USA Knife Makers - Lets pick a favorite!

What US Knife maker do you like best

  • Buck

    Votes: 28 10.3%

  • Spyderco

    Votes: 82 30.0%

  • Benchmade

    Votes: 25 9.2%

  • Kershaw/ZT

    Votes: 7 2.6%

  • Chris Reeve

    Votes: 59 21.6%

  • Rick Hinderer

    Votes: 18 6.6%

  • Medford Knife & Tool

    Votes: 5 1.8%

  • Case

    Votes: 10 3.7%

  • Microtech

    Votes: 5 1.8%

  • GEC, OZ, Koenig, Spartan, TRM, Olamic or someone else...

    Votes: 34 12.5%
  • Total voters
    273
  • Poll closed .
tony281sc2 said:
ZT…. Because of their collaborations.

As much as I like my Hinderers, Zero Tolerance makes a better Hinderer. They have the capacity/machines to make knives much more consistent (and often cheaper) than many smaller companies that also make great knives.
Take the 0562ti vs the XM-18 3.5” slicer for example. With a titanium scale on the RHK, you’re looking at a $300 price difference for a slightly thicker blade and the option to run washers.
Only problem is ZT doesn’t make a 0562 with 8 different blade shapes….Hinderer makes a knife exactly for everyone. But you pay out the nose for that option.
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Interesting observation. I’ve never had the desire for a hinderer precisely because I purchased a 0562ti and didn’t like it…seemed unnecessarily bulky and heavy. I figured if this even close to what a ‘real’ hinderer would be like I’d take a hard pass and squander my $ elsewhere.
 
NapalmCheese said:
No KA-BAR?
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...or TOPS.


Yup, that got me too. In my humble opinion, both are AMAZING American brands (*especially when you consider that Ka-Bar makes Ethan's stuff)...and deserve better than to be lumped into a "catch-all" vote.

When I perused the choices, I pretty quickly surmised that this must be a vote for American "folders". If we were talkin' fixies, the choices would be completely different. (*in my very humble opinion)
 
Alone said:
...or TOPS.


Yup, that got me too. In my humble opinion, both are AMAZING American brands (*especially when you consider that Ka-Bar makes Ethan's stuff)...and deserve better than to be lumped into a "catch-all" vote.

When I perused the choices, I pretty quickly surmised that this must be a vote for American "folders". If we were talkin' fixies, the choices would be completely different. (*in my very humble opinion)
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Yah, the OP ended the post with a little note about separating fixed blades from folders. Said it seemed like a simpler way to approach the topic.

TOPS and Ka-Bar make folder(s) now, even if the one is... "globally sourced". So, you could.

To tell the truth, I forgot until just now about the TOPs Thunder Hawk, which has to be a decade old, by now. Though if I remember right, it was actually made in Italy because TOPS didn't have the machinery to do it in-house. Don't know where their current folders are made either, come to think of it.
 
Shorttime said:
Yah, the OP ended the post with a little note about separating fixed blades from folders. Said it seemed like a simpler way to approach the topic.

TOPS and Ka-Bar make folder(s) now, even if the one is... "globally sourced". So, you could.

To tell the truth, I forgot until just now about the TOPs Thunder Hawk, which has to be a decade old, by now. Though if I remember right, it was actually made in Italy because TOPS didn't have the machinery to do it in-house. Don't know where their current folders are made either, come to think of it.
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Sorry, Chief. Yup, you are ABSOLUTELY correct. I completely missed that.



*In my defense, I drink...A LOT.
 
ADBrown said:
Interesting observation. I’ve never had the desire for a hinderer precisely because I purchased a 0562ti and didn’t like it…seemed unnecessarily bulky and heavy. I figured if this even close to what a ‘real’ hinderer would be like I’d take a hard pass and squander my $ elsewhere.
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Yeah they are close. Closer than you’d think, the Hinderer is a .165” blade and ZT is .155…. Weight is basically the same I think.

But, have you thougt of a skinny version? They’re a little harder to find, but that might be something you’d like. Skinnier handles, blades, etc….
 
Shorttime said:
Yah, the OP ended the post with a little note about separating fixed blades from folders. Said it seemed like a simpler way to approach the topic.

TOPS and Ka-Bar make folder(s) now, even if the one is... "globally sourced". So, you could.

To tell the truth, I forgot until just now about the TOPs Thunder Hawk, which has to be a decade old, by now. Though if I remember right, it was actually made in Italy because TOPS didn't have the machinery to do it in-house. Don't know where their current folders are made either, come to think of it.
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That Thunder Hawk looks like kind of a sleeper. Italian made Ti framelock made by Fox. I really like the one Fox knife I have and like their designs, and I really like N690 steel too.

As far as the thread goes, I have to say CRK myself, I just really love them. They're expensive yeah, insanely expensive to a non-knife person, but I just haven't seen anyone really equal their perfect fit and finish and tight tolerances in the knives I've seen. And they're just always there. I got my first one in 2007 and it's almost the same exact knife that they currently sell. You can buy a new blade for it ten years down the road and get the handle re-finished. I even talked to them the other day asking if I could get a new blade for my opening-hole-modified Sebenza, and they said yup no problem.
 
If your just looking for one manufacturer to cover all your bases, Spyderco and BM would be hard to beat...

But I still absolutely love my TRM's. My Neutron 2 is still my daily 90% of the time..
 
3fifty7 said:
Gun to my head; get rid of every folder you own except for one, it would be my CRK SpydieBenza.
Based on I have the highest volume of and the most money tied up in, I voted Spyderco.
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I love this “gun-to-the-head” vs honest practicality. It reminded me of the F-M-K scenario but with knives.
 
dogstar said:
🤔 Interesting results so far. I thought BF = Spyderco Forums. When folks ask for a recommendation, it's always Spyderco this, Spyderco that. I guess I was wrong.
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They have their own forum. And the reason they get recommended so much is because they do make a really great knife in just about any flavor you can think of, unless you don't like the round whole...
 
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craytab said:
They have their own forum. And the reason they get recommended so much is because they do make a really great knife in just about any flavor you can think of, unless you don't like the round whole...
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Totally understood. An annoying personality quirk of mine is if the majority gravitates towards one thing, I usually look toward something else.
 
i voted benchmade. my wife bought me an original 710 back in ‘99 for a wedding gift & i’ve been in love with them (& her, ahem) since. i’ve tried out a few other brands & they never get carried or used. bm just does it for me i guess
 
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