Production EDC drop point folders - who has played with them all...?

[cchu518]

Hi there, so I'm looking for another EDC. About a 3" blade in drop point and has a thumb stud, preferably with a tip down option and one of the better steels. It also needs to open at least as smooth as a BM griptilian. I've tried flippers and assisted opening and I don't like those at all. I love CRKT's but they open crappy as compared to the buttery mini grip that I have that has worn in a little now. I personally am pretty new to knives and the collecting pocket knife thing only came about after buying a whetstone to sharpen my kitchen knives (my parents were trained chefs). So I haven't tried them all myself and don't really have a big knife store near me to do so. Would love some suggestions. I'd be open to other blade styles that are similar to a drop point. I just recently picked up a Kershaw Chill and the blade style did nothing for me.

Any suggestions?

 

[VolundoftheForge]

Since you seem to love the mini-grip so much, why not get custom scales made for it? Then you can have it personalized with all of the same features you love about it.

 

[cchu518]

I like learning about new things, in this case knife brands and steels. I have two mini's already, one in the car and another in my kitchen drawer, they are awesome but they don't really get me going. I think it's the comfortable stubbiness of the grip. It's unsexy, lmao.

It's been fun learning about steels as well. I.E. from what I have tried and sharpened, I like 154CM, 8CR13MOV is pretty ok, I like the 14 and 15 versions a lot better for some reason I don't know why, I feel like they sharpen better or are harder, unless its the blade profile and my sharpening skills. I don't like S30 yet as my sharpening skills with that is not up to par. I can't seem to get a really good edge on that. I'd like to check out other knife brands and materials.

I like to collect things from time to time. I had a nasty paintball marker addiction and then watches over the years. Which I've reverted on, I was handed down a Rolex around graduation, then picked up another Rolex after college. I work in and around Wall St. so I am around that sort of thing all the time, then I picked up a few Omegas, some Hamilton's. And as the years went by 2008 hit and I stopped wearing/got rid of all of that. People were losing houses and what not and it put things in perspective for me. So right now I keep a couple of Japanese watches. I picked up a Seiko automatic just recently.

I would like to try out a few more pocket knives just to see what the differences are in steel and design and if its noticeable just out of curiosity. With paintball it basically came down to electro guns vs mech and valve type for the most part, spool vs poppet. With watches, I.E. Breitling, Omega, Hamilton, Rolex, Tutima, IWC, I could go on with sub $5,000 watches and brands. The differences on these watches are marginal at best. Some are chronometer certified, yes; some are tweaked but they all basically have the same engine. What you are paying for in that watch is all a marketing illusion. I.E. Rolexes sold for under a $1,000 before the 1980's.

On Wall St. you see guys wearing $30K watches, on occasion million dollar watches and it put things in perspective for me. I'm just a regular guy and that whole wearing a "car" on your wrist isn't me. So I stopped chasing that carrot so to speak. Knives are pretty fun though and an affordable sort of guilty pleasure.

 

[flarp]

Haven't handled one personally, but you might check out the RAT-2. If it's anything like the RAT-1, it's very smooth once worn-in. Thumb-stud opening, AUS-8 FFG drop point blade, FRN handles, quad-position clip. AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV are very similar in composition and performance.

The Kershaw Blur is a bit larger. It's an assisted opener, but you can remove the torsion bar and make it a manual knife. I haven't done it personally, but all accounts from people who have report it makes for a terrific manual knife as well. The standard model uses Sandvik 14C28N steel, and the more recently manufactured ones feature a hollow grind (some of the older ones have a high flat grind). 3.4" blade, aluminum handles w/ TracTec inserts, dual-position clip (right-hand carry). The Blur is also available in S30V and, if you're able to find one of the limited run models, CPM-154.

The ZT 0550 may be another option. It's a pretty beefy knife and costs quite a bit more than the Blur or RAT knives, but it is one of the smoothest knives I've handled. The standard model uses S30V, although some of the early ones seemed to use Elmax. 3.25" blade high flat ground drop point blade, quad position clip, textured G10 on one side, and titanium frame lock on the other. Like with the Griptilians, if you disengage the lock on the 0550, the weight of the blade is enough to cause it to swing shut.

 

[cchu518]

Flarp does a smaller ZT0550 exist? The cops in NYC would not appreciate that in my bag. And I have a habit of getting picked out of the crowd when having to travel through mass transit. Which is wack since I've never once see a short chubby Chinese guy ever commit a terrorist act in NYC.

 

[flarp]

There isn't a smaller version of the 0550. There are some similar designs (all designed by Rick Hinderer and made by KAI/Kershaw/ZT). The Kershaw Cryo is smaller, and the upcoming ZT 0566 might be a bit smaller as well. Both, however, are assisted openers and flippers. The Cryo can't be de-assisted (unless you drill your own detent hole for it). I think the 0566 can, but it won't be available for sale until a bit later (still being produced).

If you're open to not having thumb studs (thumb holes instead), but you can also check out the Spyderco Delica. It's more a leaf shape / spear point than drop point, and while it is smooth, it's not quite as buttery smooth as a well worn-in Griptilian. They come in a bunch of friendly colorful handles, which might make them look less knife-like than the more common black handles. VG-10 blade, FRN handles, quad-position clip.