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YES! He’s literally got PAGES of videos for every single budget territory! Makes it awesome when wanting to pick up a blade and all I have to do is search his review. Just gives me a lot of insight and pros/cons before spending 5 or 600
Microtech’s quality is exponentially increasing while they are lowering price. Protech is maintaining their prices and high quality. Everyone else is chasing them by raising prices, instead of innovating on quality.
Kershaw is doing very well too The difference between the iridium and the other Chinese knives is insane That and the Launch series is also maintaining their prices, while being more then competitive with Microtech and Protech
Spartan knives are seriously under appreciated. I wish they would do more with their Taiwan made Field Grade models. A “budget” version (around 150-175 ish) of the harsey would sell like crazy.
Without a doubt. I love the small harsey folder personally as I’ve recently fell for the 3-3.25” blade length. My drift v2 really has shown me the light.
I’ve noticed the availability for the Hinderer XM-18 & XM-24, flipper AND non flippers have been much easier to find. I’ve been into SMKW 4 or 5 times in the last couple months and they’ve had 18/24 flipper and non flippers, Bowies in stock. I remember after covid they literally had 1 scale and that was it for seemed like 2-3 years! Awesome see stuff coming back in stock … also, metalcomplex, keep it up! My favorite channel BY FAR.
It's my edc and I love it. I don't know of any other knife that carries like a compact, but has a 3.5" blade. The heat treat is amazing too, it's such a good user
I got an AD20 based on MC's recommendation, and it's everything I dreamt of. So robust. It will never leave my side as we ride off into the sunset together.
I much prefer the handle of the Sebenza to the 'Zaan, and in and out of the pocket was better. Handled a Harsey once and it felt like a brick in the hand. But, everybody can spend their money how they want.
I actually prefer the Inkosi to the Sebenza or the 'Zaan in the large size (Sebbie all the way for the small). It's like a slightly overbuilt Sebenza without the less ideal handle ergos of the "Zaan. They are all great high-end users, though.
For me although I love Hinderer, I own 3. My list would only include 1 knife from each maker, then you could add TRM and Tactile Knife Co. to the list. Great list nevertheless. See ya
I love the aesthetic of the CR Umnumzaan, but that's all I love about it. It's NOT a fidgety knife. I couldn't even deploy the blade lol, let alone disengage it after I pulled it open. There's zero lockbar access. I got to handle CR's entire product lineup at Blade Show West and I didn't like any of it. Do they make good tools? Sure. But you can get A LOT of knives that serve as good tools but also have wonderful fidget factor.
I own (and really like) a Hinderer XM-18. I also own a Hinderer Firetac, and I much prefer it over the XM. IMO, everything about it addresses any issues I have with my XM. The Firetac is a seriously underappreciated knife and deserves to be on this list.
What an AWESOME LINE-UP OF AMERICAN-MADE KNIVES! This is definitely a G.O.A.T. LIST OF GRAIL KNIVES! Very fun to watch - these are all knives I hope to get someday, and I really like your taste, because I would want to get the exact same versions of all 3 Hinderer knives and the Demko - SUPER COOL! 😎👍
I own or have owned almost each of these model and every one I’ve owned has been put through its paces at work. It’s no different than buying snap-on over harbor freight tools. You’re paying for the quality and home country warranty. I’ve had multiple crk’s and never had an issue. Just like any of my hinderers, striders, etc. they take hard use and ask for more
Good to hear. I’ve got a couple of XM-18 3.5’s and they are good but I much prefer the feel of my XM-24. I’ve got a titianium Eklipse HH scale sitting around waiting for a knife, so I’ll be picking up an Eklipse to try next and I’m hoping I’ll like it as much as I like the XM-24.
I’ve handled both and love both. The Combat Troodon is much more robust and meant to handle abuse. The Dirac Delta is awesome but definitely not as heavy duty and a little less expensive. I will eventually buy both.
QUESTION: MC, what do you think of the XM-24? I'm thinking of getting my first Hinderer as an XM-24 instead of an XM-18.5 because I tend to like larger knives.
I'd probably replace a few of your choices with some oddball older or full custom stuff, but it's hard to argue against anything here. I completely agree with your 1 and 2. I put off buying an AD20 for years, mostly because of the shorter blade length compared to the XM24. I ended up getting a full ti version in a trade a few months ago, and haven't carried my XM24 since. The all blade finger choil on the XM eats up so much bladde length, but I guess I just refused to accept it. The actual sharpened edge is exactly the same on my drop point AD20 and swedged spear 24. I still don't like the shark lock, but it's a better knife than the XM24.
I would really love to see a similar list with a price cap of roughly $1,000 (bonus points if they were more focused on performance). Based on all the comments from people who seemed to ignore the stated price range at the start of the video it sounds like i am not the only one either.
I too would be interested in a similar video for knives in the $1k tier, however, having the commentary focus more on performance rather than design, presentation, or overall execution doesn't really make a lot of sense considering there are knives that can be had for $50 that have more utilitarian/performance based designs versus knives that are $350 that really aren't meant to perform well at all and are strictly produced for the design and overall presentation factor. The point of diminishing returns in a knife is arguably in the $250-$350 range, meaning that anything that is more expensive is essentially just a company/maker flexing their ability to add design elements and other visual cues that they and others can't afford to do at the lower price points. You're not getting more "performance" at the $1k tier; just better quality, attention to detail, execution, and overall presentation.
With you having demko at 1, would you say that their budget cub is a good buy. It’s smaller than the AD20.5 and in aus10 but it’s a demko under 100 dollars. With that in mind would you say it’s a good get for someone who wants a pocket knife that’s tough but fully reliable and fidgety
I don't have a cub, but I do have a 20.5 and an AD20. Personally I wouldn't go smaller than the 20.5, but I have XL hands. The slicey 20.5 in 20cv is a straight up banger. I've been using it as a work knife for a few months, and it has done the job very well.
@@Ratchman_5000 I’m mainly going for a smaller size due to my medium to smaller hands, things like a para 3 or kizer original fit my hand better, and a 3 inch limit factor is also a problem. All be it, nice to hear that the shark lock does preform well for a working knife all around
I knew you would put the Demko at the top. Sharklock is also my fave. I have 3 20.5's. It would be awesome if Andrew released the patent sooner like BM did with the Axis lock. Imagine a sharklock sabenza😊
I was surprised that the Sonora wasn't on this list and then I double checked the website and saw that the price had gone up a bit. Still worth it I think.
Am I the only person who Hates Exposed Frame locks? I like some knives enough to over look it, but the Kizer Militaw Hides the Frame and Every knife should do this!!!
There’s a number of high end small batch US knives that have great cutting geometry. Oz Machine Co, Koenig, Brown knives, SPK, the list goes on. It’s mostly just these original kinda “legacy” brands that started 15-20+ years ago and were the leaders of the overbuilt era but haven’t really adapted with the times or atleast added offerings to accommodate it. Also 20CV/M390 can take an absolute beating and hold up. TRC knives in m390 are very thin at the edge and are heat treated to 60-61 hrc. With mine at least they hold an edge very well, have very good edge stability and sharpen like a dream. In my experience it’s less about the steel and more about hinderers 20cv heat treat (done by peters I believe). They just run their steels soft kinda without reason other than ease of machining in my opinion because again 20cv etc can hold up at a higher hrc.
Nice list, I had to step back a moment and relook at the title because when I first looked at it I thought you were going to rank companies and not knives. So I was confused when I saw multiples from the same company. But that is on me.
There was a Knifejoy Demko AD20s drop earlier this year with the version 2 drop point, full flat grind, no thumb stud blade in Magnacut. The titanium sold out immediately of course but some of the g10 colors like tan and digi camo were available for at least three days. I think they must have made a lot of them for Bladeshow. Whatever the case I finally got one.
my favorite knife man . the tip of it reminds me of a sharks fin , looks so sick. knifejoy released a ad20 bowie recently and it was instantly sold out . I got mine off eBay for about a 150$ markup . no regrets the v2 is rare asf. I got lucky and found a youtuber willing to sell a clip point ad20s with the OG lexan scales / and soon as i got it i did a blade and scale swap .
I'm having a moral crisis right now. I found a sapphire ProTech in stock for a little over 3 hundo, and I really want it. Almost bought it last night. It's still in a cart, but I really want that M Fire when it drops. Maybe not the best video for me to watch today.
I feel that. I really want a Winterblade and I've had my finger on the trigger a couple of times and just couldn't bring myself to follow through. The only ProTech I own is a Godfather and it's nice but pretty useless. Some of the other blade profiles seem a lot more practical. The sapphire finish is nice.
@@jeffoff7795 I bought a sapphire godson a few weeks ago and generally agree about the profile. Its ultimately just a fidget toy since the only other things its good for are opening mail and last ditch self-defense. Its a very fun and pretty fidget toy though.
@@CalixtusIII They're nice. I bought one with the aluminum and carbon fiber scales a long time ago. It's actually my wife's favorite knife. I just want to experience a Winterblade because the designs are so unusual. I don't need another knife, at all. I need an analog synthesizer.
The Protech will be around and still be made. Sometimes Brian doesn’t make a model a second time. I doubt that will be as much the case going forward given his success, though just something to think about. Sometimes to Brian only offers a certain style once. Just my preference though the Rose Gold looks better than the Sapphire in person, if you’ve not seen both personally.
I personally have a plague doctor full size SHF and to be honest, it fell short of my expectations. All the internal edges aside from the one finger groove for the lock release are sharp and there's no steel lock bar insert. I do enjoy the non-flilper XM-18's, but I don't dislike the flippers. I currently have two (spearpoint and skinner, both flippers and both in S45VN) and I've never had lock disengagement issues either.
Automatics are a no no here, so my stitch is manual. And I just want to say that I HATE HATE HATE the look of the blade, but man does it feel good to hold. If I could only carry 1 knife, for all situations, it would be the MSI. It's such a better overall knife. But when I can have 2 or 3, the stitch is probably always there. It's not always the right job for it, but when it is, I haven't found anything that feels better.
You really need to try to find what suits you. Highly recommend buying used if you can so you can see if a knife is for you and move it on to try the next thing with little to no loss. You can always buy a new one once you’ve made up your mind. You might be surprised what you end up preferring after trying a few. Even in terms of Hinderer, my XM-18’s feel quite different than my XM-24 (I prefer the 24... and swapping the bearings for Teflon washers made it perfect). I’m planning on trying an Eklipse next. They are bulky knives though. My Zaan is way smaller in carry profile but has almost the same cutting edge length as an XM-24. The trade off is Comfort in the hand. Really need to work out which is more important to you. Also, the Zaan without the clip feels so much better than with it on. Same clip as my Small Sebenzas but where it falls in the hand on the Zaan bugged me a lot despite loving the knife otherwise.
Got a pre owned On Belay last week. Beast of a knife, but it was a bit jarring to realise how f'n much the handle feels like straight billets of metal. Not mad at it though.
You guys skip around so much in the video. I said what the price range was right at the beginning. Everyone who liked your comment missed it too. Just pay attention. Not hard
@@sethgunn8256no it tells me that no matter what the video is about (or how clear the intro is) there will always be a small number of people who don't pay attention. Everyone else understood. I think maybe 4 comments in total showcased similar behavior
Back when Omaha knives was going out of business due to a terminal illness of the owner, I purchased a few knives from them. All brand new. Two were microtech’s (Hera and ultratech) and both came butter knife dull and I’m not exaggerating. I live in Buncombe Co about 30 mins from microtech’s store and plant. When I took them over to get sharpened they acted on a level of arrogance I’ve never seen and were flat out pricks to be honest. I will never buy another microtech again.
Les George/Demko/Hinderer. What more do you need? Les George personally responded to a request I emailed about tuning a VECP Buttonlock on the secondary market. He took care of it ASAP. Made in USA goes a long way in my book and worth the money when talking about the quality and craftsmanship you get. Great video MC!
I like the look of Hinderer knives but this has really put me off them tbh, it seems there are far better aesthetics and performance in knives half the price
Try one. I had zero interest in Hinderer and for some reason bought one... then another... then another... and another. Another is also planned. Much prefer the XM-24 over the 18. Looking forward to trying the Eklipse next. You can always buy used and sell it for what you paid if you don’t like it.
@@adamzappia2213 since I posted this comment I’ve looked into them a bit more and my mind is quickly changing, the eklipse is beautiful and there’s clearly a serious allure to these knives by knife lovers with far more knowledge and experience than myself. I’m barely out of the budget knife phase though and the Hinderer level prices are still a bit high for me right now, but I’ll be keeping an eye out on blade binge
@@KnifeKnoob at the end of the day it’s just a knife. I’ve only been buying decent knives for the last couple of years maybe. It can be a trap and it’s easy to get addicted. That said, if you have the discipline to be smart with what you pay and try a few things to work out what you like you can always get one or two nice knives and enjoy them. I think the biggest trap is buying lots of cheaper ones - especially if purchasing new - as they probably won’t sell for much on the secondary so you could get stuck with a heap of knives that are not worth much. Personally I prefer my CRK’s more than my Hinderers, though the XM-24 is tied for top spot with all of my CRK’s (a Tanto Umnumzaan and 3 small Sebenzas- one of each blade shape). The Hinderers are very different knives though and you do get more options. Again, unless you try you won’t really know. I hope you find something you really like, regardless of the price or what anyone else thinks of it anyway.
I like the Harsey but it loses points with me due to no sharpening choil. I hate when sharpening a knife leads to it becoming a recurve. Also have to disagree on the Medford for two reasons. One is that while it’s a knife you can beat up the edge geometry sucks for practical use imo. Two Greg Medford is a supreme level turd. I do like the look of them though and have owned some in the past.
You always set the knife(s) down with the show side up, but you NEVER lay it down with the LOCK side up… Why? I watch your videos A LOT, and I like to take screenshots of knives I like. Please consider this sometimes, when you’re setting the knives down! Thanks and thanks for ALL of your content!! ;-}. MM
With inflation like it is and nearly everything going up in price doesn't that kind of show how drastically overpriced these knives were (are) if the price hasn't increased in a decade?
LOL Hinderer xm18. Poor heat treatment, and thick behind the edge of that price point? There must be some very nice cars in the Hinderer parking lot. Their knives have always seemed so overrated. And it can't even survive a spine whack 😂. If it was a $50 knife that wouldn't be a big deal, but it's not.
Love watching ya Metal, but your hands are just so dang big that you dont really get into the sub 3" territory enough for me. Legally im a bit hamstrung and i have avg sized hands anyway.
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Hey Metal Complex please do a video of the Psyop vs Native 5 vs Sage 5 please I can’t decide and I want the best bang for buck
MC videos are not only entertaining but informative. I see so many knives here I would never see otherwise.
YES! He’s literally got PAGES of videos for every single budget territory! Makes it awesome when wanting to pick up a blade and all I have to do is search his review. Just gives me a lot of insight and pros/cons before spending 5 or 600
Microtech’s quality is exponentially increasing while they are lowering price. Protech is maintaining their prices and high quality. Everyone else is chasing them by raising prices, instead of innovating on quality.
Kershaw has been doing really well too!
Kershaw is doing very well too
The difference between the iridium and the other Chinese knives is insane
That and the Launch series is also maintaining their prices, while being more then competitive with Microtech and Protech
Kershaw is less because they offset profits with china production.
Microtech’s M390MK heat treat has proven to be total trash.
Clicked on this comment to show Kershaw some love. Looks like you guys beat me to it, lol.
Completely agree. I’d add that most are lowering quality while increasing prices.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Let's see a USA made heavy hitters list of $700+. That's gonna be an epic one.
👍👍
@metal_complex My wife got me the Koenig Mini Arius for my birthday, so I'd like to see a video on 700 USD+ knives also. Thank you
Spartan knives are seriously under appreciated. I wish they would do more with their Taiwan made Field Grade models. A “budget” version (around 150-175 ish) of the harsey would sell like crazy.
Without a doubt. I love the small harsey folder personally as I’ve recently fell for the 3-3.25” blade length. My drift v2 really has shown me the light.
I have several of the knives on this list. Your reviews are spot on. I appreciate that you are straight forward and honest.
I’ve noticed the availability for the Hinderer XM-18 & XM-24, flipper AND non flippers have been much easier to find. I’ve been into SMKW 4 or 5 times in the last couple months and they’ve had 18/24 flipper and non flippers, Bowies in stock. I remember after covid they literally had 1 scale and that was it for seemed like 2-3 years! Awesome see stuff coming back in stock … also, metalcomplex, keep it up! My favorite channel BY FAR.
Gotta have Mcnees Mac 2 3.5 on this list!
Why do we think one of the Mac 2’s didn’t make the list??
Yeah it’s truly amazing, but I think it’s neither chonky nor flashy enough for MC
It's my edc and I love it. I don't know of any other knife that carries like a compact, but has a 3.5" blade. The heat treat is amazing too, it's such a good user
Yes, I know the knives in this list very well and own an example of most of them. I would definitely like a cider on the next level tier up. Thank you
I got an AD20 based on MC's recommendation, and it's everything I dreamt of. So robust. It will never leave my side as we ride off into the sunset together.
The VECP is hands down my favorite and most used. They actually went up in price
I much prefer the handle of the Sebenza to the 'Zaan, and in and out of the pocket was better. Handled a Harsey once and it felt like a brick in the hand. But, everybody can spend their money how they want.
I actually prefer the Inkosi to the Sebenza or the 'Zaan in the large size (Sebbie all the way for the small). It's like a slightly overbuilt Sebenza without the less ideal handle ergos of the "Zaan. They are all great high-end users, though.
Best online knife content - period!
For me although I love Hinderer, I own 3. My list would only include 1 knife from each maker, then you could add TRM and Tactile Knife Co. to the list. Great list nevertheless. See ya
I love the aesthetic of the CR Umnumzaan, but that's all I love about it. It's NOT a fidgety knife. I couldn't even deploy the blade lol, let alone disengage it after I pulled it open. There's zero lockbar access. I got to handle CR's entire product lineup at Blade Show West and I didn't like any of it. Do they make good tools? Sure. But you can get A LOT of knives that serve as good tools but also have wonderful fidget factor.
0:13 Summary:
1.) Score on stick: 9.1
2.) slapady-slap-slap-summarized-sound: 8.5 + 1.4 slap + slap bonus = 9.9
3.) cool angle stick with minimal slide: 9.3
I own (and really like) a Hinderer XM-18. I also own a Hinderer Firetac, and I much prefer it over the XM. IMO, everything about it addresses any issues I have with my XM. The Firetac is a seriously underappreciated knife and deserves to be on this list.
What an AWESOME LINE-UP OF AMERICAN-MADE KNIVES! This is definitely a G.O.A.T. LIST OF GRAIL KNIVES! Very fun to watch - these are all knives I hope to get someday, and I really like your taste, because I would want to get the exact same versions of all 3 Hinderer knives and the Demko - SUPER COOL! 😎👍
Medford as a human being is something to pay attention to, and because of that profound negative factor, Medford knives are a permanent no-go for me.
My yojimbo was my favorite self defense knife in my collection. But after seeing this I want the Microtech autostitch. It looks mean!
Great video today. I like when you are a little more calm and relaxed
@150_ENGINEER I think MC normally has about 3 energy drinks in him before doing a vid.
Was wondering do you sharpen your own knives? If so what do you use?
I own or have owned almost each of these model and every one I’ve owned has been put through its paces at work. It’s no different than buying snap-on over harbor freight tools. You’re paying for the quality and home country warranty. I’ve had multiple crk’s and never had an issue. Just like any of my hinderers, striders, etc. they take hard use and ask for more
Just picked up an eklipse this week. Like it so much more than the cm-18
Good to hear. I’ve got a couple of XM-18 3.5’s and they are good but I much prefer the feel of my XM-24. I’ve got a titianium Eklipse HH scale sitting around waiting for a knife, so I’ll be picking up an Eklipse to try next and I’m hoping I’ll like it as much as I like the XM-24.
This is one of my favorite of your videos, love USA Made knife vids 💪 totally agree with this list, nicely done MC
Spyderco Military 2 digi camo s30v, $157.99 right now at National Knives 👍🏻
Combat Trodon OR Dirac Delta? I don't have either but leaning toward Delta because of the switch on the side. It seems more ergonomic.
I’ve handled both and love both. The Combat Troodon is much more robust and meant to handle abuse. The Dirac Delta is awesome but definitely not as heavy duty and a little less expensive. I will eventually buy both.
It took me 2 years to get a Les George. I finally got a talos a few months ago and it was everything I dreamed it would be.
Love American made. Thanks MC!
QUESTION: MC, what do you think of the XM-24? I'm thinking of getting my first Hinderer as an XM-24 instead of an XM-18.5 because I tend to like larger knives.
Oh, NEVERMIND 😆- I wrote this question before I got to Number 2 at the 30-minute mark!
I'd probably replace a few of your choices with some oddball older or full custom stuff, but it's hard to argue against anything here. I completely agree with your 1 and 2.
I put off buying an AD20 for years, mostly because of the shorter blade length compared to the XM24. I ended up getting a full ti version in a trade a few months ago, and haven't carried my XM24 since.
The all blade finger choil on the XM eats up so much bladde length, but I guess I just refused to accept it. The actual sharpened edge is exactly the same on my drop point AD20 and swedged spear 24.
I still don't like the shark lock, but it's a better knife than the XM24.
The Les George Vecp has eluded me for ever the magnacut button lock 😮💨
I would really love to see a similar list with a price cap of roughly $1,000 (bonus points if they were more focused on performance). Based on all the comments from people who seemed to ignore the stated price range at the start of the video it sounds like i am not the only one either.
I too would be interested in a similar video for knives in the $1k tier, however, having the commentary focus more on performance rather than design, presentation, or overall execution doesn't really make a lot of sense considering there are knives that can be had for $50 that have more utilitarian/performance based designs versus knives that are $350 that really aren't meant to perform well at all and are strictly produced for the design and overall presentation factor.
The point of diminishing returns in a knife is arguably in the $250-$350 range, meaning that anything that is more expensive is essentially just a company/maker flexing their ability to add design elements and other visual cues that they and others can't afford to do at the lower price points. You're not getting more "performance" at the $1k tier; just better quality, attention to detail, execution, and overall presentation.
For American made knives I really dig Tactile Knife Co and Chapman Lake Knives
I like the Microtech Stitch and Combat Troodon !! ^^
With you having demko at 1, would you say that their budget cub is a good buy. It’s smaller than the AD20.5 and in aus10 but it’s a demko under 100 dollars. With that in mind would you say it’s a good get for someone who wants a pocket knife that’s tough but fully reliable and fidgety
I don't have a cub, but I do have a 20.5 and an AD20. Personally I wouldn't go smaller than the 20.5, but I have XL hands. The slicey 20.5 in 20cv is a straight up banger. I've been using it as a work knife for a few months, and it has done the job very well.
@@Ratchman_5000 I’m mainly going for a smaller size due to my medium to smaller hands, things like a para 3 or kizer original fit my hand better, and a 3 inch limit factor is also a problem. All be it, nice to hear that the shark lock does preform well for a working knife all around
I knew you would put the Demko at the top. Sharklock is also my fave. I have 3 20.5's. It would be awesome if Andrew released the patent sooner like BM did with the Axis lock. Imagine a sharklock sabenza😊
I was surprised that the Sonora wasn't on this list and then I double checked the website and saw that the price had gone up a bit. Still worth it I think.
Am I the only person who Hates Exposed Frame locks? I like some knives enough to over look it, but the Kizer Militaw Hides the Frame and Every knife should do this!!!
The AD20(s) would be on the top of list too. Demko also tops my list for the more expensive tier with the AD22.
This is classic MC right here. Love it! I think a Machine wise Senora could have been included at least as an honorable mention. Also the Arius.
It'll be in the next tier for sure 😉
If you haven't already, i think a 300 range would be helpful
I just got a auto stitch all black and it was 496 from blade hq but i really like though.
There’s a number of high end small batch US knives that have great cutting geometry. Oz Machine Co, Koenig, Brown knives, SPK, the list goes on. It’s mostly just these original kinda “legacy” brands that started 15-20+ years ago and were the leaders of the overbuilt era but haven’t really adapted with the times or atleast added offerings to accommodate it.
Also 20CV/M390 can take an absolute beating and hold up. TRC knives in m390 are very thin at the edge and are heat treated to 60-61 hrc. With mine at least they hold an edge very well, have very good edge stability and sharpen like a dream. In my experience it’s less about the steel and more about hinderers 20cv heat treat (done by peters I believe). They just run their steels soft kinda without reason other than ease of machining in my opinion because again 20cv etc can hold up at a higher hrc.
My list for this video has a price range. It's at the beginning. That's why many of those brands aren't included
Nice list, I had to step back a moment and relook at the title because when I first looked at it I thought you were going to rank companies and not knives. So I was confused when I saw multiples from the same company. But that is on me.
I love the bench made I need a new one soon.
I have 12 titanium framelocks and my favotite is the Spartan 3.25.
Favorite
the eklipse is the best hinderer model 😎
Im on the Les george VECP hunt. Button lock hopeful, but flipper and stud accepting...
There was a Knifejoy Demko AD20s drop earlier this year with the version 2 drop point, full flat grind, no thumb stud blade in Magnacut. The titanium sold out immediately of course but some of the g10 colors like tan and digi camo were available for at least three days. I think they must have made a lot of them for Bladeshow. Whatever the case I finally got one.
like the one on the left in my pic lol ?
my favorite knife man . the tip of it reminds me of a sharks fin , looks so sick. knifejoy released a ad20 bowie recently and it was instantly sold out . I got mine off eBay for about a 150$ markup . no regrets the v2 is rare asf. I got lucky and found a youtuber willing to sell a clip point ad20s with the OG lexan scales / and soon as i got it i did a blade and scale swap .
@@gOOnz901 I love it too. How do you like the OG lexan scales? I'm hoping to pick some up when they're back in stock.
I got a bowie AD20 a few months back from knifejoy. Absolutely love it.
Hey Metal Complex please do a video of the Psyop vs Native 5 vs Sage 5 please I can’t decide and I want the best bang for buck
Has anyone had to send a knife back to microtech? I like microtech but ive got 2 dirac deltas ive had trouble with since I got em.
I'm having a moral crisis right now. I found a sapphire ProTech in stock for a little over 3 hundo, and I really want it. Almost bought it last night. It's still in a cart, but I really want that M Fire when it drops. Maybe not the best video for me to watch today.
I feel that. I really want a Winterblade and I've had my finger on the trigger a couple of times and just couldn't bring myself to follow through. The only ProTech I own is a Godfather and it's nice but pretty useless. Some of the other blade profiles seem a lot more practical. The sapphire finish is nice.
I'd jump on the sapphire blade.
@@jeffoff7795 I bought a sapphire godson a few weeks ago and generally agree about the profile. Its ultimately just a fidget toy since the only other things its good for are opening mail and last ditch self-defense. Its a very fun and pretty fidget toy though.
@@CalixtusIII They're nice. I bought one with the aluminum and carbon fiber scales a long time ago. It's actually my wife's favorite knife. I just want to experience a Winterblade because the designs are so unusual. I don't need another knife, at all. I need an analog synthesizer.
The Protech will be around and still be made. Sometimes Brian doesn’t make a model a second time. I doubt that will be as much the case going forward given his success, though just something to think about. Sometimes to Brian only offers a certain style once.
Just my preference though the Rose Gold looks better than the Sapphire in person, if you’ve not seen both personally.
I personally have a plague doctor full size SHF and to be honest, it fell short of my expectations. All the internal edges aside from the one finger groove for the lock release are sharp and there's no steel lock bar insert.
I do enjoy the non-flilper XM-18's, but I don't dislike the flippers. I currently have two (spearpoint and skinner, both flippers and both in S45VN) and I've never had lock disengagement issues either.
I didn’t know Microtech used regular m390. I have a fixed blade in m390 it was made in 2023, and some auto stitch are plain m390 as well right?
I'm never going to be buying a $400 knife but the only one I would even consider buying is the Demko. The only one with a modern lock.
The Hinderer Full track is expensive... Awesome.... And I bought it twice.
Automatics are a no no here, so my stitch is manual. And I just want to say that I HATE HATE HATE the look of the blade, but man does it feel good to hold. If I could only carry 1 knife, for all situations, it would be the MSI. It's such a better overall knife. But when I can have 2 or 3, the stitch is probably always there. It's not always the right job for it, but when it is, I haven't found anything that feels better.
I kept waiting for the TRM Atom to show up… (could have saved the time it took to apologize for cutting geometry… 🤔😁).
Did you hear the price range right at the beginning of the video?
I need a tri way pivot kit but can't find anything anywhere online
Spartan harsey or Hinderer? Need a good grail user
You really need to try to find what suits you. Highly recommend buying used if you can so you can see if a knife is for you and move it on to try the next thing with little to no loss. You can always buy a new one once you’ve made up your mind. You might be surprised what you end up preferring after trying a few. Even in terms of Hinderer, my XM-18’s feel quite different than my XM-24 (I prefer the 24... and swapping the bearings for Teflon washers made it perfect). I’m planning on trying an Eklipse next. They are bulky knives though. My Zaan is way smaller in carry profile but has almost the same cutting edge length as an XM-24. The trade off is Comfort in the hand. Really need to work out which is more important to you. Also, the Zaan without the clip feels so much better than with it on. Same clip as my Small Sebenzas but where it falls in the hand on the Zaan bugged me a lot despite loving the knife otherwise.
Nice subject matter. Cheers!
Oz Machine Company Roosevelt Also a good one.
Outside the price range. I explained at the beginning
Need me a medford
My next bigger buy will be a Medford for sure.
Got a pre owned On Belay last week. Beast of a knife, but it was a bit jarring to realise how f'n much the handle feels like straight billets of metal. Not mad at it though.
@@Spthomas47 hahahaha, they sure aren't small. Thankfully i have XL hands and bigger knifes (like sniper bladeworks etc) aren't a problem.
10 on the slap
Good one MC.
Tier it up MC, skies the limit!
Next tier list: yes, please...
Agree the xm18 3.0 is way too small to the point where its hard to deploy. How can they justify charging the same price as the 3.5 is beyond me.
I'm starting to see why the Excalibur is designed the way it is.
AS20 is 500 usd after shipping and tax..... Dang
If the stitch was a more edc size it would be perfect
I love many of them❤ But . . . I live in Canada and OMG it's 40% more expensive 😱 So out of price for me. So I have to look for other Cies (country)😢
It just hit me - TRM isn’t on this list. That’s a surprise.
Right?!? I’m blown away that the atom or neutron isn’t. They are both amazing knives
You guys skip around so much in the video. I said what the price range was right at the beginning. Everyone who liked your comment missed it too.
Just pay attention. Not hard
@@metal_complexit just shows you that people are more interested in the content, and not the commentary. Responses like this certainly don’t help.
@@sethgunn8256no it tells me that no matter what the video is about (or how clear the intro is) there will always be a small number of people who don't pay attention.
Everyone else understood. I think maybe 4 comments in total showcased similar behavior
@@metal_complex fair enough
I know Spyderco is a bit much when it comes to $$$ buuuut I love Spyderco... I don't like Benchmade however.
Just a note. The AD20I lock is made in Taiwan.
Back when Omaha knives was going out of business due to a terminal illness of the owner, I purchased a few knives from them. All brand new. Two were microtech’s (Hera and ultratech) and both came butter knife dull and I’m not exaggerating. I live in Buncombe Co about 30 mins from microtech’s store and plant. When I took them over to get sharpened they acted on a level of arrogance I’ve never seen and were flat out pricks to be honest. I will never buy another microtech again.
No love for Oz Machine or SPK??
Oz is out of the price range (said it at the beginning)
No experience with SPK
Imma Spyderho pimpin lots of holes.
Surprised the Sonora isn't on this list
How much does it cost?
$650. Outside the price range. That's the only reason it wasn't included. (Another person skipping the intro)
@@metal_complex yes i was going to tell him and I was looking forward to that MC
@@metal_complex Oh dern my bad lol. To be fair 50 is not that far over and I bought mine a while ago so I didn't remember the price
It's cool 😉
I’ve been looking for that shadow stitch for almost 3 years…. Never in stock anywhere. :(.
Wana sell me yours??? 😊😊 I’ll pay full price :)
Les George/Demko/Hinderer. What more do you need? Les George personally responded to a request I emailed about tuning a VECP Buttonlock on the secondary market. He took care of it ASAP. Made in USA goes a long way in my book and worth the money when talking about the quality and craftsmanship you get. Great video MC!
Let’s petition Les to bring back the VECP V3 flipper!
Why are CRK so hard to deploy?
Chris Reeve is the designer and he thinks that flicking a knife open is damaging to the knife.
Makes total sense now. Thanks
@@nycmaverick voids the warranty
The Sabenza 31 is a better looking knife than the Zan imo
I had a harsey, but I sold it because a knife this expensive should not be so sharp in the hand
I find my Harsey not sharp in hand, it’s quite comfortable, more than my zaan and as good as the inkosi.
No one wants to talk about how good Kershaw is…..
I like the look of Hinderer knives but this has really put me off them tbh, it seems there are far better aesthetics and performance in knives half the price
Try one. I had zero interest in Hinderer and for some reason bought one... then another... then another... and another. Another is also planned. Much prefer the XM-24 over the 18. Looking forward to trying the Eklipse next. You can always buy used and sell it for what you paid if you don’t like it.
@@adamzappia2213 since I posted this comment I’ve looked into them a bit more and my mind is quickly changing, the eklipse is beautiful and there’s clearly a serious allure to these knives by knife lovers with far more knowledge and experience than myself. I’m barely out of the budget knife phase though and the Hinderer level prices are still a bit high for me right now, but I’ll be keeping an eye out on blade binge
@@KnifeKnoob at the end of the day it’s just a knife. I’ve only been buying decent knives for the last couple of years maybe. It can be a trap and it’s easy to get addicted. That said, if you have the discipline to be smart with what you pay and try a few things to work out what you like you can always get one or two nice knives and enjoy them. I think the biggest trap is buying lots of cheaper ones - especially if purchasing new - as they probably won’t sell for much on the secondary so you could get stuck with a heap of knives that are not worth much. Personally I prefer my CRK’s more than my Hinderers, though the XM-24 is tied for top spot with all of my CRK’s (a Tanto Umnumzaan and 3 small Sebenzas- one of each blade shape). The Hinderers are very different knives though and you do get more options. Again, unless you try you won’t really know. I hope you find something you really like, regardless of the price or what anyone else thinks of it anyway.
I like the Harsey but it loses points with me due to no sharpening choil. I hate when sharpening a knife leads to it becoming a recurve. Also have to disagree on the Medford for two reasons. One is that while it’s a knife you can beat up the edge geometry sucks for practical use imo. Two Greg Medford is a supreme level turd. I do like the look of them though and have owned some in the past.
If you want authoritative opening, it's the Brachial baby.
You always set the knife(s) down with the show side up, but you NEVER lay it down with the LOCK side up… Why? I watch your videos A LOT, and I like to take screenshots of knives I like. Please consider this sometimes, when you’re setting the knives down! Thanks and thanks for ALL of your content!! ;-}. MM
With inflation like it is and nearly everything going up in price doesn't that kind of show how drastically overpriced these knives were (are) if the price hasn't increased in a decade?
It has. But these companies have also been able to increase their production numbers so they can make money on volume a little easier.
Was that a USA knife complait videa?😅😅😅
No BM Narrows!?!? R. U. Kidding. Me.
I don't necessarily hate any of these knives, but even if I was a billionaire, I wouldn't buy any of them. Visually, they're just a whole lot of meh.
IMO Chris Reeves needs to get with the program and add steel lock bar inserts to their knives. The carbinizing they do isn't nearly as wear resistant.
LOL Hinderer xm18. Poor heat treatment, and thick behind the edge of that price point? There must be some very nice cars in the Hinderer parking lot.
Their knives have always seemed so overrated. And it can't even survive a spine whack 😂. If it was a $50 knife that wouldn't be a big deal, but it's not.
Enjoyed it MC
Honorable mention: McNees Knives PM MAC 2 Frag. No blahblah this is better and should be on the list horseshit.
Jus say'n!
Really? Three Hinderers but no Tactile Knife Co?
Which Tactile should have been included?
There aren't any Tactile knives I would place in a "top 10" video for this price range. They aren't bad knives, but they aren't top tier
@@metal_complex dude, 100% but Inwoukd like to see what this guy says
@@metal_complex That's fair. I knew you were going to have a Hinderer on the list, just not a third of it 😂
Love watching ya Metal, but your hands are just so dang big that you dont really get into the sub 3" territory enough for me. Legally im a bit hamstrung and i have avg sized hands anyway.