Quality pocket knife where to buy?

[GammaGlobulin]

23 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

That's a very pretty knife, but I'd be afraid to use it as an EDC. The blade has no locking function, not even a slip-joint to prevent accidental closure. It just pivots on its axis. Notice how easily he closes it with just one finger's pressure?

What is the blade material? It says it's 'Damascus Steel' but that just means is a fusion of two or three different steels? WHAT STEELS? You can forge-weld low quality steels as easily as good steels. The company calls the steel used in several of its other knives as 'Magic Steel.' That's enough to turn me off completely.  They do, however, tell you what wood is used for the scales. That's probably important when trying to cut something...

 

The sheath that comes with this knife looks as if it was made by a group of elementary school children doing a crafts project. The edges are left rough and unfinished, single-stitched by machine. It's just a flat pancake sheath. The leather isn't even molded to the shape of the knife!

 

But this IS a pretty knife. For $80.

You are absolutely correct about the sheath.

However, I do believe that the blade actually does have a locking function.

 

Aesthetics is always very important to me in whatever I buy.

And, this is why I am attracted to this knife, in particular.

 

I believe that the knife is assembled in China, with imported components.

 

Apparently, there are quite a few who do use it as an EDC.

 

I like the looks of it (much).

 

 

 

 

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Very useful information for him in his search for a knife in CM fifty years later!

I see you adding a lot of value to the tread...

[Liverpool Lou]

On 7/12/2023 at 8:47 AM, huangnon said:

If you can't find a store in CM, buy online.

Wonder why he never thought of that alternative!

[Liverpool Lou]

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Very useful information for him in his search for a knife in CM fifty years later!

I see you adding a lot of value to the tread...

No less value than your contribution but, just to match your valuable input, I bought a Spyderco CPM S30V online three years ago.

[giddyup]

20 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Very useful information for him in his search for a knife in CM fifty years later!

You can still buy them. https://www.theoldtimer.com/

[Yellowtail]

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No less value than your contribution but, just to match your valuable input, I bought a Spyderco CPM S30V online three years ago.

Spyderco was a decent knife twenty years ago, most of it is Chinese crap now.

[FolkGuitar]

35 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Where does he buy one in CM, that's what he wants to know? 

 

Thailand Outdoor Sports (the archery range) in the Star Dome complex carries a VERY complete line of Leatherman tools.

[FolkGuitar]

38 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

You are absolutely correct about the sheath.

 However, I do believe that the blade actually does have a locking function.

 

2. Apparently, there are quite a few who do use it as an EDC.

 

 

It does not have a locking function. It is modeled after the old 'CAT' knives so popular with sailors during W.W.II. (They even copied the name and made is sound Japanese.) I have several of the old ones in my collection. Sailors weren't allowed to carry anything in pant's pockets, so they carried in their socks. The CAT knives were very thin, flat folding knives, perfect for that style of carry. Cheap as chips so no problem if lost. They were just a blade pivoting on an axis with a folded metal handle around it, and a 'tail' to help open it. You can see the tail in the photo.

 

Please share with us your reference that 'quite a few' use it as an EDC. I can't find any. In fact, I never heard of this brand before.

[sungod]

On 7/11/2023 at 4:59 PM, Martin71 said:

Can't beat a good Leatherman..

Until you buy a Gerber

[FolkGuitar]

44 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That appears to be an online supplier, surely?

http://overzeas.net/

 

Yes, an in fact, is a great source for knives and sharpening equipment.

In fact, it's the ONLY source for 'WorkSharp' sharpening products if you live in Asia. I buy all my sharpening belts from them. 'WorkSharp' will not ship to individuals outside the USA, so our only choices are Overzeas, net, or a place in Australia to get them. The belt-sharpening system of the WorkSharp 'Ken Onion' edition is simply the fastest, most effective, and 'safest' (no overheating of the blade) machine sharpening for the price, and can sharpen up to 6,000 grit (although I generally stop around 2,000 grit at 17 degrees for my kitchen knives and 4,000 at 20 degrees for my EDC.  I won't use anything other then belts or Japanese waterstones on my knives.

[FolkGuitar]

5 minutes ago, sungod said:

Until you buy a Gerber

Each has its own individual pluses. Unfortunately, no one is making the 'ultimate' multi-tool as yet.

[Yellowtail]

31 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

Each has its own individual pluses. Unfortunately, no one is making the 'ultimate' multi-tool as yet.

Never a fan of the multi-tools. 

[Mahseer]

When I started this thread I was anticipating an address to appear and the thread to die within the hour but clearly some serious knife interest here. Great stuff folks.

 

The knife I lost - Calcutta airport for me - was a simple one but boy did I treasure it. Valtev lockable with stainless steel blade and brass and wood inlay in a scruffy nylon pouch but every single time I went fishing it always ended up in the gillies pocket so following year I bought him one which he promptly deposited in the Lidder river. Oh well.

 

That French offering is delightful and would likely pursue but the blade length -11 & 12cm - is way more than what I am looking for but certainly a knife to be admired.

[FolkGuitar]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

Never a fan of the multi-tools. 

While I personally don't like multi-tools as EDCs, I DO keep a Leatherman 'Wave' in my motorcycle, and have used one or two of the odd blades over the years. I think they are great for that purpose.  Just not enough to want that much weight in a pocket. (I don't care for folders carried in a belt sheath unless absolutely needed.)  And IF carried in a pocket, they make too large an imprint on the front of the pants, even if carried inside a 'pocket sheath.' Pocket sheaths will remove visible traces of a knife in the front pocket, but not if it's 3/4" thick and weighs a lot.

Right now, there are several companies making great multi-tools, each with it's own variety of tools and accessories for those who like that sort of tool. As long as one stays clear of the Chinese and Pakistani knock-offs, there are some good ones available.

[FolkGuitar]

If someone has the tools and skill, taking apart an Opinel with a locking collar, removing and rebuilding the handle in nicer woods or other materials will result in a top-notch cutting tool for less than $20. Very few low-end knives have the high-quality steel that Opinel uses. Their production knives use both High Carbon Steel or Stainless Sandvik12c27. Both are great at taking and holding an edge!

[Yellowtail]

3 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

While I personally don't like multi-tools as EDCs, I DO keep a Leatherman 'Wave' in my motorcycle, and have used one or two of the odd blades over the years. I think they are great for that purpose.  Just not enough to want that much weight in a pocket. (I don't care for folders carried in a belt sheath unless absolutely needed.)  And IF carried in a pocket, they make too large an imprint on the front of the pants, even if carried inside a 'pocket sheath.' Pocket sheaths will remove visible traces of a knife in the front pocket, but not if it's 3/4" thick and weighs a lot.

Right now, there are several companies making great multi-tools, each with it's own variety of tools and accessories for those who like that sort of tool. As long as one stays clear of the Chinese and Pakistani knock-offs, there are some good ones available.

I have a few Leatherman around, (one really nice one I got as a gift) but I've never used them. I had one in the car for years, but nothing ever goes wrong with the car anymore....

[FolkGuitar]

Just to add a note for all those who like a professionally sharpened edge...

There is the  'WorkSharp Ken Onion Edition' belt sharpener available at https://www.overzeas.net/th/sharpener/work-sharp-sharpener/work-sharp-ken-onion-edition-wskts-ko/

When custom knife makers sharpen a knife, they use grinding belts MADE for sharpening knives. This WorkSharp sharpener uses several different grit belts to sharpen anything from a small pocket knife, kitchen knife, or hobby tool to a machete, parang, or even a sword, without the risk of burning an edge. It has guides for 15 degrees through 30 degrees, so there is no guesswork involved. Just slip on the correct belt, press the adjustable-speed trigger, and make 3-4 guided angle passes across the belt on either side. Switch to the next finer grit belt and make a couple more passes on each side. You can progress through all the grits, or move to the leather 'stropping' belt for the ultimate edge... even if you've never sharpened a knife before. In fact, you can even get diamond-coated belts used to sharpen ceramic blades, too! And... you can sharpen your knife in just 5-8 minutes. I just re-sharpened ALL of my kitchen knives yesterday in less than an hour.

 

Since I started using the Ken Onion WorkSharp device, I've stopped using all the other sharpening tools I've collected over the years. While it doesn't provide the 'Zen-like' sharpening sensation you get when using Japanese waterstones, it doesn't take the hours that waterstones can require for re-profiling an edge. Just 5-8 minutes. Almost fool-proof.  It also doesn't rip metal off your blade the way those 'pull-through' carbide roller sharpeners do, and does let you adjust the edge bevel angle for the cutting use required.

 

For the home hobbyist/woodworker, there is an attachment for this that turns it into a great tool grinder for ANYTHING with an edge.

 

 

[Yellowtail]

I use a bench grinder and or a whetstone. 

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

http://overzeas.net/

 

Yes, an in fact, is a great source for knives and sharpening equipment.

In fact, it's the ONLY source for 'WorkSharp' sharpening products if you live in Asia. I buy all my sharpening belts from them. 'WorkSharp' will not ship to individuals outside the USA, so our only choices are Overzeas, net, or a place in Australia to get them. The belt-sharpening system of the WorkSharp 'Ken Onion' edition is simply the fastest, most effective, and 'safest' (no overheating of the blade) machine sharpening for the price, and can sharpen up to 6,000 grit (although I generally stop around 2,000 grit at 17 degrees for my kitchen knives and 4,000 at 20 degrees for my EDC.  I won't use anything other then belts or Japanese waterstones on my knives.

He said, specifically, he did not want to buy online!

[Bill97]

24 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He said, specifically, he did not want to buy online!

So what, FG  made an interesting contribution about sharpeners. Thanks F G.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, Bill97 said:

So what, FG  made an interesting contribution about sharpeners.

So what?

[Bill97]

7 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No less value than your contribution but, just to match your valuable input, I bought a Spyderco CPM S30V online three years ago.

 

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He said, specifically, he did not want to buy online!

Sicko

[GammaGlobulin]

20 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

It does not have a locking function. It is modeled after the old 'CAT' knives so popular with sailors during W.W.II. (They even copied the name and made is sound Japanese.) I have several of the old ones in my collection. Sailors weren't allowed to carry anything in pant's pockets, so they carried in their socks. The CAT knives were very thin, flat folding knives, perfect for that style of carry. Cheap as chips so no problem if lost. They were just a blade pivoting on an axis with a folded metal handle around it, and a 'tail' to help open it. You can see the tail in the photo.

 

Please share with us your reference that 'quite a few' use it as an EDC. I can't find any. In fact, I never heard of this brand before.

I would prefer not to link to Amazon's site here.

 

However, you can refer to the site for reviews of the knife I mentioned, easily.

 

Here is just one excerpt from a review which you may or may not find authoritative, and there are many other reviews, as well..

 

"I'm 50yo in the construction trades all my life. Carried a knife since my Grandfather gave me at the age of 7. I have all kinds of knives and they all get used, they don't sit in display cases, when they stop being useful to me I give them to someone they will be useful for. "

 

I would choose this knife for its utility as well as aesthetics considerations.

Maybe I am wrong, however.

 

[FolkGuitar]

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I would prefer not to link to Amazon's site here.

 

However, you can refer to the site for reviews of the knife I mentioned, easily.

 

Here is just one excerpt from a review which you may or may not find authoritative, and there are many other reviews, as well..

 

"I'm 50yo in the construction trades all my life. Carried a knife since my Grandfather gave me at the age of 7. I have all kinds of knives and they all get used, they don't sit in display cases, when they stop being useful to me I give them to someone they will be useful for. "

 

I would choose this knife for its utility as well as aesthetics considerations.

Maybe I am wrong, however.

 

You are not 'wrong.' You just have a different set of values.

 

When I buy a car, I want to know about the engine. That's the important part! That's more important to me than the color. So every car maker publicly announces all the specifications for the engine because that is the important part of a car.

When I buy a computer, I want to know the what IC chip is inside, and the memory capacity. That's more important to me than the color of the case, because those parts are what make the computer effective for my needs or not, so every computer manufacturer goes into fine detail to tell consumers all the specifications for them. Nobody buys a computer because the case is a pretty color.

 

When I buy a knife, I want to know about the steel that's used for the blade, because the blade steel used is what makes the knife. THAT is more important to me than the color of the handle. Every QUALITY knife manufacturer will tell you all about the steel used for its blades. THAT is the most important information about a knife.

 

Your manufacturer does NOT tell what steel is being used in this knife. There is usually a reason for that... 

 

Sure, we'd often want our knives to look nice, but not at the expense of a worthless piece of steel. In fact, many custom-made Japanese knives aren't even sold with handles! I had two custom knives made for me, one in Seki City, Japan, and the other in Sakai-shi, Japan, both just came with wooden dowels for handles. If You go into any knife shop in Japan, you'll see walls covered with knives... 95% of the with plain wooden dowel handles, as in the photo below. The the shop keeper can tell you the steel used in each and every one of them! No one cares about the handles.

Some folks choose a knife for it's looks. Some choose for it's ability to do the job at hand.

 

Personally, I wouldn't buy any knife that didn't have its steel known, because that is the important part of a knife to me. I know which steels I prefer for what particular job, be it a gentleman's pocket folder, an electrician's work tool, a forester's EDC, or a fisherman's friend. Each benefits from a different steel.

All knives cut once. The goal is to have a knife that you only need to sharpen 2-3 times a year, with honing in between.

[GammaGlobulin]

50 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

You are not 'wrong.' You just have a different set of values.

 

When I buy a car, I want to know about the engine. That's the important part! That's more important to me than the color. So every car maker publicly announces all the specifications for the engine because that is the important part of a car.

When I buy a computer, I want to know the what IC chip is inside, and the memory capacity. That's more important to me than the color of the case, because those parts are what make the computer effective for my needs or not, so every computer manufacturer goes into fine detail to tell consumers all the specifications for them. Nobody buys a computer because the case is a pretty color.

 

When I buy a knife, I want to know about the steel that's used for the blade, because the blade steel used is what makes the knife. THAT is more important to me than the color of the handle. Every QUALITY knife manufacturer will tell you all about the steel used for its blades. THAT is the most important information about a knife.

 

Your manufacturer does NOT tell what steel is being used in this knife. There is usually a reason for that... 

 

Sure, we'd often want our knives to look nice, but not at the expense of a worthless piece of steel. In fact, many custom-made Japanese knives aren't even sold with handles! I had two custom knives made for me, one in Seki City, Japan, and the other in Sakai-shi, Japan, both just came with wooden dowels for handles. If You go into any knife shop in Japan, you'll see walls covered with knives... 95% of the with plain wooden dowel handles, as in the photo below. The the shop keeper can tell you the steel used in each and every one of them! No one cares about the handles.

Some folks choose a knife for it's looks. Some choose for it's ability to do the job at hand.

 

Personally, I wouldn't buy any knife that didn't have its steel known, because that is the important part of a knife to me. I know which steels I prefer for what particular job, be it a gentleman's pocket folder, an electrician's work tool, a forester's EDC, or a fisherman's friend. Each benefits from a different steel.

All knives cut once. The goal is to have a knife that you only need to sharpen 2-3 times a year, with honing in between.

Yes, I do agree with your points (pun intended).

I also enjoy Japanese culture and art.

And so you are correct that I am probably more interested in aesthetics and history of knives made in Japan than others may be.

But still, I also agree that Japanese steel production and quality is also important to me, but more from a historical perspective.

 

If I were to rely for survival on just one knife while portaging a canoe around the lakes of Timmins, Ontario, and out of easy reach of civilization, the aesthetics of the knife I chose for survival would be of no consequence in my choice.

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

 

[Rotweiler]

Just noticed this thread.  There is a knife that I think would meet your requirements - the Victorinox Lock knife (see images).  The emblem is also the blade unlock.  The blade is 10cm long; and the knife also contains a cork screw, a toothpick and a tweezers.

 

VERY hard to find in Thailand.  The shop in Nong Khai where I bought this one 11 years ago is gone.

[Rotweiler]

I should add that the official name of the item is VICTORINOX Ranger Grip 68

[FolkGuitar]

Vic

1 hour ago, Rotweiler said:

I should add that the official name of the item is VICTORINOX Ranger Grip 68

 

Victorinox makes some very nice knives. I prefer their kitchen 'boning knives' over all others on the market. The Swiss Army Knives are a great choice for someone looking for a small multi-tool for pocket or sheath, and doesn't mind resharpening often. The high Chromium levels in their pocket knife steel means that it can't take as sharp an edge as a high-carbon steel, but it is very wear-resistant and holds its edge well. Good, all-around knives sold a the right prices!

[Reginald Prewster]

I bought years ago an Old Timer Pocket Knife from lazada and it's still in mint condition, even used often on my farm..

I know you won't go for online buy but I really highlight the Brand here.

 

Leatherman is in my opinion only "as good" but you pay for the Name a lot more..

 

Pocket knives are a must all my live and a good old "Loewenmesser" (Lion Knife) Made in Germany was gifted in the 1972 from my Grandpa

(as it was still required for boys, to have a pocket knife at school)

and till about 5 years it was following me everywhere. Offshore, on my farm and in the house use.

 

But I must admit that after a "Walther" (Gun Manufacturer) Blade snapped by dropping it, A Swiss Army knife given away after 2 month use, the Old Timer Knife Made in USA is my absolut Favorite... 

[bignok]

On 7/12/2023 at 12:03 PM, novacova said:

This has become a creep perv threab

Im straight but hey nice ass