Really...

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

Then what high quality knife do you suggest? (Preferably around $70)

If so many people are saying SA’d knives are bad, then I may as well look into some non-SA’d knives!

I guess I was SA’d knives because they are super quick to get out, and look cool. I guess cool doesn’t = quality?

I used kershaws spring assisted for almost 5 years. I broke 2 spring assists, and used them full time for work. (construction) They have a excellent warranty and will take care of you. I bought a spyderco Manix because the clip was sturdier. (That is what I usually broke on the kershaws.) I would not have any qualms about going back to a kershaw. Great knives for the price. I loved the spring assist and still like it a lot. I do find that my un assisted spyderco is actually faster to draw and deploy in part due to not having to change your grip on the knife though. I think they have a budget line you might check out. Cold steel also has very good value for the money.

When I buy a knife, I usually look at what task I want the knife to perform and set the specs I want and then set a budget. After that get the knife that appeals to you!

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

What is the best out of all those you mentioned? I have been looking at them on BladeHQ.com.

How do you even open a Spyderco knife? Is it SA’d? A flipper? Just a regular opening knife...?

Most Spydercos have a hole in the blade kind of like a thumb stud but bigger. I usually draw and grip my knife and open the blade with my thumb in wide arc, most are not assisted and your finger will travel the whole way to open the blade. I thought I would hate it, but it is actually a very natural movement.

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

What is the best out of all those you mentioned? I have been looking at them on BladeHQ.com.

How do you even open a Spyderco knife? Is it SA’d? A flipper? Just a regular opening knife...?

I would vote for the Rat2 out of that list. Spyderco tenacious is the budget knife I couldn't remember the name of. Also a pretty good option from what I have seen. There are a lot of good knives out there. Most of it will just be your personal preference for looks and what criteria you want like blade length pocket clip etc.

 

[Chronovore]

Some advice that I would have given myself as a first time buyer

1. Don't get spring assisted. I know there has already been several people say this so far but it is true. When I was young of course I thought that was all the rage but they don't last as long, the springs, torsion bars, etc are always breaking or getting gummed up with link or other things. A manual opening knife is almost always of higher quality, will last longer, and is legal in more places if you go off to college in a state or locality that has some dumb knife laws.

2. Buy from a trusted dealer and maker. I know it is tempting to go to ebay or amazon and get "tactical m-tech extreme" (as young 15 year old I was just as guilty of this) but those knives never last, never satisfy, and always are money that would have been better saved up for a better blade (that you will end up buying later anyways, lets be honest). It kills me to think back to all the 15-20$ purchases I made and think about how all of that added up would be a quality Spyderco, ZT, Giantmouse, etc if I had found somewhere like this site earlier.

3. Listen to your folks at least until you have your own place and your own money. If you get into this hobby with some tact, who knows, you may very well get them in on it as well and next thing you know you are getting some 100$ plus blades for a graduation present.

Then what high quality knife do you suggest? (Preferably around $70)

If so many people are saying SA’d knives are bad, then I may as well look into some non-SA’d knives!

I guess I was SA’d knives because they are super quick to get out, and look cool. I guess cool doesn’t = quality?

You've got some more excellent advice here.

The first point is solid. Manual knives can be easier to service and there is less to go wrong mechanically. Lucky for you, good manual actions have gotten more affordable and easier to find in recent years. That brings me to the second point.

MTech knives might look cool but they tend to use cheap materials. You'll see a lot of blades made from 3Cr13, which is bottom of the barrel as far as knife steel goes. Those numbers loosely reference the amount of carbon and chromium respectively in your knife steel. Carbon tends to help with edge retention and chromium tends to help with corrosion resistance. Have you noticed that your Gerber in 7Cr17 stays sharp longer and can do a lot more cutting before you need to sharpen it? While 7Cr17 is a decent step up from 3Cr13, it's still subpar by today's standards.

I'd strongly recommend that you try a Civivi in 9Cr18Mov. 9Cr18Mov is best in class for that series of Chinese steels and Civivi does a good heat treatment to get the most out of it. Performance is easily on par with Kershaw's 14C28N. (14C28N is a Swedish steel and the numbers don't mean the same thing.) 9Cr18Mov is also very stainless so it isn't likely to rust like D2 does in certain environments. Civivi does a nice manual action and you'll have fun mastering it.

Here are all the Civivi knives in 9Cr18Mov at BladeHQ. I have personal experience with the Chronic, Baklash, and Naja; which are small, medium, and large folders respectively. All three have been good enough for permanent positions in my EDC rotation. All three represent incredible value for the price. (Feel free to shop around if one you like is out of stock.)

https://www.bladehq.com/cat--CIVIVI-Folding--3294#/filter:blade_material:9Cr18MoV

As far as that third point, it dovetails with the advice I gave you previously. I obviously don't know your dad but this might be something you can get into together. Even if not, let your parents see you use and carry a knife responsibly. Be ready to help them with cutting tasks at a moment's notice. I can tell you from experience that nice knives can be a go-to father-son gift.

 

[sabre cat]

PheonixKingZ ,
Hey, when all of this is said and done, please let us know what knife you get and why.

 

[Pomsbz]

Although spring assisted may be cool, given your age I'd think along the lines of something which will not automatically trigger a specific 'canned' reaction from authorities should be unfortunate enough to be caught up in an unpleasant situation however much not of your making. Blades far longer than necessary for urban carry and a spring assisted knife will trigger an unwanted reaction when found in the hands of a young teenager regardless of whether they are legal carry. Been there (age 16), done that, been arrested and spent half the night in the police station till it could all be cleared up. Not one of my happiest memories even many decades on.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Talked to my parents last night, they said they would think about it.

However, they said if they did let me get one, I wouldn’t be able to clip it to my pocket, because I’m “showing off” and “letting everyone know I have a weapon”. They think I don’t respect it as a weapon... I do.

They also claim the reason why knife manufacturers put the clip on the knife in the first place, is so people can show off. That is SO not true.

You guys have any words that could help me here? Some examples of why a clipped knife is better?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Or maybe it not being clipped is better...?

Im always afraid it will fall out, or get lost. I also clip it to my pants so I can get it out fast. I don’t carry knives for self defense (folders are terrible for that anyway) I carry knives for practical uses.

They said if they let me get a knife, I would have to sign a contract saying “if my dad saw my new knife clipped to my pants pockets (in public) I would loose it forever”.

Should I go through with this?

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

Talked to my parents last night, they said they would think about it.

However, they said if they did let me get one, I wouldn’t be able to clip it to my pocket, because I’m “showing off” and “letting everyone know I have a weapon”. They think I don’t respect it as a weapon... I do.

They also claim the reason why knife manufacturers put the clip on the knife in the first place, is so people can show off. That is SO not true.

You guys have any words that could help me here? Some examples of why a clipped knife is better?

I won't carry knives with out clips because it is to hard to get out one handed. When I am holding a shower up at work, or have a hand covered in silicon and need to open that next tube, or a strip a wire being able to use one hand to draw my knife easily is a huge feature for me! Also of you have a lot of other stuff in your pocket you have to sort around to find the knife. Not everyone needs the feature, but for me it would be really hard to live with out it. The clip to me is just the easiest way to carry my tool, my shirt usually covers it anyway.

My personal opinion is that a weapon is how you use something. Hollywood has done a huge disservice in painting all knives as weapons. And the idea that if a knife is easy to draw or opens fast its more deadly and weapon like. Last I heard the most knives used in crime are kitchen knives! Screw drivers are designed as tools, but still kill people to. There are millions of knives in this country, and the vast majority are used and carried for cutting things like boxes etc. I dont carry mine or use it as a weapon even though it is a very large knife. Its a tool to me, its designed for cutting things and does a great job. Could I use it as a weapon if I had to? sure, But I could also use a hammer.

As for things falling out and getting lost, That is a concern! I have lost quite a few that way especially when working hay bales. I have always re-found them, but has taken awhile in few cases...

Just to let you know, My parents where anti knife for awhile growing up. Today I make knives. They will probably come around once they see you can carry it responsibly. If you have a good relationship with them, explain why you want a knife, what you want to use it for. You might have to wait a bit and get something with out a clip and carry it for awhile and once they see you can carry it responsibly they will let you move up. I would probably try to graciously clarify there misunderstanding about clips on knives though.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Thank you for agreeing with me!

They claim the reason why I carry my knife with the clip is to “show off”. You literally never know when you will need a knife fast, and it’s a pain to try to get it out of my deep pockets with one hand. :/

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

PheonixKingZ

Curious...what are your reasons at 15 yrs old to be able to “get your knife fast?”

Also when you clip your knife to your pocket...what is showing on the outside? The knife or the clip?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

The clip is showing.

That was one of the points my dad brought up as well. I guess it’s not so much as getting it out fast, as it is staying in my pocket. (I do a lot of vigorous activity’s on a day to day basis)

Wouldn’t it fall out often? (If I’m spending $50+ on a knife, I don’t want to loose it...)

 

[Black Oak Bladeworks]

Thank you for agreeing with me!

They claim the reason why I carry my knife with the clip is to “show off”. You literally never know when you will need a knife fast, and it’s a pain to try to get it out of my deep pockets with one hand. :/

They are hard to get out of deep pockets. I can't say I have ever had to get it out really fast though but I dont mind having the option. I think the only time I have had a knife fall out was working out, and it was just on the mat beside me. In my opinion a clip will stay on your pocket better than a knife just shoved in i think that is a good point you brought up.

 

[kniferbro]

Go for a smaller knife for now and over a period of time show them that you're responsible with it and that is comes in handy. Then try for the bigger blades. That's what I would do.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

The other option is to buy a knife with a pocket clip, and tell your parents that they can remove the pocket clip until they feel like you are responsible enough to have the clip on. Or you loose your knife and they realize how handy pocket clips are.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

Has anyone in the thread been in contact with PheonixKingZ ’s parents?
@bikerector ?

There is the option of possibly...possibly one of us “selling” one of our smaller clipped Kershaws and removing the clip before shipping for the parents to safely keep?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I think I will go with their contract, but keep the clip. Ima till reluctant, but let’s hope they realize after a while I’m responsible enough for a clip.

(I’m still looking around, but leaning towards a Spyderco knife)

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

PheonixKingZ

I’m still very curious to your reasons for carrying a knife...be specific.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

PheonixKingZ

If you go with their contract...you better not clip it to your pocket when you think “they arent looking.” Cause if you are caught, you will be right back to square one.
Dropping your knife into your pocket is a small price to pay in order to carry one.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

PheonixKingZ

I’m still very curious to your reasons for carrying a knife...be specific.

I want to carry it for:

1( I love knives
2( For cutting things (boxes, strings, anything on a day to day basis, etc.)
3( Just in case someone needs one. I have been asked a lot “do you have a knife”? I am always able to say yes.

PheonixKingZ

If you go with their contract...you better not clip it to your pocket when you think “they arent looking.” Cause if you are caught, you will be right back to square one.
Dropping your knife into your pocket is a small price to pay in order to carry one.

What if I get one with a clip, but then remove it? Most knives have little screws you can unscrew to remove or change the clip to a different position, correct?