Recommendation? EDC / Beefy Folder Recs?

Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
589
I lent my Zero Tolerance Hinderer design 0551 folder in Elmax to a friend, from whose car it was stolen. Time for a new folder! I'm not up on folders these days and I don't have a lot of time to decide -- please help!

I'd just describe the purpose as EDC with emphasis on outdoor use. Like all my knives, I want it to be tough and something that I can depend on if it's my only knife out in the woods/desert/mountains.

I've been looking based on steel since I want to try a super-steel. CTS-HXP always intrigued me because it sounds like a great performer but easy to sharpen. But not a ton of options in that steel.

I've always rejected s30v since I see a lot of mixed reviews, and I understand that the now-ubiquitous s35vn is on par with s30v. So, I'm prejudiced against s35vn but open to other opinions.

M390 has always looked like a great steel, but not sure how difficult it is to sharpen or if you need special stones, etc. I would consider that to be a downside.

I don't know much about the more newly-emergent steels (say, last 4 or 5 years).

In terms of design, It could be a "full size" (~3.5 inch blade) beefy or more edc sized folder, but I want it to be strong (probably frame lock or other very tough locking mechanism) and a strong grind (no hollow). I find myself going right back to the Hinderer ZTs. They look great.

Budget -- ~$250 would be near the ceiling.

I've been looking at ZT, spyderco, and other knives that come up when I search for the above steels. Not sure if I should be considering custom makers, but most of them look to be out of my budget.
 
Last edited:
Cold Steel 4 Max - Big tough folder that locks up tight, slices well, can be used as a pry bar
Cold Steel SR1 - as close as you'll get to a Demko AD10

I own more than 50 folders of all makes and have owned more than 500 over my 70 years. While I carry many different knives, both production and custom, if you told me I could only have one folder and my life in the wild would depend on it, I would choose the 4Max.
 
Have you looked at the Grayman Dua or the TSF Beast? New both are a little above your budget but can be picked up on the secondary market around $250. I have both and would have a tough time saying I prefer one over the other.
 
ZT 0562, 0562cf, ZT 0909 (highly recommend this one)
Benchmade Adamas or Contego (specifically 810-1401)
Cold Steel Recon 1 in CTS-XHP.

For those recommending 4Max, please kindly donate >$80 to the OP as he stated ~$250 would be near the ceiling.
 
S35VN is probably the best all around steel out there. If you use your knife... especially if you use your knife for a variety of tasks. Think about it... Chris Reeve, Rick Hinderer, Andy Roy of Fiddleback Forge just to scrape the tippity tip of the knife-berg all almost exclusively use S35VN. Either they don't know what they are doing or there are a few misspoken cardboard cutting jackasses on the internet spreading misinformation. If you want to sit around and cut paper and only that, sure, M390 is great. For an EDC that needs to stand up to slips bumps and a variety of tasks I would choose S35VN over pretty much anything.
On that AND a different note, I've seen an XM-18 recently sell on the exchange for $275. Blows my mind! It's one of the few knives that I personally see as worth it's asking price of $400+
 
In that price range there are plenty, ZTs, Emerson, BMs, Spydercos, etc to choose from. It's really nice to have choices.
 
Cold Steel probably makes the toughest production folders, and their prices are quite good. Their linerless g-10 handled knives are a joy to carry.

ZT is my favourite folding knife brand, lovely designs and custom features. Something like a 909 should stand up to hard use without issues.

The BM Adamas is another good choice. Although I find the blade and edge angle to be a tad thick.
 
Another vote for Benchmade Adamas. It's "only" D2 and not a sooper powder, blah blah blah... D2 has been there and done that for generations. The knife itself is a beefy, strong AF beast.
 
S35VN is probably the best all around steel out there. If you use your knife... especially if you use your knife for a variety of tasks. Think about it... Chris Reeve, Rick Hinderer, Andy Roy of Fiddleback Forge just to scrape the tippity tip of the knife-berg all almost exclusively use S35VN. Either they don't know what they are doing or there are a few misspoken cardboard cutting jackasses on the internet spreading misinformation. If you want to sit around and cut paper and only that, sure, M390 is great. For an EDC that needs to stand up to slips bumps and a variety of tasks I would choose S35VN over pretty much anything.
On that AND a different note, I've seen an XM-18 recently sell on the exchange for $275. Blows my mind! It's one of the few knives that I personally see as worth it's asking price of $400+
ZT went to S35VN as well for a lot of models.
 
Maybe I'm in the minority, but M390 is the best all-round steel, at least in my experience. Holds an edge forever, easily sharpened, and has plenty of toughness. I've yet to chip it. Sure it's not going to preform like 3V in that area, but neither is S35V or even XHP. I just think S35V is cheaper to buy.

I've had very good results with all three steels, but M390 takes the win every day of the week for me. That stuff is gold.

I'm actually leaning towards XHP for what you're looking for in a blade. It's super easy to get a polished edge and holds it very well. I liken it to Elmax actually. They wear very similar to one another, though I think Elmax is tougher, and XHP can keep an edge a bit longer if it's polished.
 
I lent my Zero Tolerance Hinderer design 0551 folder in Elmax to a friend, from whose car it was stolen. Time for a new folder! I'm not up on folders these days and I don't have a lot of time to decide -- please help!

I'd just describe the purpose as EDC with emphasis on outdoor use. Like all my knives, I want it to be tough and something that I can depend on if it's my only knife out in the woods/desert/mountains.

I've been looking based on steel since I want to try a super-steel. CTS-HXP always intrigued me because it sounds like a great performer but easy to sharpen. But not a ton of options in that steel.

I've always rejected s30v since I see a lot of mixed reviews, and I understand that the now-ubiquitous s35vn is on par with s30v. So, I'm prejudiced against s35vn but open to other opinions.

M390 has always looked like a great steel, but not sure how difficult it is to sharpen or if you need special stones, etc. I would consider that to be a downside.

I don't know much about the more newly-emergent steels (say, last 4 or 5 years).

In terms of design, It could be a "full size" (~3.5 inch blade) beefy or more edc sized folder, but I want it to be strong (probably frame lock or other very tough locking mechanism) and a strong grind (no hollow). I find myself going right back to the Hinderer ZTs. They look great.

Budget -- ~$250 would be near the ceiling.

I've been looking at ZT, spyderco, and other knives that come up when I search for the above steels. Not sure if I should be considering custom makers, but most of them look to be out of my budget.

In my experience S35vn has none of the problems that s30v does. Don't avoid s35vn because you dislike s30v. When they say s35vn is equivelent with s30v they're talking about in the field of edge holding.

However at the same time s35vn has never had the chipping problems my s30v knives have. In fact now that more makers know how to properly heat treat s30v it can be a great steel. Still I wouldn't pick s30v if I have a choice.

At the same time if there is a knife that I love and it only comes in s30v I would buy it.

A great knife if you are looking for a toughass folder might be some version of the Manix 2.

If you're a real badass go for the Grayman Dua or Three Sisters Forge Beast.
 
Hijack alert!

The blade steel thing depends on heat treat, I think. I've easily chipped M390 from Spyderco and had CPM20CV stand up incredibly well from Cold Steel and Benchmade. Same will go for S35 or any steel.

Back on track!
IMG_3379.jpg
 
All, thank for the responses -- very helpful information. All of these are good options. I will re-consider s35Vn. When I was more up on steels and the knife market, there seemed to be a great diversity of steels in folders, but of late it seems like s35Vn may have established itself as a lone pre-eminent steel. I just didn't know if that was due more to performance or cost. (I wouldn't expect the likes of ZT and Spyderco to use a sub-par steel, but maybe a quality steel that is cheaper.)

No objections to D-2. I'd also consider ELMAX, although it sort of seems like it was hyped early on and has since fizzled out.

I will say that I would probably favor something with more a 3.25 - 3.75'' blade length. If I want a larger blade, I would probably move to a fixed blade.

I'll take another look at Cold Steel. I had discounted them since all of their folders that I like seem to be hollow ground, and I was not sure about their heat treat (mostly because I consider them to be a "big assembly line" type manufacturer -- more so than say Spyderco. But if you think that they do a great heat treat, please let me know.
 
Closetest to the 550 might be ZT 566 a bit smaller but G10 and feels great in hand of course S35VN but never had any issue with it ... my new Favrite ZT the 0909 again S35VN but a beast of a knife reminds me of the 550 as in it seems to handle aything I throw at it well. And the S35VN is plenty tough and sharpens up easily.

I love M390 but yes it is more difficult to sharpen ... but fairly easy to maintain sharpeness if you give it a few minutes of attention after use ... I use a ceramic hone and strop it and it's easy to keep sharp. But I've yet to find a folder in M390 I liked with exception of Lionsteels Roundhead Slipjoint.

I know ZT makes some limited runs in the higher end steels you mention ... the 562 has some options with those.

I think in your price range for a folder ZT may have something to check all your boxes ... but considering they use so much S35VN ... Hinderers use mostly S35VN ... Chris Reeves uses mostly S35Vn ... think youd be hapoy with it.
 
Last edited:
I am starting to look like a shill for CH Knives, but consider the CH 3504. 3.5" S35VN blade in a titanium frame lock, $90. I have a ZT 0566 and was considering a ZT 0562 but the CH 3504 has me glad I didn't pay over twice as much. I have a review of it here too if you are interested.
 
The ZT 920 or 0562CF may be a good choice in that range...both are in 20CV steel, personally I have had a great experience with the edge retention and maintaining a keen edge with a strop.

I hae had no issues with ELMAX, and would recommend it as well...though I agree the novelty seems to have faded a bit.
 
Back
Top