Christmas knife

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George K

Christmas knife

Post by George K »

For the past two years, I have started my own Christmas tradition. In December, I go out and buy a new pocket knife for the upcoming year. Silly-yes, but we all have our issues. The first one was a Gerber Paraframe w/ a partially serrated blade. Within a week, it was broken in and muscle memory was tuned to easily open and close one handed. Overall, my year with it was good, but I found that the serrated portion of the blade caused more trouble than it was worth. $20 well spent…
Note that I use my knives daily at the day job opening boxes and in my shop for just about everything that falls between X-Acto knives and the milling machine.
2008’s knife was an upgrade. $45 SOG Twitch II. I’m very happy with this one, both in terms of quality and speed of opening. It has only seen the Lansky sharpener 3 times, compared to the Gerber’s monthly sharpening, and it gets used much more.
I’m looking for suggestions for 2009. This is going to be difficult for me as I really like the SOG and I’m tempted to say “screw it” to my so called tradition. One option is to keep wearing the SOG, but add a more “polite” small pocket knife to the mix (like an Old Timer) for use in mixed company at the day job.
This new knife should be:
$100 or under (I’m on a budget)
Able to withstand daily use (not a display case queen)
Damascus blade would be a plus, but not necessary (been wanting Damascus for a long time!!)
Ideas???
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SeekHer
Posts: 2286
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:27 am

Re: Christmas knife

Post by SeekHer »

My favourite makers of whom I collect their complete product line for my collection are CRKT, SOG, Benchmade, Boker and most of Cold Steel for commercial makers…

The only true Damascus blades (37 layers), not acid etched, in that price range are made by BOKER that I’m positive of…It is part of their Magnum Series and the models are King, Lady, Earl, Prince, Lord and Senior and range in price from $30,00 for the Lady to $70.00 for the Earl and 30% less from some of the virtual knife sellers…

Boker Earl 37 layer Damascus
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My favourite custom maker is Bob Dozier who allowed Ka-Bar to make a copy of his folding hunter and make it in 5 blade configurations for under $30.00 to one that goes for $80.00—just better steel and scales…

I carry the original style blade daily and use it hard and over the last five years it has worked great, holds an edge, easily sharpened and best of all $25.00…The real Dozier one sells for $300+ and it’s a lovely knife to hold and to use…

Bob Dozier Spear Point – Ka-Bar
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There is a certain type of mentality that thinks if you make certain inanimate objects illegal their criminal misuse will disappear!

Damn the TSA and Down with the BATF(u)E!
Support the J P F O to "Give them the Boot"!!
George K

Re: Christmas knife

Post by George K »

SeekHer,
The Boker Earl looks like it could be a winner! That looks classy yet modern to me. The only thing missing is a belt/pocket clip, but I’m sure I could mod one with little problems.
Looking at Boker’s website, they have a lot of great looking Damascus. The price jumps are extreme, with a few in my range, then OUCH…
What do you know about the Bear & Sons Damascus? I did not think they were etched…
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SeekHer
Posts: 2286
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:27 am

Re: Christmas knife

Post by SeekHer »

George K wrote:SeekHer,
The Boker Earl looks like it could be a winner! That looks classy yet modern to me. The only thing missing is a belt/pocket clip, but I’m sure I could mod one with little problems.
Looking at Boker’s website, they have a lot of great looking Damascus. The price jumps are extreme, with a few in my range, then OUCH…
What do you know about the Bear & Sons Damascus? I did not think they were etched…
Yeah, from $30.00 to $3,500.00 is a nice range--Steel from the sunken battleship Tirpitz's cannon barrels, from the barrels off the Leopard and King Tiger tanks and self made and cable...most in the $750 range...They have a few etched blades as well in the bottom end lines but they are labeled as such...

They also have a very nice selection of pocketknives like the stockman and trapper and others in different steels and handles scales that aren't very expensive...

The only model of that 37 layer series with a pocket clip is the “Senior” very sweet lines and angle, drop nose blade, liner lock with very pretty Burl semi canoe style handles, 71/8" OA, 3" blade, 2.8 oz, one handed opening, $49.95 Item Nbr. 01MB030DAM.., That is my second favourite of the series, first is the Earl but I have an old nylon pocket (pouch) belt sheath from another Boker knife model that fits it and is handy and Velcro makes it quick but noisy...check the site and there are listing for nylon belt pouches and order their catalogue, it's really well done...
Image

Along with some nylon back & hip packs, I ordered two of the “Lady” blades for the twin's B-Day and the “Prince” for the third of them,,,

I can only say that I've seen and handled some in various US stores but never have used or possessed any Bear and Son products...They have some very classic lines in their models but I don't know what their steel is...They advertise as being Damascus but the quality, the layers of steel I can only go by the catalogue description—Sorry…I’ve never seen any locally, but then I also haven’t been looking for them either…I wouldn’t think they’d be acid etched...

Try some of these virtual merchants for pricing:
Knife Center* = Just ordered for the first time with them last month...
Knife Depot
Knife Outlet*** Monthly sales flyer link in threads...
P V Knife = geared more to tactical blades
There are many hundreds of them out there...

** denotes personal knowledge of the company having dealt with them...
There is a certain type of mentality that thinks if you make certain inanimate objects illegal their criminal misuse will disappear!

Damn the TSA and Down with the BATF(u)E!
Support the J P F O to "Give them the Boot"!!
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Darrell
Posts: 6586
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:12 pm

Re: Christmas knife

Post by Darrell »

Check out the Benchmade Griptilian. I think they come with a clip.

Serrated blades suck.
Eppur si muove--Galileo
drice

Re: Christmas knife

Post by drice »

I love my Cold Steel Voyager XL

Flips open with a flick of the hand, is comfy to use, and it holds an edge quite awhile between sharpenings.
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Whirlibird
Posts: 1181
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:58 pm

Re: Christmas knife

Post by Whirlibird »

Added a Kershaw Leek to my daily kit a couple of years ago and haven't regretted it yet.

LEEK

Best camp paring knife I've found yet.
Will fillet a deer in near record time also, great steel!
Rich Jordan
Posts: 1840
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:04 am

Re: Christmas knife

Post by Rich Jordan »

I love my Leek also, but ran into two issues:

The lock broke (keeps the blade closed, its just a bit of plastic); Kershaw replaced it but it broke again.

I've heard that two folks here in crook county have been told (warned) by police that assisted opening = switchblade as far as the local prosecutors (machine politicians who do as daley tells them) are concerned. So for now I'm back to carrying my Spyderco Hunter until I can verify that info.
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SeekHer
Posts: 2286
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:27 am

Re: Christmas knife

Post by SeekHer »

I like the Kershaw line of knives and have their Ken Onion, Scallion, Leek and Chive in various handle materials and colours (all my girls have the pink Leek & Chive) and blade treatments (oxides etc) but in the price point indicated I have the following that would also suit but, alas, none are Damascus…

Kershaw priced from the A.G. Russell site:
Speed-Bump - 3.625“ - $69.95 - Great blade shape…
Spec-Bump - 3.625“ - $129.95 154CM w/G10 scales – A favourite knife…
Groove - 3.5“ - $69.95 Swedish Sandvik 13C26 - great blade shape and very unique grind, a great looking knife…
Skyline - 3.125“ - $34.95
Cyclone - 3.75“ - $60.00
Blur - 3.375“ - $69.95 - very neat knife
Tanto Cyclone - 3.75“ - $69.95
ENER-G II - 3.5“ - $69.95
ENER-G - 2.75“ - $54.95
Silver Blur - 3.375“ - $84.95
L-Lock - 3.625“ - $59.95 - another very neat knife
Leek “Orange County Choppers - 3“ - $57.95
Shallot - 3“ - $59.95

Traditional 2 blade pocket knife folders that are excellent
Double Duty 2.725“ $69.95 Clip & 2.625” Spey
Double Cross 2.625“ $59.95 Clip & 1.675“ Wharncliffe
Set $115.00

Prices at other virtual dealers are mostly lower but they don’t offer lots of the special issues that AG gets well before anyone else or exclusive to him…

We've not had trouble with the knives but then again they aren't subjected to a lot of hard usage...

I like collaborations between custom makers and commercial cutlers which was one reason I started collecting CRKT...You get a more refined blade, handle or lock style but, usually, still at a reasonable price...
There is a certain type of mentality that thinks if you make certain inanimate objects illegal their criminal misuse will disappear!

Damn the TSA and Down with the BATF(u)E!
Support the J P F O to "Give them the Boot"!!
User avatar
Whirlibird
Posts: 1181
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:58 pm

Re: Christmas knife

Post by Whirlibird »

Rich Jordan wrote:I love my Leek also, but ran into two issues:

The lock broke (keeps the blade closed, its just a bit of plastic); Kershaw replaced it but it broke again.

I've heard that two folks here in crook county have been told (warned) by police that assisted opening = switchblade as far as the local prosecutors (machine politicians who do as daley tells them) are concerned. So for now I'm back to carrying my Spyderco Hunter until I can verify that info.
The spring on my Scallion broke, they sent a pair of new ones and three of the plastic locks for nothing.

I'm in LE and carry an actual 'switchblade' as well as the Leek and I'm still trying to get our DA to make a decision on the legallity of the assisted opener's. Might have to ask the Attorney General's office at this rate.

Around here, there's a whole mess of people carrying the A-O knives. Most of the time, like most things, it's a don't ask-don't tell attitude.
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