New folder requirements and preferences

R

Ripantuck

Joined
Jun 1, 2004
Messages
22
For several months I have been looking for a new folding knife and I have a few requirements:

1) Drop point blade with reasonable amount of belly.
2) Premium steel hardened to close to optimum hardness. Some amount of rust resistance, but not necessarily stainless. (A-2, D-2, M-2, VG-10, SV30 and many others acceptable- 420 series, 440 series and AUS series not acceptable)
3) Under 4 oz
4) Replacable scales - I simply think that all knife scales should be easily replacable- same as tires on a car. Do not want anything to do with stainless steel or aluminum scales.
5) Blade length - At least 3 1/4" cutting area -prefer 3 1/2"
6) Either flat grind or possibly hollow grind-prefer flat grind. No clip points, but want a relatively sharp, but not delicate drop point.
7) Finger choil so I can feel where I am cutting
8) Belly should extend through half or more of the blade. No straight blades, with curve in the last inch. But, belly should not be extreme like in a persion style.
9) Reliable lock with good strength. NO assisted openers!
10) No knife is worth more than about $125.00 to $150.00 to me.
11) Good to excellent quality design and workmanship. Reliable guarantee for at least 1 year.

After looking and looking and reading and reading, the only knife I have found that meets these requirements is, strangely, the Byrd Cara Cara FRN. Its not perfect. I am not certain that the steel is really good, but first reports indicate that it is. It appears to have a good mixture of edge-holding, toughness and rust resistance.

It has a hollow ground blade and I would prefer a flat ground blade. I would prefer a slightly wider blade and maybe just a touch more curve. Would prefer titanium liners, rather than steel, but for $18.00- who can complain.

However, amazingly, it comes closer to my requirements than any other knife that I can find for under $150.00. Not sure about more expensive knives, but haven't even seen any of those that meet my requirements as well as the Cara Cara FRN.

Since my investment in the Cara Cara is small I am still looking, kind of. My requirements don't seem to me to be unreasonable. They seem very basic. Why can't I find a "made in America" knife like that for a reasonable price?

Don Clark
 
Yes. It was at the top of my list for awhile, except that the effective blade length is a little under 3". I don't see why I shouldn't be able to easily slice a medium-large apple without having to spin it around.

Serously, knives with short blades-especially under 3 1/2" require too many compromises. Yet I want it to be easily poctetable- thus the requirement for 3.5" plus or minus 1/4".

don
 
Byrd steel is similar to 440C or AUS8. Just wondering because of your #2

Have you considered Benchmade (Mini)Skirmish or Gravitator (or 426 Hybrid) or Spyderco (CF) Military, Paramilitary or Manix?
 
I would say that the real sticking point is the finger choil.
There aren't too many folders with a finger-choil to begin with, and those that do lose some effective blade-length.

Maybe the Spyderco Manix?
But it does go over your desired weight.

Anyway, happy hunting.

Allen.
 
Get yourself a Spyderco Manix, man! The weight is over your limit (6.1 oz) but you won't care. I find the weight reassuring. Otherwise, it fits all of your above requirements. I just got mine and it frigging unbelievable. I also paid only $105 for it. It's a tank of a knife, with a beast of a lock, incredible quality and workmanship, and is overall the most comfortable, best balanced knife I've ever come across.

If you are looking at the Cara Cara, the G10 version is an incredible knife. It's a bit heavy, but I never worry about weight in a knife. The only knife I've ever felt was too heavy was my big Buck-Strider.
 
From the write-ps that I have seen, the Byrd steel outperforms the AUS series and the 440 series by a substantial margin.

Even though it is heat-treated to RC 61-62 it has shown outstanding toughness. I have no doubt that 440 B or C could be heat treated to work as well, but normally these steels are not heat-treated to their maximum potential.

Of course, there isn't enough experience with it yet to be certain but it is not 440C and seems to be performing in a different league than the 440 series.

The idea of getting a Manix and then replacing the scales with carbon fiber and perhaps doing a couple of other modifications to get it under 5 oz. has occurred to me.

The weight is important to me because I wear Dockers to work and the lighter the better, within reason. I don't mess with pocket clips so the size of the Manix probably wouldn't bother me.

I have ordered the Byrd- but it is so cheap, it would be nice to have an American made knife also- other than my old buck slipjoint or my heavyweight Buck 110.

Don
 
What about a Spyderco Native in S30V? That IS an excellent knife, and it is light.
 
Spyderco Persian. Beautiful and strong knife. 3.5" VG10 blade, very comfortable black micarta handle, finger choil.
It is discontinued, but still possible to find at some dealers.
 
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