Recommendation? Solid and Durable Folding Knives

S

Snoow

Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Messages
127
I ended up buying the ZT 0450 Ti. You can still post here if you like though :)

Hey guys,

Im looking into getting a new folder. Its main use would be as a camping knife but I would also like to EDC it.

My requirements:

- SOLID. I love the feel of a nice well built and solid knife. I HATE plastic on knives and would prefer on to buy a knife with any plastic on it.​

-DURABILITY. I need a knife that will be able to go through hell and back. I don't want to have to worry about my knife breaking when I'm using it.​

- POCKET CLIP. I need a pocket clip. I don't want to have to worry about my knife falling out of my pocket. I will also be carrying this knife in baggy gym shorts sometimes so a pocket clip is pretty necessary.​

-LOCKING MECH. This has become pretty standard, but I just wanted to add this to make things clear :)​

-PRICE. I don't want to have to sell my left nut to be able to afford a pocket knife... Something under about $100 would be nice.​

As a reference, some knives that I have had in the past and enjoyed using are:
The Buck Folding Alpha Hunter
The Gerber AR 3.00 - From around 2002 before gerber started making tacky cheap knives. (Should I just buy another one of these? I gave mine to my brother and kinda miss it.)

I don't really care about weight but if a knife is obnoxiously heavy then I'll have to pass.

Thanks for taking the time out of your day to share you recommendations and knowledge :)

Have a great day!
Snoow
 
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My only EDC knife under $100 is a Buck 830 Marksman. Made in the USA. No plastic and it has a locking back strap and a pocket clip. Overall it's a sturdy knife that can be adjusted as it wears. Fairly thick tip with no distal taper, so it's not fragile. 154 CM steel takes a very nice edge easily and holds it reasonably well. Not a chippy steel, so it should take reasonable abuse.
 
Aldebaran said:
Cold Steel Code 4. Nothing more needs to be said.
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After a quick look it seems like a pretty nice knife. I do some more extensive research and see what others recommend though before pulling the trigger. Thanks for the recommendation!
 
augustus88 said:
My only EDC knife under $100 is a Buck 830 Marksman. Made in the USA. No plastic and it has a locking back strap and a pocket clip. Overall it's a sturdy knife that can be adjusted as it wears. Fairly thick tip with no distal taper, so it's not fragile. 154 CM steel takes a very nice edge easily and holds it reasonably well. Not a chippy steel, so it should take reasonable abuse.
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Also looks like a very nice knife! I REALLY REALLY like how you can easily open and close it with one hand. Thanks for the recommendation!
 
FYI, the Code 4 is easily opened and closed with one hand. The only downside is that the handles are a bit slippery. That can be fixed with some tape of different types.
 
Aldebaran said:
FYI, the Code 4 is easily opened and closed with one hand. The only downside is that the handles are a bit slippery. That can be fixed with some tape of different types.
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Ok. Seems like it might be a bit harder though... I have a buck 110 with a similar lock (It's a bit further back on the handle but still...) and part of the reason I don't use it too much is the lock. All the 'youtube knife nerds' seem to love it though haha. I'll try and get it in hand and try it out, definitely not out of the equation yet :)
 
Aldebaran said:
FYI, the Code 4 is easily opened and closed with one hand. The only downside is that the handles are a bit slippery. That can be fixed with some tape of different types.
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I haven't personally handled one but Cold Steel in my opinion (I'm always right lol) should be at the top of your list of brands.
My personal favorite is the CS Recon 1 in carpenter steel. Dude the CS "Finn Wolf" is a damn good woods/camping knife!! It's a "Scandi" grind and eats wood and under 40$ in Aus-8A. Cold Steel's Aus-8A has a really good heat treat. At that price every knife knut needs one!
 
I also have a 110 in addition to my Code 4. I would choose my Code 4 anytime for ease of closing compared to the 110.
 
Minnesota Man said:
I haven't personally handled one but Cold Steel in my opinion (I'm always right lol) should be at the top of your list of brands.
My personal favorite is the CS Recon 1 in carpenter steel. Dude the CS "Finn Wolf" is a damn good woods/camping knife!! It's a "Scandi" grind and eats wood and under 40$ in Aus-8A. Cold Steel's Aus-8A has a really good heat treat. At that price every knife knut needs one!
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Yeah from what I've heard cold steel makes some awesome knives! I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the Recon 1 or Fin Wold though... I really like that burley, heavy, cold feel that you get with a metal or wood handle. They seem to get good reviews though. I'll keep them in mind!
 
Snoow said:
Yeah from what I've heard cold steel makes some awesome knives! I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the Recon 1 or Fin Wold though... I really like that burley, heavy, cold feel that you get with a metal or wood handle. They seem to get good reviews though. I'll keep them in mind!
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I can't recommend the CS Recon 1 enough I own 4 different models. I didn't think it through the Recon1 has a hollow grind might not be the best for the woods. The Tri-ad lock is an amazing lock!
Fair warning: For me and my price range..... Once you buy a good CS blade you're going to get hooked! It's like shooting dope! You can't get enough! I own over 50 of their products. They have a budget line (under 50). Try one and get a feel for them. Mostly grivory and G-10 handles tough.
The buck 110 in 420HC isn't the most copied knife in the world for no reason!
 
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Buck Vantage Avid Large Rosewood Dymondwood.
The small version was my everyday carry for several years. Nice knife.
 
Are there any knife websites that have multiple tick boxes, like steel type, blade shape, handle material, lock type, ect, just to narrow things down, once you know what model you are looking for you can find the seller with the right price/service.

Thanks

John.
 
I just wanna throw this out there.
Someone once said " a folder is just a broken fixed blade "
Meaning that a folder is not and need not be a substitute for a fixed blade when strength is called for.
If you've already got a buck 110 go ahead and use it for edc because it's the greatest American made locking folder that has ever and will ever be made ( people can disagree all they want but I won't here it :D )
If you're wanting your to be super strong for use while camping, my feeling is that you could probably do with a decent belt knife and there are loads of options for a decent belt knife under 100$. Some will probably be better than a sub 100$ folder as well, because more goes into making a folder than a fixed blade.
 
Why not go with the Case xx American Workman. A classy durable knife that meets most of your requirements.
 
Cold Steel SR1. It's a bit above your price ranger, but for toughness it cannot be beaten!
 
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