OK.. Lets do it.. Kershaw or Spyderco.

[puros_bran]

Name says it all..
I was happy.
Didn't know I needed new knifes.
I need a new knife.

Wet Dottle sent me a bad ass Spyderco Endura 4.. OMG, Love it!!!!! It is an awesomely cool knife. I don't plan on leaving home (not work related) without it.

BUT. Work is an issue.. and any blade I carry MUST be smaller than 3.5 inches.. SO.

Kershaw or Spyderco?
Kershaw Leek, Speedform II, Blur..
Spyderco Delica 4 FFG, Caly 3,Manix 2, Native.



Thanks again Dottle... like I didn't have enough to OCD over. :lol:
I got to actually play with the Endura this evening, it's sweet. no it's better than sweet. lol.. Why have i not been buying these new wizz banger pocketknifes?

 

[Richard Burley]

lol.. Why have i not been buying these new wizz banger pocketknifes?

You are so screwed. KAD is just as bad as PAD. I haven't seen http://www.agrussell.com/default.asp mentioned here yet. Just tryin' to be helpful. :twisted:

 

[mark]

C'mon PB, let's get serious here. You're considering choosing between two knives. If you buy the Kershaw you'll always wonder if maybe the Spyderco is better,,,,,,buy the Spyderco and you'll wonder if you should have picked up the Kershaw,,,,,,,,you KNOW what you have to do,,,,,,,,butthead.

 

[mark]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PzPtPMLH31I" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[puros_bran]

yeah, and I'll end up getting both.. And maybe a Benchmade to replace my old balisong.. if I don't just spring for a custom, which I was planning on doing anyway.. but anywho..

Which do you prefer? Why?

and yes it's just like pipes, subjective.. but thats what makes it fun.

It's Blackhorse and Dottles fault.. Blackhorse for getting me looking at custom knifes (again) and Dottle for being evil.

 

[mark]

Yeah, it's all subjective. I carry the KISS, it clips on part of my holster, has an adjustment screw to take up slack if the pivot wears and holds an edge forever,,,you can remove the clip if you want,,,,no frills, small, simple. I'll mail it down if ya want to take a look at it.

You're gonna have a meltdown trying to decide what to buy,,, :lol!: :lol!: :lol!:

The hell of it is it's one of those things you don't NEED,,,therefore it's a necessity,,,,

 

[puros_bran]

Is it called a Kiss because after having a sharp exposed blade in your pocket for awhile kissing is as far as you'll be able to go?

 

[Hunter5117]

What's going on PB? Forsaking the Ancient and Honorable Brotherhood of the Case XX? I don't, no I can't believe it!!! :x

 

[puros_bran]

No.. My case will always be a go to.. I think.. Hell I don't know.


leave me alone as I wander through the valley of doubt, lost to myself.

 

[plumbernater]

Seems like my good old case sits in the gun cabinet more these days. dont want nothing to happen to it. Been carrying cheaper pocket knives these days.

 

[Blackhorse]

Ever notice that guys don't really answer the question? They just ask something else to drive you nuts. Like me! 8)

So...what are you going to do with the knife? Is it going to be an 'every day carry' blade to do everything that needs doing...slicing plugs, opening orders from online tobacco vendors, dispatching the odd Zombie...you know, the basics? Or will it have a more specialized purpose?

Does it HAVE to be a folder? I mean, I only ever carry folders...but I have a PILE of fixed blades that I 'use' for this-n-that.

Anyway, enough with trying to whittle down the options...between Kershaw and Spyderco? They both make good knives...Kershaw being maybe broader in their designs and Spyderco being a lot more 'of a kind'. If it was me I'd go with Spyderco. I REALLY like their small blade folders for being handy, cost effective, really really well made and occasionally they will put an exceedingly good steel on a pretty reasonable knife. I've already yapped enough about my steel preferences, so no need to go there.

But you should also consider Benchmade.

Now...if you want a really nice fixed blade knife...I'll make you one. You buy the blade (you can get a really nice Lauri PTX (progression tempered blade) made in Finland for about $30. They're zone tempered blades with a visable tempering line. Cutting edge (HRC 63). Of course, there are lots of other options. But I have the materials on hand and labor would be...gratis.

My latest project...shown just shy of completion...the hole in the white turquoise disc has an ebony center and the top of the scabbard has a 'top piece' sculpted to match the knife's guard, also of ebony.

 

[puros_bran]

Plumb. The case in my left pocket has an msrp of $70
The Spyderco Endura in my right has an msrp of $105



Blackhorse. I appreciate the offer. I'm going to explore these knifes I always thought were cheap junk.
I think I've settled on the Spyderco Native or the Kershaw Leek for my next purchase.

 

[mark]

I'm going to explore these knifes I always thought were cheap junk.

They USED to be, a few companies rose to the top and got their shit together.

 

[Boxerbuddy]

Honestly PB I've owned both, you're not going to be dissapointed either way. Both companies make excellent products. Currently I'm a Kershaw guy, been carrying one for 9 years, it's been just awesome, but I can't say had it been a Spyderco it wouldn't have been just as awesome......so basically I'm no help at all.

Edit: I just looked at these 2 knives...the Leek and the Native. They're not really similar. The native is much more heavy duty than the leek. Here's the deal with the 2 steels

Native is made from s30v and the leek is made with 14c28n Sandvik which is exclusive to Kershaw. From what I can gather from various knife forums, the Sandvik(Kershaw) will get hair popping sharp and keep it's edge well while the s30v(Spyderco) won't get as sharp but will hold a lesser edge a little longer. They're both great steels, just a matter of choosing the right one for your application.

 

[Blackhorse]

I've looked around at the comments of users on both steels and while I like S30V very much as I use it one fairly tough applications the comments being made seem to follow along the lines below:

If you want a very, very sharp edge, and you don't mind stroping it more to keep it sharp, go with 14C28N. If you want an edge that will last longer on abrasive materials (this was intended to mean skinning game, etc.)...go with S30V.

The 14c28N was developed at Kershaw's behest and as BB says is proprietary to them. It can be heat treated to a very high hardness and takes a razor edge. They are quite different steels. Each is better for a different purpose.

The 14C28N is like a razor steel and will hold a razor edge longer than S30V. So I assume one should sharpen it to a different angle than the S30V. So why does the S30V hold a lesser edge longer than 14C28N...I've heard it has to do with the different levels of Carbon and that S30V will form carbides to a greater degree than the 14C...and when used, the S30V gets somewhat 'toothy' while the Sandvik will take that super sharp edge and hold it fairly well if stroped after using it.

Thus...if one wants a medium to heavy duty knife for field use...the S30V makes sense. While a knife intended to perform light tasks with a very keen edge...the Sandvik steel would be an excellent choice. Given the designs of the two knives in question, shown below, I'd say they were each well suited to the tasks at which their different steels excel.

 

[puros_bran]

Blackhorse.
I actually believe the majority of users couldn't tell the difference. Change the stamping on the steel an they'd never know. A very very very small minority may but even that would be smaller than you think.

What I actually do with a knife.
Cut between 1-5 bales of straw open (two twine per bale)
Possibly open a bag of chips.
Once a week open an envelope.

(in an emergency needs)
Cut the cotton rope of a hay net.
Cut a halter.
Kill zombies and terrorist at Old Navy.

 

[Boxerbuddy]

Blackhorse....what do you think of 1095 or 1095 cro-van? I have a KaBar Becker made out of this stuff...its a 1/4 inch thick spined blade that I can get sharp enough to shave hair...pretty impressive. I've had this out in the woods multiple times and its awesome.....lol like a super sharp pry bar....but I always keep it dry. I've never had a chance to see how easily it rusts...whats your experience with this steel.

 

[Blackhorse]

PB - given your typical rigorous use of what I have to think of as the 'every day carry' piece, I'd likely go with the leek. No need for a Bowie on the stuff, and I think the Kershaw's blade form lends itself to finer work...like that chip bag! If you ever cross paths with the sadistic SOB that designed those bags to tear down 3/4 of the way to the bottom when opened though...I'd suggest a Zombie number on 'em. Something like a Katana would be good, or maybe a Golak!

BB - Oddly enough I have little first hand experience with the classic basic steel you mentioned...1095, right? The carbon steels I've used are mostly A-2 cryo for which I have great respect. It's just as rust prone as the 1095 but has to be the toughest damn stuff in the world, sharpens easily and you can chop down parking meters all day with it and it just doesn't lose its edge. Amazing stuff. But the cryo treatment is the key. The other is D2 which I also really like and it has the benefit of resisting rust 'fairly' well. Most all of my hard working blades are one or the other...but they would all be A-2 cryo if I could get it. But not many outfits use A-2...it's not 'cool' enough for today's market I guess. Bark River has a strong history with it and a few others. Plus, like 1095, it's cheap.

Of the more modern steels, the Japanese stuff (white and blue) the powder steels and others - VG10, CPM154, ZDP189, BG42, R2D2...oops! I was drifting there. They're all very fine, take a great edge, and are (some of them) hard to sharpen they're so hard...but the more exotic they are the more they cost. A billet of A2, D2 or quality 1095 goes for, say $15 (size does matter of course) compared to $50 to $100 for the same size in the others. That's really rough and just for an example of course.

I think one big benefit of the 1095, O1, etc. types of high carbon steels is that they are so easy and forgiving to work...forging, etc.

But then, there's my favorite to work with...damascus. It's as or more expensive than any of the exotic powder steels...due to the labor of making it (small batch by its nature) - but it's so much fun to work with - and to my mind the the most beautiful of anything. And Siderite is pretty awesome!

I'm no expert by any means. Steel is a world unto itself. If you want a guy that knows what he's about...talk to Lesath, a BoB that really knows his iron. Me...I'm just a pretender that makes knives out of whatever's at hand. For that, even re-treated file steel is good.

 

[mark]

Kill zombies and terrorist at Old Navy.

You gotta be shittin me,,,Old Navy,,,,is that the portal point from the seventh dimension allowing past and future realities to meld gaining powers through an unholy alliance thereby allowing the unleashing of tertiary destructive forces of galaxial proportions?

Damn,,I've been staking out the Dairy Queen,,,,

 

[plumbernater]

Thats why I dont go to Old Navy.