New to BladeForums, looking for EDC advice

E

emailmeover

Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
26
Hello all,

Yup, recently I got bit by the bug and am trying to learn what I can about knives, from a utility, everyday carry point of view, as well as a work-of-art point of view. This is my first post, and thanks for welcoming me.

On a regular basis (i.e. two or three times an hour) I open boxes around the office, as well as packaging tape, cord, rope, and binding material. I also live in New York City where the knife law restricts any blade longer than 4" from the tip to the handle NY Knife Law. I also work the night shift and walk home from the subway every night.

With (or without) the preceding in mind, I'd like your thoughts on an everyday carry knife that will also double up as a tactical fighter. I know I could search the forums for past discussions, but I'd like to set the premises of potentials:

The knife must: be a folder, more than 3" but less than 4", at least partially serrated.
The knife could, but not required: have assist-opening, inertia-opening (open with a flick of the wrist), and safety closed-lock (like the Kershaw Leek).

The price is not an issue.

The potential knives I've researched are (in order of most likely to buy):
- Emerson CQC-12 Comrade
- Microtech Makora Double Combo Edge
- DarkOps Stratofighter Covert Folder
- Extrema Ratio Fulcum II T
- Protech Godson

In the past month, I've already acquired:
- Spyderco Civilian
- Kershaw Ken Onion Leek
- Benchmade Mini-Auto Stryker 9500SBK
- and a William-Henry as a gift, dunno the series or model.

So far I've been carrying the small Kershaw around the work place, and the Civilian after work. Though I like the Civilian, I think it's too long (4 1/8" with the crazy reverse "S" blade).

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, criticism, and advice. Go easy, I'm a newbie!

r
 
Welcome to Bladeforums! :)

Remember that NYC doesn't go for automatic knives, either, and there's been a problem with inertial opening, as well -- gravity knives. In fact, they had been hassling sellers for knives that could be certrifuged open even if they weren't specifically designed for that.

I spent a career in NYC, working nights for years, riding those )@^%#) subways. How about the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall station at 3:30 in the morning? You have my sympathy.

---

- Emerson CQC-12 Comrade - I'm not familiar with it. Emersons are good, strong knives, though. Good choice.

- Microtech Makora Double Combo Edge - Automatic. Illegal.

- DarkOps Stratofighter Covert Folder - I'm sorry the Search function is temporarily disabled or you could treat yourself to hundreds of posts deriding Dork Ops ... :rolleyes:

- Extrema Ratio Fulcum II T - I've got a Nemesis (too long for NYC). All ER knives are BOMBPROOF, though. Excellent choice.

- Protech Godson - Beautiful knife, I have the Godfather. Automatic. Illegal.

---

I don't think of knives as good primary self-defense weapons, but sometimes they're all you've got, and they are easy to carry and conceal.

Look at something simple like a Spyderco Delica. Small but very effective in a clinch. A bad guy coming at you on a dark street is no time to find your assisted opener just snapped a spring.
 
Looking at all your criteria, would suggest you look at a Benchmade 710.
It's blade is a whisker under 4", available in part serrated, super quick one handed open and close due to the Axis lock, extremely strong and well built, an excellent EDC due to the slight recurve blade shape and would be more than useful as a last resort in a self defense situation.
 
Esav, thank you for your thoughts, I found a few old forum discussions of DarkOps being questionable (ie. ad descriptions). I'll take a look at the Spyderco Delica as an option. I agree with you on the subway: I get very paranoid esp. at night when more than the usual characters lurk around.

Stockman, thanks for the BM710 recommendation, it's on my potential list.

All others: Any recommendations for a good online shop? I've had superb customer service with Eddie at The Blade Shop, though their stock on Emerson is limited... eBay is great also, any recommendations on a good eBay store?

Please keep the recommendations coming!

Thanks again!
 
1sks.com - Spark, the owner of this place runs that.

Newgraham.com - Highly recommended

eknifeworks.com (kina lowend stuff)

gpknives.com

thebrightedge.com

knifeconnection.com

knifecenter.com

That's about it off the top of my head. Sorry, I'm to lazy to make links ;)
 
If price is not a problem and the knives you are interested in are quite spendy anyway. You can't go wrong with this knife, I have a few Crawford knives and they are sweet.

Price 375.00.....EdcKnives.com
 
I know what you're talking about. The NYC subway at 3am can be a little intimidating. Fortunately, I'm big, tall, ugly and scary so I've never had any major problems riding it. From what you've said I would highly recommend the combo of mace/pepper spray and the Spyderco Harpy. The Harpy has the Civi like hawkbill blade shape that opens boxes and slices binders like a champ and has very obvious SD benefits while still being small enough to be sheeple friendly. It's smaller than what you'd like but it does it's job very well. Search Google for Hawkbill blades and you'll find something that will handle your ho-hum work related cutting chores and SD purposes. Pepper spray is definitely something that should be on your key chain. It might seem kind of effeminate but the stuff works and it's a hell of a lot easier to justify to a cop why a scumbag is crying and having a hard time breathing than why he's lying in a pile of his own guts. I've never had to use a knife in SD (thank God) but just knowing you're carrying it can give you the air of confidence that makes a bad guy avoid you because he's looking for a victim, not a challenge. If you do have to defend yourself though, if you mace/pepper spray him and he won't relent, any of the knives you already own or something like the Harpy can finish the job (damn, that sounds horrible). Whatever you wind up getting/carrying/doing, if you ride the Subway late at night, always try and get in the first car because the conductor is right there and can radio for help and it really does deter lowlives. The farther from the conductor you get, the greater risk you take. Anyway welcome to the site and enjoy living in NYC, my favorite city in the world.
 
Howdy,

IMHO the decontinued Benchmade 721 is the best EDC-folder ever made. You can still find them if you look hard enough. NIB are about USD120.
 
Hi R, welcome aboard. Enjoy your stay here.
I'd go towards a Spyderco. They have many models so you could end by finding one that appeals to you and their serrations are the best. Not to mention the FRN models are beater knives. Unexpensive and reliable.
 
The Benchmade Griptilian in D2 from Cabela's would be my first choice, the BM 94X series are nice knives as well. If you're not in a hurry to get it open, it would be hard to gowrong with a Buck 110.
 
Welcome :thumbup:

Go Spyderco;) . They have so many different models, there must be one to your liking. The quality (especially non FRN) is top notch.
 
Welcome to the forums!

I just handled the Spyderco Paramilitary this week-end, and it really impressed me. As a utility knife, you have a nice 3"ish blade with a nice amount of curve to it for good slicing and a pointy point. That would handle the may boxes you encounter all day for sure! As a piece of art, well, that is maybe subjective, but I really marvelled at the mechanics involed in the lock. Nowadays I am not too keen on liner locks, and from my admittedly limited udnerstanding of the geometries and construction involved in the Paramilitary's compression lock, I feel it a much better system where relaibility is concerned. I find it a technical marvel and appreciate it for that, artistically speaking. Same could be said for the opening hole! What a good idea, so simple yet so effective and so ambidexterous too!

With respect to self defence, if a situation warranted it and you did indeed pull out a knife, I suspect a Paramilitary would do well, for many of the same reasons that it would do well against boxes. Easy to open with the openign hole, solid reliable lock, pointy point, and a handle the size of a human hand. This point I think is very important. Right now I usually carry my Buck Strider tanto. Ignoring the blade, the handle is a full sized handle. I like little stockman knives and such, but they don't fit in a hand the way a full sized knife handle does! The Paramilitary has a nice handle. I wish it had a deeper finger choil, but that is OK. I also wish the knife came tip up, but that is somewhat easy to fix.

I hope this helps. The suggestion for a delica is a good one. I'd maybe say Endura because of the handle length. Whatever you decide on I definitely recommend you consider a full sized decent handle as being at least as important as the blade.

Best of luck!
 
Oh, one more thing! Also consider their new Mini-Manix for the same reasons I mention above. It is a lock back.
 
emailmeover said:
Hello all,

Yup, recently I got bit by the bug and am trying to learn what I can about knives, from a utility, everyday carry point of view, as well as a work-of-art point of view. This is my first post, and thanks for welcoming me.

On a regular basis (i.e. two or three times an hour) I open boxes around the office, as well as packaging tape, cord, rope, and binding material. I also live in New York City where the knife law restricts any blade longer than 4" from the tip to the handle NY Knife Law. I also work the night shift and walk home from the subway every night.

With (or without) the preceding in mind, I'd like your thoughts on an everyday carry knife that will also double up as a tactical fighter. I know I could search the forums for past discussions, but I'd like to set the premises of potentials:

The knife must: be a folder, more than 3" but less than 4", at least partially serrated.
The knife could, but not required: have assist-opening, inertia-opening (open with a flick of the wrist), and safety closed-lock (like the Kershaw Leek).

The price is not an issue.

The potential knives I've researched are (in order of most likely to buy):
- Emerson CQC-12 Comrade
- Microtech Makora Double Combo Edge
- DarkOps Stratofighter Covert Folder
- Extrema Ratio Fulcum II T
- Protech Godson

In the past month, I've already acquired:
- Spyderco Civilian
- Kershaw Ken Onion Leek
- Benchmade Mini-Auto Stryker 9500SBK
- and a William-Henry as a gift, dunno the series or model.

So far I've been carrying the small Kershaw around the work place, and the Civilian after work. Though I like the Civilian, I think it's too long (4 1/8" with the crazy reverse "S" blade).

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, criticism, and advice. Go easy, I'm a newbie!

r
Click to expand...


Thats a very well thought out post. Background information as well as what you've been looking it. Had to give you credit.
 
Any of the Benchmade's with full dual steel liners and the AXIS lock will hold up to a lot of hard use. The BM710 is a great knife, available with a part serrated blade and M2 steel which will hold an edge a little longer than the 154CM version. It's not the most attractive knife out there so you don't mind putting it to hard use. :)
 
If you're carrying the knife in NYC, I would most strongly suggest that you stay away from switchblades, gravity knives, and even assisted opening knives. If you are ever unfortunate enugh to have to use your knife for self-defense, the fact that it is illegal or even questionably legal will undoubtedly be used against you, if not by the state in prosecution, than by the lawyers for the guys that you hurt with the knife. What you want in a self-defense knife is something that is plausibly a tool that can and is used as such and is very clearly within the law. Do not try to skirt around the edges on this one for it wil turn and bite you very quickly if you do.
 
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