Please help me

C

Cotton26

Joined
Jul 16, 2007
Messages
80
Hey guys, this is my first post in the forums and I'm looking for some suggestions.

Anyways, I'd like to purchase a nice quality every-day carry / utility knife. What are the good brands out there?

And what about auto's? What are the pro's and cons? And even though their illegal here in NH, and I'm not military or LE, will a company still send me one? Or should I just get a folder?

One more question, how do I know if I want plain edge or partially serrated?

By the way my budget is $200.

Thanks guys
 
Welcome to the forums.

Kershaw ZDP mini cyclone
Benchmade model 740
Spyderco streatch

are just 3 that I threw out. Any of those would work for you. There's lots of good knives out there. Take a week or so and read the forums and then go down to a sporting goods store and handle / look at some.

Autos? I have a few, but they're more just novelties for the 'wow' factor. And as you said, they're illegal in many places (ok in others) so you take the risk. It's up to you. Don't be misinformed! Most online places won't ship w/o certification of LEO/military etc.

I like plain edge personally, as do it seem most here. Some like partials though. You have to make that decision too. Get a knife one way and see if you like it. Then get another knife the other way. Then get another knife and another and another. Opps Now you're one of us. :p
 
Thanks for the reply rnr, but I still don't know what the purpose is of partially serrated? What is it's job? What do you use it for?
 
Welcome to the addiction! :D

In that price range, you have quite a few options. The first names that spring to my mind are Spyderco and Benchmade. They both make high quality prodcuts that can easily fall under $200. What I would recommend would be to find a knife you want for around $150, then spend another $50 on the Spyderco Sharpmaker so you can keep the knife sharp.

Now, as far as style of knife, sky's the limit. Do you want a knife that looks fancy (which non-knife people tend to admire), or scary (which could perhaps draw more negative attention)? You want a bigger knife (4" blade or so) or a smaller one? You have any particular activities you engage in that might affect your choice? (e.g. Whitewater rafting, lots of camping, lots of carpentry, electrical work, saltwater exposure... etc) Would your workplace have a problem with a big and/or scary knife?

Serrated edges are very good at cutting rope, cordage, seatbelts, or other fibrous materials, hence their popularity in rescue and marine applications. I've carried both a Spyderco Delica and Benchmade AFCK in semi-serrated, and didn't use the serrations very often. I did find that while I had enough plain edge on the AFCK (3.9" blade) to do other tasks, I frequently wanted more plain edge on the Delica (2.75" blade)... so the size of the knife you choose might influence this choice as well as your intended uses.

I personally don't like autos. In addition to the legality issue (which I think is a big one for an EDC knife), they have more parts and are thus more likely to fail. I don't know how often (if at all) autos mis-fire and accidentally open in someone's pocket, but I'm sure that just once would be enough to mess up your day. IMHO, not worth it for the extra tenth of a second of opening time.

One thing you might also consider is that in NH, it's apparently legal to carry a fixed blade either open or concealed.

Hope this helps!

Edited to add:

rnr made an excellent suggestion: Do some online shopping to find some that look neat and then (especially if you've not owned a knife similar to the one you're wanting) find a bricks and mortar store where you can go in and fondle the selection. Some lives look super-nifty but end up not feeling right in your hand.
 
Thanks for the great reply, I'll try to answer your questions now.

I think a 3-4" knife would be ideal, you know a pocket knife size. Not really any specific application, and it won't have any salt water exposure.

Also, I've decided I want a folder.

*EDIT* I looked through Spyderco's stuff, and I really couldn't find any I liked. They all look a little to ....exotic? The only one I found that I semi-liked was the Native FRN ~ C41BK. Which leads me to another thing, if I get a black blade will it scratch and fade real easy?

I like the look of the Benchmades, and I think I'm leaning twoards plain edge. Another question, if I get partially serrated, does it make sharpening harder?
 
You'll find some great advice here if you spend just a few days browsing the forums. Rnr and foxhole are definitely putting you on the right track.

For the "good brands out there," take a look at the official sites for companies like Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, Buck, Boker, Emerson, CRKT. . .

The list goes on, but those are some of the favorites.

If I were you, I would avoid auto knives simply because of any legality issues they might give you. With some practice, you'll be able to open any folder you buy very quickly.

With $200, you have a lot of options. I second the recommendation to buy a Sharpmaker along with whatever knife you buy. However, you should also consider that with this budget, you don't have to limit yourself to just one knife. You could definitely pick up several nice folders from different companies so you can get a feel of what you like.

Like Foxhole said, you should also try to find a B&M store to handle some knives so you can determine what size, lock, etc. is right for you.

Good luck.

(Warning: You are stepping into a world of financial instability ;))
 
Let's see...

As to the "exotic" looks of the Spyderco, I would urge you to withhold judgement until you can get a few in your hands. Yes, they are... perhaps... a bit "funny looking", but they have great ergonomics. Beauty is in the hand of the holder, after all. ;)

In my experience, the black coating on a blade will scratch, but it will still provide some protection against rust in the non-scratched part.

Sharpening a serrated edge does take some more care than a straight edge, but it's not rocket science. Serrations will also still cut pretty well when they've dulled quite a bit. My first "real" knife was a serrated Spyderco Delica and I carried it with no sharpening for... at least a year and a half. :o If you'd like to check out a Native, try your local WalMart... many of their stores are stocking the Native, and I think it's only around $40 or so. :thumbup:
 
Cotton,
Welcome to Bladeforums. Foxholes info on plain vs. serrated should help you to make your decision with regard to that. Autos are indeed against the law and it would be in your best interest to keep that in mind. That said, if you search hard enough, you'll probably be able to get your hands on one without too much difficulty. Autos are much more expensive for what you get but they are kind of cool. My advice is to get yourself a high quality knife whether it's an auto, an assisted opener, or a simple manual folder. In other words, don't get a cheap auto instead of a higher quality manual folder. Good luck and let us know what you decide. - Dttomcat
 
$200 is a nice budget for an EDC. I assume you want a locking folder. As others have suggested, I'd look at Spyderco and Benchmade to start. Both companies offer quality blades made from premium materials at decent prices. Another good company is Buck knives, though many of their folders (but not all) are more traditional looking. For $200, you might be able to get a couple of good EDCs.

For locking folders, I keep coming back to Spyderco, Buck, and Benchmade (in that order). You can't go wrong with these companies, as they truly stand behind their knives.
 
For 200 clams will buy you a lot of WOW. I suggest that you start of with something that doesn't cost as much but still delivers the "goods". Maybe handle a bunch of knives before you make your decision. I have bought a lot of knives that I thought I liked but ended up sitting in the drawer. There is one knife that always ends up in my pocket, the Victorinox Solider knife. It's the most useful knife I own. For 20 clams, I can afford to lose it as well. In addition, I think the most important thing about having a knife is being able to keep it sharp. I take pride in able to shave my knife any time, anywhere. Good luck with your search. God bless
 
FoxholeAtheist said:
As to the "exotic" looks of the Spyderco, I would urge you to withhold judgement until you can get a few in your hands. Yes, they are... perhaps... a bit "funny looking", but they have great ergonomics. Beauty is in the hand of the holder, after all. ;)
Click to expand...

:thumbup: Spydercos need to be in the hand to be appreciated fully. I find them to be superb as far as variety of blades available, quality and service.

An important part of your question should be what do you plan on cutting?

Some blade styles are ill suited for some tasks, and this may help you narrow the choice.

My choice for a $200 upper limit EDC would be a Spyderco Caly3 or a Benchmade Griptilian.
 
Cotton26 said:
I looked through Spyderco's stuff, and I really couldn't find any I liked. They all look a little to ....exotic? The only one I found that I semi-liked was the Native FRN ~ C41BK. Which leads me to another thing, if I get a black blade will it scratch and fade real easy?

I like the look of the Benchmades, and I think I'm leaning twoards plain edge. Another question, if I get partially serrated, does it make sharpening harder?
Click to expand...

I initially felt exactly the same as you about the Spydercos. I bought a Native and Native 3D, and later a Manix and they have grown on me. The Manix is a great knife. (all my knives in plain edge) The Natives are both excellent, but don't have the quality construction of the Manix or the better Benchmades. I consider the Natives "best buys" in the knife world; great steel (VG-10 and S30V) and nice designs for very little money.

But my heart is with the Benchmades. My favorites are the AFCK and Mini AFCK (both discontinued) and the 710D2. The Mini-AFCK was my first "good" knife and it got me interested in knives. I think the 710D2 is one of the best EDCs ever!


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
In that price range you can get a nice knife. My first choice would be a Buck Mayo 172. As others have said, some of Spyderco's models look a little different, but they feel great in the hand and have to be used to be appreciated. I personally like the Paramilitary and UKPK the best, but the Caly 3 would be a good option, too. Or look at some of the Benchmade models and find something you like from the blue or black class.

If you can't get to a real store and handle some of these, then I highly suggest that you make life-size drawings of them to see how big they really are. I think you will be surprised by some of them.
 
one of the guys on the forums wrote a review of this knife and i am almost sold on it. its the kershaw Lahar. here is the link http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=485312

it has great pics and kneedeep does a nice mini review of it. it is well within your budget ($100 retail) and has excellent steel (VG10). the pics alone can sell it for you.

also the SG2 Blur. also from kershaw. STR did a very detailed review of it and i think that is safe to say that he recomends it. i have 2 blurs and they are very comfortable in the hand andd freaky sharp. you wont be disapointed in them. that and kershaw has awsome CS
 
Cotton26 said:
What are some good websites to buy from?
Click to expand...

This is always my first choice, best service and good prices:

http://www.newgraham.com/


You can help support the forums by buying from 1sks, and I've found certain items there when they are out of production and out of stock elsewhere:

http://www.onestopknifeshop.com/


A. G. Russell is not the cheapest but they carry some special run items that nobody else has, and the website is well put together and informative:

http://www.agrussell.com/


Try some searches if you want the names of other stores, but before purchasing from a company you don't know about, do a search in bladeforums' "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!" forum to see other people's experiences with them.
 
i would have to say a mini grip. they're not to big for EDC, and they take a good beating. all for around $50, or get the cabela's D2 and the blade can be used for anything, except a concrete chisel.
 
Just get any Benchmade, the 710 or 705 are the standard for all tactical production folders imo.
 
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