Under $300 Knife Suggestion

Lenny

Lenny

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Oct 15, 1998
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I'm planning on purchasing a Quiet Carry Waypoint when they come back in stock.
Just wondering if there are any other knives in this price point I'm not considering.
Looking for a blade of around 3.25'.
I prefer Ti or Micarta handles, and an overall simple aesthetic.
The only lock style I don't want is a back lock.
Benchmade is out of the question; I just don't want to deal with their quality issues
or those "not a question of if but when they break' omega springs.
Pix are appreciated.
 
Biryukov #4 - Full titanium with Micarta inlay - 4.3” of M390 - $270.00 new.
DSC01375JPG_1410x_crop_center.jpg
 
For that price point and blade length, the knife that makes me the happiest is the Pro-Tech Malibu. It's not Ti or micarta, but it ticks all of your other boxes -- notably, I think it's a fantastic example of a minimalist aesthetic done well. :)

jRaJlpJ.jpg
 
Biryukov #4 - $270 new if you can find one; better to wait on the Waypoint, perhaps...
 
Maybe Spydiechef, Berg Blades Iron Pup, TRM Neutron, ZT 0450, Boker Exskelibur

If you have specific blade shape, lock type preferences we could expand perhaps
 
Might want to research some of the following brands. Reate, Tuya Knives, DPX hest urban, Custom Knife Factory is usually much more than $300 but there’s this one.

https://imgur.com/a/RvNR3UV

Few more would be ZT 0562TI, Lionsteel SR-11, SR-1, SR-22, TRE, SR-2, TS1 TiSpine. I think Lionsteel or CRK has won the best quality manufacturer award at Bladeshow for the last 10 years or so. Also, I haven’t owned any buy Kansept knives has options just under $300 and so does Liong Mah both are simple designs and apparently well made. I would agree that WE would be a good option to search.

Lastly, just my opinion, just spend a little more ($350-$425) and get a Like New Sebenza, small or large, and you’ll be happy the rest of your knife life.
 
The Waypoint is an excellent knife all round, I'd defnitely wait to find one.
51554018572_b273208580_b.jpg


But I'd also second the Protech Malibu suggestion. As long as you're ok with aluminum it's basically flawless.
51283882101_0edae5c95b_b.jpg


A couple others I really like that fit your criteria are the large Pena front flippers (if you can find one) and the WE Esprit.
51139837700_918eeaa7b0_b.jpg


51356316084_5bf1244d00_b.jpg
 
Spyderco spydiechef, ZT 0450, Millit Torrent (if you can find one), Boos blades Hound (same), TRM Atom/Neutron (slightly bigger/smaller), Ferrum Forge Stinger (<$100), Sharp by design Void (secondary market prices fluctuate).
 
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There are some great knives in this thread and I have owned a couple of them. However, the Waypoint is truly excellent and I would choose it over nearly all of the suggestions here. It is nearly perfect for my uses and preferences. Light, thin, nice wire clip, thin blade stock in Vanax (which is amazing), rust-proof and worry free (and no degradation of the edge from corrosion either) and super slicey hollow grind.

The Spydiechef is a great knife and one of my top 3 Spydercos and would be my only suggestion for a similar knife. However, it is outclassed by the Waypoint, in my view. I think the real question is whether you want the Waypoint or the Drift. I have both and that's a hard decision. Very generally, I think the Waypoint carries better and the Drift works a bit better. You should probably just buy one of each :)
 
labdog said:
Biryukov #4 - $270 new if you can find one; better to wait on the Waypoint, perhaps...
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t have posted it if I didn’t know where a couple are hiding for that price. A great Russian blade all around although a bit larger than he requested.
 
Somniloquist mirrors my thoughts exactly:
"There are some great knives in this thread and I have owned a couple of them. However, the Waypoint is truly excellent and I would choose it over nearly all of the suggestions here. It is nearly perfect for my uses and preferences. Light, thin, nice wire clip, thin blade stock in Vanax (which is amazing), rust-proof and worry free (and no degradation of the edge from corrosion either) and super slicey hollow grind."
Anyway, here's some info to help you all narrow the suggestions:
- I won't buy a Chinese knife (we don't have to get into the politics of the situation here)
- I'm not a fan of flippers
- I already own a TRM Neutron 2 and I absolutely love it. It's perfect for that size of knife for me. Had I not bought it, I would've considered the Atom.
- Like I said, I'm a minimalist, I like simple handles that allow multiple positions without locking you in
- I'm partial to drop point and sheepsfoot blade shapes
- I've owned Sebenza 21's, both large and small. As a matter of fact I just sold my large 21 Insingo. I really wanted to love these knives, but 2 things were deal breakers for me; the thumb stud and the old school S35V. I just couldn't deploy the knives reliably with that damn conical thumb stud. If I needed to cut something NOW, the Sebenza was unreliable. And, the things wouldn't hold an edge that long before needing to be resharpened.
Hope that helps you all.
 
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