What are your production folder pet peeves?

Locutus D'Borg said:
This is kind of hard to explain because I do not know the term, but when the knife is closed, the corner of the base of the blade sticks out. On an Hinderer XM-18, for example, it is rounded so no corner sticks out. But the corner sticking out occurs on even some high end production knives. Here is a very expensive knife: see the corner protruding....
Click to expand...

I'm with you on that one. I think this happens when the pivot bolt is not placed in the center of the handle, rather lower causing the blade to stick out. I've seen a lot of custom folders that way. I won't buy a knife that has this feature. The Spyderco Bradley folder is how it's supposed to look closed, IMO.

My pet peeve is when a knife is suddenly taken out of production and reintroduced as made in China.
 
A "Production Folder" that's never in stock anywhere...c'mon, if it's a production folder, produce it!
 
Well, let's see here. You pose a very interesting question.

Peeves about pretty much any knife out there. Knife blade length laws are pretty much universally in some round number: 3", 3.5", 4" and so on..........WHYYYYYY do we have production knife makers putting out knives that are 3.6" in blade length? It makes no sense. Why not shave that 1/10th of an inch off the edge and at least have a blade that is legal in a majority of places and sacrifices nothing in practicality as compared to the blade 1/10th longer.

However, to get more to what the OP is trying to get at:

1) Good steel, and has a reputation for being treated right....holds an edge
2) Flicks open well. If it doesn't open one handed well, I don't want anything to do with it. The smoother and faster it deploys, the more I like it.
3) NOT a lock-back. I hate them. The actions always feel like they have sand-paper in them and they are a absolute bear to open when compared to other lock types.
4) Has a pocket clip. The clip cannot be loose. It cannot be wobbly.
5) When open and locked, no blade play
6) I hate serrations. I have 2 knives with serrations and I hate them both equally. One I bought accidentally, thinking it was a plain edge.
7) Blade shape that is useful for the reason I bought it.
 
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No pocket clip.

I have quit buying anything without one.
I have recently passed on some high dollar Fallknivens and Al Mars for this reason.
 
In no particular order:

4 way pocket clip holes
More than one screw holding the clip
Goofy shaped shiny stamped out clips
Excessive labeling (usually on the blade)
Small Screws
Big finger guard/flippers
Poor detent/ sheath retention
Poor closed blade/tip coverage
Fabric sheaths
Off center blade
Poor machining for the price
Knives outsourced & built by a lower income country's workforce
 
Locutus D'Borg said:
This is kind of hard to explain because I do not know the term, but when the knife is closed, the corner of the base of the blade sticks out. On an Hinderer XM-18, for example, it is rounded so no corner sticks out. But the corner sticking out occurs on even some high end production knives. Here is a very expensive knife: see the corner protruding....
Click to expand...

You might check out this thread: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/586112-Custom-Slip-Joint-Discussion

There's a similar discussion for that feature on slipjoints.
 
Non-keyed blade pivot
Recurved blade
Cheap blade steel
Non-ambidextrous lock
Heavy folders
No lanyard hole
Non-anodized Titanium or Aluminum
Pinned and riveted knives
Folders without pivot washers
Blade serrations
Non-removeable pocket clips
Lack of repair parts (Omega Springs)
Slotted screws
Plastic handles
Painted pocket clip
Painted blades
Brass, wood, ivory, stag, oosik, etc.
 
Quite a few states have laws that prohibit blade length (tip to handle) over 3 inches or 3 1/2 inches. So why do so many companies make a knife that is 3.1" or 3.6"? It really limits folks who would otherwise be able to buy and legally carry it in their state. It prevents me from "gifting" to some grandkids in various states...by 0.2", and I don't want to snap off the tip and reprofile the blade.
 
3) alleged endorsements from (insert your favorite special military branch).
2) obsession with cutting corners and making it as cheap as possible.
1) uneven grinds. LOOK at the blade while you're grinding it, not your watch or smart phone.
 
Comeuppance said:
- tiny, tiny lanyard holes
Click to expand...

Q.E.D.:
PhotoApr0495030AM.jpg

Well, screw you too, Kershaw :P
 
Inconsistent bevel angles...from one knife to the other or from one side to the other. I have to reprofile everything. Folders or fixed.
 
Pocket clips:
- excessively tight, pant-tearing tension
- single position
- lots of handle sticking out of the pocket
- tip down only

Blade:
- poor blade-to-handle ratio
- serrations
- words or logos on the blade
- Chinese steels
- around or under 3" (prefer 3.5+")

Handle:
- aggressive texturing
- boilerplate, boring black G-10
- poor blade-to-handle ratio

Features:
- excessive military/first-responder/LEO "tactical" themes (SOG/Hinderer/Strider/Microtech as especially guilty of this)
- excessive, functionless jimping (very little jimping is needed on a well designed handle)
- flippers
- poor weight to performance ratio
- lockbacks

Absolute dealbreakers:
- blade play
- plastic (Zytel like) handles
- seatbelt cutters
- lack of a pocket clip
- excessive "tactical" marketing
- made in China or other regressive labor markets
 
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