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I've never seen/read any handle failure "break-up" on a Griptilian, do you have any pictures or links?
It's one of the reasons so many like it, it's tough and "grippy!"
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Nice first knife for Nephew?
- Thread starter Mylo
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I've never seen/read any handle failure "break-up" on a Griptilian, do you have any pictures or links?
It's one of the reasons so many like it, it's tough and "grippy!"
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2008
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- 3,681
I gave my Nephew my old Camillius Cub Scout knife when he was 13, he's nearly 16 now. When he graduates from high school he's getting my old cocobolo Queen Gunstock Franklin Knife Club Youth knife, and a Spyderco I haven't decided on yet.
I think he would be very happy with the recent one-hand-opening Victorinox Trekker.
As a boy scout, it is -in my opinion- more interesting to have a number of useful tools in a handy package than to have "only" a blade, even if it's very good. It would be terrible to hear of a broken tip of a blade because he tried to open a bottle or a can with it.
The boy will appreciate that he can open the Trekker with one hand, the quite ok blade locks, and it has a (lockable!) bottle opener, and can opener, a saw etc. Just see the pic:
It has quickly become one of my fave SAKs, together with the aluminum classic Soldier.
ps:
I love it nevertheless. But for this specific usage, I would rather recommend the one-hand SAK.
As a boy scout, it is -in my opinion- more interesting to have a number of useful tools in a handy package than to have "only" a blade, even if it's very good. It would be terrible to hear of a broken tip of a blade because he tried to open a bottle or a can with it.
The boy will appreciate that he can open the Trekker with one hand, the quite ok blade locks, and it has a (lockable!) bottle opener, and can opener, a saw etc. Just see the pic:
It has quickly become one of my fave SAKs, together with the aluminum classic Soldier.
ps:
The Tenacious offers really nice quality/price, but... you can see this coming I guess... it's made in China.
I love it nevertheless. But for this specific usage, I would rather recommend the one-hand SAK.
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- Sep 29, 2008
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- 10,394
I think he would be very happy with the recent one-hand-opening Victorinox Trekker.
As a boy scout, it is -in my opinion- more interesting to have a number of useful tools in a handy package than to have "only" a blade, even if it's very good. It would be terrible to hear of a broken tip of a blade because he tried to open a bottle or a can with it.
The boy will appreciate that he can open the Trekker with one hand, the quite ok blade locks, and it has a (lockable!) bottle opener, and can opener, a saw etc. Just see the pic:
It has quickly become one of my fave SAKs, together with the aluminum classic Soldier.
ps:
The Tenacious offers really nice quality/price, but... you can see this coming I guess... it's made in China.
I love it nevertheless. But for this specific usage, I would rather recommend the one-hand SAK.
The Tenacious differs from the Byrd lineup in the fact that it is a China made blade, but the rest of the knife is Made in USA. The quality is supurb on the Tenacious.
Also, as a former boy scout (scouter now
) I can say that a good single blade knife is much more useful then a chunky knife with a bunch of features. They make dedicated can openers for a reason. If he tried to open a bottle (like a... beer?) with the tip of the knife, he shouldn't have one in the first place. :thumbdn:I'd push the Tenacious or maybe a nice Benchmade. I don't own a Benchmade currently, but they have gotten excellent reviews, and the AXIS lock has made some waves too. :thumbup:
> The Tenacious differs from the Byrd lineup in the fact that it is a China made blade, but the rest of the knife is Made in USA. The quality is supurb on the Tenacious.
I didn't know that and I welcome the correction. Until now I only read that it's a chinese-made knife, but I didn't really care as it indeed offers superb quality at the price.
> Also, as a former boy scout (scouter now ) I can say that a good single blade knife is much more useful then a chunky knife with a bunch of features. They make dedicated can openers for a reason. If he tried to open a bottle (like a... beer?) with the tip of the knife, he shouldn't have one in the first place.
I also was a boy scout, and I think that with a SAK, the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Indeed, you can find better dedicated can openers, bottle openers, knives, folding saws, screwdrivers, tweezers and toothpicks, etc, but then you have a lot more gear. I do have a number of really good quality knives but this specific SAK has a charm all on it's own, and I do think that the quality of this one is quite nice as well. Finally, as it's (in my opinion) not a huge set of often worthless functions, but rather a focus on the most important ones (one might lack a corkscrew, but that's an area where dedicated tools are indeed a LOT better), it is not that chunky.
I do think that Victorinox has a winner with it. In fact the same model minus the tweezers and toothpick is now the official German soldier knife. They must have done something right.
On a different level, I can imagine some scout leaders confiscating a stout knife like a junkyard dog (one of the recommendations) during the period of the camp, while this is less likely with a SAK.
I didn't know that and I welcome the correction. Until now I only read that it's a chinese-made knife, but I didn't really care as it indeed offers superb quality at the price.
> Also, as a former boy scout (scouter now ) I can say that a good single blade knife is much more useful then a chunky knife with a bunch of features. They make dedicated can openers for a reason. If he tried to open a bottle (like a... beer?) with the tip of the knife, he shouldn't have one in the first place.
I also was a boy scout, and I think that with a SAK, the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Indeed, you can find better dedicated can openers, bottle openers, knives, folding saws, screwdrivers, tweezers and toothpicks, etc, but then you have a lot more gear. I do have a number of really good quality knives but this specific SAK has a charm all on it's own, and I do think that the quality of this one is quite nice as well. Finally, as it's (in my opinion) not a huge set of often worthless functions, but rather a focus on the most important ones (one might lack a corkscrew, but that's an area where dedicated tools are indeed a LOT better), it is not that chunky.
I do think that Victorinox has a winner with it. In fact the same model minus the tweezers and toothpick is now the official German soldier knife. They must have done something right.
On a different level, I can imagine some scout leaders confiscating a stout knife like a junkyard dog (one of the recommendations) during the period of the camp, while this is less likely with a SAK.
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- Sep 30, 2007
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An Al Mar Shiva is a good knife. I take it his left hand is ok. With the disadvantage of no fingers on his right hand, he will need to be an expert with a good sized fighter. This is a cruel world, and the sooner he readies himself for defending himself the better off he will be. The Al Mar Shiva is light, fast, and very handy in a number of jobs. This will even up the odds sonewhat for your nephew. He will be someone that others will realize is a serious man, when he is older. In the movie the godfather, which was based on real people, Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo was the most feared man by the Corleon family. He was known to use a knife, but only when it came down to business. The Godfather when he met him, said he had heard he was a serious man.
I think he would be very happy with the recent one-hand-opening Victorinox Trekker.
As a boy scout, it is -in my opinion- more interesting to have a number of useful tools in a handy package than to have "only" a blade, even if it's very good. It would be terrible to hear of a broken tip of a blade because he tried to open a bottle or a can with it.
The boy will appreciate that he can open the Trekker with one hand, the quite ok blade locks, and it has a (lockable!) bottle opener, and can opener, a saw etc. Just see the pic:
It has quickly become one of my fave SAKs, together with the aluminum classic Soldier.
ps:
The Tenacious offers really nice quality/price, but... you can see this coming I guess... it's made in China.
I love it nevertheless. But for this specific usage, I would rather recommend the one-hand SAK.
He'll still only be able to use the main blade on that.
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- Jan 4, 2008
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kershaw RAM is very easy to use, BM mini-grip is great, spyderco tenacious is also good
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Your getting multiple recommendations for Benchmade's axis lock knives, and the Griptilian in particular, for a reason. The Griptilian is a great knife for an adult. I'd have absolutely adored a knife like a Griptilian when I was 14.
Kids at 14 tend to lose things, and a Benchmade ain't something you want to lose. Think about yellow or orange models, or at least put a bright lanyard/fob on it.
Go ahead-- spring for the Griptilian (plain edge.) :thumbup:
Kids at 14 tend to lose things, and a Benchmade ain't something you want to lose. Think about yellow or orange models, or at least put a bright lanyard/fob on it.
Go ahead-- spring for the Griptilian (plain edge.) :thumbup:
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I've had my original Leatherman since I was 13! That's 18 years! I carried it EVERY DAY until I started carrying a WAVE... which I recently lost. Like Scott says above, a 14yo should be SUPER stoked about a Griptilian.. I guess it depends on the child.. My daughter has no concept of money... When I ask her what she wants for B-day/Xmas... It's "a laptop" or something ridiculously expensive. She's lucky I'm willing to spend $250 on an ipod! My brother used to see EDCing a knife as totally silly.. Not any more. He LOVES the mini Grip I gave him and EDCs it most days.
I would steer clear of any liner/frame lock that is not 100% dedicated lefty. The Spyderco backlock is 100% ambidextrous and one handed, and so is the Benchmade "Axis." If it were me, I would get the boy something that he could use right off the bat as easily and identically as a righty. You should also put the clip on the left hander side before giving it to him... If you choose the Benchmade, and you don't have a torx set, maybe even ask the dealer to do it. Either way, moving the clip is REALLY easy on most ambidextrous knives.
I would steer clear of any liner/frame lock that is not 100% dedicated lefty. The Spyderco backlock is 100% ambidextrous and one handed, and so is the Benchmade "Axis." If it were me, I would get the boy something that he could use right off the bat as easily and identically as a righty. You should also put the clip on the left hander side before giving it to him... If you choose the Benchmade, and you don't have a torx set, maybe even ask the dealer to do it. Either way, moving the clip is REALLY easy on most ambidextrous knives.
I wouldn't recommend doing that. Without the torsion springs, most Kershaw AO knives don't have enough tension from the ball detent to remain closed.
an Axis lock knife (mini grip!) is probably the best choice, but don't forget about the other true ambi knife: one with a thumb hole, and a lockback with a boye detent. I can operate my Delica and Endura completely one handed - takes about 10 minutes of practice to figure out how to close it safely and quickly with one hand.
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I agree that alot of kershaw assisted openers don't have strong enough ball detents to remain closed, but there are some, and im pretty sure the leek is one of them.