2023 - Did your preferences change or stay the same?

[Wallach]

Over this year I have gotten quite a bit fonder of folders, mostly because I bought an Endura last year. Up to that point I mostly preferred fixed blades, even though pocket knives got carried more do to the public view of carrying a fixed blade. To me folding knives were mostly a compromise to satisfy ignorant law making, or the ignorant public, so I had no particular love for them. Since getting an Endura I have found it so capable, convenient, and light that I have begun grabbing it when I would have usually grabbed a my Mora or Izula. I have recently moved to a smaller town that isn't at all worried by the sight of my Tops Fieldcraft on my belt, but I still find myself forgoing the sheath knife a lot lately.

That said, after a year of mostly getting acquainted with my Endura, I am back on the hunt for my ideal EDC fixed blade, as well the best way to carry one.

Also kitchen knives went from the least interesting to the most interesting knife type I use.

You sound a lot like me from last year. I can't recommend the Bradford Guardian 3.2 enough when it comes to an EDC fixed blade. The White River M1 is a close-ish second place and a very worthy EDC, but there's something about the Guardian that makes it feel beefy despite its size.

I also had the same issues with carrying folders because I just couldn't solve my carry issue with a fixed blade, until I got a couple different pocket carry sheaths. That and the Guardian 3.2 literally changed everything for me. The Armatus Carry sheath in particular with the Ulti Clip has made it so I can take my fixed blade anywhere, anytime, just like with my folders.

Even if you don't go with that particular knife, I would HIGHLY recommend checking out Armatus Carry and their Architect sheaths. They make them for pretty much every fixed blade under the sun, and if they don't they'll still custom make one for your knife anyway.

[kobold]

My preferences oscillate only with the seasons; large knifes for the winter, small ones for the summer.
The Stretch 2 XL G10 found its place among my other two favorite large folders (the OG Millie and the Chief), but the Military is still my favorite.
I bought a Magnacut Native so I can use its blade in the carbon fiber variant.
The Chap is still my #1 small knife.
I still avoid compression locks and black handles, I still wish there are phosphor bronze washers in all FRN models and I still prefer Golden and Taichung production.
My collection is working for me and I'm set in my ways. :-)

[JayHenMac]

For me, 2023 wasn't the preference-changing year. It will likely come in 2024. At the beginning of the year, I was carrying the same Native that I purchased in the late 1990s along side the Leatherman Supertool I was given as a high school graduation gift in 2001. The Native had a broken tip and a beat-up clip. I sent it in to be refurbished and while it was in the shop, I ordered a Native 5 LW in spy27. That's when the trouble began. From June till Christmas, I purchased two more Natives, a Lil Native, three Para 3's, 3 Sages, a Manix LW, two Endelas, and one Paramilitary 2 that I traded for a GEC folder. Additionally, I picked up a handful of Victorinox knives and some Leatherman multitools. I also started seeing a therapist because my wife says I have an addiction.

[Scandi Grind]

Even if you don't go with that particular knife, I would HIGHLY recommend checking out Armatus Carry and their Architect sheaths. They make them for pretty much every fixed blade under the sun, and if they don't they'll still custom make one for your knife anyway.

Thanks for the recommendation. The name is familiar, so I must have run into these sheaths before, but I will have to take another look at them now.

[Wartstein]

- Still clearly prefer full SE, but can "live better" again with PE in some steels (REX45, 4V) and if I really like the platform (Goddard, Manix 2 LW) - my basic version of the "Vivi edge" sure helps with that

- The thin red line Endura taught me, how good a long, ffg comboedge can be!
Often it does not matter if one starts a cut with SE and finishes with PE (processing cardboard...), sometimes it is very nice if the "points" of the teeth break up materail initially before PE gets to cut it further, the SE section is long enough to give you a great "featherstick maker" or "deeply into wood biter" (chiselgrind!), while the PE part is still there if one needs more of a "scraper" or in very particular cases wants to avoid the "SE steering", with the SE part one always has an "emergency rip things apart tool" on them (I guess even wire cut be cut with that in a pinch)

- Like Vivi I am preferring backlocks even more.
In fact I slimmed down my array of Spydies so that I only have backlocks anymore, except one Manix 2 LW (and technically a PM2, but that is long term lend to a friend who lives pretty far away).
If there were more CBBLs, I´d probably have some more knives with that lock too, but backlock would still be "king".

What sharpening method are you using for PE these days?

Sometimes when I'm too lazy to bust out bench stones I'll do touch-ups with the diamond rods on the sharpmaker. Bit more polished than the edge my go to coarse stone gives (300 grit side of the four sided harbor freight stone), but still offers a nice, long lasting apex.

If it weren't for you preferring a shorter closed length I'd say try out a CE Resilience some day. They offer a ton of blade length so you get a pretty good amount of each edge type, which seems to be key to getting a good experience with CE blades.

For coarse edge PE I normally actually just and only use the CBN rods of my sharpmaker indeed.

Just occasionally I go to some cheap "stones" (more like plates) which I believe are pretty much the same as your four sided harbor fright stone in another "set up" (not four sided, obviously) - I am still not that good of a free hand sharpener, but also not too concerned with perfect results.

/ On the CE Resilience: Well, closed length wise it could still be ok-ish for me - I mean,the Goddard is with its 5.12 closed length, the Resilience is just a bit longer (5.23) - but unfortunatels looks to be an a bit deeper carry.

Anyway, actually a CE Tenacious would already be "enough" for me: It pretty much has an Endura cutting edge length and though it is a short carry, the grip area ist just still long enough for me.
I even could get the lightweight in S35VN in comboedge... You might recall, I had the PE version of that one, enjoyed it a lot, but had to make "tough decisions" when I decided to slim down my array of Spydies lately and so it had to go.

[mreagan]

I have a greater appreciate for both back locks and sturdier/heftier (feeling) knives. Since my work started referencing their policy of knives with 2.5" or under regulation, I have been carrying my Native 5, which I love, especially the back lock. Coupled with the experience of a PM2 opening in my pocket (it fell in my pocket, not clipped on), I appreciate a sturdy lock and firmly closed knife. I also have been carrying my Raven 2 on weekends, I love how it feels bulletproof. I'd love to get a premium combination of the two, great steel, back lock and fully lined. GB2 is close, or maybe the Caly 3.5. The Stretch XL in CruWear is perfect but a bit too large for me these days. Did Spyderco ever make a Stretch (non-XL) that was fully lined? The new models all are lightweight.

[JSumm]

...Did Spyderco ever make a Stretch (non-XL) that was fully lined? The new models all are lightweight.

All Seki Lightweights outside of Salt Models have internal liners. The Stretch 2 XL being the exception. The regular Stretch 2 has internal liners. I believe the only ones currently in production is the straight spine in K390 and the orginal blade shape in VG-10.

Edit - Or are you talking about Full-Liners and not nested where the liners are revealed on the outside and not nested into the scales??

[vivi]

I have a greater appreciate for both back locks and sturdier/heftier (feeling) knives. Since my work started referencing their policy of knives with 2.5" or under regulation, I have been carrying my Native 5, which I love, especially the back lock. Coupled with the experience of a PM2 opening in my pocket (it fell in my pocket, not clipped on), I appreciate a sturdy lock and firmly closed knife. I also have been carrying my Raven 2 on weekends, I love how it feels bulletproof. I'd love to get a premium combination of the two, great steel, back lock and fully lined. GB2 is close, or maybe the Caly 3.5. The Stretch XL in CruWear is perfect but a bit too large for me these days. Did Spyderco ever make a Stretch (non-XL) that was fully lined? The new models all are lightweight.

zdp189/cf run had full liners. I think there was a brown g10 run with em too.

[Erich]

I moved away from the Endura to the Paramilitary because of the Endura's vertical blade play. I also came to love the very acute tip of the PM2.

You think Spyderco would address the Endura vertical play issue somehow. I know others talked about this on the forum so far. That is really the only drawback of the Endura.

[Drubieg]

What changed for me is my weight limit for a folder increased because now the pants I wear are more manly. Also I really honed in on my exact folder preferences. Spyderco, backlock, g10, full liners are my favorite. I love the look, sound, feel, and robustness. Still like other options like frn but found my ultimate lane

[RugerNurse]

Coupled with the experience of a PM2 opening in my pocket (it fell in my pocket, not clipped on), I appreciate a sturdy lock and firmly closed knife.

What happened to make it open?

[thojan]

By the end of the year, I realized that I really like wharncliffe blades, because I had a qsp penguin and really liked how it performed as a utility knife, but the D2 steel was just so poor. So I got myself a Delica wharncliffe and it immediately became my favorite knife. Everytime I use it and it glides through cardboard or plastic I just have the biggest smile on my face.

[mreagan]

Coupled with the experience of a PM2 opening in my pocket (it fell in my pocket, not clipped on), I appreciate a sturdy lock and firmly closed knife.

What happened to make it open?

Not really sure, I failed to clip it on my pocket (I was working on something and got lazy), fell to the bottom of the pocket, opened partially and "bit" me when I went to retrieve it. I carry it tip up. Maybe keys hit the compression lock? Or maybe I hit the lock when putting it back? Really not sure... that's why I am looking at baclocks again, they snap shut and stay that way, even with user error.

[RugerNurse]

Coupled with the experience of a PM2 opening in my pocket (it fell in my pocket, not clipped on), I appreciate a sturdy lock and firmly closed knife.

What happened to make it open?

Not really sure, I failed to clip it on my pocket (I was working on something and got lazy), fell to the bottom of the pocket, opened partially and "bit" me when I went to retrieve it. I carry it tip up. Maybe keys hit the compression lock? Or maybe I hit the lock when putting it back? Really not sure... that's why I am looking at baclocks again, they snap shut and stay that way, even with user error.

I just reordered a PM2 after selling mine awhile back to buy something else. I never had problems with it but stories like these make me nervous. I like Spyderco backlocks. Strong and easy to close one handed.

[Manixguy@1994]

Coupled with the experience of a PM2 opening in my pocket (it fell in my pocket, not clipped on), I appreciate a sturdy lock and firmly closed knife.

What happened to make it open?

Not really sure, I failed to clip it on my pocket (I was working on something and got lazy), fell to the bottom of the pocket, opened partially and "bit" me when I went to retrieve it. I carry it tip up. Maybe keys hit the compression lock? Or maybe I hit the lock when putting it back? Really not sure... that's why I am looking at baclocks again, they snap shut and stay that way, even with user error.

I just reordered a PM2 after selling mine awhile back to buy something else. I never had problems with it but stories like these make me nervous. I like Spyderco backlocks. Strong and easy to close one handed.

Hmm .I have four PM2 variants and never have had this issue and carry them all with no problem . Will get the Magnacut upon release . I’ve never had a Spyderco open in pocket but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen . MG2

[WilliamMunny]

FRN... I always was a G10 fan, just looked better and felt better. I got my 15 year old son his first real knife, a Manix 2 LW Spy-27 for christma. I was very impressed with the FRN, how light it was, the action of the knife and how stiff they were.

Needless to say, I now have a Manix 2 LW MagnaCut Salt and a Stretch 2 FRN in K390 both on the way to my home.

[mreagan]

Coupled with the experience of a PM2 opening in my pocket (it fell in my pocket, not clipped on), I appreciate a sturdy lock and firmly closed knife.

What happened to make it open?

Not really sure, I failed to clip it on my pocket (I was working on something and got lazy), fell to the bottom of the pocket, opened partially and "bit" me when I went to retrieve it. I carry it tip up. Maybe keys hit the compression lock? Or maybe I hit the lock when putting it back? Really not sure... that's why I am looking at baclocks again, they snap shut and stay that way, even with user error.

I just reordered a PM2 after selling mine awhile back to buy something else. I never had problems with it but stories like these make me nervous. I like Spyderco backlocks. Strong and easy to close one handed.

I wouldn't be nervous, just don't leave it loose in your pocket. Never happened since, and I still like the PM2 enough that I bought two as gifts for two high performing guys on my team at work.

[RugerNurse]

What happened to make it open?

Not really sure, I failed to clip it on my pocket (I was working on something and got lazy), fell to the bottom of the pocket, opened partially and "bit" me when I went to retrieve it. I carry it tip up. Maybe keys hit the compression lock? Or maybe I hit the lock when putting it back? Really not sure... that's why I am looking at baclocks again, they snap shut and stay that way, even with user error.

I just reordered a PM2 after selling mine awhile back to buy something else. I never had problems with it but stories like these make me nervous. I like Spyderco backlocks. Strong and easy to close one handed.

Hmm .I have four PM2 variants and never have had this issue and carry them all with no problem . Will get the Magnacut upon release . I’ve never had a Spyderco open in pocket but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen . MG2

I’ve carried a PM2 for a stretch with no problems so I’m probably ok. Stories like this always make me nervous though. I only use backlocks for my salt knives. Less change opening in my swim trunks

[Wartstein]

I moved away from the Endura to the Paramilitary because of the Endura's vertical blade play. I also came to love the very acute tip of the PM2.

You think Spyderco would address the Endura vertical play issue somehow. I know others talked about this on the forum so far. That is really the only drawback of the Endura.

Since you like the Endura but want a more acute tip: The Stretch XL could be for you.

I can't directly compare right now, but I am pretty sure it has an even finer tip than the PM2, especially in SE.

Sure, the backlock will still have more up and down play than the comp.lock - though on my XL I really have to "provoke" that lock rock in order to even being able to perceive it.

For me though, while I fully respect that some folks don't like it, the most times just very slight Seki up and down play is not an "issue" at all. Honestly don't know why and when it should bother me.