What Knives Exceeded Your Expectations?

Frost Mouse
Old USA made Gerber Bolt Action drop point. Dressed 5 deer without resharpening or honing while others were hitting the steels with their Buck knives.
Spyderco Native
Kershaw Leek. I have 4 in case they quit making them.
Randall model 11. Great skinning knife. Yes, my dumb ass actually uses it in the field.
 
Like so many other people here, the Wal-Mart Spyderco Native went far beyond my expectations. I made a special trip across the border into WV for it and it turned out to be the knife that really made me appreciate the difference in metals.
 
BJE said:
I also second the Griptilian series, it is usually the first knife I recommend to a person new to quality knives.
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Yeah, me too. If they want a good quality knife for under $50, I'll tell them about the kershaw leek or the spyderco Native. They can both be found at wally world for about $40 bucks. If they are willing to spend more I'll go staight to the Griptilian and explain how the axis lock works. They usually go for the Griptilian after the axis lock speech :D.
 
Benchmade Mini-Grip Tanto----had std Mini's that I didn't care for much---then all the people bagging on the tanto style blade--I wasn't expecting much.

Midway put it on sale for $40 and I never had a tanto before I bought it---so I figured what the heck---surprisingly I like this one much more than the std Mini's and has even made its way into EDC rotation.

Alox SAK's are also fantastic.
 
Amazingly enough I'd have to say the No.7 Opinal that I bought for £5 ($10) 2 years ago. Modified that blade and handle a little to suit what I wanted and never looked back. Cuts like the devil - I have all the hand scars to prove it (doh!) and is sooooo easy to sharpen.

The only thing I don't like is the wood surround without decent washers etc to stop it from seizing up. In fact, I've resorted to keeping it locked open. Was even considering how I might be able to braze/weld a tang onto the blade to make it fully fixed. Summer project perhaps (leave the blade vertical under water perhaps?)

Exceeded all my expectations - but then again, they were never really that high for a £5 knife!

I expect much more form the BM's etc that I have - given the amout of airplay and associated cost.

Summary: 10/10 for a cheap, sharp knife that you won't cry buckets for if it gets lost. (Just remember the opening limitations.)

Joe
 
Biggest surprise for me was the silly little Chinese-made mini trapper I got from Buck as a freebie at the SHOT Show this year. I'm not so fond of softer steels in small folders, and the point of the spay blade almost protrudes from the liner, but damn if it doesn't float well in a pocket, and the the shape of the blades are well done. The handle would be good too, if it weren't for the clearance problem and a lack of finish at the bolster/scale transition. In spite of all of the things I can find wrong with it, I keep carrying it and using it...I guess that means that something is right with it!
 
It's been mentioned already, but the Vic Soldier I got back in 2002 is still going strong. It's not as pretty as my other EDCs, but it's probably the best value out of all of them. Sharpens up great, has perfect fit and finish, and is an ideal size for me. I do have to admit though, it's got a bit of a sterile feel to it compared to some of my bone handled stockmans and trappers.

Another low cost quality knife is the Buck stockman that my girlfriend got me this Christmas. Yeah, it's made in China, but it's a fine knife that's grown on me. If I think I'll be abusing a knife that day (and for me that could be something as small as knowing I'll have to cut up a few boxes - I'm not that hard on my knives), this is the one I generally put in my pocket that morning. It's a great size, sharpens up nicely, holds a pretty good edge, has great fit and finish, and just feels like a quality product.

Oh, another worth mentioning is my Case CV amber bone medium stockman. What a nice knife. Probably gets more pocket time than any other knife I own. But I won't gush over it here, public displays of affection are just annoying. I love the stockman pattern and own stockmens that cost serveral times more than this knife, but this is the best of them all.

And another (I just can't stop thinking of them...) would be me Case yellow handle single blade trapper (I think they might call it a utility knife). Love this one as well.

I have more, but I'll stop...

Thanks,

-Dan
 
i own $700 busses and for that much money, they better impress me....


what really impressed me was a $16 Tramontina Machete from walmart and also a $17 buck stockman also from walmart....
 
* Spyderco Tenacious - $35 - wow.

* Kabar Dozier - $20 - best $20 folder around IMO

* Spyderco Delica - $50 - this knife is the industry standard in its price zone
 
Just picked up a Gerber Valloton on a whim at the Open Air Market yesterday.
Snappy little guy, very well made, decent steel (440), stainless liners, and quite the cutter. Low ride pocket clip too!

Matador-
 
Sorry for contributing to the newly formed spyderco thread :)

A few months ago, I added a spyderco delica to an order, thinking that I was going to get one anyways in the next year or so, might as well save on shipping. I could always leave the knife in a briefcase, backpack, fishing bag, car, etc.

Maybe it was because I didn't expect a lot out of it, but it totally blew me away - I initially liked it so much I thought, "I should get the ZDP delica, too" but now I figure, why bother? The regular Delica works just fine.
 
Mine would have to be the BG-42 Spyderco Military. it was amazing the first time I held it, and the fit and finish on that model is top notch.
I just got it for the steel, and even though I don't like liner locks at all I now EDC the CPM S90V version of the knife, after using the CPM D-2 version all last fall.

Regardless of how much I like it, it should still be mentioned that the Military has the best liner lock in the world, you can see how they took all sorts of extra steps to make it work properly.
I'm not kidding when I say you'd have to search long and hard to find a liner lock done as well as it is on the Military.

Still,
I can't wait for Sal to put a new lock on that knife.
When he does it will probably end my knife collecting hobby.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
BM 730 Ares and BM AFCK, both knives were/are far superior than I had expected.:thumbup:
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Just got my Gerber CF SL 3.25 in the mail to replace the one I'd lost, for $35
ya can't beat it, it's a great light weight gentleman's knife.

Carbon Fiber scales, ATS 34 blade, titanium liner lock, lowride pocket clip and thumbstud for onehand openin'.

I didn't realize how great this knife was till I replaced it, if ya look at the auctions they pop up for anywhere from $35-$60 and well worth the money, this is not a Strider or a Sebenza but it is a tough knife and so light you can't even feel the weight in your pocket if ya bottom carry.

Add to that the cool factor of the CF and ya get my next vote for a knife that far exceeded my expectations.
 
Kershaw Wild Wild Turkey. Light, easy to carry, smooth and FAST and sharp as hell.

Letherman Micra was used for all sorts of things and it surprised more than one person I gave one to as a gift how for how much they ended up using it too.

BM 940 Osborne. My main EDC. It is just plain indestructible. Reverse Tanto blade is a great blade geometry.

Kershaw DWO...Inexpensive, small, and chock-full of quality.

Boker 585AM Integral - Fixed blade hunter

Bear Executive lockback drop point folder with damascus blade.

SOGWinder II: Hefty chunk of quality steel.

Spiderco Lava: Fits like a glove.

Best wall candy: Browning Liberty Tree Bowie
 
CRK Sebenza -- for the best engineered folder on the planet
CRK Mnandi -- a brute in a suit
All Victorinox SAKs -- great engineering, best-in-class price/performance
Kershaw ZDP Mini-Cyclone framelock -- excellent Ti framelock for the price
Spyderco Delica -- the knife that got me started with the disease
 
Cold Steel Canadian Belt Knife: I challenge anyone to find a better skinning knife for $15.00.
Moras: Already been mentioned
K-Mart hatchet: Found it on clearance for $2.50, it's the one that's always in my Alice pack
Bladetech Rijbak: I expected a lot for a $170.00 knife, but it went above & beyond all expectations.
Spyderco Military: Enough said.
Rough Rider Stockman: Don't know why anyone would pay for Buck or Case when RR does the same for $10.00-$12.00.
Moras: Ya'll have heard all the stories.
Spyderco Pacifica: Great "Endura" in TRULY STAINLESS. Takes a great edge also.
 
my new edc "yeller" handle case soddie jr, CV steel $19 bucks, shaving sharp, love it love it
ive also been impressed with a few lowly rough riders recently along with my son's new buck nobleman, all affordable and they ended up being really well made knives!

yeah i'm a soddie fan now:D
ivan
 
I expected to see some posts about MANTIS KNIVES on here. For $45.00, I expected their Karambits to be mediocre, but in a strength test done at BLADE '07 the lock held up longer than an Emerson costing 5x more. I now own the MK-1, MK-2, and MK-3

Soon to come is the fixed blade Karambit MK-f...should be just as sick as it's older siblings.
 
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