What should my one knife at the end of summer be?

[gmorel1916]

So I've restrained myself to one knife per semester, so 1 every six months or so. After summer, I plan on getting said knife and I'm so torn haha. I've been talking to Eugene at Olamic about Wayfarers, eyeballing the Les George Talos, the Dauntless MK4, large Sebenza, the Kwaiback, Ferrum Forge Fortis, and a bunch more. My spending ceiling is about $700. The only thing is it has to have double studs or a flipper since I'm a lefty (no right-hand single studs haha). Suggest and recommend me some knives haha. Doesn't have to be one I listed.

 

[B.F.U]

You have a much different approach than me. Good for you for saving up! My point of diminishing returns is around ~$225, so I'm of no help in choosing.

What are all your options?

 

[gmorel1916]

You have a much different approach than me. Good for you for saving up! My point of diminishing returns is around ~$225, so I'm of no help in choosing.

What are all your options?

Literally anything up to around $700 haha. Pretty much anything along the lines of what I posted. Pretty open to anything right now haha. Looking at everything from Gen 4 Hinderers to TAD to CRK to Olamic to anything haha.

 

[Sonnydaze]

I've had plenty of CRK's and Striders and a couple of XM-18's.
My favorite knife, so far this year, is the Brad Southard AVO. It's my EDC and I still love it. Ballpark price about $500 new.

 

[B.F.U]

Literally anything up to around $700 haha. Pretty much anything along the lines of what I posted. Pretty open to anything right now haha. Looking at everything from Gen 4 Hinderers to TAD to CRK to Olamic to anything haha.

I'm not much of a CRK or Strider fan. Haven't tried a Hinderer, but I hear the detent is bad, leading to disappointing flipping.

I forget the maker's name, but those "Butcher" mid techs get good reviews.

 

[gmorel1916]

I've had plenty of CRK's and Striders and a couple of XM-18's.
My favorite knife, so far this year, is the Brad Southard AVO. It's my EDC and I still love it. Ballpark price about $500 new.

I had no idea an AVO was around that price...

 

[gmorel1916]

I'm not much of a CRK or Strider fan. Haven't tried a Hinderer, but I hear the detent is bad, leading to disappointing flipping.

I forget the maker's name, but those "Butcher" mid techs get good reviews.

I had a SnG. It was okay. Duane was a jerk to me over email about a warranty question so I traded it and don't really plan on getting another. I hear ADV has atrocious customer service so no Butcher for me haha

 

[KingMC]

Of your list the Wayfarer is easily the knife I would pick, it's the prettiest by far.

 

[asdf12345]

Another option is to place an order with one of several very capable custom makers currently accepting orders.

 

[gmorel1916]

With a budget of $700 one option is to place an order with one of several very capable custom makers currently accepting orders.

Any recommendations? I've never bought a custom and its something I'd like to do, but I don't even know where to start.

 

[asdf12345]

Any recommendations? I've never bought a custom and its something I'd like to do, but I don't even know where to start.

The knives of John W. Smith, Andre Thorburn, Greg Lightfoot, Duane Dwyer, Reese Weiland and Allen Elishewitz are all accessible at your price range.

You can get a smaller Terzuola for a little over $700 if that interests you - it is a good time to buy them as their prices seem to have been dropping significantly as of late.

Of these makers only Greg Lightfoot and Reese Weiland are currently accepting new orders I believe. The other makers' knives will have to be purchased on the secondary market.

 

[gmorel1916]

Also, I feel like I should add that I will be carrying and using whatever I get (and I tend to carry a knife for months between swapping), so mirror blades and non-EDC friendly knives aren't really ideal haha

 

[asdf12345]

Also, I feel like I should add that I will be carrying and using whatever I get (and I tend to carry a knife for months between swapping), so mirror blades and non-EDC friendly knives aren't really ideal haha

In your price range most custom knives will have more basic finishes and materials that are more suitable for daily carry and use.

 

[DocT]

Here is a bit of advice (since you asked) that I wish I had been given while I was in school. Unless you are very rich, a better idea would be to buy a Spyderco Domino (or Dice) flipper and then open an Edward Jones account or buy US Savings Bonds with the rest.

The Domino comes in a striking blue weave black carbon fiber and Titanium, or a black cubic check carbon fiber and titanium. http://www.knifeworks.com/search.aspx?find=domino

 

[clevelanddean]

what DocT said. If you are limiting yourself to a knife a semester i would take it you are young. Ya got time and more important things to spend $700 on. But its your money. Domino is a great suggestion.

 

[stabman]

what DocT said. If you are limiting yourself to a knife a semester i would take it you are young. Ya got time and more important things to spend $700 on.

Maybe not.
One of my friends died at age 25 of brain cancer.
It would have been sad if he'd spent those years saving for a retirement he never saw...

I say do what makes you happy.
If a new knife does that, buy it.
And if a bunch of numbers on a bank balance printout makes you happy, then go that direction.

 

[gmorel1916]

I work full time between semesters doing IT work and make enough I can save some and set some aside for a knife. I always make sure I'm set before spending it on a knife [emoji106]🏻

As for a Domino, I had one for awhile and really liked it. Ended up being kind of boring to me after a month or so, so I traded it off.

 

[stabman]

How about bending the rule and getting two knives?
You could get the Sebenza AND the Zero Tolerance 0630 and still be in your budget.

The only thing better than one awesome knife is two...and the Sebenza is almost mandatory to get at some point.

 

[Barman1]

How about something from Southpaw knives lefty?

 

[Colorodo]

Check out the Knifemakers exchange here on BF and look at the knives they are making. Davidson makes some really nice ones and they sell fast. Hoover has made some nice frame locks and there are others.