What basic things to knife companies frequently get wrong?

On slipjoints companies keep using the small pen blade. Having ruined a lot of knives before taking up SAKs, the small pen blade would best be replaced with a screwdriver, may as well throw in a caplifter while they're at it.
On my SAKs, the pen blade is handy for opening mail as the main spear blade is clumsy for that task. I find a wharnecliff works great for openning mail and as a main blade so there's no need for the pen blade when using that. Also, i've never used a quill pen nor do I know anyone does. A good knife should always have a screwdriver for the occasional tightening of screws and mild prying.
 
Traditional folders: weak back springs - I have a Buck #301 Stockman that has terrible spring tension. I've seen that complaint a few times here.

Modern folders: permanently attached clips. I have at least five folders that I can't carry because the clips on them are sprung, and I have to drill & drive out rivets to even attempt to fix it - and then I have to further modify the knife to use screws to put the clip back on. For a tinkerer like me, it makes for an enjoyable afternoon occasionally, but it gets tedious after a while.

~Chris
 
Icehawk said:
Tip up carry ;)

I do wish more knives offered both orientations, there are a lot of tip up knives out there I just won't buy because of that. I'm a diehard tip down man.
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+1. I'm a tip down guy as well and am dismayed with the lack of tip down options. Cold Steel, whose products I like, doesn't even offer a tip down folder. Shame on them! Other makers vary in this regard, but for the most part tip up seems to be the dominant trend:(.
 
Opening the edge angle towards the tip.

The tip is where you have the least leverage: If anything, the angle of the edge near the tip should be sharper than closer to the handle...

Also 20 degrees per side is (to me) not an acceptable standard, and they usually miss even that by 10 degrees per side, which is 20 degrees total, plus even way more towards the tip...

If 15 degrees per side is judged too thin by a user, isn't it easier for the user to blunt it down with a microbevel than the other way around?

The reason they don't do that is that they fear that too easy edge damage would make them look bad. A knife not cutting at all is a matter of hand pressure: You can't photograph hand pressure... Edge damage is easier to photograph...

Gaston
 
Mickll
What's worse.....Crappy, soft, weak threaded, tiny T6 construction screws........or those HORRIFIC, HORRIBLE, NASTY BALL BEARING PIVOTS ??
:D
Joe

Mick_1KRR said:
Crappy, soft, weak threaded, tiny T6 construction screws.
Crappy, soft, weak threaded, tiny T6 construction screws.
Crappy, soft, weak threaded, tiny T6 construction screws.
Crappy, soft, weak threaded, tiny T6 construction screws.
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Lack of sharpening choils.

Thumb studs that get in the way of cutting and sharpening.

Saber ground blades blades on folding knives. They just don’t cut well.

Steel with a bad heat treat aka soft. If you’re not going to make the most out of a steel, use a cheaper steel.

Rough handles that eat pockets.
 
My gosh!!! That is one frightening individual!!!
Truly the stuff of nightmares Mick!!!!
:eek::eek:


Mick_1KRR said:
Now THAT is a tough one. I'm having flashbacks of nightmares i've had. All i can remember is this strange figure chasing me through a dark forest, this is the best likeness i could conjure.
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Most of the sheaths; un-fitting kydex, edge killing plastic, rattling, velcro attachment, general non-fitted sheaths, dangerously loose ones, not deep enough, crappy leather.. and some of them butt ugly.
 
Those screws that strip way too easily are definitely repeat offenders. They make it so it's harder to fix any other problem, since you can't get the knife together after.
 
Handle materials that are heat and cold resistant mold resistant and high impact... that end up feeling like super cheap plastic. I believe they're as good as they say, but specifically POM handles just feel super cheap.
 
Too thick of grind/edge and not enough tapered tip. A knife is supposed to cut.
This may be a personal preference, but it seems like a lot of companies are using carved pocket clips instead of a more pocket friendly bent metal clips. Also texturing behind the pocket clip that chews up pant pockets.
Another flaw on a lot frame locks have their lock bar relief grind/cutout(I think that is what it is called?) on the outside, and a lot of times it interferes with the pocket clip.
Some companies use a not so great heat treat on a potentially great steel, and can give that steel a bad name based on a crappy HT or blade geometry.
Hyping up knives using "tactical" BS promotions, super steel hype, etc. Making knives though of as weapons rather than cutting tools.
 
it's a pity most folding knives don't come with optional spare blades
with choices of different blade materials and blade types as separately sold accessory parts.
Kinda like the buck selector.
But really not necessarily with the Buck mechanism.
 
I don't like the fancy names for the same old steel. Or, as mentioned before, uneven grinds on a blade so it is now labeled a "compound grind". :)
 
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