Best Place to Learn About Knife Brands

Would you just like me to pick the knife for you...?

Benchmade 940 Osborn.

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I’ve always wanted to like the Osborn, but the aluminum just gives me pause. The only aluminum handled knife I own, Kershaw blur, wore terribly. Scratched way too easily. I suppose that’s why I’m a PM2 fanboy. image.jpg
That’s 4+ Years of edc wear at work. I have a few other iterations that see far less action (blurple s110v!).
 
@RyanMc as you can see, lots of options. I would first head to a store that lets you fiddle with their knives and get an idea if one locking mechanism works better for you than another. That'll help narrow your search significantly.

For example, I prefer liner locks. I can live with a frame lock (a heavier style of liner lock) but don't like them as much.

Some people absolutely love Benchmade's axis lock. Some perfer the old reliable lockback. There are other styles too, like Spyderco's compression lock.
 
you own one? out of all the golden knives it's very popular. this is the knife that started their walmart journey.
No. Just fond, meaning I like the looks of it. What is this Walmart Journey you speak of Kemosabe?
 
No. Just fond, meaning I like the looks of it. What is this Walmart Journey you speak of Kemosabe?
@greencobra, What are the chances of getting you to author a Spyderco Knife Thread and kind of walking us through these wonderful blades...???
~Enbloc

spyder_logo_chrome_2.gif

You can have this pretty chrome-plated gif...
^^^
 
Ideally, I'd love to see Knife-Manufacturer based threads authored and maintained (well, what ever you would call it. Monitored?) by fans and aficionados of that line of knives.

It would be great to show off your favorite Makers & Craftsmen...

~Enbloc
 
@RyanMc as you can see, lots of options. I would first head to a store that lets you fiddle with their knives and get an idea if one locking mechanism works better for you than another. That'll help narrow your search significantly.

For example, I prefer liner locks. I can live with a frame lock (a heavier style of liner lock) but don't like them as much.

Some people absolutely love Benchmade's axis lock. Some perfer the old reliable lockback. There are other styles too, like Spyderco's compression lock.

Agreed. Apparently my newbie question was energizing to the knife crew!!
 
Lots of great suggestions on this thread. Thanks to all.

Going forward plan seems to be three-fold: cheap knives when Scouting, very good quality knife for EDC (lots of amazing options), and mid-quality for keeping in car glove boxes just in case.
 
I thought it was the Smoot-Hawley Act?
Lol. They couldn't even agree on the name... [rofl2]

The Tariff Act of 1930, commonly known as the Smoot–Hawley Tariff or Hawley–Smoot Tariff, was a law that implemented protectionist trade policies in the United States.
 
If you want to spend a bit more on a better knife, and have a little time to wait...

Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 31.
Extremely sexy in Box Elder Burlwood...

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And the North of $800 "Boomerang" Damascus Box Elder. Someday...

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These are sexy. Looks like no local stores. But a few in California near my company’s HQ. won’t be until mid-2022 until I’m back but maybe worth the wait.
 
What is this Walmart Journey you speak of Kemosabe?
iirc my spyderco history, the native was the first spyderco sold at walmart when they entered into their contract to bring spyderco to walmart, almost causing a riot and an old fashioned boycott over on the sypderco forum. sal glesser had to come in and calm everyone down and explain why it was good business to partner with walmart. much fun over there in those days. and oddly, walmart doesn't sell them at a discount...or they didn't when i was snooping there for one. that kept the other retailors off their back.

What are the chances of getting you to.....
not good...
 
These are sexy.
that's all they got, looks. what steel is chris using? i did own one several years ago, but....didn't do anything for me. not knocking the sebenza. if it's what you want, fine, enjoy. there's a myth that comes along with the name sebenza and it's kept rolling by people who don't own one. kind of like an ed brown pistol. it eventually gets a reputation and legend all it's own just by word of mouth. i'd take a les baer any day for half the price. is the brown pistol any better cause they're built by one dedicated smith in the shop instead of at les' shop where 7-8 specialized smiths handle each gun?

sorry op, i tend to go off on off topic rants. [angry]
 
Tell us a little about it, would you Michael...?

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Almost the same exact knife. I have a carbon fiber backspacer instead of standoffs. I have a titanium clip instead of zirconium. My bolsters have an orange peel finish and the blade is CPM S110V
All I can say is I’ve never held another knife that feels like this. If you guys don’t know I used to make custom knives, so between the shows and seminars I’ve handled some of the best makers in the world literally.
RJ makes amazing knifes. You won’t get better fit and finish. This dude is obsessed with precision fit and old world artisan type finishes.

Have you looked at his higher end stuff? He runs into the $10k+ in the same blade design with outrageous materials that take some serious work to not ruin.
I think he’s also one of the only guys working with CPM S125V too.
12.5% Vanadium!!!
 
I was just about to post something praising Sebenzas and then you had to post that about RJMs. [laugh]

If I was only allowed to keep one folding knife from my collection on function alone in some cruel future world it would be the Sebenza.
 
I love Spyderco knives. Great mix of quality and price. Carry a tiny Dragonfly II at work as to not frighten the suits, but to be honest, it probably gets the most use out of all my knives. Have a Paramilitary 2 in the range bag.

Use a Morakniv Companion for general purpose around the house/outdoors. Also have a Gerber Prodigy tanto with serrated belly, but for the life of me I have almost never found a reason to use that. I regret buying it just because it looked cool. It is not a very practical knife unless you're larping 80's action movies.

I also have a few very cheap Kershaw knives. For the money, they are not bad. However, you do get what you pay for in terms of metal and edge retention. So the question is: For a beater, do you want to go bottom of the barrel only to have to sharpen/tune the thing every other week, or buy something a little pricier, but end up with a longer lasting edge?
 
I was just about to post something praising Sebenzas and then you had to post that about RJMs. [laugh]

If I was only allowed to keep one folding knife from my collection on function alone in some cruel future world it would be the Sebenza.
hahaha. Yeah my buddy had a
That is what makes Blades and Knives so special. What feels good in my hand may feel like crap in yours.
Knives are far more 'personal' than guns... Thank God.

Good point. I guess the same for guns to a point. Some people just don’t care how they feel they go for looks. Same for knives. Some are ugly and feel terrible.
That’s how Glock and Spyderco stay in business though.
 
I think the biggest misconception about Benchmade's cutting up of firearms was that they were Zealots about doing it. They weren't.

Cops show up and ask "Can we cut these up?"
Benchmade: "Ya, I guess so...?!"
Cops: "Thanks."
Benchmade: "Crap..."

It's not like they went out and said. "Hey. You guys need help getting rid of evil gunz?"

Benchmade is an American Knife Manufacturer of high quality and durable blades. Enbloc Likey...

The only thing I dislike about benchmade is that I can’t find an infidel fixed blade or a Contigo fixed blade in stock
 
that's all they got, looks. what steel is chris using? i did own one several years ago, but....didn't do anything for me. not knocking the sebenza. if it's what you want, fine, enjoy. there's a myth that comes along with the name sebenza and it's kept rolling by people who don't own one. kind of like an ed brown pistol. it eventually gets a reputation and legend all it's own just by word of mouth. i'd take a les baer any day for half the price. is the brown pistol any better cause they're built by one dedicated smith in the shop instead of at les' shop where 7-8 specialized smiths handle each gun?

sorry op, i tend to go off on off topic rants. [angry]

Having owned (and sold) a Sebenza, I can verify that they are one of the most overrated and overpriced mass produced knife out there. Af far as steels go, Reeve’s knives are heavy on the S35VN. I like S35, but not for $400-$500. They’re pretty, but they toe the line between mass and custom market a bit too much for me.
 
Having owned (and sold) a Sebenza, I can verify that they are one of the most overrated and overpriced mass produced knife out there. Af far as steels go, Reeve’s knives are heavy on the S35VN. I like S35, but not for $400-$500. They’re pretty, but they toe the line between mass and custom market a bit too much for me.
Benchmade, Timberline, and Spiderco are all “Benchmade” as they call a semi production knife. I agree, Reeves knives fall in that category now and should be priced accordingly.
 
Benchmade, Timberline, and Spiderco are all “Benchmade” as they call a semi production knife. I agree, Reeves knives fall in that category now and should be priced accordingly.

Also, using micarta as an inlay always irked me. Mammoth bone, exotic woods, stones and precious materials; those are inlay worthy materials (IMHO). Micarta is compressed canvas or linen and makes a heck of a handle material/scale. However, micarta an inlay does not make.

Edit- don’t get me wrong, they are beautiful and well made knives. Smooth as silk, rarely an imperfection, great craftsmanship. I just couldn’t bring myself to ever use it. It was too expensive. What if I drop it? Bend the tip? Mess up sharpening it and scratch the blade? I like beautiful things, but I like beautiful things that provide at least a semblance of function. Swiss watches (and Hamilton, still American in my mind), high end kitchen knives (less risk of losing/marring), custom wood work pieces, and clocks. Just where my mind goes.
 
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