Knife Chat: Slicing to the meat of all things sharp

[Red Tamarillo]

Other fixed blade EDC or APC options are Hultafors/Moras etc... Sometimes you need to put a bit of dark (if you wear dark pants) hockey grip tape on the end of the handle to cover up bright coloured handles. As small fixed blades can be borderline with showing in pocket carry (IPC). Depends on their overall length. Also can get serrated in these work knives. Not as good serrations as Spyderco, but fine. You can cut the clip off the plastic sheath to make them more streamlined in pocket.

Spyderco also make some options. The Street Beat and Enuff 2 for instance, plus some others. Just the right length for in pocket carry (IPC). I like serrated Spydercos. Some of their fixed blade options you can get serrated.

The Benchmade Steep Country is also in this blade length range. And cuts rope like a lightsabre.

Trouser/shorts selection is also important as some have deeper pockets than others.

[MacWa77ace]

There was always the Schrade Sharpfinger:

https://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/corners/michael/152OT%20Sharpfinger%20and%20152UH%20Uncle%20Henry%20Wolverine%20Research.pdf

Was this guy Codger at that link getting his doctorate in knife history or something?!? I've only seen that kind of file offered on research papers etc. not articles. They usually make up the body of a webpage.

Althought the site seems a little oldschool itself, https://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ [free website builder? we don't need no stinking CSS] so maybe more of an archive, but still.

[Red Tamarillo]

Sorry, is there something wrong with the link?

There's this collector mentality, where they get obsessed on history and little details and variants. It's not uncommon.
I linked another site first but this guy seemed to have more detail.
Sometimes you end up bidding against a collector on ebay, and soon realise when you've been slammed that some specific detail about the item/maker has made them smash you, as they 'need' to get it for their collection (an addiction).

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I've actually considered getting a Schrade Sharpfinger a few times. Only Schrade fixed blade I own currently is a Golden Spike I picked at a "going out of business" sale a local store was having.

I think I paid something like 20 bucks for it at the time.

Also, I just spent the last 20 minutes looking for a small silver washer from my CJRB Pyrite button lock.

I'd taken the knife apart to clean it, wiped down the blade and then went to reassemble it. That's when I noticed the washer on one side and immediately thought "Oh crap, I lost the other one somehow."

I looked everywhere for the damn thing, but it turns out CJRB only puts a single washer on the clip side of the knife for some reason.

So I wasted 20 minutes looking for a non-existent washer my monkey brain made me think I'd lost it.

[Red Tamarillo]

The golden spike looks good. 5 inch blade with a guard. Realistically fits that role of 5 to 7 inch fixed blade well

The sharpfinger though through smaller length of blade can be an EDC (depending on local laws). When fixed blades are a certain (smaller) length they can be EDC in the pocket. EDC small fixed blade in pocket is easier to conceal than small fixed blade riding on your belt.

The fun thing about the sharpfinger is that through it's design it has multiple 'fidget' ways of handling it. You can do hammer grip, you can do sabre grip, you can do icepick obviously. You can rotate and do a grip on each slab left or right, you can place your index finger near the end of the blade inside an animal (knowing where the end of your blade is because it's not long), you can put your thumb on the end of the blade to peel an apple (that is your fingers doing multiple movements between these two). You can also put your index finger on the first unsharpened part of the blade to help with delicate work i.e. it has lots of flipping between the fingers. The designer did a good job, even against decades later.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Local Walmart didn't have any Sharpfingers when I stopped by this morning, but I did manage to score a couple SOG Power Pint multitools that were on clearance.

Normally they're like 40 bucks or so and today they were around 20. Friend of mine that works the Sporting Goods counter sometimes told me she grabbed three of them (two for Christmas gifts and one for herself).

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Stopped at a local thrift store on Saturday and saw they had a few small knives in a display case.

Most of them were the usual cheapos, but one ended up being a nice Case slipjoint. I figured the price would be high like most things there, but it wasn't.

The Case knife was only 2 bucks, so needless to say that sucker came home with me.

I may have to keep checking that store and see if I can score more Case knives or other name brand knives for cheap.

[majorhavoc]

Stopped at a local thrift store on Saturday ...

The Case knife was only 2 bucks, so needless to say that sucker came home with me.

I may have to keep checking that store and see if I can score more Case knives or other name brand knives for cheap.

Ah, that's what we call the thrill of the hunt! 

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Stopped at a local thrift store on Saturday ...

The Case knife was only 2 bucks, so needless to say that sucker came home with me.

I may have to keep checking that store and see if I can score more Case knives or other name brand knives for cheap.

Ah, that's what we call the thrill of the hunt! 

Yep. I'm hoping I'll find more there at some point.

The store is always getting stuff and I'm sure there'll be more knives amongst the other items.  

[Habu]

I need a replacement for the Kershaw Leek I've been EDCing for a couple years. This is the knife I use at work and for general utility stuff, so it gets a fair amount of use.  The flipper and lock are unreliable (since the beginning), and I'm just tired of dealing with the headaches.  

OTOH, I really appreciate the blade design.  Though a little light, once I got it re-ground so the edge was straight (instead of recurved and unevenly ground), it is the best iteration of Lord Wharncliffe's design I've seen on a modern knife.  

Can anyone recommend a flipper (or similar) with a Wharncliffe blade that isn't a Kershaw?  One with a blade made from a decent steel would be nice.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I need a replacement for the Kershaw Leek I've been EDCing for a couple years. This is the knife I use at work and for general utility stuff, so it gets a fair amount of use.  The flipper and lock are unreliable (since the beginning), and I'm just tired of dealing with the headaches. 

OTOH, I really appreciate the blade design.  Though a little light, once I got it re-ground so the edge was straight (instead of recurved and unevenly ground), it is the best iteration of Lord Wharncliffe's design I've seen on a modern knife. 

Can anyone recommend a flipper (or similar) with a Wharncliffe blade that isn't a Kershaw?  One with a blade made from a decent steel would be nice.

How much you looking to spend ?

Civivi makes a variant of their Elementum folder with a wharnecliffe blade and in Nitro-V steel for like 55 bucks.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CIVC18062AF1/civivi-knives-elementum-liner-lock-flipper-knife-nitro-v-satin-wharncliffe-blade-black-g10-handles

[Rednex]

Civivi makes nice knives i have a few, the one though uses a double detent to keep the blade open. It closed on my finger when sharpening it, the baby Banter is nice but like 50 bucks. The Buck 112 lite is nice too have that on me as i type, it was $31 usd on amazon.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Only Civivi I can think of off the top of my head that uses a double detent is the Appalachian Drifter.

They made a liner lock version of that one for awhile, but Civivi discontinued it a couple years ago.

[Habu]

How much you looking to spend ?

Civivi makes a variant of their Elementum folder with a wharnecliffe blade and in Nitro-V steel for like 55 bucks.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CIVC18062AF1/civivi-knives-elementum-liner-lock-flipper-knife-nitro-v-satin-wharncliffe-blade-black-g10-handles

Thanks for the pointer to Civivi, I've never heard of the company so will do some looking around.  

For a knife that checks off all my boxes, I could go maybe $300--I've been disgusted with the Leek since I got it, so have been tucking away a few bucks every payday for a replacement.  If I can't find something that is a significant improvement, I'll probably just grab a TSA-confiscated Leek off ebay.  Given the mess they sold me and the total lack of response from attempts to contact the company, I can't see giving Kershaw any more of my $$.  

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

How much you looking to spend ?

Civivi makes a variant of their Elementum folder with a wharnecliffe blade and in Nitro-V steel for like 55 bucks.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CIVC18062AF1/civivi-knives-elementum-liner-lock-flipper-knife-nitro-v-satin-wharncliffe-blade-black-g10-handles

Thanks for the pointer to Civivi, I've never heard of the company so will do some looking around. 

For a knife that checks off all my boxes, I could go maybe $300--I've been disgusted with the Leek since I got it, so have been tucking away a few bucks every payday for a replacement.  If I can't find something that is a significant improvement, I'll probably just grab a TSA-confiscated Leek off ebay.  Given the mess they sold me and the total lack of response from attempts to contact the company, I can't see giving Kershaw any more of my $$. 

Kershaw hasn't been on my radar much in the last decade. A lot of their budget stuff is total crap with a few gems scattered amongst the various models.

Civivi is pretty good quality. They're a offshoot of a company called WE Knives, who also own Sencut which is the budget line.

I've only ever owned stuff from the Civivi brand since I'm too broke for the premium stuff from WE Knives. Haven't tried Sencut either, but I've heard good stuff about them.

You might also take a look at CJRB and Artisan.

[MacWa77ace]

I need a replacement for the Kershaw Leek I've been EDCing for a couple years. This is the knife I use at work and for general utility stuff, so it gets a fair amount of use.  The flipper and lock are unreliable (since the beginning), and I'm just tired of dealing with the headaches. 

OTOH, I really appreciate the blade design.  Though a little light, once I got it re-ground so the edge was straight (instead of recurved and unevenly ground), it is the best iteration of Lord Wharncliffe's design I've seen on a modern knife. 

Can anyone recommend a flipper (or similar) with a Wharncliffe blade that isn't a Kershaw?  One with a blade made from a decent steel would be nice.

Kershaw has a pretty good warranty and Customer service. Is it a headache, not IMO, but headaches are relative. I had an issue with the rubber grip coming off my Blur so I sent it in for repair. had to print out and fill out the form. https://kershaw.kaiusa.com/warranty and the tip of the blade was broken off and they replaced that for free. At that time it was a $10 fee for that. Now it is a $25 fee for non-warranty blade replacement.

Overall, I was happy with that service on a $60 knife. The leek is $100 knife. maybe worth a try. It did take a few weeks turnaround.

IIRC I had to send the same knife in again, and the blade they replaced the first time didn't have any markings and I was a little worried about them thinking it was counterfeit, but it got repaired and returned. Same issue. those rubber grip inserts come loose. 

That Tanto Blur Assisted open was my Daily EDC for 10-15 year. I've carried that model since about 2006 but lost the first knife, and got an exact replacement around 2011] Point being, it got a lot of use and was in my pocket if I was wearing pants. 

I have upgraded to Zero Tolerance 0450CF made by KAI USA also with the same warranty.

So I have a total of 4 KAI USA folders including.
Misdirect Tanto Blackwash
Cryo II Tanto Blackwash Serrated
Blur Tanto Black Serrated

[Rednex]

Sencut is the economy brand for Civivi. I have a lot of Kershaw knives and like all the ones i have, that said I aint bought a Kershaw in over 10 years or so. Victorinox and Wenger swiss army knifes off ebay since i rebuild them, 3 Civivi's a Buck and umm thats it. Looking for a low cost ok quality auto knife , thinking Boker might have something i kinda like.

[Habu]

Kershaw has a pretty good warranty and Customer service. Is it a headache, not IMO, but headaches are relative. I had an issue with the rubber grip coming off my Blur so I sent it in for repair. had to print out and fill out the form. https://kershaw.kaiusa.com/warranty and the tip of the blade was broken off and they replaced that for free. At that time it was a $10 fee for that. Now it is a $25 fee for non-warranty blade replacement.

Overall, I was happy with that service on a $60 knife. The leek is $100 knife. maybe worth a try. It did take a few weeks turnaround.

Don't get me wrong--I'm glad you've had good results with Kershaw's warranty/CS department, and their products have served you well. My experience was very much different.  

As received, the knife I got was unusable.  I contacted Kershaw via the link on their webpage and asked how they wanted to handle it.  After a week I tried again.  After another week with no response, I bought a set of small Torx bits and tore the knife down.  

I straightened the blade, adjusted the liner lock, and re-ground the blade.  After slicing my hand when reaching into my pocket, only to discover it had self-opened, I flipped the clip so carry was point-up and the pocket would prevent it from opening.  (Seems they forgot to install the "clip-lock".)  Soon after, the "assisted opening" stopped working, so I've been pressing the tab on back and flicking my wrist to open it.  More recently the liner lock has stopped working (again), and I just don't want to mess with it any more.  

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Yeah, I'd say it's time to pick up a new knife after all that.

Seems like it'd be nothing but a massive headache to try and fix it yourself.