Help me--conwict--choose a folder

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conw

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Hey guys,

(skip a few paragraphs below for the question, background info follows)

I am going to list my current EDC rotation and roles and then you will see why I have a glaring need for a folder, for a particular niche...bear with me.

Cold Steel Vaquero Large (4" blade serrated) - backup defensive, emergency cutting (seatbelts etc), this guy never gets used for anything but carried a lot (lightweight)

Cold steel Kobun (5.5" tanto fixed blade) - similar, mainly for backup defensive, when wearing appropriate garb. I carry it at 11 o clock and can access it with offhand (left) reverse grip, or primary hand sabre grip if I were to get put in a chokehold (IMO the main advantage of a good sharp fixed blade is to break chokeholds...)

Buck Hartsook in S30V - this is a fun knife, and I have really taken a liking to small SHARP fixed blades for my utility work (minor kitchen duty, backup utility, letter opening, rope cutting)

AG Russell Hunter Scalpel - same MOA as the Hartsook, except w/ an even handier sheath that I can clip to a belt loop

So for the most part carrying two of the above I have a good utility knife, and a good tactical knife, that fits my needs...comfortable, accessible, familiar...but I realized after selling my BM Griptilian (full sized) that I totally lack a tough folding utility/tactical knife.

I liked the BM well enough, but the thing came with a ridiculously steep grind and I just opted for my money back rather than screw around with reprofiling it. Benchmade needs to take a cue from Spyderco and start selling their knives freaky sharp and optimally ground...sorry for the side rant.

The Question

I want something medium to large, easy to carry, that can serve as a knife to be solely carried when I need to do some type of manual labor/yard work, and can be used hard. Yet will serve as a decent edged backup to my handgun. Price range is under 60.

Currently considering (feel free to chime in, or add options):
Spyderco Delica
Spyderco Endura (if available under 60?)
Ontario Rat-1
Spyderco Tenacious
Spyderco Centofante III

Talk to me... thanks :)
 
The Centofantes aren't intended for hard use knives.

The Tenacious gets rave reviews.

The Endura is a mainstay of Spydero's line for a good reason. The Delica is as well, but given the defensive role you've added I'd pick the bigger knife.
 
I own a couple of Tenacious's (in fact I'm bidding on a full S/E on on ebay as we speak; I've become quite the fanatic) and they're all that I edc now. They have pretty good edge retention and the fit and finish on all of mine are equal to most spydercos I've had/handled from the U.S. and Japan. I also prefer the G10 scales to the FRN handles but that is just personal preference. I have yet to find a better budget edc knife.
 
Wish the Tenacious came in VG10 or something for $50ish :) but by all reports the heat treat is great and edge retention/sharpening reflect it. I am not a steel snob, I strongly prefer a decent steel w/ a good heat treat to a good steel w/ a decent heat treat.

Gordon, I actually have the Vaquero in my rotation currently (don't blame you for skipping the intro) and I keep it pristine because it is just nasty sharp and I don't really want to dull it at all. It is so nice and light for a 4" blade and I love it as a backup SD item...yes I would cut with it if necessary, but I don't think (even w/ a crock stick from Lansky) that I could get it up to the initial levels of sharpness after hard use.

Thanks!
 
Buck vantage pro. BOS heat treat S30V 3.25" drop point blade with G10 handles with stainless liner lock. It has a flipper and a oval thumb hole. 40-50 dollars. I love mine and think it is a great value.
 
Yeah, for a knife to use hard, an Endura is a hard deal to beat. In vg10 for 59.95 at knifecenter.com--or save up another 30 bucks and get it in ZDP189. I love VG10, but it doesn't hold an edge quite hard enough for me to want it in a real working knife.
 
I heartily endorse the Endura or Tenacious, I own and carry both. The Endura more than the Tenacious. VG 10 was a challange for me to sharpen at first because of the high Vanadium content, it is very hard. I figured it out over time and got mine monster sharp.

Another favorite of mine is the native in s30v but that does not fit your criteria.
 
Glad you chimed in bd. Why endura more? The weight? Oal is like an inch more, do you really find it that much more useful? I like the g10 and beefiness of the tenacious but the thought of a great edge right out of the factory in vg10 is really making my mouth water!
 
Conwict,
All of the above. Heafty but not cumbersome. "right size" for me. Very useful and can do the hard work, for smaller jobs, and whitling canes, I carry one of my older carbon folders.
Like I said VG10 was difficult for me to learn to sharpen. YMMV

The tenacious can keep up also. and is easy to touch up Just a touch too wide for my taste. That is not to say it does not get used. but the Endura is by far my go to bigger knife.
 
Save your pennies and buy a CRK Sebenza.
Click to expand...
:D

I think you'd have to save dollars instead of pennies for a Sebenza. :evil:

If mine went missing I'm not sure how long it would take for me to save up for another.
 
Why I am making five titanium folders this week. I can't afford to buy one either. I got everything to make titanium folders with CPM 154. I am serious trying to stay away from the Stainless Damascus but I am losing my battle. But it is calling "Jim, Jim, Jim you know you want me."
 
I'm looking pretty hard at the pacific salt in H1, it is a lot lighter than the Endura 4 w/ supposedly similar performance, plus for the beater role it will take the true stainless property of H1 ought to be cool.

edit: disregard statement re performance (cf http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=372653), apparently vg10 is much better in PE (which I prefer to SE) but SE h1 beats SE VG10. interesting.
 
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Jim,

Show him one of those folders with the stainless damascus. Better yet, make the body of the damascus and the blade out of working material!
 
My most recent purchase, totally on a whim while I was buying ammo because it was right there and on sale (and I needed something for my range bag) was a Gerber F.A.S.T. assisted opener. Good steel, razor edge, and this new style of auto is a lot of fun to use. Unlock, give it a nudge against the assist and it swings out and locks with a tight snap. Even if you get something else, add one of these to your collection.
 
Got a SOG Flash II couple of days ago, because a friend had one that I cut my finger with. Sharpest knife that have ever seen from factory. Believe you can do anything with this knife. It is AO and all you have to do is push the assist button a small amount and it opens and locks tight. Has a release button and a safety. Can't believe I went this long without one.
 
I like all of your choices, but if it were me in your shoes, I wouldn't even think twice: Endura. I have one, and it is fantastic. Since I like knives and can usually swing buying myself a knife or two every few weeks, I have a lot of knives that I like. The Endura ends up in my pocket more than any of the rest (except my Case knives, which I now carry at work pretty much exclusively). Reasonable price, big knife that feels much smaller in the pocket, qood quality, company I trust. I like it better than any other Spyderco I own, and the only non-Spyderco knife that I own that comes close to it is a Benchmade Griptilian.

Seriously dude, it's just my opinion, but if my house burned down and I lost all my knives, I would buy another Endura first above all.
 
Thanks Timbo, I really liked that input. Definitely slanted me toward the Endura along w/ Bikerdoc's input. Now, the problem is, I liked my Griptilian too! I just want a knife that performs out of the factory...it had a "good enough" edge but not a scary sharp edge, and it would have required me cutting the bevel slant in half roughly. I'm really surprised more people haven't discussed this about the Griptilian. Did you reprofile yours?

I am pretty sure I'm gonna get an Endura. But I am still open to this discussion, and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to contribute!
 
A Gen 4 Endura with the steel liners is a lot tougher than the Pacific Salt, which is a unreinforced Gen 3 Endura in H-1 steel. I've broken two Salts and not one Endura.

That said, the Griptilian is going to be tougher yet because the AXIS lock is stronger than the Endura's lockback, which is anchored by a fiberglass reinforced nylon backspacer with four little polymer nubbins anchoring it into the liners.

That said, the Endura is a more versatile EDC. It's flatter and gives you four clip positions to choose from.

The best Endura is the flat ground VG-10 with G-10 scales and a steel backspacer, but it costs more and is harder to find.
 
Well, I pretty much agree with what Boats said. I love the AXIS lock, and I am personally a big fan of the modified sheepsfoot blade version that I have (I think it is the Grip 550?) Mine was quite sharp from the factory, and I have not reprofiled it, though that is because I use the Benchmade lifetime sharpening service.

Still, the Endura to me is just the better knife, for some logical reasons (like what Boats said) and for how it rides in my pocket and feels in my hand. Additionally, the Endura is around 20-25 bucks cheaper than the Griptilian.
 
Amazon has the SE ZDP Endura in Foliage Green for like $55-60, SE fans should jump on it! I think I'm just gonna go with the plain jane black FRN/VG10 endura. I like the lighter weight of FRN over G10. And I think I'll be fine with VG10 over ZDP189 considering it's slightly less likely to chip (tougher).
 
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