Recommendations for first high end edc?

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nick560

Joined
Mar 18, 2020
Messages
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first post!
Just recently started my knife collection a month ago and loving it.
so far:

940-1701
Zt 0470
Spyderco pm2
We practic
Civivi elementum

While I love all I want to take it to the next step. I’m looking for high end folder over $350 to gaw over. Looking for something in m390 or 20cv preferably bigger than 3” no liner locks. I know CRK are nice and I’m thinking about it but s35vn is not for
me. Any and all suggestions would be awesome.
 
I'd go full custom. Just remember, often higher end knives are going to have better heat treat and finish than a standard production steel of equal or greater value.
 
Great knives, under 3”, but really worth considering:
Hinderer half track
Koenig Mini Goblin

Great knives abuse 3”:
Shirogorov 95, hati or f3
Koenig Arius, either flipper or non flipper
Reste or lion mah, pick the one you like ;)


That being said CRK makes a good job with their s35vn and I will still go for a CRK in s35vn over a lot of other option with fancier but not so well HT steels

I have a gen 4 Hinderer XM-18 in s35vn that is well done
The Benchmades I have in s30v are good
I have really enjoyed Maxamet from Spyderco
At a time ZT has done some very good job with m390

don’t be too much focus on the steel name. A poorly done m390 can be over performed by a well done steel that is inferior from a chemical point of view

it is better to consider steel+ heat treat of the manufacturer than just steel

s35vn from CRK has turn me off for quite some time until I tried it

Super steel Steve on YouTube has generated some interesting results and have a spreadsheet where he record the performance of different steels from different manufacturer... it makes this point very obvious
 
nick560 said:
Because I’m picky with my $ and I think super steals will make me feel better about spending that much.
Click to expand...

Maybe. Luckily, there are a ton of options out there right now. I’d say go CRK, plain Jane Sebenza 21. Their steel is good, not like it’s gonna get dull from slicing bread. I can see why people today look down on S35VN considering there’s a ton of new stuff, but it’s fine. Trust me, I’m just a guy on the internet.
 
Take a look at my profile pic. They are Spartan Blade Harseys. I’d highly recommend one. I have the Harsey and the Pallas. The Harsey is both beatutiful and fully functional if you needed to use it. It is S35vn, thick blade stock but will still slice. Awesome knife. I have the Paisley edition. It is my nicest folder. Another knife that blew me away was the SpydieChef. I had a Sebenza I ended up selling and the Chef was surprisingly close in quality.
 
Thanks for all the responses really considering large sebenza Tanto, is the Inkosi a better option since I can’t find the 31 anywhere. Also thought about the xm 18 3.5 Spanto.
 
S35VN is one of the best all around steels and would easily serve 99% of people in their tasks. Dont knock it.

Also in my day, aka 2 years ago, S35vn was most definitely a super steel.

Other than that, maybe try some reate or a We integral.
 
If you can find one and it’s not too much: Koenig Arius. New ones start at $585 now, I think.

At a lower price, if you can find one preowned — sorry to recommend something not currently produced — the Evo Typhoon is great.
 
ZT 562CF should fit your criteria except you won’t need to use your entire budget. I believe I saw it on sale recently for 1/2 of what you’re willing to spend.

The 470 is nice but I find the 562 has a better, for me at least, deep carry clip.
 
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I don’t consider the $350-600 range “high end” by any means. It’s the higher end of the production market in my opinion, but not so much “high end.” I kinda think that’s more the one off customs, short runs, hand built knives, knives that are thousands of dollars, stuff like that. That’s just me, I suppose everyone has their own definition of high end, and I respect that. Not to say that price alone dictates “high end” but I do feel it is one of many factors.

I have Buck knives that are in 420HC and 154CM/CPM154 that are in that range. Customs meant to be collected, yes, but still not “high end” by my definition. All take a very good edge, and hold it for a respectable amount of time.

If you want a knife like you describe, the full custom suggestion was probably the best one. But, CRK does their S35VN well, and I’ve not heard too many complain about it, myself included (although some of us do sometimes wish for more options/variations). Especially after they upped the hardness just a bit. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but a good solid all around choice in my opinion.

If you do consider CRK, you might head over to the Chris Reeve subforum and make yourself familiar with the variations. There is plenty of difference between the 21/31 and Inkosi, and one may or may not be better for “you” depending on need and desire.

Benchmade gold class knives are pretty nice, a lot of them being what one might consider “high end.”

Other than that, like I said before, you might check out the custom section for something you like. If nothing tickles the sweet spot, find a design you like and ask the maker if they’d be willing to work with you on your own design specs to build something that is perfect for you and your needs, with the steel that makes you feel satisfied.

Welcome to the forum. It’s just as addictive as the knives. :thumbsup:
 
nick560 said:
Thanks for all the responses really considering large sebenza Tanto, is the Inkosi a better option since I can’t find the 31 anywhere. Also thought about the xm 18 3.5 Spanto.
Click to expand...
The inkosi and the 31 are fairly similar. They both use the ceramic ball lockup: a hardened ceramic ball in the end of the lockbar serves as both the detent ball and "lockbar insert". Makes for a very smooth lockup with no lockstick. The ceramic ball is EXTREMELY hard. It won't wear out in your lifetime

Differences: the inkosi has thicker blade stock.

The inkosi has the grooves in the handle. Alot of people dislike them, but they work great for me. The fit perfect.

The inkosi has an angled pocketclip. Another nice feature as it prevents pressure on the lockbar. The sebenzas clip runs straight along the lockbar

The inkosi has a thicker pivot as well.

If you do go with the 21, also note it does not have the ceramic ball in the lockbar thingy. The end of the titanium lockbar is hardened. I haven't heard of any problems with it.

Regardless of what.you choose, if you like what you get, you'll want to get the other. You will never feel satiated

Hope you have a decent paycheck friend
 
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In my somewhat humble opinion, if S35Vn isn't for you, then you're apparently not going to be using the knife very much anyway and you should just get whichever you think looks and feels the best.
 
CRK really does S35VN right. I've never been a steel snob, but CRK seems to get more out of a more "basic" super steel than any of my ZTs in a "higher quality" steel.

I have a large Inkosi I purchased about 4 months ago, and I can count on one hand the number if days it has NOT been in my pocket. The fit and finish and ridiculously tight tolerances is why I bought it. I looked at the Inkosi and the 21, the Inkosi fit my needs better. I wanted a "tougher" knife being that I am a contractor.

Truthfully, the CRK has ruined me on anything less, and I kinda kick myself for waiting so long and dumping a lot of money on "OK" knives that were within 100 bucks of the Inkosi. For me, and this is just a personal preference, CRK hits the sweet spot of being a knife that I will actually use and carry without being something I will fret over should I scratch it. I also like that the quality of customer service is a known factor, and I like that there is a robust community here on the boards.

Just my opinion.
 
If you want to stick with more production type knives. The first ones I thought of were Shirogorov, Koenig and Olamic. That is what i would say the next tier after CRK, Hinderer, Strider.

Others to consider are Alliance Designs, Wingman EDC, Chaves American Made, Liong Mah, Medford, Begg Knives.

Something to keep an eye out for is the upcoming (mid April-ish) Micro Evo Typhoon from Sharp by Design. It is too late to get in on the preorders, but sites like BladeHQ has been known to get a batch or two from him in the past. It is a limited run, so if you want one you gotta move quick.
 
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