suggestions for a HARD use production folder

M

m@thew

Joined
Jun 20, 2001
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Ok the story is i made the liner lock on my Spyderco Military fail at christmas by whacking it through the trunk of a tree with a mallot (yes, this is a little extreme i know) after that i developed an aversion to liner-locks, thinking that the one on the Military is a particularly good example, and if it can fail....
So i got a BM 710, i'd always wanted to try out the axis lock, its a great knife, but the other day i was just toying with it in my hand, opening and closing it, when i heard a little snap, i looked at it for a while and noticed that one of the omega springs had come loose. The only 'hard' use i'd put the knife through was chopping down a rose bush (not with a mallot this time!) and today i'm fixing to send it back to Benchmade, i think the warranty should cover it but i will have to pay for shipping forward and back to Northern Ireland and wait several weeks for my beloved 710 to come back to me.
OK i've finished ranting, now i'll get to the point ;) we are given fair warning by the manufacturers what the knife should and shouldn't be used for, but i sometimes think that 'tactical' knives should be able to withstand a bit more.
Finally does anyone have any suggestions for a folder that you would describe as almost literally indestructable? I'm thinkin of getting one to replace my 710 while it takes a trip home, same sort of price range. I don't regularly abuse my folders, but i'd like one that stands up to it just in case.
Have a good day.
 
Integral side-lock folders like the Sebenza. Rock simple, very reliable. There are some less expensive alternatives too, like the Kershaw Vlbldkjl (can't remember its name), Camillus EDC, Outdoor Edge Paragee.

Actually, the Axis lock is very reliable on a statistical basis. I know that doesn't help you much having already had a failure, but think of it this way, the chances of you having two Omega springs break on you is absurdly remote.
 
How about a frame lock? I've never heard of one of those failing. BM makes one called the Pinnacle. Camillus has the Madd Maxx with a titanium frame lock. You could always get a Sebenza.
 
Check out the huge Frame lock folder that Camillus just put out (I forget what it is called). Really big, good steel, Ti handles for lightweight...
 
I trust frame locks the most, but wouldn't trust any folder that's hit with a mallot or used for chopping. Any lock will fail if abused hard enough. Do yourself a favor and get a good fixed blade. You'll save lots of fingers that way.
 
Steve Harvey,
Actually the other spring broke just there now while was 'knifesturbating' again lmao :rolleyes: just my luck! But i do know what you mean, the chances of that happening again are remote, thanks for your input i'll have a look at those integral locks, never tried one before, also interested in Spyderco's compression lock.
:)
 
first off .... if you are gonna chop down stuff, all folder will fail, just a matter of time.

The spring on the 710 is just a one-time flaw, if I were you, I'd fix it myself. I dismantled several 710's, pretty simple.

OK so you need a folder that you can use pretty hard.. I'd go for the Buck strider spearpoint. I know it's a linerlock, but trust me, this thing suits better in the framelock cathegory.

You can also wait for the soon-to-come camillius maxx, it's a pretty beefy framelock.

I'm using my BM 806D2, no problem at all. I can use it pretty hard, and it just keeps kicking.

Greetz and take care, bart.
 
Buzzbait,
I agree that a good fixed blade would be a better option, however over here the laws are very strict so i would likely end up getting done by the law if i carried a fixed blade outside my house, therefore i have to rely on a folder, thanks for the suggestion though.
 
I have a Cold Steel Voyager and a couple of Gerber Gators that haven't let me down yet. The Voyager just came back from the desert with me and I beat the crap out of it. All it took was a little time on the stone and it was good as new. The Gators go fishing and hunting with me have done very well, also. Both of these knives are in the $40 range and IMO are some of the best deals around.
 
I have to agree with the Buck Strider comment. I got a good deal on a mini-Strider from a friend that works for Buck. I just never took a shine to it. I made it an EDC, but it just wasn't my kind of knife.

Chang said he wanted it, and I thought he would use it for spare parts because he just started making custom knives. It was worthless to me, so I GAVE it to him. He tells me that he beats the ever-lovin' crap out it and he has trouble leaving a blemish on it!
 
I'll put my 2 cents in and nominate the Al Mar Sere 2K. Very rugged and heavy duty with a rock solid lock up and the advantage of VG-10 steel. Nice blade length at 3.6" and only weighs 6oz.
My back-up is my Cuda 154CM EDC, so simple and elegant and so reliable.

Doug
 
I'm QUITE happy with my newly aquired TOPS CQT Magnum Folder. A little on the large size for EDC, but really nice and solid. The best locking liner I have seen a knife to date.
 
You may want to look at the Spyderco Chinook also. Although it's not a liner lock or integral locking system (Lockback).., it's a pretty darn tough knife!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
i understand the need for a folder in a place that is not so knife friendly some suggestions...

look into a hatchet, the laws may exempt them, look into a folding saw they are cheap and can cut well.

Axis locking knives are great but i dont think that they are suited to extream use since they are complicated and can foul easily.

So a frame lock or a heavy duty liner lock would be great, or you could buy a few cold steel voyagers and use them untill they are toast and throw them in the garbage.

Kershaw Vapor (Vlbldkjl) is a nice inexpensive frame lock, but i wouldnt recomend it for this kind of Abuse. The Sebenza would be great as would tbe wilson/ralph folder

The Strider AR would be fantistic, and so would the comming soon maybe no one has seen it but everyone wants one Busse Folder.

But these knives all carry custom or near Custom price tags, so i am going to recomend the buck strider spear point, but beware, its big, bigger than the numbers would suggest. The Emerson commander wouldned be terrible either, but i think that you could break the lock.

Good luck

Brian
 
Honestly, I don't think anything was wrong with the knives that you had. The Military did'nt have lock-failure-- you simply destroyed it.
No folding knife is ever going to replace a wood-splitter or take that kind of abuse. Just use the knife for it's intended purposes and it will not let you down.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
Allen, i wasn't implying that there was anything wrong with my Military, it's a good folder, i'm well aware that i destroyed it. That is why i'm looking for a folder that was built to withstand this kind of (ab)use.
 
How about a REKAT Carnivour? They are pretty stout, but if you are going to continue to pound your folders into trees, you MUST expect lock failures no-matter WHAT folder you choose to abuse.
 
Currently my hard use folder is a Buck Strider Tanto, large. I have used it for a lot of chopping in the yard and havn't had a failure yet. I know it is a liner lock, but it seems very strong, and thicker than most.

I also have a SERE 2000, and it is an excellent knife, but have not tested it under hard use myself. From what I have heard it will stand up to the abuse just fine. Same goes for the Strider AR and GB, I am planning on getting an AR myself as another hard use folder. Can't wait to see how tough a true Strider knife is.


Erik
 
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