Victorinox Huntsman

10/17/2011 by TheBoss

-Price Paid: $35.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

Like all swiss army knives, the Huntsman is solid. It has all the tools I'd want for general utility and camping, without a ton of extras. This is sort of the Honda Accord of pocketknives.

The knife is classic swiss army. Takes and holds an edge, cleans easily enough, and is the rightsize to fit nicely in pocket.

After owning this knife for almost 20 years, I'd wholeheartedly recommend it and don't really have a bad thing to say. It has withstood the test of time quite well.

Benchmade 556 Mini Griptilian

10/12/2011 by Robert

-Price Paid: $40.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

I was lucky enough to buy this one used from a very good friend that had several and was upgrading to another Larger BM knife. I know what I paid for the knife really doesn't reflect the true cost of the knife, but it was a used knife with out a box or anything else but the knife. Even though it looked like new to me and I think I have been a lot harder on it than he ever was.!!!

This was my first BM and I had always admired his but I was skeptical, after only 6 1/2 months I can see the superior quality that he had always been bragging about.

The knife is light weight but has a solid grip in the hand with the 154cm steel holding an edge and easy to touch up with a sharpening steel. Over the time that I have owned the knife it has gotten a lot of pocket time and I have been finding that my other old knives are now just sitting in the draw.

Over all I would give the knife top marks and it has opened my eyes and mind to Benchmade as a quality American Knife Maker that has a growing prominence on the World Knife Stage.

I just wish that I had bought one of there knives before this, but I guess it was just my time and a good timing at that.

Benchmade 556 Mini Griptilian

10/10/2011 by Mori

-Price Paid: $62.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

The Quality American Made Knife is what I would call the perfect EDC, with a blade that is just under 3 inches and 154cm Stainless Steel who could ask for more...

I did not choose the semi serrated blade because the only part that is covered by BM's Ever Sharp Warranty is the plain edge section, so I simply went with the whole plain edge.

It's light, sturdy and very practical....:)

SOG Visionary II

10/08/2011 by Jon J

-Price Paid: $81.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

To sum it up, great knife for the money but not my go to knife.

Pro's

Knife is very light weight. I like the design and curvature of the blade itself. VG10 is a plus as it is known to do everything just a hair better than 154 or ATS 34. BIGGEST pro, and reason I purchased, is I can carry this knife VERY deep in the pocket...so deep that all you will see is a clip. Definitely great for everyday carry as I dont like it being obvious I am carrying a knife (esp in the office,). Last pro I will add is the "arc lock" i believe it is called. My favorite style of lock on a folder.

Cons -

The Arc lock functions great but not a solid a lockup as my BM 710 or 806. With that said it is still secure feeling.

I don't believe any steel is used in the handle, just a fiberglass like material that has a little bit of flex. I think some steel liners would have been a plus, but they add weight. BIGGEST con as well as my biggest pro would also be the clip. I do like how deep you can conceal this knife, but at the same time it is very hard to pull out of your pocket when you have it so deep. The clip bites harder on your jeans the lower you push it. Not a big issue, but in a self defense situation, it is a concern as I do not feel confident I can draw this knife from the pocket quickly. This may loosen up over time but have been carrying for 2 mons and issue remains.

Cold Steel SRK

10/07/2011 by DANN

-Price Paid: $59.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I purchased this knife at Fort Drum Clothing and Sales. I used it as my primary combat/survival knife.

Blade-

The blade is painted, not powder coated, so it has a slight sheen to it. The thick spine is resistant to hammering with used as a wedge for splitting wood. It is somewhat flexible but not very much, making it a very static blade in that regard.

Edge-

The blade retain an edge quite well and after minor coaxing will accept a good razor edge. I should point out that it is carbon steel and not stainless steel, so expect rust if used in a humid/wet environment.

Hilt-

The hilt is a one piece rubber molding. The checkering does an ok job in terms of grip but a poor job for appearance. There is a lanyard hold. I felt it was too small as it was difficult to thread 550 cord through it for a lanyard. I laced 550 cord over the entire handle to improve grip in both hot/cold and wet/dry environments.

Sheath-

My sheath was a hard plastic with fabric belt loop and a blade retaining strap and button. I used supplied from a hardware store and modified the sheath to adequately secure my knife.

Overall-

I like this knife but I have been made aware that this knife has too much of a "combat knife" look and may cause issues if carried for everyday use. Otherwise the only real down side to the knife is the sheath that mine came with.

Cold Steel Recon 7 Tanto

10/07/2011 by DANN

-Price Paid: $48.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I purchased this knife at Fort Drum Clothing and Sales. I used it as a secondary hand-to-hand combative weapon.

Blade-

This knife has a very long blade. It is powder coated black. It is durable but seems to lack an adequately flexible spin.

Edge-

I have sharpened this knife twice since I got it. it retain its edge quite well, though it will not readily accept a decent razor edge, and you will need advanced sharpening techniques to put a good razor edge on it.

Hilt-

The hilt is a one piece molded rubber like material. The small checkering covering the hilt make adequate grip difficult but possible for smaller hands. The lanyard hole always seemed a bit too small for me and I initially had difficulty threading 550 cord through it for a lanyard.

Sheath-

Mine came with a hard plastic sheath with a removable fabric blade retainer Velcro strap and belt loop. I personally feel that the sheath is the low point of this knife. The Velcro wore out very early on and the plastic sheath was supposed to be a tension sheath as well, but it failed completely in that regard. I modified the sheath with supplies from a hardware store so that the knife doesn't just simply fall out.

Overall-

The knife has withstood being used to slash enemy tires, being stabbed into cars and used as an IED probe. Since I got out of the service I have not used it as much, but one does not simply get rid of a good knife just because they don't use it anymore.

Buck 110

10/07/2011 by DANN

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I've had this knife for roughly 18 years. It was my father's. He got it in 1978. It was given to me as a replacement knife for the one my dad broke.

Blade-

Given the width of this knife I believe the knife should be thicker. Though it does provide adequate strength and durability as it survived boy scouts and all all the other abuse a teenage can inflict.

Edge-

It have lost more than 1/8" off the edge over the year due to sharpening from both my dad and myself. Though it does retain the longest razor edge of all the various Buck knives I've owned over the years.

Handle-

The handle is very heavy and very thick in comparison to the blade. The wood finish wore off long before I got out of puberty and the brass has started to turn green. The steel has yet to show even a hint of rust even after 32 years.

Locking Mechanism-

The lock is still good. But it does get dirty. I now just put it in the dishwasher to clean it all out, but I pull it out before the dry cycle.

Sheath-

Mine has the original black leather sheath. it is still in great condition and though it shows signs of age, it is still very durable and strong.

Overall-

Personally I still find this knife to be very heavy for its size. It has been joked that if need be the knife can be used as a knife, hammer or club. I replaced the knife due to its thickness and weight, not due to its performance.

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Buck 119 Special

10/07/2011 by DANN

-Price Paid: $35.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This was the first fixed blade I ever purchased. I bought it based on its feel in my hand, it fit well and felt adequately balanced. I've owned this knife for about 11 years.

Blade-

A good sized blade that I've used significantly at work in construction and in various fields of demolition. It holds up well against prying and as a wedge and various improvised tools.

Edge-

Under heavy use the edge won't last very long. It struggles to maintain a razor edge under any usage. Although it will hold a pretty decently sharp edge for a good long time. Sharpening can get tedious but this is a good knife to learn sharpening skills with, as I have had to sharpen it a lot.

Hilt-

-Pommel-

The pommel is a metal cap style. my came slightly loose about 8 years ago but has yet to come loose enough to fall off. Otherwise it has held up to repeated uses as a hammer.

-Handle-

A bit too smooth. If your hands are wet, or you do not have a strong grip, you may have an issue holding it adequately. I did accidentally drop the knife from a height of approximately 50 feet and the only damage was to the handle, where a chunk broke off. I was able to reattach it with model cement and it has not come off.

-Cross Guard-

The cross guard is a sandwiched 3 piece guard. After about a year of use the guard started to slide around slightly, about 0.5 millimeters.

Sheath-

The full leather sheath has withstood significant abuse over the years and my only complaint is that the belt loop is a bit too large. Unless you're sliding it on a tool belt, you may find that it flops around too much if you're moving around a lot.

Overall-

I bought this knife through the company I was working for back in late 2000. It has a good solid feel to it and still does. It is very rugged and durable but has too smooth a handle and lack good edge retention.

Spyderco Chinook 3

10/02/2011 by Josh C

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

Blade:

Spyderco says this is a modified bowie shaped blade, but this is a trailing point shaped blade, which gives it more of a belly than you would expect in a knife this wide. The edge geometry is a little thick for EDC, but works well for a camp knife or it's intended role as a self defense implement. It's a full flat-ground blade using the now popular CPM S30V. I've used and abused this knife and have never had problems with chipping or losing it's edge too quickly, e.g. ad hok military use to cutting wood while camping to using it as a steak knife.

The jimping on the spine is aggressive and works well for gloved hands and is comfortable for heavy use with naked hands, I find it to be the perfect amount needed. There is a choil, for chocking up, but it has no jimping, I never found it to be a problem as the jimping on the spine is more than sufficient.

Handle:

The handle material is a simple black textured G-10, which puts up with abuse quite well. The ergonomics of the handle is comfortable and I've never had hot spots from extended use. I have huge hands and this handle fits me almost perfectly, it could be a little longer IMO (it's a little tight, but not uncomfortable). There are full-length steel liners for added strength and weight, Spyderco could have skeletonized them and lost nothing (their web site says they are skeletonized - I actually like the added weight and have never bothered to change it or complain about it with this particular knife). There's also a lanyard hole in the heel of the would-be pommel.

Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip does an exceptional job considering the size and weight of the knife. It's not as high up on the knife as many would prefer, about an inch+ of the handle is visible while utilizing the clip. The intent behind it was quicker ability to grab the knife when in a self defense situation. I always found that it was a good setup with the size and shape of the knife. It is drilled for four-way positioning, but I've left it in the manufactured placed right-side tip down position. The pocket clip is lightly powder-coated (more durable than paint, but will still wear on the edges over time).

Lock:

This knife is designed for heavy-duty use and has a lock-back equal to the job. I've used the knife to clear away over a foot of built up ice and to chop down 4" trees and have never had a failure.

Deployment:

The blade has a 14mm hole for deployment. Spyderco knives are just begging to be opened in the spydie drop method (pinch the hole and flick) and it opens flawlessly every time. You can still open the knife in more traditional one handed methods. Even when the knife is absolutely filthy it opens smoothly (dirt, sand, blood, guts, and/or oil I've never had a problem). I do take my knifes apart when they need cleaning when the opportunity allows.

Fit & Finish:

There's very little to no play in the blade and all the parts line up smoothly, even after taking the knife apart for cleaning. Effort was made to round all the edges on the handles. There are great markings on the blade (Spyderco CPM S30V on one side and Golden Colorado U.S.A. Earth and James A. Keating's signature on the other side). All of the screw holes are countersunk with rounded star headed screws just barely poking out. The Spyderco symbol is etched onto the pocket clip.

Conclusion:

I've used this knife since it came out and have never had a problem with it, and can even say it has saved my life more than a few times. It's a very big knife (length and thickness, but not much wider than other knives). I have other knives that are better EDC knives,purely from a weight, size, and blade geometry/shape perspective, but I don't have other folding knives that I would trust to be used as roughly! Not a knife for the PC crowd - it looks a little intimidating...

Case Blue Bone Medium Stockman

10/02/2011 by Pat

-Price Paid: $50.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I purchased this knife 2 years ago and was initially very impressed. My knife has the red Case oval shield which I find very complementary to the blue bone handle and was the weighing factor to my choice. All blades were highly polished and extremely sharp upon arrival. The blades all have great half & full open snap and have retained their qualities to this day. Still sharp and still snap. With minor disappointment however, I noticed that the blue bone handle had separated slightly away from the brass liner near the front bolster within 3 months. It was evident that the pin was not securing the bone handle tight against the liner. I sent the knife with a description of my issue to Case and they repaired it at no cost. A few weeks without the knife and a few dollars for shipping was of only small anguish. Overall, I genuinely like Case knives and have purchased others since. My scenario above is likely a fluke for I don't remember dropping the knife & I certainly never mis-used it. I still carry and use this knife and have had no issues since.

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CRKT Lake Thunderbolt 2

09/30/2011 by daniel josephson

-Price Paid: $36.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

being an avid outdoors man of 26 years old and always being a country man the Thunderbolt 2 is definetley the most inpressive knife i've ever owned and trust me ive gone through nearly two hundred of 'em! after recently moving from Oregon To Alaska I decided to purchase a new knife here. After searching around and doing my homework I went with (The Sportsmans Warehouse) out of Anchorage very impressive! My attention left Gerber when my eye caught a glimpse then closer look at the Thunderbolt 2 the man behind the counter was quick to help and unvield the knife from under the glass, SOLD!! Later that evening I learned from my brother SPCST. JOSEPHSON IRAQ veteran that he also owns a CRKT military edition! If our military supports em everyone can!!! Thank you CRKT Thunderbolt 2

Cold Steel Recon 1

09/25/2011 by 2Sharp

-Price Paid: $65.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

The Cold Steel Recon 1 I have was purchased several years ago and the blade is made out of Japanese AUS-8A. I paid $65 for it at a Sportsmen's Warehouse sale. It's performed well for me and I haven't had a problem with it! The Teflon coating is nicked up a bit, but all in all it's holding up? I have the spearpoint model which has been discontinued and is not available in the most recent models. It's a shame that they changed from Carbon V or AUS-8A and opted for 440A which is inferior to both Carbon V and AUS-8A as far as knife blades are concerned? I guess the company went for cheaper instead of quality? My Recon 1 has been used pretty heavily, more so when I have went camping, hunting and/or fishing! I have batoned firewood with it as well as gutted fish and deer with it as well and it has kept it's sharp edge and hasn't chipped or been nicked, even when I cut into the bones! The Ultralock mechanism on this model makes it a virtual fixed blade and it prevents the blade from closing on your fingers while you're cutting. The only thing I would mention offhand is that I wish they had added a thumb ramp to the Recon 1, though they may have done that on the newer models. The knife as a whole is a large folder but is still not hard to carry as it has a steel pocket clip, can be switched to either the right or left side carry. The ergonomics are excellent and the G10 handle material and stippling provides excellent purchase even when your hands are slippery due to liquids like blood or oil! The knife opens real smoothly and the lockup is solid with out any play. In closing, I don't know about the newest models with the 440A blades and new TriAd lock, but if you have access to one of the older models with the Carbon V blade or the AUS-8A blade for a decent price, then you will get a good quality knife which should last a long, long time!