Knife Chat: Slicing to the meat of all things sharp

[NT2C]

I've wanted one of those Kershaw/Ken Onion knives in the crazy rainbow colors for a long time, but I keep talking myself out of it.

Given the $44 price I paid for mine I understand your hesitation in buying but let me just say it is an adorable little thing, quite fun to play with, and 100% legal in many places that a larger knife wouldn't be, such as in schools and some Federal buildings.

[Optimist]

I've wanted one of those Kershaw/Ken Onion knives in the crazy rainbow colors for a long time, but I keep talking myself out of it.

Given the $44 price I paid for mine I understand your hesitation in buying but let me just say it is an adorable little thing, quite fun to play with, and 100% legal in many places that a larger knife wouldn't be, such as in schools and some Federal buildings.

For some reason I had it in my head that they were like $70. I'll have to start looking for one!

[NT2C]

I've wanted one of those Kershaw/Ken Onion knives in the crazy rainbow colors for a long time, but I keep talking myself out of it.

Given the $44 price I paid for mine I understand your hesitation in buying but let me just say it is an adorable little thing, quite fun to play with, and 100% legal in many places that a larger knife wouldn't be, such as in schools and some Federal buildings.

For some reason I had it in my head that they were like $70. I'll have to start looking for one!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265189711479

[Lodewijk]

Anybody ever build a DIY 2x72 bench grinder?

Been putting scales on blanks and enjoying it... starting to wonder what the lift is to do my own blades.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Anyone happen to know if the CRKT Guppie tool has bronze phosphor or nylon washers by the blade or if it's bare ?

I rebuilt mine after it being in pieces for a couple years (did some maintenance on it and launched the torsion bar somewhere into the Void. Found it after moving some furniture in my bedroom/workspace) and I can't remember if it had washers by the blade.

I've watched several videos and none of them really show whether or not the tool has washers.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

So I picked up a CRKT CEO folder awhile back and it developed a minor problem.

The little round bit that keeps the blade from going too far wants to back out and cause the blade to loosen up and wiggle. So I took it apart as far as I could go and popped out the factory pin. Come to find out one side is undersized. Not really enough to be noticeable, but enough to cause the pin to back out and loosen up the blade.

I replaced the factory pin with another one I had in my parts bin and it seems to have fixed my problem. I put a little dab of thread locker on the pin as an added measure, but I think the slightly longer and larger pin has fixed my issue.

If the problem occurs later on, I'll just contact CRKT and see what they can do for me.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

At what length does stainless steel become more prone to breaking ?

I ask because I keep seeing a lot of blades over 12 inches made from stainless steel. I sort of remember someone on the old boards saying at a certain length, stainless steel is more prone to breaking under use, but I can't remember who said it or what the length was.

Like if the blade is under that certain length, it's fine if the blade is made of stainless steel, but it it's over that length it's not good.

[Mr. E. Monkey]

I had never heard of that before.  

According to Kult of Athena, 

Stainless steel has high levels of chromium to give it impressive resistance to rust and blemishing. This steel requires very little maintenance and is ideal for display swords. While often eminently suitable for knives, the high levels of chromium make a sword blade brittle and prone to damage or breakage when dealing with the high impact resistances that swords are subjected to. Thus stainless steel is unfit for a functional sword blade.

I would bet that it's less a matter of the length of a piece of stainless steel in question, and more a matter of the impact force (which is largely going to be due to its length and angular velocity), so if you applied the same force on a stainless knife as would be applied to a longer sword, it would probably break just as well, all other things being equal.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

That's a good point, Monkey.

I've got a couple bowie knives made from stainless steel (not sure exactly what kind, though. More likely 440C or similar), but I have no intention of using them for any sort of cutting.

Mostly because they're kind of dull and I suck at sharpening knives.

[Mr. E. Monkey]

I need to get better at sharpening.  I can get a decent edge on my Spyderco, but that's kinda like saying I can drive fast in a Corvette or something. 

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I need to get better at sharpening.  I can get a decent edge on my Spyderco, but that's kinda like saying I can drive fast in a Corvette or something. 

For me it's getting the angles right as I sharpen my blades.

I'm not expecting to get my knives shaving sharp (I'd need a strop to do that and I don't have one yet), but at least having them sharp enough to cut well would be nice. I can put a decent edge on some of my knives, but I can do a whole lot better.

[Moab]

Speaking of stainless. I'm normally not into it. (Doesn't it have a hard time on firesteels?) I'm in love with the Lionsteel T5. It has a one piece micarta handle. Not scales. 5 inch blade. So its a little big. But looks awesome as hell. I could be talked into trading my EESE 5. They do make shorter fixed blades but not of this knife. Their folders look amazing too.

https://www.lionsteel.it/n/en/product/1790_var3/t5_cvg

This pic doesn't do it justice. Click the link above. The handle is ergonomically profiled.

You cannot view this attachment.

[Moab]

I think I'm going with a Civivi and Boker. One flipper and one auto respectively.

I've heard that Boker's quality had gone seriously downhill.  Civivi is a solid choice for a flipper but I think I'd go with Micro Tech for an auto.

Metal_Complex on YouTube is a good channel for knife reviews.

I wish I knew of a better 2 inch auto. That's the restrictions in CA and LA. Which suck. Big time. I like the Boker Stubby Strike. Because it's the only 2 inch auto with a decent handle and some sort of guard. It looks like you could punch into a dense material and not have your hand slide forward cutting yourself. The others like the Kershaw Launch or similar Protech look very nice. But also look like if you stabbed someone with it and you hit bone, your hand would slide forward. And you'd damage yourself pretty badly. The Boker handle also supplies a solid means of removing the blade. Whereas most all of the others do not.

I'm more concerned about missing soft tissue in high value targets of the body. Not cutting myself because of it. And being able to retrieve the knife should I end up in hard tissue.

In the end 2 inches sucks no matter how you slice it. I'm much more inclined to carry a 3 inch flipper. Which is the max allowed in LA. In CA you can conceal whatever folding knife you want. As long as it's not an auto or switchblade. Don't ask me to describe the laws any further. They are asinine and muddy at best. I spent days figuring out what I could legally carry.

I'm only considering buying both. Because I think there are alot of instances where I would carry the little 2 inch auto. And not carry a 3 inch flipper. Just from size and weight considerations. If I was in a colder climate and wearing jeans more. I'd only consider the larger flipper.

I have a long list of other knives I considered. But I'd save that for the blade section.

[NT2C]

I think I'm going with a Civivi and Boker. One flipper and one auto respectively.

I've heard that Boker's quality had gone seriously downhill.  Civivi is a solid choice for a flipper but I think I'd go with Micro Tech for an auto.

Metal_Complex on YouTube is a good channel for knife reviews.

I wish I knew of a better 2 inch auto. That's the restrictions in CA and LA. Which suck. Big time. I like the Boker Stubby Strike. Because it's the only 2 inch auto with a decent handle and some sort of guard. It looks like you could punch into a dense material and not have your hand slide forward cutting yourself. The others like the Kershaw Launch or similar Protech look very nice. But also look like if you stabbed someone with it and you hit bone, your hand would slide forward. And you'd damage yourself pretty badly. The Boker handle also supplies a solid means of removing the blade. Whereas most all of the others do not.

I'm more concerned about missing soft tissue in high value targets of the body. Not cutting myself because of it. And being able to retrieve the knife should I end up in hard tissue.

In the end 2 inches sucks no matter how you slice it. I'm much more inclined to carry a 3 inch flipper. Which is the max allowed in LA. In CA you can conceal whatever folding knife you want. As long as it's not an auto or switchblade. Don't ask me to describe the laws any further. They are asinine and muddy at best. I spent days figuring out what I could legally carry.

I'm only considering buying both. Because I think there are alot of instances where I would carry the little 2 inch auto. And not carry a 3 inch flipper. Just from size and weight considerations. If I was in a colder climate and wearing jeans more. I'd only consider the larger flipper.

I have a long list of other knives I considered. But I'd save that for the blade section.

Why not combine the two and go with an assisted flipper?

I've got a Kershaw Chive I'm pretty fond of.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I'm considering picking up a Buck Hiline folder. It's been awhile since I've bought a folder and the Hiline looks pretty good to me.

It's one of Buck's foreign made blades, but it still carries their lifetime warranty.

Midway USA has them for about 32 dollars and the Walmart near me has them for 42 dollars. Given the shipping cost plus tax Midway takes, if I went that direction I'd be paying around the same price as the Walmart one.

After tax, I'd be paying probably 44 dollars or so for the knife, but I'd have it in my hands the same day versus waiting three or four days for Midway to deliver it.

[EBuff75]

I've got a couple of Kershaw flippers, a 3.5-inch Volt and a 2.75-inch Cryo.  Very fast deployment, nice lockup, and very sharp.  They're a bit heavy (they're both a little over 4 oz), but that's because they both have steel handles. The pocket clips are on the short side (I'd prefer another 1/4 - 1/2" of length on the clips), but they work and the Cryo is even a deep-carry style.  The prices on them have gone up over the last few years, but they're still pretty cheap at $35 and $45 respectively.

[MacWa77ace]

What are the rules for your AO. Can you do a 3-4" folder if its not assisted or auto? [I'm just suggesting that 3-4" is not even noticeable after a few days of constant EDC.]

If that's the case there are a ton of folders that are fast as hell [with practice] and aren't assisted.

I can open my Cryo II faster than an auto because I don't have to find the safety button and unlock it first. I think its as fast as my Blur which is assisted, its just that a little more pressure is needed without the assist. But not with the full deploy, the Cryo sits really low clipped in your pocket and the Blur just a bit higher and that makes it easier, therefore faster, to deploy from the pocket.

I've been thinking of getting a high end folder and came across this article which has budget to high-end recommendations. https://knifeinformer.com/the-best-edc-folding-knife/

I was looking at the Cryo G-10 because of the grip but then decided it was redundant and that it might be time for a Zero Tolerance. But with the price of gas these days, I'm paying an extra ZT folder every 2 months in gas price increases.

[Moab]

What are the rules for your AO. Can you do a 3-4" folder if its not assisted or auto? [I'm just suggesting that 3-4" is not even noticeable after a few days of constant EDC.]

If that's the case there are a ton of folders that are fast as hell [with practice] and aren't assisted.

I can open my Cryo II faster than an auto because I don't have to find the safety button and unlock it first. I think its as fast as my Blur which is assisted, its just that a little more pressure is needed without the assist. But not with the full deploy, the Cryo sits really low clipped in your pocket and the Blur just a bit higher and that makes it easier, therefore faster, to deploy from the pocket.

I've been thinking of getting a high end folder and came across this article which has budget to high-end recommendations. https://knifeinformer.com/the-best-edc-folding-knife/

I was looking at the Cryo G-10 because of the grip but then decided it was redundant and that it might be time for a Zero Tolerance. But with the price of gas these days, I'm paying an extra ZT folder every 2 months in gas price increases.

3 inch max for any folder short of an auto. Statewide. Which is considered a switchblade. So an auto has to be below 2 inches. Thats statewide too. They limit fixed blades almost more harshly. I think in CA its a 3 inch fixed and it has to be concealed. They don't like open carry. And in LA it might be no fixed blades but I'm not sure about that. I just know folding is 3. 2 inch being the switchblade or auto limit.

Check out the dhgate app for blades if your into clones. You can find several model knifes in D2 for way less than original. Medfords for like $40 that go for $300-$400. Zero tolerance for the same. I was gonna pick up a kershaw 2 inch auto. I forget the model. For like $30 and it goes for $100. Same D2 steel. 

I have a couple  clones of knives I would never buy. Simply because the cost is ridiculous. And they are the nicest knives I have. I have a Spiderco that looks like sharp edged junk compared to my Steeve Reeves clone. And it was $17. I could never afford a Steeve Reeves. Not saying this is one. But there are some gems in the clone market. That $17 knife is waaayy better than any name brand I own in the $50-$100 range. Rounded massaged edges, perfect lines, great bearings, smooth action. Usually in D2 or better. Which is enough for me. I like to use my knifes. Would be stupid for me to invest in a $200+ knife. 

But again. You have to be ok with that. Not saying anyones wrong for not doing that. I see both sides. 

But I'm ok with that sort of stuff. I wear an $80 version of an $8000 watch. And you wouldnt know the diference unless you held it. I'm not a hey look at my ballin watch or knife type of guy. I just like the design fo certain watches and knifes. And am not shy about buying a knock off. 

[MacWa77ace]

The thing about the expensive knives is they have the best steel and mechanisms. Those clones don't I'd expect.

hdgate.com China Wholesaler, looks like you have to buy in bulk, min order on these benchmade clones is qty 10.

Scary, look at the benchmade clones for $13ea qty 10. I wonder if these would even make it thru customs as they have the logo on them so they are contraband I think.


And the real thing.


I could expect that they are actually using the benchmade photos on their website to sell their stuff which come out like this if you know what i mean. And don't have a logo on them.



I just sent my Kershaw Tanto Blur in for warranty service and their RA process has all this disclaimer stuff about clones/counterfits. now I understand why.

I'm kinda worried now because I sent that knife in a few years ago for the same thing which is the grip scales need replacing, but at that time the tip on the blade had been broken off. Blade replacement is an extra $25 and i could live with the broken tip so I didn't include that. But they replaced the blade anyhow and the new one didn't have all the Kershaw markings on it. They didn't even charge me the $7 for the return shipping that time either. So this time I wrote on the form to explain about the blade replacement in case they thought it was a counterfeit. And the return shipping is still $7 so I included that.

[NT2C]

CBP catches about <10% of the counterfeit crap that comes in on a daily basis but as soon as they identify one and add them to their banned importers list the company folds up, changes names, and is back in business a day later.