Your Most Enjoyable Folder?

The large 21 sebenza made on my daughters birthday.
There was 7 made in that day, and one popped up on the exchange when she was 10 months old (one if the shortest searches I have been on yet, and it is the most cherished). I was the first of 4-5 to claim it.
I was immediately bombarded by PMs about purchasing it from me for a profit, but to no avail...

I have many knives, but none bring me the joy that this one does when I carry and use it.
It is not leaving my collection. It will eventually be passed down to her Husband if/when she eventually marries, potentially as a wedding gift.
 
Following the OP's criteria, under $300 takes CRKs out of the equation, unless you buy on the secondary market. It takes some patience to find one in decent condition at close to 3 bills, though I have bought two just slightly over that in the last 6 months--a user Wilson Combat StarTac (Umnumzaan) for my son and large Plain Jane 25 Sebenza for myself. My 6 CRKs are highly enjoyable, but I do tweak the action to make them to my liking. One can do very well shopping the Exchange for CRK users that show some wear but are functionally excellent.

For under $300 new there are a lot of great folders in my collection. Some favorites among them, quite a few under $200:

--Spyderco--Manix, 2 and XL; Military; ParaMilitary 2; all the Sages are wicked smooth and I particularly like the 1 & 6; Gayle Bradley 1.

--ZT--0452 CF is just a super knife, and the 0450 is very sweet and flips great, but is small.

--Benchmade--The 710 is just one of the all-time great, classic knives ever made and the 710-1401 is sweet with its bright hardware and M390 blade. I'm not a big fan of the 940 blade shape but have a 943 franken with CF scales that I like a lot. The 908-1501 Stryker is freaking awesome and a helluva knife for around $250 new. The Benchmade 581 Barrage in M390 is excellent, but I have de-assisted mine. All the Griptilians have great blades and action and I have 3 full-size and 2 minis. I hate the crappy noryl handles and have aftermarket scales on all of them, but Grips plus new scales still fit in the OP's budget. I'm a huge fan of old school BMKs, but you have to hunt for stuff like discontinued AFCKs and TSEKs. You can still get nice ones at well under 3 bills even at the premium prices they go for these days. Benchmade has also recently discontinued some of other knives I mentioned and you'd have to move quickly to purchase from remaindered stock or buy on the secondary market.

I gotta echo what Joe said about Benchmade quality. I counted 21 among my collection the other day for another post and there's not one that I wouldn't want to keep. I've had a few that came to a bit off-center and I've mostly tweaked them back. I've left a couple slightly off as they've resisted complete correction but are nowhere close to rubbing. No play in any of my BM knives, they all fly out, have great lock-up, and most completely free-drop with some needing the slightest encouragement to close. Some of the edges weren't much to my liking when I got them new or used, but I've not had but a few knives of all brands that came to me as sharp as I'd like 'em. I pretty much tweak any knife I buy for action too. I think BMK might have hit a bit of slump a couple years back in the QC department, but their overall F&F and especially their edges have been outstanding amongst my recent newer purchases. I just picked up a new 710SBK at close-out pricing that is flawless and can't wait for the discounted 707 Sequel and 908 Strykers I bought to arrive.
 
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My most enjoyable folder I got for around 300 was my Ferrum Forge Fortis. Got it on the forum in mint condition for 325. Amazing knife for that price! Got a BM mini Grip with an M4 blade that I enjoy using a lot. Some others would be my Cru-wear PM2 and Maxamet Manix 2. But, the FFKW Fortis is by far the most enjoyable!! I got a great used large El Patron PD1 steel for 400. I have been able to get and keep that thing razor sharp, even though it gets beat on most days! That thing can take abuse!
 
These are two of my latest.....The ZT 0909 is the better EDC and a cool flipper, but the 4Max is beefiest folder I have ever owned....

P1020544_zpszvdbh1gl.jpg
 
Look, do the right thing and get the 0452. It has all the great qualities of ZT knives without being a pocket brick. It is long and slender but light and tough. Mine does have that very hard flipping action, and that narrow profile does make it seem even longer than it really is. However it is also a dream in the pocket. You won't harly notice it there since it takes up so little room. It isn't wide or thick at all. The blade shape is very useful and the tip is pretty strong.

Only thing though is make sure you tell them to pay attention to which one they send you. Apparently when it first came out people were having trouble with the lock sliding too far over almost hitting the right scale. I don't think this is any longer an issue but make sure anyway better safe than sorry.
 
Just shows how different people's tastes are.

Since, in my enthusiasm, I have way over done it talking about my current faves I won't even say or post a photo of them yet again. I will say:

For the last week or more I come home from work and say to The Chef "I'm in EDC heaven. This is great". I've never done that before. She's getting tired of hearing it but pleased that I'm pleased. She is even more pleased because having heard all about those three she doesn't have to hear any more about new knives any time soon.

So I suppose when you get THERE you will KNOW IT !

As I said . . . how different people's tastes are . . . my Star of stars EDC has been mentioned here and my two very least satisfying folders have been mentioned as faves.

I'm thinking the only way you are going to find out what is the most enjoyable folder is to buy and sell about a cajillian knifes just like we did. Well I didn't sell any of mine but you get the idea.
 
For flippers:
Zt0450 this thing has incredible action it just rockets open
Spyderco domino. While i dont own one (i want one badly) i handled one and its just incredibly smooth.

Manuals:
Well it had to go here obviously the para military two. No explanation needed.
You will find this one funny but i really really enjoy flipping my customised sanrenmu 7010 its something around 10$ but its got really good action and you can make it fly open if you preload on the thumbstuds.

Im not much of an assisted kind of guy but if you want one id say the kershaw blur s30v is very good.

Also the 0450 looks great imo
rbGap1x.jpg
 
I really enjoy my Southern Grind Spider Monkey. There is nothing specific about it I can point to. I enjoy looking at it, using it and carrying it. I guess it just speaks to me.
 
XDJ said:
I really enjoy my Southern Grind Spider Monkey. There is nothing specific about it I can point to. I enjoy looking at it, using it and carrying it. I guess it just speaks to me.
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Definitely a sweet little knife. :thumbup:
 
ChazzyP said:
Following the OP's criteria, under $300 takes CRKs out of the equation, unless you buy on the secondary market. It takes some patience to find one in decent condition at close to 3 bills.
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I got it for $280 and it hasn't seen much use prior to my owning. I could probably have count the snail trails on my hands, and had a factory edge, it was in Fantastic condition.
I guess the seller needed the funds...
 
Honestly, I love the sound and feel of my mini grip when I flick it, even more so than my pm2. The new g10 grips look awesome


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Any of my Northwoods (the ones with the arrowhead). The hard snap on closing is very satisfying.

 
I wonder if there is a wide variation in flipping action within a certain model, or if the variation is in the people holding it?

I've seen people say a certain model is a smooth flipper with great action and then read somewhere else where a person got rid of the same model because the action isn't quite up to par. And there are a couple in particular I'm thinking about that I've handled and also feel they work good but not quite as good as some others in the same range.

Just curious if it's variations within the model or if some people just aren't as picky or haven't experienced better action yet?
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I wonder if there is a wide variation in flipping action within a certain model, or if the variation is in the people holding it?
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Yes.

I have handled two knives of one make and model. Both separated by a few product on numbers and one was slightly better regarding the snap from closed, as well as being a touch smoother.
Both lock up was good and solid, as well as no blade play in either model #.

But I am sure that some people are more sensitive to subtle changes than others.
 
I was pleasantly surprised to find so much admiration for ZT 450. Sure I can mention a few customs but ZT 450 is an excellent knife and exceptional value. It is nice, nimble, the action is great, the size and wait are perfect for EDC. What else can you ask for? I sure hope that ZT will release several runs in some premium steels so I can buy more of these :)
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
That's strange to hear. I have a couple dozen Benchmade knives and while I haven't bought one in a couple years, they have no fit and finish issues. Maybe a couple slightly off center and not all were razor sharp but similar and on par with my Spyderco knives.

I have some with a little horizontal play if you grab the blade and wiggle it and are looking for it. But they are also AXIS lock knives that I have loose enough to swing freely back and forth with the lock pulled back so I can effortlessly flip them open and closed. If I tightened them a hair where they were smooth but not frictionless as they are now, any play would go away, again, like any of my average Spyderco knives.

Guess when I get home I will see what some of the videos are pointing out as that's not my experience.
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some people dont care about fit and finish and or dont know what fit and finish issues are. im not saying you are or not, i dont know you, nor have i seen your knives. fanboys also dont care about any fit and finish issues and i would assume also dont know what poor fit and finish issues are also. again i cant say you are a fanboy or not.

i have a 940-1 with fit and finish issues on the blade grind. it also has side to side blade play. my 484 also has this but also fit and finish issues with the wood scales (i have the knifecenter edition) and the pivoit. the pivot torx is not in the center at all, plus it doesnt fill the orange spacer around it. its got worse side to side play and up and down play. if you tighten it anymore it doesnt open very nice at all.
the action of both of them with the blade play is very nice since they flip open smooth and slam shut fast and nice. and i love that. i love how they feel in hand. i love those two knives. i dont like the fit and finish issues what so ever, especially since i paid over 200 for each one (the 940-1 substantially more). neither of them have a centered blade. and all my other knives every single one ive ever got has a centered blade. so i really dont understand the retardedness of benchmade and getting blades that are not centered at all, even my high end Chinese knives are centered perfectly.

the problem is, it may not happen to everyone, but its a huge issue. Here are some reviews ... and other reviewers also have the same opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnwUEgwWzII
[video=youtube;jnwUEgwWzII]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnwUEgwWzII[/video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWo3i7BVv5M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15O74QPYLeE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nyVE2Rre9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5KLc12VGqA

im just using these videos because its clear and understandable of the problem and they are all in one place.

you may very well have perfect examples, you may have issues that you didnt know existed... you may not have any. and none of that may bother you. but i spent lots of money and expect to get good quality with fit and finish from the factory. i mean other companies have their issues, its not like they dont. but every ZT ive ever got was really nice. i had some lock stick with my 804cf for a week, then it was perfect after that, just one example, but it was resolved by itself. but just saying overall its a problem, especially if you goto a big store and have to go through all the boxes to find one example that was actually decent. thats wrong.
 
It seems like the smaller I go with my BM's, the more fit and finish issues I get. My 4 inchers are absolutely impeccable. The 3.5ers are like 50:50 and the ones that do have play or centering issues still fall in my category of acceptable (for a Benchmade), and my 3 inchers it's just anarchy. Liner rubbing, absurd bladeplay. BUT my two Northern Forks are absolutely perfect in lockup and finish. Solid and centered. I don't know what was going on there, but it was like their gold class team didn't have anything to do that day and put those together instead.

Edit: I didn't answer the damn question. My Northern Forks are a hell of a lot of fun to play with, and I think exemplify the fun and enjoyment that a Benchmade CAN offer you. And of course, I think I said earlier my most enjoyable knife is my Reate Wave, but I wanted to weigh in on the BM discussion


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I am a huge fan of the CKF Morrf, in any variation. If you're good with all Ti, the Morrf 4 (M390) is incredible. If you like a little lighter, the Morrf 2 (CF - S35v) is also great. A strong second place would be any version of the ZT 0801.
 
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