Who would be happy only Civivi or similar knife?

[jbmonkey]

I have a handful of civivis. I like their damascus. it's fun and affordable for the most part. some of their models i find well thought out, other more visual pieces but poor users. the half dozen I own are all very well made for the price points.

that said I find Buck overall a better value. not for everyone as Buck doesn't seem to focus on modern and hip much if at all......but mainly on tradition and on function as a cutter.

I could get by fine with only a civivi, sure, but I'd prefer a Buck, but that's me.



good to see ya posting Sir. haven't seen one of your videos in awhile...... used to enjoy your auto knife videos. need to go and see what ya have been posting video wise

 

[BJ987]

Is the Vexer their biggest knife? Thinking about other large Civivis, it is bigger than the Incite or the Naja.

The Naja remains one of my favorite knives of all time. I could try to explain but it really needs to be experienced first hand. The feel of the action... The way that big blade slices through materials... The way those contours hug the hand... It's a real gem. Sadly, it's been discontinued. Existing stock is on sale at BladeHQ. I can't recommend it strongly enough to people who want a larger EDC knife.

I know the Vexer is one of their newer models. Before I bought it I searched YT for reviews and there were only a few, all posted this year and all mentioned the Vexer as being their biggest knife so far. If not their biggest, it's definitely big. I just held it up next to me Recon 1 spearpoint and I had to set them down on a table to see that the Recon 1 is just a mm or two longer (obviously the blade is stockier in every way).

I particularly remember one YT review praising the action and I can tell you the hype is real. I thought the action on the Baklash was fantastic, but there's something about the balance among the weight of the blade, detent, and handle that make it really stand out. Like I said previously, Spydie-flicking the Vexer makes it the easiest deploying knife I own. It feels like it takes half the effort of even using the flipper tab. With that being said, I will only buy future CIVIVIs with that big thumb opening. I actually wish they'd make a model with only that opening and without a flipper tab. Like maybe a Shredder without the flipper tab? I'd buy it in a second.

 

[Chronovore]

... that said I find Buck overall a better value. not for everyone as Buck doesn't seem to focus on modern and hip much if at all... ...but mainly on tradition and on function as a cutter... I could get by fine with only a civivi, sure, but I'd prefer a Buck, but that's me. ...

I don't know. Buck certainly wins on tradition. Comparing models relative to price though, does Buck win on "function as a cutter"?

 

[jbmonkey]

I don't know. Buck certainly wins on tradition. Comparing models relative to price though, does Buck win on "function as a cutter"?

yes to me.

 

[goldie]

If theres a nicer knife out there than this for 99.00 id like to see it

 

[soc_monki]

I don't know. Buck certainly wins on tradition. Comparing models relative to price though, does Buck win on "function as a cutter"?

The Buck 110 is a fantastic cutter. You should compare one to the Baklash some time, since they are both hollow grinds and both pretty thin behind the edge. Civivi wins on speed of deployment and the whole bearing action, but the 110 is going to be a more robust knife overall. Heavier too. But a 110 is only 35 bucks from a certain store...and has a fantastic company and warranty behind it. The value is high there.

A Vexer is on the way to me, however. I want to check it out and compare it to my other big chinese folder, the Artisan Tradition. That thing is has smoother action than almost all my ZT's (save for the 0470, which is amazing with such a light blade). My Spyderco Amalgam gives it a run for it's money though.

 

[Chronovore]

... that said I find Buck overall a better value. not for everyone as Buck doesn't seem to focus on modern and hip much if at all......but mainly on tradition and on function as a cutter.... I could get by fine with only a civivi, sure, but I'd prefer a Buck...

I've been thinking more about this. I've only tried a fraction of the Civivi knives out there.

The ones I own include the Naja, Backlash, Chronic, Exarch, and Elementum. The thing that stands out about all of them is how well they cut. They all came wonderfully sharp from the factory. They are all delightfully thin behind the edge. They've all had decent edge retention. They've all been a joy to use. They are all exceptional cutters relative to their prices in the $40-60 zone.

Now, I haven't handled a Buck knife this century. I had to look and I see that Buck has a bunch of models in that price range. I see stuff like the Quickfire, Sprint Select, Small Pursuit, Vantage Avid, Duke, Prince, 112 Ranger, etc. I know Buck does an exceptional heat treatment on their 420. How is edge retention versus Civivi's 9Cr18Mov or D2? Stock thickness is comparable for some of those models. How thin do the Buck knives get behind the edge? Does anyone have freshly sharpened versions of both that they could go use side by side for comparison?

 

[BJ987]

Just took this random pic for another thread and thought about sharing it here for the member(s) interested in the Vexer's size...

 

[David Richardson]

I don't know. Buck certainly wins on tradition. Comparing models relative to price though, does Buck win on "function as a cutter"?

Buck easily wins on cutting for me. Hollow grind vs. flat grind.

Modern vs. traditional: this is my Buck Vantage in Micarta with a 20CV blade. If I recall this was $75 or $80. Great clip, great blade, great steel, great handle material, and made in the U.S. Impossible to beat on features and price, imo. It's not the best flipper, but fortunately it has a thumb hole. Fit and finish is good but not great. Other knives in this price range may be better done. I don't know of one with decently done 20CV that will cut better.

This knife was exclusive to a specific Buck retailer. There are other Vantage models in S30V and S35VN. Seem modern enough. Even the 420HC Vantage cuts like crazy. You can find them for under $30. Of course the 420HC needs to be sharpened more often than the high carbide steels.

 

[BJ987]

Buck easily wins on cutting for me. Hollow grind vs. flat grind.

Modern vs. traditional: this is my Buck Vantage in Micarta with a 20CV blade. If I recall this was $75 or $80. Great clip, great blade, great steel, great handle material, and made in the U.S. Impossible to beat on features and price, imo. It's not the best flipper, but fortunately it has a thumb hole. Fit and finish is good but not great. Other knives in this price range may be better done. I don't know of one with decently done 20CV that will cut better.

This knife was exclusive to a specific Buck retailer. There are other Vantage models in S30V and S35VN. Seem modern enough. Even the 420HC Vantage cuts like crazy. You can find them for under $30. Of course the 420HC needs to be sharpened more often than the high carbide steels.

Many CIVIVI knives are hollow grind and very thin behind the edge (Baklash prime example). Can't argue with the steel for the price, but if I'm not mistaken, you can get a hollow grind CIVIVI in D2 or 9Cr18Mov (sp?), G10, renown excellent flipper action, and their renown excellent fit and finish for $50-$70.

 

[David Richardson]

Many CIVIVI knives are hollow grind and very thin behind the edge (Baklash prime example). Can't argue with the steel for the price, but if I'm not mistaken, you can get a hollow grind CIVIVI in D2 or 9Cr18Mov (sp?), G10, renown excellent flipper action, and their renown excellent fit and finish for $50-$70.

Got it. Bad assumption on my part that they were flat grind on the blades. For comparison, the 420HC Vantage probably has as good or better edge retention than the 9Cr, likely less good than D2. Would not surprise me that the fit and finish is better than on a $30 Buck.

 

[Chronovore]

Buck easily wins on cutting for me. Hollow grind vs. flat grind.

Modern vs. traditional: this is my Buck Vantage in Micarta with a 20CV blade. If I recall this was $75 or $80. Great clip, great blade, great steel, great handle material, and made in the U.S. Impossible to beat on features and price, imo. It's not the best flipper, but fortunately it has a thumb hole. Fit and finish is good but not great. Other knives in this price range may be better done. I don't know of one with decently done 20CV that will cut better.

This knife was exclusive to a specific Buck retailer. There are other Vantage models in S30V and S35VN. Seem modern enough. Even the 420HC Vantage cuts like crazy. You can find them for under $30. Of course the 420HC needs to be sharpened more often than the high carbide steels.

My Naja has a very tall flat grind. The Baklash, Elementum, Chronic, and Exarch are all hollow-ground. They are all very thin behind the edge.

The Paul Bos heat treatment is a big part of what makes Buck great. I imagine they do justice to their better steels. What they do for 420HC, I feel like Civivi does for 9Cr18Mov. That's a steel I had previously written off as mediocre because I'd only had it in cheap knives from the likes of Schrade. Civivi really turned me around on 9Cr18Mov.

If anyone hasn't tried a Civivi, it's worth taking the plunge on one of their sub-$50 models.

 

[Idkers]

!

 

[anthony cheeseboro]

This brings up an interesting topic for me. I found this thread while searching Civivi and the models discussed by OP. I always have a slipjoint in my left pocket and one handed flipper or such in my right.

Like my Bucks but are not intuitive open and closers, at least for me.

The point is I don't know about being happy with one knife forever but have been on a continued search for an affordable 3" blade one hander that fits the bill as my right pocket workhorse.
Thanks for starting this discussion.

I think there are very few who post here who would be content with knife for too long.

 

[anthony cheeseboro]

I just picked a Civivi McKenna, and the fit and finish is spectacular. I just think that a small gents knife, a blade steel like 14c28n or Nitro V (Ferum Forge) might be better choice because of the superior corrosion resistance.

 

[DangerZone98]

I’d be plenty happy with just a Recon 1 or Code 4, but experimenting with different knives is a huge part of the fun.

 

[Yo Mama]

Civivi has great stuff, glad they went into the budget arena as the options were getting smaller. Between the materials, steel, customer involvement, and fit and finish I'm really enjoying the Incite and Elementum.

That said, I will piggy back on jbmonkey and agree Buck is where it is still at for me. I think they have focused on more modern designs, having the Marksman, Sprint, Vantage, Impact, lw 110, and Inertia are my favs for folders. What Buck does with fixed blades is hard to match. There are so many options it's hard to not first see what they have to offer.

So, I dig Civivi, but nothing they have can really compete with this

 

[Yo Mama]

If theres a nicer knife out there than this for 99.00 id like to see it

I like my Incite, however it's still budget damascus and the scales have noticeable voids. Locks up solid, great action. To me you get fantastic value with Civivi, but it is still beatable.

 

[marchone]

Talking about these bargain Chinese knives has got me thinking about one I always wanted, but never bought: the Kizer Gemini. I guess I will be a hypocrite and order a titanium knife after all, even if it is a pretty cheap knife for a titanium s35vn knife.

I bought a Baker’s dozen of good to great folders since I’ve been on BF. Production, mid tech and customs. By far my favorite is my custom Laconico EZC. As an alternative take a look at the integral MBK EZC. It’s a very good flat grind version of the same design.

FWIW, the Kizer Gemini is one that I’ve admired a lot. But my experience is the WE Laconico collabs are better than the Kizer ones.

 

[Chronovore]

I like my Incite, however it's still budget damascus and the scales have noticeable voids. Locks up solid, great action. To me you get fantastic value with Civivi, but it is still beatable.

The question should be qualified "for the price". Their 9Cr18Mov-based Damascus knives are expensive for "budget knives" and you're obviously paying for pretty. They're in a weird place relative to EDC. I haven't tried one. If I owned one, I'm not sure that I'd ever get a good feel for their edge retention. I'd be worried about using it.

All the Civivi knives I've owned have been nice. Most have T8 body screws, captured pivots, nice action, good skeletonization, blades that are thin behind the edge, and clean internals from the factory. Being able to count on things like that in the budget realm is a wonderful thing. Of course, it's more impressive with lower prices. The sub-$50 zone is where Civivi really nails it.