Gerber Covert FAST

05/30/2011 by B yond

-Price Paid: $65.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

I carry this as a backup to a concealed pistol, and feel very secure in it's ability to perform if it is ever needed. It works well with most of the Applegate knife fighting techniques, folds for concealment, and opens very quickly. With a little practice it can be opened and closed one handed in either right or left hands, although he technique is different for the left hand due to the location of the locking mechanism.

I'm not sure the blade tip would hold up to abuse, but I carry mine as a weapon and not as a cutting tool, so I can't knock it there.

Gerber River Shorty

05/30/2011 by B Yond

-Price Paid: $25.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for 1 year

Comments:

This knife is perfect for kayaking, canoeing, rafting, diving, boating, and just about all other watersports. Blunt tip prevents accidental damage to yourself, your companions, or your gear when in an unstable aquatic environment. Serrated blade is effective at cutting rope, fishing line, aquatic plants, fabric, and probably a bunch of other stuff. The sheath is sturdy, will not rot or mold, and easily attaches in a variety of positions to just about anything you'd need to attach it to. The grip is sure wet or dry with or without gloves, and raised finger stops allow the user to orientate the knife by feel so you don't have to take your eyes off the water.

Blunt tip also works well as a light duty pry bar (I wouldn't put excessive stress on it, but it can withstand some). Highly polished blade surface also works as a mirror in a pinch for signaling rescue craft and evaluating injuries to yourself in places you can't see.

Mine goes with me every time I go boating, kayaking, or fishing. It usually rides on my PFD or waders, depending on what I'm doing, and always in a position where I can get to it quickly if I need it.

I've had it a year, and performed absolutely no maintenance on it, despite heavy use and frequent exposure to both fresh and saltwater. Still looks and works as new.

Lone Wolf Diablo

05/29/2011 by george knowles

-Price Paid: $87.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This knife is all business. By that, I mean that it isn't very pretty or flashy but it is very functional. The shape of the blade is perfect for self defense since it can penetrate as well as slash and the size is just about right. The build quality is sturdy, with thick liners, zytel scales to resist scratches and a hefty s30v blade that comes to a sharp point. I found it just a tad too heavy for EDC so I carry it only when I think I might need a self defense knife. I purchased the manual model since there are legal issues for automatic models and the difference in opening speed is negligible. The only complaint I have is that the handle is too slippery for a self defense knife. There are no finger grooves and the texture is not rough enough.

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Kershaw Leek

05/28/2011 by geokrge knowles

-Price Paid: $79.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I have the limited edition polished G-10 model with a satin finish blade. They don't make this anymore, which is a shame because the rough G-10 model with the stone washed blade looks unfinished and tacky. This is a fantastic gentlemans knife for everyday carry. The fit and finish is top notch, and the materials couldn't be better. The razor sharp blade holds an edge for a long time between touch ups. Ergonomically the knife is one of the best. Tip down carry (as most knives should be) means the index finger is right on the flipper mechanism from the moment you grasp it from your pocket, which means super fast deployment. The only minor down side is the angle of the blade is pointed down too much. With a flat cutting edge this makes it hard to cut anything on a flat surface.

Ontario TAK 1

05/26/2011 by Vercingetorix

-Price Paid: $60.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I bought this knife from a local dealer at a good discount.It seems to me it was encased in industrial strength cosmoline and the handle slabs,while good quality and well attached were simply cut out from bar stock.After spending some time shaping the scales(surprisingly difficult,the micarta is durable stuff),I used a hand held belt grinder mounted in a vise to remove most of the coating and shape the cutting edge.The d2 steel also proved to be durable as I didn't remove more material than I wanted.Finally after some work on diamond plates I ended up with a very sharp durable comfortable knife.It stays sharp for a good while between touch ups and so far no chipping.The sheath is nylon with a simple folded plastic insert.Nothing fancy but serviceable and ambidexterous.

Benchmade 551 Griptilian

05/25/2011 by Maximo92f

-Price Paid: $90.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

I have spent hundreds of dollars over the past year trying to find a suitable replacement for my EDC knife of six, very hard years, a Camillus Heat. The Griptilian has everything I was looking for, light weight, premium blade steel, black coated half serrated blade, tip up carry, lanyard hole. This blade is excellent for smooth cuts, hard cuts, piercing and the 154cm steel blade holds an edge very well under hard use conditions. The handle is very comfortable in my large hands and grips well for a non slip grip. Pluses, but simply my personal preferences are the half serrated black coated blade, black steel clip set for tip up carry RH or LH, light weight, lanyard hole, stainless liners, and the Benchmade Axis lock. The blade shape makes for one of the most universal cutting tools there is for EDC, and the jimping provides excellent gripping for the thumb along the spine of the blade for those times when more force is needed for a hard cut. The blade locks up tight yet moves very smoothly with no wiggle, up, down or side to side when locked. The 154cm steel blade holds an edge very well even under extended or hard use. Now, in full disclosure I have for many years made a practice of giving my knives a touch up before they ever go dull so I never really know how long a blade holds an edge. The dozen or so knives I spent a hundred dollars or more for, though all great knives, simply don't measure up to the Griptilian as a good sturdy EDC knife.

Spyderco Cricket

05/21/2011 by Matthew

-Price Paid: $50.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

This is a little big knife. The way the blade is shaped, lets you dig into whatever youre cutting. It feels good i the hand. Nice and smooth. The only real problem is sharpening. Can it be done? Yup. Does it take some getting used to? More yup. Very nice overall.

Leatherman Crater

05/20/2011 by Randy

-Price Paid: $25.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This has been my edc for a couple years. The edge holds well, handle shape is comfortable for a smaller knife, and the clip is well placed (though could ride lower in the pocket).

2 things I would change - put a slightly more aggressive texture on the handle so it's not as slick. And most importantly, make the blade pivot and liner lock a bit more sturdy. It's not unsafe at all. But the blade does have some wiggle if it' set to open easily with 1 hand. A CRKT folder I've had for a few months pivots as easily, and has no wiggle when locked open.

Bottle opener / carabiner? I've used that a suprising number of times. Great feature that could only be slightly improved with a longer wire.

Spyderco Street Beat

05/19/2011 by Pat

-Price Paid: $180.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for 1 year

Comments:

I have bought and carried this knife for almost a year...I carry it horizontally on the right front, just above my right front pocket.

The quality and handling of this knife is almost perfect, easy to bring it to action and retrieve back to the sheath with no problem at all. The knife is sharp and strong, the handle material is beautifully shape and smooth out, making the grip very comfortable and secure!

The price is not cheap, but for a knife with this type of design and material, one can never go wrong!!

Benchmade 755 MPR

05/18/2011 by Mephisto

-Price Paid: $155.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 1 year

Comments:

My first review, so sorry for any missed points.

Got this knife Nov. 2010 hoping to be my EDC. I tried to make it that, but for some reason it is too bulky for active carry. If you check specs for it, you may agree (or not).

Weight of knife is just right, so no complaints there.

Blade is nice and thick, however not very sharp. I will admit, used it to open many X-mass boxes for kids toys, and that was all it took to make it dull. I have not tried to sharpen it my self, not yet. Considering sending it to Benchmade for "tuneup".

Thickens is my biggest issue with this knife. It is just to wide for pocket carry. However it feels very nice in hand

Build of this knife is like tank, after using it over 6 months and couple of accidental washes, it is smooth opening and no wiggle in blade.

I like it, just not for EDC, my opinion.

Benchmade 530 Pardue

05/17/2011 by Echo17

-Price Paid: $90.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 1 year

Comments:

Pretty much everything you have read in previous reviews about the 530 is true so I won't go into that stuff other than to say that 154CM is good, the AXIS system is the best thing ever invented, and the Grivory handle scales, while "cheap-feeling", are actually very durable and provide EXCELLENT grip and texture.

I'd like to clear up a few misconceptions some might have regarding this knife - the same ones I had when I bought my 530. I was looking for a flat-profile knife to carry in by back pocket as a backup and/or "defense" knife to supplement my front-pocket primary carry. I ordered the knife online without ever seeing one in person. It is EXTREMELY lightweight and EXTREMELY slim-profile. If you are looking for a knife for hard-use applications or self defense I would recommend you look elsewhere. Despite the dagger-like appearance of the 530, it is too "lightly built" to withstand the rigors of knife combat or significant hard (read: HARD) cutting abuse. This isn't a "bad" thing, nor does it mean the knife is in any way of inferior quality. Just as you wouldn't carry a 7oz metal-handled knife with a 5" blade in the pocket of your dress slacks, you wouldn't carry the 530 for chopping wood or taking down tangos. It's simply not designed for that type of application.

Ironically, despite not meeting all of the requirements I was looking for I actually came to like this knife more for what it was than I would have if it was exactly what I thought it would be. It is truly the PERFECT knife for the back pocket of just about any type of pants, even slacks. No matter which pocket you clip it to, you will forget it is there until you think to reach for your blade. The absolute beauty of the slim/light design of the 530 is that it allows the knife to have - relative to other pocket folders - a longer blade with more surface area without adding the bulk and weight that some people don't want to carry. The cutting surface is similar in length to a 551, for example, while being just over half the weight and just over half the handle width of the Griptilian.

Bottom line is this: do not allow yourself to be fooled by the "tactical" appearance of this knife. Such is not its purpose (if you doubt me, consider the fact that it is a Blue and not a Black-Class knife). However if you're looking for a 3-4" blade with a handle that fits most hands that is also paper-thin and weighs next to nothing, look no further. I rotate my EDC primary knife between a collection of over 100 high-end knives, depending on a combination of my clothes/what I'm doing/which knife strikes my fancy on a given day... my 530 is my daily EDC backup knife at least 95% of the time. I love it, it's relatively inexpensive, and it's awesome. Get one!

Benchmade 630 Skirmish

05/16/2011 by KLJTech

-Price Paid: $200.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

The Benchmark Skirmish 630BK is the best folder (for me)that I've ever purchased. The handle fits in my hand like it was custom made for me and I love the incredible recurved blade. I've used the Skirmish in a two or three knife EDC rotation for over 5 years and the Skirmish works as well today if not better than the day it first arrived. It's hard to believe that this large a knife carries as well as it does due to the narrower width of the handle. It locks up like a vault, it's buttery smooth when opening and closing the knife and it's scary sharp...what more could you ask for?