Top 5(ish) New Knives from SHOT

Insipid Moniker

Insipid Moniker

Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
27,532
Okay, SHOT is over and most of us have seen the new hotness at this point, so what all do you like? Post up your tops 5 if desired, more or fewer welcome! Reasoning is always encouraged!

For me:
Must Buy
1. Kizer Zipslip - I'm enjoying knives this size more and more, the choil hits a point for me and I love the look, mechanism and options available. I'll spring for ti and S35VN if it's not too spendy, but if it is then some orange G10 is in my future!
2. Kershaw Natrix XS - Those copper handles and that D2 blade combined with a damn decent price made this catnip for me. Unique, slightly understated gent's folder that will develop a gorgeous, unique character with use and carry? Yeah, I'm in. If the F&F is on point I could see this punching way above it's price point.

One the fence
Leaning in 3. Spyderco Smock - Seriously, I don't know what changed, but I can't get enough of knives in the 2.5-3" blade category and this one just seems freakin' cool and packed with features I want to try. S30V and price could turn me off, though, as over $200 would make me balk.
4. Cold Steel Bush Ranger - Handle looks like a delight to use. I dig hefty folders, clip points and beautifully contoured handles, so this hits all the right triggers. S35VN doesn't hurt, either, and I'm a sucker for waved knives, so it should be a fun pick up.
Leaning out 5. Kershaw Bareknuckle - This one just seems cool. Lean, slicey, a good steel choice, KVT, subframe lock, made in the states all for around $60? I think this is gonna sell hugely for KAI, only problem is I really don't need something like this in my collection and I don't really see myself carrying it much. Still really cool to see, though, and good on Kershaw for stepping it up this year!
 
I think I only have a top 3

Buck 110LT
Buck Alumni
Leatherman PST reissue.

Didn't see anything else I cared about in shots how videos or anything.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Okay, SHOT is over and most of us have seen the new hotness at this point, so what all do you like? Post up your tops 5 if desired, more or fewer welcome! Reasoning is always encouraged!

For me:
Must Buy
1. Kizer Zipslip - I'm enjoying knives this size more and more, the choil hits a point for me and I love the look, mechanism and options available. I'll spring for ti and S35VN if it's not too spendy, but if it is then some orange G10 is in my future!
2. Kershaw Natrix XS - Those copper handles and that D2 blade combined with a damn decent price made this catnip for me. Unique, slightly understated gent's folder that will develop a gorgeous, unique character with use and carry? Yeah, I'm in. If the F&F is on point I could see this punching way above it's price point.

One the fence
Leaning in 3. Spyderco Smock - Seriously, I don't know what changed, but I can't get enough of knives in the 2.5-3" blade category and this one just seems freakin' cool and packed with features I want to try. S30V and price could turn me off, though, as over $200 would make me balk.
4. Cold Steel Bush Ranger - Handle looks like a delight to use. I dig hefty folders, clip points and beautifully contoured handles, so this hits all the right triggers. S35VN doesn't hurt, either, and I'm a sucker for waved knives, so it should be a fun pick up.
Leaning out 5. Kershaw Bareknuckle - This one just seems cool. Lean, slicey, a good steel choice, KVT, subframe lock, made in the states all for around $60? I think this is gonna sell hugely for KAI, only problem is I really don't need something like this in my collection and I don't really see myself carrying it much. Still really cool to see, though, and good on Kershaw for stepping it up this year!
Click to expand...


You and I seem to have similar tastes, though I'd replace the Cold Steel with a ZT 0609.

The CS doesn't interest me at all, but I love the look of the 0609. I might want to change the ANO on it, but that's not a problem. The magnetic pivot tool thing doesn't bother me either. I like the novelty of the hollow pivot.
 
Just 5? Yeesh.

1) ZT 0609. I know a lot of people don't like the STP on this guy, nor that it's a design that was used already, but that brassy-bronze color mixed with the polished hardware, nice blade shape (imo), semi-contoured titanium, and a SMALL AND LIGHT ZT make this a knife I instantly pre-ordered as soon as it became available.
2) WE 720A Zeta. Yet another knife that people love or hate (and another I just pre-ordered) Elijah Isham has been doing great things (IMO) and I'm extremely excited to see what he's going to be doing in the future.
3) Kizer Theta. Speaking of Elijah, another design by him which won a shot show award. This is one of the cheapest platforms you'll find any of his designs, and it's probably his most simplistic, but damn does it look good.
4) Spyderco Paysan. This knife is very interesting to me as it sits. They "seem" to have fixed a lot of the issues with the Nirvana, mixed with a blade shape I prefer and some other nice little tweaks. I'm sure this one is far far away, but depending on blade steel and price, this one is a knife I may just have to awe at from a distance.
5) Spyderco Techno 2. Finally, Spyderco listened to everyone over their chunky little guy the Techno. More useful blade shape, thinner stock, removed that ugly (IMO) blue backspacer, and so forth. This is one I'll have to look into, just not sure if I'm willing to pay $200+ for this little thing.

Honorable mentions (2 more since 1 was a knife that was shown in great detail @ Bladeshow, and a 2nd because not every Spyderco vendor got to show off the Paysan)

6) Spyderco Mantra 3. As it sits, I will not buy this knife. I'm done with S30V, and won't buy another. Haven't touched or even thought about multiple knives (looking at you Shaman) because of S30V. Spyderco needs to get away from S30V being their go to. If this knife comes out in another Steel, or Dealer Exclusives or Sprint runs, I'll snatch one up in a heart beat. Improved bearing system (videos go into detail), compression lock flipper (which I've been wanting to try), like the Delica-ish bladeshape, and so forth.
7) Kershaw Atmos. Out of allllll of the knives at Shot Show, a cheap little $30 knife caught my eye and has me pretty excited. This is another Sinkevich design, weighing in at a whopping 2 ounces, and featuring KVT bearings instead of speedsafe (yaaaaaay kershaw!). I like the lines of this knife a lot, and this good potentially be a fantastic knife to gift someone, on top of being a nice EDC. As with all things, us knife guys need to complain about something, so I wish this was in a slightly better steel (14c28n anyone?), even if it was $10-$15 more.
 
1: Protech Magic 2- the original magic is just a cool concept to me, and the Magic 2 definitely steps up the game
2: Buck 110 Elite Auto- I don't know how much it costs, but s30v sounds more reasonable for an auto for me than 420 HC. (The original auto took me by surprise on how well it functioned and looked)
3: Mini Freek/Boost- Great Benchmade entry options finally available in mini versions
4: Kizer Zipslip- Yes I am 100% down with this modern traditional wave
5: Medford Colonial- Overall, having Medford transition to skinnier knives is great for my pocket. I've handled one of his smaller knives in the store, the fuller opening doesn't feel right to me, so having the hole is good. Also, holding the knife in store it feels so well built, I hope that this translates to the skinnier knives as well

Reflections: These knives are not in order of preference. Why do I have 2 autos? And have you seen the Medford video from BHQ? He has such a great personality
 
Definite buys:
- ZT0462
- ZT0393
- WE Zeta
Want but doubtful due to price:
- Spyderco Paysan
Considering just because/as a gift:
- Kershaw Natrix Copper
 
Last edited:
1. Spyderco Paysan. Blew me away. I may or may not be able to afford it.
2. ZT 0609. Almost certainly a must buy (but I’ll hold it first).
3. Spyderco Brouwer. Looks like a nice alternative to a small Sebenza.
4. Kizer ZipSplit. The sunburst is awesome...but there’s also orange!
5. XM-18 G5??? (Love sheepsfoot) SpydieSmock???
6. BM mini Crooked River. Does this one count? I handled it yesterday. Very well done and and aside from a slightly uneven grind the QC seemed much better than other BMs I’ve played with lately. IMO it’s the best thing BM has going right now.
 
Also, the TOPS Msk 4 folder, which I forgot to add on the first pass. This will probably be my first purchase, unless the prices are way above Craig's estimate in the video.

Condor "Otzi" Knife. I am not going to the trouble of downloading and re-uploading a picture of: Imughur is being assy about allowing URL grabs from Condor's site and Disgracebook, so you will have to Google your own, if you want to see it.

The Emerson Seax, but I am going to wait for a smaller version.

The Expat Medellin is... nice, but not all that different from a Kershaw Cyclone, when all is said and done. I want to like it, but the FFG blade is a deal breaker for me, and I already have both sizes of the vanilla Cyclone.

If you want to consider the CRKT Maven as kind of a "pre-SHOT teaser release", then that can go on the list, too. I like the Antoine de-Saint Exupery design philosophy.
 
Shorttime Shorttime , here you go:
oxM3rnb.jpg
 
Thanks, b00n!

I will have to learn this magic, one day. In the meantime, I will lean on the good graces of other members! :D
 
Heyyyy. So then, if I copy b00n's image to Imgur.....

Gog1N4n.jpg


Yep: a dim bulb gets a little brighter....
 
Top 5 Knives I First Saw at Shot '18
(Not That I Will Necessarily Buy)
(Some I Surely Won't)​

1. Spyderco Smock. Features Kevin Smock's take on a button-actuated compression lock and Spyderco's latest CQI ball-bearing pivot assembly. Plus, it's made in Taiwan. This was the star of the show. Also, I asked Spyderco to make this model a few months ago. Finding out that they had it in the works for a while is a happy coincidence.

2. Kizer ZipSlip. This isn't just another "modern traditional" (though I really like that trend). It features Mike Vagnino's modified slip-joint mechanism where, when actuated, the back bar doesn't lift. Proves that you CAN teach a very old dog some new tricks.

3. HK Knives Examplar. The first post-patent Axis lock. Hoping for more.

4. Case CG01. A really sleek modern folder from Case! Made by Southern Grind. How much do you want to bet that this will be a good value? I hope that this helps Case stay around a long time. The traditionals market is TOUGH.

5. Buck 110 Pro. Not exactly the truly modern, titanium-bolstered, pocket clip-accessorized 110 we deserve but pretty close.

Honorable Mentions:

Boker Kwaiken Auto. Auto version of a deservedly popular folder.

Fox Arditi, Fox Spike and Fox 573 FC. Fox came with a bunch of new models to Shot and a lot of them are appealing in different ways.

Medford USMC. A "modern traditional" Ka-Bar. I like it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top