What's up with folders?

Gaston444 said:
I find this to be quite true of fixed blades, not folders...

I have $500 folders by Al Mar that are 30 years old, made in Japan etc, the best of the time, and they are held together by pins, when a $30 Kershaw of recent vintage has full hardened screw construction throughout: The $30 Kershaw is objectively much, much better made...

Both were equally dull from the box...

As far as ergos are concerned, my Kershaw is an assisted flipper, and has close to the best ergos I've ever experienced in a folder, plus steel on steel liner locking rather than Titanium on steel.

I have a $300 SOG Fatcat, my only expensive recent vintage folder, and that is fancier and stouter, but only about even in ergonomic design with the RJ Martin designed Kershaw, just much fancier looking, and slower to deploy...

With fixed blades the differences in quality with increased price appear larger and more consistent over a larger range of prices (I find the interaction with the sheath -not putting in friction marks on the blade for instance- to be often a more complex and dodgy issue than a folder's mechanism). Folder mechanisms now seem quite generic across a wide range of prices, the SOG Fatcat being one of the rare ones to offer something different than a liner or frame lock...

Gaston
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Gaston, just because you destroy your classic Al-Mar batoning that does not make your cheap Kershaws better. It still makes me and many others on this forum about sick that you did that to such a fine knife. You don't baton folders, period. Just walk away and don't say anything else on the subject.
The pin construction on those classic knives work just fine, they're lighter and capable of lasting longer than most people live provided the user knows how to use a knife like a knife and not some silly folding hatchet. There are a lot of 30 year old fixxies that weren't made for batoning as well.
 
Aias said:
I can appreciate that... but how much do you think is reasonable for a high-end, your favorite steel, fixed blade? I do lots of the same, hike, camp, and fish... just curious what your ideal knife/knives are for such stuff.
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I like TOPS knives a lot...I might sound crazy but I (almost) EDC a team jackal 5, when l'm out and in clothing that will conceal it.

My practical, all around, backwoods/bushcraft knife is the TOPS silent hero, although as far as a single option kit for survival in the woods, I would choose my Wolfpax 2 kit. It's 2 blades so I can't call it a 1 tool option, but the little ax out chops some premium big choppers I own, and the wolf Pup aces any sort of fine cutting test. Not an optimal self defense tool, but it could hypothetically do damage, and realistically self defense in the woods isn't a top priority...I could use the little blade to make a wood spear that would be far more effective for such tasks than any hand ax or big blade would be.

There are just so many fixed blades out there in the 200-300$ range that I would rather buy than any folding knife out there. Right now I lust for the Zombie tools Felon. Yeah yeah, a lot of purists get turned off by the post-apocalyptic motif, but it's just smart marketing, and the felon is an aggressive interpretation of an iconic American knife design executed by proven talented craftsmen using top quality materials. I want it. Would I ever use it in combat? Realistically, probably never. But I'm sure it would be beyond fun to go ham with it in the woods. And it's just bad ass.

The TOPS sxb is another guilty pleasure. Under 200$, built like a tank, it annihilates wood. Dramatically overbuilt, the sheath kind of sucks, not always convenient to carry, and it might draw some strange looks from regular people on a hike or camping trip. In spite of all that, it is super fun and an absolute beast...I find myself grasping for reasons to start a fire.
 
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bt93 said:
Gaston, just because you destroy your classic Al-Mar batoning that does not make your cheap Kershaws better. It still makes me and many others on this forum about sick that you did that to such a fine knife. You don't baton folders, period. Just walk away and don't say anything else on the subject.
The pin construction on those classic knives work just fine, they're lighter and capable of lasting longer than most people live provided the user knows how to use a knife like a knife and not some silly folding hatchet. There are a lot of 30 year old fixxies that weren't made for batoning as well.
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This is kind of my point...you don't baton folders. You don't chop with them either. And the moving parts don't make them conducive to use in inclement weather. In my mind, the role of a folder is pretty much limited to small everyday cutting tasks, 95% of which can be accomplished by a blade <50$, and last resort self defense, which I would consider an extremely unlikely scenario. Any time I start contemplating the pronounced performance advantages of a mega- expensive folder, I can't help but think that a fixed blade for half the price would do those tasks twice as good.
 
You said there are so many vastly superior fixed blades in the>100$ price range that you would be very hard pressed to ever consider one of the premium folders that so many members on here boast.

Just asking, that's all.

I like Tops knives too.
 
Folding knives are just cool you can have a 4 inch blade in your pocket and most people will not even know you have one.
The awesome beauty of higher end folding knives are brilliant spend some money on higher end knives you will not be disappointed especially if you are a knife guy.

If you don't have money to spend in the future get out now because it is additive.

But most important have Fun.
 
CaveGladium said:
Folding knives are just cool you can have a 4 inch blade in your pocket and most people will not even know you have one.
The awesome beauty of higher end folding knives are brilliant spend some money on higher end knives you will not be disappointed especially if you are a knife guy.

If you don't have money to spend in the future get out now because it is additive.

But most important have Fun.
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I have been into knives enthusiastically for maybe a year and a half, and I have 26 knives. I know it's addictive. Right now I'm debating a few affordable chopper/kukri/bowie style knives, or chill for a few weeks and get something special from zombie tools or a custom builder such as Dry Creek Forge or Dark Timber.
 
JohnnyBlades said:
I have been into knives enthusiastically for maybe a year and a half, and I have 26 knives. I know it's addictive. Right now I'm debating a few affordable chopper/kukri/bowie style knives, or chill for a few weeks and get something special from zombie tools or a custom builder such as Dry Creek Forge or Dark
Timber.
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If you've found what you like then that's great! But there are a lot of things a big blade cannot do that a small blade can, and vice versa. There are also a lot of folding knives capable of batoning and performing tough chores if you need them to.

But if one of your main criteria of a fixed blade > a folder is that they chop better, why the hell are you using a knife and not an axe? :D
 
JohnnyBlades said:
Puddlemonkey do you have a wife? If you do she's a saint.


I guess I'm just not that into the mechanics so much. I tend to use my knives most in camping/fishing situations and therefore I usually favor big choppers/camp knives for my money. For everything I would use a folder for, which is 90% opening boxes/packaging, a 30$ Kershaw blade does the job just fine. And if it breaks, I can buy 6 more for less than $200. Hell, for that I can buy 16 amazon cheapies that will shred cardboard and tape...

I guess it's just personal preference. I am just drawn to sturdy 1 tool option type knives, with a slight fetish for big, monster, s***-hits-the-fan type blades.
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That's called compensating in some circles. :p
 
JohnnyBlades said:
I like TOPS knives a lot...I might sound crazy but I (almost) EDC a team jackal 5, when l'm out and in clothing that will conceal it.

My practical, all around, backwoods/bushcraft knife is the TOPS silent hero, although as far as a single option kit for survival in the woods, I would choose my Wolfpax 2 kit. It's 2 blades so I can't call it a 1 tool option, but the little ax out chops some premium big choppers I own, and the wolf Pup aces any sort of fine cutting test. Not an optimal self defense tool, but it could hypothetically do damage, and realistically self defense in the woods isn't a top priority...I could use the little blade to make a wood spear that would be far more effective for such tasks than any hand ax or big blade would be.

There are just so many fixed blades out there in the 200-300$ range that I would rather buy than any folding knife out there. Right now I lust for the Zombie tools Felon. Yeah yeah, a lot of purists get turned off by the post-apocalyptic motif, but it's just smart marketing, and the felon is an aggressive interpretation of an iconic American knife design executed by proven talented craftsmen using top quality materials. I want it. Would I ever use it in combat? Realistically, probably never. But I'm sure it would be beyond fun to go ham with it in the woods. And it's just bad ass.

The TOPS sxb is another guilty pleasure. Under 200$, built like a tank, it annihilates wood. Dramatically overbuilt, the sheath kind of sucks, not always convenient to carry, and it might draw some strange looks from regular people on a hike or camping trip. In spite of all that, it is super fun and an absolute beast...I find myself grasping for reasons to start a fire.
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Still available, I believe

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1452460-Zombie-Tools-Felon?highlight=felon
 
JohnnyBlades said:
This is kind of my point...you don't baton folders. You don't chop with them either. And the moving parts don't make them conducive to use in inclement weather. In my mind, the role of a folder is pretty much limited to small everyday cutting tasks, 95% of which can be accomplished by a blade <50$, and last resort self defense, which I would consider an extremely unlikely scenario. Any time I start contemplating the pronounced performance advantages of a mega- expensive folder, I can't help but think that a fixed blade for half the price would do those tasks twice as good.
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You should know that batoning is a recent demand for knives. A hatchet does a better job for processing wood. I know that there are fixed blade knives that are built to handle the rigors of batoning, that still don't make them the best tool for that job.
If all you want are fixed blade knives, then you probably leave them at home. There just aren't that many places where you can legally or comfortably carry a fixie.
I've never had much use for a fixed blade myself. I always had my Buck 110 to take care of whatever chores my outdoor activities demanded. Also a small hatchet because batoning is just an excuse to show off a knife but a hatchet performs so much better for wood processing.
It comes down to do you like to go to work, grocery store, or out and about in town at all whether by necessity or choice? I wouldn't carry a fixed blade to the mall or a big box. I always have my pocket knife with me though.
A big job for any knife would be field dressing a deer, cutting down lots of cardboard boxes, cutting lots of rope, or even cutting a seat belt in case of an accident on the road. None of those tasks involve beating the hell out of the knife, just a sharp edge and a hand that knows how to use it.
I'll also add, I've never had a problem with a folder due to inclement weather. Not sure why a little rain or snow would effect a knife in my pocket, I pull it out and use it and then put it back, never a problem other than on most of mine I'd have to take my gloves off to open. I'm pretty sure a Spyderco can be opened with gloves, as well as a few others.
 
PuddleMonkey said:
I bought a $200 folder and thought it was perfection and flawless. Then I bought a $400 one and ignored the $200 one. Now I'm buying multiple $1,000 folders and find the $200 knives to be straight garbage. This has all taken place in the last 30 days.
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I'm afraid I'm heading down the same path. I was about to drop 7 bills on a new knife yesterday. Then saw one I really liked for $950. And both have D2 blades (am I crazy ?). Decisions , decisions.

Another knife I dig is "just" $500 (and has S35VN) and now it seems like such a bargain. Still undecided.
 
I didn't see what state you are in but I can't carry a fixed blade on me in the state of MI. The only time I use/carry a fixed blade is when I'm camping or hiking and that isn't often these days. Folders I can carry everyday and I do. I'd rather put the $ into something I carry every day vs a half dozen camping/hiking trips.

I've never spent more then $120 or so on a folder. My "sweet spot" is $70-100. Many are off the exchange here. I can buy a LNIB/slightly used ZT, BM, or Spyderco with S30V, 154CM, D2, etc + G10 (my preferred handle material) and stay under $100? Works for me. YMMV.

Like folks have said in other threads of this sort. Why does anyone buy a BMW or Lexus when a Kia or Hyundai will get you from point A to B?
 
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D2 at that price is insane. Only way I could justify it is a custom or collectible if never use. I hate knives I can't use though.
 
OP can learn a lot about fixed blades here, I am not gonna waste my typing time convincing him he needs to "experience" a 100$ folder.
If he sticks around he will end up getting one and will make an informed decision because of us.


Russ
 
bt93 said:
Gaston, just because you destroy your classic Al-Mar batoning that does not make your cheap Kershaws better. It still makes me and many others on this forum about sick that you did that to such a fine knife. You don't baton folders, period. Just walk away and don't say anything else on the subject.
The pin construction on those classic knives work just fine, they're lighter and capable of lasting longer than most people live provided the user knows how to use a knife like a knife and not some silly folding hatchet. There are a lot of 30 year old fixxies that weren't made for batoning as well.
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He did what with a folder :confused:
 
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