Recommendation, tough construction worker knife

JohnnyS said:
ZT0550, Spyderco Tuff, or a used SNG. I was a trim carpenter for almost 5 years and would always run through knives like pencils. My dad, a trim carpenter for about 15 years, has gone through too many knives to count. He bought himself a Spyderco Tuff after feeling how awesome mine felt and couldn't be happier. He's the same way when it comes to using it for anything, and he beats the crap out of it. With little maintenance, it still looks new, minus the clip wear and a few scuffs on the g10 and titanium. Still has Spyderco's beautiful satin finish and locks up like it's brand new. Highly recommended, though it's just a bit above the size limit but has a massive forward choil that can make the blade seam smaller if choked up on. Hope this helps, I'm a brand new registered user and this is literally the fist thing I've posted as a user on the forum.
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Welcome and thanks for the suggestion I will look into that thanks!
 
Three Sisters Forge Beast is my first choice, Kershaw Turblance, Strider SnG are in my daily rotation for work.
 
Kershaw Model 1725CB JunkYardDog vers 2. This is a great knife. It's my rough duty folder, and it's eighty bucks or so. The blade is a composite (layered) blade which stays sharp for a very long time. I love this knife. It's fairly large, but is not heavy and is not clumsy. It's the one I would want in your father's place.
Another one, a classic choice for many of us, is a Spyderco Gayle Bradley, about $150. It has a CPM-M4 blade-steel and is an outstanding competitor for any other folder you could name. Great long-lasting sharpness; heavy-duty perfection.
Good luck. You're a good kid...regardless of your age.
And...finally, the Spyderco TUFF...and the name says it. Made of CPM-3V steel with titanium grips, this knife will outlast 99% of knives out there. It's one TUFF cookie. I've had two or three. I love it. Perfect for construction. ~$200 here, sold ANIB on this Exchange. You'll see 'em here quite often. Or you can buy a new one for a bit more.
sonnydaze
 
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Spyderco Gayle Bradley.

Tough as nails. Comfortable to use. Smooth as silk. CPM-M4, one of my all-time favorite steels. Fantastic combination of toughness and edge-holding capabilities. The only "down sides" to the knife/steel are that the liner is difficult to engage to some, and M4 is not stainless.

But yea, that's my choice. Under $150 bucks and made from premium materials. Also, the fit and finish is mid-tech level, no joke.

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I worked in construction for many years, and while I always had a quality knife in my pocket, I would be surprised if I used it even once on the job. Construction is just not a job where I see a quality knife being that useful. A utility knife with disposable blades works extremely well for cutting, and when you dull it, you flip the blade around or replace it. I found that I rarely had the time/ability to make sure I was cutting over a soft surface, never cutting things where running into a screw or nail was a possibility, etc. If you need a prybar or chisel, you use the one in your toolbelt. If you don't have one, you use whatever you have, including your knife. Climbing back down off the roof, out from under the crawlspace, to go find the "proper" tool is often not a good option. IMHO, I think you may be better off getting him a knife for carrying when he is not working.
 
A Leatherman Charge TTI & a Mora Robust will do it, without breaking Your budget limits.


Regards
Mikael
 
I'd probably get him something like an Ontario Utilitac since its tough and cheap. If its a work knife he might just want to use a fixed blade. I want to say Mora but if hes one to abuse knives maybe something like a Cold Steel GI Tanto.
 
DPx Hest 2.0
Spyderco Techno, Small and stout.
Kershaw Cryo
Benchmade Mini-Grip
one of the smaller Emersons?
Used Strider?
 
One of those new Kershaw Emerson's might be good. I'd probably go with a Surge instead of a Charge if you get him a Leatherman since it has a replacable saw, file, and wire cutters and who knows how hard he will use it.
 
Have to be a folder? An Izula or Candiru would be tough as nails--I mean literally you could pry nails with them all day and not snap them. Now you might bend 'em but hey you didn't say anything about that :P

Seriously though if we're talking about a construction beater knife that he is going to want to abuse, then a nice little pocket-fixed blade like that might be a good option. Most of the guys I know that work construction and use their knives like that eventually move over to a fixed blade anyway. It makes sense considering whatever blade steel you get, you might still just break the lock or vise versa.
 
Everyone here hates them but my Mantis Pit Boss is how I get things done, sheetrock, shingle-felt, carpet, it eats it all. Comes in a very stout little package, and is basically an everlasting utility blade.
 
Spyderco Manix
Spyderco Gayle Bradley
Benchmade HK 14715 - my new favorite worker knife
 
A Griptilian is a tough work knife . Strong. Light. Good steel for edge retention relative to ease of sharpening. Corrosion resistant. Still priced ok for the value received.
 
There are many good options but in a stout 3.3" blade or less (which most of the replies so far have ignored) I would say HEST or CS Mini Recon 1 Spyderco Native 5 (G10 over steel liners), or - if you can find one under $300 a Strider SJ75 or a small sebenza
 
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I'm going to get rocks thrown at me, but I don't think Spyderco really has anything good for a tough work knife. S30V is terrible for hard use, internal stop pins are weaker by design, and their tips are borderline fragile compared to other knives.

If you're going to use it hard, don't get a super hard super steel. Get something a little softer that sharpens up easy and doesn't chip. Avoid metal scales if you're a laborer. Last thing you need is to lose grip of a slippery knife when you're 12 feet in the air on a busy job site because your hands are wet or sweaty. Also get a knife you can operate one handed. It will make it easier for needed tasks, and greatly reduce the possibilty of losing it or having it stolen because you didn't have a free hand to close and repocket it.

If it's for work, go for something on the cheap side. I beat up a lot of expensive knives with high end steels doing construction and autobody before realizing I was better served with something that could take abuse AND be expendable. Enter my most carried knife, my Ontario Utilitac II.
 
Id go with a ZT 0200, 0300, or 0550 for something alittle smaller. Come with life time warranties and reblading program so use can never be scared to put it to hard use
 
Don't spend $300 on that knife. Get a cheap and hardy knife for a non-knife person. It pays in the long run. I would suggest a used DPX Hest Folder 2.0 (make sure no issues). THe blade is thick, the edge is thick, the D2 is easy to sharpen and it has a robust framelock design and the rotoblock.
 
A multi-tool so there are better tools than the blade for scraping, prying, etc so he won't be tempted to use the blade for those duties as much. I would also avoid a lot of the more wear resistant steels, something stainless and easy to sharpen would be my choice. Off hand I am thinking bucks 420HC, Aus-8, 8cr13mov to name a few.

For an actual plain old knife I go with some of the cold steel offerings, and actually quite a few others as you be surprised what a well made knife can handle with some of these "lower end" steels we often dismiss can take in terms of abuse.

If your willing to go fixed blade there are quite a few good knives available as well for that and will probably open quite a few more doors if you want something that can handle some abuse.
 
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