Spend my money!!! Which SMOOTH action folder?

slm9s said:
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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Good Luck!!! :thumbsup:
John :)
 
Metamorph said:
Unfortunately the price you can get these regularly now is 188.65 and could increase with new year MAP change. Still a great knife though.
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Aw, they went up a little it seems. However, I would bet you could score a new one for about 150 on the Exchange or Knifeswap sometimes if you keep your eye out!
 
My daughter just bought a Hogue Deka. She normally doesn't like thumb stud openers, but this was a super smooth opener.
Very light also, with a deep carry clip. Should be able to find it in you price range.
 
Stopped at S.W. and 1 other store. Tried the Buck Sprint, nice but I think I want a flipper lever on the back to deploy the blade and a button lock. The only one I could find with a button lock was the ckrt $50 one and it wasn't as smooth as I'd hoped. Tried several spyderco and benchmades, but they just didn't do it for me. Probably the smoothest I handled was the Cold Steel AD15.
I ordered a couple other options off amazon (smock, assassin xl, etc) to try, but I think I'm going to be in the market for a ProTech Malibu or Mordax. I like the looks, size, and hear they are very very smooth. Do they do runs every so often? i.e. will there be more new ones at some point?
Thanks!
 
Check out the Ruike M105-TZ, Ti/N690, 3.7"x.140" blade, 8.4" overall, 4.9oz. Frame lock, but a nice one, ball bearings, smooth action, good lock-up, and a quality feel in hand. Relatively inexpensive. Not cheap.
 
If you like the Malibu, you probably should check out Laconico collaborations with Monterey Blade and Massdrop. Mostly sleek designs with smooth flipping action. Might be at the top of your range regarding price. Also consider a Benchmade 940-1 if you like an axis lock mechanism.
 
Also this from what I’ve heard.

North Arms Skaha II - $180

It has been flipped multiple times. Never carried. It has never cut anything. Priced to sell. There is some fading on the S35VN markings. It’s just been sitting in my safe. I have too many knives sitting around not getting used. I’m trying to reduce my collection. PPFF. Please comment “I’ll take...
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And….. American Blade Works Model 1 V6 are $150 or so on this forum and I would argue is the most knife you can buy with premium materials and steel made in USA for the money!!!!!

I think there’s one for $115 on the forum right now. Hell of a deal!!!!!

American Blade Works, KC Gray, Brous, Olamic, D Rocket - All have been reduced, open to offers

American Blade Works - Model 1, G10 Jade, S35VN - excellent - $150 now $125 > $115FF K.C. Gray Knives Large Squeegee with AEB-L Blade and Green Micarta Handles and copper accents excellent, comes with KC Gray soft case - $450 >$400 now $350 > $300 FF(purchased for $595 from knifejoy) Brous...
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justjed said:
Check out the Ruike M105-TZ, Ti/N690, 3.7"x.140" blade, 8.4" overall, 4.9oz. Frame lock, but a nice one, ball bearings, smooth action, good lock-up, and a quality feel in hand. Relatively inexpensive. Not cheap.
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There are a huge amount of inexpensive knives that can be great everyday users. For instance, the original post mentioned the Kizer Assassin XL. I haven't tried the XL but I have the regular-sized version and it's a fun little knife. The only real negative is that the scales had some pointy corners. (Not everyone cares or would even notice but I rounded the corners and radiused the scale edges on mine for maximum comfort.) Beyond that, it's easily the best button-lock action I've tried among the current wave of button locks.

I'd definitely recommend looking over Kizer's catalog and anything from WE's budget lines. The Civivi button locks have been criticized for "lock stick" but that might just be the design. It doesn't feel like the same animal as lock stick with liner or frame locks. I have a few Civivi button locks and pressing the button builds a little pressure before breaking. It doesn't bother me in use. A little bit of resistance could even be a good thing versus a button being too easy to accidentally depress.
 
Smooth? I know you won’t buy one, but Al Mar Sere 2K. Smoothest knife I own and even more buttery after all these years. Buttah.
 
Can’t go wrong with a Malibu, you just have to work to find one. Of the dozen or so Spyderco and Benchmade I’ve had, the Sage 5 is easily the smoothest in your range.

Bump up price a little and snag a Three Rivers Mfg Neutron. No regrets there either.

Fun process, hope you get what you're looking for.
 
slm9s said:
Stopped at S.W. and 1 other store. Tried the Buck Sprint, nice but I think I want a flipper lever on the back to deploy the blade and a button lock. The only one I could find with a button lock was the ckrt $50 one and it wasn't as smooth as I'd hoped. Tried several spyderco and benchmades, but they just didn't do it for me. Probably the smoothest I handled was the Cold Steel AD15.
I ordered a couple other options off amazon (smock, assassin xl, etc) to try, but I think I'm going to be in the market for a ProTech Malibu or Mordax. I like the looks, size, and hear they are very very smooth. Do they do runs every so often? i.e. will there be more new ones at some point?
Thanks!
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The Cold Steel AD-15 is a great knife. Very unique lock, very interesting look and it’s an extremely robust design. Try to get your hands on an AD10 as well. That is the Rolls Royce of the Cold Steel folder line up and even a bit smoother than the AD-15. How they managed that with a back lock is beyond me. My Spyderco backlocks could take a few lessons here. As a bonus, you get a folder that is as close in strength to a fixed blade as anything on the market.
 
It's hard to find a folder that's not smooth these days, IMHO. The roughest folder I have is a Bear & Sons sodbuster which has been gritty from day one. All my others, CS, Buck, Spyderco, Manly. CRK, Benchmade are all slick openers, aside from mechanical resistance due to lock type.
 
While you contemplate your big name choices, try a $65 Civivi Baby Banter. Thumb stud, liner lock, light-flick opening. See how long it stays in your pocket as an edc for your needs.
 
Thanks again for all your help/suggestions.

I found a used Malibu, it will be here in a few days. But, the ones I ordered from Amazon came in: Kizer Assassin XL, Spyderco Smock, and CJRB Lago. I already had in hand a Civivi Cogent and Semcut Sacshe. I'm really impressed with all of them. They are all really really smooth.
I'm most impressed with the Kizer Assassin XL and Civivi Cogent. And for under $50, the Semcut is quite impressive.
Definitely not keeping the CJRB as its the least smooth and isn't as sharp. And the Smock, as IMO the mechanism isn't quite as smooth and costs 2.5 as much as some of the others.
I'm thinking I'll have the Malibu as my fancy/expensive knife (assuming its better than what I have), and the Cogent and Assassin as my EDC's.
I really can't believe how nice these "cheaper" models are. We'll see how they hold up.

Thanks again.
 
slm9s said:
Thanks again for all your help/suggestions.

I found a used Malibu, it will be here in a few days. But, the ones I ordered from Amazon came in: Kizer Assassin XL, Spyderco Smock, and CJRB Lago. I already had in hand a Civivi Cogent and Semcut Sacshe. I'm really impressed with all of them. They are all really really smooth.
I'm most impressed with the Kizer Assassin XL and Civivi Cogent. And for under $50, the Semcut is quite impressive.
Definitely not keeping the CJRB as its the least smooth and isn't as sharp. And the Smock, as IMO the mechanism isn't quite as smooth and costs 2.5 as much as some of the others.
I'm thinking I'll have the Malibu as my fancy/expensive knife (assuming its better than what I have), and the Cogent and Assassin as my EDC's.
I really can't believe how nice these "cheaper" models are. We'll see how they hold up.

Thanks again.
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I'm glad to hear it! It sounds like you've got yourself quite a nice EDC rotation from this quest.

Civivi and Sencut are both made by WE knives and are among the best quality at their respective price levels. CJRB is made by Artisan and unfortunately, I've gotten a lot of lemons from them over the last few years. CJRB gets cool designs but overall, I can't recommend them.

I'll be glad to see how you like these as you get more time carrying and using them. I'm watching this thread but also feel free to avail yourself of the EDC XIII thread. Some of the guys there are impressive photographers but you don't need to be. Just post a pic and maybe some brief thoughts on what you are carrying on a given day.
 
The smoothest knife I have ever owned is my Grimsmo Norseman. It is the only knife I’ve seen with a true detent ramp.
 
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