- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
- Messages
- 589
Pretty close to pulling the trigger on my folder but thought that I would throw up one more post to see what you all think.
Here is really what I'm looking for ... A folder that can hold up under pretty hard use, with a very solid, reliable construction and locking mechanism and a high quality stainless (good wear resistance/edge retention, toughness, and strength) that isn't a huge pain to sharpen and rugged handle materials. It will get mostly camping and hunting use (I don't really have a lot of the edc concerns). I'd like it to have a pretty full handle that will give a lot of leverage, and the blade should be about 3.5 inches or shorter. Since I want it to be able to handle wood and hard materials as well as hunting-type slicing, I'm thinking that around 3 or 4 mm is a good blade thickness.
I've narrowed it to the knives listed int he subject line. Here are my thoughts on each.
ZT0551--this is the front runner. Sounds like its construction/locking mechanism cannot be questioned, and its elmax steel is at least as good as (and probably better in many respects than) S30V. Its blade is perhaps just a tad longer than I'd prefer, but that is very minor. It has a robust blade that is great for bushcraft, but I wonder if the spydercos are better as just slicers.
Spyderco para-military: I like that I can get a black blade (I have to wait til near 2011 for the black version of the ZT, but then I lose the elmax steel for vanax), and it looks like it might be a better blade for hunting tasks. Nice big handle. I would actually lean towards the original over the 2 version since the original has a thicker blade. But apparently the 2 version might see some nice steels like S90V or CTS-204 ... but I wonder if elmax might be better all around. Given everything that I have read, sounds like the ZT might be a more rugged all around design.
Spyderco Stretch CF ZDP-189: Still keeping this one in the running although the ZDP sounds like it is more of a pain to re-sharpen than I want (especially if it gets dull). But it has great edge retention. I suppose I'd just like any opinions, if they are out there, on why this might be a great knife that you would prefer over one or both of the other two. Its blade might be a little to delicate also.
Here is really what I'm looking for ... A folder that can hold up under pretty hard use, with a very solid, reliable construction and locking mechanism and a high quality stainless (good wear resistance/edge retention, toughness, and strength) that isn't a huge pain to sharpen and rugged handle materials. It will get mostly camping and hunting use (I don't really have a lot of the edc concerns). I'd like it to have a pretty full handle that will give a lot of leverage, and the blade should be about 3.5 inches or shorter. Since I want it to be able to handle wood and hard materials as well as hunting-type slicing, I'm thinking that around 3 or 4 mm is a good blade thickness.
I've narrowed it to the knives listed int he subject line. Here are my thoughts on each.
ZT0551--this is the front runner. Sounds like its construction/locking mechanism cannot be questioned, and its elmax steel is at least as good as (and probably better in many respects than) S30V. Its blade is perhaps just a tad longer than I'd prefer, but that is very minor. It has a robust blade that is great for bushcraft, but I wonder if the spydercos are better as just slicers.
Spyderco para-military: I like that I can get a black blade (I have to wait til near 2011 for the black version of the ZT, but then I lose the elmax steel for vanax), and it looks like it might be a better blade for hunting tasks. Nice big handle. I would actually lean towards the original over the 2 version since the original has a thicker blade. But apparently the 2 version might see some nice steels like S90V or CTS-204 ... but I wonder if elmax might be better all around. Given everything that I have read, sounds like the ZT might be a more rugged all around design.
Spyderco Stretch CF ZDP-189: Still keeping this one in the running although the ZDP sounds like it is more of a pain to re-sharpen than I want (especially if it gets dull). But it has great edge retention. I suppose I'd just like any opinions, if they are out there, on why this might be a great knife that you would prefer over one or both of the other two. Its blade might be a little to delicate also.