SOG Vulcan

03/01/2010 by Niagaratac

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

I love the look and feel of this knife. It upsides are its blade design, size, and VG 10 material. It is a great overall cutting blade.

Lock up and deployment are fast and strong. While the blade looks great and the zytel handles have great ergo and grip they do look plasticy and cheap. In essence after holding and playing with a Tomcat this blade is half the price and aside from handle being of cheaper quality it offers great value for a unique good quality blade with all the features of quality. If they put a tulip-ed G10 handle on this blade it would increase its sales by 1000%.

Love it but not my fav EDC due to mental attitude on handle I carry.

SOG Vulcan

03/01/2010 by Jim

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

I've only had my SOG Vulcan a week but I am a fan of it already.

I love the size, look and the super smooth action. When locked open, it is almost as if it had a solid tang.

After a week of moderate use it still shaves the hair on my arm.

The ONLY change I wuld have made is the butt of the knife, I really would have like'd a solid steel extrusion that would enable it to be used for light hammering

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Benchmade 520 Presidio

02/28/2010 by Norton

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

Comments:

I have owned my 520 Presidio for at least four years. It is one of my go to EDC knives. The only real issue with this knife is the weight. Compared to a Sebenza or Spyderco it feels like a rock in your pocket. However the ergonomics are outstanding. The 520 fills the hand well and has a locked in feel when held in various grips. The axis lock has performed flawlessly and is lightning fast. 154 CM blade steel has a nice balance of edge holding and ease of sharpening. If you like a knife with a good ergonomics that is built like a tank, check out a 520. For those who do not like a heavy folder clipped to your pocket there are others to consider.

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Spyderco Phoenix by Howard Viele

02/25/2010 by Delco

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Other
-Owned for 6 months

Comments:

This is a true Gent's folder. I always wanted one; now I'm looking to sell or trade it. To me it's just too much "gingerbread" on it. It is very well made, great VG-10 blade steel, and the all the bells and whistles you could want. It just isn't the work horse I want, too nice... This is a true work of art. I never felt comfortable using or carrying it.

Spyderco Manix 2

02/22/2010 by Mike

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

I have the serrated version of this knife. Must say the 154CM steel means business. It holds it's serrated edge longer than VG-10. The knife was well thought out in design, it fits the hand very well, you get a real good grip with the raised liners. Fit and finish are PERFECT. Nothing is wrong with this knife. The G10 handles are grippy but not overdone where they are abrasive. Ball lock is Bank vault tight... You know it's locked open and will not close unless YOU unlock it, no accidental closing this blade. Ball lock is bullet proof! Looking forward to the Green G10 Sprint run.

KaBar Becker Campanion

02/22/2010 by Yoclif

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

Let me start out by saying that I love the design and weight of this knife. My problems with the knife are handle is slick; it needs some type of texture to it. There are also gaps between the handle material and the blade. The blade is not finished very well; there are dings and scratches in the blade that they just paint over. And last I had to put an edge on the blade, I think they sharpen it with 40 grit sandpaper.

I planning on replacing the handle with micarta and remove the black paint and dings and scratches from the blade.

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Kershaw Ener-G

02/22/2010 by SteelSnob

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

Hello all. I just recieved my Kershaw Ener-G which costed around $30 shipped and I must say I'm blown away. This knife is incredible! Even at $50 bucks I would consider it a great buy. The handle feels great in the hand, Screaming sharp out of the box, USA made,I love the blade profile, the g10 is great and I love the color, I like the steel and with maintence on extra extra fine stones or a strop I imagine it will stat sharp indefinitely given my experience with AEB-L steel which is supposed to be the same as 13c26, it flips open well, the blade is centered, it's very light which I really like in my knives, has early lockup, dirt cheap so I'm not the least bit concerned about using it, all in all this is hands down the best $30 dollar knife I've seem and as of now I like it better than the persistence even.

Now for the cons... The blade had some wobble out of the box and when I tightened it the pivot screw stripped a little but the wobble is mostly gone. It only wobbles when pushed side to side from the tip of the blade using a good amount of force. Second the track tech inserts I could do without and the G10 itself provides a better grip. I think over time the Trackteck inserts could wear out a pocket, given the placement in relation to the pocket clip. The good news is they can be removed and I did now this is my most carried knife right now.

All in all this is a incredible knife and I would reccomend it to anyone whether they're new to knives or a seasoned knifenut.

Spyderco UK Penknife

02/21/2010 by exparrot

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

The Spyderco United Kingdom Pen Knife (UKPK) is a phenomenal cutting tool.

The quality, like all of my premium Spydercos, is first rate. The UKPK's G10 handles are perfectly finished with excellent checkering that provides a great purchase, but it is not overly aggressive to the point where it would tear the pocket. My example also had perfect blade centering, a very smooth action, perfectly flush back spring, and an extremely sharp factory edge. No complaints whatsoever with the quality or the materials.

I have carried this knife quite regularly for several months and I remain impressed with the non-locking notch-joint mechanism. It operates smoothly, and it is surprisingly secure. I am very satisfied with the amount of force it takes to fold the knife closed. It requires more force than most other slip joints, but not so much force that it is difficult to disengage the blade. I have never had the blade fold during use, not even while slicing thick cardboard. The deep choil ensures that even if the blade does fold, the hand will be spared from cuts.

Typical of Spyderco, the UKPK has phenomenal ergonomics and cutting performance. The handle is perfectly shaped, and the jimped thumb ramp and large choil ensure an extremely comfortable and secure grip.

The full flat ground CPM-S30V blade has extraordinary slicing ability, and the steel is phenomenal, with great edge retention and corrosion resistance.

Finally, the pocket clip is strong, and the knife carries light and inconspicuously due to the high mounted clip.

Overall, this is a sublime cutting tool. While I initially though that I would dislike the lack of a lock, it has turned out to be a non-issue for normal EDC tasks. This is is a great choice not only for areas with strict blade laws but also for those who want a premium quality pocket knife that is simple and extremely functional. It is an exceptional choice for office use or EDC in an urban environment.

Emerson Knives Commander

02/21/2010 by Jason

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

Comments:

I have always had an EDC knife for the last 20 years, and I USE my knifes, so I need a heavy duty knife. I've mainly carried Spydercos along with a couple Kershaw's thrown in from time to time. Never had any issues with either knife, both makes have held up very very well for the use I have put them through. I always wanted an Emerson Commander, so I picked up a Mini Com. I first received the knife was really excited, looked great and felt heavy duty. The wave feature became easier the more the blade was opened and closed. Time went on I did notice the blade has some side to side movement, so I tightened the large side screw just a tad, the more you tighten the screw the harder it is to open, so you have to compromise between the blade movement and how hard it is to open/close. The next thing is the clip; the clip is the WORST clip I have ever seen in my life. I don't know if it's made from soda can aluminum or what, but very, very weak. As soon as this clip catches on anything for the first time, it's done. The more you fix it the weaker it gets. I contacted Emerson and spoke to the secretary of Ernest Emerson. First she stated that they do not replace clips, and then said "oh wait a minute, hold on a second". She spoke to Emerson and he said "You are too hard on your knife! I will replace your clip only this one time, screws are not included. After this one time you will have to buy them yourself" I said well I read these are strong, robust, "Battle proven" knives. He said again, you are using your knife too hard. I just kind of chuckled and said ok. By this time, I was ready to ask for his mailing address and say you can have my knife back. I replaced the clip and about 3 weeks later same thing. The clip is so weak, (no exaturation) as I lifted my shirt to get it tucked in my pants, the bottom of the shirt caught on the clip tip and bent it out about an 1/8th". So now of course its bent just far enough that it does not clip securely to my pocket, so I have to press it in and re bend it back. I have to unscrew the clip about every 2 weeks because it's bent out so far now.

Another issue is the blade grind. When it comes from the factory it is indeed very sharp as it should be. However it is a chisel grind and is not as easy to sharpen as other knives. If you want the factory to sharpen it for you, well of course it will cost you. On the other hand, Kershaw and Spyderco sharpens for free, for life.

I have one time on a Kershaw bent the clip because I was in a tight confined space for work, I contacted them, told them I bent my clip while working, no questions asked, sent me 2 clips and 2 sets of screws.

Other than that, yes I have snagged the clips on things, here and there, never once did they ever bend.

I was just amazed that Emerson has all this hype on his website as well as in advertising about his "fighting knifes" and "battle proven" knifes. Just as I said all hype, if I had this so called battle proven knife while I was serving in the sand box, I probably would have thrown it away.

Other than the issues listed above, it was a decent knife, but a bit over priced for what they are. The customer service and warranty is bottom of the barrel in my opinion.

I only carried it about 10-11 months; I just couldn't take it anymore and went back to Spyderco. Paid half of what I did for the Emerson and got twice the quality along with awesome customer service. The Spydercos do last, as I still have a few knives that are 7-10 years old, the others get retired to camping gear and tool box use.

Sorry if this sounds like a boast for Spyderco, but this is the knife I know best since I carried this brand 95% of the time. No I don't work for or sell their merchandise. I was just disappointed in this knife, and when Emerson said that I'm too hard on my knife just sealed the deal. I don't consider Kershaw as a heavy duty knife like I do Spyderco or the Emerson (thought anyway) but my Kershaw held up better than the Emerson did. Go figure.

I'm too hard on my knife, that's just funny right there LOL.

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Benchmade 530 Pardue

02/21/2010 by John

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

This knife is great for general everyday slicing, opening, and cutting tasks. It is not a heavy duty work knife, but more of a office carry knife. It is super thin and so light that you forget you have it in your pocket. The blade is a nice length. It also sharpens up nice. The axis lock is easy to use, but takes a little while to get use to it if you don't have much experience with this type of lock mechanism.

Benchmade 615 Mini Rukus

02/21/2010 by BM

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

The ergos on this knife are top notch. It really sits nicely in the hand. Also the handles on this knife are a little nicer than some of the lower end Benchmades. These have a little more mass to them.

The locking mech is good. Standard axis lock. The Mini Rukus is a little tight when you first get it, but some lube in the pivot and a little playtime will loosen the blade up a bit and make deployment smooth.

This is definately a knife for hard use. It feels very durable and can hold its own in a survival situation.

The Benchmade Mini Rukus is pretty pricey though, you do pay for the quality.

Spyderco Manix 2

02/19/2010 by delco

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

I have many Spydercos this is the Best. This is a true work knife, no shelf queen here.The quality is superb, and fit and finish are first rate. You cannot go wrong with this knife. For the price, it's the best value out there, and totally U.S.made. It's beefy and this is what I want if I ever need a knife to save my life or someone else's.