Latest GREATEST hard use folder???

[Slash]

Don't need to slice garlic like that mob boss(Paulie) in Goodfellas with a razor blade.

What's does SCo have with a strong pivot, tough enough steel that won't easily chip and hold an edge long enough to say WOW...

PLEASE exclude chisles and prybars....

I've been out of the knife collecting/buying for awhile (after buying many fixed blades)as I have PLENTY of various knives from various manufacturers to add in recent years. So, please excuse my absence.

Thanks in advance....

[Wartstein]

I know some will disagree and it is though one of the "greatest" for me definitely not "latest":

Delica sabre grind.

- I think "hard use blades" mostly have to have a strong TIP, most blade stocks are thick enough for folder hard use anyway.
Now the sabre grind Delica, despite just 2.5 mm blade stock, has an overall very strong blade due to the sabre grind too.. AND a super robust tip (more so than say a Manix or the like)

- Also: I think "hard use" tasks often do not require a long blade (long blades actually lend themselves more towards slicing tasks imo, so long blades profit more from being thin and slicey).
The sg Delica blade is short and stout, not much leverage can be applied here due to the shortness.
No idea how strong the pivot is, but definitely strong enough, as well as the steel linered, FRN handle (FRN in a way actually being "stronger" or "more indestructible" than G10)

- And: If you want to go super bomb proof: stainless steel handle sabre grind Delica...

- Steel? Well I think there are tougher ones than VG10 of course, but it always served me well...

[apollo]

In current production?
I would say hands down the Manix 2XL if you can wait a tiny bit it will even be in cruwear what is an amazing steel in my eyes.

In general also counting spydies long discontinued i would say the Original C95 Manix (beats the current Manix2 Xl by a mile) or in the same league as the original Manix the shempp Tuff.
Both are legendary hard users in the level Spyderco does not make them anymore!!!

[iacchus]

Not sure they ever topped the M4 Gayle Bradley 2 for a practical hard use knife (although the Cruwear exclusive GB2 might be the closest contender).

[Tristan_david2001]

Probably a g10 lil temperance by my estimations

[anycal]

Of the Spyderco knives I own, I consider Shaman to be the one withstanding the most abuse.

The model had its run of various steels, so not sure when/if there will be another exclusive.

[Flash]

ColdSteel Ulimate Hunter.

[jdw]

Since the GB1 is no longer available I will go with the GB2 in M4. FWIW, I feel the GB1 is the finest hard use folder that Spyderco has ever produced and if you can find one for a reasonable price on the secondary market I would highly recommend getting it immediately.

[Synov]

Shaman in CruWear/Z-Wear is really the only answer.

[Art_vandeley]

The lil`Temperance 3 in K390 is an absolute beast!

[ykspydiefan]

The edge retention will not wow you, but for a hard use folder.... Pacific Salt 2 is really tough and can be used hard. They are affordable and regular production. Sure, it's not pretty enough to post a picture of but it is also not so special that it will hurt to loose one.

[ladybug93]

things i've learned from my many folders...

1. hard use isn't a folder's job.
2. if you really need a hard use folder, flash is right. it's hard to beat cold steel's triad lock.
3. spyderco folders are plenty strong for any appropriate folding knife usage, even the frn lw models.


i've got a wide range of steels and models from spyderco and elsewhere. if you want a spyderco knife that is strong enough for hard use, but still capable of edc tasks and is very comfortable in hand, try a manix. it's the most perfect knife i've used. s30v is a great steel, but you can get the manix in a host of others as well that may fit your preferences better.

[cabfrank]

Spyderco makes a lot of knives that fit your description. As said above, a Lil Temperance 3 LW would be an extreme example. K390 has great edge retention, but there is also a VG-10 SE that is an absolute monster.

[kobold]

The Caribbeans?

[Vamais]

Not sure they ever topped the M4 Gayle Bradley 2 for a practical hard use knife (although the Cruwear exclusive GB2 might be the closest contender).

They did, with the GB1.

[Vamais]

Since you didn't specify size, I'm going to say the Lil' Native in Cruwear from KnifeCenter. It's a lil' tank of a knife, has a stout tip, and the Cruwear is amazing. I've used it a couple times to de-bur aluminum parts, with no edge damage or loss of sharpness. I've also hit the edge into aluminum parts after breaking through zip ties, again with no damage.

I agree with Warstein on blade length for hard use. A shorter blade will give you more tip control, which is usually what I need for tasks that I consider to be "hard use". For harder tasks, I'll reach for the Lil' Native over the Manix that I'm usually carrying.

Of course, the GB1 sounds like the knife that best fits your description, except that it's not currently in production. While it is an exclusive, the KnifeCenter Lil' Native is currently still available.


**JK, It's actually not still available. I glanced at the website too quickly. Sorry.

[Matus]

The Ayoob Cruwear is tough as nails. The handle is a bit thing and edgy, so I would recommend using work gloves when doing harder cutting.

And then there is the Tuff - just off the charts toughness wise - also the blade is thick and thick behind the edge. A beast. I don't know - maybe some of those ridiculous CS models can withstand more, but those are basically sharpened pry tools.

[aicolainen]

There was a whole thread about hard use a while back, and the takeaway is; hard use means a lot of different things to different people.

The folding knives I have misused the most in the last year or so are the Thin red line Endela and Endura. Arguably not the most overbuilt folders Spyderco makes, but they were super affordable on the disco sale, and while not directly replaceable they're still black FRN, VG-10 Endela and Enduras, so not so special I'd cry if anything bad happened to them.
So that's my default recommendation, unless you can be more specific about your flavour of hard use; find the least special (no sprints or anything that will make you hesitate to use it), most affordable knife where the blade shape, length, grind, edge etc. fits with your preferences for your use.

[riclaw]

Out of Spyderco's lineup the Manix 2 XL is the best folder for hard use/abuse. Stout blade, strong lock, handle curvature that locks the hand in place, and still pocketable.

I recently swapped out the thumb studs on the Ultimate Hunter for ones Flytanium makes for the AD 20.5. I find the angled stud is much easier to use than the OEM CS unit.

[_centurio_]

Shaman