What's your Near Perfect Knife?

Cow51 said:
That's my reservation about a Sm 21, it's very similar in size to a Mini Grip, which is just a tad too small for me. 3.25'' is the perfect blade length for me, I really like the looks of the 0450 but I don't think the ergos will cut it.
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3.25" is my sweet spot as well. If you haven't already, you need to pick up a Bugout. Fantastic knife at that length. If for some strange reason that doesn't float your boat, I can also recommend the Southern Grind Spider Monkey at that length.
 
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The Benchmade Bugout is my perfect knife. It's been my constant off duty EDC since purchase about five months ago, and I sold off my 940-2 and Spider Monkey because I realized the Bugout beat them both out for me. First and foremost, it has my ideal blade length of 3.25". That was the reason I tried the knife in the first place because the marketing was a little gimmicky for my taste so I first skipped right past it. The blade itself is an excellent shape and makes it an exceptional slicer. The blue handles I was hesitant with at purchase, but once I got it in hand I actually realized I like them. It gives the knife a little character, rather than being the same old black knife, and you can easily find that sucker whether you drop it in the woods or misplace it in the house. The short deep carry clip is just plain perfect. My clip initially came too stiff but I clipped it to an almost empty roll of duct tape for two days and it was good to go with the perfect retention. The clip keeps the knife nicely down in the pocket but also has less of a footprint on the front of the pocket so less potential to scrap it on the side of a truck bed when reaching in or whatever else. Finally, the weight. Just wow! This thing is so insanely light that you can forget you even have it clipped to the smallest athletic shorts. All in all this knife is amazing and definitely the perfect knife for me. I look forward to carrying this knife as my EDC for years and years to come.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
You know what two knives tickled me silly back in the day? The Benchmade/Chris Caracci AFCK. Back when the competition was slim, back when most companies hadn't gotten past the press fit to a friction tolerance stage and BM was experimenting with washers and an actual tolerance +or-. The Car accident designed blade moved like half a perfectly balanced balisong. No production knife out there was balanced like the AFCK, it was a ballet in practiced hands and a silent, deadly tool in even more experienced.

AFCK (Advanced Folding Combat Knife) 2nd one from the right.

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If you've never held one it's hard to explain, the handle was a perfect size for a secure grip in any style. It feels natural left or right. The ti liner lock was secure and after 10 years of obsessive flicking it never wore, weakened or bent. It had the perfect balance of weight and size. The mass of the blade was like flywheel turnin' 'round, it just wanted to keep opening.

It was a slick blade too, no resistance once you initiated the opening flick. Chris put a lot of thought into this knife and the co design with BM, they had the resources and he had the talent. :) Keep in mind too that this was happening just as people were gettin' over the ugly knife with the hump and the hole in the blade. ;)
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Still looking for one i could afford.The mini AFCK plain ......oh baby
 
Emerson custom CQC-6 .

As a utility knife I would say no. For utility I would pick a Large Sebenza or Greyman Dua or even Spyderco Millie. But for just plain cool factor it is the CQC-6 along with its history.


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GatorMedic said:
3.25" is my sweet spot as well. If you haven't already, you need to pick up a Bugout. Fantastic knife at that length. If for some strange reason that doesn't float your boat, I can also recommend the Southern Grind Spider Monkey at that length.
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I almost have picked it up, I should just do it and get it over with. I've check out the spider monkey before as well, what I don't care for is the liner lock.
 
Cow51 said:
We all know there is no such thing as the perfect knife, but some come pretty close. This Mantra 1 of mine has really impressed me, it almost feels like the perfect knife. Great ergos and steel, love the wire clip and flippers. Can't say enough about the Ti scales. But like everything it's not perfect. It's not the most aesthetically appealing to me, I don't look at it in awe like I do a CRK 21. I see a 21 and just can't get enough, but that's a whole other beast. Anyway, I just thought I'd share how much I enjoy my Mantra.

What knife is nearly perfect for you?
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I EDC a Spyderco Gayle Bradley #1. The rascal stays sharp and fit and finish are very good. It is perfect for the work around the shop and home. Were I going scuba diving I'd select something else, but for my purposes the GB works great.

 
GatorMedic said:
The Benchmade Bugout is my perfect knife. It's been my constant off duty EDC since purchase about five months ago, and I sold off my 940-2 and Spider Monkey because I realized the Bugout beat them both out for me. First and foremost, it has my ideal blade length of 3.25". That was the reason I tried the knife in the first place because the marketing was a little gimmicky for my taste so I first skipped right past it. The blade itself is an excellent shape and makes it an exceptional slicer. The blue handles I was hesitant with at purchase, but once I got it in hand I actually realized I like them. It gives the knife a little character, rather than being the same old black knife, and you can easily find that sucker whether you drop it in the woods or misplace it in the house. The short deep carry clip is just plain perfect. My clip initially came too stiff but I clipped it to an almost empty roll of duct tape for two days and it was good to go with the perfect retention. The clip keeps the knife nicely down in the pocket but also has less of a footprint on the front of the pocket so less potential to scrap it on the side of a truck bed when reaching in or whatever else. Finally, the weight. Just wow! This thing is so insanely light that you can forget you even have it clipped to the smallest athletic shorts. All in all this knife is amazing and definitely the perfect knife for me. I look forward to carrying this knife as my EDC for years and years to come.
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Add me to the Bugout-is-awesome fan club.

I bought a lot of knives in 2017 (four customs and about two dozen high end productions or midtechs among them, including two CRKs) and the Bugout was the biggest surprise of the bunch. I end up carrying it a lot, and I've been mostly carrying $500+ knives otherwise. You could break down my daily carry into three rough categories: customized Southards (my happy place), expensive knives, and the Bugout or CS Tuff Lite.

The Bugout has so much going for it:
  • Great cutting performance (oh look, a reasonably thin blade with a basic shape cuts well, go figure)
  • A reasonably low price point
  • My favorite lock
  • Ultra lightweight
  • Super thin
  • Lefty-friendly ambidextrous lock and reversible clip
  • It can take a beating for a thin/light little knife
When I front right pocket carry a firearm (e.g. when I have to wear dress pants) I carried my wallet and the Bugout in my front left pocket most of the time. It was also my workout knife, pretty much exclusively after it arrived.

I'm not sure how anyone could be unhappy with it--unless they just hate the color blue . . . ;)

There's no such thing as a perfect knife, of course, but if you were looking at performance + value I think the Bugout is a pretty great option. It's big enough to use, but small and light enough to forget you're carrying it, even in workout clothes. Of my favorite purchases in 2017, only one can be found everyday all over for ~$100, and it's that little blue bugger:

Bm9xppE.jpg
 
evilgreg said:
Add me to the Bugout-is-awesome fan club.

I bought a lot of knives in 2017 (four customs and about two dozen high end productions or midtechs among them, including two CRKs) and the Bugout was the biggest surprise of the bunch. I end up carrying it a lot, and I've been mostly carrying $500+ knives otherwise. You could break down my daily carry into three rough categories: customized Southards (my happy place), expensive knives, and the Bugout or CS Tuff Lite.

The Bugout has so much going for it:
  • Great cutting performance (oh look, a reasonably thin blade with a basic shape cuts well, go figure)
  • A reasonably low price point
  • My favorite lock
  • Ultra lightweight
  • Super thin
  • Lefty-friendly ambidextrous lock and reversible clip
  • It can take a beating for a thin/light little knife
When I front right pocket carry a firearm (e.g. when I have to wear dress pants) I carried my wallet and the Bugout in my front left pocket most of the time. It was also my workout knife, pretty much exclusively after it arrived.

I'm not sure how anyone could be unhappy with it--unless they just hate the color blue . . . ;)

There's no such thing as a perfect knife, of course, but if you were looking at performance + value I think the Bugout is a pretty great option. It's big enough to use, but small and light enough to forget you're carrying it, even in workout clothes. Of my favorite purchases in 2017, only one can be found everyday all over for ~$100, and it's that little blue bugger:

Bm9xppE.jpg
Click to expand...


Good to know. Thanks for the review.
 
GatorFlash1 said:
I EDC a Spyderco Gayle Bradley #1. The rascal stays sharp and fit and finish are very good. It is perfect for the work around the shop and home. Were I going scuba diving I'd select something else, but for my purposes the GB works great.

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Agree. Quite possibly the perfect farm/ranch folder. This is the one I take when there is some serious cutting to do.

And I must give a shout out to the GB2.
For me it is THE quintessential large EDC. Easier in the pocket than the GB1.
 
GB940Rookie said:
Agree. Quite possibly the perfect farm/ranch folder. This is the one I take when there is some serious cutting to do.

And I must give a shout out to the GB2.
For me it is THE quintessential large EDC. Easier in the pocket than the GB1.
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Good point. I carry my GB #1 in a ballistic nylon Velcro belt sheath. I do the same when I carry my Leatherman. Avoids the knives fighting with keys and coins, etc. in my pocket.
 
GatorMedic said:
View attachment 828109

The Benchmade Bugout is my perfect knife. It's been my constant off duty EDC since purchase about five months ago, and I sold off my 940-2 and Spider Monkey because I realized the Bugout beat them both out for me. First and foremost, it has my ideal blade length of 3.25". That was the reason I tried the knife in the first place because the marketing was a little gimmicky for my taste so I first skipped right past it. The blade itself is an excellent shape and makes it an exceptional slicer. The blue handles I was hesitant with at purchase, but once I got it in hand I actually realized I like them. It gives the knife a little character, rather than being the same old black knife, and you can easily find that sucker whether you drop it in the woods or misplace it in the house. The short deep carry clip is just plain perfect. My clip initially came too stiff but I clipped it to an almost empty roll of duct tape for two days and it was good to go with the perfect retention. The clip keeps the knife nicely down in the pocket but also has less of a footprint on the front of the pocket so less potential to scrap it on the side of a truck bed when reaching in or whatever else. Finally, the weight. Just wow! This thing is so insanely light that you can forget you even have it clipped to the smallest athletic shorts. All in all this knife is amazing and definitely the perfect knife for me. I look forward to carrying this knife as my EDC for years and years to come.
Click to expand...
Yeah, For a lightweight knife it is hard to beat.

I can't justify the Bugout right now because I still own a BM 531. They are both good knives but, between the two, the 531 has to sit at the back of the bus. The Bugout is really the better knife. No question.
 
Overall for things like self defense, slicing, solid in the hand feel, my PM2
that said,
The one in my pocket every day is a Swiss Army Tinker
 
sabre cat said:
Yeah, For a lightweight knife it is hard to beat.

I can't justify the Bugout right now because I still own a BM 531. They are both good knives but, between the two, the 531 has to sit at the back of the bus. The Bugout is really the better knife. No question.
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Sell the 531 and use those funds to buy a Bugout. Problem solved ;)
 
GatorMedic said:
Sell the 531 and use those funds to buy a Bugout. Problem solved ;)
Click to expand...

I've considered that more than once.
However, I have found that I really enjoy the blade geometry of the 531. The blade height of the Bugout is slightly taller than the 531 and I am not sure that I want to go in that direction.

I still own a Benchmade Volli which offers a taller blade. Love the knife but, I rarely carry it. I think it's because of how tall the blade is. Maybe I should sell the Volli and get the Bugout. It's worth a thought.

I can't help but feel that the Bugout is a cross between the 531 and Volli.
 
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