"Slicers" vs "Hard Use" knives

[mmarkh]

I like both which is why I got a Sebenza.

 

[Ken44]

I like both which is why I got a Sebenza.

Good reply:thumbup: Same reason I have a large and small Sebenza.

 

[dinozzo]

I like my emersons for "hard use" they slice pretty well and are very sharp but are still stout blades...i think the sebenza is also a very good mix of the two, which is why i have i have a large classic, but i think my military is the best slicer i own...

I got rid on my SMF real quick, didnt like the blade thinkness much at all...

 

[shady A.M.]

Wow, this is a great thread because I have been going over this debate in my head for months now... literally.

I'm military and deployed. I've been using and buying knives for at least 17 years now. The knives I brought with me were: SnG, Spyderco Bradley, ATR, Superhawk, Ti-Millie and Manix II in Carpenter steel. My goal was and still is to find which knife is most suitable for me and my job. I thought for a long time that a "hard use" knife was the way to go i.e. Strider SnG, unfortunately, out of the 7 Striders (6 SnGs and 1 SMF) I've owned the one I brought is the only one I've ever been able to get reasonably sharp. In my opinion, Strider makes a great, tough, reliable folder but it ends up becoming a very poor cutting instrument. The SnG has seen the least amount of pocket time over here. My Spyderco GB has probably seen the most pocket time and most of the cutting tasks. Both the M4 and the high hollow grind have been amazing in variety of tasks. The GB has been used to cut low gauge wire, baton wood to make kindling for a fire and cut plenty of cardboard and zip ties. The M4 also sharpens fairly easy. I should also add that I used the Manix II to literally zip through a tri-wall section. I couldn't believe how quickly the Carpenter steel went through tri-wall (for those who don't know tri-wall is very dense corrugated cardboard, usually 3-5 layers. Just google "tri-wall").

"Hard-use" in my opinion is a marketing ploy and not a bad one. I have no beef with "hard-use" knives or their makers. I think a lot of them are cool, but when it comes to a knife I need something that cuts, period. At my own financial expense and personal experience "hard use" knives have not done the job that any one of my Spyderco's have done. To me, the primary objective of a knife is to cut and cut well. If it doesn't do that, then it's not much good to me. Especially, in a tactical environment.

Furthermore, "hard use" knives are typically marketed towards the military and LEOs. So far, I have not met a single soldier who carries anything other than a cheap Benchmade, Spyderco, Gerber or CRKT. Most carry what are issued to them or what's available in the PX and I'm including guys in SOF units that I work with. If I told any of the guys I work with that I carry a 400.00 knife they would laugh at me for days. So, it would not surprise me if the majority of hard use knife makers made more money off collectors rather than actual users... just my opinion.

I will also add that I used to think "multi-tools" were gay. Before the military, I was in contracting and construction so showing up on a job with a leatherman was kind of a joke when you had an entire bag of "real tools" for the job. In the military it's different. You don't always have the right tools for the job and unfortunately where I'm at we have to make do with what we have. Currently, my Ti-Charge has been used far more than my knife ever will be used on this deployment. Also, if I'm looking to do something abusive i.e. prying, twisting or scraping I reach for the multi-tool instead of my knife.

Sorry for the long rant. I prefer a FFG slicer or at the very least a high hollow grind like the GB.

 

[SteelSnob]

Thanks Shady A.M. Good to hear this whole "hard use" topic from a active deployed soldier's perspective.

 

[shady A.M.]

BTW, I my comments are not intended to incite a "flame war" about Company X vs. Company Y's knives. My comments are strictly based off of what I have experienced in the workplace and in the field with factory edge knives. I've considered having my SnG reground by Tom Krein (FWIW, I think the actual mechanical and ergonomic design of the SnG is great) but I'm not sure the costs outweigh the benefits, for me. Believe me, I spent hours re-profiling my SnG and it's still not going to out cut a thinner blade.

 

[Toyz]

I went thru a period where I had to have the "WTSHTF" knife on me at all times, and I found myself pulling my Vic Climber out of my back pocket to do most of my cutting tasks.

I sold most of those knives, as it seemed like I just wasn't getting locked in a lot of car trunks where I had to cut my way out. I also don't need to pry open a lot of ammo boxes.

They were impractical for me. I'm a civilian with a desk job during the week. Most of my knife use M-F is cutting open envelopes, food packages, boxes, etc. I need a slicer.

I did hold on to the ZT 0200, 0500 and I recently picked up a BM Rukus for weekend carry. During the week I now carry either my Lg Sebenza or my Spyderco Gayle Bradley. Those knives handle anything I need during the week.

 

[Ankerson]

Thanks Shady A.M. Good to hear this whole "hard use" topic from a active deployed soldier's perspective.

Yeah and 25 years ago most of us carried K-Bars and they worked just fine for about 99% of what we needed them for.

Not that much has changed in the past 25 years.......

Almost nobody carried folders of any kind except maybe in town.....

Nobody even knew what a multi tool was because there wasn't any.... Go figure.

Geeze how did we ever survive without those thin slicers and Multi tools....... LOL

 

[orthogonal1]

Yeah and 25 years ago most of us carried K-Bars and they worked just fine for about 99% of what we needed them for.

Not that much has changed in the past 25 years.......

Almost nobody carried folders of any kind except maybe in town.....

Nobody even knew what a multi tool was because there wasn't any.... Go figure.

Geeze how did we ever survive without those thin slicers and Multi tools....... LOL

25 years ago? More like 50 or more years ago.

Carrying fixed blades in town was frowned upon in the '70's in my town - a smallish community of 15K. All the farmers and trappers I dealt with carried folders, too.

Leatherman:http://www.leatherman.com/about/history.asp?c=62

And few of my fixed blades from the 70's and before, ones that were for hunting, were 1/4 inch or more in thickness.

 

[Ken44]

Wow, this is a great thread because I have been going over this debate in my head for months now... literally.

I'm military and deployed. I've been using and buying knives for at least 17 years now. The knives I brought with me were: SnG, Spyderco Bradley, ATR, Superhawk, Ti-Millie and Manix II in Carpenter steel. My goal was and still is to find which knife is most suitable for me and my job. I thought for a long time that a "hard use" knife was the way to go i.e. Strider SnG, unfortunately, out of the 7 Striders (6 SnGs and 1 SMF) I've owned the one I brought is the only one I've ever been able to get reasonably sharp. In my opinion, Strider makes a great, tough, reliable folder but it ends up becoming a very poor cutting instrument. The SnG has seen the least amount of pocket time over here. My Spyderco GB has probably seen the most pocket time and most of the cutting tasks. Both the M4 and the high hollow grind have been amazing in variety of tasks. The GB has been used to cut low gauge wire, baton wood to make kindling for a fire and cut plenty of cardboard and zip ties. The M4 also sharpens fairly easy. I should also add that I used the Manix II to literally zip through a tri-wall section. I couldn't believe how quickly the Carpenter steel went through tri-wall (for those who don't know tri-wall is very dense corrugated cardboard, usually 3-5 layers. Just google "tri-wall").

"Hard-use" in my opinion is a marketing ploy and not a bad one. I have no beef with "hard-use" knives or their makers. I think a lot of them are cool, but when it comes to a knife I need something that cuts, period. At my own financial expense and personal experience "hard use" knives have not done the job that any one of my Spyderco's have done. To me, the primary objective of a knife is to cut and cut well. If it doesn't do that, then it's not much good to me. Especially, in a tactical environment.

Furthermore, "hard use" knives are typically marketed towards the military and LEOs. So far, I have not met a single soldier who carries anything other than a cheap Benchmade, Spyderco, Gerber or CRKT. Most carry what are issued to them or what's available in the PX and I'm including guys in SOF units that I work with. If I told any of the guys I work with that I carry a 400.00 knife they would laugh at me for days. So, it would not surprise me if the majority of hard use knife makers made more money off collectors rather than actual users... just my opinion.

I will also add that I used to think "multi-tools" were gay. Before the military, I was in contracting and construction so showing up on a job with a leatherman was kind of a joke when you had an entire bag of "real tools" for the job. In the military it's different. You don't always have the right tools for the job and unfortunately where I'm at we have to make do with what we have. Currently, my Ti-Charge has been used far more than my knife ever will be used on this deployment. Also, if I'm looking to do something abusive i.e. prying, twisting or scraping I reach for the multi-tool instead of my knife.

Sorry for the long rant. I prefer a FFG slicer or at the very least a high hollow grind like the GB.

First of all, thanks for your service:thumbup::thumbup:

And also thanks for your views from a soldiers standpoint....great post!



BTW- off topic...but I thought there was a limit on how many times you could use the..(I know it all, your wrong smiley)...in one day, much less one post

 

[singularity35]

I was going to stay out of this thread but now my 2 cents is burning a hole in my pocket so here goes. I have more than one folder on me all the time. One is my utility folder the tenacious which I use for most food related EDC tasks. The other is my Endura which I use for the other non food related tasks usually on my farm. My third folder is my dedicated SD folder, as a backup for my glock or for whatever SD purpose is necessary. My military which only get used when I practice my cuts on banana trees. Now the military is also a very good slicer but I am contemplating on getting a ZT for the SD purpose. I won't mind that it won't cut cardboard or dry wall or slice very well, what I want is for the blade not to break off leaving only a G10 bashing piece in my hand if the dreaded time comes(Hopefully never). If it doesn't slice well it won't matter because I have one on me that does.

My point is there are different kinds of knives for different purposes and some knives suit their purpose better than others.

 

[Ankerson]

25 years ago? More like 50 or more years ago.

Carrying fixed blades in town was frowned upon in the '70's in my town - a smallish community of 15K. All the farmers and trappers I dealt with carried folders, too.

Leatherman:http://www.leatherman.com/about/history.asp?c=62

And few of my fixed blades from the 70's and before, ones that were for hunting, were 1/4 inch or more in thickness.

We were talking about deployment here also, I was deployed for more than 2 1/2 years of the 4 years I was in the USMC.

Were I grew up just about everyone carried Fixed blades and or guns, and yeah in town also.