Recommendation? New guy...help me pick my next knife?

R

ratter75

Joined
Feb 28, 2019
Messages
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Hi all, looking for input from the group. I’m not a hardcore “knife guy” and shopping around has left me a bit overwhelmed with options. And I’m afraid I’m probably missing out on a lot of choices that I’m completely unaware of. The unknown-unknowns if you will.

So here’s where I’m at. I’m looking for a new EDC folding knife. I usually carry a mini griptilian with thumbhole. I like the overall size. I like the ease of deployment. I love the rounded scales. I do not like the fact that it feels blade-heavy.

I also have a Presidio 2. I much prefer the way the weight balances in my hand. I don’t like the thumb studs as much as the thumb hole on the Grip. Overall it’s too large for when I carry in my back pocket. I don’t love the “slab” feel of the handle.

What else. Kershaw Cryo and Skyline - I like the overall size but don’t like the thin/flat feel in general. I like the ease of deployment of an assisted flipper but it doesn’t subjectively feel as strong to me as the axis lock. I don’t abuse my knives but I’m not shy or precious with them either.

So that leaves me thinking:

3-4” blade

Easy 1-handed deployment

Rounded scales - preferably G10 or aluminum but not super important. Not into CF.

Must allow tip-up LEFT handed carry

Good weight balance

Preferably Non-China manufacture

$250 or less price range.

Prefer black or stonewash blade finish, partial serrations are fine.

Don’t care about overall blade shape.

Prefer deep-carry clip.

Would prefer new over used.

Some I have handled recently, to add data points:

ZT 0350 - liked the feel of the deployment, liked the weight balance. Didn’t love the overall horizontal width. Like the Presidio, didn’t seem great for back pocket carry when the need arises. And of course it’s as flat as flat can be.

ZT 0450 titanium - liked pretty much everything about it except the flat Scales.

Benchmade Arcane - loved the size, the scales weren’t rounded but they at least had a little 3D “shape” to them. Way too slippery. The action was great but it was a little too easy. I’d be worried about it popping open in my pocket unless I used the safety, which seems like a hindrance to easy deployment.

That’s all I’ve got. Thanks in advance for any ideas!
 
I'm also a new guy but I'll throw my opinion out there. I just recently bought my first spyderco, and I love it enough that I just ordered my second. I like a smaller knife than what you're looking for, but I got a native 5 from the exchange here, and while it's at the smaller end of what you're talking about, I can say it's a really solid knife. The manix 2 or pm2 might be more in the size range you want. Generally speaking, it seems you can't go wrong with spyderco.

You might get lucky and find a small sebenza in your price range in the exchange forum here, while I normally don't like frame locks due to their asymmetry, crk does a dang nice job of mitigating that. Enough so that I might butter the wife up around my birthday in hopes of getting one. I know you said you prefer new over used, but they seem to be super popular around here, and it seems to be because of their build quality and reliability more than any trend or superficial reasons.
 
Buck Vantage Pro
Lionsteel sr1a or sr2a (one of the only knives I sold and miss)
Zero Tolerance 0850
or zero tolerance 0393 which isn't rounded, but contoured with finger grips.
 
Spyderco Manix 2.

Benchmade Mini Crooked River.

We 606 or a Civivi.

Zt 0470 or 0393.

North arm skaha 2 if you can.

Protech Tr 3.

An otf.

I'm also basically ignoring any requirements you listed and posting some of my favorites lol. Just check them out and see if they fit you.
 
Try a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 or 3. Excellent knives. Simple opening with the hole. The compression lock is fantastic. You don't have to worry about closing the knife on your finger like other locks. It's just a great basic knife that fits your hand well & is lightweight. Either version would make an excellent choice. Plus if you like a certain blade steel, I'm sure you can find one with that steel. Price? Very reasonable.
 
No worries - fully expecting everyone’s favorites. That’s cool.

Can’t do autos, by the way. Not legal here.
 
Any recommendations for Spydercos that don’t have thin/flat scales? I see the Shaman looks like it might have a softer contour to it.

This isn’t a functional issue just a cosmetic preference.
 
Benchmade Bugout. It's awesome. So is the mini Crooked River, from the BM Custom Shop.

ZT 393 is on sale at BHQ at the moment, it fits a good bit of your criteria.

Benchmade 810BK Contego might be the ticket. Tip up reversible deep carry clip and CPM-M4 steel.

You might not be into carbon fiber, but that's likely because you haven't handled a Southern Grind Spider Monkey!
 
Love the look of the Contego but it would be too big for back pocket for me.

I’ll check out the spider monkey.
 
With that kind of price range, I can understand being overwhelmed. BladeHQ has a nice advanced search feature that can help whittle down the selections. On the knife tab, you can toggle criteria on the left. It doesn't let you sort by every dimension, such as clip position, but it can do a lot.

I only know about budget stuff but there are a lot of great options well under a hundred bucks. The main objection is the "Preferably Non-China manufacture". I understand some of the reasons for this. I am sympathetic. However, a major issue I have is that some of the Chinese companies really are offering excellent products for the money. In some cases, a comparable American knife might cost twice as much. Another issue is that if we are going to apply social or political diligence, we should do it all around. For instance, look at the recent controversy surrounding Benchmade. I don't care about them doing destruction work for the police. Donating money to politicians who are actively trying to violate our gun rights? That's a serious problem.

I've recently been impressed by both Tangram and Civivi. Civivi in particular might be a good fit with some of their handle shapes and deep-carry clips. I'd recommend watching some video reviews of their line on YouTube.
 
Cosmodragoon said:
With that kind of price range, I can understand being overwhelmed. BladeHQ has a nice advanced search feature that can help whittle down the selections. On the knife tab, you can toggle criteria on the left. It doesn't let you sort by every dimension, such as clip position, but it can do a lot.

I only know about budget stuff but there are a lot of great options well under a hundred bucks. The main objection is the "Preferably Non-China manufacture". I understand some of the reasons for this. I am sympathetic. However, a major issue I have is that some of the Chinese companies really are offering excellent products for the money. In some cases, a comparable American knife might cost twice as much. Another issue is that if we are going to apply social or political diligence, we should do it all around. For instance, look at the recent controversy surrounding Benchmade. I don't care about them doing destruction work for the police. Donating money to politicians who are actively trying to violate our gun rights? That's a serious problem.

I've recently been impressed by both Tangram and Civivi. Civivi in particular might be a good fit with some of their handle shapes and deep-carry clips. I'd recommend watching some video reviews of their line on YouTube.
Click to expand...

I hear what you’re saying and I know it’s not completely rational. I’m typing this on an iPhone, for Pete’s sake. I carry a Chinese-made streamlight every day, etc.

It’s a completely subjective enjoyment/pride of ownership thing. Especially if I’m gonna drop $200 or more, that’s a ton of money for me. I want it to be something I can feel good about. Functionally, I could just use the Cryo until (if) it breaks and I’d be just fine. But there’s no enjoyment there. Not only because it’s MIC but it’s also just not a great example of craftsmanship.

I also hear you on Benchmade. It’s the main reason that even though I love both of mine, I wouldn’t mind at all if I found a replacement.
 
A Spyderco Endura would be my suggestion.


Another one I like is the Kershaw Leek composite blade.


I EDC a Spyderco Gayle Bradley and have since it came out about 10 years ago. It is CF and somewhat wide and heavy but a true cutter.

 
There is alot of great knives I can think of in your price range that meet your requirements. You did mention not liking carbon fiber. If you didnt have a opposition to carbon fiber I would recommend the Spyderco Kapara most of the other Spydies that come to mind have great eegos but also have the flat scales you dont seam to care for. I would go to a local knife shop or Cabellas if there is one in your area and handle a few knives.
 
One not yet mentioned that fits your specs is Benchmade's G10 & M4 Freek. Fits your size, price, ergos, & country of manufacture parameters.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions guys - keep them coming. I am looking up every single one of them.

Staying with a Benchmade would be the easy choice. They have a ton of styles that I like. But the recent political brouhaha...it rubbed me the wrong way to say the least. I’m not going to stomp my feet and burn my Benchmades but I wouldn’t mind moving on, either.

Within Benchmade, I’ve considered a custom G10 grip/mini. And there are at least a half-dozen stock models that I think would fit the bill

And I like the Presidio I already have. I just think I would like the Mini Pres way more. That was an impulse buy that I should have thought through.
 
The 575 that I had was a very nice update to the original 525. Slightly larger, good balance, really good action, and a nice overall feel. I just really dislike metal handles of any kind, so I moved it along and picked up a G10 Freek.
 
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