Gentleman's Folder

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hmphargh

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I took out my Griptilian to cut an apple at a picnic and got told that I need a more appropriate knife if I'm going to do that. So, I'm in the market for a new knife and I thought you guys might have some opinions to share and some knives I should look at.

Criteria:
  • 3-4.5" Blade Length
  • Sharp Drop Point/Spear Point
  • Plain Edge
  • One hand operation preferably with ambi thumb studs
  • Pocket clip

Past that I would like the knife to have scales that are more flat than rounded and not tactical looking. I have a couple Mini-Griptilians and a Griptilian that I carry, but they just don't seem right when I'm wearing a suit and apparently aren't appropriate for using on food, at least in public. What I am imagining is almost a folding kitchen paring knife with a thumb stud.

Knives I am considering are:

Both of them seem pretty good, the Benchmade seems to be slightly sturdier than the Al Mar when locked open, probably because the Al Mar doesn't have a steel liner. The Al Mar fits the description of a Gentleman's Folder slightly better.

I'm not particularly brand loyal, so I'm open to anything. Cost isn't a big issue, but I want to keep the price in the range of production knives, not custom jobs.

What do you carry or drool over that fits the description? Any other questions or comments are welcome.
 
Sog Flash II

I have been carrying one of these for 5 or 6 years. I have a lot of other pocket knives, some more expensive, but I always come back to the Sog. Please do not let other opinions dictate what you own or use. Life is way too short.

Clint
 
Thanks for the advice and suggestion. Part of the reason is because I want something more comfortable to carry in a suit pants pocket than a Mini-Grip/Grip, part is the opinion which came from someone close to me, and part is me using the previous two points as an excuse to get a new knife :)
 
hmphargh said:
* One hand operation preferably with ambi thumb studs
* Pocket clip
Click to expand...
Sounds to me like you want another tactical knife.

This is what I think of when I hear "Gentleman's knives":
 
Kershaw makes a standard edge version of the Leek. I carry the combination blade everyday & love the open assist. May not pass the "anti-tactical" sensabilitites of some, but I can deal with their discomfort.:)
 
The reason for the thumb studs is because I keep my fingernails very short and I am left handed, so opening most blades with nail notches involves a lot of fumbling. I don't need something I can draw and open in half a second, but I want to be able to open it in a reasonable amount of time without passing it from hand to hand. A pocket clip is not 100% necessary, but they help me keep my pockets organized.

Maybe gentleman's folder is not the best description, but I want a classy looking modern knife.
 
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General Geoff: That's close to what I am looking for, what is it called? Kabar's site is a bit hard to navigate...
 
I like the Al Mar Ultralights... myself, I like the Talon and sold an Eagle a while back. I think the Eagle Ultralight has everything you're looking for except it cannot be easily closed with one hand. My daily office carry knife is the drop point version of this:

http://www.agrussell.com/ag-russell-featherlite-clip-point-blade-with-aus-8-steel/p/K-93B/

Review:
http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/856503/

Uncomplicated, super light, flat, sharp, and ambidextrous and fully operates with one-hand unlike most lockbacks. Purely utilitarian. And priced so you don't go crazy if it gets temporarily misplaced (and who doesn't sometimes misplace the contents of our pockets?). The main subjective downsides are the lack of a clip (which doesn't bother me for in-pocket office carry) and plain looks (which makes it non-threatening).

If you're already a knife nut, you won't find a whole lot to oooh and ahh over when it first arrives (besides the dimensions and sharpness) compared to Griptillians, Leeks, or the sexy-steel-of-the-week, etc... but it'll quickly become a pocket favorite after you've carried and used it awhile.
 
General Geoff: That's close to what I am looking for, what is it called? Kabar's site is a bit hard to navigate...
Click to expand...

Won't find it on Kabar's site anymore, it's called the Dozier Thorn and it went out of production a year or two ago. I have two, so hopefully I won't need to buy any more in the near (or distant) future. :)

You might be able to find a few online knife dealers who still have a few in stock, they should run around $100.
 
Speedo, some of those knives look mighty stiff priced...440C cord wrapped for $200?

I guess also I don't care for many of the designs, as they remind me of a lot of production knives I've alreayd seen..maybe I'd feel differently if I handled them.
 
AG Russell Woodsman (or woodswalker, I forget) is worth a look. It's a fixed blade with a pocket sheath, about $20 and very well done. I have carried one for years. Very PC in my mind.

I also like the Buck Vantage line. Nice, pretty PC and great price for what you get!

Also, the Case Hobo (old model without the spoon) is a great gentleman's knife. No pocket clip but also worth a look I think.
 
If you want a knife truly made for this type of thing, IMO, Pocket Pal by Victorinox in Alox is the way to go. I use mine daily and love it. I have the plain jane red kind.
 
I took out my Griptilian to cut an apple at a picnic and got told that I need a more appropriate knife if I'm going to do that.
Click to expand...

Heck, the first half of the century included switchblades for anyone from little old ladies to gentlemen.

If they're squeamish around modern cutlery and consider something like the innocent looking Grippy not appropriate there's little you can do to make such a person happy.
 
Agreed, but there are other motivations too, plus who couldn't use another knife :D for slightly more formal/polite occasions.

Also, thanks for all the good suggestions, I've been taking notes and have contacted a few local shops to see what they have in stock so I can put my hands on them. I'm especially interested to see the A.G. Russell FeatherLite,and the Woodswalker, I have never carried a fixed blade, but there is no reason I couldn't put one on or drop one in my pocket on occasion, I'll have to wear suit trousers when I go to check them out to see how comfortable it is in the pocket. I like the looks of a lot of the Lone Wolf/Harsey/Paul W. Poehlmann knives, but I can't seem to find them in any local shops. One did have the Ka-Bar Dozier Thorn so I got lucky on that front. If one of those doesn't work out, I'll have to figure out a way to see some Lone Wolf knives in person, maybe some will make an appearance at a gun show.
 
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Paladin, awesome looking knife. Can't believe I've never heard of it - it has almost every feature I like in a knife. (Other colors, i.e. safety orange or yellow would be nice...just sayin')
 
Paladin: One of the stores I called up has a couple of them in stock, it is definitely a front runner if it feels good in the hand. The Boxcar Jack also caught my eye, but not enough for me to seriously consider it, just a very neat, modular idea.
 
Hmphargh - I'm kinda looking around for the same sorta thing right now - I EDC a Kershaw Cyclone and an el-cheapo Winchester branded knife from Wal-mart at the moment, but something a little bit slicker would be nice.

Anyhow - since nobody else has mentioned it yet, check out the CRKT Gallagher Glide Lock. It's plenty classy, has a neat little opening/locking mechanism, is lefty-friendly (woohoo!) and seem to be easily available for under $50 or so.

Have a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLFXKnOp0LM
 
Kingpin, I really like the Kershaw Skyline...have recommended it to two friends who both EDC it. Very nice out of the box sharpness and hollow grind too.
 
Gents knife , ditch the clip ...

Kershaw double cross - never raises an eye in the office.
Sodbuster Jr - same as above , doesn't raise an eye.

either makes a nice cover for the concealed fixed blade ;)
 
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