Chuck_Nunface
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manix 2 is going to be too big to fit your criteria. Great knife, but scratch it.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Need Opinions on my Final 8 EDC...
- Thread starter TripleB67
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- Jan 28, 2016
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Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!
I appreciate all of you taking the time to respond and offer your experiences, input, thoughts, reviews, comparisons, and expertise on all the knives listed and even some possibilities not listed.
After all this time trying numerous knives (Bugout, Mini Bugout, Spyderco Sage 5 LW, Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight, Griptilian, Mini Griptilian with thumb stud, Mini Griptilian with thumb hole, Civivi Elementum) it came down to three knives: Spyderco Sage 5 Lightweight, Benchmade Bugout, and Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight.
After spending a good amount of time with each I narrowed it down to the Sage 5 LW and the Para 3 LW. From the two individual knives I had: the Sage 5 LW was perfectly centered while the Para 3 LW wasn't even close, the Sage 5 LW had silky smooth action right out of the box while the Para 3 LW had to be closed using two hands because the the blade wouldn't release after pressing the compression lock (I did loosen up the pivot screw and that help a lot, but it still didn't feel as smooth as the Sage 5 LW), I liked the blade shape of the Para 3 LW better than the Sage 5 LW, liked the fact that the Para 3 LW actually had a deep pocket clip (although the Sage 5 LW is very close to deep pocket), I really couldn't tell a difference between the sharpness of the blades (both extremely sharp, much sharper than any Benchmade I tried), the Para 3 LW is more narrow and lighter which made it feel better in the pocket.
But in the end I just couldn't get over how much smoother the action was with the Sage 5 LW compared to the para 3 LW...and the way off center blade bugged me. So I decided to go with the Sage 5 LW...
...but wait a minute! On a whim I ordered the Para 3 Lightweight with the DLC blade, just because the blacked out "looked cool." It came in today and WOW!!!
The action of this individual knife is incredible...identically smooth just like the Sage 5 LW but the centering is ever so slightly off - not perfectly centered but darn close (the Sage 5 LW is perfectly centered). The blacked out look is just BEAUTIFUL!!! It looked great in all the pictures I've seen of it but they don't even come close to doing it justice!
With an action equal to the Sage 5 LW out of the box and the absolutely stunning beauty of it, I can live with the minutely off center alignment of the blade - THE SPYDERCO PARA 3 LIGHTWEIGHT BLACKED OUT VERSION IS 'THE ONE' (and I couldn't be happier)!!!
Again, I couldn't have done it without you - I appreciate all the help and incredible patience you've shown as I've finally been able to decide on my first $100+ EDC knife! You all are amazing!!!
TripleB67
I appreciate all of you taking the time to respond and offer your experiences, input, thoughts, reviews, comparisons, and expertise on all the knives listed and even some possibilities not listed.
After all this time trying numerous knives (Bugout, Mini Bugout, Spyderco Sage 5 LW, Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight, Griptilian, Mini Griptilian with thumb stud, Mini Griptilian with thumb hole, Civivi Elementum) it came down to three knives: Spyderco Sage 5 Lightweight, Benchmade Bugout, and Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight.
After spending a good amount of time with each I narrowed it down to the Sage 5 LW and the Para 3 LW. From the two individual knives I had: the Sage 5 LW was perfectly centered while the Para 3 LW wasn't even close, the Sage 5 LW had silky smooth action right out of the box while the Para 3 LW had to be closed using two hands because the the blade wouldn't release after pressing the compression lock (I did loosen up the pivot screw and that help a lot, but it still didn't feel as smooth as the Sage 5 LW), I liked the blade shape of the Para 3 LW better than the Sage 5 LW, liked the fact that the Para 3 LW actually had a deep pocket clip (although the Sage 5 LW is very close to deep pocket), I really couldn't tell a difference between the sharpness of the blades (both extremely sharp, much sharper than any Benchmade I tried), the Para 3 LW is more narrow and lighter which made it feel better in the pocket.
But in the end I just couldn't get over how much smoother the action was with the Sage 5 LW compared to the para 3 LW...and the way off center blade bugged me. So I decided to go with the Sage 5 LW...
...but wait a minute! On a whim I ordered the Para 3 Lightweight with the DLC blade, just because the blacked out "looked cool." It came in today and WOW!!!
The action of this individual knife is incredible...identically smooth just like the Sage 5 LW but the centering is ever so slightly off - not perfectly centered but darn close (the Sage 5 LW is perfectly centered). The blacked out look is just BEAUTIFUL!!! It looked great in all the pictures I've seen of it but they don't even come close to doing it justice!
With an action equal to the Sage 5 LW out of the box and the absolutely stunning beauty of it, I can live with the minutely off center alignment of the blade - THE SPYDERCO PARA 3 LIGHTWEIGHT BLACKED OUT VERSION IS 'THE ONE' (and I couldn't be happier)!!!
Again, I couldn't have done it without you - I appreciate all the help and incredible patience you've shown as I've finally been able to decide on my first $100+ EDC knife! You all are amazing!!!
TripleB67
unwisefool
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So wait, now you have 3 knives?
Mingecutter
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Blade centering can usually be corrected with a couple of torx drivers, a piece of folded up paper, and a little effort. And don't forget that blue loctite is your friend, especially if you fidget with your knives a lot.
Congrats on your purchases! Use them in good health!!
Congrats on your purchases! Use them in good health!!
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2016
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Someone on here mentioned a way to try the knives and then send back the ones you felt weren't the right knife for you.
I followed his/her advice... which allowed me to determine which of the three I would love to carry.
TripleB67
unwisefool
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But you already messed with the pivot on one, so you shouldn't be sending that back. The seller can't in good conscience sell it as new anymore. Would you want a knife that someone had tinkered with if you could only afford one and spent your hard earned money on it?
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would you mind referencing that post for me? I want to know more but it doesn’t appear to be in this thread, after skimming it.
Yo Mama
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Some advice, you really should only send back a knife thats defective, not using a vendor as window shopping. They are out money where those blades would have been sold already.
Also, I appreciate you are newer to this, but you have to just hit add to cart and move on. I remember 100 was/is a lot to spend on a knife, but if you are going to be that indecisive your collecting is going to be a pain for the rest of us!
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The recommendation was in this thread, #49. "Either a knife shop with descent selection or Amazon and return would be my suggestion."
Thank you very much for all the feedback! I obviously should have thought twice before taking that advice and will definitely rethink sending those knives back, seeing if I can sell them to friends or put them up for auction!
I obviously shouldn't have tried to improve the action on the one knife...posters mentioned adjusting the pivot screw so I tried to fix it - in hindsight I should have just sent it back as defective.
My apologies - I honestly didn't mean to offend anyone or take a chance on causing manufacturers to lose money because of my indecision!!!
I will definitely look for a way to sell these knives (as used) to someone or somewhere!
Again, I'm sorry for not approaching this purchase in the correct manner! I've definitely learned my lesson and vow to not make the same mistakes in the future!!!
TripleB67
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Yo Mama
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Hey man we have all been there. My first good knife was a Spyderco native, gatewayed into a Benchmade griptilian. You save and save, without many brick and mortar stores to see them in person it's hard to know that your hard earned money will be well spent. Part of the collecting is seeing what you like and don't like, luckily that only comes with getting and using them.
Enjoy and use in good health!
unwisefool
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Or to any Dungeons & Dragons forums.
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TripleB67
It is generally viewed as poor taste to use generous return policies for the purpose of experiencing a knife but that is a minor issue the bigger and more taboo thing is to take tools to a knife and return as new even if it is simple pivot adjustment and leaves no sign of change. I understand your new and the advice was maybe not the best or too vague to give a glimpse into the more taboo side of it so don't think of it as doing something wrong just think of it as a lesson now learned. I would try and look into what local shops you may have that sell these type of knives, around me gun stores often do, most any brick and mortar will let you fidget with many knives without purchasing one.
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TripleB67
Congrats on finding your perfect EDC knife! I look forward to seeing how it works out for you over time, and if you stick with just that one knife.Everyone else:
In a strange twist, I'm going to go against the grain of the consensus here. First and foremost, yes you should absolutely not return a knife that you tinkered with. However, I don't think buying three knives to try out from an online store with the intent to return the two you don't like as much is necessarily a bad thing. If they have a nearby brick and mortar store that has them in stock, should you go there to look to save you and the store time, effort, shipping materials, etc? Yes. But that is not always available geographically to everyone. Originally he bought two knives with the intent to keep one. He happened to see another one that caught his eye and bought that as well. Thus, he's returning two, but original intent was return one and that's no big deal in my opinion.
I just bought two different pairs of shorts online from a clothing brand I've never tried before. They offer them in some select stores, but none near me. I did so with the intent to possibly return one if I liked the one style significantly over the other. They arrived, and I hands down liked one style over the other by a very large margin. Problem was the style I liked the best was too long. They do have a shorter version of that style, so I promptly bought two pairs of that. I'm returning the original two pairs. I only tried them on very quick; did not wash or alter them in any way. Does the retailer lose out some? Yes, but they choose to offer free returns. Why? Because sometimes you can't tell how things really are without seeing it in person, having it in hand, or trying it on. These will be the only two pairs of shorts I own beyond athletic shorts, so I want to make sure it's something I truly enjoy wearing. I don't believe in having an excessive amount of clothes. Thus I'm more intentional about my purchases than most.
Should a store's return policy be abused by buying several things repeatedly just to try it out of boredom or something to do? Absolutely not. But if someone is trying to make a long-term informed decision, then returning one or two items is not the worst thing in my opinion. *As long as item is unused and in exact same condition as when it was sold.
unwisefool
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Did you try them on au naturel ? That's really the question everyone is thinking.
Everyone else:
In a strange twist, I'm going to go against the grain of the consensus here. First and foremost, yes you should absolutely not return a knife that you tinkered with. However, I don't think buying three knives to try out from an online store with the intent to return the two you don't like as much is necessarily a bad thing. If they have a nearby brick and mortar store that has them in stock, should you go there to look to save you and the store time, effort, shipping materials, etc? Yes. But that is not always available geographically to everyone. Originally he bought two knives with the intent to keep one. He happened to see another one that caught his eye and bought that as well. Thus, he's returning two, but original intent was return one and that's no big deal in my opinion.
I just bought two different pairs of shorts online from a clothing brand I've never tried before. They offer them in some select stores, but none near me. I did so with the intent to possibly return one if I liked the one style significantly over the other. They arrived, and I hands down liked one style over the other by a very large margin. Problem was the style I liked the best was too long. They do have a shorter version of that style, so I promptly bought two pairs of that. I'm returning the original two pairs. I only tried them on very quick; did not wash or alter them in any way. Does the retailer lose out some? Yes, but they choose to offer free returns. Why? Because sometimes you can't tell how things really are without seeing it in person, having it in hand, or trying it on. These will be the only two pairs of shorts I own beyond athletic shorts, so I want to make sure it's something I truly enjoy wearing. I don't believe in having an excessive amount of clothes. Thus I'm more intentional about my purchases than most.
Should a store's return policy be abused by buying several things repeatedly just to try it out of boredom or something to do? Absolutely not. But if someone is trying to make a long-term informed decision, then returning one or two items is not the worst thing in my opinion. *As long as item is unused and in exact same condition as when it was sold.
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News for you, My Boy... The interwebs is just plain chock full o' folks who wander about looking for something to be offended by.
GatorMedic
if you tried those shorts on Commando, please shoot me a warning PM... I think I'm the same size as you.