My quest for an EDC knife

[Grant Lamontagne]

For the last year or so I have been thinking about getting back into the dedicated blade EDC business.  I have always been a knife guy, which eventually led to being a multitool guy, but those roots are hard to ignore.  Nowadays I often wonder why I would carry an expensive knife when the vast majority of multitools offer the same features and functionality (and a whole lot more!) in a significantly cheaper package.  After all, $150 for a decent tactical folder is average (low for a lot of guys I know!) but that same price point is the upper echelon for any multitool, barring anything special or commemorative like an Al Mar 4x4 or a Multitool.org custom exclusive.

But, as I said, the roots run deep and go back to before Tim Leatherman filled his first order to Cabelas, and for many years I was a serious tactical knife guy- my trusty SAKs weren't far away, but I was all about pocket clips, one handed opening liner locks with fancy steels and combo edges because plain edges would just bounce off attackers wearing Thinsulate.  Looking back on it I kind of laugh at the stupidity of it all, but one really has to only look at one of the other forums these days to see that mentality is alive and well- and power to them, after all, there's nothing wrong with being prepared.

As time wore on I realized I used my awesome and scary tactical knives for opening mail and product packaging more than I did for dispatching bad guys, and considering I was a security contractor in one of the biggest North American markets at the time, that's saying a lot.

So, for the last few years it's all been about SAKs and multitools, but I still long for a sleek knife that will take a pounding but will still shave, you know, in case I want to look my best for the newspapers after killing a thousand rampant biker rapists from having their way in a Catholic School.

So the search began, looking at this knife and that, and I'll admit I have spent more than a few hours looking at the sweet Mini Griptilian that Tim has on EDCSource, but I just couldn't pull the trigger on it.  Sure it's nice, and a decent price, but it just didn't do it for me.

I've also been wanting a Spyderco Police model, which has long been the knife equivalent of most of the women posted in the Break Room, but again, I have yet to pull the trigger on one- the knife, not the women!  The Spyderco Police model is IMO one of the sleekest, most beautiful and amazingly lethal blades out there, and the ultra rare (and expensive) carbon fiber model really gets my motor running.... but then I probably wouldn't want to use it on many of the tasks I use a blade for.  For example, my Wingman recently poked a hole in a garbage can full of water and garbage so it wasn't too heavy for the local garbage man.  That would be akin to getting Mila Jovovich to scrub your toilet- seems like a bit of a waste.

So the quest continued- I know what I like, but I'm finding lots of good reasons to discount the ones that really appeal to me.  I went back to Cold Steel for the Voyager series, a line of knives that I have owned and liked, and yes, almost even lost a finger to.  I looked at CRKT and Benchmade, but to be honest, there really isn't a lot there (although that orange BM Triage I saw at SHOT Lat year is gorgeous!) these days that appeal to me.  Maybe it's the modern styles of the blades nowadays, or that fact that many are overly fancy with special locks and other crapola, but nothing really jumps out at me.

Then I realized, I think I have the solution, and it's been sitting on my desk all along!  When I first wrote about it I mentioned that this was pretty much a perfect knife- it fit the hand well, it locked up like a bank vault, the blade was pretty well impervious to harm.... it really is close to the perfect knife for me, or at least as close as I'm likely to get- The large folding Razel from CRKT.

I love this knife, and I have been carrying it- not all the time, but often enough.  I may make a few mods to it to make it more Def-friendly, but all in all, this is a great knife.  It's big enough for big jobs, it's all open so I don't have to worry about cleaning it, good lock, no tip to break, and if I ever do manage to do anything catastrophically bad with it, it is inexpensive enough to replace easily.

I'm still not done looking for a knife, but I think anything else would be hard pressed to knock the Razel out of the running.

Def

[82brutus]

What, no pics?      

[edcgear]

What, no pics?      

+1 

I've looked at Folding Razel, and it's a nice utility knife... 

I've asked myself same Q. Though I'm not in that price range for knives, but never the less...

Like you ended up w CRKT, I ended up with Buck 110/112 model...

[Grant Lamontagne]

No new ones at the moment, but here's one I took shortly after I got it and the smaller version, which has since gone to Holland!



Def

[AimlessWanderer]

That looks an interesting and useful tool - but not something for me. I'm not one for locking folders though if I can avoid it. Stabbing holes in a garbage bin with a liner lock ... 

Have you guys got the option to carry a small fixed blade? Sounds like a small fixed wharncliffe might work for you 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I do carry small fixed blades from time to time, usually when kayaking though.  One of my dirty little secrets is a fascination with small fixed blades, and I have carried and used a number of them.  Perhaps my current favorite is the CRKT Neckolas because it's a good size, it's a handy little knife and it's very non-knife person friendly. 

But it's still not as sexy as the Police model...

Def

[jekostas]

I was considering a razel but I need a good sharp point day to day, so chisel tips and most tanto tips are right out for me.

[Grant Lamontagne]

There is a pretty pronounced point where the main edge and leading edge meet.  I'm not saying that it would necessarily meet your needs, but it still might be worth experimenting with.

Def

[Jmora]

As time wore on I realized I used my awesome and scary tactical knives for opening mail and product packaging more than I did for dispatching bad guys, and considering I was a security contractor in one of the biggest North American markets at the time, that's saying a lot.

Def

so you were the one.     

[Grant Lamontagne]

You can laugh all you like, but you won't be laughing when the Spoon Ninja arrives!











 

Def

[AimlessWanderer]

  ... I'll have a pint of whatever he's having 

[Sazabi]

Grant'll leave every bowl of peach cobbler quaking in it's bowl when he becomes Spoon Ninju!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Nothing illustrates the deadly potential of CRKT's Eat'nTool like a fully qualified Spoon Ninja!

Def

[Sazabi]

Nothing illustrates the deadly potential of CRKT's Eat'nTool like a fully qualified Spoon Ninja!

Def

... Too bad the Spoon Ninja is a fraud, as he apparently uses a spork!.  Maybe the Fork Ninju mixed up his utensils just to screw with him?

[Grant Lamontagne]

A true Spoon Ninja is the master of all lethal culinary weapons!

Def

[Sazabi]

You saved yourself there.  

[5hif7y]

i no exactly how to feel. ive been hunting for the perfect knife for a long time. the only problem is being in the uk i have tight laws to abide by. ive been eyeing a spyderco ukpk for sometime now and still haven't gotten one.

it meets most of my needs:
1) non-locking (uk law)
2) under 3" (uk law)
3) deep pocket carry (some peoeple in the uk get funny when they see a knife)
4) light
5) comes in a semi serrated option

i just cant pull the triger on it just incase its not right. ive also been thinking about a case knife, something a bit classier. but they dont have pocket clips or lanyard holes.

decisions decisions......

[Pacu]

I believe the perfect knife is the one you reach for everyday and take to work with you..without thinking you are gonna mess it up, concern about this steel vs that steel. Cheap and well made usually don't go together but here they can .

My two "perfect edc knives"

Buck batam and a minichamp - very well used



I got 30 plus knives and these are the ones i choose to do daily tasks. Last week i ate a foot long hotdog from sonic with my buck as they forgot to give me a fork.

i do want to get one of those razels though for work..

[derekmac]

Hmmm, you have me intrigued, I don't recall seeing/noticing the Razel before. I'm looking for a new EDC knife.  I like my CRKT M16-12Z, but it doesn't quite fit my big hands, and I love my Buck 450 as it's a very comfortable knife to use, but it's not OHO and doesn't have a pocket clip.

[Grant Lamontagne]

If we ever manage to meet up for coffee sometime I'll bring it along so you have a chance to play with it! 

Def

[dks]

Apart form the blade on my LM Micra I usually have a "proper" folding knife with me.
I don’t like potentially damaging expensive knives (or multitools) so I carry what I am happy to use for any reasonable cutting task; good quality but not my pride and joy, one of a kind knife. I also like lighter knives, since if I am going to need a sheath for it then I might as well carry a fixed blade.

Generally I have the SRM 763 (has a bottle opener, clips in the coins pocket) and when I want a non-locking knife the SRM H02 (one hand opening, thinner blade, shiny) or a Buck mini toothpick (tiny, plastic scales).

For Barbecues, picnics etc I use my Cold Steel Kudu (light, locking, has a big sharp blade, cheap).