EDC Knife Reccos

[nickwm21]

Looking for a new knife, I lost my CRKT M16-10kz

I loved the design of the CRKT:
- Easy one handed open
- Solid lock
- Box cutting tip
- Serrated base
- Slim in the pocket clipped.
- 3" blade, 4" folded

I DID NOT like how fast the blade dulled. I blame the cheap Taiwanese steel...

I am looking for a similar blade. I have heard great things about Kershaw. I am currently looking at the Leek

Any suggestions?

[Cruiser]

I picked up a leek a while ago and have been really happy with it. The construction isn't as good as my benchmade knives but it's not going to fall apart either. The assisted opening is quick and effortless. Yeah, the steel could be better but I have a chefs choice electric sharpener that I use for my kitchen knives so I just touch the blade up with it to keep it razor sharp. I don't use mine for much more than opening boxes and stuff at work so I'm not really putting it through its paces but it is doing a nice job as a "gentleman's folder".

Sent from my Nexus 7 using TGR Forums

[XavierD]

For relatively cheep you can get a spyderco Native off Amazon ($60) that works really well. Not serrated, but everything else you mentioned applies. It has been the best under $100 knife I have had, other than a leatherman wave which is not really a knife.

[Rideski]

The m16 is a nice looking knife, bummer you lost.
I picked up a few various knives off of sac and afterwards started poking around the laws and was surprised how strict things are. Not that cops are going to go out of their way to track you down for a EDC, but if you fucked something else up and had one on you, just an extra reason to take you in. Laws in your area may vary. Denver states that blades cannot be longer than 3-1/2" and no assisted open allowed.
I no longer edc my fav crkt opting for one with no assisted opening. Sucks but I don't want a stupid thing like that messing with my CCW rights.

Colorado - Criminal Code Section 18-12-101

[capulin overdrive]

Gerber Paraframe are dirt cheap, and look darn close to what you lost.

Talking like 12 to 20 bucks if you shop around.


Have carried one for several years, not a high quality blade, but will hold and edge good enough.


My only gripe on the gerber, is coins and keys seem to get freaky with the frame.

[nickwm21]

Gerber Paraframe are dirt cheap, and look darn close to what you lost.

Talking like 12 to 20 bucks if you shop around.


Have carried one for several years, not a high quality blade, but will hold and edge good enough.


My only gripe on the gerber, is coins and keys seem to get freaky with the frame.

I had one of those prior. It was nice for $20.

The m16 is a nice looking knife, bummer you lost.
I picked up a few various knives off of sac and afterwards started poking around the laws and was surprised how strict things are. Not that cops are going to go out of their way to track you down for a EDC, but if you fucked something else up and had one on you, just an extra reason to take you in. Laws in your area may vary. Denver states that blades cannot be longer than 3-1/2" and no assisted open allowed.
I no longer edc my fav crkt opting for one with no assisted opening. Sucks but I don't want a stupid thing like that messing with my CCW rights.

Colorado - Criminal Code Section 18-12-101

I always assumed if you followed a few rules, you would be legal pretty much anywhere in the US:
- Not longer than 3"
- Not double sided
- Not assist opening

[nickwm21]

This is fun:

http://www.benchmade.com/customize/

[MakersTeleMark]

Pretty close to the M16:

Ontario XR-1.

A bit smaller:

Buck RedPoint.

[Chugachjed]

Can't carry a knife bigger than 3.5" in CO and no assisted opening? Buncha goddamn liberals. Here in Alaska we can carry buy and sell automatic knives as we desire, and guns, no permit necessary.

But on point my EDC knife varies depending on where I am and what I am doing. For a folder I have a benchmade griptillian with a broken tip, a CRKT Ken Onion SAC special, and a couple others. Mostly I like to carry a $5 Victorinox paring knife with a little hard plastic sheath. I have a couple automatics, one is a benchmade but the 2 others I can't recall the MFG and are nothing special. Gotta have a few to match every outfit, like a woman with shoes and purses.

[PowTurtle]

Don't need a permit in Co to buy a gun. You can walk around with it in holster on your belt as well with no permit.

[Chugachjed]

In AK you can carry open or concealed without a permit.

[ZomblibulaX]

The leek covers the criteria you listed, but i have a friend that broke the tip on his three times before he gave up on drop points entirely. If you want an onion, the scallion is a great frame-lock folder with assisted opening worth looking at. Only ~2" blade, but its up to just about any task, carries well, and can be found around $50.

YMMV, my daily carry's a ringed razel.

[MakersTeleMark]

See my post above and ignore the ignorant pseudo legal mumbo jumbo. I have a ton of knives (and guns). Don't even think about carrying what you want every day. For Chrissakes, it's in your pocket, do you want a cannon in there (that could cause a ton of butthurt)?

'Cause you can is my point (no pun intended). Let us know what you settle with; my M16 is on my visor in my truck and has come in handy more times than I can count. I've probably had it 20 years or so.

[summit]

The m16 is a nice looking knife, bummer you lost.
I picked up a few various knives off of sac and afterwards started poking around the laws and was surprised how strict things are. Not that cops are going to go out of their way to track you down for a EDC, but if you fucked something else up and had one on you, just an extra reason to take you in. Laws in your area may vary. Denver states that blades cannot be longer than 3-1/2" and no assisted open allowed.
I no longer edc my fav crkt opting for one with no assisted opening. Sucks but I don't want a stupid thing like that messing with my CCW rights.

Colorado - Criminal Code Section 18-12-101

Assisted opening as in the torsion bar of something like the Kershaw Leek or CRKT is fine. It is not a "switchblade", "gravity knife", or "ballistic knife"

I used to have a CRKT. Now I have a Leek.

[Rideski]

Awesome if true. Seems to be a pretty grey area where johnny popo could give you a hard time about. Have you ever spoken with anyone about it or just your interpretation from reading?


""Switchblade knife" means any knife, the
blade of which opens automatically by hand pressure
applied to a button, spring, or other device in its
handle...
"

[Fenris]

I used to carry a CRKT M16FD, now either a Leatherman Skeletool or a Gerber Hinderer.

The Hinderer has an awesome and solid lock (designed for turnout gloves, and works for me with a ski glove or mitten), serrated, beefy construction (they don't consider prying a warranty voider like most folders), and serrated. There rescue version is blunt tipped, but the CLS has a sharp tip.

[swerve]

Check out the benchmade 530. I carried one for years until I lost it last summer. It was so slim and light you never noticed it was clipped in your pocket. Picked up the BM 520 but still miss the 530.

[systemoverblow'd]

My EDC is a Spyderco Endura 4, half serrated like this:



They make a delica 4 which is just this knife only smaller. You can also get them with non stainless handles. I've had spydercos since I was 16 and have been very happy with them. They have a gagillion different knives to choose from. Don't buy them direct from Spyderco as you can find them much cheaper elsewhere.

[Caucasian Asian]

My EDC is either a SOG Flash II, CRKT M16-14T, or large stainless SOGZilla.

I also have a M16Z as well, but I found I liked to carry I larger blade. The big knives are kinda heavy, but I don't notice the weight in my pocket. And I've never found myself thinking "Gee, I wish I had a smaller knife".

I picked them all up on SAC or theclymb.com, so they were all pretty inexpensive.

[Jethro]

I currently like this spyderco. http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=294. It is not assisted, but the large thumb hole makes it really controllable. I have decided I like knives from 3'-3.5" with more belly in the blade. Shorter knives don't make it through an apple or orange and the handles are too short.

I also have a Leek (I have had about 5) but the relatively straight cutting edge is not my favorite. This knife from CKRT might be on my list http://www.crkt.com/K415KXP
Personally, the tanto style knives have never appealed to me.. The effective cutting edge is interrupted
and they seem like a pain to sharpen. They are also an american design. The true tip on a katana or tanto has a slight radius on it, not a square chisel tip.

I have a couple of benchmades. One is an older Osbourne design and the handle is just too thick. The others have 3.6" blades. That is just over legal, but not really an issue for me. I cant find them now though.

[XavierD]

For those of you worried about assisted opening, you can get an Emerson wave style knife open in around the same time as an automatic.

[char]

Am I the only one that dislikes assisted opening? If it has a good thumb stud I've never had an issue getting a knife open one handed.

I also don't get the tanto style knife for most applications. I carried one at work and the only good thing I can say about it was that it was cheap and that it worked well for prying on stuff.

What is a box cutting tip? Drop point?

I've been looking at Spyderco for the thumbhole recently which seem like it adds alot of control.

My EDC is whatever is sub $25. The inevitably get pulled out of pockets, left on bumpers, etc so cheap is good.

For $100 a griptillian mini 556S seems to fit the bill.

[division.bell]

Am I the only one that dislikes assisted opening? If it has a good thumb stud I've never had an issue getting a knife open one handed.

Nope, you are not the only one. I despise assisted knives as they eventually will all go to shit, or have way too loose of tolerances to begin with. As mentioned above, with some of the market's current offerings you can easily open a non-assisted knife as fast or even faster than some of the assisted junk out there.

Regarding the EDC discussion, I'd personally avoid Kershaw; I've seen too many of their steel chip or break under what I myself would consider light usage (opening boxes, light cutting duties, etc.). As I would also avoid going with some of the cheaper models from SOG, Gerber, Spyderco, etc. Cheap steel sucks, and cheap knives are only made worse when combining cheap steel and terrible locks/mechanics...SOG, I'm looking at you!

I've had wonderful experiences with my SOG Xray Vision and a few of the Benchmade's (275 Adamas/950 Rift) I picked up a several months ago.

[nickwm21]

Thanks for all the discussion!

Debate really is the following:

Do you go with a $20-40 CRKT/Kershaw/Gerber/SOG and not be worried about loosing it or using it to open beers....

Or.

Do you go with a $100-150 Benchmade/Spyderco and take care of it hoping it will last 15 years....

Kinda like the good old fancy sunglasses debate.

[char]

Suppose it depends on how often you lose it. I lose on average one cheap EDC a year so the choice is obvious for me.