Small folder (<3") with liners?

Kershaws

Kershaws

Joined
Aug 3, 2013
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(Short Story) So I just got home from work, a very nice grocery store as a part-time clerk, gotta pay for college ya' know, (Wish I had tried harder in high school and actually earned some scholarships) and after a few months of working there, I decided it would be okay to be less discreet about pulling out my work folder, all the other employees use rusty ol' box cutters, but c'mon, I don't roll like that, I had to cut open some boxes that contained plastic bags, so I pull out my Griptillian, my boss comes up to me, a very conservative fella', says something along the lines of.. "A switchblade, what?? Why do you have that?" My co workers call it a switchblade too...boy.

So guys, i'm going to have to downsize a bit, as the Griptillian seems to be a dedicated murder weapon around here.. in Texas..yeah i'm surprised too.
I'm looking for a folder which has the following features:
*3 inches or under
*Has steel liners, or titanium, or aluminum, whatever (I dislike folders without liners, just a preference)
*One hand opening
*Less than $200


I have been having my eyes on the Spyderco Ambitious/Persistence for the longest time, but 8Cr13MoV is what is keeping me from buying it. I dont know if the steel will hold up to cutting heavy-set cardboard, thick plastic, wires, zip-ties etc. for an entire day of work. So if anyone owns one of the Spyderco "Economy Series" (Tenacious, Persistence, Ambitious) do you think the blade can hold up to those tasks? Or will I have to keep touching it up throughout the day?

Another folder that caught my attention was the Cold Steel Tuff-Lite, but it has no liners, and that's one of the main things i'm looking for.

Any suggestions will be helpful.


And heres something that crossed my mind, does anybody do this? I carry a small diamond stone in a pouch on my belt wherever I go just in case I need to do some stone sharpening on the move, it's very convenient and hardly noticeable. It definitely comes in handy sometimes

 
Either one of these, a Chaparral or a Gayle Bradley Air. Both are small and are within your budget

 
I've got both an ambitious and a tenacious. The 8cr13mov will dull under your uses but is easy to resharpen. In your environment you might want to use a cheaper folder in case you leave it somewhere in the open. They also are tough but lightweight quality knives.
 
If you like the Griptilian, you could also check out the Mini-Griptilian (regular or Ritter version). It measures just under 3". A Delica with some bright colored FRN handles might also look less intimidating. The Caly3 CF is also very nice and has a ZDP189 cutting edge. Both those Spydies have just a bit over 2.5" blades. The Kershaw Injection 3.0 has a simple and elegant look about it, and its blade is right at 3". The RAT-2 or Zancudo have just under 3" blades and have some bright colored FRN handles that may make them more friendly-looking as well.
 
Al Mar mini SERE 2000. 3" VG-10 blade, liner lock, G10 scales, one hand open and close, and a very strong pocket clip.
 
Carry the cat a couple times a week easily. The 440c is really quite good. It is a small knife (choil barely gives me a full 4-finger grip), but not one you will want to be cutting boxes with all day. Can't compare it to an Ambitious.

The Chaparral is what I usually carry when I don't carry the Cat. The CF is more than durable enough. I like the blade shape (and length) a bit better, but like the liner lock on the Cat for some odd reason.

Both carry very thin in the pocket. If you are worried about carrying a "switchblade" - one thing to be aware of is the backlock on the chap is shiny steel - so the clipped knife will be much more visible even though they both have deep carry clips.
 
Kershaws said:
How does the carbon fiber hold up to wear? Never had scales like that
Click to expand...

The carbon fiber is tuff as nails, I find it resists snail trails better than titanium, the Air has silver twill glass fiber scales and a Walker liner lock and CPM M4 steel, I haven't carried it very much at all, so I can't comment on how it will hold up.
The Chaparral is a tuff light duty knife with CPM S30V steel. The blade is thin and as you can see it's not a liner lock, but rather a mid back lock. It does have liners on both sides under the carbon fiber. I have carried it quite a bit and it is holding up good. Haven't carried either one in a while except when I need a small light knife.
 
If your looking at Spyderco's and need a small knife, why not go wit their (IMHO) best. Get a Dragonfly II G10. It has a VG-10 blade and full stainless liners. Also, it's under $100.

spyderco-c28gpfg-large.jpg

spyderco-c28gpfg-side-large.jpg
 
NorthernSouthpaw said:
If your looking at Spyderco's and need a small knife, why not go wit their (IMHO) best. Get a Dragonfly II G10. It has a VG-10 blade and full stainless liners. Also, it's under $100.

spyderco-c28gpfg-large.jpg

spyderco-c28gpfg-side-large.jpg
Click to expand...

I agree. This G10 Dragonfly is the perfect pocket knife (VG10 Steel). I carry mine everyday. The only knives that kick it out of my pocket that meet your requirements are the CTS-XHP steel Carbon Fiber Chaparral (which others have recommended) and the Spyderco Cat. You would love any of these knives and the Cat is only around $43 and has 440c steel.
You might also look at a Kershaw Leek. I can no longer carry mine as they are outlawed, here. But, when I lived back in the states the Rainbow Leek, rather than terrorize people, actually caused even non-knife people to admire it. Of course it comes in other colors, too. These usually have that very good 14C28N Sandvik steel.
 
I'm guessing assisted open would be similarly problematic for him.

I'd second the Dragonfly, or the Benchmade mini-grip.
 
I think the size of the knife was less of a problem for you than your method of deploying it in front of your co-workers. Any of the knives mentioned will be viewed by the uninformed as "switchblades" if you flip it open quickly in front of them. Just downsizing and continuing to rapidly deploy the blade will do nothing to change their attitudes.
 
Second suggestion for a bright colored Delica. Simply a great knife. I disliked both FRN and lock backs until I got mine on a whim. It's the cheapest folder I own next to the Zancudo, but easily my most carried. FWIW, green is the sharpest color. Everyone knows that.

G10 Dragonfly if you dislike FRN.
 
For under 200 you've got a ton of options

Mini grip in m4
Delica in zdp
Zt 0566
Kershaw has a bunch of smaller, non threatening knives like the zing, skyline and leek.
 
I own a Cat and a Mini-Grip and I doubt that you'd need to sharpen either one during the course of a normal workday. The steels are very similar in edge retention and toughness and the differences won't be noticed in normal everyday tasks.
You learned a lesson (I hope) about not calling attention to your knife unnecessarily. Open it as quietly as possible, cut with it quickly and efficiently, and get it back in your pocket, without fanfare. Remember that most folks don't carry a knife, these days and don't understand why anyone else would, either.
 
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