Spend my money!!! Which SMOOTH action folder?

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slm9s

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Sep 9, 2019
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Looking for a nice folder. Like many of you, I started with a few $30 Kershaw assisted knives but now want one really nice folder/flipper. I'm looking for really nice action/smoothness, no assist. I'm big into rifles and custom actions have spoiled me, I think this is similar to what I'm looking for in this next knife. It will be carried occasionally (my state has a 3.5" max for concealed) but mostly fiddled with in my garage - no batoning wood/etc! I've been looking at button locks online, but don't have access to any, so my minds not made up on that. To give you an idea of what I'm thinking at the moment, the Protech Malibu looks great to me, as well as the Spyderco Smock and Kizer Assassin XL. I'd like it to fit in the 5th jeans pocket, so no wide knives, but I'd like the blade to have a little heft - not feel fragile/super thin...

For Xmas I got a gift card to Sportsmans Warehouse for $160, so it would be great if they carried something you guys would recommend. But I'm pretty new to this and saw a couple Spyderco's and a Tops mini scandi but I'm not sure these are what I'd be happy with. I'll get something somewhere else if not.

For a budget, I could do $150, maybe a touch more for something amazing. If I can't find one at S.W., maybe I'll look at the used market?

Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
 
Spyderco PM2 is a classic, maybe that? Perhaps a Cruwear version, those are about $150 iirc? I own 9, all very smooth. Smoothest is linerless milled copper/DLC Rex 45, but they are all quite nice and fidgety.
Or a Sage 5, that is honestly the best comp lock FRN, it is better, action-wise, than any FRN comp lock. That is a very good one. The Para 3 is another possibility, but since action is mentioned, I have to put the Sage 1st. Both are good, though.


The AD20.5 is another option - the Shark Lock operates much like a compression lock in use, super smooth in the 3 I have tried, only easier, both to use and put together/maintain, ambidextrous, and, both are very strong, capable and fidgety locks, Demko is coming from Cold Steel, so it is of more strength than you will need. Solid as a rock. If Andrew made a production AD20, would sell a ton. Base version comes in AUS10A, I got white scales and dyed them.
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Wow, surprised to see my opinion of Shark > Comp lock written so starkly.
 
I have a bunch of Spyderco folders and hands down the smoothest and best finished is the Spyderco Kapara.

I also have been very impressed with the Cold Steel AD10. It’s a big beefy brute but wow, the action is extremely smooth
 
Hands down, my favorite knife is the Buck 841 Sprint Pro with S45VN steel and marbled carbon fiber handles. It’s a bit over $150, but worth every cent of it. The action is smoother and easier than anything else I own, other than my Buck 842 Sprint Ops Pro … which is also a very nice piece, and well under your $150 limit. I love ‘em both.
 
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I have a Smock s30v and was not disappointed.
It is smooth and I prefer to leave it stock with the double detent and even the pocket clip that so many on youtube complain about.
Fun, many options for customizing scales, innovative and although I prefer a flat grind, this hollow grind is pretty sweet.
A Spyderco Para 3 is what hooked me onto Spyderco, is also a solid, fun knife... epic EDC.
 
I have bought 19 Spyderco folders from the Internet, if I recall correctly. There are no local dealers. This evening, I have been grading them on a scale ranging from terrible to excellent in terms of action. Five stars means that, out of the box, the knife easily and reliably flicked open with thumb or finger, and easily and reliably closed with one hand. Terrible means that the knife was very difficult to close without metal tools. Here is the breakdown:

9 Excellent
3 Good
2 Fair
2 Poor
3 Terrible
-----------
19 Total

I have had much better luck with compression locks than with back locks. Some other people have had the opposite experience

There are now 4 local stores that I know of that stock Benchmades. I have bought entirely too many Benchmades. I have also handled and in many cases tested even more, either out of the box or off the dealer's shelf. I do not have an accurate count from earlier than 2019, but I think the total is about 90 folders. The vast majority have been monotonously excellent in terms of action. Here is the breakdown, including the few other knives that I considered defective:

80+ Excellent
1 Difficult to open - Barrage Assisted
1 Blade off center - Stryker Auto
1 Blade play - Mini Reflex Auto
1 Dull - Mini Infidel OTF
 
Danny Linguini said:
Hands down, my favorite knife is the Buck 841 Sprint Pro with S45VN steel and marbled carbon fiber handles. It’s a bit over $150, but worth every cent of it. The action is smoother and easier than anything else I own, other than my Buck 842 Sprint Ops Pro … which is also a very nice piece, and well under your $150 limit. I love ‘em both.

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The Buck Sprint Pro 841 is an absolute huge Bang for the Buck (pun intended). I love mine.
 
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If I had a 150 to spend I'd buy three 50 dollar knives. A wanna be Emerson in d2 a Milwaukee razor knife and whatever else caught my fancy at a little higher price point. If you already have something in this price point skip what I said. Once you start using a 400 dollar knife for work.. you wonder why everybody has to have a knife that works so good. That said save up n get an ad 20.5. If you want just one this is the one I tell people to get.
 
Looking at SW knives, go look at a Benchmade for your budget. A lot of people think highly of them here.
 
K390 Spyderco delica, endura, or Stretch would be my choice. Just Depends on what size you want. use the leftover and buy a civivi button lock off of the exchange to see if you are into it.
 
Here is what I would do..
IGNORE every post so far..
Take your Gift card (if thats what you intend to spend) and got to SW..
Handle every knife that you can.. Heck.. even go to another SW if you can as they all dont carry the same stock..
Pick the one that appeals to you..
Just because I like knife X and someone else likes knife Y doesnt mean a thing to you..
YOU gotta like it..🤔
John:)

PS.. No bad intent to the above posters as this is JMO.. ;)
 
jmh33 said:
Here is what I would do..
IGNORE every post so far..
Take your Gift card (if thats what you intend to spend) and got to SW..
Handle every knife that you can.. Heck.. even go to another SW if you can as they all dont carry the same stock..
Pick the one that appeals to you..
Just because I like knife X and someone else likes knife Y doesnt mean a thing to you..
YOU gotta like it..🤔
John:)

PS.. No bad intent to the above posters as this is JMO.. ;)
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Excellent advice. I’ll admit that I’m as guilty as anyone of suggesting my current flavor of the month, when something I was really into six months prior would be a better choice. lol
 
Thanks for all the replies. I've been looking at your ideas and watching videos.

I'm going to go look/try a bunch at Sportsmans today. I keep thinking the Protech Malibu is the one I want, or maybe the Mordax; but I can't find either if I were ready to buy anywhere???
 
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