The One Knife You'd Buy For a Newbie

Bobson Dugnutt

Bobson Dugnutt

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Feb 3, 2014
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If you had one chance to get a friend into knives, what one knife would you give them to convince them and get them started on this crazy path? And what knife started it for you?

For me, if money was no object it would be a member of the Benchmade 940 series. If it was coming out of my own pocket I'd pick out something solid yet fun, like a CRKT Ripple or one of the new Kershaw/Emerson collabs. Give me some reasons why you'd pick that knife for a someone new.

The first knife the bit me was the blacked out Kewshaw Blur in a tanto combo blade, that knife can do just about anything.
 
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Same knife did it for me. When I went to start looking at a replacement I wanted something a little higher quality so I went with a benchmade bone collector, an hk nitrous blitz, and a mini grip for the wife. only the mini grip was worth the money I spent on it (including the nra and law enforcement discounts) so I swore off benchmade and started looking at spydercos but couldn't get past their funky look (I'm now over it and recognize what makes them good). That in turn led me to zero tolerance. Once I pulled the trigger on a higher priced knife, my knife buying paradigm shifted and the hook was set. If someone had just bought me a zt and I didn't go through the process, I wouldn't be as avid as what I am now. In the end that tanto blur set the bar at what can be had at a 50 dollar price point and that sent me on my journey.
 
It depends what he/she will use it for.
Almost certainly a slipjoint, LB, or fixed blade, for simplicity & safety.
 
Haha Cards94 I'll admit that I grabbed the tanto because it looked cool, and it's not ideal for lots of things, but every once in a while I find myself leaning towards them.
 
Benchmade Ritter Mini Grip.
Great easy to use lock on a fine handle with a great blade shape that has great steel.
It's customize able if they get the itch, BM will sharpen it for them until they learn how, and although it's slightly expensive it's not so expensive that if they lose it they can't afford to replace it.

I've seen Kershaw's for. $20 that seem to be exceptionally well made and more than enough to get anybody interested in knives but I'd still pick the mini grip. There's a reason that the Grip's are their best sellers.
 
I have given several dozen Kershaw chives to people I know will appreciate them. Several have gotten as enthusiastic about collecting nice pieces and have returned the favor.
 
Surprised I'm the first to say SAK. Sheeple friendly, great value/quality for the price, and immensely useful for lots of things but much more compact than multitools. I have given several to friends and family, and while I wouldn't say they set everyone on the path of knives as a hobby they were all very much appreciated, a couple family members started giving SAKs to THEIR friends, so the circle has expanded. Winning!
 
Ontario Rat 2. Cheap, but a very nice knife. I carried one on vacation this year as it has a 3-inch blade which is legal in "most" locations...
 
I have two nephews who will be turning 18 this fall. Sadly, neither of them are really into knives. Rather than give them the typical gift of cash, this year I have decided to give them their first knife. I narrowed it down to the Kershaw Leek and Spyderco Delica 4. Since it's their first blade I am leaning towards the Delica since I'm not sure if they would be comfortable with an assisted blade. The Delica was the blade that started my addiction and is still the one I carry the most. I'm not sure if they will end up loving knives like I do, but at least years from now they'll remember who gave them their first knife.
 
I turned my nonknife person coworker into a knife lover after i showed him a 550 grip, and the "common" spydercos: delica, endura, df2, tenacious. He wants a barrage next. And last night my strongly against knives manager started talking to me about what knifes are good quality that our store has, i told her anything except the gerbers and wichesters, she too liked the 550.
 
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