what to look for in a knife

Whoa! I like Spydercos and I own several - but none of mine are American made! The ones I have were made in Japan or China. Just because some Spyderco are American made, it's not accurate to tell someone asking what brand to buy to ensure "American made" that all Spydercos meet that criteria!

Spydercos are fine knives - as stated, I own several of them and I'm well pleased with the ones I have. But if you want an U.S. made Spyderco, choose the model carefully! Spyderco.com is a good source for which models are made in which country. Their official website shows that some Spyderco models are made in each of the following countries: U.S.A.; China; Hong Kong; Italy; Japan and Taiwan.

marcinek said:
What's great about them is that they are a decent folder. Not huge but not real small kind of middle of the road size wise. They are a company with great customer service American made good grip comfortable handle and a strong lock. Their blade steel sharpens easily and stays sharp awhile. They are able to handle grease oil ect.
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Overall quality wise how does spyderco Kershaw buck and benchmade compare to one another. What are each Ines strengths and weaknesses?
 
dakota1820 said:
Overall quality wise how does spyderco Kershaw buck and benchmade compare to one another. What are each Ines strengths and weaknesses?
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All the above mentioned brands make quality products, and have good warrantees. If I had to rate customer service , Id say Buck and Kershaw probably have a slight edge.

Also all (except Benchmade branded knives) , market imports as well as produce domestic knives. So you'd have to research specific models.

It's really going to come down to the features you want and find important... handle material , blade steel etc.
But since we don't know what your needs and preferences are ( other than what you've mentioned) , we cant get too specific about features ....
 
For American made, great grip ergonomics, high quality steel, and a great American company standing behind the product you will not be disappointed with a Spyderco Paramilitary 2.
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Sounds like you need 2 knives... One for work to handle grease - Spyderco value folders is bang for your bucks but it's Chinese ..with greasely thumb opening hole works well. Then for play get something more expensive like Southard, Ti-military...
 
My biggest factor is comfortable handle and a good blade that will sharpen quick and keep its edge. I've had several knives over the years that just didn't sharpen very quick.
 
dakota1820 said:
What makes spyderco superior I always here good things on here about them but what makes them better than say benchmade?
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I would not say thet are better than Benchmade, just different.

Spyderco is known for designing FFG blades that slice exceptionally well but, some consumers feel that this grind may also give the knife a weak blade tip. People like their knives because of decent ergonomics and find blade deployment super easy because of their trademark "spyder hole." They have what some consider almost a cult following for a very good reason.You owe it to yourself to pick up and handle their knives.

Over the years, I have heard more objections about pocket real estate issues and how ugly Spyderco's are than any thing else. I would have to agree on both accounts. IMO, their designs are not pleasing to the eye but this is out weighed by their ergomonics. Also, many feel that Spyderco's designs are not "sheeple" friendly.

FWIW, a long time fire fighter friend of mine has used Spydercos through most of his carrer but recently shifted to Benchmade. He swears that a Griptillian is the only knife he needs. It is funny to watch him pull a full size Griptillian out of his pocket when he is in a three piece suit. Except for the rescue knife I talked him out of, his Spydercos now sit in a safe and collect dust.
 
dakota1820 said:
Overall quality wise how does spyderco Kershaw buck and benchmade compare to one another. What are each Ines strengths and weaknesses?
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I personally feel Kershaw falls one small step below both Spyderco and Benchmade in terms of quality but Buck isn't even in the same world.

Here's how I see them....

Buck has a longer history and tradition of course, and many of us were handed down our father's or even grandfather's old buck knife. Nostalgia aside, the Buck knives made today are not of the same quality of materials nor are they designed with the same quality of ergonomics as the knives available from high-end manufacturers like Spyderco or Benchmade. The pricing of Buck knives is appropriately lower, and quality is quite good for the price, therefor they may be a good choice for many knife buyers who consider price a high priority.

Kershaw holds a place in the knife world somewhere between Buck and Spyderco / Benchmade. Kershaw is KAI USA and they also include ZT knives and Shun kitchen knives under their corporate umbrella. Kershaw brand knives are very good quality knives priced at a similar price point to Buck. Kershaw knives generally exhibit a more modern design look than Buck and they generally trend toward the "tactical" style of pocket knife. They make lots of flippers and for their price they are good quality with a good reputation. They even have some reasonably priced custom-maker collaboration knives.

Zero Tolerance knives are the high-end brother to Kershaw knives. With ZT knives you get designs that are very similar to Kershaw (flippers and more flippers, & lots of tactical looks) with better quality materials. ZT uses more titanium handles and high-end "super steels" for blades, with super slick ball bearing pivots. ZT is making knives with the same quality of materials as Benchmade or the high end Spyderco knives.

Benchmade is striving to make the knives today that you will want to pass on to your children or grandchildren in the future. This comes directly from what they told me during a private factory tour I had at Benchmade last week (Thank you for the tour Derrick!). I own over 2 dozen Benchmade's and I can say that I will indeed pass on many or all of them to my kids one day. They use high quality materials and maintain tight tolerances of less than .001". The designs are modern and very functional while also aesthetically appealing. They offer a wide range of styles and designs from tactical to utility. Their Axis lock is widely respected and many people have come to favor that locking mechanism. Benchmade is considered a high priced knife company because nothing they offer sells for much less than $100. That said, they make knives for people that want the high quality that you would pass on to future generations.

Spyderco, like Benchmade is making some of the best knives on the planet right now. Spyderco is different from the other high-end manufacturers however, in that they offer a full range of knives from the very low-priced to the very high priced and everything in between. Spyderco tolerances are kept to less than .0005" (half a thousandth) so you can count on first rate quality of construction regardless of the price-point you buy into. The biggest difference with Spyderco however, is function. When you look at a Spyderco blade and see the hole, and the bump (thumb ramp) over the hole, and a leaf-shaped blade you might think it looks odd. When you use a Spyderco design you realize there's a lot of beauty in function. These knives are incredibly well thought out designs that have better ergonomics than anything else out there (IMO). They are built to be great cutting tools and making them "pretty" is (although important, particularly to Eric Glesser) is second to making them function better than anything else.

I have a large knife collection that includes over 2 dozen of the best (highest-end) Benchmades, 6 ZTs, dozens of Spyderco knives, a couple of old Bucks and a few other brands as well. I have visited the Spyderco factory. I have visited the Benchmade factory. I have visited KAI USA. After using them all regularly and for a long time I tend to find my Spydercos in my pocket more than any other. Each person has different priorities. For me, I want the best quality knife that I would be willing to actually use regardless of price. Based on that criteria, my top 6 "best" knives are all Spydercos (5 made in Taichung, 1 made in Golden Colorado).

As far as customer service goes, I have not dealt with Buck so no opinion to share there....but I have dealt with ZT, Benchmade and Spyderco and all were very good experiences.
 
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TheGearGuy said:
For American made, great grip ergonomics, high quality steel, and a great American company standing behind the product you will not be disappointed with a Spyderco Paramilitary 2.
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What are you cooking up? Nice slicing and dicing
 
LOL...Sushi of course...
Wahoo fresh from the Pacific, caught a few miles off the Mexican coast and a few hours south of San Diego.
Served with the utmost class on a paper plate. :)
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Benchmade Griptilian. ~$100, American made, great grip, good steel, superior locking mechanism, variety of blade options/handle colors, and lifetime maintenance/sharpening service at no additional charge. They also offer blade replacement for $30 if you should happen to wreck yours, which is not an option with some other companies. An ideal work knife, in my opinion.

Good luck in your search :thumbup:
 
I'm also a mechanic and recently have been using a Spyderco Stretch FRN VG-10. Resistant to any grease, solvents it's come across and vg-10 is super easy to sharpen. Strong lockback and big spydie hole make it easy to manipulate with even the greasiest of hands. Super slicer too...goes through rubber hose like no other work knife I've used. It's not American made but Spyderco is an American company. The Manix 2 and BM Griptilian are also great choices.
 
dakota1820 said:
That Bradley folder does sound nice but how does the blade stand up to water and corrosion?
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It is okay, the Gayle Bradley needs regular cleaning and lube like most working knives require. If you are on the job at the shop just give it an occasional squirt of whatever and it will be fine.

I'm also a fan of the Stretch, have one ZDP-189 that cuts like a razor, but the Bradley is still my EDC beater.
 
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I ended up buying the manix 2 I was considering Benchmade but back peddled on that because of some political reasons.
 
Manix 2 is a good knife and good choice. My only thought is that it is large and somewhat bulky/heavy to carry as an EDC. I own one and, like I said, it's a good blade but it would not have been my first choice as an EDC.

I'm betting you add another knife to your "collection" soon. If or when that time comes I'd highly encourage you to find a knife shop and try them different models for yourself. You said that comfort in the hand was the most important factor to you. This is something that no one on a forum can choose for you. Ergonomics are a personal thing.
 
I went to this store on the Missouri Illinois border and they have more knives than any other knife store I've been to. I own a delica to its OK but a hair small I like the size of the manix2
 
The Delica size is my favorite for regular carry. I use it as a reference point on other knives. For example, I purchased the ZT 0770CF last spring when it came out based on overall ZT reputation, and size and weight relative to the Delica. I like it a lot too. My favorite Spydie is the Native 5 which is smaller than the Manix 2. A Native from Walmart was my very first Spydie knife. The Endura and Delica followed.
 
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