Searching for a new knife

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lbrent-hurst

Joined
Dec 16, 2014
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Hey guys,
I have been looking for a new knife for a while now, but still can't decide on what to get. I need a good all-round edc/camping blade that is slightly on the longer side (but still under a 4" blade), and under $150. I do really long and hardcore canoe trips, so I need good edge retention, and although the knife itself probably won't see anything more tough than cutting rope or kindling and branches, I would still like it to be as strong and durable as possible. Luckily, I have an axe for all of the tough stuff :cool:. So far, I have been looking at the Doug Ritter RSK Mk1, the Spyderco Manix 2, and the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 (favouring the spydercos because of the g10 scales), but I would still be open to other suggestions. I am mainly concerned about the plastic handles and partial liner on the Ritter, the weight on the Manix, and the blade shape on the Paramilitary (seems a bit delicate to me). Any thoughts on these knives, or any others that I should check out?
lbrent-hurst
 
I don't own either but I own the spyderco domino. It has a nice finger choil so you can choke up on it for fine detail work. Blade steel it CTS-XHP which is a good steel. I have heard it is the equivilant of stainless D2. Unfortunately, it is about $225 so it is about twice your price range :( still a good choice further down the road in my opinion.
 
The older Manix 2 will have a stronger blade than the Paramilitary 2. If you want a 4" blade then you would want the Manix 2 XL. You might also consider the Benchmade 810 Contego or the Adamas. In your shoes I might be inclined to look at the ESEE 4 fixed blade.
 
Well after reading your post I was all set to give my opinion but instead I'll agree with the very good post above mine.

I've had the Grip and the scales are tougher than you think. If you don't like them for a bit more money, and just over your total budget for it all, you could get som G10 Wilkins scales for it. They're a very nice upgrade.

The Contego has great steel and falls into your price range. It has outstanding G10 scales which I think are some of the best ever on a production knife.

The ESEE 4, or even a 3, will suit you very well and clean up easier than a folder if you end up using it in the camp kitchen. ESEE knives come with some of the best production sheaths on the market and the steel holds an edge forever.
They both come in around half of your budget and they have a no none sense lifetime warranty.

If you do look at fixed blades you may also want to check out some of the offerings from Survive Knives. They use premium steel, have great sheaths, and are highly regarded as great blades for what you wanna do.


Have fun shopping.
 
A fixed blade would be better. The Cold Steel Master Hunter is a good robust knife but the more expensive copy, the Fallkniven F1 Military would be better. It is lighter and has better steel. It is $118 with a Zytel sheath. Perfect for canoe trips.

If all I were doing is cutting rope and not batoning, I would look long and hard at the Spyderco Endura. It is about as big as the Military, but costs a lot less. Also, another knife I would buy for "Just in Case" would be the Outdoor Edge Wedge. It is a great knife for only $15 that can be worn as a neck knife or attached to your gear. It is nice and light but has a huge cutting edge (don't let the 2.5" blade fool you, the arc gives it more cutting edge and power).
 
OP, so I assume you already have a primary fixed blade for such trips? You're looking for a folder to carry in addition??

EDIT: Yeah, reading the posts above mine now, I agree you should have a fixed blade first if you don't already.

I'm an avid canoeist/kayak/backpacker, etc. Over time, I found three knives best for extended water travel:

An original Tekna dive knife, a 4.5" Finnish leuku, and the original DPx HEST knife. All have served me outstandingly.​

As a secondary folder, I have been happy with a DPx HEST 2.0 and my trusty SAK Champion.
 
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Kabar/snody big boss has s35vn which will have good corrosion resistance and edge retention. About 150 or less on amazon.
 
DocT said:
If all I were doing is cutting rope and not batoning, I would look long and hard at the Spyderco Endura. It is about as big as the Military, but costs a lot less.
Click to expand...
If you bigger hands, Spyderco Stretch ZDP-189 has 3.5" blade and offers more grip than the Endura. Similar style and quality, and is Sal's personal EDC
 
Thanks for all of the responses,
I already have a Survive! GSO 5.1 as my primary fixed blade, so I just wanted a small, sturdy folder. I ended up getting the Paramilitary 2, as it just felt perfect in my hand.
lbrent-hurst
 
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