I've always had cheap folders but now want to get something a little nicer. I dont really like to mail order, so I was wondering if anyone has any experience buying folders from sports authority. I checked their website but nothing to drool for. I'm sure at store they have better ones. Anyone bought a good blade from there? I mean I like th BENCHMADE 805 TSEK AXIS. Nice looking, but I doubt this department store carries them. OR can anyone recommend a reputable online seller that has comfortable prices and speedy delivery? Thanks in advance.
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Sports Authority Knives????
- Thread starter kesone95
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There are lots of reputable on-line stores, and I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions. As for _my_ favorite, it's New Graham ( http://www.newgraham.com ). They don't have the _lowest_ prices you can find on-line (they'll be a few bucks more), but the customer service is excellent, and you can be certain they'll take good care of you.
As for Sports Authority, I've found 'em to be hit-or-miss around here. Usually they have a very small selection of high-quality knives, but every once in a while there's something interesting. I picked up my hard-to-find Spyderco Calypso Jr. a few years ago at a Sports Authority.
So give the stores in your area a quick look, but keep an open mind about internet stores. Good luck!
As for Sports Authority, I've found 'em to be hit-or-miss around here. Usually they have a very small selection of high-quality knives, but every once in a while there's something interesting. I picked up my hard-to-find Spyderco Calypso Jr. a few years ago at a Sports Authority.
So give the stores in your area a quick look, but keep an open mind about internet stores. Good luck!
Different stores will carry different models. I have seen some nicer models from Benchmade and Spyderco there. Not a huge selection, just a couple of better pieces thrown in with the usual knives for that type of place. Prices were above MSRP, so I don't buy them Used to be a small knife store at the mall maybe a mile from TSA, who had a better selection and better prices. Bought things from them every once in a while.
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Another vote for New Graham, can place orders and receive them within 7 days - not too bad considering I am in Australia. Have placed 4 or 5 online orders with them, have never had the slightest problem with quality, communication or ease of ordering. Two thumbs up!!!!
Thanks for all the responses. Well I got my first nice knife from Sports authority. I really wasnt planning on buying, just looking and feeling. I held a few, and then the guy pulls out the gerber harsey air ranger. Mang, this this felt light, sturdy, sharp, easy to open and close with one hand, and least important good looking,lol. I just had to get it and for $49.99 I couldnt resist. That website new graham had me drooling earlier, maybe I'll order there in the future, but for starters I think I made an alright choice.
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Hey! The Gerber Harsey Air Ranger was _my_ first "real" one-hander, too!
Not the best knife I own--not even the best in that price point. But I've never once regretted it. Served me really well when I first moved away to college, up until I bought my first Spyderco. And it's still going strong despite my half-assed attempt to disassemble it, and a long-term loan to a non-knifenut friend.
I'd definitely say you made an alright choice
Not the best knife I own--not even the best in that price point. But I've never once regretted it. Served me really well when I first moved away to college, up until I bought my first Spyderco. And it's still going strong despite my half-assed attempt to disassemble it, and a long-term loan to a non-knifenut friend.
I'd definitely say you made an alright choice
Grover, Cool. I also had my eye on a couple of spydercos, but online pics only. They are nice looking, with the holes and all. Now since I'm looking for my next knife, just kidding. In the future when I want to upgrade, which spyderco blade would you recommend. I mean that feels as tough,solid,light,same size blade,handel, pretty much that resembles the gerber har but higher quality. Now spyderco is much higher quality then gerbrer right? Because to me the gerber feels like good quality, but that could be since I havent handled better knives. I'm happy with it though, cant stop playing with it,lol.
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The things you like in the Gerber, you'll have to pay more for in a Spyderco. The Spydies are built for function, so "feeling solid" is less important than "being solid". For example, I finally replaced my Harsey with a plastic-handled Delica. It's every bit as tough as a knife needs to be, but it doesn't "feel" as strong or rigid. You can get a steel-handled Delica or Endura at around a $50.00 price point, but that won't feel as grippy as the Harsey. To get that kind of grip and solididy, you'd prolly have to upgrade to the Military or Paramilitary, which're awesome knives, in my opinion.
Thing is, Spyderco just doesn't really make a knife like the Harsey. Almost all Spydies are "bent" slightly in the handle, to give you a more ergonomic grip in the hand. Now that I use 'em almost exclusively, the Harsey surprises me with its "straightness" when I open it.
The things that make Spyderco knives stand out are almost entirely "under the hood". The blade steels, grinds, denser than average G10, and deceptively simply but ungodly strong locks don't _look_ cool, but they work like you wouldn't believe. Their knives often have blades that look too small for their handles, but the knife works better than if they'd pushed the blade longer or the handle smaller.
Now, I've been using Spydercos for a coupl'a years now, and I've invested quite a bit in 'em (by my standards ;D ), but I still think the Gerber Harsey feels like a high-quality knife. So it's not just you
You could very well stick with it for a very long time and be totally satisfied. If you do decide to upgrade, I'd strongly recommend the Paramilitary. It's prolly my favorite Spyderco overall right now, and it's also the closest I've handled to the Harsey. The blade's the same length, and the handle's about 3/4" longer. I find it much more comfortable (like the Military, I had to "give it a chance" before my hand figured out how to like it), and the full-flat-ground S30V blade cuts like nobody's business. The second-best one-handed cutter I've used.
My only other suggestion would be the Spyderco Sharpmaker. If you don't know how to sharpen, you'll learn in about a half-hour flat with the Sharpmaker kit. It's really worth it to always have a sharp knife handy.
Thing is, Spyderco just doesn't really make a knife like the Harsey. Almost all Spydies are "bent" slightly in the handle, to give you a more ergonomic grip in the hand. Now that I use 'em almost exclusively, the Harsey surprises me with its "straightness" when I open it.
The things that make Spyderco knives stand out are almost entirely "under the hood". The blade steels, grinds, denser than average G10, and deceptively simply but ungodly strong locks don't _look_ cool, but they work like you wouldn't believe. Their knives often have blades that look too small for their handles, but the knife works better than if they'd pushed the blade longer or the handle smaller.
Now, I've been using Spydercos for a coupl'a years now, and I've invested quite a bit in 'em (by my standards ;D ), but I still think the Gerber Harsey feels like a high-quality knife. So it's not just you
You could very well stick with it for a very long time and be totally satisfied. If you do decide to upgrade, I'd strongly recommend the Paramilitary. It's prolly my favorite Spyderco overall right now, and it's also the closest I've handled to the Harsey. The blade's the same length, and the handle's about 3/4" longer. I find it much more comfortable (like the Military, I had to "give it a chance" before my hand figured out how to like it), and the full-flat-ground S30V blade cuts like nobody's business. The second-best one-handed cutter I've used. My only other suggestion would be the Spyderco Sharpmaker. If you don't know how to sharpen, you'll learn in about a half-hour flat with the Sharpmaker kit. It's really worth it to always have a sharp knife handy.
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BTW, I see you live in NYC...
Just be sure you carry discreetly. after reading the NY knife laws, it seems that anything under four inches is legal, but I understand that cops in the City have been abusing the state's prohibition on "gravity knives" to confiscate any knife that can possibly be flicked open. The Harsey's easy to flick. So carry discreetly, use discreetly, and stay out of trouble
NY knife laws:
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/ny.txt
Just be sure you carry discreetly. after reading the NY knife laws, it seems that anything under four inches is legal, but I understand that cops in the City have been abusing the state's prohibition on "gravity knives" to confiscate any knife that can possibly be flicked open. The Harsey's easy to flick. So carry discreetly, use discreetly, and stay out of trouble
NY knife laws:
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/ny.txt
Grover, you've been more than helpful. I see what you mean about Spyderco knives. I think its the alluminum handle of the gerber knife that makes it so light. I was look at other gerber harsey knives, and he has a nice design with other alluminum handles. I wonder what other brand might come close to this grippy aluminum handle which makes the knife so light, and pocketable. My blade is half serrated. I'm not sure if I would have preferred a plain blade, but this one seems ok. I wonder when its time to sharpen if it would be easy. Dont worry, my blade will not be exposed, and if worse thing that can happen in NYC is some punk cop confiscating it, well hey a gift from me to him.lol. The paramilitary does look nice, a little too serrated but I'm sure they have the plain blade version. Now if it had the aluminum grippy handle, now we're talking. But what do I know, maybe weight on a knife is better. Well this gerber har is better than the $5 dollar flea market special I used to get. I did get a kabar marine knife from an army and navy store once. I looked kind of funny walking around with that though,lol.
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I try ;D
Just so's we're clear, holding the two next to each other, the Harsey and the Para "feel" like they're almost exactly the same weight. I don't have a scale to check, though. And the G10 scales of the Para are almost as grippy as the knurled aluminum of the Harsey (the shape of the para's handle also does a lot--I'd expect to lose my grip on the Harsey before the Para).
I prefer plainedge myself, but the Sharpmaker can sharpen serrations with no trouble.
I dunno about another knurled aluminum handle in a similar design, but then I know mostly Spydercos (does it show? ). If you're interested, post another query in the forum with a relevant header, like "Grippy Al-Handled Folder?" I'm sure somebody can help you.
And just to reiterate, as far as I'm concerned, you bought a good knife. It's well made, it has a respectable blade steel, the price was right, and it works for _you_. If you decide to upgrade, that's wonderful! But by no means did you make a bad choice, IMHO.
Just so's we're clear, holding the two next to each other, the Harsey and the Para "feel" like they're almost exactly the same weight. I don't have a scale to check, though. And the G10 scales of the Para are almost as grippy as the knurled aluminum of the Harsey (the shape of the para's handle also does a lot--I'd expect to lose my grip on the Harsey before the Para).
I prefer plainedge myself, but the Sharpmaker can sharpen serrations with no trouble.
I dunno about another knurled aluminum handle in a similar design, but then I know mostly Spydercos (does it show?
). If you're interested, post another query in the forum with a relevant header, like "Grippy Al-Handled Folder?" I'm sure somebody can help you.And just to reiterate, as far as I'm concerned, you bought a good knife. It's well made, it has a respectable blade steel, the price was right, and it works for _you_. If you decide to upgrade, that's wonderful! But by no means did you make a bad choice, IMHO.