Recommend to me a gentlemans pocket knife

[dgaddis]

K390 Delica w/aftermarket exterior (scales, clip, and backspacer). DIGGIN' IT.

[Matthew Strongin]

K390 Delica w/aftermarket exterior (scales, clip, and backspacer). DIGGIN' IT.

Very nice. Fireside TeroTuf scales? I've got a set of replacement scales on the way for my KnifeJoy damascus Delica. It's a great knife, but I don't love the FRN scales for how I usually carry the knife. I have a couple knives in K390...great steel.

Here's my gentlemanly carry for the day...Benchmade Bailout with swapped out black burlap scales.

[dgaddis]

I got the scales on Etsy, they're green canvas micarta, and after I ordered I realized it was from a Russian seller, but it got here reasonably quickly, and have no complaints about the quality or fit/finish/etc. The backspacer is from Flytanium.

FYI, if you haven't taken the Delica apart yet, it's a real PITA!!! The backspacer has these tabs that fit into the liners, but the spring bar causes it to flex and throw the alignment out of whack. It's easier getting it back together with a metal backspacer vs the FRN because it's stiffer and doesn't deflect as much. Easily the biggest PITA knife to put together in my experience.

[Matthew Strongin]

I got the scales on Etsy, they're green canvas micarta, and after I ordered I realized it was from a Russian seller, but it got here reasonably quickly, and have no complaints about the quality or fit/finish/etc. The backspacer is from Flytanium.

FYI, if you haven't taken the Delica apart yet, it's a real PITA!!! The backspacer has these tabs that fit into the liners, but the spring bar causes it to flex and throw the alignment out of whack. It's easier getting it back together with a metal backspacer vs the FRN because it's stiffer and doesn't deflect as much. Easily the biggest PITA knife to put together in my experience.

I've rebuilt other back locks....huge pain. But it'll be worth it to replace the FRN with some very nice TeroTuf scales.

[j44ke]

Where do I get these little dinky screws they use in pocket knives? Ridiculous to put something that tiny into something that is going to get beaten with rocks. This isn't a watch or jewelry.

Near as I can figure out (going through the drawers of bolts for guns at my local hardware) I have a couple #2-56 screws holding one half of my knife together. About 12mm or 7/16" long. Bugle or flared/flat head screw with T6. I am using nice Wera bits, but the heads on these screws are really soft. There must be something better.

[j44ke]

Answered my own question: McMaster Carr.

[Scott G.]

Answered my own question: McMaster Carr.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/ha/screws.html

In case you want to safety wire the screws.

[Curt Goodrich]

Old thread. New knife. This is my first Benchmade. I really like it.C5E35239-F155-4321-BDE0-3AD23D533A7D.jpg

[j44ke]

Old thread. New knife. This is my first Benchmade. I really like it.C5E35239-F155-4321-BDE0-3AD23D533A7D.jpg

+1. I've tried quite a few different knives but the Bugout is the best. Mine is the small one - the 533. Light tough holds an edge trouble free folding right size and plenty of parts available for repair. I haven't bought another knife since.

[dgaddis]

I liked my Bugout while I had it, but it, and the 940 I had, both broke their Omega springs, so no more Benchmade for me.

My two most recent pick ups - SuperBlue Dragonfly (love this little guy) and a Watu. Great blade on the Watu, really thin, needle point. Took the clip off the Dragonfly and carry it in the '5th pocket' of jeans.

Both of these I ground down the point above the thumb hole.

[j44ke]

This one is in a drawer and stays there. The blade point is so sharp and somehow the design of the knife still allows the point to contact pocket lining material and fingers. And the weight is too much - it sinks down sideways in a pocket and just gets in the way. So while the metal in the blade sharpens beautifully and holds an edge nicely, for me it doesn't work well as a pocket knife. Probably requires a belt holder to work well, and belt holders seem dumb.

[dashDustin]

Help!

For the first time in my life (ok, 2nd) I've lost my pocket knife. My ride or die.

My 'Shimano blue' Mini-Griptilian. I think seats at the movie theater ate it. That's the only thing I can think of, at least.

Need to replace....so what do y'all like in the the < 3" blade category that's not liner lock, and less than $150?

Kinda digging Hogue X1.

[72gmc]

I think seats at the movie theater ate it. That's the only thing I can think of, at least.

Have you checked the car?

I refer to the gap between the center console and front seats in my wife's Mazda CX-9 as The Challenger Deep. It takes expedition-level effort to recover a key fob, airpod case, or stick of gum that drops in there.

[Mark Walberg]

I've carried this one for years. Great knife. Hard ZDP steel sandwiched between layers of softer steel. Keeps a very nice edge. Very useful.
IMG_3003.jpg

[j44ke]

I have a Mini-Bugout. Looks like you can get it for $155. I really like it which is stupid, because you are paying for the blade and everything else is basically plastic. But the blade shape is perfect so I guess that's what perfect shape costs. And I could change the handle to metal, which I decided to do as soon as the plastic breaks but it hasn't so I haven't. If I lost it, I would replace it without a second thought.

CRKT makes very good knives for the price. I have a Squid from them that I did all kinds of bad things to and other than needing a sharpening, it has been very durable. But that model has a very short blade, which I find to be a disadvantage sometimes. There is a similar knife in that series called the Tuna Compact that has a 3" blade that should be more functional. The downside to the knives in this series is weight - they are heavy in the pocket and really need a clip to sit comfortably. But you can hammer a nail with them. They are mostly metal. Not a liner lock but a frame lock, which works reasonably well with one hand.

[Matthew Strongin]

Benchmade Mini Bugout is a great option for something on the smaller side and typically just over your $150 limit.

If you liked your Mini Grip and want something similar but different, check out the Knifeworks exclusive Hogue Ritter Mini RSK MK1-G2. Terrible name, priced around where you're looking, basically the Hogue version of the Mini Grip but with better execution. I'm a big Benchmade fan and have a bunch of them, but the Hogue Ritter has better action, better materials and a better blade. I have one of the full sized variants and have zero complaints. It's also one of the best edges out of the box I've ever seen and that's even up against knives at multiple times the cost. https://knifeworks.com/kw-exclusives/

Spyderco also makes a bunch of good options. Once you get used to the goofy blade shape, and if you can spare a little more money, the Para 3 is hard to beat for a compact EDC that can take a beating. And there are a ton of aftermarket scale, clip and hardware options if you decide to turn your $150 knife into a unique $300 knife down the road. Or if you're holding firm at $150 and don't mind "plastic" handles, the Para 3 Lightweight with FRN scales is also great. The Para 3 uses a compression lock, which is great and fidgety if that's your thing. If you're cool with a backlock, the Native 5 is basically a perfect tool. And the Salt version is a perfect tool version of that perfect tool because it's nearly rustproof. The only caveat with Spyderco is their clips are far from deep carry, so you may need to spare a little extra money for an aftermarket clip if you want a deeper carry. And if you want to go even smaller than 3", the Lil' Native is excellent and around 2.5" with a nice deep carry wire clip. Just a mini version of the Native 5 with a couple different lock options. Also, these are all MUSA, if that matters to you. And they're all available in a variety of steel choices, which is part of what makes Spyderco such an awesome company.

If you're willing to go a little above $150 or a little longer than 3", which may not be possible with local laws for pocket carry, there are a bunch of other knives I would recommend.

[dashDustin]

Well, ended up with a Mini Bugout that was on sale at REI for $114. Thing is smaller than expected...thinner, I should say. Will probably see if I can find an older Benchmade clip, as that's my only hangup. Not nearly as flexible as I was expecting, given the lack of full-length steel internals. Blade is as dull as a lot of the disappointed reviews claim, but nothing I can't handle.

Also ended up ordering a Spyderco Native 5 Salt with their Magnacut.

We'll see which one gets carried daily and which ends up on my bench.

[Matthew Strongin]

Try stropping the mini bugout before jumping into a full sharpening. They don't do a great job from factory but most of mine have ended up pretty good using a strop. You can get the deep carry clip straight from the Benchmade site for not too much money.

The Native 5 in Magnacut will be awesome. I have the LC200n version that preceded it and it's one of my main users. MXG gear makes a better clip for it.

[prcrstn8]

IMG_7132.jpg

Found in a shop in Zermatt, a non-branded Laguiole intended for cutting Camembert, according to the salesperson there. Why such a sharp knife for such a soft cheese? Who knows. It doesn't really make sense, but I liked the form and the ebony scales. No nail nick, so it's three-handed operation to open it.

[72gmc]

Nice knife. As long as it leads to eating cheese, I'm not going to quibble.