Required folding knife options

[AZ Refugee]

Was working out of town years ago and went to dinner at a steak house. Server forgot to bring steak knives. Waited for a minute or so and both myself and my buddy used our pocket knives. Sever came back by later and saw what we were doing, apologized profusely and was going to get us knives. Told her not to worry about it at this point!

 

[Axxe55]

My main needs for a knife are utility and more as a tool than a weapon. I like a knife that can be opened one-handed, has handle material that has traction if my hands are greasy or sweaty, and clip so it's easy to get to without digging into a pocket.

 

[easy rider]

The thing I probably cut mostly is wire ties or zip ties, whatever way you want to call them. I don't really know why. It's not like the welding field has an over abundance of wire ties, it just seems that mostly what I remember cutting is wire ties. Now I know wire cutters are best for that, but who goes looking for wire cutters when you have a knife at reach?

 

[magholder]

I don't like a big knife, so something ust big enough to do the job is all I am looking for in a knife.

 

[Fletcherjl]

Lock type is most important to me. I will not buy a liner lock at this point. Don't really like back locks but on occasion I'll buy them.
Made in US is preferred but will go Europe or Japan if I have to.
I will not buy a knife made in China

Steel is a weird one. It has to be easy enough to sharpen. M390 is a great steel but it's kind of a bitch to get back sharp after heavy use. S90v has always been chippy for me.

If they cost less than 100 bucks it kind of makes me nervous.

 

[easy rider]

Lock type is most important to me. I will not buy a liner lock at this point. Don't really like back locks but on occasion I'll buy them.
Made in US is preferred but will go Europe or Japan if I have to.
I will not buy a knife made in China

Steel is a weird one. It has to be easy enough to sharpen. M390 is a great steel but it's kind of a bitch to get back sharp after heavy use. S90v has always been chippy for me.

If they cost less than 100 bucks it kind of makes me nervous.

Mine has S35VN steel. Edge retention is excellent.

 

[zackmars]

Durability, size, weight, edge retention...

Country of manufacture.

Its a knife. Its a utilitarian object that will live most of its life in a pocket, only used to cut open boxes, weed whacker line, or maybe pick out a splinter.

Knife people are wierd. Like REALLY wierd.

 

[vmax]

Decent function with low cost. Sucks to lose 300 bucks repeatedly.

Kershaw assisted opening knives. Fit the bill

Just stop losing them
Problem solved

But we've all lost a knife at one point probably
It happens

 

[vmax]

American made..blade steel and shape and handle material are on my list

And it helps if they haven't cut up firearms for a police gun buy program

 

[candcallen]

Just stop losing them
Problem solved

But we've all lost a knife at one point probably
It happens

I usually find them years later.

Well except for my glasses, I usually find them when I look in the mirror and see them on my head.

 

[vmax]

I usually find them years later.

Well except for my glasses, I usually find them when I look in the mirror and see them on my head.

I bought a new Anza knife last year..
Put a post on here of it
Used it to skin a deer in December and haven't seen it since...
Glad that one was only $65

 

[Sasquatch]

Decent function with low cost. Sucks to lose 300 bucks repeatedly.

Kershaw assisted opening knives. Fit the bill

This. Pretty much exactly this.

I've been more careful / lucky that I've held onto my current knives, flashlight, and multitool for going on 2 years. I've misplaced my primary knife once or twice, but found it in that term.

I've lost countless multitools and flash lights and knives over the years, mostly while working.

Kershaw assisted openers are my go-to knives now. The Cryo II (I'm on my 2nd, because my original one was lost - I've had my current knife since Christmas of 2019) is my primary knife, the Leek is my go to backup.

I've got a bunch of other folders but don't carry or use them often because of either how the pocket clip is arranged, or how the handle fits my hand. Some are just clunky. I also appreciate the assisted open function versus a plain flipper or thumb stud.

I'd love a genuine Rick Hinderer knife like the Cryo was modelled from, but I would lose that shit in a heart beat I'm sure.

 

[easy rider]

This. Pretty much exactly this.

I've been more careful / lucky that I've held onto my current knives, flashlight, and multitool for going on 2 years. I've misplaced my primary knife once or twice, but found it in that term.

I've lost countless multitools and flash lights and knives over the years, mostly while working.

Kershaw assisted openers are my go-to knives now. The Cryo II (I'm on my 2nd, because my original one was lost - I've had my current knife since Christmas of 2019) is my primary knife, the Leek is my go to backup.

I've got a bunch of other folders but don't carry or use them often because of either how the pocket clip is arranged, or how the handle fits my hand. Some are just clunky. I also appreciate the assisted open function versus a plain flipper or thumb stud.

I'd love a genuine Rick Hinderer knife like the Cryo was modelled from, but I would lose that shit in a heart beat I'm sure.

I still have a couple Kershaws, and they both are good knives, but they were a bit bulky, heavy and don't keep an edge anywhere near as well as my ZT.

*Yes, I know Zero Tolerance is a division of Kershaw which is owned by Kai USA Ltd (Japan), Still made in the USA even if though it's close to one of the most leftist cities in the nation*

 

[Sasquatch]

I still have a couple Kershaws, and they both are good knives. but they were a bit bulky, heavy and don't keep an edge anywhere near as well as my ZT.

*Yes, I know Zero Tolerance is a division of Kershaw which is owned by Kai USA Ltd (Japan), Still made in the USA even if though it's close to one of the most leftist cities in the nation*

Yeah, Kershaw was just two towns over from where we moved from. They're in Tualatin - which made it great when my replacement Cryo had the spring bust. I drove to the factory/HQ and they fixed it on the spot, and sharpened the blade. They offer free sharpening for any Kershaw customer, which was also cool.

Every year around Christmas they also run a sale on clearance / closeout items, dudes line up around the block for that. They sell stuff for 1/3 of retail cost.

Leatherman is IN Portland, and they stepped on their own dick a time or two but it was also nice going to Leatherman and having them fix or replace broken tools. I'm hard on my tools and I've broken a few Leatherman's.

Gerber was between Leatherman and Kershaw, in Tigard, again, was nice to have their HQ right there for service issues.

 

[easy rider]

Yeah, Kershaw was just two towns over from where we moved from. They're in Tualatin - which made it great when my replacement Cryo had the spring bust. I drove to the factory/HQ and they fixed it on the spot, and sharpened the blade. They offer free sharpening for any Kershaw customer, which was also cool.

Every year around Christmas they also run a sale on clearance / closeout items, dudes line up around the block for that. They sell stuff for 1/3 of retail cost.

Leatherman is IN Portland, and they stepped on their own dick a time or two but it was also nice going to Leatherman and having them fix or replace broken tools. I'm hard on my tools and I've broken a few Leatherman's.

Gerber was between Leatherman and Kershaw, in Tigard, again, was nice to have their HQ right there for service issues.

Yeah, I used in Beaverton near all of them. I used to have several Gerber Knives, but only kept one when I left on my Harley, which was then always on my belt.

 

[Kar98]

Holds an edge, locking blade, one hand opening.

 

[TxStetson]

American made..blade steel and shape and handle material are on my list

And it helps if they haven't cut up firearms for a police gun buy program

I feel like that was aimed at me.

 

[vmax]

I feel like that was aimed at me.

Omg...lol...

Im.almost back to where I could buy one again but I found those Hogues and ZTs.

BM makes an excellent product and I will probably buy one again in the future

 

[jlevy]

I use mine for food prep, trimming wood (and getting excess glue off wood) and a ton of other stuff. For zip ties I use diagonal cutters. Here's what I look for:

1. I found a 3.25" blade is about perfect for my uses. Any shorter and food gets in the pivot area.
2. I really like CPM-3V and make my fixed blades and axes from it, but I don't make folders and CPM-3V is not a common steel in a folder. S30V and S35VN are both excellent all round steels for my uses and they're stainless. M390 (similar to 20CV) is also nice, ZDP-189 can be tricky to sharpen, even with diamond stones. 8cr13mov is a Chinese steel that's not bad for a cheaper steel.
3. IMO, Kershaw is an excellent value (under $100 for a knife with good steel). Spyderco is no longer a good value and I don't like the way the finger choil in many of their designs wastes a good 1/2 inch if blade length.
4. I always use diamond sharpening stones so I never really have issues (except for the ZDP-189 mentioned above).

 

[Dimonback]

SOG Every day. Decent steel, edge holding, and cost. Best bet is the Twitch Large, or if you can find one, a Topo Meridian (discontinued, but a great EDC).