What have you used it for????

M

Mole

Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
12
And how has your folding knife held up?
This is to sort of to help me make up my mind on what hard use folding knife for EDC I should get.
It is really hard because it seems like there are so many good knifes above about 100 bucks.(like Al Mar SERE 2000,all the Emersons,Benchmade,Spyderco to name a few)
I know I want about a 3.5 inch blade or so.
Either a plain edge or fully serrated.
I really like G10 scales because I have got to try them out and use a knife with them a little.
So guys, shoot away with your storys good or bad and help me make up my mind.
Thank you for your time,
Mole

PS
Sorry if this has been asked before but for some reason I can't do a search on this.
 
It looks like you are looking for a Spyderco Chinook. It has G-10 scales with dual stainless liners, 3&3/4 inch blade, plain-edge (or combo-edge), and this folder is built like a tank.:).
 
Cut open envelopes,packages, cut steak & other foods in a restaurant.
Cleaning fingernails, etc.... (of course you gotta wipe them down before you use it as cutlery in a restaurant ;)
There are many other things, like my friend got a splinter in the foot and he used my knife to get it out.
 
I use my edc's - an Emerson Blackbird and a Mini Commander as of late - dozens of times a morning to cut the fibrous strapping used to bundle newspapers together. They're also used for the usual stuff mentioned by calyth.

Some users have varying degrees of difficulty using the somewhat unique grind found on Emersons, but I don't seem to have a problem with them. Nice folders.....
 
I think the BM 710HS is probably the best working folder you can buy as it has a combination of ergonomics, toughness, strength, reasonable size/weight, and features like the lock being ambidextrous, and the clip reversible.
It has G-10 handles, a 3.9" blade, and the much-touted Axis lock.
Having never tried the M2 steel, I really put this knife to the test after getting the knife, slicing up heaps of cardboard, using it at work on more cardboard, air/water lines, cutting belts off machinery, plastic wrap and heavy reinforced paper that we use, prying up handles on dock boards, using the swedge as a field-expedient flathead screwdriver, prying off old hose clamps, and a bunch of other stuff. The BT2 coating was removed in one day from opening several hundred bags of powdered slag wool fiber (which is very abrasive, and practically wore the edge off, too).
Deciding that the M2 might need a little help in the corrosion resistance department, and because I wanted to try out BodyCote's BC1 coating, I sent the blade to BodyCote, and had it coated with BC1 and a chromium underlayer.
When the knife came back, a whole new cycle of abuse started, since I wanted to check out this BC1 stuff. I started cutting sandpaper, batoning it through limbs and boards, beating it through PVC pipe, cutting the thin metal seals off railroad car doors, stuff like that.
When I got a couple of S30V knives, I wanted to compare them to some others for a variety of different things. Out of curiosity, I chopped (full power-from the shoulder) several knives into a coathanger to see how they compared with that localized impact. The 710s edge rolled a little more than the S30V, and had a slight nick. Nothing noticeable.
This knife has been intentionally abused, put through the wringer, and suffered no damage beyond a tiny nick from a coathanger, and a rounded tip from my hurry-up Sharpmaker technique. Well the BT2 got killed off, and the BC1 has taken quite the beating-it has held up marvelously, but you CAN hurt it:)

Downsides:
The Axis lock gets gunked up in there sometimes, and the knife occasionally has to be taken apart when mud and stuff gets in there and hardens.
One of the Axis springs broke after a little over a year of use. BM repaired it free of charge, in spite of my warranty voiding disassembly and modifications (coating). The lock still functioned, but I didn't trust it with just one spring left to fail. I don't like the fact that it broke, and it has kind of jaded me on the Axis, to be honest.
The BT2 coating wears pretty easily, but I had no problems with corrosion even after it was worn off the surface, and consider that purely cosmetic.
All in all, this is not my favorite knife, or even favorite folder, but it may be the best knife purchase I have ever made considering the amount of use/abuse I have gotten out of it vs the price<<[edit:talking about full-size knives, used strictly as knives, before someone jumps on that statement. My Vnox Recruit is far and away the best "bang for the buck" knife I own]
I highly recommend this knife:D
 
In the ~$100 price range I'll go with the Glockman and say Chinook.

A damn beefy knife in an excellent steel (440v/S90v), opens with authority, carries with authority and has an excellent lock.

I've used mine for everything from cutting food to wood and light prying and it's held up great.
 
In that range, BM, Spydie are fine choices...For that i sit just a tad higher with a MOD Tempest and Hornet...Both can be had for like 130...very underrated knives... excellent form and function...and both serve as my EDC's...
 
I have used my Cold Steel Voyager Tanto for:

1) Opening cardboard boxes
2) Removing coupons from the newspaper
3) Trimming the excess plastic molding from the handle of another knife
4) Chopping bait/cleaning fish
5) Cutting out drywall during a repair
6) Cutting rope
7) Opening cans
8) Slicing up a steak
9) Opening letters
10) Prying open outer casing on a CDRW drive
11) Opening/cleaning steamed crabs
12) Cutting open tubes of fuser lube for a Xerox printer
13) Dislodging pieces of paper jammed into the aforementioned fuser
14) Holding doors open
15) Whittling a stick
16) Poking through trash in search of an accidentally discarded item
17) Cutting Christmas wrapping/bows
18) Removing a piece of bone lodged in the garbage disposal
19) Slicing off loose threads from various garments
20) Removing caulk from the tub

Oh yeah, and removing crud from underneath the fingernails....:D
 
Thank you guys for replying!
I can't say anything you guys have said has made me want to get one knife...now I want three of four!
Sorry for not replying sooner, I was at work.
I think I am going to go with the chinook because I now I can get it for wholesale.
I know can get cold steel stuff as well but I don't much like what they did to ATC so my money won't go to them.
I have been hearing alot about some BM models so I guess I will have to pick one of those up after the next gun I buy.
Thanks again guys, this is a really good forum because I can ask something and get really good info without any smart%$#.
Thanks guys,
Mole

PS
What do you guys think of the buck/strider folder?
I hear it is too thick or some such, true?
 
Hey Mole, the blade on the Buck/Strider is about as thick as the blade on the Chinook, but the handle of the B/S is much thicker. I would also take the lock on the Chinook over the one on the Buck.

If I were you I would buy a Chinook and then a BM 710. The 710 has a longer blade than the Chinook but it's a thinner blade as well. The likelyhook of either lock failing you is almost none.
 
I can't believe nobody mentioned "sebenza" yet.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
(And yes, I'm being very sarcastic)
 
cpirtle,
Thank you for your reply.
I know strider makes really good fixed blades and I had heard that their ar and gb were good as well.
So I thought it would be good to ask about the buck/strider sense it is more in the price range.
Thank you much for the info.

Mongo,
CRK is about 5 mins from my house.
I would get one and I have gone in and looked at them and they are really really nice.
But I cannot get over spending that much on a knife...just yet;)
What I could do if I had one is when my knife needed sharpening I could just go in and have them do it:cool:

Agian, thanks guys
Mole
 
I have been carrying a Spyderco Endura(SE) since 1992/93. It has cut old sand bags, tire sidewalls, steaks, boxes, fan belts, lid off of a can of beans, and a coupon every now and then. It use to have a plastic clip, but that broke off a few years back. It is only G2 steel blade, but it has worked well for me. :) You can't go wrong with a Spyderco, and for $100.00 you could have 2 Endura's. :)


Blades
 
Originally posted by Blades
...You can't go wrong with a Spyderco, and for $100.00 you could have 2 Endura's. :)
Blades
Click to expand...
That's true, but the man has already said that he's getting a Chinook.:)...Besides, I could cut an Endura in-half with my Chinook!.:D.:D.
 
I'd be in big trouble if I lived 5 min. from the CRK factory. Since you are a newbie here, let me explain my previous post... it seems that every time someone posts something like:"I'm looking for a folder, prefer a liner-lock, somewhere in the $50 dollar or less category", someone invariably posts:"don't waste your time/money/effort on anything else but a sebenza" I have nothing against Sebenzas, in fact I think they are a wonderful knife and even I, a fixed blade kinda guy, may eventually have one someday. Sooner or later, you will also get over the idea of spending $300-400 dollars on ONE knife!:eek: I've done it(or close to it) several times now. It gets easier... just gotta spread them out if funds are short. The bottom line, buy what you like... and you can like more than one thing at more than one time. Variety is the spice of life.
Happy hunting for your current knife,
Mongo
 
Originally posted by Mole
I know can get cold steel stuff as well but I don't much like what they did to ATC so my money won't go to them.
Click to expand...


I haven't heard anything about this. (By the way, when you say ATC am I to assume that you are referring to the American Tomahawk Company?) Please share the story with the rest of us. Do you have links to any articles or web stories on this?

Thanks!
 
Can't really remember all the detals but I saw a post about it on the ATC forum.
I have no idea how to link but you can cut and past this I think.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=199524

If this does not work just search the ATC forum from the last 45 days and you should find it.
I just don't like when people do crap like this to each other so cold steel won't get anything from me just for trying this.
But I think I might get a hawk from ATC.
Mongo,
I have been over to CRK a few times to do some drooling.
One time I saw Chris himself and almost wet my self!(not really, but close)
They make really nice stuff.
I could go and pick one up tomorrow(or order) but I still can't get over spending that much on one knife, just yet:D

Blades,
I have seen alot of spyderco knifes, seems like every person has one on around here.
But I just wanted to make sure it was ok with you guys before I got one ;)
I really wanted to ask you guys about their lock and from the sounds of it they are great!
Now I just need to get the book out and order one from spyderco when I have the time.

Thanks for your time guys!
Mole
 
Originally posted by one45auto
I haven't heard anything about this. (By the way, when you say ATC am I to assume that you are referring to the American Tomahawk Company?) Please share the story with the rest of us. Do you have links to any articles or web stories on this?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Go over to the Makers/Manufacturers forum, and navigate to American Tomahawk Co. You might have to go several pages back, but you'll see it. In a nutshell, it has to do with CS attempting to use the ATC name on their VN knock-offs. Sounds like they applied for the name way back, decided not to use it, then when they saw Andy's rightfully earned success with a greatly superior product, tried to ride the real ATC's coattails. Litigation and stuff. :grumpy: :barf:

I personally won't buy any more of Lynn's stuff.....
 
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