
You should definitely go with the delica its a great knife. It uses vg-10 steel which is great stuff, its easy to sharpen along with good edge retention and the corrosion resistance is also very good.
 
Pretty much anything from Spyderco is excellent.

The Kershaw Leek is about the thinnest and sleekest knife I can think of that fits your description. There is a stonewashed version (1660swblk) which is slightly more corrosion resistant than their usual beadblasted finish. It has a flipper, and it's assisted. So opening with gloves shouldn't be a problem.

Also the Benchmade Mini Griptilian is worth taking a look at. It's pricey, but it has a very tough lock. It has fiberglass reinforced nylon handles, so they would probably be more appropriate in cold weather. The blade steel is 154cm which is very corrosion resistant. The make a version with a thumbhole opener that would be easier to use with gloves.
 
I took a look at the Manix2, and while it looks like a good knife, it seems a little too big in terms of handle size for what I'm looking for. The only real issue is that I intend to just have the knife rest inside my pocket, and it'll likely be in the same pocket as my cellphone. With a thickness and handle size like that, my pocket is going to bulge like crazy =P.

Both the Griptilian and the Delica look like good options to me, though the Griptilian does have a fairly nasty price tag associated with it.
 
Spyderco Delica or Dragonfly would be my top two picks. Both are really good and fit your requirements. You could also get the H1 version for a more corrosion resistant steel.
 
I'm not enough of a steel geek to tell you what's going to hold up best in wet or moist conditions, but here's are some great EDC options that are super cheap, so maybe you can try out a couple and see what you like best...?

http://www.bladehq.com/item--CRKT-Drifter-Folding--4495
8CR13MoV steel. Cheap, but I've seen complaints of rust spots showing up.
(this is the same steel you're going to find in a lot of budget priced Kershaws and others)

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Ontario-RAT-Model-1--5023
AUS-8 steel. Not sure how it does Vs rust, but it's prolly a little better than above.

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Skyline-Knife-1760-3-Bead--8520
The Skyline is a personal favorite. 14C28N Sandvik steel, supposed to be pretty good, but again, I'm just a dumbass. Google it and do your homework if steel type is a major concern.

All of these are in the 3" blade neighborhood and all are great, non-threatening EDC options.
Hope that helps.
 
The easiest knife to open and close with gloves on is something with an Axis lock, and after working with heavy leather gloves on, I say this from experience. Easy open, easy close. The Grip would make an excellent choice.
 
Any decent modern steel will do just fine in Canadian weather with some basic care. For what you're after the Delica would be a great EDC choice as would a Leek.
 
Lazor said:
Both the Griptilian and the Delica look like good options to me, though the Griptilian does have a fairly nasty price tag associated with it.
Click to expand...

Can't go wrong with the Delica. But closing a lockback with one hand with gloves on will take some practice. The Griptilian or Mini Griptilian are a bit pricey, yes, but the Axis lock on those knives is unique to Benchmade. Axis lock is, in my opinion, the easy to operate one handed. It's very fast in both opening and closing. And it's been proven to be one of the strongest locks on the market. It's the perfect lock. Of all the knives I've owned over the last year my Benchmades were always my preferred brand. I've recently sold off alot of my collection to try and get it to less than 20 knives, but I have a hard time parting with my Axis lock knives. Just grit your teeth and order one and you won't regret it.
 
Look at that link above on the Ontario-RAT-Model 1. It's very impressive; folks rave about it, and it's cheap.
$30 or so.
 
Byrd Meadowlark 2 is a great value for the money. I like the finger choil over the delica and 8cr13mov takes and holds an edge more than well enough for me.

The spyderco uk pen knife with leaf shaped blade is another great option. High value, great looks, American made. Law enforcement friendly. I'm going to pick one up for a work knife for quick cuts. I'm getting a little tired of fishing around my pocket for a traditional and using two hands to open it, or having to use two hands to unlock my backlock knives to put them away. The ukpk seems like a perfect solution for this purpose, easy to pull out of the pocket, make a quick cut and put away one handed with the least amount of fiddling.
 
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