Overbuilt Folders

Almost forgot these.

Traditional utility type, a modern Camillus-made Remington R4243; the stockman in the second pic is 3-7/8" long closed, so you can see how long the R4243 is. Great knife for outdoors and heavy construction work - it's a great heavy duty electrician's knife:
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Another larger-than-usual utility type, an Aitor Gran Capitan. It's a "SAK on steroids" as the previous owner put it. The blade was massive and it & the corkscrew were very useful. However, the funky "multi-use" tool is a perfect example of the unflattering use of the term "over-engineered". It's supposed to perform several functions, but doesn't do any of them all that well. The Victorinox Huntsman is a four-spring-wide design, and the Gran Capitan, with two layers, is just as wide.
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~Chris
 
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Lately, I've enjoyed carrying a CC SnG. It's pivot and blade are overbuilt. It cuts well and carries very well. If you like the ergos of a knife and it happens to be overbuilt do you need any other reason to carry it?
 
I need a knife that is somewhat pocket friendly, yet can be used as almost any tool in a heartbeat, while maintaining a razor sharp edge. I carry daily my buck/tops CSAR-T with ats-34 steel. being extremely overbuilt, I've driven 4" hails in situations where no hammer was available, not leaving a mark on the knife. Another feature is being atleast 3/16" thick and extremely stout, the blade can be used as a pry bar to open crates or any similar situation. It also has a hex driver in the handle, which has came in handy on numerous occasions. And of course it holds an edge better than any other knife I own, the ats-34 is to thank for that. I still carry a traditional slipjoint or smaller folder for more precision cutting tasks, but my CSAR-T has aced any task I throw at it, some of which no other knife would even attempt. It's a tad heavy, but certainly re-assuring to have in the back pocket on a daily basis!
 
My regular EDC's are a CRK Large Sebenza, a Spyderco Caly 3 CF/Damascus, Spyderco Para 2, and Spyderco Chokwe.
I use them for everything. Tough jobs, easy jobs. They handle any job well.

I will likely start carrying my DPX HEST 2.0 again but I want to get a new scale for it. It's overbuilt. It's not one of my regular EDC knives though.

I use my knives like it's my job. And I learned over time that I don't need a big heavy knife with an inch thick(exaggeration) blade to handle what I throw at them. I have no lack of confidence in any of them. I know that they're good knives, made to use and can take what I need to use them for.

I like the design of some overbuilt knives but find I wouldn't really need them to take care of any of the jobs my knives would face.
 
I don't really use knives for things that would require an overbuilt folder. That's just the way I was taught to handle a knife.

That said, I own my share of sharpened prybars, ad the designs of overbuilt knives are often appealing. So long as it's sharp, I'm not going to criticize a guy too much on what he wants to carry.
 
I've been finding that I don't carry my overbuilt folders much. I used to work in the feild as a pipe fitter, and they made sense in that setting, but now I'm in the office, and they just don't fit in here. Even the Benchmade Rift I recently got in a trade has been just sitting in it's box. There's just no advantage to carry something that bulky and heavy for my needs. Instead, I've been carry my 707 Sequel or Caly 3.5.
 
Here's an Ontario Hossom Retribution: .200 thick blade, thick Ti liners, fat G10 handle scales; it's to the left of the Spartan:
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~Chris[/QUOTE]

What's the knife second from right with the stainless steel handles?
 
I find myself drawn to overbuilt folders, and I can't articulate (justify?) why. Like many here a traditional slip joint takes care of the majority of my needs. I have quite a collection of "over built" BM and ZT knives. I can't help but conclude there may be a lack of maturity on my part that draws me to these overbuilt beasts. Or maybe I'm just over compensating...but I digress. Of late I've been making an effort to round out my collection with some good old fashion traditionals. I've made some headway...

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I have a ZT 0561 that I love, but so far I have not found it to out perform my Endura 4. That saying there is a secure feeling with a full metal frame in this case the 3d contoured titanium that I enjoy. I love the flipping action and it is just the feel of the large knife, it has a very sturdy feeling that I like and do not mind the heft (KAI does great on skeletonizing the inside of the frame.
 
JOELSM, I have exactly the same version of the Russell Sunfish. With a .23" thick blade and over 10oz. of weight, it's not the most practical edc, but I still grin whenever I thumb open the blade (CLACK!). :D:thumbup:
 
I usually carry an AFCK or Spydie Military while hunting or doing something in the woods (sometimes a serrated Endura), but the times my "overbuilt" ZT0200 is in my pocket makes me feel a little better in the woods knowing this guy is around.


 
G. Scott H. said:
JOELSM, I have exactly the same version of the Russell Sunfish. With a .23" thick blade and over 10oz. of weight, it's not the most practical edc, but I still grin whenever I thumb open the blade (CLACK!). :D:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Exactly...
 
OBJ Viking said:
I usually carry an AFCK or Spydie Military while hunting or doing something in the woods (sometimes a serrated Endura), but the times my "overbuilt" ZT0200 is in my pocket makes me feel a little better in the woods knowing this guy is around.


Click to expand...

Maybe your knife skills are better than mine...but not sure my ZT0200 would make me feel anymore confident...
 
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