So as my knife collection grows, my taste in knives continues to refine itself and define itself. I've found that for everyday carry (EDC) purposes, I generally don't have a need to carry around a gigantic friggin' lightsaber. I figured I would share some thoughts on my favorite EDC knives, which are all on the small side... and mostly Kershaws. Anyway, away we go!
1) Kershaw Skyline
Kershaw Skyline Page
Steel: Proprietary Sandvik 13c26 stainless, stone-washed finish
Handle: textured G-10
Locking Mechanism: integrated locking liner
Opening mechanism: dual ambidextrous thumb studs, flipper, manual
Pocket clip: Right hand, tip up/down (carry tip up)
Blade length: 3 1/8"
Closed length: 4 1/4"
Weight: 2.3 oz.
MSRP: $49.95
The Skyline is truly a fantastic bargain, and a nearly-ideal ECD knife for me. For one thing, this knife is absurdly light - G10 and only one full liner will do that! Although Kershaw's site says 2.3oz, mine weighed out at 1.8 with the clip on it. The blade shape is perfect for everyday chores - opening boxes, cutting rope and string, scraping, slicing, etc. Given about a week's worth of wear, the Skyline is an extremely smooth-opening knife. Just push out on the thumb stud at about 4 o'clock with a bit of a flick and it just flies open. The deep finger choil gives you a great purchase on this knife for detail work. And the 13c26 is so easy to put an edge on - and holds one quite well! This is a simple, well-built and designed, American made knife you can be proud to own. Get one today!
2) Spyderco Delica 4 ZDP-189
Delica ZDP-189
Steel: ZDP-189, polished finish
Handle: textured green FRN (Fiberglass reinforced nylon)
Locking Mechanism: backlock, Boye Detent
Opening mechanism: ambidextrous thumb hole
Pocket clip: metal, 4-way
Blade length: 2 7/8"
Closed length: 4 1/4"
Weight: 2.5 oz
MSRP: $119.95
If you're on a knife forum and haven't heard of the Delica, then... wow! the Delica and Endura are the backbone of Spyderco's line and have been for a VERY long time. Continual evolution brings continual improvement, and in my opinion the Delica ZDP-189 is a nearly perfect everyday carry knife, if you can afford it. A four-way clip eliminates problems for lefties, as does the hole, which doesn't care which hand you use! This isn't really a "flickable" knife if that's your thing, but it can be done with some practice. the ZDP blade steel is amazing - it was hair-splitting sharp out of the box, has seen a lot of use... and is STILL hair splitting sharp, no burr, no dings or chipping, just retardedly sharp. ZDP-189 is pricey but a worthy upgrade, which the Delica really deserves. Ergos on this knife are just about perfect, although I wish it had a nice choil like the Native III does. The Boye detent on the lockbock prevents your grip from disengaging the lock during use, and also allows for easy one-hand closing. This is a SOLID knife - absolutely no blade play in any direction. Still, thanks to the use of skeletonized nested liners, it's quite light. This is a simple, basic knife made with top-quality materials, and the brilliance of design and manufacturing shines through to anyone who cares enough to look. Quality you can feel at a price that probably won't break the bank.
3) Kershaw Junkyard Dog I
Kershaw JYD I
Steel: Proprietary Sandvik 13c26 stainless steel
Handle: patterned 410 stainless
Locking Mechanism: Chris Reeve-style integral framelock
Opening mechanism: flipper
Pocket clip: right hand, tip down only
Blade length: 3"
Closed length: 4"
Weight: 4 oz
MSRP: $64.95
(JYD is the smaller, silver one pictured)
The JYD and JYD II are both Tim Galyean designs produced by Kershaw, and they are both fantastic. However, weighing in at 5.2 oz and with a 3 3/4" blade, the JYD II is a BIT large for everyday carry... and tends to scare the crap out of non-knife people. The JYD's are SOOOO smooth - i'm not particularly sure why, but I would guess it has something to do with the fact that the stop pin acts on the bottom of the tang and slips through a track in the rear of the blade, which I imagine stabilizes the travel of the blade as it opens/closes. Also, those PB washers are smoooooth as butter. both of the JYD's fit like a glove, although if you have XXXL hands the JYD I MIGHT be a bit small. The integral frame lock is a nice feature to see at this price (although I paid $11 for my JYD, not $65... so it's nice to see a KNIFE at that price!) The only thing I don't like is the one-way, strange-looking clip. I know this is a designer knife, but the clip is just a bit strange looking for me, and I MUCH prefer to carry tip-up. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find that perfect sweet spot with pivot tension to eliminate side-by-side play while still having a smooth action... perhaps when it wears in more this will be easy. Not a problem I had with the larger JYDII, which just absolutely FIRES open. The JYD's blade shape is quite beefy - it's not the best slicer, but it's absolutely solid with a nice, thick tip. Mine came sharp enough to shave hair out of the box.
Anyone have another favorite 3" blade EDC they'd like to put up to the challenge? RAWR. Hope you enjoyed my review.
-James Mackintosh
1) Kershaw Skyline
Kershaw Skyline Page
Steel: Proprietary Sandvik 13c26 stainless, stone-washed finish
Handle: textured G-10
Locking Mechanism: integrated locking liner
Opening mechanism: dual ambidextrous thumb studs, flipper, manual
Pocket clip: Right hand, tip up/down (carry tip up)
Blade length: 3 1/8"
Closed length: 4 1/4"
Weight: 2.3 oz.
MSRP: $49.95
The Skyline is truly a fantastic bargain, and a nearly-ideal ECD knife for me. For one thing, this knife is absurdly light - G10 and only one full liner will do that! Although Kershaw's site says 2.3oz, mine weighed out at 1.8 with the clip on it. The blade shape is perfect for everyday chores - opening boxes, cutting rope and string, scraping, slicing, etc. Given about a week's worth of wear, the Skyline is an extremely smooth-opening knife. Just push out on the thumb stud at about 4 o'clock with a bit of a flick and it just flies open. The deep finger choil gives you a great purchase on this knife for detail work. And the 13c26 is so easy to put an edge on - and holds one quite well! This is a simple, well-built and designed, American made knife you can be proud to own. Get one today!
2) Spyderco Delica 4 ZDP-189
Delica ZDP-189
Steel: ZDP-189, polished finish
Handle: textured green FRN (Fiberglass reinforced nylon)
Locking Mechanism: backlock, Boye Detent
Opening mechanism: ambidextrous thumb hole
Pocket clip: metal, 4-way
Blade length: 2 7/8"
Closed length: 4 1/4"
Weight: 2.5 oz
MSRP: $119.95
If you're on a knife forum and haven't heard of the Delica, then... wow! the Delica and Endura are the backbone of Spyderco's line and have been for a VERY long time. Continual evolution brings continual improvement, and in my opinion the Delica ZDP-189 is a nearly perfect everyday carry knife, if you can afford it. A four-way clip eliminates problems for lefties, as does the hole, which doesn't care which hand you use! This isn't really a "flickable" knife if that's your thing, but it can be done with some practice. the ZDP blade steel is amazing - it was hair-splitting sharp out of the box, has seen a lot of use... and is STILL hair splitting sharp, no burr, no dings or chipping, just retardedly sharp. ZDP-189 is pricey but a worthy upgrade, which the Delica really deserves. Ergos on this knife are just about perfect, although I wish it had a nice choil like the Native III does. The Boye detent on the lockbock prevents your grip from disengaging the lock during use, and also allows for easy one-hand closing. This is a SOLID knife - absolutely no blade play in any direction. Still, thanks to the use of skeletonized nested liners, it's quite light. This is a simple, basic knife made with top-quality materials, and the brilliance of design and manufacturing shines through to anyone who cares enough to look. Quality you can feel at a price that probably won't break the bank.
3) Kershaw Junkyard Dog I
Kershaw JYD I
Steel: Proprietary Sandvik 13c26 stainless steel
Handle: patterned 410 stainless
Locking Mechanism: Chris Reeve-style integral framelock
Opening mechanism: flipper
Pocket clip: right hand, tip down only
Blade length: 3"
Closed length: 4"
Weight: 4 oz
MSRP: $64.95
(JYD is the smaller, silver one pictured)
The JYD and JYD II are both Tim Galyean designs produced by Kershaw, and they are both fantastic. However, weighing in at 5.2 oz and with a 3 3/4" blade, the JYD II is a BIT large for everyday carry... and tends to scare the crap out of non-knife people. The JYD's are SOOOO smooth - i'm not particularly sure why, but I would guess it has something to do with the fact that the stop pin acts on the bottom of the tang and slips through a track in the rear of the blade, which I imagine stabilizes the travel of the blade as it opens/closes. Also, those PB washers are smoooooth as butter. both of the JYD's fit like a glove, although if you have XXXL hands the JYD I MIGHT be a bit small. The integral frame lock is a nice feature to see at this price (although I paid $11 for my JYD, not $65... so it's nice to see a KNIFE at that price!) The only thing I don't like is the one-way, strange-looking clip. I know this is a designer knife, but the clip is just a bit strange looking for me, and I MUCH prefer to carry tip-up. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find that perfect sweet spot with pivot tension to eliminate side-by-side play while still having a smooth action... perhaps when it wears in more this will be easy. Not a problem I had with the larger JYDII, which just absolutely FIRES open. The JYD's blade shape is quite beefy - it's not the best slicer, but it's absolutely solid with a nice, thick tip. Mine came sharp enough to shave hair out of the box.
Anyone have another favorite 3" blade EDC they'd like to put up to the challenge? RAWR. Hope you enjoyed my review.
-James Mackintosh
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. Everything from the thumbstuds acting as bladestops open and closed, to the execution of the detent-hole in the blade's tang (giving it that resistance to opening that helps "pop" the blade open), the nice choil, well-executed hollow-grind on a narrow blade with subtle swedge, and the pointy butt (perfect for hammerfist strikes if that's your thing) really make me enjoy the Skyline (and playing with it) - probably moreso than with any of the 50+ knives I've owned, given up on, and subsequently sold.