Solid Folder

[TAPIR]

I,am looking for a heavy,solid folder would the Benchmade Skirmish be the right knife for me.What other knives would you consider?

 

[JD Mandrell]

The skirmish is a monster, but if your hands get wet I am afraid they would be hard to hang on to. If your want a SOLID heavy duty folder, the Spyderco Chinook is awesome.

 

[bquinlan]

I'll second the Chinook recommendation. I don't think there's anything available, whether production or custom, that's tougher. And it has a better grip than the Skirmish (and just about anything else too).

--Bob Q

 

[C Ben Susrool]

Try the SKIRMISH

 

[Alpha Knife Supply]

The Skirmish works great for me. It is a very solid folder.

I wish it was bigger like the custom Neil Blackwood Skirmish.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

The Spyderco Manix is in a class with their Chinook. The Camillus CUDA Maxx is a titanium framelock like the Skirmish, but longer. The Kershaw Bump is another big titanium framelock and has an assisted opening.

Then there are the really massive Buck/Striders and MOD CQD, and the higher priced Strider, Extrema Ratio, and Sebenza.

 

[Aniketos]

Strider AR,GB,SNG, or SMF. Choose anyone and youll have a folder that will be more solid than anything. The PT is their new folder... a bit on the small size but worth looking at if you want a small knife. Sebenza is a solid knife as well, but you said heavy solid folder.... the Strider fits your bill perfectly.

 

[glockman99]

The SOG Tomcat II is also a pretty stout folder.

 

[James Muehlner]

You won't go wrong with the Skirmish. It is extremely sold, as solid as any folder I have seen.

 

[KeithAM]

Agree with Spyderco Manix or Chinook II. Skirmish is a great knife -- I've handled one -- but I prefer the ergonomic, G-10 grip of the 2 Spydercos. Spyderco's hole also works better than Benchmade's chamfered hole, which I find a bit slippery.

 

[rs422]

It feels more solid then my aftermath or maxx. The only thing more solid that I have held is the Sebenza.

 

[scfishr]

Its old news,

But the Sere 2000 is a lot of knife. Very substantial feel and vg-10

 

[DocSaly]

A second for the Manix as a solid alternative to the Chinook. My personal preference is the SwampRat Rat Trap. I like blade holes better than studs for opening, and the larger, oval hole in the RT as well as the smooth opening makes it a sweet folder. The handle is plenty grippy and the lockup solid (liner lock).

 

[Hateman]

Al Mar SERE 2000-- a great folder with a blade metal thats easy to sharpen and a stout body for its size.

Spyderco Chinook I (not the II)--The Chinook II is a great knife, but I've recently been toting around the I and it is definitely a heavy (a couple of noticeable ounces heavier that the II), solid folder. They were discontinued but some are still available on fleabay, some internet sites, and here in the Trading/ Sale forums.

 

[scfishr]

I have been stalking a chinook for some time now,

The acute point keeps me from buying one. Is it a fighting knife or edc/workhorse.

I read a review a while back about it being used as hard work edc, but the point scares me away. Love the looks

 

[Revierler]

here are some pics of the GB and the SMF by Strider:

 

[HoB]

I wouldn't worry much about the tip of the Chinook II, was designed both as heavy use and SD and its not a weak tip. Personally I would go with the Manix because of the handle. The handle of the Chinook II is really good, but the handle shape of the Manix is in a class all by itself. Just my $0.02.

 

[bquinlan]

The acute point keeps me from buying one. Is it a fighting knife or edc/workhorse.

I can't speak for the Chinook II, but I can say that the Chinook I does not have a delicate point. It has the extreme upper to lower blade angle of a serious clip-point, but the thickness is more than sufficient for real strength.

--Bob Q

 

[DRider]

I say go Skirmish for SOLID. Its a titanium framelock, its like a bar of metal. Mine has not only no up and down blade pay at all, but no side to side when you grab the blade and try bending it at the joint, which even some of my other high quality folders have, since that's just not a strong direction for a folder. Its not too big! Its very flat but with the deep choil handles very securely. I'm very happy with mine, although I did have to do some work on the edge to get the proper angles, and I did a very subtle regrind atthe tip to make it better in piercing. Here's a photo (taken before the regrind) just to show its not all that big compared to other full sized folders.

 

[Vermonster]

My vote if you can get one is Strider knives AR.

I have used a plethora of "Hard Use" folding knives including a Chinook 1 (not the new mod). Frame locks from Reeve and Mission. They all have fallen short in one way or another. No failed locks out of any of them, they just didn't do it. The 440V Chinook would not stay sharp very long and had a very thick edge. The Mission Ti blade would dull just sharpening a pencil and the Reeve Sebenza has blade too thin for hard use. Never broke one, but it did not inspire confidence like the AR does. The Al Mar Sere 2000 had a lock that would slip, even after scuffing the tang and lock face. The list goes on.

I cut and pried through a steel filing cabinet at work with the Strider, pried open doors and windows. It will even cut my apple at lunch, and sharpens pencils with out dulling.
In other words it does the nasty stuff and still can do the light mundane work as well.
It is big, but not too big. It stays sharp and is strong as hell. It is the ultimate in strength and cutting ability. And last but not least, its a great impact/control tool when deployed in it's closed position