Spending more on an EDC?

[TripleB67]

I'm getting ready to purchase my first knife that isn't of the small Case type....99% sure it's going to be a Kershaw Cryo G10. From what many have said it will be my first purchase of many better quality pocket knives. I think it will be a great knife for me to start with and to learn how to properly sharpen knives with.

While looking at this knife I noticed that prices on folding pocket knives go from two dollars up into the thousands.

Just out of curiosity, and for future reference, what does spending more, say spending $100, on an EDC folding pocket knife get you compared to the $35 I'm getting ready to spend? ie: better blade? better quality? sharper edge? etc.

Edti: someone below mentioned possibly spending a little more to get a little better quality, so let me ask this question about two specific knives:

What advantages would I get in going with the $72 Kershaw 1678 Camber instead of the $33 Kershaw Cryo (or the Kershaw RJ Tactical 3.0 - the other knife I'm considering)?

Thanks.

TripleB67

 

[Insipid Moniker]

It doesn't automatically get you anything better, but it can open the door to steels with much higher wear resistance, toughness, corrosion resistance, better fit and finish, a much wider variety of locking mechanisms, better aesthetics, etc.

 

[MIGUY]

Welcome to modern folders!

As far as $35 vs $100, you can expect a better steel, in the sense that the edge will last longer and be less likely to chip/roll. I'm not sure you would notice it being "sharper" as that is mainly focused on the geometry of the knife, thickness of the edge, etc.

You will, typically, get better fit and finish at $100 than $35, and likely better materials. A $100 knife may weigh less than a $35 knife as it could include titanium and carbon fiber as opposed to stainless steel in a $35, as well as there possibly being skeletonization in a $100 knife to further reduce weight.

You can certainly notice a difference in quality of a $35 vs a $100 knife, and it is worth it IMO. I do think the Cryo is a nice place to start, I gave my sister one for her birthday a few years back, and she loves it. Many people are perfectly content at the $35 level and it serves them well fir a very long time, but going to $100, then $150, you certainly see vast improvements

 

[chchin2]

Like MIGUY is saying, I think the $100 range opens the door to materials and some technologies that can't be had in the $35 range. At the $100 range, you see lots of G-10 as opposed to steel, zytel and FRN, the AXIS lock is available in a few Benchmade entry models, compression lock becomes available on the ~$110 PM2, steels like 154cm (Grip), s30v (Blur, PM2, Buck Vantage), zdp-189 (Delica), s110v (Manix2) are available.

 

[TripleB67]

compression lock becomes available on the ~$110 PM2, steels like 154cm (Grip), s30v (Blur, PM2, Buck Vantage), zdp-189 (Delica), s110v (Manix2) are available.

I appreciate everyone taking the time to respond...makes me pretty excited about what's out there when (and if) I decide I want something better than a Cryo G10!

Also appreciate you mentioning some specific knives in that price range...it will give me the opportunity to take a look as specific models and see the differences between them and the Cryo.

Being a 'newbie' to better knives I doubt I'd be able to truly appreciate the better qualities of a $100 knife right now...and seeing how the $100 knives don't seem to have a flipper, the Cryo will probably have a great enough 'cool' factor right now

Again, thanks for everyone's input so far!

TripleB67

 

[blade dude]

I'm gonna explain the difference between $30 and $100 knives in the way I best understand. Comparing to drills. A ryobi drill will get the job done for the most part for someone who uses it for little things. A dewalt drill will be more reliable, likely last longer, and is just overall better. Now yes there are drills that cost more than dewalts do but unless you use them multiple times a day every week drilling through steel at high speeds the dewalt will be fine and is still fine for people who do that kind of work. Same with knives 50-100 dollars will get one that has a blade that lasts longer, and should be more reliable or less prone to stuff loosening or lock failure not saying a cryo will fail. Anything over about $100 may feel better in hand at times but doesn't give that much more usability of life than a $100 knife.

 

[strategy9]

As they all point out, the differences are there, from blade steels to handle materials, washers, craftsmanship, (point of origin), etc... Same goes for traditionals, be it a $5 "surgical Steel" blade from the flea market vs. a $15 Rough Rider vs. a $60 Case vs. a $150 Great Eastern

And ftr, plenty of knives in that $100 range have flippers;
Böker mini kwaiken
Buck Vantage Pro and Marksman
Kershaw (premium) Skyline
Kizer has a variety to choose from
Benchmade Precinct
Remington A.C.C. (made by Bear Ops I believe)

All have flippers, all in that $100 range give or take...

Which brings me to one last suggestion, if you're willing to up your budget just a tad, or maybe your next purchase, another handsome small edc flipper with a framelock and g10 for you to consider might be the Buck Lux, made in the USA for under or fight around $50

Anyway, welcome to the flock... Enjoy the Cryo, or whatever you wind up with, and stick around.

 

[TripleB67]

Which brings me to one last suggestion, if you're willing to up your budget just a tad, or maybe your next purchase, another handsome small edc flipper with a framelock and g10 for you to consider might be the Buck Lux, made in the USA for under or fight around $50

Thanks for the suggestion and for everyone's help so far!

TripleB67

 

[`br4dz-]

The more expensive doesn't necessarily mean that the quality of overall value of a knife increases. There are many factors to considering, from blade steel, handle material, brand, origin, and if it's a relatively new knife or not.

Most knives under $50 will be made outside of the U.S.A, minus kershaw which is the biggest exception to that rule. I personally try to buy mostly U.S.A. made knives, but it comes at a premium price. If I buy chinese, I'll usually only go Spyderco's China made or Kershaw's, just because they're more stringent on quality control. Blade steels are one, if not THE number one factor on the price of a knife. A lot of 8cr13mov & AUS8 knives can be gotten in the $20-$40 range, and they are decent low/mid range steels, where as some mid/high end steels, like VG-10 (i.e. Delica/Endura) and 154CM (i.e. Griptilian) will run you more in the $50-$80 range. Once you hit $75+, you open up to some higher end steels like CTS XHP, S30V/S35VN, S110V, ZDP-189, and so forth. These are just average numbers, but hold true for the huge majority of knives on the market. Handle material plays a minor role in overall price, where there can be a knife that is offered in fiberglass reinforced nylon for $70 and a G10 variant of the same knife and knife steel for $115, such as the Spyderco Native 5, which is where those prices came from. Every once in a while you can find a super good knife at a much lower than average price, but you've got to constantly be searching or get lucky to find those deals. Many dealers recently flushed out all of their old Cold Steel stock to make room for the new models with CTS XHP and CTS BD1 steel, where you could get an AUS8 recon 1 for as little as $40-$45 or a mini AK47 in AUS8 for $30. Those deals are pretty much gone now, with some floating around if you can find them, but rare deals like that do happen. So to answer your question in full, do your research on a knife to see if the price is worth it to you. There are tons of great quality knives under $50 that are perfect for EDC with decent steels, but there are some special knives around the $100+ range that cannot be compared to in the lower range.

 

[chchin2]

Thanks for the suggestion and for everyone's help so far!

TripleB67

I have a QuickSpecs tool that you can also use to compare different knives by clicking the 'pin' icon.

The main differences are:

USA vs. China
3 in vs. 2.75
CPM-S30V vs. 8Cr13MoV

The rest of the differences you can take a look and may or may not be 'better' for what you are going to use it for and your personal preferences.

 

[robgmn]

If you don't have the opportunity to handle knives at various price points, but want to understand a similar difference between things, go to a jewelry store and ask to handle a Timex or inexpensive Seiko.
Then, ask to handle a more expensive watch like a Rolex, Omega, Vacheron Constantine, etc.

Both watches will tell the time accurately (sometimes the cheaper ones even more so), but you will definitely feel and appreciate the differences, such as fit and finish of components, quality of craftsmanship, materials used, etc.
(Hint: start with the band and go from there).

Comparing a $20 Kershaw with plastic pivot washers to a ZT that has a ball bearing setup is a similar experience.

 

[TripleB67]

The main differences are:

USA vs. China
3 in vs. 2.75
CPM-S30V vs. 8Cr13MoV

The rest of the differences you can take a look and may or may not be 'better' for what you are going to use it for and your personal preferences.

Thanks for the information....what a great tool! I didn't realize the two knives looked so similar.

Just a couple questions as I take a look at the differences:

- What's the difference between a flat grind and a hollow grind?

- I assume the CPM-S30V is a better blade than the 8Cr13MoV?

- I notice the Cryo is Frame Lock and the Camber is Liner Lock...from some things I read I thought the Frame Lock was supposed to be a little better than a Liner Lock?

Being 'new' to better knives I doubt I'd be able to truly tell the difference between the two but it's always nice to gain the knowledge.

Again, thanks for all the help!

TripleB67

 

[chchin2]

Thanks for the information....what a great tool! I didn't realize the two knives looked so similar.

Just a couple questions as I take a look at the differences:

- What's the difference between a flat grind and a hollow grind?

- I assume the CPM-S30V is a better blade than the 8Cr13MoV?

- I notice the Cryo is Frame Lock and the Camber is Liner Lock...from some things I read I thought the Frame Lock was supposed to be a little better than a Liner Lock?

Again, thanks for all the help!

TripleB67

the grind is how they thin the blade from its total thickness (spine) down to the thinness right above the cutting edge. with flat, you have two flat ramps going down each side towards the cutting edge while hollow looks like its been 'hollowed-out'. image two giant spinning grind wheels being applied to the blade from both sides removing materials to create the primary bevel. in most cases, a hollow grind will leave you with a thinner blade behind the cutting edge, this geometry generally allows you to go through material better but the tradeoff is strength, you have less material so its a weaker edge.

s30v is superior. i will be surprised if somebody tells you otherwise. it also uses newer technology - powdered steel.

If we start talking about which lock is better and which is more prone to failure, this thread will get out of control really fast

 

[TripleB67]

s30v is superior. i will be surprised if somebody tells you otherwise. it also uses newer technology - powdered steel.

In one review I read it said that the Camber is more difficult to sharpen because the blade is more dense than the blade on the Cryo. Is this the case and with me being a somewhat newbie to sharpening would it be best for me to start out on the Cryo or RJ Tactical 3.0 and not even consider purchasing the Camber (at least for now)?

TripleB67

 

[chchin2]

In one review I read it said that the Camber is more difficult to sharpen because the blade is more dense than the blade on the Cryo. Is this the case and with me being a somewhat newbie to sharpening would it be best for me to start out on the Cryo or RJ Tactical 3.0 and not even consider purchasing the Camber (at least for now)?

TripleB67

sounds reasonable to me. in fact, you might be able to get a lightly used one on the exchange here. the exchange is great for trying out knives since you can sell it if you don't like it and if you got it for a fair price, chances are you can sell it back out for the same. you just take a hit on shipping costs. you will also need a gold membership to sell on the exchange.

 

[Wowbagger]

I don't buy expensive knives, yet, I'm still in the lower priced $100 to $200 range but I have two comments :

Practice sharpening on your inexpensive folder (slip joint) not on your good one.

I once told some one who was frustrated because they dropped their knife and the handle material got broken . . .
One advantage of an ALL titanium bodied knife (think not the cheapest knives) is that you could probably drop the knife two stories onto concrete or rocks and besides some gouges that you could file off it would probably be functional and looking pretty good. In any case the side wouldn't just pop off in pieces.

My two cents.

PS: the liner locks on cheep knives suck, they jam, better knives with this type of lock but called a frame lock is going to be more reliable.

 

[bflying]

Go to your local sporting big box and handle some Benchmades, ZT's, and such. Then go back and handle a $30 knife. That may just help you understand why so many spent $100-$400 on fairly average knives. Like everything, we all have our own point of diminishing return. For some, that's $25, for others maybe $500. Me, I'm in the middle. I bought a dozen Kershaws, and while they were all decent, I just really preferred the US made models. Then that made me want to try out a ZT. Found a 350 for just a hair over $100. That sent me down a path that makes it difficult for me to want to carry most of the inexpensive models I've acquired. From one ZT to around a dozen of my own, and a few given as gifts. Until you handle and try different things, you just never know if they are for you. Wasn't too many years ago that I thought any knife over $20 was a waste of money.

 

[jgang]

BFlying pretty much nailed it above. Watch the for sale forum for a ZT450. If you're quick, they can be had for $120 or so. Fabulous blade with tons of utility, great steel, titanium scales, etc. Once you handle one, you'll understand. That said, when I'm kicking around on the ranch and don't want to risk losing a $100+ blade (I've lost a couple...found one), any number of Kershaws fit the bill. I have a Cryo that's handy, but my go-to is a lightly "tuned" Strobe. Both blades run $35ish and will do almost anything I need a knife to do. For EDC though, it's the ZT450, an early MiniGrip or a BM Emissary. All have their strengths, all within the $75-125 range, all with good steels and fine features. Knife ownership is a very personal thing.

 

[TripleB67]

That said, when I'm kicking around on the ranch and don't want to risk losing a $100+ blade (I've lost a couple...found one), any number of Kershaws fit the bill. I have a Cryo that's handy, but my go-to is a lightly "tuned" Strobe. Both blades run $35ish and will do almost anything I need a knife to do.

So if I'm not going to push my limit to $100+, do you feel I might as well go with the Cryo or the RJ Tactical 3.0 instead of paying $72 for the Camber?

Thanks to all for the help, information, and guidance!

TripleB67

 

[blade dude]

Thanks for the information....what a great tool! I didn't realize the two knives looked so similar.

Just a couple questions as I take a look at the differences:

- What's the difference between a flat grind and a hollow grind?

- I assume the CPM-S30V is a better blade than the 8Cr13MoV?

- I notice the Cryo is Frame Lock and the Camber is Liner Lock...from some things I read I thought the Frame Lock was supposed to be a little better than a Liner Lock?

Being 'new' to better knives I doubt I'd be able to truly tell the difference between the two but it's always nice to gain the knowledge.

Again, thanks for all the help!

TripleB67

Trust me on this dude, I use my knives harder than 70% of the people on the forum and I can say that a frame lock is better but never had a liner lock fail under even abusive usage.