not just another "top 5" knives thread - GAW Winners in Post #1

1. Hinderer XM-18 3" non-flipper. It just works for me. Fun to flip open, great ergos, and its just solid little package.
2. Large Micarta Sebenza. It's just a pleasure to cut with it. Everything about it is just well thought out, it just excels at being...(drum roll)...a pocket knife.
3. GEC #15 clip point. Simplicity at it's finest.
4. SnG DGG. I like the ergos, I like the looks, and I like the texture of the handle.
5. Spyderco Delica. A lightweight champion.
 
Busse Basic 11- Best feeling chopper I own, I like the blade style and the smaller scales
Busse Boss Jack- Again, like the smaller scales and it makes a nice 6" camp knife
Skookum Bush Tool or Spyderco Bushcrafter- Most comfortable bushcraft knife I have felt
ESEE 6 with TKC scales- Great knife for the money and feels great with the TKC scales. Great beater knife
Spyderco PM2- Best EDC folder I have found, and I have had Strider and the like. Others are great hard use folders, but for an EDC the PM2 cant be beat. The new ZT0566 might take second when I pick one up. Buddy has one, it feels great
 
1. Spyderco delica 4- simple, reliable, the most comfortable folder I own to carry and use, no nonsense design and just very trusted and predictable, my long standing EDC favorite.

2. Ontario RAT2- outstanding value, worth twice what I paid, great fit and finish, I love the blade shape and the thin flat grind is a mean slicer, one of the smoothest knives I own. Solid design.

3. Victorinox Tinker- carried this knife longer than any other, it's nearly always with me in addition to a larger folder, amazing value and very useful tool, aesthetically pleasing.

4. Mora companion- the only real fixed blade I need, does everything I ask a fixed blade to do and does it while being very comfortable to hold and carry, another amazing value.

5. SOG flash II, current EDC favorite at the moment, had it a long time and not afraid to treat it like a tool, a great work knife that can be opened and closed easily while wearing gloves, fun assisted opening feature and one of, if not my favorite pocket clip in the knife industry.

Other honorable mentions include the SOG Trident for the same reasons as the flash II, ka bar USMC because it's a beautiful fixed blade with much history, and pretty much every other victorinox made that wasn't mentioned above.
 
I'm in.

1. Delica 4 - has to be the 4. My most favorite compact one hand opening folder, perfect ergos, size and hand feel.
2. Any 2 5/8" closed slipjoint in my current pocket is a Rough Rider barlow, this is what I'm comfortable carrying around NYC.
3. Spyderco Domino, I sold mine but if I wanted a compact medium flipper as an edc this would be it.
4. Opinel 8 slim, because this is literally the most useful knife to me when gardening. It will out cut anything with a thicker blade than itself, I would put the opininel up against any other blade for gardening use. Only thing better is a serrated blade see Cara Cara 2.
5. Sebenza in all its incarnations. I guess it is a grail knife to me. In truth I wish I had never put my hands on them as I'm pretty much 60 knives in bought, sold, traded looking for something better than the Sebenza without taking into consideration the practicality of where I am walking around and having to be self conscious of not scaring people when I whip out a knife in the NYC area.

If I could have a 6th choice it would be the single blade trapper pattern, pretty much my most favorite all around favorite and most useful knife pattern, blade shape and length.

Honorable mention is the Cara Cara 2 in combo edge. Great user, I recently rotated it into my utility drawer and put my other one handers away. It's great for fast and hard rough cuts.
 
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Here's what finds itself in my pocket the most:
1. Kershaw Injection 3.5 - Great slicer, takes a good edge and really easy to touch up. Big, but looks pretty classy, hardly get a 2nd look cutting up lunch in the office. If it had a flipper it would nearly be the perfect knife for me. Awesome knife for the price.
2. Endura 4 FRN - I've had this going on 20 years, I've carried it more than any other knife I've ever owned. Very lightweight for such a folder. Takes a great edge and retains it pretty well. Awesome ergos.

I want, but don't currently own:
3. Manix2 - Even more comfortable in my hand than the endura and better steel to boot.
4. ZT0770CF - Love the blade shape and feels good in hand. Good balance of size and weight. Too much money for me though.
5. RAT1 - Similar to the injection.
 
I have a few that I've had for a while, and some newcomers:

In no particular order:
1. Benchmade 730CFHS - I've used this knife for hard work for almost 10 years. M2 steel holds a great edge, carbon fiber looks cool, and Axis lock is a breeze to use.

2. A. G. Russell Gent's Linerlock - Just a classy, quality piece in ATS-34, Ti and Burlwood. Beautiful Loveless-style outline

3. CRKT Hi Jinx - Solid quality Titanium framelock that fits my hand perfectly, and is just awesome Ken Onion-designed useful.

4. Spyderco Southard - With Carbon fiber custom scale - Perfect EDC size, great slicing blade, fun to play with, Sexy to look at.

5. Case Bose collaboration Lanny's Clip in chestnut bone - Incredible quality in materials, fit-n-finish and design. Perfect EDC size. Traditional style with new world build.

No need to consider me for the giveaway. If my number comes up, pass it on to the next guy (or gal).
 
This is an interesting question.

1) Boker Exskellimoor II
This is my only EDC. I chose this after lots of looking for two or three main reasons. First, its under 3in of blade length and has no thumb stud/hole (although it can technically be opened with one hand, it takes practice). This means its legal for all cities within a few hundred miles of here, so I can't head out for lunch with the co-workers and end up somewhere what what is in my pocket is illegal. Second, it is fairly non-threatening. Its got a wood handle, and a blade shape that doesn't make people nervous, which works great for my office environment. And finally, its cheap enough I won't cry if I loose it, and has a pocket clip so it can stay out of the way in my RR pocket. Its been my only EDC blade for... 2 - 3 years now, and I'm still quite happy with it. If I did make any changes, it would actually be for the blade thickness, as for what I use it for, I find its a touch thick.

2) Opinel #6 carbon
I have fake front teeth (courtesy of a speedboat incident at age 13), and the only thing the dentist told me when I got them was to "never eat apples without cutting them, because your teeth might pop out with the bite". I've been following that advice religiously for just about 15 years now, and as such I always cut my apples (gives a good story for me to tell co-workers "why" I carry a knife). So far, the Opinel is by far the best apple slicer I have. Again, I work in a big tech company, so the #6 is small enough not to get funny looks while I eat my apples. Plus, its easy to sharpen up to scary sharp levels, and I love the apple patina its developed.

3) Mora Clipper
Got this on a whim when I very first got into knives after hearing how good they were. I got it the same time I got one other very highly rated knife, and now a few years later... the Mora is the one I reach for when I go into the outdoors. That, and the fact that it cuts wood like a demon, sharpens up easily, and cost what... $8? Easy choice. I do sometimes wish the handle was a bit fuller though. That would make the longer carving/feathersticking sessions a bit more comfortable.

4) Becker BK9
Won this one in a contest here, and its been my other main outdoors blade since then. It chops great (although I don't chop much, I bring a folding saw), batons through anything I'd ever reasonably need to split, and still is easy enough to featherstick and do other smallish tasks with pretty reasonable comfort. Mines one of the older roll stamped ones, and its been stripped, and has a great patina. I added red handle liners to make the handle larger, and filled in the stampings with red crayon. Its quite the looker. Also, 1095CV is actually much more rust-resistant than I originally thought (particularly compared to my SK5 war sward, opinel, or svords L6), and the edge retention is quite serviceable. And finally, the handle on the full sized beckers are super comfy. I've used my BK9 for literal hours straight (cleaning up fallen trees at my parents cabins), and no blisters. So all of these things make it my most used large fixed blade by far.

5) Alox Farmer
This last choice was hard, as I had a few vying for the spot in my mind (peasant and peasant mini come to mind), but the farmer takes the cake because it simply is so useful. Its one of the knives I take camping (small saw, sharp and useful blade length, and I feel comfortable handing it to someone else for random camp tasks. And yes, for those keeping track that means I take a BK9 for wood breakdown, a mora for feathersticks/whittling, and the sak). It also fits in quite well at the office, or at church. The tools are quite handy, and so its overall versatility that makes this one of the most reached for knives that I own.
 
My top 5:

1. Umnumzaan. All the fit and finish of a Sebenza, with pivot tension I can set to be readily flickable. Plus the shock absorbers make me worry less about thumb flicking it open.
2. Large Sebenza 21 Insingo. My most recent acquisition. I'm a sucker for an interesting modified wharnie. Slicey as heck and of course has legendary fit and finish.
3. Small Sebenza 21 plain jane. My first CRK, which really just ruined most of my collection for me. Carries fantastically well in jeans or slacks, has a great classic blade shape, and again, great fit and finish.
4. ZT 0561. I love Hinderer designs, and flippers are my favorite opening method. Mine flips fantastically well, and has very good fit and finish. Fun to carry when I want a big, mean blade.
5. Protech Half-Breed, silver anodized aluminum and CF inlay. California-legal auto, with a handle that's still big enough to be useful. Super crazy light, easy to carry discreetly, and it's one of the only autos I can legally carry.

As I'm sure you can tell from my list, I'm a big fan of Ti framelocks, and I especially value fit and finish.
 
Thanks for the GAW chance!

1- Small CRK Insingo- small, refined, love the blade shape
2- ESEE Izula II- I've pretty much fully switched from folders to pocket carrying a Candiru to the office and an Izula II everywhere else. They're discreet, well made, affordably priced, and can handle just about anything.
3- Large Micarta Insingo- Haven't owned one in over a year, but I still get a distinct electricity feeling in my spine when I think about opening and closing one.
4- ZT0550- My favorite of the 3 flavors of ZT I've sampled. Not as beefy as the 0303 or 0560, but still very stout and capable.
5- ESEE Candiru- see #2
 
Fun GAW. Thanks for the chance!

1. Spyderco Atlantic Salt in black frn. Full serrated blade is great for opening packages. Light!!!

2. JW Knives Bandicoot 2.5. I know its not really a knife but I use it every day to cut, pry, etc.

3. Original DPX HEST rides shotgun in the truck, toolbox, and backpack. Its a tough go anywhere & do anything fixed blade.

4. JK Handmade Knives Pocket Tank. Small fixed blade with a pocket sheath. I just like the look and feel. It gets carried alot but see very little action.

5. My "Dress Up" knife. GEC Beaver Tail Wharncliffle Lockback #72. Old timey look never scares anyone.

Honorable mention goes to my new CRKT Ripple. I Love it because my great friends bought it for my birthday this year. They know nothing about knives. They just know that I like knives so they bought one in my favorite color (blue)


Knives that I couldn't get along with:

All Emerson Waved knives. The last thing I want in a knife is for it to open up by itself halfway in my pocket.

All slippery smooth g10 handled blades.

Love most Tops Knives. Hate most of the sheaths that come with them. Lots of rattle and that stupid belt destroying spring clip. Look up GunfixxrJoe on this site to get a great sheath made for your Tops and all your other knives.

I have been through alot of knives just trying to find something that fits. Like most people, my tastes have evolved as I go along.
 
I'll give this a go.

I dont really have any expensive knives but the ones I keep coming back to are:

1. Spyderco Manix 1
I prefer lockbacks overall and this is a big tough tank of a knife. It's heavy and I love it.
It feels like it was made specifically for me.

2. Spyderco Dodo
The funky blade shape is great for pedestrian tasls like cutting tape and opening snack bags.
It also made me feel like a velocitlraptor when I had to walk 6 blocks in the dark in Detroit to get to my car after work.
The handle fits my hand near perfectly.

3. Rat 1
Not quite as big and bad as the Manix but a heck of a bargain for the price.
Very tough, gets super sharp and exudes quality well above it's price point.

4. Leatherman Juice Pro
I know it's a multitool but it has 2 blades (spear and serrated sheepsfoot) and I've carried it every day for at least 15 years.
I had to go to ebay and get another after wearing mine down (mostly bent the pliers). I'll probably carry it every day for the rest of my life.

5. Victorinox Alox Electrician
Amazing quality for the price. Tough as nails and a great slicer. The electricians blade is a nice bonus. It was the first SAK to catch my attention and now I want quite a few.

I don't tend to sell my knives because each one drew my eye at some point and still does.
Perhaps if one skyrockets in value I'd consider it but I enjoy owning them as much as using them.

Thanks for the giveaway offer, it's very generous.
 
I'll bite.
1. CRKT Falcon, fixed blade neck knife. Just big enough to be genuinely useful, small enough to be a supremely comfortable neck carry, takes a wicked edge and sharpens up easily. Sheer utility.
2. Spyderco Endura. Lovely knife, the Spyder Edge cuts superbly, comfortable in the pocket and easy to sharpen with the SharpMaker. Nice and light.
3. Spyderoc Paramilitary 2. Like the Endura except plain, not serrated, and better handles. A bit too heavy for really comfortable carry, thats why it isn't higher. But my second best knife, if you don't consider factors like comfort.
4. Esee Izula II. Magnificent little knife, clearly better than the Falcon, but a bit too big for regular neck carry. I love this knife, but I don't have a real good way to carry it, except in a bag. That lessens it's utility, for me.
5. Sharpmaker. OK, its not really a knife, but where would we be without a way to sharpen? If you are going to have decent knives, you need a good sharpener, and this is it for me. Nearly idiotproof (OK, marginally idiotproof, and I have proved this to my satisfaction!) this beats out my next best knife, which would have been my Leatherman. Or maybe my Opinel. Or maybe my Tenacious. Maybe that's why I put the Sharpmaker 5'th, so I wouldn't have to choose!
In conclusion, the Falcon is my old reliable that fits nearly every situation. Not my best knife, by any means, but the one that works quickly, easily and well time after time after time. I am ordering a Becker Necker soon, maybe that will take over!
 
Thanks for the GAW.

1. Schrade 61OT USA, Sentimental and utilitarian value.

2. The older model Victorinox hunter. Utilitarian, cost vs benefit, the saw and scissors and corkscrew and sentimental.

3. Victorinox sportsman. Utilitarian, cost vs benefit, ease of carry, like new except it was froze up - $3 at a garage sale. A couple of hours work and :)

4. Mora Triflex. Utilitarian, cost vs value.

5. Russell Green River boning blade that I put a handle on. Utilitarian, cost, comfort. This knife is sharpened with 120 grit. Go to for meat cutting, turkey carving, and slicing baked bread. The 120 grit gives it a pseudo serrated edge. This resides in my kitchen.

The first 2 are older knives that I have had for decades.
 


1.) 0888 MAX - I do not think I need to elaborate on this one - Maxamet steel and the smoothness.
2.) Spyderco PM2 Elmax (I like this version the best - also have the 204P and had the S30V) these are honorable mentions. I really like the color and the corrosion resistance plus I got a perfect specimen (the pivot is perfect)
3.) Spyderco Manix2 S110V - Probably the best/most carried EDC - so light and S110V
4.) ZT 0801 CF and BRWCF versions - such a good flipper - lightening fast and so fun to play with
5.) Sage 2 - one of my best all-around EDC/Around the house knives. So smooth and user-friendly. Look-up is rock-solid after over a year of almost daily use.

Honorable mention: Spyderco Yo2 S90V CF - just recieved this in the main this afternoon so too early to judge it, but man, the F&F is perfection, it drops out-of box and the lock-up is rock-solid (a definate win which may kick the Sage out of my top 5).

Note: I have the 0562 CF coming and this may take a top 5 spot - cannot wait.
 
Post #2. TSF Beast may toss one out of my top 5 when it gets here in a few weeks.
 
1. Benchmade Volli - It's the perfect size for daily carry. ergos perfect. assisted open is something I rarely like, but on this blade it works very well.

2. Becker BK 14 - The little fixed blade that can do just about anything. very versatile, lightweight, and, because its a Becker, customizing it is easy and very rewarding.

3. Becker BK 7 - This is my favorite outdoors knife. It can chop, spark a ferro, scrape bark, make feather sticks, and just about any other outdoors task needed.

4. Benchmade Contego - This knife just screams "badass". Its big, a little heavy, tough and has a CPM-M4 blade that can take whatever you throw at it.

5. Opinel #8 - I use this blade constantly at work. It slices, strips wire and pierces grommets with ease. Sharpens very fast and holds an edge pretty well.


Close runner-up....my BM Triage. Just haven't had I long enough for it to be in my top 5. Give it another couple weeks and I'm sure it will jump in there.
 
I live in the woods and hunt and fish alot for my major food source. my favorite knives are , Busse SAR 6, Busse boss jack, George Trout custom bird and trout knife, Fallkniven S 1, and Busse culti. i have used all these and many others but these are my users.
 
Ok, we have 56 entries. Winners up in a few.....

Winners are listed in Post #1 on top.

Thanks for playing
 
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Wow! First time I've won! Thank you! I'll be happy with either, after Keroscene gets his pick. I have a future giveaway in mind of my own.
 
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