Please help a complete newbie pick his first real/proper knife

Three steels that I consider top of the line today are ZDP-189, S110V, and CPM M4. All three have very high wear resistance. ZDP has very high hardness and capable of extreme sharpness, S110V is very rust resistant, and CPM M4 is very tough.

If you want ZDP, Spyderco Caly 3 is the best for EDC. The only knife available in S110V is Kershaw Shallot. If you want M4 there are only BM Lum and BM Gaucho; the Lum is the more practical of the 2.

My vote goes to Caly 3.
 
Sep said:
Three steels that I consider top of the line today are ZDP-189, S110V, and CPM M4. All three have very high wear resistance. ZDP has very high hardness and capable of extreme sharpness, S110V is very rust resistant, and CPM M4 is very tough.

If you want ZDP, Spyderco Caly 3 is the best for EDC. The only knife available in S110V is Kershaw Shallot. If you want M4 there are only BM Lum and BM Gaucho; the Lum is the more practical of the 2.

My vote goes to Caly 3.
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You left out S90V, a small step down from S110V and available on the CF Military. Expect to shell out 200+ for one though.
 
Josh K said:
You left out S90V, a small step down from S110V and available on the CF Military. Expect to shell out 200+ for one though.
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I'm a bit biased toward the better steel, so I'm not gonna buy S90V unless I already have S110V.

In any case I'd still pick Caly 3 if I can only buy 1 knife.
 
Sep said:
I'm a bit biased toward the better steel, so I'm not gonna buy S90V unless I already have S110V.

In any case I'd still pick Caly 3 if I can only buy 1 knife.
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I don't have any experience with the S110V, so I can't comment on any differences.

The Caly3 is perfect for the OP though. :thumbup:
 
The Caly 3 with ZDP is a really nice knife. Out of all my knives it will get the sharpest for me. It will tree top hairs which means that running the blade above the skin on your arm (not touching), it will cut the hairs. It also keeps the edge for awhile.

I use the paper wheels that were mentioned earlier to sharpen and will get a knife quite sharp in just a few minutes. You can get them for around $40 and then just need a bench grinder to mount them on.

If you want the knife just for a tool then the Caly 3 will work great. However I would say it is not a hard use knife and is meant to slice not pry or beat on. Also, many of us knife knuts like to 'play' with out knives and flip them open and closed and this isn't really possible with this knife but if you start to get into them you might start this habit.

If you are looking for a sharp knife first, the second sharpest for me so far is the steel in the Kershaw RAM. It doesn't hold an edge for as long as the ZDP but will also tree top hairs and gets screaming sharp on the paper wheels. It also has a different locking mechanism that is extremely smooth and easy to flick (and play with :) It is about the same size as the Caly 3 but much cheaper.

There are so many quality knives out there that everyone has their favorite and will have something to recommend. If you stick to what is popular around here you really can't go wrong.
 
Spyderco Pacific Salt or Salt I in yellow with a serrated edge. Affordable, incapable of rusting, lightweight, stupid easy to sharpen, and work hardens.
 
Try a Benchmade 710-801. It is a limited edition but can still be had. They are around $250 USD. They use M4 steel and have the easiest to open and close lock on the planet. AXIS LOCK RULES.
 
Blue class and above Benchmades; My favorite is a full size Doug Ritter Griptilian RSK MK1. Axis lock is bullet-proof, blade is S30V steel, better blade profile than regular griptilians, same benchmade lifetime guarantee, lifesharp eligible. For $118 you cannot beat the value.

Emerson CQC-7. Another indestructable knife. Reputation speaks for itself.

Spyderco Military/Paramilitary.

Kershaw Blur

Good luck with your search
 
For $ 52 shipped, its hard to beat kershawguy's S60V Blur blems.

Here's an entire thread devoted to them. Descriptions, pictures, and other info.
 
mmarkh said:
Get a Sebenza. They are easy enough to open.
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I'd gladly buy one, if it was technicaly special, if it had something more. I understand how perfect it's supposed to be, how solid it feels, but i'm sorry, when i see how many nice knives you can get for 200$ ou even less, i personaly can't justify the price difference ( with other knives ). I like the idea of buying an efficient tool, whether it's well known or not, not a name.
Don't flame me here, i'm just giving my opinion about something i'm ready to buy or not.
I remember reading on this very forum, something like "a sebenza does 98% of what the best custom knives do".
Well in my head, the best spydercos and benchmade do 98% of what a chris reeves knife does. And that's fine by me, considering the price difference.

I gladly listen to people who think that i'm wrong though.

DoctaD said:
Do you know what blade shape you are paticularly enamored by? When you mention cutting food, are you talking about chopping, or slicing or just what?
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No idea for the first part, just something not too large/too big. I don't want to chop wood here. I just want a blade that i can open in front of an old lady without her thinking "oh god, he's gonna cut me in half " :D

For the second part : well, preparing food, cutting vegetables, eating with it, that kind of thing ...

FlaMtnBkr said:
The Caly 3 with ZDP is a really nice knife. Out of all my knives it will get the sharpest for me. It will tree top hairs which means that running the blade above the skin on your arm (not touching), it will cut the hairs. It also keeps the edge for awhile.

I use the paper wheels that were mentioned earlier to sharpen and will get a knife quite sharp in just a few minutes. You can get them for around $40 and then just need a bench grinder to mount them on.
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Would you have any idea how often, considering a daily, but light use, i'd have to sharpen it ? ( i honestly have no idea )
Is it really that hard to sharpen without a bench grinder ?

Thanks for the kind replies anyway :thumbup:; it's nice not to be laughted at even when you have hardly any idea of what you're talking about :D
 
We use a phrase called functional edge or useful edge. With normal light duty EDC use a shaving sharp ZDP edge could go months and still have a functional edge that will open mail, boxes, and cut you, etc. The key with hard steels however is to never lose the edge which means touch them up regularly. It's a lot of work to regain a lost edge on these super steels. A few strokes on a 1200 rod or a loaded strop every couple of days will keep them pretty much shaving sharp. After all, as a knife lover, that's part of the fun.
 
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The Caly3 in ZDP hands down. Still one of the best deals out there. Excellent fit and finish, and ZDP is very hard to beat for edge holding.
 
I'd suggest the Caly 3 ZDP if it weren't mentioned already, but don't count out the standard version.

Also check out the FRN Stretch and G-10 Delica/Endura for VG-10 full-flat-ground goodness :D.

If light-weight and light duty are criteria - try the new Lums (in VG-10) or one of the recent sprint run in ZDP-189. Fantastic stuff, and recently has been my EDC for the last 6 months or so.
 
This may sound strange, but I can open most of my Spyderco knives faster than I can open any of my autos--the blade hole is easier to find with my thumb than the tiny release buttons on many autos.

Caly 3, Sage 2, Stretch are all good suggestions, but none of them are assisted openers. If I were buying an assisted opener I would look at some of the excellent models from Kershaw. They virtually created the AO market and I still think they do it better than anyone (but I think some of their pocket clips are the ugliest things ever designed!)
 
I'm going to put this out there. Buy a cheaper knife, Spyderco Tenacious to be precise. It won't hold an edge like ZDP-189, but it does get crazy sharp and is a lot of knife for the money. Then spend some money on the right sharpening equipment.

The sharpener should last you longer than the knife and by the time you get one in a "supersteel" like ZDP-189, you know how to sharpen it yourself.
 
Moderately cheap:
Benchmade 710d2 (axis lock)
Spyderco Manix 2 (ball bearing lock; will buy this one soon enough)
Zero Tolerance 0350 (liner lock; favorite of mine)

200ish range:
DDR MQ-1a. (liner lock with .1 inch locking liner)

300+:
Chris Reeve Mnandi (frame lock with inlaid scales; very gentleman)

400ish:
Kirby Lambert Inferno (liner lock IIRC)

500+
Brian Tighe Coon (button lock)

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These are just my picks.
 
Of the knives you've named, the Caly 3 and the Benchmade 760 would have the longest edge retention. Autos and assisted openers have their cool factor, but they aren't necessarily easier to open than manual folders. Technology with pocket knives today has made it so most of the knives in the market are incredibly easy to open and close. If you're looking for something fancy with ZDP steel, you may consider looking at William Henry knives. But to be completely honest, most of the knives in the $60+ range can fit your criteria quite easily.
 
I believe that the Caly III is the most oft mentioned knife, when it comes to reccomendations, on BF. I do not own one, but with all the praise it gets I think I would definately be covered if that was my edc. I also want to mention a folder I have been really impressed with and that is the Fallkniven PXL. Has 2G, I believe it may also be known as supergold (?), blade steel that is very hard at something around a RC of 62-64. Very nice knife that I really enjoy owning! Btw, as far as sharpening goes I would invest in a Spyderco Sharpmaker. It comes with medium and fine sharpening rods and I think I would invest in a set of the diamond rods to go with it. I leave mine set up with the fine rods in place and give my knives, those used that day, 10-12 strokes. It is easier to keep an edge sharp instead of getting it so dull that it really becomes a chore to resharpen, at least in my experience!
 
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I see almost nothing but Spyderco and Benchmade recommendations.

Fine knives for sure, but I urge also to check out the various offerings of Kershaw. They have a varied and unique style, many AO knives, and some of the supersteels you are interested in (including a few that nobody else have IIRC).

Honestly you can't go wrong with anything from these 3 companies, so just pick whatever appeals to you the most. :thumbup::cool:
 
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