Quality Pocket Knife

[Jack Burton]

ANY knife will snap if you abuse it. They're made for cutting, not prying.

That said, the Buck Vantage line is the best bang for the buck I've found. Pocket clip in the right place, can be opened and CLOSED with one GLOVED hand, made in the U.S., and guaranteed by God all for about $25.

I love my Kershaw, Case, and original Schrades but they're too nice for EDC.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Does this one count?

 

[Dave455]

The German made PUMA's are top of the line in my opinion, although the new ones are all made in China now.

Sorry to say, PeterT, but the current knives coming out of the Puma factory are pretty poor, and have been for some years!

I bought a beautiful 4 Star 3 inch lock knife probably 20 plus years back, and it is superb! Certainly as good as any Puma ever! A few years later I bought the matching 2 inch, and it was frankly awful! The blade is nowhere nearly as well ground, and the fit (Puma's trademark) is awful!

The present state of play is that they still produce knives made in Germany (mostly the old patterns) but don't be deceived, the quality is nothing like the Puma of old. Don't know what's happened, whether they've lost the skilled workers and just can't produce the stuff, or if they took a decision to go downmarket. Either way, the old quality has gone.

Puma produce a second line they call 'IP' (International Production). My understanding is that these are made in Spain. They're not bad, the ones I've seen no worse than the current German stuff, but the patterns seem to be new ones, and I've seen far better coming out of Toledo than this!

There is a third line called Puma Tec, and Puma seem evasive as to where these are made so assume the worst! I havn't seen any of these, as none of the British or German cutlers or gunshops I visit, that tended to keep Puma, have bothered with these! I don't have high hopes!

If you like German patterns, or more importantly German quality, there are loads of other options though! I personally love Hubertus knives, and although they don't have the advertising presence of Puma, their knives are superb and their range perhaps even greater than Puma's!

Many other makers have a speciality, and the 'gentlemans' knives made by Frederich Hartkopf now, are every bit as good as those from Puma in the 1990's or the top Sheffield makers of the 1890's! These are my reccomendations!

 

[Banana Man]

I have the Zero Tolerance 0350 and I absolutely love it. I've had it for about 7 or 8 years now and it's holding up very well. I don't think Benchmade knives can compair to ZT I'll definitely be buying another ZT. They cost a lot but are worth every penny IMO! The new 0804CF looks the business!

 

[va.grouseman]

Does this count?

 

[Wylaco]

I carry Spyderco Chaparral, I love it. I carried a SOG Auto for while but we sell tons of Spyderco and are located 10 minutes from the factory. I found myself going in Spyderco a couple days a week and felt guilty

 

[slip knot]

I've carried a 2 blade mini trapper made by Camillus for the past 20+yrs.

2 blades are very important. use one to clean your toenails and nueter the cat, use the other one to cut up lunch. Just dont get them confused.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Sebenza or Umnumzaan.

lol. I was going to suggest a 21 as well. I've used my large 21 carbon fiber for anything and everything. Although my ZT 0561 or benchmade griptilian would do just the same. Something about using a 400$ plus knife for razor duties that makes you feel like you're living on the edge. I actually currently carry a spyderco paramilitary 2, it's beat the sebenza out of my pocket.

 

[mzsigler]

I carry this Boker AK 74 automatic pretty much everywhere, it's super versatile and the one hand automatic opening is nice when you're under a car and need to make quick work of a zip tie or something. I have a big thick bladed CRKT knife i keep in my toolbox along with a utility knife.

 

[Jeepster425]

I carry this Boker AK 74 automatic pretty much everywhere, it's super versatile and the one hand automatic opening is nice when you're under a car and need to make quick work of a zip tie or something. I have a big thick bladed CRKT knife i keep in my toolbox along with a utility knife.

I have that exact same one but not automatic. Got it for stupid cheap on their website under clearance or sale items

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Flivver250]

I couldn't choose just one knife or multi-tool. I have drawers full of them, every US brand. Benchmade switchblade is nice, Buck is trusty. I have a bone handled Puma Duke and a Puma Earl I like. Ka-Bar when I ride. Leatherman certainly and I think they are still US made. Some of my favorite "go to" US made knives were the old US Camillus Army pocket knife with can and bottle opener. I don't think they make them anymore. I bought a whole bunch so I'll never run out.

 

[burnedonice]

The best thing in the world,is the Milwaukee Fastback. Change your blade once a week, and you'll never worry abut it again

 

[anndel]

Does this count?

Sure does

 

[Finky198]

I think the buck 110 is a solid knife that's well proven I own a few...

That said you can pry my Benchmades from my cold dead hands. They build a top quality knife and stand behind their product 1000% made in USA is also a +... imho the griptilian is a good budget knife... The Barrage is nice if your looking for an assisted opener. But the grips in my opinion leave somthing to be desired. Thats were the big differences are compared to the "black class" if you looking for toughness stick to Them. I personally like the std Persidio lineup. They are all metal need I say more.

 

[va.grouseman]

Previously posted by Slip Knot.
I've carried a 2 blade mini trapper made by Camillus for the past 20+yrs.

2 blades are very important. use one to clean your toenails and nueter the cat, use the other one to cut up lunch. Just dont get them confused.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Now that's funny, I don't care who you are.

 

[cludwin]

I cary this guy...
http://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/otter-bone-handle-tachenmesser.html

German made Otter.

It's really sharp, affordable and I dig the way it looks ( nothing fancy ).
HJE is currently out of stock on this particular model but if you search their site for otter a bunch of other ones like are are still available.

 

[d.mcfarland]

The best thing in the world,is the Milwaukee Fastback. Change your blade once a week, and you'll never worry abut it again

How is the best thing in the world a knife that has to have new blades every week?

Other people are posting knives that can go years without sharpening...

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I cary this guy...
http://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/otter-bone-handle-tachenmesser.html

German made Otter.

It's really sharp, affordable and I dig the way it looks ( nothing fancy ).
HJE is currently out of stock on this particular model but if you search their site for otter a bunch of other ones like are are still available.

That's called a Barlow, incase you were interested to see what else is out there

 

[geartow]

I think buck 110 is the bench mark standard of pocket knives. I also like opional knives. Hope I spelled that correctly.

 

[Bocefus]

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-940-Osborne-Design-Knife/dp/B000QA9G2W/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1464208620&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=benchmade+940&psc=1&smid=A3SPLR0MSOYZ8O">Benchmade 940 Osborne</a>

 

[ItsNemo]

Another Benchmade vote, I have a 581 Barrage, 470-1 Emissary and 556 Mini-Grip all quite nice knives. The Barrage is the heavy duty knife when I've got to cut something big/hefty/etc...the Emissary is the letter/package opener and more gentleman's style knife, and the mini-grip is in my survival bag.

My daily carry though is a Spyderco Bug on my keychain since it's easy to never forget it and doesn't take up any bulk but can still cut tape/packaging/string/etc. Have a couple other Spyderco's kicking around too.

 

[BikerDad]

I'm looking for a quality folding pocket knife. A friend at work has a Kershaw and it's nice but he's already broken the tip off. I'm an industrial mechanic.

Given what I've said, if the consensus is that I'd be better off with a pocket folding razor knife then let me know that also, thanks.

Without knowing how he broke it, and how you intend to use yours, it's a tough question to answer. So just get a folding utility knife for now, and you'll find out it's perfect for you, or you hate it because it's so clunky in the pocket, etc.

I have a Spyderco Delica 4 and a Benchmade Mini-Griptilian, love 'em both, but I don't see myself breaking a tip on one because I don't intend to use 'em as prybars. Intent and necessity don't always align though.

Pocket knives are often a really personal thing...

 

[jeffmoss26]

I've been carrying Kershaw knives almost daily for ~5 years. My current EDC is a 1440 orange Snap-on branded knife.

 

[jfull]

I bought a nice Kershaw knife recently. Tip broke off very quickly just testing it out cutting pine. I talked to Kershaw: I can mail it back to them and pay for a new blade that they would install. They would not return/refund/replace it. ****** customer service. I said bag it, I'll go buy a real knife from somewhere else.

Sounds like kershaw is the equivalent of walmart in terms of quality, but worse in terms of customer service.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I bought a nice Kershaw knife recently. Tip broke off very quickly just testing it out cutting pine. I talked to Kershaw: I can mail it back to them and pay for a new blade that they would install. They would not return/refund/replace it. ****** customer service. I said bag it, I'll go buy a real knife from somewhere else.

Sounds like kershaw is the equivalent of walmart in terms of quality, but worse in terms of customer service.

I have a hard time believing it just snapped cutting pine. I own from a 50$ knife to a 600$ knife. Different brands, steels, blade shapes, locks, etc. I'm calling your bluff. You had to have been twisting or prying in the wood. Even the thinnest knives such as a leek won't snap if you're properly whittling wood. Twisting is a different story, which in the eyes of customer service is abuse because knives are for cutting. Even the cheapest of knives won't break if used properly

 

[Cato]

You can't go wrong with a Victoronox Swiss Army Knife. You won't beat yourself up when you lose it, either.

 

[jn50308401]

You can't go wrong with a Victoronox Swiss Army Knife. You won't beat yourself up when you lose it, either.

+1 on losing it.. I've lost several knives that were expensive and feel like dirt to this day that they fell out of my pocket in a customer car or at a restaurant/beer joint.

I have 2 cheap tanto blade Kershaw's from Amazon and they work for me, except one the pants clip is tweaked. Every once and a while I bend a little to tighten it up. For under 20 bucks, if it disintegrated or I lost it, I wouldn't cry like if it was a 200 dollar Benchmade.

They hold a good edge, are cheap and the speed open assist works well.

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

 

[mmack66]

Get yourself one of these.

Knives like tools can be a scary slope, to a certain extent you get what you pay for, buy something good quality and it will last a lifetime. Benchmade and spyderco are both high quality brands and preferred by most their main claims to fame are griptilian (benchmade) and paramilitary 2 (spyderco).

What are they?

There's nothing worse that suggesting something and not telling what it is.

 

[JBradley500]

Mines a large sebenza 21. I was kind of joking because it was pretty expensive.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Mines a large sebenza 21. I was kind of joking because it was pretty expensive.

Like this one?

 

[crab]

You can get a very good pocket knife for under a hundred, Buck, or you can spend a lot more and get one that is marginally better. A lot depends on how you're going to use it, most people don't use one very much at all. If you collect knives that's another ball of wax completely. Bench made makes some good knives that are actually designed more as a weapon than a tool if that's what you're looking for. A fixed blade is probably a better choice for that but autos do fascinate me. I would say that I don't collect knives but I do have 8 or 9 good knives including a few autos. Buck really is pretty hard to beat for the money.

 

[va.grouseman]

Crab, I use to collect knives and still have all that I collected but rarely buy one these days.---But I can't leave the house without a knife in my pocket.---If I do forget to pick up one, it won't be 10 minutes before I need one.---If I don't have a knife in my pocket, I'm 3/4 naked.---I have about 200 pocket knives and 150 hunting knives.

This is the pocket knife I would carry if they hadn't gone up so much in value.---I have a dozen of these Classic Stockman's and 6 Junior Stockman's, all NOS.---Never could find a used one in good condition that I wouldn't' mind whetting.---So as I stated before, instead I carry the 307 Buck.---I have 20 of them, NOS, but I have enough of the used ones to keep me going for years.

The best Sunday go to meeting, and fingernail cleaning knife to me is the Ulster Old Timer.---But you can't afford them in NOS either.

Here's the Cold Steel Carbon V Stockman.---Incidentally the Carbon V Master Hunter is my all time favorite hunting knife.---Super hard steel, holds an edge real good.

 

[R.Anderson]

Swiss Army Tinker is what I carry daily. Small and light, it does what I need it for. I use it at work alot for stripping large gage wire. The large blade rarly gets used, the small blade I use all the time. I tried folding razors, too bulky, and or not comfortable to use.

 

[RedF]

I carry a Leatherman Surge. While it's not the best at anything, the tool you have with you beats the one you don't. It's super handy. It's kinda heavy though, and I couldn't get used to carrying on my belt. The pocketclip works better for me.

 

[Dirtydan69]

I daily carry a Kershaw Onion, mostly because of it's compact size, and although I havent broken the tip off of yet, it doesnt seem like it would take much to damage it, (the tip). Its sort of babied as far as knife duties, mostly just opening boxes, cutting tape, etc.

I daily carry the same Kershaw Onion, spring assist. I love it. I don't baby it, I cut drywall with it, caulk, you name it. It always seems to sharpen up well and come back to life with oil in it's hinge. I did drop it once and broke the tip. I sent it to Kershaw for warranty and they replaced the bade even though they don't warranty blade tips. I don't ever pry with it. For that I have my Home Depot orange handle Shrade I bought for $5 over 20 years ago. Then there is always my Shrade pocket tool for other projects.

 

[gtcs]

I am very partial to the Kershaw knives. While I loved my leek, I was so passed when it came up 'missing' on a jobsite that I wont EDC a knife that expensive. I have been carrying these for a few years now, and love them. The assisted opening and differentclip locations are features I must have now.

I have lost2 of them, and i admit i broke the tip on one last week, but i was using it as a screwdriver.

you can pick these up for about $25 all day and they hold an edgeif your not cutting/stripping wire with it. There is also a version with black rubberized grips (what I am currently carrying)and versions with serrated blades, if thats your thing

 

[Backpack Hunter]

How is the best thing in the world a knife that has to have new blades every week?

Other people are posting knives that can go years without sharpening...

What knife, used regularly, doesn't need sharpening for years? I would like two of these magical knives please.

 

[va.grouseman]

A knife that goes years without sharpening is a knife that get carried for show only, or spreading peanut butter, or cutting electrical tape only.---But then again, back when I was working for the state, some of the boys had knives that they called sharp but wouldn't' cut your arm even if you pressed hard.---Mine will leave a bald spot on your arm and never touch the skin.---Funny, they were always getting me to sharpen their sharp knives.

 

[SantaAna12]

I bought a nice Kershaw knife recently. Tip broke off very quickly just testing it out cutting pine. I talked to Kershaw: I can mail it back to them and pay for a new blade that they would install. They would not return/refund/replace it. ****** customer service. I said bag it, I'll go buy a real knife from somewhere else.

Sounds like kershaw is the equivalent of walmart in terms of quality, but worse in terms of customer service.

That has not been my experience. I have a Blur that I consider a great buy and a quality tool. I send it in yearly....Kershaw sharpens it for free.
Walmart?
Gonna get some flame for this......Gerber is the Walmart of knives to me.
My experience.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

That has not been my experience. I have a Blur that I consider a great buy and a quality tool. I send it in yearly....Kershaw sharpens it for free.
Walmart?
Gonna get some flame for this......Gerber is the Walmart of knives to me.
My experience.

Don't get me started on gerber... i'd trust a gerber just as much as i'd trust an Enfamil. Gerber knives are more dangerous to the user than anything.