No informational thread on the basics of selecting a knife/ knife basics?

T

Turbomunkey

Joined
Dec 14, 2014
Messages
8
New to this forum. I have owned knives since I was a child and I am generally familiar with them but being an adult I have both the necessity as well as the funds to acquire one if not more quality knives for general use. I have been poking around the forum for the last 5-10 minutes and I cannot seem to find a thread that would offer up general information that everyone should know

What are the popular companies?
What are the popular models, even broken down into price range?
What are the best materials for a knife to be constructed with?
What should I look for in a knife for any given purpose?

I am sure this forum has the answer to these questions somewhere but I do not see where that is. I own many firearms and I have a concept of shopping to meet your needs from that perspective, but it seems as though knives are much more lax as far as choosing one. Maybe because knives are more simple? Maybe because the are less enxpesive generally? I dont know

thanks for your input

Jon
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
This may help. It's just my way of going about it, though I do it in a less mechanical manner.
Click to expand...

Awesome writeup, FortyTwoBlades. Very useful information.

Another trick I do when deciding (for anything, not just a knife) is to list all the factors I want to take into account, add them to a spreadsheet and give them a rating for each of the factors out of 10. And yes, I do include "intuition" as one of the factors. I have used this for many decisions, from software purchases to hiring people to buying physical products and I often find it gives me insights I had not noticed when I first evaluated each item. And I end up with a rating number out of 10.

To better answer the original poster's question, you are right about there not being an overall guide to choosing a knife, but this is hard because there are so many uses and types of knife.

If you tell us what use you are planning to put your next knife purchase to, the group here will be very helpful in providing suggestions.
 
Hey thanks for the replies. These are good breakdowns of the thought process for choosing a tool, or anything for that matter.

Star, in response to your suggestion:

I am looking for a knife for everyday carry, general purpose. I would like a folder. Belt clip is a must to keep it easily accessible and separate from pocket clutter. A medium to aggressive grip, no plain metal or synthetic surface. Assisted open is a big plus. I would like a little belly on the blade. Prefer a stainless steel finish on the blade. Strong material that could be used for prying if need be. I am not sure if it is difficult to sharpen serrations but idk that I need any. Blade length maybe 3 to 5 inches. I dont need some top tier knife and I acknowledge the reality knives do get lost so I would prefer spending an amount that won't kill me if I lose it.

That is about all I can think of off the top of my head

Thanks

Jon
 
Turbomunkey said:
I am looking for a knife for everyday carry, general purpose. I would like a folder. Belt clip is a must to keep it easily accessible and separate from pocket clutter. A medium to aggressive grip, no plain metal or synthetic surface. Assisted open is a big plus. I would like a little belly on the blade. Prefer a stainless steel finish on the blade. Strong material that could be used for prying if need be. I am not sure if it is difficult to sharpen serrations but idk that I need any. Blade length maybe 3 to 5 inches. I dont need some top tier knife and I acknowledge the reality knives do get lost so I would prefer spending an amount that won't kill me if I lose it.
Click to expand...

Jon, welcome to Bladeforums!
You are off to a good start with this checklist.

Most of the popular manufacturers have a wide range of price, size, and capability. Start with one company as an example, and browse the catalog to see what's available. Then when you look at other brands, you will see how they fit in with what you liked.

Check out Spyderco at http://www.spyderco.com/
Remember that MSRP is higher than most street prices.
 
I have heard a lot about spyderco and benchmade for production folders. I think you read me well throwing out Spyderco. I want to stay away from chinese made pieces. I know they have Japanese made. Is anything in their line made in the US? I can deal with USA or Japan for the country of manufacture.

Also on that note I have a sharpmaker on order
 
For U.S.A Spydercos off the top of my head.... Military, Paramilitary 2, Manix, Native.

Also on their online catalogue you can browse by country of origin.
 
Kershaw Blur in Elmax. Grippy, 3.5" stainless blade, assisted, good pocket clip, thin and light.
 
Let's start with knife steel. 8cr13mov, 420bcuz, 440 and Aus 8 are your run of the mill steels. They will get the job done, require a bit more maintenance than higher end steels. But if you're on a budget, they will serve you well. S30v, ats-34, vg10, 154cm are more expensive, but most knives featuring these steels can be found under $100. Elmax, s35vn, etc are inn the supersteel area (opinion) they're more expensive but have good edge retention and stay sharp longer. But for every day carry, the middle range and budget steels will work just fine.

Some popular brands that come up a lot around here include: zero tolerance, Kershaw, kabar, spyderco, Ontario, and many others.

Popular models are:
Kershaw Blur
Kershaw Cryo
Ontario Rat 1
Spyderco Tenacious
Spyderco Manix XL
Spyderco Paramilitary 2
Zero Tolerance 0350


For every day carry, you will probably use it for cutting open cardboard packages ( I did this plenty the past week with Christmas and all) cutting random coverage and fabrics, anything you see fit. If you're just getting started with buying well made knives, I suggest you start with an Ontario Rat 1 or 2, spyderco tenacious or Kershaw skyline or Kershaw cryo. The steel is a good steel to practice sharpening on.

But what I consider the best edc ( every day carry) knife, would be the Kershaw Blur in S30v for around $60-$70. Or you can get the blur in Elmax which will be about $10. Either way it's perfect In my opinion. Lightweight, good grip, fair ergos, great steel selections, and I like the angled thumbstuds. I deassisted mine and I like it much better. You will need a T6 torx wrench, and possibly the To torx.
 
Like asking which child is your favorite...

The mainstays of mainstream are Spiderco, ZT, Kershaw, Benchmade, etc. Those are the mass produced makers.
There are so many more.

There is no BEST...We all have our favorites and even they are prone to change over time.

The BEST knife I own is the knife in my pocket right now...

Steels, materials, etc. are dependent on what is the newest, bestest, hottest, etc. at the moment and is going to change as newer, bester and hotter materials are available.

My best knife is made from a single molecule, the edge is less than a molecule thick, it sits in a sheath I made in my forearm and is released when I flex certain forearm muscles. It never needs sharpening and cuts through all known substances like butter...wonder if any of you recognize where this description comes from.

There is more information online available than you have the time and energy to read. Do a search, read, then come back as a more knowledgeable person regarding knives.

As it pertains to cost...it all depends...I can buy an inexpensive firearm and I can spend more money on a firearm than I have common sense...the same can be said about knives...but I can carry my knife anywhere, well almost, anytime and not worry...too much about popo coming down on me...can't say the same about a firearm...don't need a license to carry a knife...I do to carry my firearms...
 
Turbomunkey said:
I am looking for a knife for everyday carry, general purpose. I would like a folder. Belt clip is a must to keep it easily accessible and separate from pocket clutter. A medium to aggressive grip, no plain metal or synthetic surface. Assisted open is a big plus. I would like a little belly on the blade. Prefer a stainless steel finish on the blade. Strong material that could be used for prying if need be. I am not sure if it is difficult to sharpen serrations but idk that I need any. Blade length maybe 3 to 5 inches. I dont need some top tier knife and I acknowledge the reality knives do get lost so I would prefer spending an amount that won't kill me if I lose it.
Click to expand...

Just a couple things to consider, based on your above post . . .

Belt clip - Most folders have them, but if you want ambidextrous carry or to switch between tip up/down, that narrows the playing field. Same thing applies if you want a deep carry clip for greater concealment.

Grip - Materials such as G10 and Zytel are available in varying degrees of "grippyness" and may or may not be reinforced with metal liners underneath. Consider that the typical framelock folder will have exposed steel or aluminum on the lock side, which means you only get the benefit of a grippy surface on one side.

Prying - With a folder? Not that it can't be done, but the strength of the steel is only one factor when prying. Moving parts just don't stand up to the rigors of prying.

There are dozens if not hundreds of excellent knives suitable for EDC with a touch of "hard use" across a wide range of prices. Just searching through EDC threads will keep you occupied for hours if you really want to know various forum members' criteria for suitable EDC folders. While some steels are superior to others based on some pretty specific attributes, personal preference usually overrules specs. My best knives tend not to see much use; as great as their steel, ergonomics and workmanship are, some of my much less expensive knives spend the most time cutting or just riding around in my pocket.
 
For hard use I say the tenacious.....cuts like a demon.....is built like a tank......$35....however it says China on it, that may be a dealbreaker for you.
 
Turbomunkey said:
I am looking for a knife for everyday carry, general purpose. I would like a folder. Belt clip is a must to keep it easily accessible and separate from pocket clutter. A medium to aggressive grip, no plain metal or synthetic surface. Assisted open is a big plus. I would like a little belly on the blade. Prefer a stainless steel finish on the blade. Strong material that could be used for prying if need be. I am not sure if it is difficult to sharpen serrations but idk that I need any. Blade length maybe 3 to 5 inches. I dont need some top tier knife and I acknowledge the reality knives do get lost so I would prefer spending an amount that won't kill me if I lose it.
Click to expand...

You might want to take a look at something like the Kershaw Piston:

-3.5" Blade of stainless 14C28N stainless steel
-Assisted Opener
-Grippy G10 handle
-4 position carry clip
-USA manufactured by Kershaw (excellent warranty service)
-Can be had for ~$50
 
Keep in mind, there are hundreds of manufacturers these days, from all over the world. It wasn't this busy 10-15 years ago. Companies come and go, but the sheer number of companies cranking out knives these days is vast. There really is no real way to create a simple guide on how to pick a knife. There are limitless uses, colors, materials, styles, needs, price ranges, and countries of origin that make it almost impossible to summarize. The best resource you can find is this very forum. My advice is to read, read, and read some more.
 
RevDevil's post has an abundance of wisdom for any new knife buyer and also this kind of information keeps us in tune to the ever evolving knife industry. Thanks BladeForums and all the mods for their continuous work they do to keep this forum a great place to hang out, Merry Christmas all!
 
Everyone, thanks for the input. I have been reading, watching videos, and shopping the last day or so trying to get my foot in the door. I have narrowed down to a few items I would like to try first. Knives are generally pretty reasonably priced so I think in the not too long run I will be able to have my cake and eat it too. For starters I have opted for a couple of knives from the Spyderco line, specifically the Manix 2 XL & the Tenacious. I have heard much good about both and I am sure I will not be disappointed. I know the Tenacious is a Chinese variant but so many people are boasting about how great it is for the price and with that being said I wont have to cry if I hurt it in use. I am a mechanic by trade and it is reasonable to expect that what ever blade I am carrying will be worked out.

Thanks again to everyone, I will get some pictures up once these guys arrive.

GJIMy.gif
 
Add my thanks to everyone for the advice in this thread. Very useful. In my case, I decided to learn the products of one brand (Benchmade) as a starting point. Researched the steels, models, etc. Very informative. It didn't hurt that a local dealer cleared out their Benchmade inventory at a substantial discount. Picked up quite a few knives, including several popular models for a very good price, will sell a few of these to help offset the cost. Thanks again!
 
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