New work knife--Mini Grip Std 154cm vs Cabelas D2?

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omaha-beenglockin

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Oct 22, 2005
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Currently using a 525 Mini Presidio combo edge but find myself wanting something even smaller and lighter.

I'm real familiar with 154cm but since I'm getting a new knife I'm wondering if I should branch out.

I also have several full sized Grips and a Mini but the mini is a tanto style which I find most useless for most anything I've tried it with---at least I got it cheap.

I guess my issues are:

Is the D2 worth the extra cost?
The blade coating on the D2?
Combo edge vs plain edge?

Mostly will be used for cutting boxes and the heavy duty plastic strapping on cardboard bundles. The serrated edge on my current knife makes short work of the plastic strapping but in general I'm not a fan due to sharpening and limited fine edge on a combo blade. Since this will be a work knife, by default this will be pretty much my EDC blade too.

What says the hive?
 
Get the new M390 mini from knife works.
I got the large and it is the bomb.
Ritter blade too.
 
If you are cutting a lot of shipping straps the combo edge will perform better and longer without sharpening than a plain edge. I am not a huge fan of serrations but they do have their place for cutting rope, etc.
Seems if I were cutting a lot of what you describe a combo tanto might be a great choice or just a good old box cutter.
The 154cm should dull faster than the D2, 154cm is easy to sharpen the D2 will be a bit more challenging.
 
BellaBlades said:
Get the new M390 mini from knife works.
I got the large and it is the bomb.
Ritter blade too.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind the Ritter blade, do this.

I wish they'd offer M390 in regular Grips. I'd love a mini in M390 but I don't care for the Ritter blade shape.
 
I like Ritter blade. I bought Ritter blade in large 552-1401 (M390).

Mini Griptilian in regular blade, the best one out is BKC custom with S30V.
 
Mini Griptilian in regular blade, the best one out is BKC custom with S30V. +1;)
 
I carry a 525 plain edge as my every day knife and at work. Tried the mini-grip for a while but it couldn't touch the ergos and build quality on the 525 so I went back. I cut a lot of plastic straps at work and a plain edge needs to stay quite sharp to be effective, a combo edge will walk circles on a dull dull plain edge in this regard. I actually like 154cm, holds an edge well and is very easy to touch up on the Sharpmaker so I can keep popping straps without trouble :D.
 
I'm not a huge fan of D2 on a folder, even if it is coated. M390 is my favorite steel so the new Ritter grips I would say are the best but I'd still take 154CM over D2 especially since you'll pay more for D2.
 
IMO, if you're willing to pay the customized price you might as well get an M390 Ritter...
 
There is a Cabelas five minutes away from where I live---I went in there to look ---since I have no experience with D2 I said what the heck.

Came home with combo edge Mini Grip with green scales. Used it yesterday at work then touched it up with the Sharpmaker and oiled the pivot pin when I got home---still hair poppin sharp and smooth opening/closing.

If I doesn't work out I can always buy another knife---that's a good thing right?



The other weird thing is how awkward the tanto mini Grip feels in comparison----I think its the long straight edge that gets me. Has anyone tried to see if Benchmade will reblade a knife for a fee? I'd really like to ditch the tanto for a standard blade.
 
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omaha-beenglockin said:
If I doesn't work out I can always buy another knife---that's a good thing right?
Click to expand...

Famous last words. Remember the old Lay's TV ads? "Bet you can't eat just one..." :rolleyes: D2, BTW is hard stuff. If you use a Sharpmaker I would suggest buying the diamond stones.
 
omaha-beenglockin said:
There is a Cabelas five minutes away from where I live---I went in there to look ---since I have no experience with D2 I said what the heck.

Came home with combo edge Mini Grip with green scales. Used it yesterday at work then touched it up with the Sharpmaker and oiled the pivot pin when I got home---still hair poppin sharp and smooth opening/closing.

If I doesn't work out I can always buy another knife---that's a good thing right?



The other weird thing is how awkward the tanto mini Grip feels in comparison----I think its the long straight edge that gets me. Has anyone tried to see if Benchmade will reblade a knife for a fee? I'd really like to ditch the tanto for a standard blade.
Click to expand...

You got a Cabelas D2 Mini with a Tanto blade ? :confused:

There has been a lot of discussion about having blades switched. IIRC it was $25 for non-coated blade, and $30 for coated. If you go to their website, you can read the section on re-blading knives in the FAQ section
 
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