time to chime in...
hmmm... well...
my top choice for an all around knife is without a doubt the commander... its fast its tough its just damn perfect...
definitely my favorite edc yet...
but I would like to toss in some insights on the one knife of your list that hasn't been hyped much here...
the CQD Dieter...
I just received my Mark I with the carbide windo breaker... (the big daddy)... I have coveted this baby since I first saw it... but I held off... I was short on cash and wanted to be sure I REALLY wanted it before I committed. Well.. the first thing I gotta say is... this is one big fat honking folder! heavy too... which I should have expected but didn't... reason for that is the machined aluminum handle... it IS a thing of beauty though... at first I was not sure I had made the right choice in buying it... the geomtry of the blade and handle is different than any folder I've handled before... at first I had trouble deploying it one handed. Somehow the thumbstud position caused me to hang up on the hilt. But... I DID get the hang of it. Once I had I began to really enjoy this baby. It's very slick, smoothe action, though MUCH slower deploying than the Commander. That said, I still love this knife. If you have small hands it might not be for you but if you can palm a basketball (or at least a volleyball) you will probably love it. I still prefer the commander for fast deployment easy lightweight carry but the CQD is worth a consideration particularly for fighting. It is cursed with a plungelock but it has a secondary lock that engages easily and positively in the natural motion of opening and in every grip I've used it has REMAINED locked. I have not yet performed all the tests but I've run through the basics and it hasn't failed yet.
A few notes on becoming comfortable with it. Unlike the Commander which instantly feels like it was made just for your hand right out of the box, the CQD takes a little more break in time. This is not a failing of the knifes quality (which is outstanding) but more a matter of its different geometry. It comes with a pocket clip that on mine at least seemed impossibly loose. Personally this knife is a little too heavy for pocket carry so I removed it. This also made it more comfortable to use. It comes with a nylon sheath that can be worn either horzontal or vertical and it decent but not outstanding. I opted to buy the optional leather special edition sheath (a little har to find but worth it) It is a VERY heavy duty sheath specially formed to the knife. Inserting and removing the knife with the pocket clip still on can be done but can cause some hangups. Removing the clip makes the process slick and easy. It also has a quick release snap retention strap like found on many gun holsters which I like a lot. Its one shortcoming is that it is set up only for vertical carry but in another day or two I'll get around to making a few modifications so it can be worn horizontally.
Bottom line... the Commander is and all around fantastic knife. If I could buy and carry only one knife in all the world it would be a Commander hands down. That's the knife I'd want if I were stranded on a deserted island.
BUT... if I have the option of carrying TWO knives... my second would be the CQD Dieter Mark I with the carbide window breaker. It has extreme versatility and solid precise construction.
I know this really belonged more in the review section but hey... the guy asked !
I've been slack in the edged world lately and am getting back into it. The only problem I see with the Civy is that I have heard it has a rather fragile tip....true???
