Okay, what do you plan on using the knife for (opening boxes, whittling wood, etc.), and how often are you willing to sharpen it? Please provide that info, and I'll make some recommendations based on that.
Looking to upgrade my pocket knife
- Thread starter pURPLEcHILLIrED123
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go with a benchmade man. they are awesome knives, ive had mine for around 8yrs and its still a beast
Wiggles92;5060718; said:
Mostly opening boxes, opening packages, mail, cutting rope if needed. Mostly normal everyday use. Don't need it for hunting or anything like. The more thin the better, less bulky. Sharpen as needed.
Dude just get a benchmade you will not regret it you want a american made blade that is quality. I would say gerber but 95% of them are made overseas now. I am military and they issue me benchmades for a reason.
pURPLEcHILLIrED123;5061168; said:
Okay, you have quite a few options then.
Check out Kershaw knives. Many of their knives are made in the U.S. plus many of their nicer knives are made with better steel than knives from other companies such as Gerber. I personally carry a Kershaw Volt II on my person on a daily basis. This knife has a 3.125" blade made of 8CR13MOV steel and is an assisted opener knife. It was sharp out of the box and has stayed pretty darn sharp despite being frequently used since I purchased it nearly a month ago. Another option is the Kershaw Leek; this knife is regarded by many to be the best assisted opener knife out there. The example that I provided a link to has a 3.0" blade made out of Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel. There are many different options out there for colors, steels, and handles for the Leek, so you should be able to find the one that fits you best.
Another company that is worth checking out is Spyderco. Their knives tend to use some of the best steels and can be somewhat pricey if ordered directly from the company rather than through an online vendor, but they are also some of the best knives for your buck. Check out the Spyderco Endura. This particular example of that knife line has a 3.75" blade made of VG-10 stainless steel and is not an assisted opener knife although some of the other versions of the Endura do have assisted opener capabilities.
As for Benchmade, consider yourself very lucky to find a legitimate Benchmade knife in your price range. Their knives are the best of the best and are priced as such.
As for other brands, check to see what the steel is; if it's made of 440C or just labeled "stainless steel" then pass on it without doing a bit of research on its ability to hold an edge. The knives that I own that are made of 440C sharpen easily but don't hold an edge for very long while the knives that I have that are not 440C tend to hold an edge much longer but are a bit harder to sharpen. The main reason that I recommend avoiding most Gerber knives is because they use 440C in most of their knives.
So in short, generally avoid 440C and generic "stainless steel" knives and go with a dependable brand such as Kershaw or Spyderco. Also, when shopping for your next knife, check it out on the manufacturer's website, then search for it on Amazon or another website in order to get a much lower price.
Beachmade it is... Thanks. Spend little more for good knife. I need it to be under 3"... That is what is legal under California law.
