Recommend to me a gentlemans pocket knife

[xjoex]

On a whim I got a Kershaw Scallion, it kicked me over the limit to get free shipping. I have to say.... not a gentleman's knife . It weighs about 5 pounds and I'm not a fan of the assisted opening. I will not argue the edge on the knife, you could shave with it. I'll probably throw it in my toolbox.


-Joe

[j44ke]

I have two CRKTs, both excellent. One has a bone handle which looks the business, just need a matching revolver. But it's too 'gentlemanly' for regular use. The other is a little steel thing you can spread peanut butter with or get fish scales on and not care. Recommend.

I have a CRKT Squid and a K.I.S.S. and the best thing I did was to have them re-edged by my jeweler friend. He lengthened the taper of the edge and polished it to a nice shine. Very sharp, longer lasting edge now that doesn't snag or catch when cutting. Great little knives, very durable, a little heavy but definitely durable.

[deano]

Shortly after posting I was using the K.I.S.S. and thinking it needed a sharpen. Re-edging is even more interesting. Worthwhile on a $40 knife?

[Octave]

I received a Benchmade 485 Valet, M390 Satin, half-serrated blade as a wedding gift about a year and a half ago after I lost a benchmade I'd had for 10 years, since I was 16 camping up in Alaska (the loss of which was one of more heartbreaking moments of my life, as it were). I've been using it on everything from cutting tubing in the lab to slicing apples and opening boxes and it's sharp as heck, classy enough to stick in a suit jacket pocket but not too fancy to keep in my trousers next to my wallet on a daily basis. In short, it's a perfect gentleman's EDC. Having been a knife-geek for most of my life, this one tops my list.

[Too Tall]

Seconding Benchmade. They have a great mechanism and is one of two pocket knives I carry most (Benchmade Osborne, Chris Reeves Sebenza)

[Matthew Strongin]

Seconding Benchmade. They have a great mechanism and is one of two pocket knives I carry most (Benchmade Osborne, Chris Reeves Sebenza)

Same here. Different model Benchmade, but other than my Sebenza it's the other knife that makes it into the rotation. Then again, since getting the Sebenza the time split is about 100:1 in favor of the Chris Reeve.

[j44ke]

Shortly after posting I was using the K.I.S.S. and thinking it needed a sharpen. Re-edging is even more interesting. Worthwhile on a $40 knife?

I am probably using the wrong term. The KISS has a single sided edge, as you know. But the taper to the edge is fairly steep. As a result, it went dull pretty quickly. Maybe that's an indication of the quality of the steel, but my friend the jeweler who does all our knife sharpening didn't think so. He decreased the steepness of the sharpening angle and then polished the surface of the edge to make the knife sharper but the edge harder and thus last longer. So far so good. It was worth it to me because it was free and because now I use the knife more. He doesn't use a typical sharpening arrangement either, but a series of wheels and buffers that are part of his trade as a jeweler who forges (instead of casting) his work out of gold.

So really he just sharpened it but also reshaped the edge to make it stronger and thus sharper than the original.

OT: If you are interested in seeing some of his work, it is pretty amazing. Everything except the settings is forged. He surfaces of his work are unbelievable. And years and years after they were made, a simple wipe with a cloth brings out the original luster. Richard Messina Designs

[spopepro]

I tend to think knives are always worth sharpening regardless of price, but I also already have all the sharpening gear in the world...

Jorn is onto something with this knife it seems. Specs say that it is hardened to 52-55 hrc which is really soft. That's great for a utility knife as it will resist chipping, but the trade off is that it will not keep a very fine edge. Very accute geometries will simply roll and dull fast. I can't tell if it's true single bevel, but if it is, then that should be taken into account, since the angle will be half of what a double bevel is. For example, my yanigiba is around 65hrc, is single beveled, and has an edge angle around 10 degrees. It will cut flesh without pain and will chip hitting even fish bones. My pocket knife (benchmade 482 megumi) is listed at 58-60hrc, it is double beveled and I keep it around 30 degrees (15 each side).

So if this kiss knife is a true single bevel, it needs a much, much broader angle than what they appear to ship it with. Probably worth doing (it should help performance immensely), but it will take a significant amount of work to set a new angle if you don't have power tools like Jorn's jewler friend.

[Matthew Strongin]

We wandered into the Shinola store in Wynwood this afternoon and I found this sitting in a case. Shinola x Benchmade 485 Valet. I came very close to buying it on the spot. The finish is very cool and the action is great.

[Too Tall]

That axis lock mechanism and blade material is hands down my favorite and my most frequent daily carry.

[cash]

Very pretty ... dare I ask how much?

answered my own question ... SHINOLA x BENCHMADE CUSTOM 485 VALET POCKET KNIFE | Shinola(R) Detroit

[Matthew Strongin]

We wandered into the Shinola store in Wynwood this afternoon and I found this sitting in a case. Shinola x Benchmade 485 Valet. I came very close to buying it on the spot. The finish is very cool and the action is great.

I couldn't resist. This thing is fantastic.

[Too Tall]

Awesome Matt. That steel is a cinch to keep sharp.

[Eric Estlund]

I don't think I posted this here yet.

Boker Slack slipjoint designed by Raphael Durand. Big thanks to the folks @ New Graham Cutlery for ordering it in for me.



I've had it for a few weeks and I like it quite a bit. Great shape, good size, and the two position stop for the back spring makes it just this side of a lock blade.

[darkmother]

I lost my cheap and cheerful pocket knife (Opinel No7) this past week, and I'm looking for a replacement. Needs to be not too expensive, because I will likely lose it too.

I'd like:

One handed open, and possibly close
Locking blade
Reasonably compact and light-as in I can keep it in my front pocket and not have it bother me.
No weird serrated edge or blade shape that makes it hard to sharpen.

Any suggestions?

[Matthew Strongin]

I lost my cheap and cheerful pocket knife (Opinel No7) this past week, and I'm looking for a replacement. Needs to be not too expensive, because I will likely lose it too.

I'd like:

One handed open, and possibly close
Locking blade
Reasonably compact and light-as in I can keep it in my front pocket and not have it bother me.
No weird serrated edge or blade shape that makes it hard to sharpen.

Any suggestions?

Narrow down "not too expensive." The Benchmade Valet that I posted above meets the other criteria, but it's not "loose it without a care" inexpensive.

[xjoex]

I'd buy a spyderco off of amazon and call it done.

-Joe

[darkmother]

Narrow down "not too expensive." The Benchmade Valet that I posted above meets the other criteria, but it's not "loose it without a care" inexpensive.

Enabler.

Looks really nice though. I am talking myself into it.


I was surprised by how much not having a small knife at my disposal disrupted my day at work. I found myself reaching into my pocket and finding only lint on a number of occasions today.

[darkmother]

I'd buy a spyderco off of amazon and call it done.

-Joe

I'll take a look at what they have to offer, thanks for the tip.

[Too Tall]

How about a good old Case Lockback? This one is about $45
Here is a model # to scout: CASE #260 (61953L SS) Case Amber bone SS Russlock

s-l500.jpg