What knife / knives do you not "get"?

[Catabis]

I don't get the hype over certain handle materials, especially g10, but any resin/plastic material that doesn't employ handle ergonomics that lock the hand in. That's not to say I'd prefer leather either as it rots and I've had rust under leather handles. My favorite, as I prefer function over form, is a cord wrap I.e. Paracord. Paracord is way more functional than any handle material I can think of, as it is multi purpose, easy to maintain the tang and has awesome grippiness. When Benchmade came out with the Adamas D2 fixed I jumped for joy that I had the choice to wrap in cord. Folders have fewer options, I understand, so I would like to see the resin handles to have a better grip pattern like volcano grips than the easily worn micro bumps most g10 handles have (think Spyderco or Emerson grip pattern). If I cant securely hold my knife then all the other properties are rather pointless. All this said, my favorite g10 handle is the Spyderco warrior as it both locks the hand in due to its shape AND it is a volcano texture and is a premium example of how to employ a resin handle correctly. Lastly, WHY, WHY, did anybody think that a pure titanium/metal grip was a good idea....oh well the makers only serve the consumers demands. Maybe consumers should get smarter and not follow fads that fail to comply with the tools primary function, that is to cut/chop and you can't do that safely if you can't grip it safely.
That's my rant. YMMV

 

[orezona]

OK point taken but a hammer would also work!

Or an Ice Pick... "right tool for the right job"

 

[JesseT]

I don't get the hype over certain handle materials, especially g10, but any resin/plastic material that doesn't employ handle ergonomics that lock the hand in. That's not to say I'd prefer leather either as it rots and I've had rust under leather handles. My favorite, as I prefer function over form, is a cord wrap I.e. Paracord. Paracord is way more functional than any handle material I can think of, as it is multi purpose, easy to maintain the tang and has awesome grippiness. When Benchmade came out with the Adamas D2 fixed I jumped for joy that I had the choice to wrap in cord. Folders have fewer options, I understand, so I would like to see the resin handles to have a better grip pattern like volcano grips than the easily worn micro bumps most g10 handles have (think Spyderco or Emerson grip pattern). If I cant securely hold my knife then all the other properties are rather pointless. All this said, my favorite g10 handle is the Spyderco warrior as it both locks the hand in due to its shape AND it is a volcano texture and is a premium example of how to employ a resin handle correctly. Lastly, WHY, WHY, did anybody think that a pure titanium/metal grip was a good idea....oh well the makers only serve the consumers demands. Maybe consumers should get smarter and not follow fads that fail to comply with the tools primary function, that is to cut/chop and you can't do that safely if you can't grip it safely.
That's my rant. YMMV

Eh, if I have a pocket knife that I'm only really going to use for light indoor use, a plain metal handle provides enough grip, and isn't rough on my petal-soft hands (I find the grippy coating on my BM 940 to be much preferable though).

 

[BladeScout]

I don't get the hype over certain handle materials, especially g10, but any resin/plastic material that doesn't employ handle ergonomics that lock the hand in. That's not to say I'd prefer leather either as it rots and I've had rust under leather handles. My favorite, as I prefer function over form, is a cord wrap I.e. Paracord. Paracord is way more functional than any handle material I can think of, as it is multi purpose, easy to maintain the tang and has awesome grippiness. When Benchmade came out with the Adamas D2 fixed I jumped for joy that I had the choice to wrap in cord. Folders have fewer options, I understand, so I would like to see the resin handles to have a better grip pattern like volcano grips than the easily worn micro bumps most g10 handles have (think Spyderco or Emerson grip pattern). If I cant securely hold my knife then all the other properties are rather pointless. All this said, my favorite g10 handle is the Spyderco warrior as it both locks the hand in due to its shape AND it is a volcano texture and is a premium example of how to employ a resin handle correctly. Lastly, WHY, WHY, did anybody think that a pure titanium/metal grip was a good idea....oh well the makers only serve the consumers demands. Maybe consumers should get smarter and not follow fads that fail to comply with the tools primary function, that is to cut/chop and you can't do that safely if you can't grip it safely.
That's my rant. YMMV

I disagree.

I went through a cord wrap phase, but for my practical use it simply does NOT cut it.....so to speak.
For hunting, cord is downright unsanitary, as bits of organic matter gets caught in the cord.
Cord will then have to be unwrapped and rewrapped, if you want to make absolutely sure, that all debris has been safely removed.
Constantly removing and rewrapping cord gets old real fast, trust me on this.

For chopping or batoning, a cord wrapped handle will downright hurt your hand, I dont care how calloused your hand is or how tough you are.

Dont even get me started on glued cord wrapped handles. Youd have to be a glutton for punishment to try to use that for any practical hard use.

Im sure the notion of cord looks good on paper, but for the above mentioned activities - forget about it.

All titanium handles are a great idea. Impervious to the elements and in regards to antimagnetic ti also excellent for those in the armed forces who works near or in the water and has to do demolition work.

Im not in EOD, but use mu all-ti MISSION knives for kayaking and hunting, they are EXCELLENT knives.

 

[bladeboss]

Hard to believe anybody here would exclude themselves from and/or or not 'get' small fixed blades...., but to each his own.
JesseT pretty much covered it above.
Small fixed blades looks great, work equally great, are easy to clean i.e. dont pose the same health hazards as the same size folder etc etc.
Here my favourite hunting knife, which I would NEVER exchange for a folder;
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ing!!?highlight=scheppmann+hunter+outstanding

Hey, sorry, but its how I feel.
If the fixed blade was bigger, say, 5-6inches I get how it would be "hard use".
But you're not going to be using a 3-inch blade THAT hard to warrant a fixed blade.
And pocket-carry fixed blades really boggle my mind.
I think the only small fixed blade I would ever even think of carrying would be a necker.
And still, I don't own one either.

 

[bladeboss]

I disagree.

I went through a cord wrap phase, but for my practical use it simply does NOT cut it.....so to speak.
For hunting, cord is downright unsanitary, as bits of organic matter gets caught in the cord.
Cord will then have to be unwrapped and rewrapped, if you want to make absolutely sure, that all debris has been safely removed.
Constantly removing and rewrapping cord gets old real fast, trust me on this.

For chopping or batoning, a cord wrapped handle will downright hurt your hand, I dont care how calloused your hand is or how tough you are.

Dont even get me started on glued cord wrapped handles. Youd have to be a glutton for punishment to try to use that for any practical hard use.

Im sure the notion of cord looks good on paper, but for the above mentioned activities - forget about it.

All titanium handles are a great idea. Impervious to the elements and in regards to antimagnetic ti also excellent for those in the armed forces who works near or in the water and has to do demolition work.

Im not in EOD, but use mu all-ti MISSION knives for kayaking and hunting, they are EXCELLENT knives.

And in my experiences, cord wrap gets loose as you use it.
And it's a TOTAL PITA to wrap it tightly.
And even when it's done, the entire thing is one big hot spot.

 

[JesseT]

Hey, sorry, but its how I feel.
If the fixed blade was bigger, say, 5-6inches I get how it would be "hard use".
But you're not going to be using a 3-inch blade THAT hard to warrant a fixed blade.
And pocket-carry fixed blades really boggle my mind.
I think the only small fixed blade I would ever even think of carrying would be a necker.
And still, I don't own one either.

No need to apologize, this thread is all about personal quirks. Everyone prioritizes stuff differently. Your opinion is wrong for me, but right for you and vice versa.

 

[BladeScout]

Hey, sorry, but its how I feel.
If the fixed blade was bigger, say, 5-6inches I get how it would be "hard use".
But you're not going to be using a 3-inch blade THAT hard to warrant a fixed blade.
And pocket-carry fixed blades really boggle my mind.
I think the only small fixed blade I would ever even think of carrying would be a necker.
And still, I don't own one either.

No apologies needed.
But I must add, that many hunters (I personally know several) who kills loads of deer each year and do their skinning jobs with these diminutive fixed three or sub-three inch knives.
More is simply not needed for practical work in many instances.
Ita not that I dont understand the lure of bigger knives, because I do, but its simply a matter of choosing the right tool for the job.

 

[BladeScout]

And in my experiences, cord wrap gets loose as you use it.
And it's a TOTAL PITA to wrap it tightly.
And even when it's done, the entire thing is one big hot spot.

I agree 100%.
Cord can often slide back and forth - especially when soaked in blood/organic matter as opposed to 'dry' work.
So to recap; cord gets soiled, slides back and forth (unless glued - then its even worse to work with) and then has to be unwrapped because chunks of organic matter gets caught in the cord. Then it has to be washed and rewrapped. Been there, done that, cant be bothered any more.

 

[EChoil]

I disagree.

I went through a cord wrap phase, but for my practical use it simply does NOT cut it.....so to speak.
For hunting, cord is downright unsanitary, as bits of organic matter gets caught in the cord.
Cord will then have to be unwrapped and rewrapped, if you want to make absolutely sure, that all debris has been safely removed.
Constantly removing and rewrapping cord gets old real fast, trust me on this.

For chopping or batoning, a cord wrapped handle will downright hurt your hand, I dont care how calloused your hand is or how tough you are.

Dont even get me started on glued cord wrapped handles. Youd have to be a glutton for punishment to try to use that for any practical hard use.

Im sure the notion of cord looks good on paper, but for the above mentioned activities - forget about it.

All titanium handles are a great idea. Impervious to the elements and in regards to antimagnetic ti also excellent for those in the armed forces who works near or in the water and has to do demolition work.

Im not in EOD, but use mu all-ti MISSION knives for kayaking and hunting, they are EXCELLENT knives.

I wouldn't wrap a working knife in 'cord' ever. Nor would I sit on it as a car seat for a long drive. Or wear it as a glove, shoe, pants, etc.

Use leather for wrapping workers; smooth or roughout. Good bootlace is one form that is very versatile.

And there are good leather treatments out there that will cover any range of 'cleanliness' you want...from conditioner/preserver to full glaze/waterproofer.

It gets classier with time, too.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

Rough texture in my opinion is a shortcut for proper handle shape.
It's probably needed on most productions for there are so many different hand shapes and sizes out there.
A good smooth handle on a custom or something like the BK9 or BK xyz grip will not slip and turn even if oily and sweaty. No need for miny volcanos or sandpaper textures which might get clogged up anyways with slimy stuff or what not.
For choppers actually it's better if they are smooth so that the handle can move a bit with the forces applied instead of transferring them in a fixed way and tearing of your skin.

 

[bt93]

Apparently I have put someone's panties in a bunch so I'm just going to shut up now. What started as fun and joking turned into something much less desirable. FWIW, my SOG is an old ats-34 model. No super steel etc.

Hope you're not thinking I'm the someone. I just couldn't resist the little jab for kicks and truly didn't intend to insult. If it is me I apologize for my bad humor, and ask that you not take it personal. Just a joke.

 

[JesseT]

Double edged blades (not swedges, both edges sharpened). I use a thumb on the spine of my knives for extra leverage, and I'll also use an index finger near the tip to improve precision. Is there a benefit of this blade type aside from getting stabby?

 

[GatorMedic]

Safe queens.

 

[Nap]

I'll pile on with the general dislike of cord wraps. I have one neck knife that came cord-wrapped from the manufacturer, and it's still wearing it, but I'd cut it off in a heartbeat if it ever came into contact with game/meat, or anything unsanitary that would (not might) get into the fibers. As for ergonomics, it only goes halfway toward a real handle. The only reason to favor it is because of the thickness.

The particular neck knife I'm talking about has a slab handle with a narrow slot down the center for the wrapping, so it stays tight, but it's the only one I've seen like it. I can imagine that wrapping (say) an Izula would be a pain in the ass to maintain—but, then, I've never actually done it.

 

[Vicv]

Yes pretty much for piercing. Or looks. Not practical as anything but a weapon

Double edged blades (not swedges, both edges sharpened). I use a thumb on the spine of my knives for extra leverage, and I'll also use an index finger near the tip to improve precision. Is there a benefit of this blade type aside from getting stabby?

 

[22-rimfire]

I went through a cord wrap phase, but for my practical use it simply does NOT cut it.....so to speak.

For hunting, cord is downright unsanitary, as bits of organic matter gets caught in the cord.

Cord will then have to be unwrapped and rewrapped, if you want to make absolutely sure, that all debris has been safely removed.
Constantly removing and rewrapping cord gets old real fast, trust me on this.

For chopping or batoning, a cord wrapped handle will downright hurt your hand, I dont care how calloused your hand is or how tough you are.

Dont even get me started on glued cord wrapped handles. Youd have to be a glutton for punishment to try to use that for any practical hard use.

I'm sure the notion of cord looks good on paper, but for the above mentioned activities - forget about it.

That is my experience as well... forget about it! On top of all that you said, the cord gets dirty and I don't want "dirty" and it gets loose. Life is too short to have to deal with this.

 

[22-rimfire]

Double edged blades (not swedges, both edges sharpened). I use a thumb on the spine of my knives for extra leverage, and I'll also use an index finger near the tip to improve precision. Is there a benefit of this blade type aside from getting stabby?

Not that I am aware of, so why bother unless you are specifically carrying a knife as a weapon.

 

[woodkrafter]

I like many knife designs, both fixed and folding. The one design that I have never been able to 'get into' though is the butterfly or balisong design. I admire them for their aesthetic quality and engineering but I have never had the desire to own one.

Everyone has their 'wants' in knife designs but this one is not for me. I know that a great many folks like them and that's their choice.

Good thread btw. :thumbup:

 

[NG VI]

Slipjoints.

The market seems to be dominated by Victorinox Alox or crap under $60, and hundreds of dollars for more nicely made ones.

I'm sure I'm just unfamiliar with them.