Comeuppance
Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2013
- Messages
- 4,765
I'm big on sturdiness and always have been since I got into the hobby - that's why my first knife that I didn't buy at a department store was a Cold Steel Counter Point II. Dat tri-ad lock...
... But that was a while ago. I've purchased, traded, and sold literally hundreds of knives. About 60% never even saw pocket time because they didn't live up to my needs. My tastes have changed significantly over the years, but my requirements have not. If I'm going to use a knife, I have to have absolute confidence in it. I need to know it can handle anything I throw at it and it'll keep on going like nothing happened. It needs to scream at me to be used, and shrug off tasks that would have destroyed a lesser knife.
I'm talking about real tanks. Not pocket bricks, but well-considered and well-made sturdy knives that could truly last you a lifetime without being babied. Knives that you would find in your pocket in an afterlife and you would think "Yeah, that makes sense."
Here are mine. Dedicated keepers never to be sold unless it's going to save my ass one final time by being extremely necessary funds. Starting with the newest:
The Hogue EX-02. This was a completely unexpected addition to my extremely limited stable of knives that will not leave my side. I bought it used from Whitty of USA Made Blades (HIGHLY recommended dealer / user), and it had been the subject of a passaround. This thing is much more beastly than I could ever have imagined until I had it in my hand.
First impressions were alright. Flips well, tank lockup. I expect these things from Hogue, as I know their build quality is astounding - and that Elishewitz knows how to design a damn fine knife. As previously mentioned, this was a passaround knife, so the first thing I did was take it apart to clean it and polish the washers. THAT is when I learned to truly appreciated the knife. The build quality is off the charts. The parts are fit so snugly and so precisely that it was exceedingly difficult to take it down. We're talking goddamn microns.
The pivot is monstrously large. The lockup is still tight with the pivot and body screws removed. I wasn't sure how much I would like this knife, and now I kinda feel bad for haggling the guy down from his original price. It's much larger, beefier, sturdier, and higher quality than I expected. I had an EX-01, and it was alright - smooth, perfect lockup, whatever. The button lock was too much of a novelty for me, and I didn't feel like it could handle what I wanted it to handle (even though it almost certainly could! You don't need to chime in to defend the knife. It's a personal perception thing) - this knife, however, has earned my complete confidence and I haven't even used it yet.
Next, a knife I bought, sold, regretted selling, purchased a customized version of, carried, fell on hard times, sold the custom scales, but refused to sell the whole knife because DAMNIT RAMEN FOR WEEKS IS WORTH HOLDING ON TO THIS BECAUSE IT'S FANTASTIC:
The Spyderco Gayle Bradley.
The first thing I thought when I had my first one of these was "This is my Sebenza." The pivot is glassy smooth, the lockup is as perfect as can be, the blade shape is perfectly utilitarian, and it even looks good. The edge retention and durability of this blade is really amazing.
It makes no sacrifices to be "tactical" or lightweight. Steel liners. Tool steel blade. Carbon fiber. It's big. It's heavy. It's solid. It NEEDS to be used. It would be downright insulted to be safe-queened. This knife would be at home in the hands of a woodsman, a carpenter, or a construction worker - but, this particular one has the misfortune of being owned by someone who works retail. It grudgingly powers through cardboard and plastic regardless, waiting for the day I man up and become a lumberjack.
Finally, a knife I hesitated to include in this (notably short) list, but couldn't honestly exclude:
The Cold Steel Tuff Lite.
I know, right? This is a 20-dollar knife. FRN handle. No washers. AUS-8 steel. It has mediocre written all over it.
That's a perfectly reasonable conclusion to come to until you hold and use it.
It's like an extension of my hand. It's so natural, so fluid, that I often open it, use it, and then forget to close it. I just keep working with it in my hand with the blade locked open.
It's gone through literally thousands of cardboard boxes, trimmed my fingernails, pried up nails, done minor surgery on a rabbit... This is a knife that has seen use well beyond its price point. I have never hesitated to use it, and it has never failed me.
This thing is a tank, through and through, utility all the way. It's an indisposable razor. It's a sixth digit. I've had this for a year, carrying and using it almost every day. Still has perfect lockup, still centered, still VERY easy to sharpen - and it holds that edge well enough to shave hair after breaking down dozens of boxes. After all this time, it remains the only Cold Steel product I own.
Now that I'm done gushing, here's something I noticed about all three - they all have functional striking pommels.
Sturdy and reinforced. I use them all the time for different tasks. It seems like an irrelevant detail until you consider how many of your knives you would feel confident using the butt of the knife as an impact tool. That's a RIDICULOUS thing to expect from a folding knife, but these just roll with it.
Now, a couple group shots, primarily so you can see how large the EX-02 is. I really thought it would be a lot smaller.
So, those are mine. Obviously, you don't need to be NEARLY as detailed or long-winded about yours. I'm just curious to see what other people have been using without hesitation or worry.
... But that was a while ago. I've purchased, traded, and sold literally hundreds of knives. About 60% never even saw pocket time because they didn't live up to my needs. My tastes have changed significantly over the years, but my requirements have not. If I'm going to use a knife, I have to have absolute confidence in it. I need to know it can handle anything I throw at it and it'll keep on going like nothing happened. It needs to scream at me to be used, and shrug off tasks that would have destroyed a lesser knife.
I'm talking about real tanks. Not pocket bricks, but well-considered and well-made sturdy knives that could truly last you a lifetime without being babied. Knives that you would find in your pocket in an afterlife and you would think "Yeah, that makes sense."
Here are mine. Dedicated keepers never to be sold unless it's going to save my ass one final time by being extremely necessary funds. Starting with the newest:
The Hogue EX-02. This was a completely unexpected addition to my extremely limited stable of knives that will not leave my side. I bought it used from Whitty of USA Made Blades (HIGHLY recommended dealer / user), and it had been the subject of a passaround. This thing is much more beastly than I could ever have imagined until I had it in my hand.
First impressions were alright. Flips well, tank lockup. I expect these things from Hogue, as I know their build quality is astounding - and that Elishewitz knows how to design a damn fine knife. As previously mentioned, this was a passaround knife, so the first thing I did was take it apart to clean it and polish the washers. THAT is when I learned to truly appreciated the knife. The build quality is off the charts. The parts are fit so snugly and so precisely that it was exceedingly difficult to take it down. We're talking goddamn microns.
The pivot is monstrously large. The lockup is still tight with the pivot and body screws removed. I wasn't sure how much I would like this knife, and now I kinda feel bad for haggling the guy down from his original price. It's much larger, beefier, sturdier, and higher quality than I expected. I had an EX-01, and it was alright - smooth, perfect lockup, whatever. The button lock was too much of a novelty for me, and I didn't feel like it could handle what I wanted it to handle (even though it almost certainly could! You don't need to chime in to defend the knife. It's a personal perception thing) - this knife, however, has earned my complete confidence and I haven't even used it yet.
Next, a knife I bought, sold, regretted selling, purchased a customized version of, carried, fell on hard times, sold the custom scales, but refused to sell the whole knife because DAMNIT RAMEN FOR WEEKS IS WORTH HOLDING ON TO THIS BECAUSE IT'S FANTASTIC:
The Spyderco Gayle Bradley.
The first thing I thought when I had my first one of these was "This is my Sebenza." The pivot is glassy smooth, the lockup is as perfect as can be, the blade shape is perfectly utilitarian, and it even looks good. The edge retention and durability of this blade is really amazing.
It makes no sacrifices to be "tactical" or lightweight. Steel liners. Tool steel blade. Carbon fiber. It's big. It's heavy. It's solid. It NEEDS to be used. It would be downright insulted to be safe-queened. This knife would be at home in the hands of a woodsman, a carpenter, or a construction worker - but, this particular one has the misfortune of being owned by someone who works retail. It grudgingly powers through cardboard and plastic regardless, waiting for the day I man up and become a lumberjack.
Finally, a knife I hesitated to include in this (notably short) list, but couldn't honestly exclude:
The Cold Steel Tuff Lite.
I know, right? This is a 20-dollar knife. FRN handle. No washers. AUS-8 steel. It has mediocre written all over it.
That's a perfectly reasonable conclusion to come to until you hold and use it.
It's like an extension of my hand. It's so natural, so fluid, that I often open it, use it, and then forget to close it. I just keep working with it in my hand with the blade locked open.
It's gone through literally thousands of cardboard boxes, trimmed my fingernails, pried up nails, done minor surgery on a rabbit... This is a knife that has seen use well beyond its price point. I have never hesitated to use it, and it has never failed me.
This thing is a tank, through and through, utility all the way. It's an indisposable razor. It's a sixth digit. I've had this for a year, carrying and using it almost every day. Still has perfect lockup, still centered, still VERY easy to sharpen - and it holds that edge well enough to shave hair after breaking down dozens of boxes. After all this time, it remains the only Cold Steel product I own.
Now that I'm done gushing, here's something I noticed about all three - they all have functional striking pommels.
Sturdy and reinforced. I use them all the time for different tasks. It seems like an irrelevant detail until you consider how many of your knives you would feel confident using the butt of the knife as an impact tool. That's a RIDICULOUS thing to expect from a folding knife, but these just roll with it.
Now, a couple group shots, primarily so you can see how large the EX-02 is. I really thought it would be a lot smaller.
So, those are mine. Obviously, you don't need to be NEARLY as detailed or long-winded about yours. I'm just curious to see what other people have been using without hesitation or worry.
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