Orlando Pockets how do they not have a genuinely useful knife function? They definitely aren't for hard use but my super tinker has 1 small and 1 large pen blade and they are thin, full flat ground blades which makes them great for cutting and they're made of a decent enough steel
Nick Shabazz Hi Nick, nice vids and I just subbed 👍. Can you please tell me what the better steel is for Spyderco and benchmade? I'm familiar with the preferred M390 and 20CV for ZT knives. I'm new to knife world, and I don't want to to buy knives with steel that could be better and prefer the better steel bc I think they hold their value better. Thank you
I'm gonna go: Delica, PM2, 940, Griptillian, Skyline, Leek, Opinel, Mora Companion, Ka Bar USMC, A case knife of some sort, A victorinox swiss army knife, a cold steel Recon 1, a mercator K55K, a Douk Douk, a Higonokami, a chris reeve sebenza if you can afford one, ontario Rat 1 or 2, bark river bravo 1, Fallkniven F1 and a cold steel trailmaster or another large bowie style knife.
I am floored by how much you love this hobby. You have been a virtual mentor to me in many ways. I started this hobby about 3 years ago and you and Kevin C. helped me muddle my way through the maze of knives, steels, scales and locks. I attribute my obsession to watching you and understanding your philosophy of knife collecting. I don't always agree with you but it is still important to have someone else's perspective. When I had a construction business my cabinet maker was similar to you in that he could look at plans for a job and in the first ten minutes he would find all the mistakes on the drawings. He was a very negative person so he only saw the bad but you have the 3 skills, Good Bad & ugly. Keep making these video's because you opinion is the reason knifemakers correct issues and your approval can make or break the purchasing popularity.` Keep them coming Mike J.
Absolutely. And for whatever silly reason, you're hard pressed to find even a higher end custom modern knife which cuts as well as the Opinel does. Keep an eye out for a rant about that :)
I was gonna say the same. They may not be my absolute favourite, but I inevitably pocket one every once in a while when I need to do some real smooth slicing. People might prefer one-hand opening, stainless steels, no nail nick, but man, that blade geometry!
I don't know what you okes do with your knives but I have had a couple Opinels, carbon and stainless in various sizes. They break like fukal, can't hold them in the wet, the lock doesn't stay open, the tip breaks off, the blade snaps, the lock ring pops off, the handle gets fucked. I'm not even abusing the knife, I'm trying to do things I do in a normal day on the farm or construction site. Cut heavy and thick things, pierce thick things, scrape things, hit things with the pommel. It is a lovely little pocket knife for cutting cheese and grapes, but as a workhorse, you must be joking.
As a journeyman knife nut I'm more and more appreciating how subtle and insightful your approach is. A greatest-hits video that stresses awareness, feel, context etc.? This isn't just about knives. It's a master class in how to be a connoisseur of just about anything. Bravo, sir. And let's just say in buying cheapo knives to practice sharpening on I've gained more experience of junk knives, don't worry. : )
In addition to this, I'd say everyone needs their own case slipjoint. In my opinion, the fullsize case sodbuster is a beautiful choice in their chrome vanadium. Great video Nick!
Anything other than a sodbuster is a losing bet with Case. Their QC is by far the worst I've seen in the knife world. I've tried to purchase many. I've rejected, returned, and warrantied to many. Sodbusters however, great blades. Very slicey.
A delica, when I first bought one I was skeptical then thought how will it ever get better, it's amazing. The next generation should be really interesting can't wait to see what's in store.
I found a slightly rusted Milwaukee box-cutter holder on the ground last month. It looked like that Snapon knife. For whatever reason, I liked handling it and even carried it around with me. I had no idea there was such a thing as a knife collector hobby until I saw this video.
I have an Espada XL and I chuckle every time I get it out. When I show it to people their eyes bug out. Mine is made of AUS8A steel, which doesn't really matter because I'll never use it.
Isaac Arnold I hear ya! I have the Coldsteel Voyager XL & I ALWAYS get people asking to hold it & to try to open it w/ one hand...it's a conversation piece, that's 4 sure! I refer to it as my "pocket sword" 😊
The zt is my absolute dream knife. I have wanted one since they came out. Unfortunately I fear I will never have one. Nick keep up the great work, your vids are the absolute best!
Cameron Stone Fortunately I was able to score one in the sprint run 0452cfM390Blu I have seen the regular s35vn models on ebay for around $165 , there is one on ebay now for $175 free shipping
As a point of clarification, the Cold Steel Espada XL is not just a flight of knife fancy. It is a pretty faithful reproduction of the Spanish Navaja type of knife used by gypsies and rural folk and which often found its way into the military. When I shopped in Spain I saw a lot of second-rate versions of this knife for the tourist trade but never found a worthy purchase.
I’m really getting into this stuff, and it’s starting to consume more of my time than Sneakers. Which has been my biggest interest since childhood. I might have to get the old RUclips channel started again. I wonder where my 15,000 subscribers are at? Maybe I’ll send a message… Love your stuff Sir. Keep it up!
I’ve handled crap for years (knife wise) never again... I do agree with Nick that if you’ve never had a “gas station knife” you should pick one up so you can appreciate the good stuff and not take it for granted
That Z-Hunter is an absolute gem. They should make an exclusive model with M390 steel, ceramic ball bearings and titanium scales. Also, if anyone sees the maker at Blade Show, please call him out, because I really wanna take a picture with him., hehe.
Nick you just made me spend a lot of money I agree I need a higher-end custom the only ones I don't own Spyderco slysz Bowie Cold Steel Espada and the Ontario rat 1 I love it makes me feel good as far as production but the buck 110 folding Hunter I would say deserves recognition
I forgot to mention my biggest prizes : my fixed blades! I have a Western W39 (which has sentimental value, it was a gift from a family friend who passed away last year.), A Kabar 1211 (a gift from a friend,), and my most valuable piece: A Chris Peterson handmade custom damascus Skinner ,It's made from buffalo horn, 22k gold, and meteorite steel (yeah a freaking meteorite). It was hand forged in Utah.The best part: I got it for $20 because the guy didn't know what he had. I had it appraised by an expert who said it was worth about $400 and would be worth more if the handmade leather sheath was in better condition. Most of his knives are one of a kind. I've never seen one EXACTLY the same as mine, I've seen them with virtually the same design but they usually have a silver guard, not gold and the Damascus patterns are always different. From what I've read he seems like a great guy, he does all the steel work and his wife does all the leatherwork and he always under prices his products so they sell more and his buyers get a great value. On a separate note I was looking for a good backlock for my collection, I'm not that big on the Delica or endura (don't like the feel of FRN, plus I have small hands but long fingers so it grips kinda funny for me). So I was thinking either the Code 4 in XHP or I found a Buck spitfire in S35vn as a limited time run and I've heard great things about it (plus S35 is my favorite overall steel so far). So which one do you think?
Great info here for a starting collector as myself. So far I've got a RAT 1, crkt ripple, cs American lawman, kershaw blur in s30v, para mil. 3 in digi camo and black blade. Also have a morakniv with firestarter in my get home/bug out bag. Looking at a benchmade 553 tanto next. Don't know if I'll ever spend more than $200 for a knife but who knows. I picked up a pelican 1500 clone case on amazon for $50 and it's really good quality and hope to someday fill it up. Love your channel...informative and entertaining.
My favorite spyderco an daily carry is native 5. It's a whopper at 2.4 oz an s35vn for 69.99. That's my opinion. I started out on frost cutlery an s&w. Now I own many zt, bm, spydercos, few midtechs. I'm moving up to customs.
One of your better videos. An A to Z, what the knife culture is all about. You could have talking about any collectible niche and the philosophy would be the same.
The full dress Espada xl with the polished g-10 & 7075 aluminum bolsters is the epitome of Cold Steel Knives, it's a MONSTER knife a real pocket sword but built like a tank and looks great
Spydiechef, para 3, small sebenza, a fixed blade for the outdoors hard use, a luxury titanium knife (Medford, shiro, Herman, a custom). I only had one knife (sebenza) and sacrificed it to the TSA gods. Now I am looking at a small titanium collection.
Only real thing I'd add to the list would be a decent small and mid sized fixed blade. I'm completely aware that they're just not practical for most people's edc, but without atleast having compared your favorite folder to a Candiru, or an Izula, or even just a Mora, you're ignoring half of the history of modern knives! Good video Nick! Always have to have to broaden the perspective, lest we forget our humble beginnings!
Knives Mentioned: Opinel knife Ontario RAT Model 1 Ontario RAT Model 2 Kershaw Blur, 1670 Kershaw Leek, 1660 Spyderco Dragonfly Spyderco Delica Cold Steel Recon 1 Cold Steel Code-4 Spyderco Endura Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Benchmade Griptilian Benchmade 940, 940-1, 940-2 Zero Tolerance 0452CF Zero Tolerance 0562CF Cold Steel Espada Extra Large Spyderco Slysz Bowie, C186TI Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 21 John Grimsmo The Norseman Shirogorov Neon Andre Thorburn custom knives Ontario Carter Prime a crappy knife like Z-Hunter or Snap-On
Nice insightful vid. More or less what I would go for. But maybe also Buck 110 and SAK (any model)? Btw, love your vids, love your voice and accent (perhaps I'm weird, since I also love Frankies voice, but there you go :) )
other categories I feel every knife aficionado should experience is 'quality budget' Chinese knives (Ruike, Real Steel, Civvivi and Steel Will) showcasing what the current 'quality budget' knife manufacturer can produce. Next is high end Chinese manufacturers (WE, Reate. Rike). These high end Chinese manufacturers are easily competing with the very best of the other knife manufacturers. One last category is what I call the 'budget high end" knives, the likes of the WE Practic, Real Steel "S" class, Steel Will Cutjack (M390 verion) and Modus (M390 version) all have _very_ reasonable price points and yet offer super steel (usually M390), slick actions and quality exceeding their modest price points.
I'm a knife hobbyist the same way I'm a whisky hobbyist. I'm into it, but not a macho douche who works at a body shop or Jiffy Lube. I like your videos because you're knowledgable but not a hyper-masculine posturer. Enjoy the sense of humour and casual approach to knife reviews.
The concept of blade play was created by and for the Chinese in order to troll and cripple honest U.S. knife users. Terrible. I should seriously start thinking about another ban...
A traditional folder from a US manufacturer and from China for comparison. A US made Schrade and the same model Chinese Schrade makes for an interesting comparison. You can feel a difference.
Hey Nick! Love your channel. Thank you for this episode. It really helped guide me. And ive had my eye on a gas station folder for a while. Picking it up tomorrow. Keep it up.
Nick, I think Cold Steel's best example of a knife these days is the newer American Lawman. They took everything wrong with the original and did away with it. Now it is thinner, lighter, has less aggressive but still functional G10, and better steel. In terms of ergos it is not far off from the Manix 2.
Agreed with the pm2, the dragonfly, the zt's, the bm grip, and even the opinel. I would've added a Swiss army, possible a case multi blade, and definitely the usmc kabar.
Just wanted to thank you,I've been watching your vids for a while now, and you were a partial inspiration for getting me into more serious knife collecting. I find your videos very entertaining compared to a lot of other reviewers (Birdshot is great too), and enjoy your passion even though I don't always agree with everything, and some of your vids are very inspired (the video on your Dad's EDC comes to mind, and strikes a chord for me as well). My collection for now is as follows: I own a zt 0562 in G10 elmax, it's stellar (I actually prefer it over the CF version, it's grippier), a HEAdesigns equilibrium for a showpiece, Damascus skyline for a gentleman style carry (for now anyway), a CRKT Razel (cause I'll probably never own a real Graham Razel, makes a good work knife and box cutter though), and I love my Rat1 D2 (thanks for the recommendation). My hidden gem is a Kershaw starter ($20, looks cool, tanky build, and surprisingly good action for a speedsafe, it's only holdup is the 8cr13 but what do you want for $20. Maybe check one out someday). For future purchases I plan to get a PM2 S110V, a Manix 2 (found one with a micarta punisher grip that looks amazing, I'm a nerd I know.), a Benchmade 940, VDK War admiral (just looks freaking cool.), A Hogue EX01, and either a Exskelibur 1 CF or a Kizer Feist (mostly depending on price), and have the ZT 0801TI on preorder because it's full Titanium and I plan to have it sent off for custom anodization when it gets here. Keep up the good work, and best wishes from Washington state!
Nicely done. Much agreement on commented philosophy. Have many times made similar comments that I could happily live with but my dimunitive Dragonfly alone (even though I daily a 4.6" folder). Well done there m8 👍
Very interesting and very entertaining. I like to think I know a bit about knives and I certainly love talking shop but I doubt I could do anything close to this. You're really getting good at this Mr Shabazz and I'm obviously not alone in counting this channel as a favorite. Thx!
Much better than CNN and those other fake news channels. Nick is a terrific guy. He makes tremendous reviews. I know a lot of people in Russia and secret Siberian test labs and they all agree with that.
Totally agree with Mikey about Opinal, I generally keep my best knives and that does not mean my dearest in a special case and usually keep out a few Trads on display.I have not been fortunate enough to handle a knife like your beloved Grimsmo, but am at CRK and under, I do love tinkering with my folders and do my own profiling , I think you might be trying to explain Ying and Yang a Zen concept well suited to any interested traveller in the knife world.
Excellent review Nick. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the ZT but it sure is expensive. I owned a PM2 but sold it to buy a Bark River. (Love Bark River knives!). I found the PM2 too big. I have a Dragonfly and love it. It is a gem as you say. It is hard to believe the ergonomics could be so good for such a small knife. I'm leaning toward a fancy Delica. Thanks again. Great quality video shot as well!
I'm always surprised when knife guys talk about a smooth action on a folder and they fail to mention the Yojimbo 2. Smoothest model in the Spyderco line... As always, great video. 👊🏼
I guess if you like the modern folders. But if you like SAKs or traditional pattern folders, you may go in another direction. Plus some folks collect fixed blades. That said a a nice review of some modern folders. (notice I didn't call them tacticals!) I'm cool with the Opinel, however. Simplicity in itself. Good points about the gas station Knives. Matter fact, good information and very interesting even if they aren't the knives I collect! Thanks for sharing.
I wanted to report back on my gas station knife shopping experience. During my daily errands I stopped at a few local gas stations in order to see what they had, but we really don't have any of your prototypical old fashioned gas stations in the area in which I live in the Metro north of the Boston area. Most of the gas stations incorporate food marts that don't have any pocket knives. I decided to expand my search and I went to a few hardware stores / auto parts shops. Some of them had a few generic utility knives and they had a few knives made by Smith & Wesson, Gerber and Schrade, unfortunately I could not find any that sold the Z-Hunter or the surprisingly elusive Snap-on Foldng knife. Anyone having better luck?
Definitly agree with the espada. I would disagree with the Slysz Bowie, but I'm going to let you pass because I know your deeply in love. I would have said: cheap gas station knife or chinese gerber. The paraframe made me appreciate blade centering since its blade wanted to go beyond the frame when closed.
Nick, can't remember if you've gotten your hands on a griptilian with the sheeepsfoot blade and an opening hole but I highly recommend it. I feel like this version is the grip at its very best. There's even a cabellas exclusive that comes in D2 that might appeal to you even more
Nick did you forget that Swiss Army knives exist?? The world's most iconic EDC knife and not a word of mention...
Nah, I just assume everybody's owned one, and I kind of put them in with "multitool" more often. But it should've been on the list.
Nick Shabazz have you done or could you do a review of either the Victorinox Sentinel plain edge or one handed trekkers?
please
Orlando Pockets how do they not have a genuinely useful knife function? They definitely aren't for hard use but my super tinker has 1 small and 1 large pen blade and they are thin, full flat ground blades which makes them great for cutting and they're made of a decent enough steel
Nick Shabazz Hi Nick, nice vids and I just subbed 👍. Can you please tell me what the better steel is for Spyderco and benchmade? I'm familiar with the preferred M390 and 20CV for ZT knives.
I'm new to knife world, and I don't want to to buy knives with steel that could be better and prefer the better steel bc I think they hold their value better. Thank you
Don't think it needs to be cuz even people who not into knives have them
Handled a Sebenza for the first time recently and my first thought was "Oh my freaking god, this is SMOOTH". I want one.
Just got one of the cheaper ones and it's insane! I love it
I'm gonna go: Delica, PM2, 940, Griptillian, Skyline, Leek, Opinel, Mora Companion, Ka Bar USMC, A case knife of some sort, A victorinox swiss army knife, a cold steel Recon 1, a mercator K55K, a Douk Douk, a Higonokami, a chris reeve sebenza if you can afford one, ontario Rat 1 or 2, bark river bravo 1, Fallkniven F1 and a cold steel trailmaster or another large bowie style knife.
is everyone forgetting the buck 110????
Adam Greene I did forget the 110
KnifeTex with fully serrated edge, tanto tip, laser etched picture of Lynn Thompson holding a broken skull on the blade. So meta. 😮😍
lol sounds kind of cheesy
Microtech Ultratech
I am floored by how much you love this hobby. You have been a virtual mentor to me in many ways. I started this hobby about 3 years ago and you and Kevin C. helped me muddle my way through the maze of knives, steels, scales and locks. I attribute my obsession to watching you and understanding your philosophy of knife collecting. I don't always agree with you but it is still important to have someone else's perspective.
When I had a construction business my cabinet maker was similar to you in that he could look at plans for a job and in the first ten minutes he would find all the mistakes on the drawings. He was a very negative person so he only saw the bad but you have the 3 skills, Good Bad & ugly. Keep making these video's because you opinion is the reason knifemakers correct issues and your approval can make or break the purchasing popularity.`
Keep them coming
Mike J.
“Joyous jackassery.” Just outstanding.
so good to see the humble opinel there. I have two no9's and they're a much better workhorse than most much more expensive knives.
Absolutely. And for whatever silly reason, you're hard pressed to find even a higher end custom modern knife which cuts as well as the Opinel does. Keep an eye out for a rant about that :)
Nick Shabazz oh yeah, the edge you can get on an opi is insane!
I was gonna say the same. They may not be my absolute favourite, but I inevitably pocket one every once in a while when I need to do some real smooth slicing. People might prefer one-hand opening, stainless steels, no nail nick, but man, that blade geometry!
I love my Opinel no7, it's just such a great slicer, easily the best slicer in my collection which seems ridiculous at £8.95 :P
I don't know what you okes do with your knives but I have had a couple Opinels, carbon and stainless in various sizes. They break like fukal, can't hold them in the wet, the lock doesn't stay open, the tip breaks off, the blade snaps, the lock ring pops off, the handle gets fucked. I'm not even abusing the knife, I'm trying to do things I do in a normal day on the farm or construction site. Cut heavy and thick things, pierce thick things, scrape things, hit things with the pommel. It is a lovely little pocket knife for cutting cheese and grapes, but as a workhorse, you must be joking.
As a journeyman knife nut I'm more and more appreciating how subtle and insightful your approach is. A greatest-hits video that stresses awareness, feel, context etc.? This isn't just about knives. It's a master class in how to be a connoisseur of just about anything. Bravo, sir. And let's just say in buying cheapo knives to practice sharpening on I've gained more experience of junk knives, don't worry. : )
I collect Victorinox and Wenger SAKs now, so many cool ones to find. Keep up the great videos Nick!
As a new knife collector and aspiring knife reviewer, this was an invaluable video. Well done, sir. Thank you!
In addition to this, I'd say everyone needs their own case slipjoint. In my opinion, the fullsize case sodbuster is a beautiful choice in their chrome vanadium. Great video Nick!
Anything other than a sodbuster is a losing bet with Case. Their QC is by far the worst I've seen in the knife world. I've tried to purchase many. I've rejected, returned, and warrantied to many. Sodbusters however, great blades. Very slicey.
Wait. That vertical play caught me SO off guard.
I yelled "holy fucking shit!!!" when I saw that lol
A delica, when I first bought one I was skeptical then thought how will it ever get better, it's amazing. The next generation should be really interesting can't wait to see what's in store.
The Nick droppin that philosphy at the end. Bring it.
Ok! So I just bought a PM2.
I found a slightly rusted Milwaukee box-cutter holder on the ground last month. It looked like that Snapon knife. For whatever reason, I liked handling it and even carried it around with me. I had no idea there was such a thing as a knife collector hobby until I saw this video.
I have an Espada XL and I chuckle every time I get it out. When I show it to people their eyes bug out. Mine is made of AUS8A steel, which doesn't really matter because I'll never use it.
Isaac Arnold I hear ya! I have the Coldsteel Voyager XL & I ALWAYS get people asking to hold it & to try to open it w/ one hand...it's a conversation piece, that's 4 sure! I refer to it as my "pocket sword" 😊
Isaac Arnold exactly what I do with mine, hasn't cut anything since the day I bought it lol
At least it's not "non surgical grade stainless steel!"
The zt is my absolute dream knife. I have wanted one since they came out. Unfortunately I fear I will never have one. Nick keep up the great work, your vids are the absolute best!
Cameron Stone Fortunately I was able to score one in the sprint run 0452cfM390Blu
I have seen the regular s35vn models on ebay for around $165 , there is one on ebay now for $175 free shipping
As a point of clarification, the Cold Steel Espada XL is not just a flight of knife fancy. It is a pretty faithful reproduction of the Spanish Navaja type of knife used by gypsies and rural folk and which often found its way into the military. When I shopped in Spain I saw a lot of second-rate versions of this knife for the tourist trade but never found a worthy purchase.
I’m really getting into this stuff, and it’s starting to consume more of my time than Sneakers. Which has been my biggest interest since childhood. I might have to get the old RUclips channel started again. I wonder where my 15,000 subscribers are at? Maybe I’ll send a message… Love your stuff Sir. Keep it up!
Just rewatched this video for the first time in a while. Eloquent. This is you at your best.
I’ve handled crap for years (knife wise) never again... I do agree with Nick that if you’ve never had a “gas station knife” you should pick one up so you can appreciate the good stuff and not take it for granted
"reality is only interpretle, through contrast. Without contrast the world is all grey" loved that
The philosophy at the end absolutely hit it out of the park congratulations and thank you!
That Z-Hunter is an absolute gem. They should make an exclusive model with M390 steel, ceramic ball bearings and titanium scales. Also, if anyone sees the maker at Blade Show, please call him out, because I really wanna take a picture with him., hehe.
I'll tell you what i'll be adding to my collection soon enough. The Delica wharncliffe and Spyderco Sliver, oh man I cannot wait.
Delica wharny is just too legit. Check out instagram, there are some with acid washed blades... sicker than ebola.
Nick you just made me spend a lot of money I agree I need a higher-end custom the only ones I don't own Spyderco slysz Bowie Cold Steel Espada and the Ontario rat 1 I love it makes me feel good as far as production but the buck 110 folding Hunter I would say deserves recognition
that was pretty much the exact reason I bought a sebenza 21
I don’t know how I missed this video. Glad I saw it recommended for me. Great stuff from crap to custom. I love it. Nick’s videos are always fun.
Benchmade mini griptilian, Buck 110 folding hunter, Chris Reeve Sebenza 21, WE Elementum and anything from Rockstead , and whatever else you like
Really great video, really great. Dealt with all levels of quality and collecting without a hint of elitism. Thank you very much.
Reality through contrast, very well said and excellent Philosophy/Reviews.
Good List...can't argue with that compilation.
I forgot to mention my biggest prizes : my fixed blades! I have a Western W39 (which has sentimental value, it was a gift from a family friend who passed away last year.), A Kabar 1211 (a gift from a friend,), and my most valuable piece: A Chris Peterson handmade custom damascus Skinner ,It's made from buffalo horn, 22k gold, and meteorite steel (yeah a freaking meteorite). It was hand forged in Utah.The best part: I got it for $20 because the guy didn't know what he had. I had it appraised by an expert who said it was worth about $400 and would be worth more if the handmade leather sheath was in better condition. Most of his knives are one of a kind. I've never seen one EXACTLY the same as mine, I've seen them with virtually the same design but they usually have a silver guard, not gold and the Damascus patterns are always different. From what I've read he seems like a great guy, he does all the steel work and his wife does all the leatherwork and he always under prices his products so they sell more and his buyers get a great value.
On a separate note I was looking for a good backlock for my collection, I'm not that big on the Delica or endura (don't like the feel of FRN, plus I have small hands but long fingers so it grips kinda funny for me). So I was thinking either the Code 4 in XHP or I found a Buck spitfire in S35vn as a limited time run and I've heard great things about it (plus S35 is my favorite overall steel so far). So which one do you think?
Best gut... the opinel at first is a realy uncomond choice.. Love you!!!
A fine example of a sharp wit too!!😂😂
Great info here for a starting collector as myself. So far I've got a RAT 1, crkt ripple, cs American lawman, kershaw blur in s30v, para mil. 3 in digi camo and black blade. Also have a morakniv with firestarter in my get home/bug out bag. Looking at a benchmade 553 tanto next. Don't know if I'll ever spend more than $200 for a knife but who knows. I picked up a pelican 1500 clone case on amazon for $50 and it's really good quality and hope to someday fill it up. Love your channel...informative and entertaining.
My favorite spyderco an daily carry is native 5. It's a whopper at 2.4 oz an s35vn for 69.99. That's my opinion. I started out on frost cutlery an s&w. Now I own many zt, bm, spydercos, few midtechs. I'm moving up to customs.
Dustin Sheets that Native 5 is the one I recommend most to people who ask "what's a good knife for the money "
One of your better videos. An A to Z, what the knife culture is all about. You could have talking about any collectible niche and the philosophy would be the same.
The full dress Espada xl with the polished g-10 & 7075 aluminum bolsters is the epitome of Cold Steel Knives, it's a MONSTER knife a real pocket sword but built like a tank and looks great
Opinel's are a must own! Grimsmo is on my "Most Wanted" list. Looks like we may gave a chance to score one directly from the brothers one day soon.
My first "expensive" knife was a brown Delica, but I was shocked by the cheapish feel of the handle scales, so I sold it right away. :(
Spydiechef, para 3, small sebenza, a fixed blade for the outdoors hard use, a luxury titanium knife (Medford, shiro, Herman, a custom). I only had one knife (sebenza) and sacrificed it to the TSA gods. Now I am looking at a small titanium collection.
Only real thing I'd add to the list would be a decent small and mid sized fixed blade. I'm completely aware that they're just not practical for most people's edc, but without atleast having compared your favorite folder to a Candiru, or an Izula, or even just a Mora, you're ignoring half of the history of modern knives!
Good video Nick! Always have to have to broaden the perspective, lest we forget our humble beginnings!
such a great reflection at the end of the video. i never thought that way but now i totally understand. great video.
Knives Mentioned:
Opinel knife
Ontario RAT Model 1
Ontario RAT Model 2
Kershaw Blur, 1670
Kershaw Leek, 1660
Spyderco Dragonfly
Spyderco Delica
Cold Steel Recon 1
Cold Steel Code-4
Spyderco Endura
Spyderco Paramilitary 2
Benchmade Griptilian
Benchmade 940, 940-1, 940-2
Zero Tolerance 0452CF
Zero Tolerance 0562CF
Cold Steel Espada Extra Large
Spyderco Slysz Bowie, C186TI
Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 21
John Grimsmo The Norseman
Shirogorov Neon
Andre Thorburn custom knives
Ontario Carter Prime
a crappy knife like Z-Hunter or Snap-On
Nicely done Nick, but you should send the Z-hunter to Birdshot as part of your next trade.
They've got one! They're just not putting it on camera. Media bias! Sad!
God the vertical play on the Z Hunter makes the off-centre CRKTs in my collection look like a hand finished Sebenza by comparison.
My opinion:PM2, Delica, Code4, Griptillian, Osbourne 940, Opinel #7, Sebenza, WE 701, shirogorov 111.
Nice insightful vid. More or less what I would go for. But maybe also Buck 110 and SAK (any model)? Btw, love your vids, love your voice and accent (perhaps I'm weird, since I also love Frankies voice, but there you go :) )
Nasty Renegade Funny, cause I first hated the accent and now I kinda love it
Nick grows on you....
Damned that doesn't even sound right, I hope it's just because English is not my first language.... ;-S
other categories I feel every knife aficionado should experience is 'quality budget' Chinese knives (Ruike, Real Steel, Civvivi and Steel Will) showcasing what the current 'quality budget' knife manufacturer can produce.
Next is high end Chinese manufacturers (WE, Reate. Rike). These high end Chinese manufacturers are easily competing with the very best of the other knife manufacturers.
One last category is what I call the 'budget high end" knives, the likes of the WE Practic, Real Steel "S" class, Steel Will Cutjack (M390 verion) and Modus (M390 version) all have _very_ reasonable price points and yet offer super steel (usually M390), slick actions and quality exceeding their modest price points.
Another gem by Nick. Thanks.
Excellent perspective, particularly on owning the crappy pieces.
ive gotta agree that for a general use all around everyman edc folder i would nominate the spyderco Delica everytime
I'm a knife hobbyist the same way I'm a whisky hobbyist. I'm into it, but not a macho douche who works at a body shop or Jiffy Lube. I like your videos because you're knowledgable but not a hyper-masculine posturer. Enjoy the sense of humour and casual approach to knife reviews.
omg that vertical blade play lol. I really like the points you made about contrast there towards the end...so true
lol it shouldn't be quite that bad. he lost the stop pin (i think) during a disassembly
The concept of blade play was created by and for the Chinese in order to troll and cripple honest U.S. knife users. Terrible. I should seriously start thinking about another ban...
A traditional folder from a US manufacturer and from China for comparison. A US made Schrade and the same model Chinese Schrade makes for an interesting comparison. You can feel a difference.
Hey Nick! Love your channel. Thank you for this episode. It really helped guide me. And ive had my eye on a gas station folder for a while. Picking it up tomorrow. Keep it up.
The Dragonfly is the knife I put in my pocket almost daily yet I have a handful of more expensive knifes.
Man you are firing on all cylinders! This was great! (If you want to borrow a recon shoot me a message!)
Love the videos Nick, great narrating and very informative... I'm learning things!, keepem coming
When Ontario finally offers the RAT2 in D2, it'll be a difficult choice between it and the Spyderco Delica based on value for the price.
Klaatu58 well it's out and it's not difficult at all. The rat is the winner for value by far. Mine was $32
Ontario rat #1 is on my list for sure. griptilian is a great one .
Nice metaphysical perspective on knives!
Nick, I think Cold Steel's best example of a knife these days is the newer American Lawman. They took everything wrong with the original and did away with it. Now it is thinner, lighter, has less aggressive but still functional G10, and better steel. In terms of ergos it is not far off from the Manix 2.
Great video nick. I agree with all of those knives. Well done.
I love my shiogorov. It is on a different level than my other flippers
Para 3, feldspar, penguin, sage 5, ad10, pm2, Luzon 6inch
Agreed with the pm2, the dragonfly, the zt's, the bm grip, and even the opinel. I would've added a Swiss army, possible a case multi blade, and definitely the usmc kabar.
I have all until you got to the ZT and up. Guess that’s the next step. Just picked up a 940 this week.
Brilliant video, thanks Nick.
Just wanted to thank you,I've been watching your vids for a while now, and you were a partial inspiration for getting me into more serious knife collecting. I find your videos very entertaining compared to a lot of other reviewers (Birdshot is great too), and enjoy your passion even though I don't always agree with everything, and some of your vids are very inspired (the video on your Dad's EDC comes to mind, and strikes a chord for me as well). My collection for now is as follows: I own a zt 0562 in G10 elmax, it's stellar (I actually prefer it over the CF version, it's grippier), a HEAdesigns equilibrium for a showpiece, Damascus skyline for a gentleman style carry (for now anyway), a CRKT Razel (cause I'll probably never own a real Graham Razel, makes a good work knife and box cutter though), and I love my Rat1 D2 (thanks for the recommendation). My hidden gem is a Kershaw starter ($20, looks cool, tanky build, and surprisingly good action for a speedsafe, it's only holdup is the 8cr13 but what do you want for $20. Maybe check one out someday). For future purchases I plan to get a PM2 S110V, a Manix 2 (found one with a micarta punisher grip that looks amazing, I'm a nerd I know.), a Benchmade 940, VDK War admiral (just looks freaking cool.), A Hogue EX01, and either a Exskelibur 1 CF or a Kizer Feist (mostly depending on price), and have the ZT 0801TI on preorder because it's full Titanium and I plan to have it sent off for custom anodization when it gets here. Keep up the good work, and best wishes from Washington state!
"Reality is really only interpretable through contrast" this is possibly my favorite Shabazzizm to date.
Great video... But I lost it when you put the Z-Hunter and Snap-on knives on top of those gorgeous folders with the clips facing down 😭😭😭
Man I really wish they still has slysz Bowies in stock
Nicely done. Much agreement on commented philosophy. Have many times made similar comments that I could happily live with but my dimunitive Dragonfly alone (even though I daily a 4.6" folder). Well done there m8 👍
Pm2 one of the best👍👍👍
This vid is a gem. Appreciate the info
Very interesting and very entertaining. I like to think I know a bit about knives and I certainly love talking shop but I doubt I could do anything close to this. You're really getting good at this Mr Shabazz and I'm obviously not alone in counting this channel as a favorite. Thx!
Much better than CNN and those other fake news channels. Nick is a terrific guy. He makes tremendous reviews. I know a lot of people in Russia and secret Siberian test labs and they all agree with that.
great subject!!! LOVE THE TITLE!!!
Totally agree with Mikey about Opinal, I generally keep my best knives and that does not mean my dearest in a special case and usually keep out a few Trads on display.I have not been fortunate enough to handle a knife like your beloved Grimsmo, but am at CRK and under, I do love tinkering with my folders and do my own profiling , I think you might be trying to explain Ying and Yang a Zen concept well suited to any interested traveller in the knife world.
I guess I'm on a good path except a Z-Hunter experience. I'll have to work on that.
Excellent review Nick. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the ZT but it sure is expensive. I owned a PM2 but sold it to buy a Bark River. (Love Bark River knives!). I found the PM2 too big. I have a Dragonfly and love it. It is a gem as you say. It is hard to believe the ergonomics could be so good for such a small knife. I'm leaning toward a fancy Delica. Thanks again. Great quality video shot as well!
Nice video,
I currently own about 7 of the knives you mentioned.
another great video, thanks Nick.
I'm always surprised when knife guys talk about a smooth action on a folder and they fail to mention the Yojimbo 2. Smoothest model in the Spyderco line...
As always, great video. 👊🏼
I guess if you like the modern folders. But if you like SAKs or traditional pattern folders, you may go in another direction.
Plus some folks collect fixed blades. That said a a nice review of some modern folders. (notice I didn't call them tacticals!)
I'm cool with the Opinel, however. Simplicity in itself. Good points about the gas station Knives. Matter fact, good information and very interesting even if they aren't the knives I collect! Thanks for sharing.
I trust a man who respects another man's opinions.
A Victorinox of some sort gives a perspective on the original multi-tools.
I wanted to report back on my gas station knife shopping experience. During my daily errands I stopped at a few local gas stations in order to see what they had, but we really don't have any of your prototypical old fashioned gas stations in the area in which I live in the Metro north of the Boston area. Most of the gas stations incorporate food marts that don't have any pocket knives. I decided to expand my search and I went to a few hardware stores / auto parts shops. Some of them had a few generic utility knives and they had a few knives made by Smith & Wesson, Gerber and Schrade, unfortunately I could not find any that sold the Z-Hunter or the surprisingly elusive Snap-on Foldng knife. Anyone having better luck?
That Ontario is amazingly close to that ZT in action.
Definitly agree with the espada. I would disagree with the Slysz Bowie, but I'm going to let you pass because I know your deeply in love. I would have said: cheap gas station knife or chinese gerber. The paraframe made me appreciate blade centering since its blade wanted to go beyond the frame when closed.
Well, at least according to this vid (like all of yours, greatly appreciated) I'm well on my way -- have about 5 of these!
I own a leek and I love it
9:03 had me rolling! What a hunk of crap lol
I beat the crap out of the Dragonfly
Nick, can't remember if you've gotten your hands on a griptilian with the sheeepsfoot blade and an opening hole but I highly recommend it. I feel like this version is the grip at its very best. There's even a cabellas exclusive that comes in D2 that might appeal to you even more
I keep being tempted by the 20CV Sheepsfoot Mini-Grip. But I don't have anywhere local that has enough in stock to find a good one.
Good perspective
lol'ed hard at the z-hunter lead in hahaha
i actually have decided that i wont buy anymore knives that i would not actually carry so i stay to para 3 / lil native size and feel.
4 of the 10 knives are Spyderco. That alone says volumes about the company.
I'd add a Victorinox of some sort (I'd recommend a Cadet), and a Buck 110.