Knife Brands - Who are the best manufacturers?

[Cue772]

I've lost and found a Benchmade Mini Grip over the years. Cant go wrong with Benchmade. My hunters are KOAs.. excellent blades.
I prefer customs though.

 

[Ryan98270]

Love Benchmade, spyderco, edc is a kershaw leek, perfect carry knife

 

[DunRanull]

Benchmade = Ferrari of knife manufactures sleek, but overpriced

Spydeco - pretty good, but some of their locks and steal's have something to be desired.

Cold Steal - when you want to chop something to the ground and not feel bad about it.

CRKT - pretty good for the price. (easy openers (folder) so easy they may open in your pocket beware)

Kershaw - because of the ken onion assisted opening, pretty good when you find em on sale.


I sold my benchmades after they started to fall apart... (folders) but sometimes i wish i didn't
I still have some Spyderco - dont really carry them --- the few i have left (and old bubblegum endrua) and a chinook (one of the strongest back locks i have ever owned "Chinook is running in the 800 inch/lbs" )
cold steal - sold off my folders, (didnt like the plastic handle) but still have some fixed
CRKT - used em until they got full of construction debris and crap then give em away..

Kershaw - in my pocket right now.


in my humble opinion one of the best if not the best knife-makers alive right now is Bill Bagwell --- he knows how to make a bowie.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Who are the best manufacturers?

Agree with this list?

Making The Cut: 15 Best Pocket Knife Brands

Calling bull pucky on the entire list. I only saw 1 name I own, and two Id buy....

I own 2 pocket knives. An Opinel Garden that in the car emer kit. A fine Carbon steel blade.
The other NOT mentioned at all is Cold Steel. My EDC is a cold steel Scimitar. It is Jap stainless, serrated, never has to be sharpened.

The rest are Chinese stainless, not worth owning.

 

[orygun]

I used to buy Kershaw knives often. I thought they were a good knife for the money. Nothing super impressive, but far from junk. I won a new Kershaw Automatic this summer and it's been clipped in my pocket every day since then.
Dad had an old Case fixed blade that I just loved, but I think he gave it to my nephew because it was in Grandpa's left hand sheath.
I have a Cold Steel with a rubbery handle and gut hook. Well, had a gut hook cuz I cut it off! It's a good knife and is kept in the truck.

While these Benchmades haven't been used as much as I would like, they are fantastic. The little one is a McHenry & Williams design in 440C and the larger one is a SNODY in D2. Except for cutting steaks from roasts, these were the only knives used butchering Linda's deer last week. I've not used a hunting knife that I like so much.

 

[Ryan98270]

I dont think anything will ever top the kershaw leek (ken onion design) for my EDC

 

[OldTengu]

I like the okc Rat 1. Good size and steel for the money.
Best utilitarian knives I have are from morakniv. Can't beat swedish steel for ten bucks.

 

[edzz]

Butter knives!

Got ya covered.
Last year I picked up a Buck kitchen cutlery set for my wife as a Christmas present. One of the knifes in the set is their spreader, once I started using it I knew I'd have to go back to the factory and pick up their "Travelmate kit" for my camping kit.
https://www.buckknives.com/product/travelmate-kit/0941BRS1VP-B/

 

[DunRanull]

Just like anything else you get what you pay for.All my friends and family think I'm crazy for spending $300,$400 for a good switchblade ,and a lot of you probably won't believe me when I say you can feel the difference ,.ive had the $80 chineses OTF auto and people get and think they are great then a month later they ere like what a piece of **** I've had Microtech for more than 5-6 years now and use them everyday and still function like new .american knives are worth the money if your on a budget go with benchmade they have an unbeatable warranty,and great customer service. I just sent in a Griptillian that I dropped and broke the tip off my blade.$30 bucks and I got a new blade all new screws ,a new pocket clip,they even replaced my scales because one had a small crack.spyderco is a little cheaper yet and if you know how to sharpen you can put a mirror finish on it and they hold up very well,tough ,solid decent fit and finish.There is no cheap Chinese crap out there that is worth buying. That Ganzo crap is cheap crap and as an American we should be personally offended that a overseas company can steal designs from reputable ,American companies and profit from the crap they spew out and flood the market with look alike junk and dishonest and crooke people try to list as the real thing to scam people out of their money's!!!!
You can get on Armslist and gunbroker and see where the Chinese purposely make their boxes look like the products they are trying to copy ....sorry for ranting but don't support that crap .americans make great products they will outlast cheap poorly built junk always.Better products,better warranty ,what's not to like ,price?
Well I'd rather buy one well built knife than feel thrifty.

Lenin said that "The capitalists will sell us the rope we will hang them with". Well, maybe, but we are for sure subsidising their military and economic build-up, to our loss.

 

[SparksFly]

Benchmade = Ferrari of knife manufactures sleek, but overpriced

Spydeco - pretty good, but some of their locks and steal's have something to be desired.

Cold Steal - when you want to chop something to the ground and not feel bad about it.

CRKT - pretty good for the price. (easy openers (folder) so easy they may open in your pocket beware)

Kershaw - because of the ken onion assisted opening, pretty good when you find em on sale.


I sold my benchmades after they started to fall apart... (folders) but sometimes i wish i didn't
I still have some Spyderco - dont really carry them --- the few i have left (and old bubblegum endrua) and a chinook (one of the strongest back locks i have ever owned "Chinook is running in the 800 inch/lbs" )
cold steal - sold off my folders, (didnt like the plastic handle) but still have some fixed
CRKT - used em until they got full of construction debris and crap then give em away..

Kershaw - in my pocket right now.


in my humble opinion one of the best if not the best knife-makers alive right now is Bill Bagwell --- he knows how to make a bowie.

Benchmades, while expensive, also have the unlimited warranty though which is very nice. Super easy to take advantage of too.

 

[DunRanull]

I just picked up a Cold Steel Kobun as an EDC,, Love it so far- the 5-1/2" blade came with a good edge which I touched up on a hard arkie stone. First stainless blade Ive gotten in many a year, and I have been hemming and hawing for a couple years over it. I like it well enuff already that am considering a larger 6"-8" tanto-style (Which would defeat the purpose of an unobtrusive EDC).. Also got the smatchet, havent used it yet but it hefts well in spite of the 2mm blade thickness, not sure what grade of sheet metal they used to stamp these out but.. real pleased so far but won't use it until I hone the edge, which came with obvious grind marks.. not used to that from Cold Steel, but then this is a bottom of the barrel type of production, and I can fix it.. God willing my next cutlery purchase will be either the Frontier bowie or the Natchez, we shall see.

 

[DunRanull]

Since I made a bubblegum of myself with this post, I decided to get a cheap knife for an EDC and save my Bucks, I just don't want to lose them. I found and ordered a "Enlan EL-04"
it is a fist full with a similar locking stud that Benchmade uses, not as good or smooth but it locks up tight and the 8Cr13Mov steel takes and holds a edge well, I've had it about 2 months now and only sharpened it twice and got it razor sharp, since then all I've done is keep it stropped. I'm happy with it having spent less than $15 shipping included. If it falls out of my pocket somewhere, I won't get too upset, because it won't be one of my Bucks! Sign me,
"Eating Crow Gabby"

Nah, no worries, mate, we all been there a time or two in the room. One of the nice things about this room, most of us can get up, dust ourselves off, and keep on truckin!

 

[Pandaz3]

I just picked up a Cold Steel Kobun as an EDC,, Love it so far- the 5-1/2" blade came with a good edge which I touched up on a hard arkie stone. First stainless blade Ive gotten in many a year, and I have been hemming and hawing for a couple years over it. I like it well enuff already that am considering a larger 6"-8" tanto-style (Which would defeat the purpose of an unobtrusive EDC).. Also got the smatchet, havent used it yet but it hefts well in spite of the 2mm blade thickness, not sure what grade of sheet metal they used to stamp these out but.. real pleased so far but won't use it until I hone the edge, which came with obvious grind marks.. not used to that from Cold Steel, but then this is a bottom of the barrel type of production, and I can fix it.. God willing my next cutlery purchase will be either the Frontier bowie or the Natchez, we shall see.

I have the Recon Tanto in San Mai III, mine is not coated like the link, but I don't think they make mine anymore. I have had mine maybe six years. Maybe three. Mr. Memory is AWOL

 

[BigBlock511]

View attachment 466154 I have 2 Becker's that I use a lot, a Companion and a larger magnum combat knife. For heavy work they are great. 1/4 inch thick high carbon tool steel with replaceable scales. I will dig up a photo. They are being made by Kbar today but mine are originals. This is the smaller Companion.

these are badass I have three

 

[DeanMk]

Bucky Buck Buck!

 

[titsonritz]

Benchmade

 

[Joe13]

Though I'd take a sec and give an update:

Bought this Esee Avispa 20+ months ago at least and it has had daily use through my work day ever since.

Every couple months I run it across a diamond hone, then stone, then stope and it's back to razor sharp and holds it for quite awhile considering how much use it gets.

I bought this from knifeworks.com which I highly recommend you look at before buying a knife - I've seen used knives in here sell for more then a new one including shipping and tax. They have a lot of major brands so you can most likely find what you want there.

I splurged on the D2 (pretty sure that was the one) Steel and carbon fiber G10 handle and it was only like $55.

Very slim profile but beefy enough to fit my XXL hands.

Before:


Now:

 

[BigBlock511]

buck kabar ontario kershaw

 

[Captain O]

I have been looking at Ontario's Marine Raider Bowie Knife. The .25" spine makes the knife a great "outdoorsman knife" (halfway between a sheath knife and a machete). At about $55.00 delivered to your door, this 1095 High Carbon Steel piece of cutlery can do just about anything you need in a survival situation.

What's not to like?

 

[Pandaz3]

Ontario makes way better knives than they used to, of course I am judging by Army knives of the Vietnam era. I certainly would vote them the most improved knife company.