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xxjumbojimboxx

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So the previous switchblade post has me really wanting one. I live in Texas so I can carry it. But darnit, like everything else all of the ones folks suggest are from 300 to 100000000 dollars. You can get a quality folder for much less (maybe not super high quality, but a useful tool non the less). Is there anything out there thats decent for say, under 150? I have a schrade smedy i only paid like 20 bucks for and its a POS ;) The only requirement I have is I want a clip on it.


What say ye?
 
Is there anything out there thats decent for say, under 150?
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Anything legal has to have been made in the USA (not just labeled USA) and that typically pushes prices higher than offshore smuggled goods.

You can find plenty of good options in the $90-150 range from these companies - RKK, Piranha, Bear, Kershaw, SOG, Benchmade, Protech, Gerber, or HK. I still don't understand how SOG gets their prices so low, but perhaps they've decided to grab the final resting place for value when Knife Rights fights through enough states to challenge the fed commerce and mail laws.
 
My least favorite are the HK and then the BMs. I'd get a Protech, Piranha, RKK before the others in that price range. The Bears are good and the company is small and they're very much the "Southern knife family". The Piranhas are interesting. The Protechs utilitarian. The RKKs have a unique style. Most of them are smallish, but that's ok since you're not paying $300.

The BearOps auto has an S30V blade and G10 handle. The others are aluminum with various quality blade steels. I like the Kershaw Launch series shape and feel and steel. I like the Buck Impact as well.

I have some from all of them except the SOG or HKs. I even have the uber rare Spyderco autos.
 
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HSO, thanks for the info

Gordon, the GB ad you posted said its made in Taiwan?

I thought microtechs were american made? At least, everyone rants about their quality....
Am I mistaken? Also, Based on what HSO said earlier doesn't the Taiwanese origin make it illegal?
 
Gordon,

That's a Chinese POS and there are plenty of side swingers for Jimbo out there at his price now that are made in the US and good quality. I personally despise the knockoffs that come from offshore stealing the intellectual property of American makers, but their quality has improved from the "might as well burn your money 'cause that's how long the POS is going to last" to "that's scary that they can make something for a fifth our price that doesn't feel like crap" to "if the materials were better I might be tempted to buy that".

Jimbo,

Knife Center has all the makes I pointed you to and you can filter your search to a max price of $150.

The Bear I like is $132 -
BCAC100B4PSRnw.jpg

The Buck for $150 "buck" -
BU0898BKSa.jpg

The Kershaw launch is $100! -
KS7300BLKab.jpg

The Pirhana X is $140 -
piranha-x-silver-mirror-plain-cm-thumb.jpg

The ProTech TR-2 is $150 -
protech-tr-2-4-satin-thumb.jpg

For $10 above the "limit" you can get a Brous Blades auto -
brous-x-brbionicbzsat-thumb.jpg

They're out there at Knifecenter, BladeHQ, etc. They're also at knife shows and gun shows, but you have to be very careful about unscrupulous dealers selling counterfeit and low quality smuggled goods and claiming they're American (and charging far too much for them).
 
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I don't think its about "potential issues" or practicality or even price (up to the $150-$200 point).

Autos used to be forbidden fruit. TX is now auto legal. xxJJxx can now own one legally. That's pretty much why xxJJxx wants one (and they're fun).

Assists, Waves, ... aren't any of those (or at least not quite as much fun;)). Yes, he will have to be aware of local ordinances (at least until Knife Rights and TX allies can get preemption through and signed), but that's always been the case for locking blades and various blade lengths in TX.

What xxJJxx and all the other Texans need to do now, MUST do NOW, is assist Knife Rights in getting preemption through the TX legislature and get the Governor to sign it so the tattered and soiled crazy quilt of local TX knife laws can be done away with. Texans need to be legal with what is in their pocket from Austin to Dallas to Houston to San Antonios to Terlingua instead of being subject to crazy laws that prohibit locking folders in San Antonio or limit blade length to 3.5" in Dallas.
 
These are okay.
http://www.bladeplay.com/item--Boker-Automatic--376
http://www.bladeops.com/Boker-Kalashnikov-Knives-BladeOps-com-s/243.htm

My brother gave me a one a while back, an AUS8 version like this:
http://www.bladeplay.com/item--Boker-Automatic--376

I like it. It's a fun knife to play with, and to use. The AUS8 steel is okay, the aluminum handles are grippy enough and surprisingly comfortable. Versions are available with S30V steel.

Oh but keep the mechanism clean. I've sliced apples and oranges with mine only to discover that sticky juice will slow or prevent the blade from springing open...
 
hso said:
I don't think its about "potential issues" or practicality or even price (up to the $150-$200 point).

Autos used to be forbidden fruit. TX is now auto legal. xxJJxx can now own one legally. That's pretty much why xxJJxx wants one (and they're fun).

Assists, Waves, ... aren't any of those (or at least not quite as much fun;)). Yes, he will have to be aware of local ordinances (at least until Knife Rights and TX allies can get preemption through and signed), but that's always been the case for locking blades and various blade lengths in TX.

What xxJJxx and all the other Texans need to do now, MUST do NOW, is assist Knife Rights in getting preemption through the TX legislature and get the Governor to sign it so the tattered and soiled crazy quilt of local TX knife laws can be done away with. Texans need to be legal with what is in their pocket from Austin to Dallas to Houston to San Antonios to Terlingua instead of being subject to crazy laws that prohibit locking folders in San Antonio or limit blade length to 3.5" in Dallas.
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You got that right, forbidden fruit is my favorite kind :)
 
Mikhail Weiss said:
These are okay.
http://www.bladeplay.com/item--Boker-Automatic--376
http://www.bladeops.com/Boker-Kalashnikov-Knives-BladeOps-com-s/243.htm

My brother gave me a one a while back, an AUS8 version like this:
http://www.bladeplay.com/item--Boker-Automatic--376

I like it. It's a fun knife to play with, and to use. The AUS8 steel is okay, the aluminum handles are grippy enough and surprisingly comfortable. Versions are available with S30V steel.

Oh but keep the mechanism clean. I've sliced apples and oranges with mine only to discover that sticky juice will slow or prevent the blade from springing open...
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Ohhh my, It comes in a box that looks like an AK mag....
 
I've decided that the secret to a clean and happy auto knife is lighter fluid. Hose it down good, let it dry, and then follow with a touch of lightweight oil. (I use plain old Hoppes and it seems to be fine).
 
After a little bit of thought I ended up ordering one of those ak74's


My reasoning being that my needs for an edc knife are pretty low stress... Things like cutting tape on boxes, or opening packages and whatnot. As far as the coolness factor is concerned its pretty darn cool and comes in a box that looks like an ak mag! :) (AK fanboy here)

Price was better than I'd hoped for a knife that most who reviewed it called "functional". I don't plan on prying on anything or hacking at anything with it. I also carry a gun otherwise, so its not super necessary for self defense either.

My plan is to ride this one out, see how much I like/dislike EDCing a knife, and if I decide it someone I cant go without, Ill graduate to something better qulity/more expensive.


Thanks everyone. I appreciate y'all helping me out.
 
hso said:
Got one. Wouldn't get another. Too many of them have spring problems.
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That's interesting. In a bad way. :)

Maybe I should order some replacement springs.

Meanwhile, I've been using it off and on for 11 months. No broken spring yet. What's the average run time on those broken springs?
 
xxjumbojimboxx said:
After a little bit of thought I ended up ordering one of those ak74's

My reasoning being that my needs for an edc knife are pretty low stress... Things like cutting tape on boxes, or opening packages and whatnot. As far as the coolness factor is concerned its pretty darn cool and comes in a box that looks like an ak mag! :) (AK fanboy here)

Price was better than I'd hoped for a knife that most who reviewed it called "functional". I don't plan on prying on anything or hacking at anything with it. I also carry a gun otherwise, so its not super necessary for self defense either.

My plan is to ride this one out, see how much I like/dislike EDCing a knife, and if I decide it someone I cant go without, Ill graduate to something better qulity/more expensive.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate y'all helping me out.
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You're welcome. I've carried a pocketknife ever since I was a wee tyke and can't imagine a day without one in a pocket. They're useful things...
 
MW,

Some of them broke right away. Some simple came apart. Some never broke. I have better switchblades and only got the AKs out of curiosity. Springs are available from Knifekits and PVK.
 
Mikhail Weiss said:
You're welcome. I've carried a pocketknife ever since I was a wee tyke and can't imagine a day without one in a pocket. They're useful things...
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I have a tiny little Swiss army knife on my key chain. I find myself using it quite a bit. So I cant imagine not using the ak74. The only thing im not sure of is the bulk and heft. With my gun, car keys, house keys (sometimes motorcycle key) which are all on separate rings, as well as my phone and wallet, adding a knife may be a bit much... We'll see though :)
 
I do not advise getting the Boker product. Regardless of the price it isn't a good enough knife.

IIRC it is made offshore instead of in the US. Boker got in trouble with US Customs for their Top Lock/Speed Lock knives being too easy to convert to auto by simply dropping a spring in. Since the knives were made outside the US they could not bring an auto in or a knife that was easily converted.
 
hso said:
I do not advise getting the Boker product. Regardless of the price it isn't a good enough knife.

IIRC it is made offshore instead of in the US. Boker got in trouble with US Customs for their Top Lock/Speed Lock knives being too easy to convert to auto by simply dropping a spring in. Since the knives were made outside the US they could not bring an auto in or a knife that was easily converted.
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I'm confused... are you saying the ak74 isn't a switchblade? OR that it is illegal to be in the US as it was made elsewhere? There's Youtube videos of them everywhere.
 
These switchblade threads need to stop!

I'm jealous!

One day Ohio, one day......
 
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