Under-Rated Folders

[JShirley]

There always seem to be a some knives that work great, but get little respect. My choice for such a folder is the Spyderco Salsa.

Lightweight, size-efficient, with a short, broad blade, and well priced, I really wish I could find mine. The Salsa handle will show scratches, but doesn't tear up pants like G10 will. The Spyderco Compression Lock is extremely strong, though it does take a little more practice to release with one hand. The "Cobra Hood" makes opening the blade even easier. The AUS-8 steel is perfectly acceptable for daily use and helps keep the cost down.

Here is a pretty good video review, and a picture of the Salsa.

What's your pick of under-rated folder?

 

[Rupestris]

Its been covered here a few times. My choice for under rated (and inexpensive to boot) is the Gerber LST Magnum Jr.

 

[22-rimfire]

SAKs are largely under-rated for the non-outdoor crowd. "I don't want a knife like that; I want something cool!" or something along those lines. SAKs are great tools.

 

[Todd A]

Great thread Idea. I am going to expand the scope abit. How about a entire brand that is maligned by almost all?

Be honest ,what pops into your head when you hear Imperial?

Thought so.....I used to think that too.




The top three are mine and are of a high enough quality that the U.S saw fit to issue them to our troops in WWII.

The Toothpick and Tuxedo are my daughter's. The Kamp King and medium Jack are my son's. These shell handled knives will still perform 99% of any tasks that todays knife owner could ask of a knife.

Ohh and thats not rust on the Kamp King,that is the reflection of the leaves in the tree above the table.

 

[Boats]

This question is easy. . . .

The toughest flat, legal nearly everywhere on the planet, ultimately disposable folder going for about $20.00. Tough as nails distally tapered 1084 blade. The monoblock spring is very positive both opening and closing. In a pinch, the frame can be hammered closed at the pivot to create a fixed bladed knife.

The Douk Douk rocks.

 

[Rupestris]

Be honest ,what pops into your head when you hear Imperial?

Thought so.....I used to think that too.

Thank you Todd! Good call.
I love my Imperials. Here's a pic of a few of mine.


I've added a couple more since taking this pic. Including a Kamp King.

 

[Boats]

Are those Imperial Schrades made in the USA, or are they the Chicom imports that are nameplate Schrades only?

 

[Rupestris]

Boats, Mine are made in Prov. RI between the 60's and 80's.

 

[Carl Levitian]

Some of the most basic sak's, the Gerber LST series as mentioned by Rupestris, and Opinels, are the most underrated knives you can put in your pocket. For some years I had a regular Gerber LST that I used as a dirty deeds knife in the machine shop. I gained a huge amount of respect for that little knife. Light, extremly rugged, and cut well.

The Opinels have been doing alot of dirty work since 1890 pretty much without change. The locking ring was added in 1911. One of the very few knives I know of that comes with a convex ground blade from the factory, and out cuts many knives costing many times more.


sak's; what other 3 once tool can you drop in a pocket, that will clean a fish, break down boxes, tighten a leaking hose clamp with, fix a 1966 BMW R60 ignition, and then pop open a cold one when you get to where you were going?

 

[hso]

Opinel's are highly under-rated.

Most of the Timberline line doesn't get any attention, yet they're every bit as good as CRKT and they keep a sheltered workshop employed as their packaging and shipping center.

 

[sm]

In addition to all the ones listed so far...

Free Advertising Knives from a time gone by.
Most were key chain size, with carbon steel blades and came with a beaded key chain.

Feed & Seed , Hardware, General Store, Auto Supply, Mechanics, Body /Paint Shops, and even that house down near the railroad track with the red light bulb in the front porch light fixture...

Purina, Gerber Baby Food, Bell Telephone, Joe's Auto Supply, Barbara Lee Robert's house...

 

[plateshooter]

I'm with Boats on the Douk Douk. I only have the Cold Steel similar version.

 

[Cesiumsponge]

Spyderco's cheap line, Byrd, are affordable and usually around $20 street price. They've got a similar thumbhole opening (its more eye-shaped) that is easy to manipulate and I am not afraid to abuse it due to the pricing. In my opinion, the steel is reasonable and better than the 420 and lower end 440 variants (excluding 440C) stuff in most mainstream knives.

 

[mole]

I must agree with Cesiumsponge. The Byrds aren't in the top of the class, but they're far from the bottom.

 

[Carl Levitian]

Unless I've missed it, nobody has mentioned the German Mercator. Long history of work there.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Rating vs Popularity

I don't know if "little recognized" equates to "underrated" but I do know that I studiously ignored all the folders made by EKA (Sweden) because they "looked funny."

For five years, in fact.

I only bought one because a) it was hanging on a rack in front of me, b) it looked better up close than it had in pictures, c) the price was from nearly fifteen years prior.

Heck, under $20 for a full-sized hunting folder? Even if it did look different, Swedish steel has never been a bad thing, so why not?

Exceeded all expectations. I actually prefer it to my Buck 110s, which are basically the same size.

It performs like a fixed blade. Very strong lock. Excellent steel, takes/holds really nice edge.

Still looks odd, considered alongside current popular designs.

Stock photo

Mine is "Normark" branded and has a dark green handle.



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Once I'm done being broke, I'll be getting some more of their stuff.


Another pattern that seems to be way underrated -- simply by virtue of the lack of them in stores any more -- is the sod buster.

The sodbuster isn't a pretty or glamorous knife -- unless you're someone like me -- and I see very few of them on shelves any more. Tremendously useful, and even the small sodbuster is more knife than it seems at first glance.

One stainless (black) and one CV (yellow).


Family photo, Boker & Case

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I also have an Imperial (US Officers Ulster) from 1961. It was my EDC for 20 years. Plain-Jane four-blade scout-style red scales. Don't have a pic. I guess I should remedy that.

 

[Carl Levitian]

I had one of those Big Swede lockblades about 15 years ago. I made the mistake of letting it go on a trade, and I've periodicly hit my head against the wall ever since for my stupidity. :banghead:

Very high quality knives. But then the scandinavians have always been about high preformance cutlery!

 

[Blofeld]

Barlow and Opinel.

 

[TimboKhan]

Hmm. Interesting question. I suppose a good deal of it depends on what you like to begin with. I happen to think Fox knives are underrated, if only because I seem to be the only one on the web to own a Predator II. It has been a superb knife for me. It's behind the Native and the Griptilian as far as my daily EDC now, but it definitely still has a place in my pocket. Barring theft or loss, it's a knife I will always come back to, simply because I like it.