Which neckknife: Emerson LaGriffe of Cuda Arclite?

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knifedaddy84

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Oct 8, 2002
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The LaGriffe seems like a better SD knife, but the Arclite is more like a normal knife...which would you prefer?

Thanks.....
 
Originally posted by knifedaddy84
The LaGriffe seems like a better SD knife, but the Arclite is more like a normal knife...which would you prefer?

Thanks.....
Click to expand...
I've had both and I like both, but it basically comes down to what you already stated. I traded away my LaGriffe, but still have the Arclite. The LaGriffe I never used because I didn't want to have to sharpen the thing. Then again, you could always get both without stretching your wallet too far. At twenty bucks, the Arclite is a great deal, though.
 
I'd vote for the La Griffe. It had been my favorite neck knife for a long time, but I actually prefer the Spyderco S.P.O.T.

spot.jpg


The S.P.O.T. has all the advantages of the La Griffe plus an even better grip and a more useful blade.

--Bob Q
 
It really depends on your use for the knife. If you are looking for a no nonsense SD knife, the La Griffe is pretty hard to beat. The Arclite is a more utilitarian piece that as mentioned, can be found at a great price.
Matt
 
The La Griffe is IMO the best 'bang for your buck' knife out there.
True it is really SD more than anything else but it could handle other chores if it had to.
 
I'm very fond of neck knives, and I have a few of them. I even have some "non-neck-neck-knives," which means I have a kydex sheath for my Spyderco Delica (I got it from the now-defunct but was-very-good Ironstone Cutlery catalog). I also have a cheesier one for my Spyderco Lightweight Walker Linerlock (not as secure as the Delica's sheath).

I'm always shopping for a new neck-suitable knife. I recently ordered two Timberline Mini Pit Bulls (they should arrive tomorrow if the UPS order tracker is worth anything). They have a great shape, and look very simple and no-nonsense (that's my big preference).

I also just saw the Boker Bud Nealy Specialist II at Knifecenter.com and it looks SWEEEEEET! Of course, it's $100 if you get the G-10 handles, but only $49 if you get the plastic ones. (I'd want the G-10, since they appear to be removable with hex screws.)

I lean heavily on my CRKT Neck Peck, and my Cold Steel Spike, both of which see daily carry rotation. I also have a Benchmade TK-1 (Tether Knife) which, while I LOVE IT IMMENSELY, I don't wish to carry. It's more like a pride-and-joy to sit in my trunk 'for the enjoyment of having it.' It's actually my favorite, but until I can afford a second one (at something like $70 a pop!) it won't see use.

I just looked at the La Griffe and have to say I don't care for it at all. I simply don't like recurve blades, because I see their use as very limited. (That's also why I don't like fully serrated blades.) The Spyderco Spot is also in that category for me. HOW I would love to like a Spyderco neck knife, but they just didn't hook me with the weird-ass recurve blade. It looks like a Civilian Mini-Me! Those spots do nothing for me aesthetically, and the grip orientation looks troublesome, and the knife looks *weak* overall.

I really would recommend the TK-1 or the Mini Pit Bull. The former is rather expensive for a neck knife, and the latter is about $28; your other choices leave me puzzled about whether price is an object ($58 for La Griffe & about $20-something for Arclite). I think the bang-for-buck factor goes to the Arclite, given my feelings about the alternative La Griffe, especially for their respective prices (and who wants a french-named knife?!) :p But there is that Mini Pit Bull...
 
Thanks for the comments...the only other consideration would be use in salt water, for surf casting for stripers.
 
I've had both and, still own the Griffe. It's small and light enough to wear every single day, without fail. the Hawkbill style blade and the fingerhole lend the knife to MUCH heavier tasks than it's size would imply it would be capable of. I've also found it to resharpen quite easily, and take one hell of an edge, especially on a diamond hone. Inspite of my XL forepaws, it's got a very cozy grip also. Overall, I absolutely LOVE my Griffe. Which is mildly surprising to many of my friends, due to the fact that other than the Griffe, I'm NOT a big Emerson fan. The La Griffe to me is what neck knives are s'posed to be all about. It's not bad at all for utility, even though it is at it's best for SD. (or so I'm told, never tried it)

The Arclite was pretty nice also. Took a heck of an edge, and you can even cut a straight line with it. Didn't take long though for me to mount a Tec-Lock on it and start carrying it horizontally on my belt. It was a lil' heavier than I wanted in a neck knife, and the sheath was a bit sticky.

I wouldn't mind another Arc-lite for the occassional fishing trip or whatever, but the La Griffe is by far the best daily companion in my mind.
 
Salt water and surf-casting? You might want one of two knives I am using - one is a Crawford titanium KFF fixed blade neck knife - that also has a clip for IWB carry. (shamelessly for sale elsewhere in this forum) - nice and light and withstands salt water very well.

The other, one of my keepers, is the Mad Dog ceramic mini Operator - cuts like the dickens and stays way sharp; again - completely unaffected by salt water, sweat, what have you.

This is like most situations where describing fully the uses and environment starts to narrow the range to choose from.
 
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