Jim,
I have read a couple of the posts regarding folding knives. As my grandmother once told me, “A man is never fully dressed without a pocket knife.” I own several different knives for several different occasions. Depending on my needs and dress, I can carry a variety of knives from the simple folder dress knife to some big mamba jamba tactical folder that would slice an elephant in half. Right now, I have a Benchmade Mel Pardue folder in my pocket and an Emerson LaGriff around my neck. Some of the other brands I own are Cold Steel, Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT), Camillus CUDA, KaBar, Schrade, SOG, Buck, Spyderco and some custom work from Dawson Knives in Colorado and Peter Atwood (www.atwoodknives.com). I don’t know if these have a place in the folder knife category, but I count my Leatherman tools as well.
As I mentioned, each knife serves its own purpose. Whenever I wear a suit, my Buck penknife goes with. My normal carry is either my Atwood Goblin or Emerson LaGriff on the neck and a Spyderco Delica or Mel Pardue in the pocket. I like to carry my CUDA whenever I work at the pistol range (too bad you can’t find them around anymore).
I say all that to say this, I have never been more satisfied with a general pocket folder such as the SPYDERCO brand of knives. I have owned several through the years and currently have about five scattered throughout the house (I’ve never been able to keep knives in one place!). The Endura and Delica models are the most popular, and they have the half-n-half blade, straight edge and full serration available. Most models are all ambidextrous clip and they have a big thumbhole on the blade for easy opening. That hole makes opening a snap with gloves on in cold weather. The handles are mostly high quality plastic, but there are custom handles of stainless steel and even zytel and Micarta. The handles are ergonomic and fit the hand very well. Spyderco is very popular with Military, Law Enforcement, and Fire/Rescue personnel. They hold an edge and take wear and tear very well.
I also recently discovered Peter Atwood’s creations in a gun magazine some time back. Back where they feature new products were a couple of his handmade gadgets. I could not find anything comparable to the tools he made so I bought a few. Needless to say, I am impressed with his craftsmanship, attention to detail, and his friendly personality and warm customer service. He makes a really nifty pocket tool called a PryBaby. It is a sort of Jack-of-all-Trades nail pulling, pry-tool, flathead screwdriver, bottle opener, ear cleaner, whatever all rolled into one. He has other tools in the catalog, too. My other personal favorite is the Bug Out Bar and the Goblin Neck Knife. The B-O-B is a bigger pry tool used for bigger tasks. I recommend checking his web site and drooling over the neat products he carries. These may or may not be the products for you, but if you’re a gadget geek like me, then you will want one, too. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to dig through the seat cushions for a missing knife. Peace, – Matt C.
Letter Re: Folding Fighting/Utility Knife Recommendations?
