Newb intro & query

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oakes43

Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
14
Hi there,
my main passion is watches but after looking at knives recently I feel the beginnings of a new obsession and I look forward to learning a lot from you guys. I've spent some late nights recently browsing the 'net and am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm looking for a pocket knife to give to my dad for his 70th birthday but so far have only managed to buy one for myself on impulse! Ha! Anyway, here's the rub:

My dad has always carried a pocket knife in his shorts (he lives in the tropics) and uses it around the house and yard. Must have worn down a dozen over the years, mostly cheapies. I want to get him a decent one, something light, compact and sturdy. I'm thinking 3" to 4" closed. And something he can sharpen, he's obsessed with keeping a keen edge. I came across Schrade knives, and thought the tradional 'old timer' (pre-'94) might suit him, and not just because of his age - I thought he'd find the old style high carbon blade easy to keep sharp. But newer styles caught my attention - many seem to be more compact, lighter for their size and better designed. I have the following two as front-runners so far:

1. Spyderco Leaf Storm C128GP - 3.6" closed, 2.5oz
2. Fallkniven FNTK4 - 3.8" closed, 1.8oz

Do you think either of these might suit? How do they compare, they are are roughly the same price. Or should I stick with a vintage NIB Schrade, which would cost me almost as much? Any other suggestions for a good general use, easy to carry knife?
And what's the diff between the Fallkniven 3G steel, and the Spyderco's CPM-S30V? Will he be able to sharpen them easily?

Sorry for all the Q's, I've got a lot to learn!
Cheers, Glenn
 
Hey Glenn, how many Breitlings and Omegas you got? :D J/K Welcome. Since you mentioned tropics I think stainless steel would be a better choice to resist possible rust. Also, Spyderco you mentioned can be fully disassembled for cleaning and lubing, not sure about fallkniven, I think they use pins and definetly no with shrade or any oldtimer. I was actually eyeballing this spydie myself, the handle to blade ratio had prevented me from getting it, too little blade for the handle imo, but out of 3 mentioned I'd still go with the Leafstorm. As for ease sharpening most of modern steels are fairly easy to keep sharp with proper skill or stones/equipment, so I wouldn't concentrate on that. CPM-S30V has a good reputation as a stainless steel that was specifically designed for the knife industry, it holds edge well and is not difficult to sharpen. My understanding is that it's not always the kind of steel but also heat treating which can be done differently with different results. Spyderco is a well known company and I am sure they treat their steels well so it shouldn't be a concern. Chris Reeve for one who has been using s30v for his knives. Check out his Sebenza unless you already have, it's plain version considered to be a perfect minimalist folder with work in mind (hence the name) with super tolerances fit and finish unsurpassed by the folders 2-3 times of it's price, Rolex of the knife world if you will, without gold or diamonds, just plain steel Sub.
 
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Hi, thanks for that. The small Sebenza looks great. Is it worth more than twice the price of the Leaf Storm? Also at 3oz the weight is getting up there, but maybe it's about average for the size? I just worry that if he thinks it's too heavy to carry permanently in his pocket he will throw it in his tool box and go back to his cheap plastic handle one!

Oh FWIW: Breitling - 0, Omega - 2 ;)
 
Check out the Spyderco Salt series. Their H1 steel is completely impervious to rust. I have the Pacific Salt and it ticks plenty of the boxes you have other than being perhaps a little longer.

Pacific_Salt.jpg
 
ozgooner said:
Check out the Spyderco Salt series. Their H1 steel is completely impervious to rust. I have the Pacific Salt and it ticks plenty of the boxes you have other than being perhaps a little longer.
Click to expand...

Excellent, and only 2oz, that's one to consider.

At the moment I can't get past the Chris Reeve Mnandi. Light and beautiful. Maybe too beautiful, if you know what I mean..I'm not sure if he would be inclined to put it to hard work..

CRMN.jpg
 
You might also go to A G Russell's web site and look at some of the smaller folders he offers. He has both traditional slipjoints and modern locking folders on his site. That will give you some alternatives that are still in your size/weight range for about the same or a little less $.

If your dad can keep his current knife sharp he should be able to sharpen either 3G or S30V. Either of the ones you're looking at would be a nice, lightweight carry. The Leafstorm can be a bit difficult to open one-handed if you have large hands, but if he's used to slipjoints he's probably going to use two hands anyway.
 
The Leafstorm Is Definitely A Nice Knife.

But Also A Couple Others To Look At Are:
Spyderco Endura - This Is Large, Lightweight, Great Cutter, Feels Great In The Hand, Thin, And Easy To Sharpen.

Spyderco Delica - This Is The Smaller Brother Of The Endura, Once Again Very Lightweight, Great Cutter, Feels Good In The Hand, Thin And Easy To Sharpen.

Also, Take A Look At The Spyderco UKPK - This Comes In Two Blade Shapes, And Either In FRN, G-10, Titanium, Or Carbon Fiber, Lightweight, Not Too Large, Is A Slip Joint, And If You Get It In FRN You Get The Gin-1 Or CTS-BD1 Steel Which Both Hold a Good Edge, And If You Go With The G-10, Titanium, Or Carbon Fiber, You Still Have a Nice Light Weight Knife With Awesome Ergos, Great Feel, And s30v Steel.

Take A Look At The Spyderco Persistence - This Is Cheap, Made In China, But It's A Spyderco And It's A Great Knife! Wonderful And You Can't Go Wrong For The Money, It Will Last For A Long Time, And Will Definitely Hold a Great Edge And Is Easy To Sharpen. $30 For This Wonderful Knife.

Or You Can Look At The Persistence's Big Brother, The Tenacious, Same Great Knife, Same Great Price!

Another Good One Is The Spyderco Native, Not Too Large, Nice Thick Handles, Feels Good In The Hand, s30v Steel, Sharp And Stays Sharp And Easy To Sharpen, Just A Great Blade! $50 For This Tough Guy.

Also... Benchmade Griptilian. You Can Either Get The Large Or The Mini, And You Can Get It With A Thumb Stud Or Thumb Hole. Really Lightweight, But Super Heavy Duty. I Have The Large, And Also A Large Ritter Griptilian.
 
Thanks for the additional recommendations. I'll check them out. I have already come across the Benchmade 480-1, which seems to be well regarded as an everyday knife? The specs seem to be about what I'm looking for.

About slipjoint, wouldn't frame or liner lock be more secure? I don't want to be responsible for him cutting his finger off.
 
Welcome. I have been collecting knives for a long time, but recently I have been collecting watches more than knives. (I'm active on timezone.com and pmwf.com.)

There are lots of good choices in folding knives, you could easily buy 10, 20 or more that would do.

You will find two big differences between watch collectors and knife collectors:
1) Many knife collectors buy knives with no intention of ever using them for anything but looking at. Watch collectors seem to want to wear their watches and if they have a watch in their collection that they don't wear, they sell it and buy something else.
2) Watch collectors are much more fickle than knife collectors. Watch collectors will buy a watch and even if they really like it, once they get tired or it they sell it and buy something else. Knife collectors tend to keep their knives more.
 
I can't figure out why the Leafstorm costs as much as it does. It really doesn't seem that special in terms of materials, design, and quality. I'd recommend the much cheaper Delica 4 FFG, a knife every cutlery enthusiast should have. It's the quintessential Spyderco in that it's light, functional, has good steel, ergonomic, slices well, but isn't necessarily pretty. It's a workhorse with a thin blade that cuts through things much more easily than most. VG-10 is a little easier to sharpen and more rust resistant that S30V, for reference. I guess you could think of it as the Vostok or Poljot of knives. You can get knives with more expensive materials and great finishing, but for utility the D4 is hard to beat.

The Kershaw Speedform 2 would also be a good option. It's pretty sleek, light, and gentlemanly, but has ELMAX steel for a surprisingly low price. ELMAX has better edge retention and corrosion resistance than S30V, but is still easy to sharpen. It's one of the nicer particle steels out there, originally developed for the plastics industry.

If you're interested in CRK knives, they're certainly great tools. But you should know that you aren't going to gain much in functionality over cheaper knives (often the steel of cheaper knives is better). What you get is the extremely precise build and finishing, much more precise that you need. I love mine, but if you're buying something as a tool for someone who isn't a hardcore knife enthusiast, you can buy more utilitarian options for much less.
 
Thanks to all contributors, all useful info. Re watches v knives, that sounds like an apt comparison. The knife I bought on impulse for myself (a Buck Alpha Dorado) I purchased simply because I loved the look of it! I certainly don’t ‘need’ it, and may not use it for anything more than slicing cheese..lol. Hopefully I’ll receive it today. I’m active on WUS and TZ-UK to a lesser extent.

I do realize that some of the knives I’ve asked about are more expensive than they need to be for the purpose. That’s simply because it’s a birthday present, so I want it to be well finished and look nice as well as be functional for someone who will definitely put it to use. Otherwise value for money would be a higher priority.
 
oakes43 said:
I do realize that some of the knives I’ve asked about are more expensive than they need to be for the purpose. That’s simply because it’s a birthday present, so I want it to be well finished and look nice as well as be functional for someone who will definitely put it to use. Otherwise value for money would be a higher priority.
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Same as watches- you only have to justify the price to yourself.
 
Take a look at the case trapperlocks, has more of the look and feel of a traditional but still gives the advantages of a modern folder with a pocket clip, thumb stud and liner lock.
 
I think I may have found what I'm looking for - the Spyderco Chaparral. Similar specs to the Leafstorm, but I like the design more.
What's the verdict on these?
 
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Welcome Glenn, from another watch and knife nut. (BTW-I have a Sinn U1 for sale if you know anyone needin... just saying!) ;)

I am 100% for the more modern knives mentioned, for MY USE, as are most of these guys and gals. I have never had an interest in "old timey" folding knives (i.e.slip joints, et al...) I was picking on a good buddy and coworker on another thread several hours ago and said "slip joints are for those who need hip joints". :D

That being said, I acknowledge that some folks are just not going to "warm up" to these larger or "tactical" style knives, even given their wider range of carry options and strength. ESPECIALLY older folks, that are often "set in their ways." If slip joints that weighed less than 2 ounces and had blade depths (the top to bottom measurement) of 5/8 " or less, then many simply will not carry a 4 or 5 ounce knife with a 1.5" blade depth.

I went through this with my father before he passed away, and I've seen it with other men, especially older men (father-in-law from first marriage, older uncles, co-workers, etc.) I have a lot of experience with this, as I always buy knives or flashlights as generic gifts for men, year after year after year. Granted I find something that I myself would consider decent quality and would carry myself, but this seems to work for most men, even if they are not "tactical" or "gadget" oriented. (Funny anecdote-my wife often tells me that folks are going to get tired of me only getting them knives or flashlights year after year, however when I've mentioned this to the "gift-ees" they usually tell me not to pay her any attention; that they often look forward to my gifts more than anyone elses! :D )

dalefuller and jimmyd1982 beat me to it, but the first thing I thought upon reading tour post was "Case Trapperlock". This would be similar to what he's used to with only a minor paradigm shift in technology. This might be a good "gateway drug" for him to get him introduced to the features of the modern knives and a "safe" choice for you to "test the waters" to see if he's even willing to accept the new clips/liner locks, thumb studs, etc.

For my father-in-law now and my wife's three brothers (NONE of which were/are knife guys) I started them out with Kershaw Leeks with assisted opening. These represent a small package with good "pocketability" (rounded edges, light weight, efficient blade size without excessive blade depth) and last year I added SOG Sogzilla's (which I got at a STEAL) to their growing collections.

Just my ramblings, and again, welcome. :thumbup:
 
Thanks David. My dad actually hasn't carried traditional styles for many years. I was thinking initially of an older knife for ease of sharpening, since he's not used to really hard steel. Plus I thought he might appreciate the nostalgic side of it, especially with it being his 70th birthday. But my dad has already warmed to newer styles over the years. He's very utilitarian and will go for whatever is comfortable and works best. He rarely spends money on himself though, so I'm looking forward to giving him a decent knife. The one below is old worn blade that he left behind at my place last year. It's the sort of thing that you'd find in a hardware store bargain bin. Hollow plastic, 440 steel, about 4" closed. So you see from the style I don't think he will have any trouble stepping up to a Spyderco or similar,,as long as I keep it small and light. That plastic one is very light. Cheers!

RIMG2143.jpg
 
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