Which Folder??

D

DanQ

Joined
Oct 27, 1999
Messages
18
I am a new member of this forum. I would appreciate help with selecting a folder that would be good for self-defence/ daily carry. I have looked into the Spiderco Millitary series and was wondering what your opinion was of these knives and/or if you would suggest others.

All help for this newbie would be greatly appreciated!!
 
DanQ,

Welcome to the forums!

The Spyderco line of knives are cool & pretty much affordable. In my humble opinion, start out in style & get an Emerson Commander as your first carry/defense folder. It's a STOMPING knife & you WON'T be disappointed! Shop around on the net & you can get it quite a bit below retail. You can also check the Emerson forum for a review. Good luck & happy hunting!

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Attila
 
If by "daily carry" you mean performing utility tasks and daily cutting chores, you may wish to consider carrying two knives. There is a strong line of reasoning that says a folder for defensive purposes should not be compromised by utility. This means that the design should be purely oriented towards this role and the edge should be kept "factory-sharp" and not used for mundane tasks. Take a look at the Spyderco Civilian for a knife that fills this role well.

The Military is arguably the best production knife you can buy for a large utility folder (I'd guess folks would argue for the Sebenza, AFCK, or 710 Axis... but few others). Its steel is probably the best used in any production folder, its lock is solid and reliable, and "the hole" makes it as fast or faster to open than anything out there. I think it would be an excellent knife for the "daily use" role, and a pretty good choice for defense, too. I just urge you not to press one knife simultaneously into both roles.

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-Corduroy
"Why else would a bear want a pocket?"

Little Bear Knives
Drew Gleason:
adg@student.umass.edu
 
Thanks for the replys. Let me clarify. I am fortunate to live in a state with CCW. I carry every day but would like to have a knife for back up. I often carry a smaller Spiderco, (Don't ask which model because I don't know!) but want to step up to a fine quality blade, mainly for protection.
 
View


The two open knives are Civilians, G-10 (top) and aluminum (bottom). In the center is the new Matriarch, a slightly smaller and substantially less expensive Spydie that fills the same role. They are the only production knives specifically designed for defensive use (not "fighting").

-Drew
 
i have to agree that the military is a high quality knife. i have one in the mail right now. as far as defense, the point is a little low for good stabbing, but it has great belly for slashing attacks. it would be great backup to any fine defensive pistol. for a utility knife i highly recommend a spyderco LW native. they are a comfortable size, weight and are pretty cheap.
 
DanQ,

The Military is an excellent knife that you should seriously consider picking up. Maybe not perfectly suited for self defense but utility-wise, it's great. Since I got mine a couple months back, I've been carrying it on me everyday as my primary knife. Highly recommended. You can't go wrong.

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ET

 
Yeah, I like the Military a lot. I have two of them: one serrated and one plain. I prefer the plain edge. I like the the steel (CPM 440V); I like the flat-ground blade. I LOVE the big thumb hole. Some people complain about the length of the handle, but it works for me. It's a big package, but carries nicely for its size due to the flatness of the handle and the excellent clip. One especially nice feature of the Military is the recessed liner. If you compare the Military to some other knives in the "tactical" category, such as the Benchmade AFCK, you'll notice that the Military's blade fits very close to the handle scale slabs. There's not a big fat washer in there between the blade and the handle, which means you don't have much chance of bothersome lateral play. This results in a feeling of rigidity and sturdiness. The Military really is a fine knife.

David Rock

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AKTI Member # A000846
"Never carry a knife shorter than your schnoz."
 
I would vote Military as well. I have had mine a while now and find it to be an awesome tool and one heck of a work horse.
You will NOT be disappointed.
No offense to Emerson or his knives, but of the ones I have seen and handled, you are better off with Spyderco.
The liner will last longer and fit and finish are much better.

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The greatest thought that has ever entered my mind is that one day I will have to stand before a Holy God and give an account of my life.
*Daniel Webster

Rev 20:12

 
I could name a few folks I expect to see disagreeing with me shortly, but...

Military vs. 710:

Steel - 440V beats ATS-34 in edge-holding and ability to take a fine edge by a longshot. ATS-34 is the teensiest bit more rust resistant. At the relative hardness of these two blades (440V at ~56RC, ATS-34 at 60RC) I expect the 440V to be tougher.

Blade - I love the 710's recurve but dislike the saber flat-grind in 1/8". The Military has a full flat-grind from 5/32" stock - strong and excellent geometry. Military offers plain or serrated. 710 has only plain or combo. I prefer the Military.

Opening method - Can't beat the hole. period.

Lock - Here's where I'm gonna get fried. The Military's liner-lock is smooth, easy to open and close one-handed, rock-solid, will take more weight than I'd ever put on it, and should it fail it will jam the blade OPEN. I could ask for nothing more. The Axis is even stronger, but who cares? 10x too strong is no better than 5x. If it should fail, it will allow the blade to close. Action is stiffer than the Military, and the locks I've seen occaisionally bind and one even fails to engage. Also I have concerns about crud getting trapped in the enclosed spring area. My vote goes to the Military unreservedly.

Handle - Folks describe the 710 as a very comfortable knife. I disagree entirely. the palm swell is too far back, and the front finger groove far too shallow and gradual. the knife only "fits" my hand when I hold it very far back, with the butt resting against my palm. I like the Military's pronounced forward grip and also appreciate the choil for choking up, an option the 710 doesn't have.

Looks - A subjective area, I admit. But if anyone thinks the Military is prettier than the 710, I'll smack them silly
wink.gif
The 710 is gorgeous. The Military is, well... somewhere between hideous and "beautifully functional." The hole is an acquired taste.

I think the 710 is a fine design, but if I had $100 I'd get the Military (well, I have one...). If I had another $100 I'd get an M-2 AFCK. I'd probably continue doing this until I had all possible variations of both knives. Then maybe a 710
wink.gif


-Drew
 
Another vote for the Military here!
I would add that the forward cant and the continuous curve of the belly on the Military are tailor made for slashing.
Another plus is the fact that if the knife lock did fail (fat chance! I've tried to kill the lock. It still lives!) the choil is what would hit your fingers and not the very sharp blade.
Some have said the Military is more for utility than defense, but I must humbly disagree. When you study the knife, it has lots of defensive knife type attributes.

Definately get one and you'll be glad you did.
smile.gif


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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.


 
I guess it's the millitary then. I have to admit that I have held the 710 and the Mill and as far as looks go, the 710 is head and shoulders above the Mill.

It's so tuff to choose..............maybe I'll get both!!!

Thanks for all the help. I'll let you know what I decide.
 
Get both if your able.
I carry the 710 in the left pocket always. It's a great utility knife.
The right pocket gets switched every two or three days with the Military, Starmate, Carnivour and Wegner being the main players.
All great choices for the defensive side IMO.
smile.gif


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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.


 
The Military is a great knife, its scary sharp and has a very solid lockup. However, I have just ordered a Commander, and from what I hear it is better suited for the self-defense part and it does great with everyday cutting chores.

Soloman
 
DanQ, I agree...choosing a single "defense" blade is not an easy task. Picking one sole folding knife would have to go to my Sebenza, but fortunatly I don't have to!

Being in the military provides a lot of concealed carry options, hence I'm able to carry the Emerson Commander (superb tank of a knife), the Spyderco Military...rides very comfortably in my left-front pocket, and I also carry my BM Axis-710 in my back pocket (opposite my wallet).

They all carry very well, but I must admit I use my Commander the most (easiest to draw), followed by my 710. But, for best feel, it's gotta go to the Military. It is the serrated version (which is why I don't use it that often), but it's the best "left-pocket" knife I've carried and is very easy to deploy with my left hand.

For a sole defensive implement, the price goes to the Military and 710...for ergonomics
and best suited blade (IMHO), the Military wins out. Again, locks are somewhat mooted, some feel better about the "roller"-style lock over the more common linelock, but the Spyderco's lock is very well done. Because my Military is serrated, the utility factor goes to the 710.

Sure glad I'm not trying to choose! Good luck,

Dave



[This message has been edited by dp (edited 27 December 1999).]
 
I am going to be an odd one out here. Have you considered the StarMate? I have the Military, the StarMate, and a BM 720 Pardue Axis (yeah, I know that it isn't the same as a 710). For a general utility knife, I keep coming back to the plain edge StarMate. I have said this before, but I really believe that it comes as close to perfection in a folder as I have seen. It looks better and it fits better, at least for me.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
Thanks for all your help guys. lots of time has passed since i first posted this thread. the knives i settled on are:

D/A SOCOM - my fav by far!! I have two already and am sure to get more!

710s what a great lock. Also very comfortable to carry.

mini striker

How am I doing so far??

Thanks again

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Romans 12:1-2
 
It absolutely amazes me how many times we get this thread, or something similar. We have all sorts of threads asking for ,"the best folder", "the best knife", etc. Check these. I'm sure you'll find something useful. It's also intesting how powerful a suggestion can be. In other similar threads, the common answer has often been the 710, Sebenza, etc. The Military comes up a LOT more when it comes to "Defense knife" posts. Not surprisingly, since the poster mentioned the Military, this knife has completely rocked the competition.

Basically, if you buy any knife mentioned in this thread, you will be VERY satisfied. To be honest, if you don't already know the answer, some of these pieces may simply blow your mind. They're great knives. I'm not saying you're an idiot or anything. It's just that the more time you spend on any subject, the more knowledgeable you become--> higher standards.

Howie
 
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