Your actual use vs review talking points

Me too..... my regular carry is a 111mm SAK.

I really don't need a clip, but if the knife has one, I usually use it that way. I seldom take them off. More likely to just toss it in a drawer if I don't care for the clip on a particular knife.
One hand opening is not a necessity or requirement.

Clips and one handed opening are convenient and a nice change of pace sometimes, but I definitely don't require them either.
 
My use can vary greatly depending on the day and activities ... but I always carried a pocket clipped modern folder and an Alox SAK Farmer at minimum ... and a Leatherman Wave ...

most days I carry a small fixed blade also my favorites are a

1. CPK EDC2 in a belt sheath ... sometimes vertical occasionally horizontal ...
2. A Battle Horse Knives Foxhound in a leather belt sheath
3. An Esee Izula II ... either neck carry or just pocket carry in it's kydex sheath

I love to hunt , fish, camp, hike, horseback trail rides, picking wild berries or mushrooms ... so very often the fixed blades are used for outdoor uses ... from cutting rope or bank line to wood craft fire starting cleaning wild game or fish .. cutting baling twine or feed sacks ...

my folders are more for daily cutting needs ... anything from opening a package or zip ties , cutting card board to cutting up an apple ...

some use as a first responder/volunteer fireman ... and any knife I have is what gets used as needed ...

my high value points are a well designed knife that is comfortable in hand ... good edge geometry and cutting ability with a good heat treat ... I prefer Micarta for good grip over most handle material ... the exception is processing animals I prefer wood ... easier to clean up ... I prefer a Full Flat or High Saber Grind slightly Convexed ... no use for Scandi ... the handle has to easily index in my hand so the edge stays where it should not turning in my hand ... a sheath that has good retention whether leather or kydex for my fixed blades ... and a good customer service / warranty

things that do not matter as much to me are knife steel ... can be high carbon or stainless as long as it performs well I can sharpen it as needed and usually touch up knife/knives nearly daily ... and the edge geometry is far more important to me than having the newest "super steel" ...

the weight has no factor in what I carry ... even when carrying a large pack a few ounces or even a few pounds doesn't matter to me ... as long as I have the tool/tools I need ...
 
At this point I mostly look for something with a thinner blade and light enough to carry without noticing it, while being just large enough to get a 4 fingered grip. I remember having the same thoughts about the zt 0562, its a great design but if you need to break down some cardboard it takes so much more effort than if you just had an endura or even a swiss army knife.

Other advantages are a good clip (function over form here is big), a comfortable handle, and an easy to sharpen blade shape, no recurves for me

Less important are things like handle material and style, which can be cool, but function comes first.

Things I dont care about are super steels (though i'll take them if it doesnt add a lot to the price), damascus blades, fancy inserts or backspacers, carbon fiber (i've always thought it belongs in cars, not knives), or anything automatic/assisted, I do like non assisted flippers if done right but its never something I look for intentionally
 
More and more it's whatever rides best in whatever pants I will be wearing. Some of my "better" knives see little pocket time for that reason.
 
One big thing I forgot about with reviews that I don't really care about is specific blade steels.

For me it's the brand / maker that matters.
Brand matters to me as well, but I do like to try new brands. It has only been a couple years since I tried a Benchmade knife out. I own two now. I do seem to get into a rut from a knife brand point of view. What people say here on the forum matters to me more than a video test and the rest I get from the specs or look at it in a store. The only time I watch a knife video if it is generic to the discussion and linked here.
 
Brand matters to me as well, but I do like to try new brands. It has only been a couple years since I tried a Benchmade knife out. I own two now. I do seem to get into a rut from a knife brand point of view. What people say here on the forum matters to me more than a video test and the rest I get from the specs or look at it in a store. The only time I watch a knife video if it is generic to the discussion and linked here.
My thing is that for those companies i like who mostly stick to one steel I know they do a good job with it while another company might not , so there's no reason to even know what it is if that makes sense.
I like Victorinox steel and that's all I need to know about it.

I have to agree about opinions here mattering more than videos, it seems like on YouTube they're only talking about themselves and their preferences while here it's just a discussion.
They'll title videos " best knife "...ect presenting their own opinions as if what they say is if they're a prophet
 
1. My use
Carving and trimming. Not wood but hard rubber and aluminum and even some steel.
Not hardly any cardboard any more.
Precision opening of plastic bags so I can reclose them and make them look professional / new if what was in the bag was not acceptable to the customer. Translation : I can appreciate a pointy ("weak") blade tip.

2. My high value points
Sure . . . everything takes a shave sharp edge (hair whittling etc.) but I want something that doesn’t loose it’s crazy sharpness in one day of light use (S110V I’m putting you back in the drawer and reaching for my trusty M4 and ZDP-189).

And while we are at it for the latter I don’t need diamonds to touch up and for the former I do.
I hate using diamonds . . . so that pretty much sintches it for me.
S110V to look at and talk about.
M4 and ZDP-189 to actually EDC the crap out of and smile every time I use them.

3. What I care less about
Tactical . . . killing . . . maiming . . . stabbing car doors . . . I know, I know I’m such a wimp.
I couldn't care less about . . . er . . . what I care less about is : Backward, left handed chisel grinds to be sure the person I stabmaimkill won’t fit back together again. Are we sure all this is necessary ?

I don’t care about sharpenability / how easy it is to sharpen. See S110V above . . . actually it is easy to sharpen (with diamonds . . . no really; it’s no big deal).

Currently, I find myself actively turned up by .12” stock
FOR BOXES wait until you try .016 “ (.4mm)
That’s the Stanley “regular” box knife blade (for non retractable box knives).
I fitted that blade in the top knife here
IMG_3269.jpg

Wire ties . . . especially cutting wire ties while on ladders
. . . nippers . . . nippers, nippers, nippers
IMG_4104.jpg


taking down ridiculously constructed merch shippers to get them into an undersized compactor.

Time to have a little fun I say :
39l16ct.jpg


There has literally never been a time when I’ve thought or cared about the weight of a folder I’ve carried.

There’s a man that doesn’t own a standard old school Buck 110. People make fun of me when I carry mine because I list to one side from the gravitational pull.
 
I love this thread great post.

Uses : Opening packages and containers. Cutting food general utility things and outdoors use being from the Appalachia region.

Looking at and enjoyment of owning and flipping/playing with.

Last line of self defense. Could go in to a big spill about guns knives and the such but too lazy.

VAULE POINTS:
Quality construction and materials
Looks
Ergos
all tied for #1. A knife that’s extremely ergo in all grips is a big one for me. One reason why the XM-18 is my favorite.

Nice action bc it’s enjoyable and a nice sign of quality

Blade design can’t be a wonky blade shape.
Like good pocket clips the XM series clips are perfect to me.

Manufacture reputation and Warrenty/services.

High grip g10 and jimping for certain applications.

COULD CARE LESS ABOUT :
I agree weight pocket knife weight matters none to me don’t feel it hardly at all in my pocket. The ZT emerson 0620 is the heaviest folder I have and it carries as well as any other. There’s no difference between a 3-4oz knife and a 5-6oz to me.

Lock strength it’s a folding knife unless it’s crap any locking mechanism will serve just fine.

This.
 
1. My use - boxes envelopes plastic packaging, zip ties. At work and at home, though more so at work.

2. My high value points - handle comfort, fidget factor (love the spydie hole and framelocks for this), factory edge (since I don't heavy use I don't have to sharpen often), how it rides in pocket with clip.

3. What I care less about - internal components, disassembly factor since I rarely do that, lock strength.
 
My criteria for use outside of work is mostly if I like the knife. I used to have a whole list of things a knife needed to have, until I realized that I was looking for something that didn't exist.

I am to fix that, but I'll need a work space, and a milling machine.

For work, an Alox Electrician does what I need it to do. If I need something more specialized, then I'm not usually more than five feet from my big bag o' tools (including a pair of snips, wire stripper, linesman's pliers, channelocks, wrenches, etc), or my truck, which has even more fun toys in it. And if all else fails, I have a radio, that calls the boss, who calls a contractor.

I have yet to find a knife review that is not either cringe-worthy, or flat out boring, but I haven't looked that hard. A couple of fellas flipping a knife half a dozen times and alternating between "um" and "uh", while they struggle to chain together the next three words completely turned me off to the entire segment. It sounds like what I would end up with, if I tried to do knife review videos.
 
Like a few here, I don't have much time for knife reviews. Anyone reviewing for the youtube algorithm is testing a knife for two, three days? Maybe even less. If I see a knife I want, I want real-world use to see if it does what it claims. So there are a few indicators I use, does the steel compare to how others who have used it think it should, does it seem to have the traits they expected. Do the guys that reprofile the pants off everything go hard on it or do they not tweak it much. Everything else is personal, so I'll just have to buy it and see what I feel like. I don't buy that many knives in a year, so I have to be pretty confident that it will be worth while, and until I start a channel that reviews four knives a year, there won't be a channel for me. I also tend to read for the negatives, because I often learn a lot more about a knife that way.
 
1) USE
Dress carry seeing very little use. Light use such as opening packages. Medium to hard use at work like zip ties, weed eater string, cutting wood, sheet rock. I work as a carpenter, handyman, do lawn care and ranch work.

2) VALUE POINTS
I like good construction. I want the knife to feel solid in my hand and fit my hand well, even the ones with three finger grips.

I want to like the looks of the knife although it’s not a deal breaker on a working knife. I think the Manix 2 is butt ugly and the FRN handles feel crappy but it makes a great work knife. I recently sold a Chaparral because I just didn’t like looks of it.

I want what I perceive to be high value for money spent. Quality materials, good construction and at a good price. I was able to buy my Gayle Bradleys before MAP price fixing, oops, I mean MAP pricing. Paid less than $130 each. That’s a lot of knife for $130. Got a practically new 940-1 on the used market for half the cost of a new one. Same for my 940. Clearance knives are another way to get a lot of value.

One handed opening and closing is a must for my work knives.
Folders have to have a pocket clip if I’m going to EDC them.

3) WHAT I CARE LESS ABOUT
I’m not much of a steel snob although I do prefer 154 or better.
Weight is funny with me. I prefer my EDC to be 3ozs or less but have no problem packing a large folder, large fixed and a foldable saw on a 5 mile hike.
I don’t care if my blade isn’t perfectly centered, has a less than perfect action or comes with a edge that needs work. I’m not picky on lock type as long as it works well.
 
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My use is quite varied but about the hardest use any of my knives see is cutting roses to bring inside for the vase on the dining room table. Whatever pocketknife I happen to be carrying becomes my wife's knife at any dinner out. (Assuming her selection requires a knife.) I do a bit of work in the yard, so my knife sees use there regularly mostly pruning something rather than me walking over to the garage for hand shears. It's also my goto utensil for any food prep because I know the knife from my pocket is sharp.


Value Points: I don't use pocketclips but am a fan of lanyards, so a removable clip and a lanyard hole are something I look for in every knife. As I use a knife for food prep, long thin blades like traditional clip points just don't spread the mustard. I gravitate towards wider blade profiles like Spyderco leaf shaped blades. One hand opening is a near must. I also really find myself appreciating pocketable fixed blade knives. (Bradford Guardian 3 and Lionsteel M1 are my current favorites.) I have my bases covered and am more of a user than a collector, so for me to consider another knife it has to bring something new to the table. That's why I got a guardian 3, I wanted to try out something in M390 and compare it with my Bark River in 3V. I liked the steel so much I wanted to try the handle shape of the M1 (I've hardly used the Bark River since I got those.) I have had poor experience with flippers so I pass on those. (My first flipper was a kershaw chive, lasted less than a year. I tried a couple others and now consider a flipper mechanism on a folding knife to be a needless complication of a simple machine.) I have a soft spot for titanium scales, in fact most of my folders and one of my fixed blades are titanium handled.

Things that don't matter. Weight. I've carried all kinds of knives in my pockets and have yet to have one seem heavy or be bothersome due to weight. Lock type. I am right handed and can close every type of lock without thinking about it although most of my collection is either frame lock (Reeve Integral Lock) or backlock.

Grizz
 
Use: Food and packaging. Opening/cutting stuff and slicing food. EDC in fact.

Value Points: Has to be legal carry, aesthetically pleasing, be a FFG slicer and as small a package as possible for the given cutting ability. Tall/long/thick/heavy knives have no place in my pocket. I need the geometry/steel combination to allow for edge retention for a couple of weeks of EDC use at a time. The knife has to be comfortable to use, without sharp corners or anything digging into my hand. It cannot be slippy in hand. Stainless is a given for me, patina=dirt.

Care less: Tacticool. Manufacturer reputation when evaluating a knife. Fanboy opinions. Country of origin. Self defence (what a joke). Pocket Clips (I don't do clips). Lock type (I'm fine with a slipjoint).
 
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I’m pretty ambidextrous with knives and often carry a folder with my left hand. I’ve never had any issue unlocking a right ha des frame/linerlock with my left hand.

Apparently some people have trouble though. I’m not judging them, everyone is different.

Good point! I always kind of wondered about it too, some knives I can unlock easier with my left than my right, even though I am right hand dominant. That being said I switch knife and fork for eating too, so I guess I am more ambidextrous overall aside from writing. I can see how it would be easier with your preferred hand though.
 
My edc cuts thick plastic wrap, nylon straps, and food mostly, For work (mailman) I need something pocket friendly with some stainless ability. I am soak and wet with sweat from 9 am- 4 pm in the summer months. Plus my work uniform pants are super thin.
The most important aspect of a knife for me is “philosophy of use” :D kidding! Ergonomics and blade shape are high on the list. I also look at build materials.
One of the most important things is over all is build quality! You know- you flip it open for the first time and giggle like a little kid. Very solid. A keeper has to give me that warm fuzzy feeling.
Turn offs for me -
1- Ugly Knives. Poor designes.
2- Blade play. If I spend $200 on a knife it better not wiggle at all!
3- Large thumb studs.
 
What I value:
1) A balanced steel like 154CM, M390/20CV, Cru-Wear (well balanced between toughness, edge-holding, and corrosion resistance)
2) Ambi action for a folder
3) Horizontal carry capability for a FB
4) Plain edge
5) Uncoated blade no matter what steel it is

What I don't value:
1) Heavy - I have no interest in a folder that's heavier than 4.5 ounces
2) Weird looking blade shapes - too hard for me to sharpen
3) Serrations

My reality has changed in the last couple of years. First, I retired from warehouse work. When I joined BF I worked in a sporting goods distribution center... a little over 800K sq ft in north GA. I rode man up cherry pickers, electric pallet jacks, scissor lifts, and handled inventory as well as working with an IT network (cabling, packaging, etc.). I used my knives to accomplish assignments in all those areas, including helping install new racking and cutting and placing signage in the new racks. We used 8 ft high slots that were stacked 3 and 4 levels high in the warehouse. That's where some of my knife drop stories come from.

I live in the county, not in the city. I have 2 acres that are wooded in back and landscaped in front. My wife and I do a lot of planting so my knives still get used for trimming plants, opening bags of mulch, potting soil, etc. I also live with dogs and there's usually something to be opened, trimmed, or killed (ticks) with them.

The second big change is my arthritis in my right hand. It's very noticable now and it ain't gonna get any better. That has shifted my knife interests away from "handed" knives like frame & liner locks and more toward ambi folders and small fixed blades. AXIS locks, compression locks, and back locks are what I carry & use for folders now. BM, Para 2s & 3s, and my Bradford G3s are the ones I currently carry & use. My Hinderers and some of my autos are slowly making there way into other homes & hands.
 
For a EDC work knife I want a large tough(blade and handle) single blade locking folder. Plain edge(only exception would be if Spyderco would license and use Veff serrations), single handed opening and closing with a solid lockup. I want a large yet thin folder that carries well with a pocket clip. Steel choice falls behind blade shape, blade & overall size, hand feel, pocket feel, lock and overall appearance. As long as the blade steel doesn't chip I can deal with a lot else.

I'm a farmer / diesel mechanic and my knives see more than their share of abuse. I cut zip ties, wire, strip wire, reinforced hose, scrape gaskets, dig with it, scratch marking lines on steel and a lot of other things a knife shouldn't be used for. It is what I always have with me so it's what gets used.

Current work knife is a Spyderco K2 and it ticks all the boxes.

I've watched 2 knife reviews only on knives I couldn't handle in person before I purchased.
 
If the handle is bigger, the blade must be bigger. And everyone wears a size 8 glove. :rolleyes:

:D
 
1. My use:
90% suburban EDC: opening stuff, cutting cardboard, occasional food prep.
10% harder use: camping, yard work, etc

2. My value points:
Quality materials and build.

Handle fits my hand in 4 finger grip.

No or very small sharpening choil/notch: a sharpening notch is touted by many reviewers, but I have found they snag when cutting and I don't like them.

I enjoy one handed open and flickable knives that use thumb studs or holes.

Along those lines, I also enjoy locks that allow you to remove tension from the blade (axis, hogue button, compression etc). Although I like these, a delica gets the call for daily carry the most.

Steel: the differences aren't huge, but I think I can tell the difference of wear resistance of zdp on EDC blade and toughness of 1095 on fixed blade. The various properties of the steel along with the heat treat and the knifemaker's vision for the blade intrigue me.

3. What I care less about:
Warranty and customer service: I tend to buy used and work on my own knives. It is remarkable that a company like Benchmade will accept a second-hand knife with aftermarket scales to fix omega springs, but it drives me absolutely bananas that they won't sell omega springs.

Lock strength: they are all good enough for my use, I don't tend to put any force on the spine of my folders.

Bearings vs washers: both seem to work fine for me

Flippers: man I get sucked in over and over and over. Now I'm intrigued by front flippers...sheesh!

Fixed blade EDC: it doesn't work nearly as well for me as some reviewers tout. I like to have a 4-5" fixed blade for camping/yard work.

Adornment: I have a knife with mosaic pins that I really like overall, but now wish it was a little more plain looking. Not into fancy lanyards or very flashy appearing materials.
 
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