Cold Steel American Lawman

09/04/2010 by mark

-Price Paid: $60.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

steel: Easy to sharpen, but on the softer side. Edge rolls fairly easily, try and keep the inclusive angle above 30 degrees. Edges are uneven out of the box, one side is about 15 degrees, the other about 30. I have found this to be true of other cold steel folders as well.

handle: too aggressive out of the box (as are all cold steels with this g10). Texturing will tear up your pockets combined with the high clip tension. I solved this problem by sanding down the scales. Now slides in and out of my pocket easily while still having good retention.

comfort: Very good. The choil works well for choking up.

weight: The newest version has no liners so is a few ounces lighter and noticeably thinner.

lock: Superb. Very strong, and designed to accept wear over time.

overall: great buy for around $60.

Victorinox Tinker

09/02/2010 by Happy Camper

-Price Paid: $17.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This is one of the most classic of Vic Swiss knives. I have owned several of them over the last few decades. They hold an edge well and resharpen easily. This knife can be carried in virtually any environment without being considered threatening. It has the perfect blend of tools that one could imagine using with the exception of the awl. It does not have that horrible cork screw either!

You could carry this knife anywhere at anytime except of course airplanes and schools. It goes well on a key chain if it is not already burdened with numerous other gadgets.

I carry one in the front pouch of my survival knife sheath and have an extra in my car.

CRKT M16-14T

08/30/2010 by Del

-Price Paid: $70.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I've owned this knife for several years now and carry it everyday. It's very strong and durable and I've developed complete confidence in it. The titanium handle scales give it a much thinner profile than CRKT's other knives with similar blades. This makes it much easier to carry. The blade is very good steel, which is somewhat hard to sharpen (mostly due to the chisel grind), but holds an edge quite well. I've used it for cutting, prying, scraping, digging, turning screws, and even light pounding. It's been to Afghanistan and Iraq and performed each time as both a tool and a backup weapon. The liner lock works very well, but I like the dual locking mechanism a lot as it gives me another level of confidence in the lock.

The only problem I've had is the extremely deeply cut knurling on the opening-assist knobs and the pivot bolt. This knurling proved to be very damaging to clothing, but I fixed it easily with a small file to partially smooth down the knurling.

Overall this is a great knife and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Spyderco Endura 4

08/30/2010 by DrOpPoInT1110

-Price Paid: $50.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

This is an excellent choice if your looking for a larger-size EDC knife. You get a 3.75" blade in a sub 4 ounce package which isn't very common in larger folders. The handle has skelotonized and nested steel liners which give the endura 4 a little extra rigidity over the endura 3 without adding much weight. The ergonomics on it are excellent, and the handle design allows for different grips to be used (i.e. saber, reverse, ice-pick). the jimping is done well and is functional throughout the knife without being overdone or painful to use. the blade deployment is fast but a wrist-flick is neccessary. my only complaint is that the grind starts pretty low on the blade for a saber-grind. the actual edge is sharp but because of the grind, slicing can be a bit difficult. it deffinately isn't as smooth cutting as a full-flat ground blade. also, to keep a nice solid lock-up, you need to tighten the pivot screw a bit which will in turn slow down the deployment speed slightly. For the price, you get very good workmanship and steel and overall, a great knife.

Benchmade 890 Torrent

08/29/2010 by Eddie

-Price Paid: $107.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

Very nice looking knife. But I didnt buy it to look at. The lock is so loose I just dont trust it. I can open the knife and shake it and hear the blade and lock rattling together. I have $30 knives that are more solid. The blade is nice and very sharp. The handle is very smooth and feels good in your hand. If you are looking for a nice knife to compliment your business suit this is a great knife. If you need rugged and solid keep looking.

CRKT Pazoda

08/27/2010 by Jacob

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

Comments:

First off, let me say that I'm not a hardcore knife collector who knows extensively on steel types or have user's experience with a large variety of knife brands. But i will say this: The CRKT Pazoda is a real gem. I've carried mine almost everywhere, and have put it through the most intense rigors for the last 3-4 years and it has never failed once!

It must be said that the user needs to "break it in" well before it starts lovin' you back, but stick with it. It's worth the trouble. Give it a new edge with a lower degree angle to maximize the effectiveness of the blade, or (since these knives are super inexpensive) experiment with turning the factory hollow grind into a nice thin flat grind. In a nutshell: these knives aren't the kind that come out of the box perfect, but they are built in such a way that they are absolutely awesome for any degree of edge modification.

Fit and finish= really nice

lockup= pristine

vertical/side to side play= none

deployment= silky smooth once worked in

clip= decent... (I'll explain below)

edge retention= If you don't mind occasional touch-up work: quite amazing for the price!

My only complaint:The pocket clip.

The pocket clip is a bit oversized for the knife, but it is nice and thin if you don't mind the size. The biggest issue have with the clip however, is that it is located directly over the pivot screw, which makes it a hassle to get rid of any blade wiggle since you'd first have to remove the clip.

Overall, an incredible knife for the price!

Spyderco Caspian Salt

08/26/2010 by Mike Laughlin

-Price Paid: $55.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

I bought this amazing little tool when Spyderco was introducing it ... for half its current price. So, can't really comment on current Value. The 10s are for this TYPE of knife. It's truly a unique, small dive knife.

The design, along with the H1 steel makes this a highly useful tool all-round. I've ended up using it snorkeling, as a bait knife, boot (or even sock) knife, in the pocket of dress pants and in my bike jersey. It's flat, super lightweight, the various ways to grip it are clever and solid, and the part serrated blade turns out to be very handy. The minimalist sheath locks/unlocks intuitively and is barely thicker than the knife. If you're using for SCUBA suggest change out web straps for rubber, and also might pick the blunt-nosed version. However, it's so compact and controlled, doubt you'll be cutting any hoses accidentally. I like the sharp point for all-round versatility. Bought another one for my SCUBA-diving son in law. You just have to use it to appreciate all the features of this breakthrough design. Which is probably why the price has doubled.

Cold Steel Bushman

08/24/2010 by Del

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

Comments:

For the money, this is an excellent knife. It's made from one single piece of steel. It's strong and takes a good edge. It needs re-sharpening often, but nothing you wouldn't expect from high carbon steel of this thickness. I have found it useful for all types of tasks in the field. The main flaw I see is the smoothness of the handle, but a little skateboard tape improves that quite a bit. Overall, this is a very good knife, and for the money there's no reason not to put one of these away in your emergency kit or glove compartment so it's there when you need it.

Victorinox Swiss Tool

08/24/2010 by Del

-Price Paid: $60.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This is a Swiss Army Knife in modern multi-tool form. I believe SAKs are the original multi-tools and they have lived up to it with the SwissTool. This is the best multi-tool I have ever owned. I have owned a few Leatherman tools and a several Gerbers. A Leatherman failed on me in Somalia when I really needed it. I like the Gerbers ok, but I had one of those fall apart at the hinge. The SwissTool has performed better than either. It has several very good qualities, such as: comfortable shape, the tools are accessible from the outside without having to open the pliers, high quality stainless steel, and a very solid build. I carried this one in Afghanistan and it held up perfectly. The separate plain-edge and serrated blades really do give you the best of both, without the typical compromise of a half-serrated blade. I would highly recommend this multi-tool, and any other Victorinox knife, to anyone.

Spyderco Michael Walker Carbon Fiber

08/23/2010 by Jack

-Price Paid: $95.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

Very nice EDC knife. 2.5" blade made of ZDP-189 steel. Edge retention is exceptional. Carbon Fiber handle looks great but the smooth sides would probably make it not the handle material for a knife if used in wet conditions a lot. Pocket clip only in one position. Happens to be where I like it though (right hand, tip up). It comes razor sharp and you may never need to sharpen it.

If you want a small good looking knife for EDC in clean environments this is a great choice. This knife is at home in a pair of jeans or a 3 piece suit.

SOG Vulcan Mini

08/22/2010 by Aaron

-Price Paid: $50.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

I love to buy knives whenever I see them on sale. I saw this one on steepandcheap.com for $50 and I picked it up. It is now the blade I carry everyday to work. It cannot be beat! It's a nice heavy-duty blade that I have no fear to pull out and use at any point of the day. It also does not hurt that it is made from VG-10 steel. It's a harder steel that keeps its' edge well. I have only sharpened it twice. I love having such a razor-sharp knife at my disposal. It is the same steel used in $$$ Japanese kitchen knives. Keep it cleaned and oiled it will last a lifetime I have no doubt. But there is always the SOG warranty to back that up. I love the knife so much I look for situations just to use it so I can pull it out and show it off. The other guys at work don't know what hit them.

It opens easily and there is a finger stud and locks with great strength as well. No blade play. A sound knife all around.

One thing I also love about SOG knives is their customer service. I've contacted them twice and responded quickly both times. I once caught the clip on a chair and bent it. They sent me a new one at no cost to me! I only carry SOG knives now thanks to this one. I have a visionary 1 on the way for $50 as well. If you wait for the right time you will catch a great deal that'll last you a lifetime!

KaBar Becker Campanion

08/21/2010 by Del

-Price Paid: $57.00
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

Overall, I think The KaBar Becker BK-2 "Campanion" is an excellent knife. I was very happy to find that KaBar is producing the Becker designs again. I like this knife so much I recently bought a second one for a back up. I bought my first for about $57 from Amazon.com. I think this is an excellent field/utility knife that would also certainly serve well in a survival situation.

It's a very robust knife, just a hair under 1/4 inch thick, full tang*, weighs a little over a pound or so, holds an edge well, and it's not too hard to sharpen. It's made of 1095 steel, coated with a smooth black protective coating. I have the second version, which has the tang extended slightly beyond the handle into a pommel useful for pounding. This is a very solid knife which holds up well to: cutting, slicing, scraping, chopping, batoning, and even digging, prying, hammering, and cooking.

The original handle scales are black "Grivory," which is fiberglass impregnated nylon plastic, I believe. It's very light and strong and should be impervious to weather, but the handle scales are where I have my main criticisms. First, they are a comfortable shape and fit my hands well, but they are quite smooth. This can be easily fixed with some skateboard tape or other wrapping, or by scoring or checking the handle scales with a file or Dremel tool. Second, as many others have noted, the handle scales can come loose a little too easily. The scales are fixed to the knife with three hex-head bolts and nuts. Apparently these are not well-torqued at the factory. This can also be easily fixed in several different ways. Simply using a hex key wrench to tighten the bolts. Wrapping with tape or cord as I mentioned above also works. My solution was to remove the bolts and coat their threads with LockTite, then properly torque them down again. They haven't loosened at all since I did this.

The knife comes with a black Kydex sheath which holds the knife well and includes a nylon belt loop and retention snap strap, although the Kydex holds the knife very securely without the strap. The belt loop will fit belts up to five inches wide and is removable in case you want to attach the Kydex sheath to your gear with its grommets and slots. I believe the sheath would hold the knife securely without the retention strap even in a tip up position.

Finally, I'd like to add that although I'm very please with this knife as it came from the factory, I have modified it a bit. I replaces the handle scales with the Micarta version that KaBar sells about $40. They are a little heavier and of course they add quite a bit to the overall cost of the knife, but they do improve the grip, since they're "rougher" than the original Grivory scales. They fit perfectly with the original nuts and bolts, but as I said above I used LockTite on the bolts when I installed the Micarta grips. So far I'm very pleased with the improved grip. They also seem to slightly improve the sheath's grip on the knife, which was already very good. Of course, I also think they improve the appearance of the knife, giving it a more "organic" look and feel. I also added a short 550 cord lanyard.

*I said full tang above, and I believe it does meet this definition, but I did find, when I removed the scales, that the tang has two cutouts between the bolt holes. I suspect this was done to improve the balance of the knife. I don't believe this affects the structural strength of the knife at all.

I would like to hear others' thoughts on this knife, so I hope more will post here soon.