Upgrade for my Ti Framelock?

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OrangeJoe

Joined
Jul 13, 2004
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As per the title, I'm looking for a lighter/smaller knife that would be an upgrade from my Titanium framelock Super Gold 2 Kershaw Junkyard Dog.

20160214_231326-2_zpsgphp9mwy.jpg


My JYD Pros:
Limited Edition Framelock of the linerlock Junkyard Dog/SG2 blade (yes, that's a plus for me, I don't see it everywhere)
Great graphics on both Ti slabs
Great slicer
Great grip
Great custom lowrider Ti clip (not pictured, original clip was a little too much)

My JYD Cons:
Detent on the weaker side (can be inertia opened, don't like that)
It's a blem so SG2 lamination is uneven
Too big/heavy for my current EDC needs


For the longest time the easy answer was, get a (small) Sebenza, but the boring generic "there are many like it, but this one is mine" look never appealed to me. Now that everyone and their mother has a flavor of Ti framelock in the market, I think I might get more varied responses for something that is truly a step up.

Candidates I've lined up so far are the CRK Inkosi and the ZT450, but both still suffer from the 'plain Jane handle syndrome'.

Are there other Ti framelocks that are truly a step up in quality, US made, smaller and lighter than my 5.6 oz JYD? Do I just need to step up to an Inkosi and send it off for aftermarket graphics?

Suggestions welcome.
 
Off the top of my head I am thinking Southern Grind Spider Monkey and Benchmade Ti Monolock.

While not really lighter I love the ZT0801 and ZT0562CF. They are close in weight but I swear they carry better than the JYD. The Inkosi is a great option. I have had one in my pocket for about a month and love the weight, feel and honestly the look of it. Incredibly overbuilt, especially for its size.

I owned the same JYD years ago and it is a sweet knife but I thought it carried heavier than a lot of knives of the same weight. Might just be the way it sat in my pocket though. Still an awesome knife! Good luck in your search and decision.
 
OrangeJoe said:
As per the title, I'm looking for a lighter/smaller knife that would be an upgrade from my Titanium framelock Super Gold 2 Kershaw Junkyard Dog.


Candidates I've lined up so far are the CRK Inkosi and the ZT450, but both still suffer from the 'plain Jane handle syndrome'.

Are there other Ti framelocks that are truly a step up in quality, US made, smaller and lighter than my 5.6 oz JYD? Do I just need to step up to an Inkosi and send it off for aftermarket graphics?

Suggestions welcome.
Click to expand...

I was also going to suggest the Gemini but it has the same "plain" Ti frame and is not US made (same with the Lionsteel) but that being said, I really like it for EDC purposes.
 
This prob won't help since you won't be able to find one but if you can your golden. Since your a fan of the JYD anyway keep an eye out for a pro series JYD on the exchange. One of the best built knives I've owned. The ergos were never really that great in my opinion but the build quality was second to none. If I could own a custom JYD one day I could only imagine. Too bad they run into the thousands of dollars.

 
If you think a small sebenza is too plain, what about a carbon fiber sebenza? It is lighter and a bit less generic. Also what about a zt 450cf? I have a large cf sebanza and it is a favorite of mine.
 
Oh, how times change, I've been away too long. Most of the suggestions I actually had to google.

A little more insight so it does not seem like I'm rejecting your suggestions without due consideration.
  • Southern Grind Spider Monkey - Suggestion appreciated, looked into it. Cons for me: it's a liner lock, Stryder shaped handle, not sure I recognize it as a step up in quality. Cool lightweight and CF slabs, but not sure what it brings to the table as an upgrade.
  • Benchmade Ti Monolock - Suggestion appreciated, looked at it. Cons for me: 4.36 oz, ugly (sorry). Nothing special there to overcome my dislike for Benchmade's business practices.
  • Lionsteel TRE G10 - Suggestion appreciated, looked into it. Nice, 2.1 oz! It hits most points except US made. I need to look more into this one.
  • Kizer Gemini - Suggestion appreciated, looked at it. Purdy, but Chinese made. A deal breaker.
  • Spyderco Mantra 1 - Love Spyderco, been using my Waved Endura since... well for a long time. This one just doesn't do anything for me.

My JYD is pretty nice, substantial, full sized, Ti slabs, SG2 clad in 410 stainless, flipper, very nice mill work on the scales, only 1,000 pieces plus blems like mine total production run.

But as I said it's just getting too big -not that the knife is growing, just that my needs are changing- and some of the suggestions above seem like a horizontal move.

My JYD is an older knife so I missed bar-stabilizers, ceramic ball detents, steel lock face inserts, bearing systems, etc. So if I'm going to move on, I want some of the technological sizzle in a smaller, gentler package. Inkosi has ceramic detent and a pedigree, ZT450 has a certain je ne sais quoi along with the steel lockface, bearings and elegant form factor.

Any others that offer... more?
 
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Spyderco Slysz Bowie is one of the best EDC TI Framelocks out there.

Not my picture:
maxresdefault.jpg


Credit goes to "SolosKnifeReviews" on YouTube
[video=youtube;zNc6CMa3qIs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNc6CMa3qIs[/video]
 
Trading in your JYD for an Inkosi is like trading your Nissan Titan for a SmartCar. Speaking only of closed length...please check out before you buy.
The JYD fits a large hand; the Inkosi and the ZT 0450 are too small. Note that the Inkosi is even shorter than the CRK SMALL Sebenza, which I cannot hold onto due to its "short" grip-length.
The quality of any folder doesn't count for much... IF it's too short to hold on to.
 
Why not get a CRK Sebenza 21 with the unique graphic treatment. You would be able to get a 21 with almost the same pattern on it as your JYD.
 
A few come to mind; TSF Beast, Kingdom Armory Mini Samaritan, TAD Dauntless, Protech Integrity, Grayman Dua, and some of the Wilson Combat offerings.
 
As an update and to close this discussion, the winner is, none of the above.

I did not see any knife be both a significant step up and have an attractive blade shape and frame design. Perhaps when graphic Inkosi's come into the market, perhaps.

In the meantime, I'll stick with the JYD and the lighter/smaller spot will be filled by this

20160315_102152_zpslwtrkwfu.jpg


a traditional. Great Eastern Cutlery Tidioute pattern #18 Coyote in OD Green Micarta.
 
It's a great knife. I have one, and it still makes it into my carry rotation. It is a bit large, but I prefer that, these days.

As an exception, I have a 2.5" limit at work and I fudge a little with a Lion Steel Aculus (aka TiSpine). It's a beautiful knife, with several colors available, with excellent blade steel (and a Damascus option), and the unique Mono-block construction. But, if the TRE doesn't trip your trigger, this one may be too similar.

If you can find one, the old Kershaw Blue Titanium Bump was a beautifully handled knife.
 
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