New EDC, Can't make up my mind

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blackandblue223

Joined
Jul 23, 2012
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Hi guys, I can't make up my mind about what's the best EDC out of the options I've come up with. I currently carry a kershaw leek, but I've just found that it's not quite capable enough. The blade is too thin and I already bent the tip on it. I was tossed up between a benchmade 707, but decided the 707 would be a little too small as well. Now I'm deciding between The bone collector axis mini and a sage 1. I think there's pros and cons to each one, but I figured I'd get opinions from people who own the knives. Thanks!
 
Of the models you've mentioned, I've owned the Leek, 707 and Sage. The Sage would be my choice for an EDC. The wire clip allows for an easy carry, S30V is a good steel, and the CF scales look and feel great. The choil and blade shape ensure that the 3" blade doesn't feel short in any way.
 
It seems that the Sage 1 would be close in size to the 707.

If you are allowed to carry a 3.5" blade then I would suggest the Spyderco Para 2 or something like the Benchmade Griptilian, 520, 522, 580, etc.
 
I was referring more to the size of the handle than the blade. The spyderco handle is a little longer right off the bat, and the choil definitely seems to add some grip room. I'm allowed to carry a longer blade, and have looked into the para 2 quite a bit. I love the knife, but I generally carry my knife in my back pocket, and it seems like it might be just a little long/large. Maybe I should stop by a store and look at some to get a better idea of size.
 
blackandblue223 said:
I was referring more to the size of the handle than the blade. The spyderco handle is a little longer right off the bat, and the choil definitely seems to add some grip room. I'm allowed to carry a longer blade, and have looked into the para 2 quite a bit. I love the knife, but I generally carry my knife in my back pocket, and it seems like it might be just a little long/large. Maybe I should stop by a store and look at some to get a better idea of size.
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I don't think you'll have a problem carrying the P2 in your back pocket. Quite a few folks do that with the P2 and even the Military.
 
Of the two you're looking at, the Bone Collector has a thicker handle, making it comfortable to hold, but not ideal for your pocket. I would go for the Sage 1 (or similarly, the Caly 3 ZDP).
 
I was interested in the bone collector just because of the beautiful walnut handle, but I agree that it's probably a little thick. I'm not in love with the endura. I think at this point it's probably between the sage or the para 2. I really like the blade and the locking mechanism on the para 2. Does anyone have a measurement for how thick the handle is on the para 2? Just so I can compare it to some of my other knives. I think that the sage is a really great looking knife, but I think the para 2 might be a little bit more useful to me. I also haven't looked at any emersons yet, so I'll have to check them out. Thanks for all the input guys
 
spyderco sage! thick blade , pretty grippy carbon fiber handles, s30v. the apex of the grind is pretty obtuse, so its a good work edge. iv had mine for about a month and love it
 
I've used both the Ken Onion Leek and the Spyderco Sage, and consider both excellent for EDC, but your best option depends on your intended use.

I've had a Sage with Koa wood scales for a few years and can say it's definitely sturdy. The blade shape makes it quite versatile, and it has cut it's way through some tough jobs, but never rough treatment. The Leeks are just as useful, but the blade profile calls for different handling when working with the tip.

If you're happy with your Leek but are concerned by the damage from your use, you could try the Leek-Sanvik 13C26/CPM-D2 composite blade. I've used mine extensively for pocket, belt, and neck carry (with a kydex neck sheath) and it has been a workhorse. However, if you frequently punish your blade with heavy use, the slim long blade may not be your best option. The Sage may not be appropriate either, although the wider blade and the tip may not seem as delicate (pointy) as the Leek's.

The Benchmade AFO I've had for some years now has been used and abused, but it's probably bigger and bulkier than the EDC format you're looking for. They do make their knives for heavy use, so you might consider one of their smaller blades for your EDC needs and the requirement to handle tough jobs.
 
Thanks for all of the input everyone. After a little thought/research I went with a paramilitary 2. It's a bit bigger than I was planning on getting, but I think it will fit my needs a lot more than the others
 
Well, you have made your decision, but for anyone else reading... I have had all four of the knives you have mentioned, and I actually found the Sage a little big for EDC. Not really bad, but just a little more than I prefer in pocket (nice and thin, but very, very wide for how much blade you get Not a big fan of the blade shape for some EDC tasks either. The Sage 1 does have the nicest materials though, and is a really nice, quality knife. Too bad it isn't made in the USA, but of course it would cost twice as much if it was. I loved my BM 707, and only gave it up to get a ZT 551, which I was obsessed with at the time. It was a perfect size for the pocket, with just enough handle for my XL hands. Good utitility EDC blade shape. If it wasn't for my customized Ritter MiniGrip, I would really be interested in getting another one. The Leek was good, but I don't really like A/O folders, and the tip is pretty vulnerable. I have owned two Mini-Bone Collectors, and they are pretty good in hand. They do feel a bit fat in pocket though, and feel heavier than they should be. Still, they make great small work knives, just not incredible EDCs.
 
blackandblue223 said:
I was interested in the bone collector just because of the beautiful walnut handle, but I agree that it's probably a little thick.
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I was also, until I held one in the store. It feels too light to be decent walnut. I ended up getting one with layered black and green G10. model 15030-1.
I like the blade shape and D2 blade-steel, but it's not in my EDC lineup. Most of my knives are NIB and they don't get out of the box. Pretty sad.
Sonny
 
blackandblue223 said:
Thanks for all of the input everyone. After a little thought/research I went with a paramilitary 2. It's a bit bigger than I was planning on getting, but I think it will fit my needs a lot more than the others
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I have had my new Para for only a couple of days now and can absolutely say you can't go wrong with your pick, unless your someone who only carries traditional slipjoints exclusively, your going to like this one.
 
Your Kershaw Leek blade thickness is 0.090". This is fine for easy-going EDC. It slices well but isn't strong enough for any considerable prying or side pressure, as you have found out. But it's instructive.
A thicker blade will be stronger, all other factors being equal. Please note that many, many EDC knives out there are 3mm or approx 0.125" thick. Knives that are meant for heavier duty are often 0.140"-0.160" thick. The famous Chris Reeve Sebenza (both small and large models) is 0.125"; their Umnumzaan (Boss) model is 0.140". Their newest model, the CRK model 25 Sebenza, has a blade thickness of 0.140".

The BenchMade Adamas blade-steel is 0.160 thick of D2 which likely trumps the Spyderco Gayle Bradley's 3mm of CPM-M4. Given that the Adamas blade is 33% thicker blade-stock than the GB, which do you figure is tougher? And my ZT 0550, known for heavy-duty applications, with blade-steel of 0.156" of S35VN, is right there alongside the Adamas for toughness.
The rather popular DPX HEST 2.0 sports a D2 blade that's 0.187 thick, titanium framelock, Lion Steel Rotoblock. Tough little honey, and TWICE the blade thickness of your Leek.

Blade thickness can be easily overdone, and just makes a good knife heavier than necessary for casual EDC, and often ensures that the knife is a poor slicer. Many times, a thick-bladed, heavy-duty knife will be left home as it is too heavy to be carried with comfort. Before you buy your next knife, check with the manufacturer's website or Google to determine (at least) the thickness of the next blade, as it oftens tells you how heavy-duty the design is.
Certainly, the "grind" of the blade, blade-shape, the blade-steel type and heat-treating, spine narrowing as you approach the tip, is also important, but here we are just dealing with generalities of blade thickness as one parameter.
Sonnydaze
 
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Thanks again for all of the input guys. I got my paramilitary 2 today, and so far it seems like exactly what I was looking for. It's not as pretty as the sage or bone collector, but I think it'll serve its purpose much better. It's a good size and feels great in my pocket. The blade is also a very good design for everything I'll be using it for. It seems tough enough to handle anything I'll throw at. This is my first higher quality knife, and I'm definitely happy with my purchase.
 
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