Non-Pocket Knives

bikerector said:
Given your budget, I would try out a spyderco for sure. I find them to be uglier, in general, compared to other big American manufacturers, but they normally do ergos well, and many have slicey full flat grinds. That's their bread and butter, along with trying out new designs and steels (heavy on R&D).

Civivi is WE's budget brand. WE is in a different league from civivi, focusing on higher end materials, constructions, and more complicated designs. Civivi is usually $50-$100, WE is usually $200+. Contouring costs money which is likely why civivi's are just flat slabs with rounded corners. Thinness also wins out in ease of carry, so many of their customers prefer thin handles. Their product diversity isn't so great though, looking at it from a genre standpoint. Most are thin, lightweight EDC knives. Anyway, probably not for you, which is fine.

Cold steel has a few good options too. A recon tanto might be a good fit, but should be plenty of others.
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Spydercos are so ugly that they kinda come back around to being cute again. As I'm looking through them the cold steel knives are kinda the perfect knife for me except, I just have never used or liked a back lock really. It was always the pain in the butt thing on your grandpas knife that he handed you. That's cool tho, I didn't realize WE was it's own brand, I'll have a looksee
 
Big handle and slicey blade sounds like a Cold Steel Voyager. They can be had in clip point, tanto, or drop point, with four- to five-and-a-half inch blades, with AUS-10A steel. Next, maybe a Spyderco Resilience, with a 4.25-inch blade, which can be had in S35VN steel or 8Cr13MoV, with FRN handles or G10 (or you could go smaller with the Tenacious and its 3.39-inch blade). If you want to go black and tanto, a Cold Steel Recon 1 might fit the bill. Any of these knives can be had for less than $150.00.

Some of my favorites, top to bottom: XL Cold Steel Voyager, tanto; Cold Steel 4-Max; XL Cold Steel Voyager, clip point (the most cardboard slicing, turkey slicing, and kitchen work has been done with this one):
 
Ya'll have been so helpful this morning! Merry Christmas to you all! I gotta get ready for family stuff and I'll do research on my phone while people are talkin at me. Be back later tonight.
 
Big black and moderately scary, and ones that cut well are the Manix 2 XL
C95GBBK2_L.jpg

...and the OG Millie:
C36GBK_L.jpg
 
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ShelterGirl said:
Spydercos are so ugly that they kinda come back around to being cute again. As I'm looking through them the cold steel knives are kinda the perfect knife for me except, I just have never used or liked a back lock really. It was always the pain in the butt thing on your grandpas knife that he handed you. That's cool tho, I didn't realize WE was it's own brand, I'll have a looksee
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Maybe check out the AD15 lite. It's pretty neat, but not the sliciest of their designs. It has a unique cool factor though, with the scorpion lock.

I jusr saw some new kershaw blur models out, if assist is okay.
 
The svord peasant has a comfortable, hand filling handle. It doesn't lock as it's a friction folder, but with the tang extension it's not gonna close either. Super thin 15n20 blade too. The handle is plastic, but at the price point you don't really have to worry about a bit of abuse here and there.IMG_20231225_165537363.jpg

My apologies, I just reread your op. Large black and scary looking... The SOG Trident AT fits the bill there. I was gifted one some time back, and while I haven't carried it, I was impressed with the build quality. My brother has one that he's beat on pretty hard and it's held up admirably. IMG_20231225_165956915.jpg
 
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MolokaiRider said:
Cold Steel Recon 1.

Cuts cardboard well.
Fills hand well.
One of the strongest locks out there.
'Bout a hundred bucks or less.
No liners to trap moisture or corrode.
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This.....I just finished cutting up a stack of Amazon boxes to go in the recycling bin. The tanto bladed Recon 1 is every bit as good at breaking down cardboard as a box cutter, and ergos are really good.
oVvrQVw.jpg
 
kobold said:
Big black and moderately scary, and ones that cut well are the Manix 2 XL

...and the OG Millie
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Not the military with the fancy lock? Not that I'm against a liner lock, of the three it's the only one i'd immediately know how to use.

I'm sorta thinking the same though, the military seems really functional, but I like the look of the manix a bit better.

Are the locks comparable? Do they wear similarly? Is one more fun to use than the other?
 
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Folding knives I've use in the manner you describe... Victorinox Trekker, Buck 110/ 112, Leatherman Wave.

But since you didnt ask about multi-tools, and its going to be carried in a bag, I would likely just go with a fixed blade. I currently favor the highly economical Mora Pro for a general use knock-around fixed blade. The short, wide blade makes for more of a classic drop point shape, which I preffer, and it holds a good edge.
 
ShelterGirl said:
Not the military with the fancy lock? Not that I'm against a liner lock, of the three it's the only one i'd immediately know how to use.

I'm sorta thinking the same though, the military seems really functional, but I like the look of the manix a bit better.

Are the locks comparable? Do they wear similarly? Is one more fun to use than the other?
Click to expand...

I prefer the original military with the liner lock, myself.

The manix's lock (ball bearing lock) and military 2 (compression lock) are not really comparable. I think people will say either can be "playful" as they allow the blade to move pretty freely for easily flicking the blade open and closed. The ball bearing lock is kind of like the benchmade axis lock in feel, except it has a much strong pull, in my experience.

I've tried several knives with the compression lock and they tend to pinch my hands occasionally, which is why I don't prefer them. I also prefer the liner lock as I don't have to change my hand position to disengage the lock since it's right where my thumb already is. The comp lock, you have to adjust your hand around. The benefit of that, along with the axis lock (cross bar like being the generic name), ball bearing, and backlocks is that your fingers are generally out of the way of a closing blade so you're less likely to get cut. Hasn't really been a problem for me so I don't consider it much of an advantage.

If you like the looks of the manix, I would go that route, personally. I find it more ugly and the military to be one of spyderco's better looking knives. Both are really slicey. The military is longer by a fair bit (4" blade vs 3.37" on the manix) and has a more serpentine overall shape whereas the manix is a little more chunky. I also think the manix is thicker than the military, but I don't see a handle thickness listed anywhere. I think the manix 2 specifically, not the lightweight, would probably fit your desires better as it's a lot heavier with the liners and G10, vs the lightweight FRN of the lightweight. Black g10 with black coated blade.

Just my thoughts based on what you've said here. As long as the lock wouldn't be a deal breaker.

1703620113073.png

Spyderco Manix 2 Knife Tactical G-10 (3.375" Black) C101GPBBK2 - Blade HQ

This Spyderco Manix 2 features tactical black G-10 scales, frame and pocket clip. The full flat ground S30V steel blade is DLC finished with a plain edge. The recipe for success: Start with an exceptionally strong lock, manufactured using precise tolerances and add a blade honed from exotic...
www.bladehq.com www.bladehq.com
 
ShelterGirl said:
Not the military with the fancy lock? Not that I'm against a liner lock, of the three it's the only one i'd immediately know how to use.

I'm sorta thinking the same though, the military seems really functional, but I like the look of the manix a bit better.

Are the locks comparable? Do they wear similarly? Is one more fun to use than the other?
Click to expand...

I have a few knives with compression locks, but I try to avoid them now - the cutout is a hotspot in hard use and I find it more awkward to operate than most other locks. It is also unusable in heavy gloves IME.

The Military is my favorite Spyderco model, so I am def biased. There are at least four different ways to flick it open, possibly more. The liner lock in the Military is the best liner lock implementation in production knives and Spyderco's S30V is the best S30V, when it comes to heat treat, in the industry (arguably).

Note, the Manix I posted is the Manix 2 XL, which has a blade size comparable to the Military.
Both locks should last for many many years. There is no omega spring in the Manix and even if the one in it fails it can be replaced with a spring from a pen in a pinch.
 
Look at knives with Magnacut steel. It's the latest popular metal and retains an edge longer.
For heavy cardboard I'd look at a Sandrin Knives. Not steel but Tungsten Carbide. Extremely hard thin blade, relatively light and will cut a mile of cardboard,so they say, and stay sharp longer than steel. Kinda pricey but you should definitely look at them.
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I have a Sandrin and once it goes dull it's hard to sharpen even with diamonds. I can make it so-so, but nothing like when it was new.
 
Well, then I think imma get a manix xl. I may keep an eye out for a military too, for the right price, but the manix xl seems like it'd fit me best
 
Hope it serves you well. We would like to hear your experiences with it after awhile, to see how you like it and what you have learned. I am a small fixed blade person , and of course I am going to insert my ideas (sorry 😀) and while I have never liked the size of the Mora Eldris, would it be a handy quick cut and easy to put away? Just curious.
 
If the Eldris is too small hat a knife made with D2 steel? Larger carbides should give it a toothy edge and should be good to slice boxes. And you are familiar how to sharpen. Just curious.
 
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