Question about starting my collection

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ct4589

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Sep 12, 2014
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I've owned knives my whole life,but I've usually just bought whatever I could find at a decent price for everyday use. Now I'm looking at some knives for outdoor use, and I figured it would be a good time to start getting attached to some knives I'll actually keep/use long term. I plan on getting a decent hatchet and folding saw, so that helps narrow down my decisions for knives . I want to learn some sharpening skills so I would like the knives to be same steel and same heat treat to start learning with. I will, however, probably use cheaper knives (I have a few) at first for free hand sharpening and use a Work Sharp for the more expensive stuff until I am more proficient. I want stainless steel and decent edge retention so I'm looking at S30V from Buck and Benchmade right now. I want a folder, small fixed blade, and large fixed blade. Knives will be used for camping and hunting/fishing type tasks. The folder will also be EDC. As much as I like the look of wood, I worry about durability and grip. I think I would prefer something like G10, canvas micarta, or linen micarta. Wood is not a deal breaker for me though.

Buck: I like what I hear about the warranty on buck products, and the heat treating done by Paul Bos. I also have some experience with there products. I also get 2 options for a larger knife and an option for a fillet knife with same steel from same company. Buck also has the best prices overall.

*Alaskan Guide 110 Folder*
+$91
+Blade Length=3.75in
+Blade Thickness=?
+Weight=7.2oz
+Handle=Rosewood
-I like the price and the fact it is a lock back. Would prefer non wood handle material, slightly smaller size, and a pocket clip.
-I don't know how easily it could be disassembled for cleaning and maintenance

*Alaskan Guide Mini Alpha*
+$110
+Blade Length=2.4in
+Blade Thickness=0.13in
+Weight=3.7oz
+Handle=Rosewood
-I like the lanyard loop, full tang, and blade shape. I would prefer non wood handle material.
-Can scales be easily taken off?

*Alaskan Guide Alpha (Option 1)*
+$136
+Blade Length=4.25in
+Blade Thickness=?
+Weight=7.2oz
+Handle=Rosewood
-I like the lanyard loop and full tang. I would prefer non non handle material, and not a huge fan of the gut hook.
-Can scales be easily taken off?

*Alaskan Guide Vanguard (Option 2)*
+$100
+Blade Length=3.5in
+Blade Thickness=0.125in
+Weight=6.8oz
+Handle=Rubber
-I like the price and the fact a found a nice aftermarket kydex sheath. I would prefer it have a full tang.
-Glad the rubber instead of wood, but I do wonder about cleanup since they cannot be removed

*Alaskan Guide Fillet Knife*
+$111
+Blade Length=6.187in
+Blade Thickness=0.062in
+Weight=2.9oz
+Handle=Rosewood
-I like that I can get a fillet knife with the same steel and heat treat as my other knives. I would prefer non wood handles.

Benchmade: I've never messed with benchmade knives before. I like a lot of their designs. The knives I'm looking at appear more durable than the bucks, but idk if that is the case. I also don't know i the heat treat or warranty is as good a Buck's. I also get 2 choices for a larger knife and an optional tactical knife from same company with same steel. I'm not sure what to think about the dymond wood compaired t G10 and micarta. I can also find most of these knives locally to get a feel for them. I cannot find the Buck's local.

*Small Summit Lake*
+$115
+Blade Length=2.89in
+Blade Thickness=0.11in
+Weight=3.04in
+Handle=dymond wood
-I like the size, belt clip, lock back, and ability to disassemble.
-I can get a large version if I decide I want larger.

*Hidden Canyon Hunter*
+$115
+Blade Length=2.67in
+Blade Thickness=0.14in
+Weight=3.52oz
+Handle=G10
-I like the G10 handles, blade shape, lanyard loop, and ability to remove scale.
-Also comes with dymond wood scales if I end up liking it.

*Saddle Mountain Skinner (Option 1)*
+$131
+Blade Length=4.17in
+Blade Thickness=0.14in
+Weight=4.09oz
+Handle=G10
-I like the G10 handles, blade shape, lanyard loop, and ability to remove scale.
-Also comes with dymond wood scales if I end up liking it.
-I can get the same knife with different blade shape (SM Hunter) if I want it.

*162 Bushcrafter (Option 2)*
+$175
+Blade Length=4.43in
+Blade Thickness=0.164in
+Weight=7.72oz
+Handle=G10
-I like the lanyard loop, G10, durability, and availability of aftermarket sheaths. Looks hard to disassemble for cleaning.
-It is the most expensive knife on the list. I also if the thickness would hurt the ability to skin game.

*183 Contego Fixed Blade*
+$165
+Blade Length=4.97in
+Blade Thickness=0.164in
+Weight=7.14oz
+Handle=G10
-I like having one more option if I really like Benchmade products, and I might end up wanting a tactical type knife.

Bark River: I really like a lot of their designs, but don't like the price on some of them. I also wonder how grippy the high polished micarta and G10 are. There are also limited options for stainless steel, and no options for a folder. Like I said I would like to have the same steel for all these first knives. CPM3V does look interesting though.

Any opinions or advice form the people with more experience would be very helpful. Especially if you have used any/all these knives? Right now I just want my bases covered, but I'm sure I will own knives from all these companies and more in the future. These knives just seemed like good knives for the price to get me started. I have read everything I can find on these knives, jut looking for more experience. I can't decide lol

Thanks in advance for help and advice.
 
Are you sure you want to limit yourself to Buck and Benchmade? There are a lot of excellent knives out there.
 
No I don't these are just 2 brands that make knives with the type of steel and styles I'm looking for at a good price to start a collection. I'm definitely open to suggestion on other brands as well. Like I said I also like BRKT. others I've been looking at but didn't mention Becker, TOPS, Spyderco, Survive Knives, and a few I'm not remembering off the topof my head. I really like a lot TOPS designs but most are 1095 and I would like more stain resistance right now.

Like I said, these aren't going to be my only knives. Just seemed to meet what I'm looking for right now at an acceptable price to get started and learn what I like and do not like.
 
From Buck, I really like their phenolic handled hunting knives. Pathfinder, woodsman, Special, General, etc.

The Scandinavian brands are worth a look, if you haven't already. Not all knives from the region are Moras. ;) Check out Ahti, Helle, Karesuando, etc.

Do you like D2? Queen has a series of Light Hunters with beautiful bone handles and "tool steel."

For something on the less expensive end, the KaBar hunters with stacked leather handles are a bargain.

I'm a huge fan of the lightweight fixed blades from AG Russell with the locking sheaths. Three different sizes, and choices of steel.

And I agree with your comments about Bark River. My pay, speaking for myself only, hasn't kept up with their rising prices.
 
Of what you have listed there Id suggest the Alaskan Guide Buck 110 and the Benchmade Bushcrafter. Ive had a few Buck 110s and they are great knives. They are a classic proven design that many hunters swear by. I used mine at work while I was in concrete and asphalt construction and it served me well. I no longer own one as my knife preferences have changed, but they are very good knives.

Ive never owned the Benchmade Bushcrafter but I have had plenty of experience with Benchmades steels. They are heat treated very well and should serve you well in your intended use.

On Bark River Knives, the handles aren't as slippery as you might think. I had a Bravo 1 in A2 steel that worked really well in outdoor applications. I would say that there are comperable knives that you can find for cheaper. Check into the Survive! line of knives. They are close to the same prices as Bark River but I feel they are better.
 
Bob W-
Does buck make phenolic knices in anything other than 420hc?

Ive looked at mora and helle but I will have to check the others out.

CPMD2 and CPM3V are 2 non stainless steels Im looking at because of there stain resistance and edge retention

Silvanus-
Ive actually handled the Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter and it felt really nice.

Ive looked at survive! and they are nice. I'm also glad to hear about experience with BRKT handle matrial. I wish there was somewhere I could go locally and handle BRKT and Survive! products.
 
ct4589 said:
Bob W-
Does buck make phenolic knices in anything other than 420hc?
Click to expand...

They used to. You'd have to be fairly knowledgeable about vintage Buck knives to track one down.

Ive looked at mora and helle but I will have to check the others out.
Click to expand...

Probably the two nicest-made brands are Helle and Karesuando. And they're priced accordingly. The higher-end Marttiini (makers of the Rapala fillet knives) are really nice too:

4423_MRT555010W-01.jpg
 
hmmm... your list appears lacking. it should include a sharp dinky blade less than 1 1/2 inches long. take my experience just this weekend. my daughter asked me to cut and trim holes on her plastic fu-manchu nails finger extensions for their school play. i managed to cut the holes fine with my endura and military. but when it came to trimming the holes to exact size and smoothness, none of my 8 spydercos, 1 buck and 1 gerber can do it. i had to borrow the wife's spyderco ladybug.

Note: my case cv peanut would have done it but i left it in my office drawer.
 
I second Bob W's suggestions about the Nordic knives. Check out the leuku/puukko combinations while you are at those sites.

Also check out the DPx HEST II line.
 
hank_rearden said:
hmmm... your list appears lacking. it should include a sharp dinky blade less than 1 1/2 inches long. take my experience just this weekend. my daughter asked me to cut and trim holes on her plastic fu-manchu nails finger extensions for their school play. i managed to cut the holes fine with my endura and military. but when it came to trimming the holes to exact size and smoothness, none of my 8 spydercos, 1 buck and 1 gerber can do it. i had to borrow the wife's spyderco ladybug.

Note: my case cv peanut would have done it but i left it in my office drawer.
Click to expand...

Case quality is hit-or-miss in my experience, but they normally do a good job with the peanut knives. :thumbup:
For higher quality at about the same price, I'm a fan of the German-made Boker pocketknives.
At a higher price range, anything from Great Eastern has been excellent. They haven't done a peanut specifically, but the Esquire and White Owl would be comparable in function.
 
I was looking at some kabar dog head penknives in d2. Anyone know any penknives in s30v? I was looking more for larger knives at the moment but Ill take any advice on small blades tolol
 
It's more difficult to find traditional pocketknives with high end stainless steels. Great Eastern uses 440C, which is very good. AG Russell has some in VG-10. Canal Street Cutlery uses D2, 440C, and others. Schatt and Morgan's File & Wire series uses ATS-34. Queen sometimes uses D2.
 
If you're looking for a good camp knife, the longer-bladed Mora Allround carbon steeled model is a fantastic inexpensive user knife that has served me well through many camp trips. It has a fantastic grip as well, very solid and grippy for a Mora.
 
So many options in that style. If you like the Buck or Benchmade, go for it. Just get what you like! If you want to go in new directions, you have some great ideas here. I am a huge Mora fan, but also love my Bucks. Mora will impress for very little dough, as will Opinel. Give them a spin along with whatever you go with.

I always suggest, as it has been been a great experience for me, browse and shop the custom made knives here. Some amazing knives come from our resident makers, and you can find amazing priced knives worth more than their cost.

Don't let opinions of folks here steer you to a knife everyone but you like. Look at the suggestions, but buy what you really like. Building a collection of knives you don't like because others said it was great is money well wasted.
 
The benchmade bushcrafter is all u need have had one for years..the hidden canyon looks like a dandy skinner...best folding saw is silky. By far. I have a large zt folder...too heavy to carry. The mid one will do great!!! I know expensive hives but lifetime knives. When I was young could not afford them, so I though, but after breaking le cheapos would have ben better off with better knives....just my 2 cents
 
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