What do you look for in a knife?

Cosmic Superchunk

Cosmic Superchunk

Joined
Jan 28, 2001
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3,709
What do you look for in a knife?
Do you look for good ergonomics, blade profile, grind, steel type or locking mechanism?
Do you look for practical designs, or do you get caught up with the latest trends and buy on the knife's looks alone?
Do you pass on an excellent knife design because the steel was 440A or AUS-6?
 
Usually I just look for any excuse to buy it...

Beyond that, I guess I imagine a task then hold the blade imagining me doing that task with the knife. That's usually enough to convince me to buy the blade. I had to start making knives just to feed my obsession. I haven't sold any though...too hard to let go. :D :D I had to give a nice Sgian dubh away in a trade and that hurt :( even though I got a nice knife in trade.

But to answer your question technically, I look for these in this order: Steel choice, heat treat (or reputation of blade performance), fit and finish...

Tim
 
I guess money is the first thing for me, because If I don't have it, everything else doesn't matter.
But after that, this is the order for folders....
1)Size
2)ergos...comfy, easy to open etc.
3)Build (no wiggle of blade in any direction etc. if it wiggles, I don't carry the thing period)
4)lock RELIABILITY (this is different than strength)
5)Blade shape and material....shape being more important for the task, material doesn't matter as much to me since the softer metals have advantages as well, besides I like having a genuine excuse to whip out the crock sticks often. (I absolutely love that metal on ceramic sound!)
6)lock strength

for fixed....
1)size
2)ergos mainly handle shape, but also overall balance
3)blade shape(I guess I could have put this as #1 for folders and fixed as I will not even consider tanto blades)
4)steel

In a nutshell...balance. If any one of the things I listed is TOO BIG, TOO SMALL, TOO EXPENSIVE, TOO UNCOMFORTABLE, etc etc etc
I'll pass.

Jerry Hossom knows how to make my kind of fixed knife, now I just wish I had the $ :(
 
First to me would be utility. I had several Microtech Tantos which just didn't do office work well. I sold them and replaced them with LCC's, which work better.

Second would be quality, obvious reason.

Third is customer service. If a company wants my continued business I want problems solved promptly.

Blade steel and lock type sort of tie for fourth. I have Whirlwind in 440A which is a good performer, while I lean to 154-CM. For locks, I go for reliability, not one design. I have had good service from liner locks and lock-backs.

Believe it or not, I don't care one whit if the knife comes dull if it meets the other criteria. I have an Edgepro, and I like to sharpen.
 
I usually look at simple,strong designs... but I have passed because of steel that doesn't hold and edge too long ( AUS-6, 440a, ect..) CRKT has alot of great designs IMHO, but suffers from alot of AUS-6 usage. :(
 
Ergonomics/Applicability/Usefulness - How well will this knife do what I want it to do?

Manufacture/Features - In folders, I value features that Spyderco offers, like the thumb hole, nested liners, and the Compression Lock. In fixed blades, I prefer mortise tang, but I will accept full tang.

Steel - Is the steel of a minimum quality? I am not overtaken by a need to have the latest and greatest, there is most definitely such a thing as "Good enough".

Visual Appeal - There are some knives that may do the job, but they are just unappealing to me, and since there are knives that will do just as well, and appeal to me, I will buy those.

Price - I am cheap. While I like having knives, I will not buy a new knife unless there is no chance I am going to be able to find a used one within a reasonable time frame.

Educational Value - Not so much anymore, but I have bought knives based on what they could teach me about knives in general.
 
It has to feel right in the hand. When its sitting there, opening, closing. Then come materials, wow factor, etc. I am also finding lately that price is not as much of a concern, though it may soon become one again.
 
i never gave this much thought before recently, i just bought what I liked the look of, which until now has been mostly folding either lock back or thumb stud locking mechanisms but i bought a liner lock and it failed on me...with the oh so famous LAWKS thing too so now one of my most important aspects when choosing a knife is safety...In a folder ive only really been considering lockbacks with a good strong locking action with the lock release situated at the rear of the blade which i find is the best place for them. Unfortuantely knives like this arent easy to come by...boker make alot but theyre one of the few... after safety/lock type i would look at a few different things depending on what its for. if its for EDC then blade length is the most important after that as in england we have a max length of 3 inches. if its for edc (which in my case means it doesnt get too much use) then blade material isnt much of a concern neither is the handle as i dont use it much. I have to admit for EDC i like a stainless steel handled low profile lock back, I seem to remember gerber make a gentlemans knife....thats the style i like but if the knife is for more heavy work or for carry at weekend etc then i look for blade shape (i like drop points alot and dislike tantos) followed by blade material followed by handle comfort. I like to have some sort of mechanism to stop my hands sliding onto the blade on a work knife, be it a finger guard or a well formed handle with finger 'dents' im also not much of a fan of blade coatings. I have a satin finish fallkniven A1 on the way that looks an excellent knife seems to fit my profile for a good work knive very very well. as an edc i like klotzli apart from the frame lock. I like the small boker ceramic drop point knives but theyre a little too small. I would consider the new boker titan III with 440V steel blade but or the boker delta with the ceramic blade but theyre both an 8cm blade which is 1/8th too long! annoying in the uttmost
 
Quality is number one. I will NOT buy a knife, no matter how cool looking, if it is a piece of junk. I've bought some junk early on before I knew better, and now that I know, NEVER again. However, for me, form MUST follow function; I like a cool-looking knife too. I'm mostly into tactical style knives; Striders and the like. Mostly into tanto points. I also like the Chris Reeves with the carbon fiber handles, but don't care too much for folders. Someday I'll probably end up with one.

I like autos and balis too.

I dunno....just whatever catches my eye and could serve a purpose...

drjones
 
I look for "tactical" features...e.g. how quickly can the knife be deployed/sheathed? can it be held in forward and reverse grip? If so, can it be used for "trapping" in reverse grip? Can it be used as an impact weapon (or for "Gunting-like" strikes) when the blade is closed? Is there a specific "tactical" function that it serves well (e.g. extraction, sentry silencing, explosive ordnance disposal etc.)...oh yeah, and is it pretty? :D

RL
 
Being made in Idaho or Switzerland are major considerations.:)

Seriously, there are several factors that I consider.
1. Size. I am most comfortable with something in the 3" range.
2. Grip versatility. It must be usable in all grip variations.
3. Blade/edge grind. If the edge is to thick, it won't cut the way I like.
4. Lock strength. Is the lock going to fail me?
5. Simplicity. As far as I'm concerned, less is more.
6. Fit and finish. In a fixed blade there should be no gaps between steel and handle material. In folders, the blade should be centered between the handles. The point should sit well down in the handle when closed. There should be minimal blade play in ANY direction. There should be no sharp corners to cause wear in the pocket or hot spots on the hand, this means in the closed position too.
7. Materials. Only quality materials should be used throughout.
8. Durability. It's gotta be able to stand up to daily use.

Paul
 
Look Good, Feel Good, and cut well

I am Crazy for ergos, i just love knives that give my hand a feeling that it was part of the design prosses.

I also like solid looking/feeling knives. No blade play, little handle flez, the feeling that the knife is "strong"

I do like my knives to cut, i love my brend style grind Socom E, but it is definitly out cut by my Kershaw vapor in 440a.

I dont buy knives that i think are designed poorly, this inclueds things like locks for example, i like frame locks, microbars, compression locks, SS liner locks, and azis locks.


Basically i like the good ones that are under $200
 
When I'm actually in a knife store the first thing is definitely the visual and the aesthetics of the knife. After that its the feel of it in my hand.

Once that is done then I look closely at the type of steel, grind, handle material etc...
 
1. Budget (i'm a student)
2. Comfort/Ergo
3. Well rounded blade geometry(I don't tend to buy slashers only or thrusters only)
4. Sharpness from the factory / heat treatment
5. Blemishes and other unsightly things.
 
tactical in general, size and durability. Also a clip that will work on left. I would also second what RL mentioned.
 
1. Is it something different from what I already have.
2. Size
3. price

Mainly I am to the point that I will only get something different from what I already have.
 
Size: Can't be too big, can't be too small.

Materials: I need a good steel, I hate steels like AUS-6. The handle needs to be made of G-10 or something else that's durable. I can accept zytel/FRN handles if I really like the rest of the knife.

Ergonomics: It's gotta fit my hand just right.
 
I'm way too shallow for my own good, so I go for looks - everything else is secondary.

Once I find a knife that looks appealing, obviously quality and blade steel need to be examined. Then my pocketbook needs to be scrutinized. :rolleyes:
 
Hey Guys...

I look for a Really,,,Really bad Sheath!!!!:)

The worse the better!! :)

Keep in mind a Really bad sheath,,doesn't mean a Really bad knife..:)

ttyle

Eric....
 
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