What features do you consider "pluses" in a knife design

Wowbagger

Wowbagger

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My apologies to ms3902.
I responded in the Traditionals forum as if it was the General forum and didn't realize where I was.
The moderator moved my babbling over here and started a thread. Good thread but I can't take credit for it.

Wowbagger now slaps his forehead.


Icing on the cake for me is not having to finish making the knife when I get it . . . to just be able to use it out of the box.

From Cold Steel you just get cake . . . no icing. In fact I think it is written some where on their web site : Icing on cake is for babies; you want icing go some where else”.

From Spyderco sometimes I get icing on my cake. More often than not in fact.

Icing flavors :

Pocket clip is the right length and not too strong. I don’t have to bend it to make it not rip at my pockets or put on a longer one so it is more user friendly.

Blade lock easy to use; so I don’t have to go to the gym and set up a work out routine just to build up the calluses and muscle to work the locks. ( I’m a mechanic and have been my whole life; medium but strong hands . . . I still find some blade locks to be overly difficult to use and mod them to make them more user friendly. I mean we are talking about a blade lock on a little pocket knife not the latches on a dump truck tail gate.

Sharpening bevel ground for cutting real world stuff rather than some of the obtuse nail chopping and brick chiseling edges that come on some blades . . . Victorinox I’m talking to you.

I just plan on reworking most knives that I buy in one or more of these aspects but is is sweet when I don’t have to.

My Spyderco Dragonfly with Seki City blade made from ZDP-189 . . . perfect . . . I just use it.
Also Boker Ti Handled four inch lock back in 440C . . . perfect . . . I just use it.



 
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My Protech TR-5 SA.
Perfect size pocket clip IMO..slides in pocket nice and out with little effort.
Blade snaps open hard and locks solid every time.
Protech owners know what I mean ;)
 
They're never sharp enough for me.

I like them to be light weight and not require a "break in" to function properly. Having a break in period is fine, where the knife gets better, but it better damn well function out of the box.

Actual icing I suppose would be fairly even bevels. I just spent two hours reprofiling a Cold Steel Voyager XL because one bevel was at 28 degrees and the other was under 11 degrees. That's a 17 degree swing! Come on cold steel, 5 degrees of play is fine, 17 is ridiculous.

Edit: Autocorrect is an idiot.
 
I've gotten away from Cold Steel. I went to their parking lot sale a few months ago. Looks like the quality has gone down IMHO :(
 
socalknifecollector said:
I've gotten away from Cold Steel. I went to their parking lot sale a few months ago. Looks like the quality has gone down IMHO :(
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I have a couple and overall am quite pleased with their quality, with the sharpening bevels being the one exception. They were all a little farther off than normal.

Mind you, they all looked fine. Same even height on both sides, just way off center. Not a huge issue. That Voyager XL though was ridiculous.

The owner said it's an old one though, so it's apparently not a new issue.
 
To me, in order of importance when I get a new knife:
- reversible pocket clip
- no need to reprofile bevel/grind
- no need to adjust for blade play/centering
- lightweight
- sharp out of the box
 
I suppose that's why I'm such a Spyderco nut. It would be a rare day if I needed to do ANYTHING to a new knife...
 
Icing on the cake:
Flippers should actually flip (not just open halfway) and not have thumbstuds
Should not have recurves, or have a very mild one.

Mandatory:
blade length no longer than three inches.
For (rare cases) blade lengths between 3" and 3.2", blade width should be no wider than 21mm.
 
I like it when it comes with cutting edge technology. I don't want to have to sharpen a brand new knife I'd rather get scratches on it from using it before I scratch it on the stone.


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2.5- 3.5 inch blade.
Spring pocket clip
Thin edge/grind and fine tip
replaceable parts, ex. steel lock inserts, HRD, etc.
Good steel and heat treat
One hand open and close, a must
light weight is a huge plus
built to last
 
Good thread Bagger!!
Even and sharp edge......should be the norm.....but it's not.....talking to you CKF!
Centered with no play.
Smooth action.....if it's a flipper is it asking too much for it to flip?? Hinderer.
Tight lock up.
Good F&F.
Talking about blades that cost ~ $150 and over.
Joe
 
Nice notch, well centered, nice cutting edge, strong tip, no blade play, smooth action, weight under 5 oz., less screws is better, if fixed - decent sheath.
 
Oh, I forgot one of the most important ones! I carry in my back pocket, so a pocket clip that doesn't tear up upholstery is a must.

No jagged, milled titanium here please. Wire clips preferred.
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
Oh, I forgot one of the most important ones! I carry in my back pocket, so a pocket clip that doesn't tear up upholstery is a must.

No jagged, milled titanium here please. Wire clips preferred.
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my god yes... i don't know how many time's i have scratched up a steeringwheel with the edge of a pocket clip, so far every car i have to get down into... thank god my truck is higher than my bum
 
Any design that is intelligently optimized for its intended context of use rather than being designed strictly with sales volume in mind.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Any design that is intelligently optimized for its intended context of use rather than being designed strictly with sales volume in mind.
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^^that works for me.....

It's hard to get my head around what exactly a "plus" is in a knife...I buy knives that generally include all of the things I am looking for and none of the things I am not.
 
JR88FAN said:
^^that works for me.....

It's hard to get my head around what exactly a "plus" is in a knife...I buy knives that generally include all of the things I am looking for and none of the things I am not.
Click to expand...





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