gregarat

+1 on that.

Chad

I've seen a lot of nice knives well over $100, but I wouldn't trade my Kershaw Onion for any of them.
Picked it up a year or so ago at WallyWorld for $50.
3 1/4" black blade, lock is perfectly secure, clips and rides nicely in front or back pocket, holds an edge well...and the thumb assist opening is extremely fast.

joe/OH

Thanks for the responses. I'm curious about the assisted openers. Are these spring operated? I like the SOG Trident and the Kershaw BOA, although would prefer a bit larger blade - at least close to 4". The Spyderco Civilian looks just plain wicked.

Anyone know if the assisted openers are cool in Ohio? I don't think there are any size limitations.

Rob72

The Civilian is interesting, and a quick handler, but very much a "one-trick-pony". And the trick is the hook/slash. The grip dictates forehand grip, so no edge-in, pikal-style usage, and trying a stab would be pointless (no pun intended). And yes, I did actually own one!

The Keshaw system uses a spring in much the same way a S&W revolver does. The spring is retained in a recess in the scale by the liner. A small "tail" protrudes through the liner, and into a hole in the blade, offset from the pivot hole. The blade must be fully open for the spring to be tension free. The machining, bronze washers, nitrided blade, and consistent lockup put the Boa at the top of my list, and I'm a bit of a blade snob. I don't doubt SOG is good, and the other AO offerings from Kershaw are fine, but the work on the Boa was just superb. FYI: your city may be different, but per Kershaw, AO's are only a "problem" in MD, and DC, last I checked.

If you like the waved Spyderco idea, check this guy's Dremel work out:http://www.totalprotectioninteractiv...read.php?t=793
The Skirmish is on my "will buy" list, and these mods were very well executed, I thought.

My last $.02; understated is frequently better. If you really like the 4" length, and it's legal, go for it. Bear in mind that 2.5-3" will reach anything in the human body, front to back, though.

Hivoltage

I have a Benchmade Mini Griptilian that I really like. Perfect for everyday pocket clip carry. They also sell a not so mini Griptilian. I can open and close it with 1 hand and has an awsome blade. It has the Axi-Lock, check it out!!!!

Anubis

All the aforementioned brands are good. I have Benchmades and have used my son's Kershaw.

I have a Benchmade Stryker 905 with a 3.0 inch blade. A Stryker 910 with a 3.7 inch blade is much nicer. Colorado's knife laws specify maximum blade length for a concealed knife to be 3.5 inches, although the knife law here does not distinguish between folders and fixed blades.

These knives go for around $100 if you can find them in an outdoor store. I get mine at a local Sportsman's Warehouse.

You mentioned "tactical folder". If fixed-blade is legal in your territory, my opinion is that fixed-blades are way more tactical than any folder, due to quicker deployment. There is the Benchmade "Instigator", a 3.25 inch fixed blade with kydex sheath, a cheaper alternative to the Strykers at around $50 in the store.

I prefer no serrations, but they do have uses.

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Q-ball

Ian, over at TPI, does great dremel and knife mods. I think if you contact him he'll work on your knives for a fee.

In this thread I showed what I did with a $30.00 Delica. Midsize knife and very fast to deploy with a little practice.

On another forum I posted the procedure, in moderate detail, on how to dremel out your own Delica or Endura. If anyone's interested on the how to's I'll post it here.

BTW, my knife work isn't as nearly as clean as Ian's. I kinda rushed through it so I could get the knife into operation. If you take the time the knife would look better than mine does. Same goes for my hairstyle.

joe/OH, are you trained with a particular system? Do you favor saber/forward grip or reverse grip etc? That will have a factor for your defensive knife choice.

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joe/OH

Sabre grip? Reverse grip? I have no training so have no idea - other than playing with cardboard knives in the backyard.

I have settled on the Kershaw Boa based on some reviews I've read. I'll see how it feels today and may buy it. The wife likes the benchmade afck (axis lock version) so I'll buy that one for her as well.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

ExSoldier

Remember....it's never a question of whether or not you're paranoid. That's a GOOD thing. The question is.....Are you paranoid enough?

I carry a base level spyderco and happen to like a partially serrated edge, but it wasn't always like that. For many years....decades....I carried a good old fashioned Buck Folding Hunter. Rugged, innocent looking, common, and razor sharp from the factory. Holds a good edge. With a bit of careful practice on the "wrist flick" it's fast into action. The term "Folding Hunter" is there for a reason: For years I used this knife to field dress game as large as Elk. Just a thought...it's also fairly inexpensive. It won't kill your wallet for the term "TACTICAL."

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BlueLion

CRKT, from Wally World 25 bucks and worth it. I can't see myself paying 100 bucks for a knife. That is money for range time, rounds, or heck layaway cash for a new pistol.

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