Which Spike Should I get?

[hessian101]

do any of the mora's have laminated blades?

 

[hessian101]

(doublepost)

 

[znode]

What I am looking for is an easy to sharpen, general purpose knife to be used for anything from cutting up raw chicken, to opening boxes. I do not want it to be too 'flashy' or 'evil' looking, Just Pure function.

So... exactly what the Cold Steel Spike is not? The Spike looks about 1/2" wide, made with 7/32" stock. That'll make the primary grind 24 degrees. Add cheap 420, and you have the makings of a pretty useless cutting tool. Unless your intended utility is stabbing people, which the Spike would do pretty well.

do any of the mora's have laminated blades?

Read the pages that are linked to you? 17 Moras are laminated on the page linked to you 10 posts ago. That means a fifth of the page was all laminated knives.

http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html

The H-2/0, H-1/0, H-1, H-2, H-0, S-201, S-1, S-2, #137, #277, #311, #106, #105, #135, #120, #906, #920 are all laminated Moras, with incredible 61-62 HRC hardened cores.

They are all also 1/3 the price of a Spike.

 

[Cannon916]

Hessian, you're not here for a popularity contest. Buy what you want to buy, make yourself happy. I have the standard (original) and the Scottish. I prefer the Scottish much more than the original. The Scottish has a wicked sharp point to it, and the smaller blade seems a bit more manageable with the thin handle.

To all the Cold Steel haters- Will I take it as my only knife when TSHTF? No, But it makes a good everyday around the house knife.

 

[Tomahawk23]

Dude... These Knives are pretty cool. If you want one, then get one, you Won't be disappointed. I have used these little gems before and they are pretty cool.
Yea... they are probably not great for a survival knife or good to use to kill a bear with... but, everyday around the house use.... they are great. And don't let the triangular grind fool you, they are sharp! And they will cut most things pretty well.
As cheap as they are, buy two!
(Man... it like nobody even read your original post.)

 

[hessian101]

So... exactly what the Cold Steel Spike is not? The Spike looks about 1/2" wide, made with 7/32" stock. That'll make the primary grind 24 degrees.

I was under the impression that the flat ground, zero-edge would be easy to sharpen... I could definitely be wrong.

From what I am seeing, though, I will probobly choose a scandinavian style knife.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Luke, the edge geometry of the Spike is all wrong for a good slicer. It's too obtuse. But the real problem is the steel. It won't hold a decent edge even if you work hard enough to get it sharp.

You will find the Moras are excellent slicers, and perhaps eventually you can try more expensive Scandinavian knives as well. Whatever you turn to, though, thinner is better for slicing, thicker is made for stabbing or prying.

Many utility knives, camp knives, or field knives will be a bit thicker than the Moras, legitimately, because the users know they'll be beating on them, chopping, batoning, maybe even breaking through bones. But the Spikes are too narrow even for that.

 

[Tomahawk23]

I have made up my mind to get a cold steel spike. Please spare me the 'cold steel sux' comments- Because I have already made the decision.

What Happened to commitment?

 

[Joshua J.]

Unfortunately, the "Spike" line of knives are pretty much for piercing and not much else. The blade is extremely thick and narrow. Pretty much any decent knife in that price range is going to cut better simply due to edge geometry.
Even if just used for mundane purposes I'd get something with decent steel, as knives that are put to work make better use if high quality steel than knives that sit on a shelf all day.
For around $30 I'd recommend something from Kershaw, they put out some of the best products in that price range.
http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=7410

http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=7407

At $50 I'd get the Benchmade 10502 Rant Bowie. Being made in the U.S. with 440C it's probably your best bang for the buck, and would be my personal choice for a good beater.
http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10516

Lastly, if I were willing to put some extra cash into it I'd get a Spyderco Aqua Salt. It has the benefit of being rust proof and (IMO) the best ergonomics of the bunch. The downside being that it costs twice as much as my last recommendation.
You can get them with a black or yellow handle, and in plain or serrated edge.
http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10570


By the way, I bought a Spike talon a few years back hoping that it would handle food prep while on the go. It now serves very nicely as a small prybar, as I've rounded the edge to make it more suitable for what it does best.

 

[hessian101]

What Happened to commitment?

I came around...

But seriously- I didnt know how 'threatening' the spikes are percieved- I want something that is less likely to get me into trouble for simply carrying.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

What Happened to commitment?

Commitment? He doesn't owe Cold Steel anything if the numbers come out on the side of another knife. Read the rest of his first line: he didn't want the Spikes brushed off because people didn't like the company that made them, but

Unless there is a different fixed blade knife which you think is much better (for the same price),

He was willing to accept a better knife in the same price range. All in all, a much more intelligent approach than you are pushing here. I don't appreciate trolling.

 

[Tomahawk23]

I'm not Trolling!
The guy Said he was going to buy one and nobody could change him mind.
I wasn't talking about his Commitment to the Company... I was speaking of the commitment to doing what he said he was going to do.

 

[Cannon916]

I had a Mora knife when I was younger. It cut very well, but my friend back then stabbed a telephone pole and the last inch of the blade bent at a 90 degree angle. Don't know if I would trust them, even if they are low priced.

 

[znode]

I was under the impression that the flat ground, zero-edge would be easy to sharpen... I could definitely be wrong.

From what I am seeing, though, I will probobly choose a scandinavian style knife.

A flat grind on a thin-stock blade does make it cut amazingly well, just like the tapered, aerodynamic nose on a Corvette does help it go faster.

But when you taper the nose on a bus, it doesn't suddenly becomes a sports car. The Spike profile is a bus. Putting a flat grind on it is better than a saber grind, but that doesn't mean much.

And don't let the triangular grind fool you, they are sharp! And they will cut most things pretty well.

A chisel can also be shaving sharp. Doesn't mean it makes a good knife.

but my friend back then stabbed a telephone pole and the last inch of the blade bent at a 90 degree angle. Don't know if I would trust them, even if they are low priced.

So you wouldn't trust a Mora because it's been shown not to be a boar spear...?

 

[Cannon916]

So you wouldn't trust a Mora because it's been shown not to be a boar spear...?

Huh? Did I stutter? I said my friend stabbed it into a telephone pole, not a boar. What are you trying to say/imply/infer/hallucinate?

 

[carrot]

Huh? Did I stutter? I said my friend stabbed it into a telephone pole, not a boar. What are you trying to say/imply/infer/hallucinate?

I'm reasonably certain that "stabbing telephone poles" is a not useful measure of the quality or utility of a knife.

Moras are fantastic cheap fixed blades. They work well, are cheap to replace and come in all manner of sizes and styles.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

To quote my own post # 27 above,

You will find the Moras are excellent slicers, and perhaps eventually you can try more expensive Scandinavian knives as well. Whatever you turn to, though, thinner is better for slicing, thicker is made for stabbing or prying.

Moras are great knives but they do have their limitations. I wouldn't stab a kitchen cuting board with one, let alone a phone pole.

Gentlemen, take it easy on each other. There's plenty to critique, if not criticize, about the knives -- not about the knife knuts.

Tomahawk23, if you have a problem with my moderating, take it to the Service & Support forum, or email me. I don't want to see any more of it in this thread.

 

[jim preston]

Moras are great. Cold Steel makes good products, but the Spike looks more like, well, a spike. Great for stabbing stuff with, but not that good of a general purpose cutter.
Moras are great for the price. Cold Steel also makes some AUS8 and 4116 knives in your price range. The shorter version of the Buck 119 would work, as would the KaBar Little Fin. Don't discount the AG Russel Woodswalker, or the Buck Hartsook, even if they are small.

 

[Slaytanic]

This looks pretty cool and in AUS-8. Cold Steel Double Agent II
http://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10684

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Cold Steel also makes some AUS8 and 4116 knives in your price range.

You know, I didn't even think of them till you mentioned this, but CS has a whole series of small, lightweight, inexpensive knives, including a Mora-style, the Finn Wolf, and a puukko, the Finn Bear, and the Canadian Belt Knife, and the Roach Belly. I think most of them are here.