Recommendation? New edc gift

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ZtCubster

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Jul 25, 2017
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Ive been wanting to get my dad a new hard use edc knife. He isnt much of a knife guy but i got him a recon 1 tanto with serrations in CTS-XHP (i saw it for like $50 and couldn't pass up the deal even tho i dont like half serrations). He loves it but he never uses the serrations and the blade chips pretty often since he isnt the most delicate person with his knife. Its a chisel edge and he loves it but he likes normal edges too. And he likes the triad lock but it often jams from pocket lint getting in. He loves the Axis lock when he checked out my griptilian but i feel like the axis lock will be gritty since hes an electrician and he wraps his knife in electrical tape when he has to do something a wire stripper cant and never cleans his knife (i sharpen and oil his knife for him). So i need something that's low maintenance but can also take a beating. Something around the 4 inch range and very beefy. He almost refuses to carry anything smaller than 3.5 inches. And he loves the framelock on my zt0620 and 0630 and likes how they look in general but he thinks the knives are a bit too small. And he hates black coatings. I know hes very very picky but can anyone help me pick something? His birthday is in a few months so i got time, i just dont want be stressing at the last minute. I have thought about a benchmade contego and or an adamas and he loved them. I showed him the loco but he wasn't very much impressed. I also thought about spending a lot and getting him a strider but the lock rock killed that idea for me. I want to get him a bigger 4 inch-ish knife and a smaller knife for around the house. But i might just get him a leek or zt0566 for the smaller carry. Any suggestions for the two would be helpful
 
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I would think a Benchmade Adamas or an 810 in M4 or even D2 should suit his heavy duty needs.
The axis should be fine.

For Spyderco, check our the Gayle Bradley 1 & 2.

Designed as work knives from the ground up, at least the GB1 was. The GB2 is an easier knife to EDC that can be a work knife, if you want it to.
 
If you want cheaper look at the Spyderco Tenacious. It's not overly beefy but big enough with a 4 inch blade pretty good steel and won't break the bank. He can beat the crap out of it never need oil and just sharpen it every week or so for him and it should last with hard use quite a few years. Spyderco also makes a matching smaller knife that is the same as the Tenacious but the name eludes me at the moment. I have owned both and they are the cheapest Spyderco knifes I have ever owned but the fit and finish are very goood at the price point.
 
As adamlau adamlau mentions you can't discuss hard work knives you want to gift your father without thinking about a CRK!


I wish my dad was alive so I could give him knives...
 
ZT 0200, 0909, or 0560/0561. Or as you said, Benchmade 810 or Adamas. However, given his hard use and not much care for knives, a Cold Steel Recon 1 plain edge sounds a more rational choice.

A fixed blade maybe?
 
Buck 110 simple, cheap and proven.
CRK classy and tough.
GB2 razor sharp and reliable.

Three different price ranges to think about.
 
Thank you everyone for your suggestions. As a few of you said the adamas would be a good choice especially with the D2 steel. He doesnt like coated blades but im sure he'll look past it. The beefed up axis lock won't fail so i dont have to worry about the knife closing and the tip isnt too pointy so i dont have to worry about it breaking too easily. I would love to get him a sebenza but maybe once he starts getting into knives more (over time he admits he feels weird without carrying his recon 1. So thats a step to getting him into knives i hope ). I might end up getting him that and 0566 or a smaller edc for a back up since he usually keeps a knife in his car. If anyone has any other ideas they'd be appreciated. And any suggestions on frame locks would be great. He loves how it looks and has a think for mechanical looking stuff. (I know its not too mechanical but he just uses that word whenever he sees a frame lock)
 
for a real budget

Ontario Utilitac II, KaBar Mule, Cold Steel Pro Lite,

less of a budget

Cold Steel Voyager, Spyderco Resilience, BM Grip
 
for hard use a sebenza, Inkosi or umnumzaan can make some very nice presents

If your father like the axis lock I think it will be sad not to go for the adamas or the Contego
As te contego is M4 the adamas with D2 can be easier to maintain

If m4 and rust is nonissue as mentioned the GB 1&2 shall work as well
 
Not really into getting a tenacious or rat or anything budget. the steel has to be really good, he doesnt like his knife being sharpened often and plus he's had a tenacious before and its too small for him. and the way he used it, it developed blade play within 10 minutes. Plus its way to small for him. thats why i want to get him something heavy built. but im torn betweem an adamas, or zt0630. hes used my 0630 and he keeps saying how amazing it is but hes only used it for small stuff when im around. i dont know how it'll handle for hard use, borderline abuse . but im definitely getting him a 0566 as a smaller edc .
 
The zt0630 is a good one. It should hold up to some abuse. I use my 0620 more than the 630 but the blade shape is more useful on the 630. The 0200 is a beast of a knife although it is liner lock it still locks up solid. What about the 0452 with it's 4 inch blade, titanium with steel insert and carbon fiber scale.
 
sharp_edge said:
A fixed blade maybe?
Click to expand...

My thought exactly. I mean if he wants a folder there are some great suggestions above. But for very hard use, with no need to worry about lock types, and a Warrantee that will cover him no matter what, an ESEE , Izula2 or perhaps ESEE3 might be great options if he hasn't thought of it yet.
 
A bench made with CPM M4 should be nice and tough. You can buy a model that has it or do the custom configuration website and get a Griptilian or Barrage in M4. I personally like the Grip.
If you want stainless, you could go with a company that uses Aus8, 420HC, CPM 154, maybe elmax if heat treated for toughness, same with S35VN.
I don't know much about cold steel, but I think they make a bunch of folders in AUS 8.
Ontario Rat 1 folder. Kershaw has that newer line of autos that has CPM 154 blades, people seem to like them. ZT knives
This one is a bit spendy but supposed to be awesome, the Spartan Blades Pallas folder.

I would go for an average priced folder mentioned above or by another, and get him a tough as nails fixed blade as well, see if he will get hooked on them. It is nice to have both around!!
 
What are you're / his thoughts on a leathern multitool so he doesn't have to abuse his blade as much as he normally does ?
I know they're not in his length preference, but they're pretty hand filling during use and seem bigger than they really are.

It's too bad Klein doesn't make a bigger version of the TL-29 electrician's knife, otherwise it would probably be perfect.
 
How about a ZT 030X? I bought my 0350 because the knife Gibbs uses to defuse bombs was just a little too big for me. If Dad likes 3.5+, the original might be right up his alley. Even the little brother I have feels indestructible. The recurve is a little tougher to sharpen, but might be great for stripping wires. Hex nut on the pivot for field adjustments. As for maintenance, you may find less oil and more blowing out with compressed air minimizes the grit and pocket lint. A knife with an open back (most ZT's?)will be easier to blow out and keep clean.
 
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Thank you everyone and sorry i couldnt reply sooner. I think a leatherman supertool 300 and a zt 0630 or a zt 03-- would be great if i can find one for sale. I showed the 0350 and he wasnt too fond of it but maybe i can find a zt 0200 or 0300 on sale somewhere since he loves recurves
 
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