newbie, need advices regarding a 50-70$ durable and nice folding knife !

R

radu1976

Joined
Sep 8, 2008
Messages
79
Hi ,


I was wondering if you could give me some suggestions as I have no experience with those , I was only with the lights so far.
I was thinking to get 2 knives around 50$/piece and maybe in the future one knife of around 100$...
Is it worth to have 3 knives of 50-60$ or one knife of 100-150$ ?
I would use a knife only occasionally, when I woudl go into the forrest or in the mountains, but clearly not so often like my flashlights...

So I decide to search a bit - a few hrs - to see what kind of knives are offered by BEANCHMADE , SPYDERCO or KERSHAW.
I was astonished by the nr. of knives, much too many.
First,I was thinking to get an ULTRAFIRE of 6-7$ from DX and then to buy a brand name.
As I enjoied the way of presenting their knives on their website, I decided to go with KERSHAW.
After hrs of thinking ....KERSHAW BLACK BLUR will be on my target in the next day.
I have already found a RED/BLACK BLUR which is gonna cost me about 50% from its MRSP price, shipped . I have taken into consideration other KERSHAW - AVALANCHE, WHIRLWIND,CYCLONE - but I have choosen this model because it's simply- classic and offer decent quality.
But I know nothing about the knives...
SPYDERCO was the brand I heard before especially, but I didn't like too much their style , with that hole and a blade with a strange form.
I might consider to buy a 2-nd knife yet, after that KERSHAW, and that might be SPYDERCO ENDURA or NATIVE serrated.
Also , I am attracted by BENCHMADE GRIPTILIAN GREEN HANDLE but this I could get it from e-bay for 85-90$ shipped to Canada ? Is it worth the GRIPTILIAN the extra 30$+ comparative to KERSHAW RED/BLACK BLUR ? The knives are very similar as size...


What do you think ? Could you give me some advices in that matter ?
The market is huge....from a 6-7$ ULTRAFIRE or a 10$ REMINGTON- SMITH&WESSON you can choose a 100-200 SPYDERCO or an 800$ BEANCHMADE- GOLD SERIES!!!
If you can spend some money with the flashlights, well I guess you can spend 5-10 times more if you are entering the knives field.
I don't want to get addicted to a new toyfield, you'd better advise me that one knife will be more than enough for me ....))
What knives are considered to be classics , as INOVA X5 is a classic among the flashlights ?
BTW , KERSHAW released the BLACK BLUR with 3 types of blades : 400A aluminium, SANDVIK 13C 26 and S30V which is the last...
What are the differences ? Some are better coated, could last more years before they have to be sharpened ?
Is there a better type of STAINLESS STEEL than S30V ??

Finally : which company would offer the best knife for 50-60$ - SPYDERCO, BEANCHMADE or KERSHAW ? I guess it's a question of taste...but I would like to know your opinion ...

Hmm...I pretty much decided : KERSHAW RED/BLACK BLUR 55$ shipped or BENCHMADE GRIPTILIAN GREEN 88$ shipped ? Which one is worth ? Is the GRIPTILIAN blade superior to the BLUR one ?

Thank you so much !
 
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your a smart man. you did your research and have alot of this spot on. most of benchmade/kershaw'spyderco's products are the epitome of under 100$ knives. a spyderco endura, BM grippy, or kershaw leek will take u very far in this world. you will go far kiddo.
 
Spyderco Delica or Endura (depending on your size preference) or Benchmade Griptilian or Mini Griptilian (again, depending on your size.)

Consider the Spydercos. You'll change your mind if you see them in real life. This is the case for many, many people on this forum.
 
I think you could make a nice arguement for any of those. The Griptillians have a nice feel, but I never got the hang of the axis lock.

The Spyderco Endura is a workhorse.

Kershaw also produces a nice product. Have fun with your decision!
 
the first knife I bought that I actually count (I dont count the simple saks as anything but keepsakes since they have the worst steel for cutting tasks) was (to a poor college student) VERY expensive at 200 bucks. I dont think you need to even consider spending that much. I wish I would have bought the benchmade 710 first. Its not quite my favorite knife, but I think it is just the best entry knife because its just a classic design and benchmade stands behind their products.

I think you should check out the following knives in order:
1. Benchmade hk14205 or hk14200 [115, 100](btw, if you want the bigger one, spend the extra money! I swear on my kidneys and liver that if you just buy what you want you will be sooooooooo much happier in the long run)
2. Benchmade bm710 mchenry and williams [105] (honestly I would buy this one myself [in your shoes, Ive already got 2] since I found the HK to be just a tad too loud in terms of design)
3. Emerson MiniCommander [130] (I know its a bit of an upspend, which is why I listed it third instead of first)
4. Benchmade BM707 sequel or BM16707 [90, 90] (a good smaller knife, and its blackwater counterpart, the blackwater is g10, the 707 is aluminum with g10 inserts)
5. Benchmade BM525 mini presidio, benchmade BM520 presidio [100, 115] (a very good design, but imo its just a little too big and a little too heavy when compared to its brothers)

I personally believe that you should buy the best knife you can afford because it will make you the happiest! I realize this leads to overspending sometimes, but in the end as long as you can actually afford it (even if you have to make some sacrifices) and dont have to go to mr. credit card (who I dont even let in the house, as hes a sly one) its worth it.

p.s. if you want a knife for 50 dollars you have to come to grips that you wont be buying a benchmade. I find the red line knives to be very, very good values, but the difference between them and the blue/black lines is evident every second you hold one. To me, 1 hundred buck knife is better than 2 50 dollar knives any day and I would take a certain 150 dollar knife over 3 50 dollar knives (hint I listed it up in the knives you should look at).
 
I'm a bit of a Spyderco fan, so they get my vote.

But you also mention a $10 knife, and we would be remiss if we didn't mention Mora Knives (fixed) and Opinals (folding). In this price range these two knives simply cannot be beat. Trust me, spend $20 and get one of each.
 
Check out the Kershaw Cyclone and Mini Cylcone
 
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kershaw leek, benchmade monochrome,benchade griptillian,benchmade pika basically any benchmade is a good choice
 
Hey rad,
First off, welcome to the forums. You will find a wealth of information here, and a lot of really cool people as well:thumbup:

As far as your choice, you can't go wrong with a Kershaw Blur. You said it yourself, it's a classic Kershaw design and has stood the test of time. Still as relevant today as when it was first introduced.

I suggest you go ahead and get the Blur, it will NOT be your last Kershaw.

Jon
 
I'd get two Kershaw Storms(great ,solid knives) & you have a whole slew of blurs & leeks for $50 & up,a Grippie or a Volpe for under a $100(the third being one of my favorite,sharpest,toughest,gorgeous ever spidies.I can go on & on about this....but it's getting late.

Check out what Kershaw,Spyderco,Benchmade,Buck,SOG, & CRKT have to offer.All Great,Respectable Companies to deal with.

Also the BYRD line,although made in China are Serious,low cost beaters.

I just got a G10 BYRD Cara Cara today(around $25) & I am extremely impressed with it.

Benchmade make great knives,but I'm not satisfied with the red series & would go no less than the blue series.

Good luck in you're journey :) & welcome to bladeforums;):thumbup:
 
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Hi Radu, welcome to the forums.

I don't think DX has any $6-7 Ultrafires, that is an extension tube. Might I suggest a $12 Romisen MXDL RC-G2 instead ? I think it's a great light for the money and runs on the AA battery. I carry one everyday.

1. Check out the laws for carrying a knife in your city/province! That might dictate what you actually purchase. Here in Michigan, any knife with a blade over 3 inches in length can be considered a deadly weapon, so I look for blades that are 3 inches and under. No daggers or assisted openers allowed.

I would suggest a folding knife for EDC (every day carry) and a fixed blade for hiking/camping. Many of the manufacturers you mentioned are good ones. Since you are new, I'd suggest sticking with the lower priced ones to start off with. There are many good, solid, performers that are under $30 in the EDC category. I'd suggest looking at Ka-Bar Doziers (4062-4065), Boker Trance, Benchmade Pika/Mini Pika, or the Spyderco Byrd line (Cara Cara or Meadowlark maybe).

For a good, fixed blade, I'll let others chime in. I only have a Ka-Bar 1211 that I carry for hiking and camping. That runs about $40-50.

You can find a respectable flashlight + EDC folder + hiking/camping fixed blade for $100. Good luck!
 
Thank you for all the suggestions , guys !
p_mcmanis, sorry but your suggestions are too expensive, more than 100$ even more than 130$ shipped to Canada
gazz98,I was talking about UF knives , not about the lights...

I am really torn now between more models and I am assuming that buying the first knife 'I would open a can with worms' as somebody said, my CC won't be affected as I don't have one :) but my savings will suffer - a lot - in the future.
There are too many, much too many models on the market. It would have been difficult to choose among the models of one maker, but with more...it's impossible ! Uff, the things are simplier with the flashlights...

I guess I will choose between those 3 :

KERSHAW RED/BLACK BLUR 52$ shipped 13C26 steel
BENCHMADE GRIPTILIAN green 81$ shipped 154CM steel
CRKT M-16 65$ shipped AUS8 steel

Which one would worth better the its price in your opinion ?
The BENCHMADE has the best steel and the CRKT the worst from all 3 ???
Also, I like a lot the straight - sleek - simply - blade shape of CRKT , but is the COLUMBIA making its knives in China ? I would definetely preffer something made in US ...
 
radu1976 said:
Thank you for all the suggestions , guys !
p_mcmanis, sorry but your suggestions are too expensive, more than 100$ even more than 130$ shipped to Canada
gazz98,I was talking about UF knives , not about the lights...

I am really torn now between more models and I am assuming that buying the first knife 'I would open a can with worms' as somebody said, my CC won't be affected as I don't have one :) but my savings will suffer - a lot - in the future.
There are too many, much too many models on the market. It would have been difficult to choose among the models of one maker, but with more...it's impossible ! Uff, the things are simplier with the flashlights...

I guess I will choose between those 3 :

KERSHAW RED/BLACK BLUR 52$ shipped 13C26 steel
BENCHMADE GRIPTILIAN green 81$ shipped 154CM steel
CRKT M-16 65$ shipped AUS8 steel

Which one would worth better the its price in your opinion ?
The BENCHMADE has the best steel and the CRKT the worst from all 3 ???
Also, I like a lot the straight - sleek - simply - blade shape of CRKT , but is the COLUMBIA making its knives in China ? I would definetely preffer something made in US ...
Click to expand...


You just answered your own question.Go with the Grippie of the three + made in USA!.:thumbup:
 
Also worth considering, if you are not looking strictly for a "tactical" type folder is the U2 from Fallkniven.
 
radu1976 said:
p_mcmanis, sorry but your suggestions are too expensive, more than 100$ even more than 130$ shipped to Canada
Click to expand...

thats fine man, I just assumed since you said you wanted 2 50 dollar knives that you would be buying them at the same time and if thats the case then I think its definately better to go with 1 100 dollar knife.

out of your choices, go griptilian. 154cm is worth the money over sandvik and aus8.
 
Also the AG Russell one hand knife with the plastic handles and ats-34 general purpose blade for $49 is a good deal IMO.:cool::thumbup:;)
 
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