whats the best pocket knife brand

In my experience, there is no 'best' pocket knife brand as all manufacturers have winners and losers. For instance, my experience with SOG folders has been very positive. Excellent f&f along with designs I like, will keep me buying the brand.
 
i would like to buy one to just try it out. i dont want people to be upset by this but.... does anyone think benchmade and syperco are over priced? i think they are decent but after having this kershaw and using it i cant see why spyderco or benchmade cost so much more than it.
 
dakota14 said:
i would like to buy one to just try it out. i dont want people to be upset by this but.... does anyone think benchmade and syperco are over priced? i think they are decent but after having this kershaw and using it i cant see why spyderco or benchmade cost so much more than it.
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I have a healthy quantity of each and I have found that the quality of workmanship, design and materials used are well worth the price. As an example, the ZDP-189 Endura is one of the best deals out there, IMO, as is a D2 Benchmade 710. You will know the moment you handle the knives mentioned, that the value for the dollar is there.
 
well maybe im over looking something. ive played wit several knives. and out of the few i have in front of me at the moment i have a buck vantage select420 the sky line benchmade mini griptillian 440hc and spyderco aus8 also leatherman and an old gerber with 440hc . i honestly think this kershaw is on par if not better than all of them. what things do you look for in terms of quality to know its to your satisfaction?
 
Spyderco. Kershaw has good value as well. Dude buying online will save you a ton of cash. If anything go to a knife store if you can find one and get a feel for the knives you are looking for then go home and order online. I was looking for the Ka Bar USMC a couple years ago. I went into Bass Pro Shops and found it for $90 before TAX. I went home and found it for $45 online. Half price. I will never buy another knife in a store again.

Bass Pro

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Random online site

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yea i will do that from now one! i like how that ad says knife is made in US and the sheath is mexico lol. seems counterproductive to make it in seperate places.
 
Kershaw is amazing for low-mid priced knives ($60-70 and under) and you'd be hard pressed to find a comparable blade for the same value from spyderco and benchmade. In general, spyderco makes more midrange priced knives ($70-150) and benchmade makes mid-higher ($100-200) knives.

Kershaw doesn't use many different grades of steels. A few blades are made in s30v and these are of equal value to the spyderco and benchmade counterparts made with the same steel. If upgrading to s30v, 154cm, or vg10 means something to you you're better off going for spyderco and benchmade.

In terms of build quality I've had knives from all three companies and they were all great and comparable and I've had and seen good and a few less-than-stellar knives from each company. Your preferences in blade company may vary based on aesthetics, features (thumbstud options, such as the spyder hole, lockup options, assisted opening, automatic knives, etc.), and whether or not steel choices matter to you.
 
see my big things are blade how long edge lasts and how well it comes back . clip good and snug. my biggest probem with my buck vantage and then comfort in my hand. the skyline has thumb studs which i think is a complete waste on that knife you cant use them but it doesnt bug me in the least because it has a flipper that works great another thing i look at is over all build quality. so pretty basic stuff. i could care less what steel my knife has as long as it works good. i had a buck knife once with 420j2 ive heard alot of people dog that steel and that thing would get razor sharp in a second and didnt hold it bad sure not the best but it sharpend so quick you almost overlooked it.
 
The one that you like & works best for you, is the best pocket knife. You can spend a little or a lot. Knives are a lot like personal taste in anything. What you like may not be what the next person likes. :D
 
dakota14 said:
see my big things are blade how long edge lasts and how well it comes back . clip good and snug. my biggest probem with my buck vantage and then comfort in my hand. the skyline has thumb studs which i think is a complete waste on that knife you cant use them but it doesnt bug me in the least because it has a flipper that works great another thing i look at is over all build quality. so pretty basic stuff. i could care less what steel my knife has as long as it works good. i had a buck knife once with 420j2 ive heard alot of people dog that steel and that thing would get razor sharp in a second and didnt hold it bad sure not the best but it sharpend so quick you almost overlooked it.
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If you're impressed with the Skyline, try to find a Kershaw Lahar on one of the auction sites ( it's discontinued). I got one a few months ago for $50 and it is on par with knives costing 3x that.
 
knarfeng said:
Case uses "Tru-sharp" for their stainless. It's similar to the 420HC that Buck, but it is not heat treated to as high a hardness as Buck runs theirs. If you did not care for Buck 420HC, then IMO, you won't like Case Tru-Sharp.
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That's actually why I prefer Case over Buck. The Case holds an edge very well, but, for me, sharpens much easier in the field with any kind of sharpener.
 
Wow, old thread reborn!
Are knives made in the USA generally better quality than overseas counterparts?

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Passionate about pocket knives...
 
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dakota14 said:
hey thanks you guys respond quick !! i guess i should also have said this i want something made in america. i have a buck knife i forget what kind but its 420 and its not a bad knife but the steel doesnt stay sharp as long as id like. i have a benchmade i think its a mini grip and it 440c not bad but the knife is beat to hell.i kinda want to try somethig new most the knife i have had have been 440c 420 and the spyderco aus8 is there a better steel to get than those? i dont know anything about kershaw so any info would be great and case... my grandfather carried a case was a nice knife! do they make one bladed locking knives? i always associated them with old timer kind of knives (probably ignorance on my part)
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I would think someone would have already said it, but I'd go with the spyderco native light weight. It is a <60 knife if you look around. It has great ergonomics. It is the right size and weight for edc, imho. Also, don't let the fact that its liner less turn you off. I know from experience it is strong. Finally, and most importantly for what you seen to be looking fir, it has s30v steel. S30v is a top tier steel in all around quality, and a knife from a company with a great reputation like spyderco at the price point of the native with s30v is unheard of.

Also, if I may say so, the native just looks cool. As you may have guessed, the native is my primary edc. It frustrates me that it doesn't get more recognition.
 
I always recommend sticking with Benchmade or Spyderco if you're not a knife connoisseur and just looking for a generally good pocket knife. I love the Benchmade 710.
 
I saw the date on thread, but still had to laugh because people still ask silly questions like this. Whats the best knife, flashlight, whos the best guitarist, ect. Might as well ask which snowflake is best looking. Asking which may be better between 2 choices is one thing, but ambiguous questions with almost infinitesimal answers, always get a giggle and eye roll from me.
 
Well, everyone's got their own opinions, but I think it's Spyderco. They have excellent designs, collaborate with a ton of custom makers, use new ideas often, and frequently use steels that not many others use. For example, CTS-XHP, CPM M4, Aogami Super Blue, and others. They do "sprint runs" where they manufacture a small quantity of special knives, often upgraded from their normal models (Delica/Endura with Super Blue) or new releases of discontinued knives (Wayne Goddard, Lum Tanto.) IMO, these things make them one of the best knife companies around today.
 
Hi guys, I found out this site , I personally like Spyderco knife.
 
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The best pocket knife maker in my opinion, all things considered, is Chris Reeve Knives. New Small Sebenzas are $350 but they can be found "pre loved" here on the exchange for less. You can spend more and get equal or different. I would argue that "the best" can't be had for less than the cost of a Sebenza. If cost is, understandably, a priority, I would consider the "flagship" models from other companies to be: Zero Tolerance > Benchmade > Spyderco > Kershaw but these companies have so many models that equal or beat each other out as far as company to company goes. That's a tough one to crack. Sounds to me that you are interested in a "good" knife of which there are MANY!

For "bang for the buck," Spyderco's "Military" and "Para Military 2" models are really tough to beat.
 
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