Want to buy wide blade flat ground folder, but can't find. Any suggestions?

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matthew rapaport

Joined
Jun 23, 1999
Messages
1,209
I am looking for a high quality folder with a WIDE flat ground blade. Are any of you familiar with the Schrade Clipit? The blade is almost 1" wide, but only 1/16 thick, drop point (about 3" long), and ground flat all the way from spine to just before the final edge. This inexpensive knife cuts better than just about any other folder I own, but it has crumy plastic handles, a way-to-tiny pivot pin, and a paper thin liner lock.

What I'm looking for is a much higher quality folder (wider pivot pin, better liner or back lock, better handle material, etc) but with the same blade geometry as the Clipit along with one hand opening (Clipit has this). I asked this question on rec.knives and got all sorts of suggestions and pointers, but only the GERBER L.S.T. has the blade configuration I'm looking for, and it does not appear to be a one-hand knife, also its pivot and handles look to be as cheap as the Clipit.

Another one that comes close is the BM-Crawford Leopard. I have one of these (though I would buy a small one too if that can still be found [hint hint]), and it is the level of quality I'm looking for, but the blade is not nearly as wide as the Clipit, and it is more a clip point instead of drop.

If there is anyone out there who can point me to what I am looking for, I would much appreciate it...

Thanks.
mjr@throwingweapons.net
 
I think you posted this in the alt.knives newsgroup; I still recommend the Spyderco Calypso ~4" long , ~1" wide at its widest. Calyso jr ~3" long, ~1" wide also. The older models have black micarta handles; and while they have been discontinued are probably still available ( you might try Chai cutlery (see links) or Knives-Plus 1-800-687-6202). There is a newer model of the Calypso Jr; but, this has fiberglass reinforced handles and may feel to much like the handle of the Schrade to suit you. It does have VG-10 steel like the large Calypso. The micarta handles may not be quite as sturdy as an aluminum handle but they do feel sturdier than regular plastic handles to me.

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AKTI member A000873
 
Speaking of Gerber, my old clip point Bolt Action had a wide, flat blade, a good solid grip of a handle, and although it had no opening hole or disk, or thumb stud, I always opened it one-handed, it was so smooth and strong a pivot. No wobble in the blade, either, ever, after a lot of hard cutting, too. They've got a drop point version now, also.

Wouldn't you know, I have no idea where I set it down last. I looked all over that garden.
 
Meyerco produces a version of the bolt action lock (which was designed by Blackie Collins) that comes with a thumb stud. Cold Steel also makes two flat ground recurved bladed folders that are moderately priced: the large El Hombre and a small model El Lobo.
 
Be patient until after October and buy a Spyderco/Bob Lum Chinese Folder. Wide, flat ground blade and VG10
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Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.
 
Hi... My rec.knives must come out as your alt.knives... Interesting...

Thanks for the suggestions. The Calypso is closer to what I'm looking for than the Military. The latter is much more of a clip point. The former is better but still isn't wide enough just behind the point.

That Bob Lum gets a lot closer! Maybe I will wait for one of those. October you say... Any idea what the price point will be? Looks to be in the $100 area just to take a stab at it

Its funny though. What I'm looking for is basically a modified drop point hunter (a little less full belly than a classic hunter) in a flat grind from spine to edge that are very common on fixed blades from all kinds of makers both factory and custom. Strange that so few have thought to use this blade shape in a folder.

 
Well... these are not one-hand openers, but if you want a wide, flat ground blade that cuts, look at Opinel or, even better, CS Twistmasters. Total function. No frills. Carbon steel.
 
Well the Spearpoint from William Henry fits the bill sort of, titanium liners, flat ground blade, very handy knife.

This is one of the special versions, they also make them with jigged bone scales or the Carbon Fiber line is nice as well.

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G2

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"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions!"
Take the time to read your Bible Now, don't be left behind...

G2 LeatherWorks
 
Okay, I'll say it ... Speed Tech.

You're right about the flat grind being a great geometry. The Synergy looks, cuts, and thwacks like a champ!

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Ouch! Dang, that's sharp!

David
 
After reading the kind of blade you want, I think the factory knife that comes closest to it would be the Benchmade 825 Ascent. It has a 2.95" drop point blade that is about an inch wide. It has zytel scales but has an adjustable pivot pin and metal clip. If you can live with a high hollow grind instead a true hollow grind, there are several excellent drop point blade: Sebenza, Spyderco Wegner, Spyderco Herbst, Kershaw Ricochet. All of these high hollow ground knives have alot of belly and are very efficient slicers and cutters.
 
An Opinel #10 ? You get a hardwood handle, one of the most robust locks around, and a carbon steel blade that sharpens up and slices very well. They're also advertised in stainless but on a recent trip to Europe the clerks in most stores said that most preferred the carbon steel.

Schrade also had an Old Timer like you desribe, with a wide drop point blade and I'll guess around 4 inches or so long based upon the few that I've seen for sale. The Schrade carbon steel is also pretty good stuff.
 
Wow, that Henry looks gorgeous! Also looks expensive!

Forgot to mention that I'm looking also in a length something like the Schrade, around 3" give or take a eighth or quarter. I didn't see anything that hinted at the length of that Spyderco/Lum collaboration pictured above. How long (aprox) was the blade you saw...

All the recommendations for the high hollow grind are good. I own a Sebenza (the larger model), and love it. It does indeed cut well, and Reeve's choice of the high hollow grind on a wide blade was a good compromise for cutting-ability considering he wanted to keep the spine pretty thick for over-all strength.

What I've discovered, however, is that a thickness of around 1/16 (the Benz is 1/8) in a high quality steel is strong enough for anything I can imagine myself doing with a folder during my normal work day. The woods are something else again, but then I carry a fixed blade...

So I'm still looking, but that Henry really is beautiful! If he did a plainer configuration with that blade and maybe titanium or aluminum scales, no bolsters and could come in at $200 or less, I'd likely buy it!

 
Matt, check out this thread, shows my collection including a Carbon Fiber version of that knife, has a single Titanium liner and Titanium clip, very light but very strong and sharp, love that blade also, but as you will see, I REALLY like the Lancet version just a tad more....

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001512.html

Check it out...

G2

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"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions!"
Take the time to read your Bible Now, don't be left behind...

G2 LeatherWorks
 
Have you looked at the Grohmann folders? They make a drop point with a 3-3 1/2" blade. I've always thought they were flat ground but the little picture on their site looked like it has a saber grind.
 
Originally posted by matthew rapaport:
Wow, that Henry looks gorgeous! Also looks expensive!

So I'm still looking, but that Henry really is beautiful! If he did a plainer configuration with that blade and maybe titanium or aluminum scales, no bolsters and could come in at $200 or less, I'd likely buy it!
Click to expand...

The Carbon Fiber model of that knife is selling for just that amount
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James Segura
San Francisco, CA
 
Sounds like you are looking for what Kevin has on his site at www.theedgeequipment,com . Picture is not all that good but here is the spec's ats-34 blade flat ground , full taper. one hander with Jig bone handles and enough beef to hold up to heavy use.It goes by the name Grand Hollow Skinner.

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old pete

[This message has been edited by Pete Peterson (edited 06-18-2000).]
 
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