Take your $120, avoid eating out at lunch on just two occasions, take that extra $10-20 to boost your price point to the $130-140 range and you can get into a ZT. My 450 is superlative and ran $135 shipped. I have a MiniGrip in my rotation and you can't go wrong there either. But the ZT bests it by enough of a margin to justify the additional $40-50. While there's not a damn thin g wrong with a Spyderco, most of them just never fit my hand that well. I suppose I need to fondle a few more and maybe add a Manix or Sage to my rotation....
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Your sub 120 do it all EDC
- Thread starter mccoppinb
- Start date
You're a Marine, right? So get yourself a sweet custom fixed blade for your $120. If you go around carrying a folder, then the terrorists have already won....ok, perhaps I've exaggerated that a wee bit, but seriously man, get yourself a nice fixed EDC with the money....and if your response is that you've already got one, then get another one....you're a Marine brother, knife up - Oorah!
I like a nice fixed blade for huntin but not so much edc takes up to much space in the pocket and I'm not a fan of belt carry the only fixed blade I have carried a good bit is my CRKT Minimalist bowie but it's tiny
That zt 0450 is sweet wish I could find one at a steal like you did lol
If I'd have known how much I would like it, I would gladly have paid more to get it sooner. Just keep your eyes out on the for sale forum as there seems to be 3-4 a week that pop up. I missed several at slightly lower prices, but then again, I don't have the time to sit and watch/refresh the forum every 5 minutes. I think you will be very pleased if you can up your price point just slightly.
In the for sale forum, there's a used Spyderco PM2 with digital camo scales for $95. S30V steel. That's a pretty dang good deal considering they're upwards of $125 or so elsewhere. Thread is called "Several Spydercos FS." I have no affiliation with the seller, just thought I'd pass it along....
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- Jul 14, 2011
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Delica or Endura all the way. Not a fan of the PM2s personally (although I seem to be the only one). Personal preference, but I'd take an Endura over the ZT any day. It's a decent combat folder I suppose, Michael Janich favored it until he developed the Yojimbos. More than strong enough for just about any reasonable task - but prying rocks will probably kill your tip.
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- May 5, 2008
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You have a lot of good choices there -and even though I am a BIG Spyderco Stretch and Manix fan - to maximize saving $ and all your other requirements, you might want
to consider a Cold Steel Code 4!
[video=youtube;i3kFBSvfjus]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3kFBSvfjus[/video]
to consider a Cold Steel Code 4!
[video=youtube;i3kFBSvfjus]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3kFBSvfjus[/video]
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For folders I don't think you can beat the value of the manix or para2. However I'd think fixed blade for a deployment. But then again, I'm not military. Thanks for your service!
Since you particularly ask for a slicer, I'm actually going to go with the Delica, Stretch, Dragonfly, or Endura, particularly in ZDP-189. They take a beautiful (thin, full flat ground) edge, hold it forever, aren't actually difficult to sharpen when they do dull (contrary to popular belief), and will hold up to anything you want a pocket knife to do.
Other people are thinking "aw, Marine, let's send him into a war zone with an overbuilt tank of a fixed-blade knife!" But you're specifically not asking for that. If you want to meet halfway, though, a PM2 or Griptilian (with the thumb hole) is probably your best option.
Other people are thinking "aw, Marine, let's send him into a war zone with an overbuilt tank of a fixed-blade knife!" But you're specifically not asking for that. If you want to meet halfway, though, a PM2 or Griptilian (with the thumb hole) is probably your best option.
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- Jan 27, 2016
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Rat model one variant Aspiva. Frame lock, with a spear tip, instead of drop. I love mine. AUS 8 is easy to sharpen, and takes a nice mirror edge.
Native 5 LW S110V
Yep.
I'm also a fan of the Blur in S30V. The Blur can also be had in a couple of colors, red and navy blue, to help with that whole losing it thing.
Out of the box a bit, a Cryo II might work. Nothing great in edge retention (8CR13MOV), but if you lose it you're only out maybe forty bucks. Comes to that, a Skyline fits that same role as does the Spyderco Tenacious. All good knives.
Way out of the box, you might want to consider a Leatherman Skeletool CX. It has a very nice 154CM blade, but also has a couple of screwdrivers and a decent pair of pliers. Worth a thought. I carry one every day clipped to my left front pocket. Handy, but not especially macho.
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Endura wave and dragonfly. Also like my OTF cricket that I carry around the house (cause we can own them just cant carry them "sad face"), Para 2 is pretty decent as well I paid $99 for mine on amazon when they first came out.
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- Dec 17, 2014
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I'd buy a RAT 1 and maybe some kind of fixed blade. Can't really go wrong with the RAT, I find myself carrying it to this day even though I have more expensive knives like the PM2. It does everything well, has a decent blade length, comfy to hold and deploy, has AUS-8 steel that is easy to maintain. Good working knife, no frills about it. In a worst case scenario if the liner breaks, it becomes a fixed blade rather than closing on your fingers.
Maxpedition Excelsa (small version)? I've seen some mixed reviews, but some folks really like it, if you're looking for a Ti framelock type thing. The mini-grips are nice, but they always feel wide in pocket to me. My PM2 rides so much better in pocket for some reason, even though it is a much larger knife than the mini-grip.
Edit:
If you're looking for slim, can't get much thinner than a BM 530 or a skyline. Neither gives me a huge feeling of robustness, but for a thin, light EDC, they disappear into a pocket.
Edit:
If you're looking for slim, can't get much thinner than a BM 530 or a skyline. Neither gives me a huge feeling of robustness, but for a thin, light EDC, they disappear into a pocket.
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I just saw the knifeworks has them for $119.95
I just saved you 4 more pennies
Hooah! (Sorry, army 11b here)
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+1 Manix 2 and HK 14715 suggestions. Two of the best values out there, IMO. The Manix will be the better slicer but have a weaker tip than the HK. Both are fantastic, though. For a tough as nails, do it all knife within your budget, I'd go with the HK, especially if tip strength is a concern. And I'm a huge Manix 2 fan.