Quality folding knife recommendations?

[H Richard]

I have carried this Kershaw Leek since 2006, and couldn't be happier with it. It has met every need I have had for 15 years. It's solid, opens quick as a auto knife, open/close one handed, takes a great edge, and holds it. What more do you want, and it only set me back $45, believe the MSRP is $70, but can be found a lot of places for less.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Lost my reply, don’t want to start over Short answer: Benchmade or Spyderco. My preference is Benchmade for the axis lock and the excellent warranty.

My experiences with the once-excellent Gerber have put me off the brand for good. They say they are making some decent knives again, but I am done with them.

That said, I no longer carry modern one-handed openers very often. My usual carry is an Opinel No.6, a Swiss army knife and an Okapi Biltong: two slipjoints and a locking (sort of) friction folder.

 

[Autonomous]

Benchmade's Axis lock is the safest on the market.
I have had hands on hundreds of folders and a Benchmade with the Axis mechanism is my choice. I prefer a plain finish vs. coated because it is more limber and less sticky when opening or closing.

 

[Echo40]

You obsolutely can't go wrong with a good old fashioned Buck 110.

If you want something more versatile, then get a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife.

 

[crazyphil]

Nothing at all wrong with the quality of the Gerber that you already have.
My personal favorite for a folder is a Puma Prince. Shown below left.

The Piranha, shown second from left, was razor sharp when it
came, and it is still razor sharp.

The Ultimate 1911 Model Knife, shown 3rd from left, I have only
had about a year or so, but it's growing on me.

 

[Protected One]

Just my opinion, and that is worth just what you paid for it (nothing). I recommend the following brands, Benchmade, Benchmade and Benchmade. They are made in the USA, are razor sharp right out of the box, tend to stay sharp, and the manufacturer will re-sharpen, oil and adjust them to new condition for free.

Any particular model?

 

[Protected One]

Protected One,

I can't recommend a knife without knowing at least the general type that you like. Maybe you assumed we'd recommend a modern one hand opening single blade but those are not every one's cup of tea. I seldom even carry a knife with blade lock. Multiple blade shapes benefit me more than blade locks do. Locks are a little uncommon on multi blade knives. Used as a utility tool locks are frivolous but if you prefer a lock say so.

The one thing I did get out of your question is you prioritize edge retention. That makes the question which blade steels stay sharp longer. Blade steels with as high a carbon to iron content as milling machine cutters have great edge retention at the price of being harder to sharpen and if they're thin enough to be good slicers they snap when the ignorant use them for pry bars. There's no magic steel.

Please give me a little more to work with.

I've grown accustomed to the assisted opening feature and would hate to lose that. Primarily, the knife is used for random cutting: packages, twine, zip-ties, etc. Never as a pry tool (that's not safe IMHO).

Things I have already eliminated?: Karambit knives, and Spyderco (I tried a friends and could not get use to opening with the hole). Nothing against the brand.

 

[gdogs]

3 words for you: steel, steel, steel. I like S30V and 154CM. My regular carry knife is a Gerber Covert Auto, made in the USA of S30V steel.

 

[garddogg56]

For a traditional buck .112. For a modern a Benchmade Griptilian.

 

[GypsmJim]

Some years ago I bought a pair of Gerber 70th anniversary folding knives. The package extolled the virtues of the American company, which made me buy it. When I got home and examined the package, I found it was made in China. Looks like now the vast majority of their products are chinacrap.

No more gerbers for me.

BTW, I admit that I probably abused the stupid thing, but one of the blades eventually cracked in half.

 

[cjcutter1]

So many options I got em all Kershaw,spyderco,benchmade,cold steel,buck,victronox,etc good luck tons of great choices it’s a addictive thing just like guns.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Case XX.........Been around 100 years.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Any particular model?

If 03gringo doesn't mind me chiming in on Benchmade...

The Griptillian or Mini-Griptillian, depending on what blade length you like, is a pretty good all-around folder. I had a Mini-Presidio, which was a good knife, but the handles just didn't feel right for me, so I sold it.

For assisted opening, the Barrage or Mini-Barrage look good to me, though I have to admit I don't have any hands-on experience with them.

 

[Kitgun]

I like Benchmade products the 705 (black) provided twenty plus years of excellent service recently replaced it with a “mini bugout” a great little knife that weighs about half as much as the 705.

 

[ejr10mm]

Gerber Covert Auto. Been carrying one for almost 10 years now at work. Cuts nooses, evidence tape and everything in between!

 

[Golddollar]

I carried a 6 inch Ka-Bar knife for deer hunting that my dad gave me. I had a Buck sharpening kit so I proceeded to sharpen it. It took me half a day, but the quality of the steel was such that it held the edge for a long time.

There is an interesting additional story about this knife. Pop was pretty good friends with the owner of a local independent hardward store. One day Pop is in the store and the owner showed Pop three or four of the big Ka-Bar knives. The owner told Pop that the knives had gotten wet and that caused the finish on them to be spotted to the point that they could not be sold as new. The owner offered them to Pop for $5 apiece (something like 30 years ago). Pop looked at the knives and recalled that he used to carry knives that looked worse, so he bought them all. Pop gave one of them to me, and I'll never let go of it.

 

[Sistema1927]

I have carried a number of folders over the years: Buck, Gerber, Kershaw, CRKT, Honey Badger, and others. All have ben serviceable, and most have been a good value for the money.

Just last year I purchased a fixed blade Bark River. A bit pricey, but excellent quality. At Christmas time I treated myself to a Benchmade folder. Another home run. Wow. Both the Bark River and the Benchmade leave others in the dust.

Bark River alongside a Buck and a Kabar. No comparison:

The Benchmade:

 

[sipowicz]

I rotate between these. Booker auto Kalishnikov, Kershaw Leek, Kershaw Emerson CQC 6 wave opener. The auto is fun to open, so is the Wave when you get it down...but for sheer sharpness, the Leek blows them both away.

 

[Autonomous]

I prefer G-10 scales, they are strong, don't corrode, show scratches and feel good. Aluminum? No. Rubbery or plasticky? Yuck.

 

[Marshwheeling]

I've grown accustomed to the assisted opening feature and would hate to lose that. Primarily, the knife is used for random cutting: packages, twine, zip-ties, etc. Never as a pry tool (that's not safe IMHO).

Things I have already eliminated?: Karambit knives, and Spyderco (I tried a friends and could not get use to opening with the hole). Nothing against the brand.

My favorite Benchmade (of the ones I own, not the ones I’d like to own) is the Mini Barrage. Assisted, if that is what you want. For a number of years it was my favorite knife. A lot of people who consider themselves cognoscenti disfavor assisted blades (perhaps giving a free pass to the assisted Kershaw Leek, because it is an acknowledged classic). An assisted blade won’t drop shut; you have to use two hands, or your pant leg. Around here, though, the Mini Barrage is quite popular, perhaps more so than the Grip.

Truth be told, though, the assist is not really necessary. A well-adjusted axis knife opens just as fast and easily without the assist.