Recommend Me a Knife

[TX-Dennis]

I really like this little knife I got from the NRA as a premium awhile back. The only problem is the blade is junk. It will not take an edge worth a darn. I think the blade is about 3.5 inches. Overall length about 8 inches. It has the little assisted open tab to flip it open and is spring assisted. I really like the look and size of the knife, but would like something that will take and hold an edge better.

I'm not a knife guy, and I'm not looking for a collectible or very expensive knife - just a reasonably priced working knife with a decent blade. Something similar in design and size - perhaps just a tiny bit smaller would be okay, too.

Suggestions?

 

[6518John]

You simply can't go wrong with the american made Kershaws. The Leek is an incrediable knife.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Like I ask people who want to borrow a knife from me: Do you want to cut stuff or people?

 

[dmar]

You should check out a decent made in USA knife. I like Benchmade knives, they are nice quality. They can get a little spendy, but the Mini Griptillion can be found for a decent price, and they are a good knife.

For a lower price, made in USA folder, Buck has some good ones, as does Case (I prefer their CV/carbon steel blade offerings best). I also like Zero Tolerance and Spydeco folders, a little more money, but nice.

 

[DocB]

Nothing like a Benchmade Automatic Knife. I don't know what they cost these days, but this one was around $100 ten years ago. Excuse all the other stuff in the photo. They all ran over and jumped in the picture when I took it a year ago. The only free thing I ever got from the NRA was they gave my EMail address to everybody in the world.

 

[Peak53]

You simply can't go wrong with the american made Kershaws. The Leek is an incrediable knife.

This is a decent quality inexpensive knife. Light weight, disappears in any pocket from dress pants to jeans.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Benchmade. US made. Customer service is top notch.This is their best seller. Benchmade Griptilian Family

 

[BAM-BAM]

My EDC is a Benchade 15031-2 "North Fork Folder" w/ wood scales...... weekend/ working knives are Kershaws....... Blurs or 3/4Tons.

 

[Leatherhead23]

Microtech Combat Troodon

 

[Mister X]

The ubiquitous spyderco delica/endura.

Multiple model options, reasonably priced and high quality, thin and lightweight, ergonomic, trainer versions available.

 

[Pef]

Benchmade Mini-Griptillian. I prefer it over the full sized griptillian because the steel liners run the length of the handle in the mini-griptillian. The knife thus feels a bit more solid. 154CM steel is pretty decent, too. You can pick your blade - drop point or tanto are most popular.

The Kershaw Blur is fine too, but it has a liner lock that is not as strong as a frame lock or the axis lock of the Benchmade griptillian.

I have the minigriptillian in the tanto point with serrated blade. I have used this as a pocketknife, mostly "light duty." I've opened many boxes, cut many strings, carved three 6' walking staffs out of dry red oak and dry cherry, made my sister-in-law a walking cane from a knotty piece of oak, cut rags into strips, removed stickers with the tanto point, cut tags off clothing, etc.

The knife has held up well. There is no side-to-side play, even after doing a lot of whittling of dry hard wood. The wood that I used to make the walking sticks and cane was bone dry with the bark attached, and the bark did not come off in strips. I literally had to whittle the dry bark off the hardwood. I also carved out hard knots using the tanto point. The blade held its edge very well. However, after each whittling session I would touch up the knife on the Spyderco sharpener.

Tough little knife.

 

[Owly]

Looking at your NRA freebie in the pic, I see a Kershaw Scallion as a knife that fits your requirements. Same blade profile, similar design, assisted opening, quality steel, slightly smaller size, and best of all... made in USA.

 

[scooter123]

I'm a fan of Spyderco and would recommend the Delica 4 with the G10 panels. Light weight, slim with a traditional notch lock, and the VB-10 steel blade will take and hold an edge well. As for opening, it's not an assisted opener but with a bit of practice you can open them one handed fairly quickly.

BTW I also have a Kershaw assisted opener and don't carry it any more because it's about twice the weight of my Delica and at least 50% thicker. If you don't mind the bulk the Kershaw is about 1/2 the price of the Delica and the blade steel is quite good, with a bit of honing and some work on a leather strop you can sharpen it to a "push cut". Yeah, I am a sharpness freak, if I have a blade I want it sharp enough to shave with in complete comfort.

 

[Shark Bait]

Check out anything made by Benchmade. Love my Arvensis. American made and good steel.

 

[rattlesnakedaddy]

Benchmade Pagan Family



My Benchmade 705 served me well for over 15 years. They now make a similar model in the mini griptilian. I replaced it this past year with their Emissary assisted opener.

 

[amazingflapjack]

Gerber easy out.

 

[Marshwheeling]

When I look at your knife, it says "Scallion" to me. That is a Ken Onion design by Kershaw. The Leek, another onion design, appeals to me more; in fact I have a couple. The 3" blade is a good useful size. You can find one for around $40. It is flat and disappears in your pocket despite the 4" OAL closed.

You might also like the CRKT Swindle, yet another Onion design. I don't own one, but my boy is quite happy with his, calling it "the natural evolution of the Leek".

There are lots of knives out there to choose from, but the ones I have suggested are the most similar to your NRA knife, and they are priced very modestly.

 

[Donn]

You simply can't go wrong with the american made Kershaws. The Leek is an incrediable knife.

What John said. The Leek's a lot of knife for the money.

 

[sodacan]

Anybody know if that NRA knife is American made?

 

[Brasky]

Maybe I'm cheap or maybe I just don't like to overpay for quality but IMO you will not find a better sub-$100 knife than the knives made by Ganzo. I have a model g704. 440c steel, g10 handle. I've used this knife at minimum once a day for over a year for everything from opening envelopes to hacking frozen deer flesh off a skull to even using it as a flathead screwdriver. No chips, holds an edge good, and still looks great. I've even watched a guy in Russia on YouTube smack the snot out of it and it survived. I've read reviews from people who own both this and benchmarks and say the difference is very minimal.

Best part? $16 shipped so you can buy multiple without breaking the bank.