Your most impressive knife?

[NeverEnuff]

Edited by staff: Please leave any diatribes at the door and simply discuss knives in this thread. Nobody wants to hear about whether you hate knives made abroad or in any particular country. Discuss the knives and what makes them particularly impressive, not the politics and policies of the countries they come from.



For whatever reason...

Maybe it's Chinese, but built better than anything USA made you've ever handled. Maybe it's just the best bang for buck your ever owned. Maybe it took the most abuse you ever threw at a knife, and survived it.

For whatever reason, and I want to know the reason, what is your most impressive knife?

For me it's the Boker Plus Mangiafico Canoe...

A small Sebenza-like look (but definitely not a design owned or started by CRK, just popularized by), beautifully executed with blue ano Ti scales and bronzed hardware. With S35VN blade and a truly great action this thing rocks. Super solid and satisfying jettison opening, however definitely not drop shutty type of knife, which doesn't bother me at all. I've never been more impressed with a knife and I own a small Sebenza. This thing kills it trifold.

Now I cannot speak to it's ability to stand the test of time or abuse, because I don't keep knives long, nor do I use them for much. So take my opinion with that very necessary grain of salt. However, I doubt you'd find many that would say Boker does anything subpar or not up to the task. So yeah, this is mine without a doubt!

 

[Mikel_24]

Impressive is a very broad word... I have quite a few folders and some of them excell in certain tasks / categories... Some perform good enough to be taken on trips where they will have to perform multiple chores. I am not a wealthy guy, so sometimes the easy-ness of replacement / availability / price are a factor to consider when deciding which knife I take with me.

Mikel

 

[John_B]

Sure is purdy.

 

[calm]

https://imgur.com/zqbZvJr

 

[kobold]

Titanium folders are my weakness and I like everything about the Fluted Ti Military. I think it's unique in many ways and I kinda see it as "peak Spyderco".

 

[shinyedges]

For whatever reason...

Maybe it's Chinese, but built better than anything USA made you've ever handled. Maybe it's just the best bang for buck your ever owned. Maybe it took the most abuse you ever threw at a knife, and survived it.

For whatever reason, and I want to know the reason, what is your most impressive knife?

For me it's the Boker Plus Mangiafico Canoe...View attachment 2272398

A small Sebenza-like look (but definitely not a design owned or started by CRK, just popularized by), beautifully executed with blue ano Ti scales and bronzed hardware. With S35VN blade and a truly great action this thing rocks. Super solid and satisfying jettison opening, however definitely not drop shutty type of knife, which doesn't bother me at all. I've never been more impressed with a knife and I own a small Sebenza. This thing kills it trifold.

Now I cannot speak to it's ability to stand the test of time or abuse, because I don't keep knives long, nor do I use them for much. So take my opinion with that very necessary grain of salt. However, I doubt you'd find many that would say Boker does anything subpar or not up to the task. So yeah, this is mine without a doubt!

Do you have pictures of your actual knives? I'd like to see a side by side of the boker and small sebenza when you get a chance.

 

[DMG]

For whatever reason...

Maybe it's Chinese, but built better than anything USA made you've ever handled. Maybe it's just the best bang for buck your ever owned.

I saw this and thought wtf?

Now I cannot speak to it's ability to stand the test of time or abuse, because I don't keep knives long, nor do I use them for much.

Then I saw this and it made sense.


One of the more impressive knives I have owned is the massive slab of titanium and 10v steel called the Spyderco Farid K2. I have sold mine and missed it then bought another and realized it is a little bit big to carry then sold it and missed it a couple of times now.

 

[The Zieg]

A sword, circa 1820, model 1811 Prussian cavalry saber. Service sharpened. Covered in various regimental stamps showing its gradual movement from front line cavalry to reserve artillery over about 75 years. Original two ring scabbard intact.

When I find the pic I want to post, I will update this post. It's in this phone somewhere.

Zieg

 

[pvicenzi]

Still looking for the one that cuts stuff for me, and sharpens itself.

 

[TC]

The obvious answer is: Smatchet. I have the one made by Böker and it's quite the beast.

Other than that I'll go with my Randall Model 1-7, just for the pure beauty of it.





Oh wait, there's also the Chris Reeve Impofu; not the pic of the one I snagged:

 

[ferider]

If there was just one, my knife addiction would be cured.

Having said that, my first gut reaction to your question was my Behemoth:

 

[Gary W. Graley]

This Reate Wave sure tops my collection

IMG_6091 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

IMG_6092 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

IMG_6101 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

IMG_6100 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

IMG_6094 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2

 

[Venice]

Not pretty but been with me for over 35 years.

 

[Man with no name]

 

[Hammer67]

Maybe it's Chinese, but built better than anything USA made you've ever handled.

 

[NeverEnuff]

All a matter of perspective.

WE, Reate, Bestech, Kansept all do some pretty mind blowing stuff for a cost below anything even remotely close to something even generic and basic, but made in USA.

For instance, my WE Highfin is a lot more impressive to me than my Tactile Rockwall. Pretty sure the Highfin was $100 less too. Also, I don't use my knives. So impressive to me is all about design aesthetics and the smoothness of the action.

 

[NeverEnuff]

Still looking for the one that cuts stuff for me, and sharpens itself.

True, ditto and fair!

 

[NeverEnuff]

Do you have pictures of your actual knives? I'd like to see a side by side of the boker and small sebenza when you get a chance.

Most, but this one is my most recent and haven't gotten around to it. The Sebenza I just hate so much I don't want record of me owning it yet. I made a major mistake getting the Micarta inlay version and have since learned that I deeply loathe micarta, both in look and feel. I've got a replacement scale on order that I'm praying I'll like, but they guy apparently takes months to do it so I'm waiting patiently. But for you I'll snap one today off the two together for size. I think the Boker is a bit smaller if I recall.

Edit: wait I do have one of my Sebenza from when I first got it and was trying to decide if I liked it... I'll still get you a side by side though.

 

[Blues]

The most impressive knife I own is one built on a dare by Ken Erickson.

One day while we were having one of our many phone conversations, Ken was telling me that he was looking for a new challenge and was uncertain as to what to pursue.

I pulled out a vintage Remington catalog and sent him an image of a button lock Norfolk whittler and told him that if it was a challenge he was looking for, this would be it.

I completely forgot about having thrown down the gauntlet and some months later when we hooked up at the Blade Show, he presented me with the knife you see here. Built entirely via his own ingenuity...with no plans, schematics, drawings or blueprints.

To say that I was blown away would be to put it mildly. Ken's true genius was forever revealed by his ability to create this knife from a simple image sent from a catalog. It is beautiful, functional, mechanically perfect and a great representation of the artist who built it.

 

[NeverEnuff]

Titanium folders are my weakness and I like everything about the Fluted Ti Military. I think it's unique in many ways and I kinda see it as "peak Spyderco".

Gotta say, I'm not at all a big Spyderco fan, especially not any of the PMs, but this looks amazing!!! Color me also impressed!