Places to buy knives: Over the years, it has become harder
and harder to find reliable places with good prices (and return policies) to
buy knives. The better the reputation of the company, for example Benchmade,
the more money dealers will mark up their prices. I have found that it is best
not to buy knives directly from the manufacturer. At the same time, you don’t
want to buy knives from retailer stores because the prices will be extravagant.
I have found that it is best to try knives out in stores or through friends who
have those knives, and then buy them online. It is important to shop around
though.
A word
on brands: In my opinion, brand names aren’t everything but they can be
helpful. For example, if you are looking for a fixed blade combat knife, don’t
look at Swiss Army Knives. If you are looking for a throw-away knife that you
may potentially drop in the ocean, don’t look for a Benchmade; look for Gerber
(not meant as an insult to Gerber). For more information on the reputation,
pricing, and basic quality of knife brands, see the Knife Brands page. If you
are looking for a certain kind of knife, the brand will help you find it, but
don’t use the brand name as a determining factor for quality.
What to look for in a knife: First of all, figure out what you will be using the knife for. This will help you determine whether you need a fixed blade, assisted folding, folding with flipper, traditional folding, etc. For example, if you want your seven-year old kid to graduate from a Swiss Army knife, it would be best to get them a traditional, plain folding knife. Then when they are older, you can graduate them to an assisted, then a fixed blade, then a gun. I’m kidding, but still. You need to know what you are looking for. It’s always essential to check your local laws with knife carrying. I know that in California, you can’t carry anything bigger than a four inch folding knife in your pocket. Please note that in that sentence I was referring to any knife that closes, not the action of a knife. Another thing to look for is the steel. Again, this depends on what you are using it for. You might want to use 154CM if you aren’t going to have a sharpening stone, but if you are wading through creeks, you will want AUS8 or another type of water safe steel. The handle of your knife is also essential, you should decide whether you want something small and lightweight, or if you like a heavier feel to your knife handle. Overall for handles, I suggest zytel (glass filled nylon) because it is pretty lightweight and extremely sturdy. On most zytel handles, you could try and smash the handle with a sledgehammer and it wouldn’t crack. The next thing to figure out for your knife is price. I have to say, you really don’t want to economize a survival knife or combat knife, but on an EDC, I guess you could go cheaper quality. I will have a post next week on some reasonably priced every day carry knives. Of course, the best thing that you can do when you are trying to find a knife is to go to a store and try a few out to see what you like.
What to look for in a knife: First of all, figure out what you will be using the knife for. This will help you determine whether you need a fixed blade, assisted folding, folding with flipper, traditional folding, etc. For example, if you want your seven-year old kid to graduate from a Swiss Army knife, it would be best to get them a traditional, plain folding knife. Then when they are older, you can graduate them to an assisted, then a fixed blade, then a gun. I’m kidding, but still. You need to know what you are looking for. It’s always essential to check your local laws with knife carrying. I know that in California, you can’t carry anything bigger than a four inch folding knife in your pocket. Please note that in that sentence I was referring to any knife that closes, not the action of a knife. Another thing to look for is the steel. Again, this depends on what you are using it for. You might want to use 154CM if you aren’t going to have a sharpening stone, but if you are wading through creeks, you will want AUS8 or another type of water safe steel. The handle of your knife is also essential, you should decide whether you want something small and lightweight, or if you like a heavier feel to your knife handle. Overall for handles, I suggest zytel (glass filled nylon) because it is pretty lightweight and extremely sturdy. On most zytel handles, you could try and smash the handle with a sledgehammer and it wouldn’t crack. The next thing to figure out for your knife is price. I have to say, you really don’t want to economize a survival knife or combat knife, but on an EDC, I guess you could go cheaper quality. I will have a post next week on some reasonably priced every day carry knives. Of course, the best thing that you can do when you are trying to find a knife is to go to a store and try a few out to see what you like.
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