Gift Knife recommendations

S

slyraven

Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Messages
519
Going to get my father in law a pocket knife for bday. He always buys those Appalachian trail knives from home depot or lowes..and they last about a week before they fail and definitely do not stay sharp because every time he hands me it, it's dull. They are also dangerous they do fail a lot..he has a pile of broken ones lol

He mostly uses it to open boxes, packages of food, mulch bags etc. No heavy cutting.

The knife I'd like to get him needs to be these:

A steel that retains sharpness longer..but not easily rustable because he probably won't care for it often.

Lightweight

Sit inside pocket..no clip needed..he doesn't use clips that I've ever seen. It can have a clip but it's not important.

He is 70ish so easy to open

Size..on the small size

Flattish like a spyderco type build. He doesn't carry buck knife type thickness

Handle material g10 or micarta or frn..things with good grip. No all metal

Budget 75ish

I was thinking a spyderco of some sort like a delica but unsure what steel would be good.
 
I have an elderly friend, and the Manix's ball-bearing lock gives him alot of trouble. The bugout was slightly better, but he found it too finnicky. A nice smooth lockback would be better, or a generous (With a nice cutout) liner/frame lock.

How about a Civivi Rustic Gent? I've given that knife away alot, and people always comment about how classy it is, and the superior fit and finish. It also doesn't have a clip, comes with a leather pouch.

If you want that stainlessness and is willing to pay a little more, try the Native 5, or Native 5 salt. The regular Spyderco salts, delica, are all good knives with smooth lockbacks. Get the VG10 Delica and take the clip off, that should work.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
slyraven said:
Going to get my father in law a pocket knife for bday. He always buys those Appalachian trail knives from home depot or lowes..and they last about a week before they fail and definitely do not stay sharp because every time he hands me it, it's dull. They are also dangerous they do fail a lot..he has a pile of broken ones lol

He mostly uses it to open boxes, packages of food, mulch bags etc. No heavy cutting.

The knife I'd like to get him needs to be these:

A steel that retains sharpness longer..but not easily rustable because he probably won't care for it often.

Lightweight

Sit inside pocket..no clip needed..he doesn't use clips that I've ever seen. It can have a clip but it's not important.

He is 70ish so easy to open

Size..on the small size

Flattish like a spyderco type build. He doesn't carry buck knife type thickness

Handle material g10 or micarta or frn..things with good grip. No all metal

Budget 75ish

I was thinking a spyderco of some sort like a delica but unsure what steel would be good.
Click to expand...
Dragonfly Salt 2 serrated.

Serrated H1 will stay sharp a long time, very very light weight, small, easy to open and close, cant rust, fits budget (maybe over by like five bucks?) and you can always unscrew and remove the clip so he can just carry in the pocket.


It checks every single box.
 
Why a folder?

Why not a nice small Fixed blade?

Easy to hold, no danger of folding accidently, or breaking.

usually prettier to look at

Get a leather pocket slip.
 
Quick story: I have a brother who was super protective over his kids. Well, for my nephew's 16th birthday I mailed him (wrapped) a SAK, forgot which model, but a small one.
After his birthday I received a thank you note saying, thank you for the pen. THE PEN!!?? Turns out my brother opened my gift before giving it to my nephew and thinking knives are dangerous, secretly replaced it with a pen. True story. The kid is now 22 and has been in and out of rehab facilities.
 
OKC Rat 2 in D2 with black blade.

Rat 2 is wide known and the company is reputable.
3 inches blade is small
Thin profile
The action is quite smooth, but safe
D2 is high wear resistance
D2 is not stainless, but the black coated keep it from corrosion
Inexpensive

You can get a version in AUS-8/8Cr13, which is a very decent stainless and will last, but not as good as the D2.

www.knifecenter.com

Ontario RAT Model 2 Folding Knife 3.0 inch D2 Black Plain Blade, Desert Tan Nylon Handles

Ontario RAT Model 2 Folding Knife 3.0 inch D2 Black Plain Blade, Desert Tan Nylon Handles
www.knifecenter.com

Disclaimer: I don't own a Rat 2 personally, but its reputation is undeniable.
 
I think you’re already on the right track with the Delica. I’d stick with that, or a Dragonfly, depending on which size you think he’d prefer. I’d also just stick with the standard vg-10. It has great corrosion resistance and will still be a great upgrade in edge retention compared to what he’s used to. Any of the premium steel Delicas or Drangonflys will be at least $25 - $50 over budget…. And I think the only premium steels available right now are either tool steel (k390), or have pink handles (s30v). Both knives also carry very well with their clips removed.

For his cutting tasks, I think the wharncliffe versions would be even better.
 
19-3ben said:
Dragonfly Salt 2 serrated.

Serrated H1 will stay sharp a long time, very very light weight, small, easy to open and close, cant rust, fits budget (maybe over by like five bucks?) and you can always unscrew and remove the clip so he can just carry in the pocket.


It checks every single box.
Click to expand...

I'm considering this option, thank you. What would be the reason for serration?
 
slyraven said:
I'm considering this option, thank you. What would be the reason for serration?
Click to expand...

H1 holds an edge for a long time when serrated but not so well for the plain edge. Also, while I don't tend to like serrated edges in most applications for me, the serrated edges can be an advantage for people who don't sharpen their knives because still tend to cut material long after a plain edge would give out.
 
I'd go with the Delica you already mentioned. Vg10 will be a big improvement over what he is use to but easy enough to sharpen and corrosion resistant. The back lock should be familiar enough for an older person to opperate.
 
I am going to presume you don't want to do a SAK. (I would suggest a tinker if you did that).\
Or another Slip joint. (Boker Congress or a Stockman)

But for locking knives:

The Spyderco Dragonfly really fits this (at the top end of the price point.

For a bit more, the Chaparral Lightweight is the most practical EDC I have (though that goes significantly overbudget) I carry one or the other every day. For both the dragonfly and Chaparral, I remove the wire pocket clip and they just drop into my pocket.

And a bit more than that is the Bugout.

Now back to on budget models.

I would look at Boker, Buck (their slim models) to see if anything really look nice.
The best kinves in that category for value are kizer and civivi. Both Chinese, but high quality. Given your FIL is 70, I would stay away from flippers, and you would have to decide whether frame locks are ok. I really like the Kizer Beglighter but the whole kizer vangard series works. Civivi makes a few (vagabond, imperium, cetos) that wold probably do great.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top