Frunkey's Best Knives of 2018

My recap and thoughts on some of the best offerings of 2018. This was a strong year for both production and custom knives, what were your favorites?
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More information is available in the individual videos for each knife I mentioned.

[@sunshyn21]

I truly enjoyed this video.

[@gambitgaming4573]

I really enjoy your custom knife videos. I like all your videos. But I love what you are doing with customs and the videos you do on them. Keep it up for 2019

[@nickkazarian3334]

Really excellent video! Great choices, thanks for sharing! 👍

[@trevestor]

Dear Dr. Frunkey, your videos are informative, quite funny and just generally superb. Thank you for all of your efforts!!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate your comments and support!

[@forrestpurser9871]

Nice job Doc. Like the format for the video. Great idea to do it this way.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Thank you! I know it's a low tech approach, but I appreciate your comments!!

[@Teethingpains]

I was late in watching this video, but I enjoyed it a lot! Loved the content and the format. Colour prints or not, knives still looked good. I’d back Spyderco to steal 2019 too. I think they have been producing great designs and executing them flawlessly for years now. Can’t wait to see what 2019 brings to your custom table, Doc. Your collection is quite an inspiration for us lesser folks. I’m looking forward to more content from you - here’s to the FIF23 soon!

[@Tankman333]

i could tell from your review on the capara that it was a hit for you by your enthusiasm and excitement and i hit it right for the 2018 pick i'm a knife pickin fool!(i also picked Nicks pick for 2018)thanks for 2018 Doc

[@TangoDown357]

Love your reviews brother, excellent taste!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Thank you my friend!

[@taylor4480]

I liked the setup for this vid Doc! Well organized, different and honest! Keep up the good work and keep enjoying the hobby, ignore the haters

[@Watchandcutgearchannel]

Great Video Doc

[@MetalRush666]

The Jack, Thresher, and ZT finally made a knife worth holding onto the 0470. That's the 3 for me this year. And when the Alamlgam loses the flipper or when I decide to do it, it'll be a better one. I agree Doc the combo of the compression lock and flipper is not done well.

[@tonydavis5053]

Appreciate seeing these incredible custom knives or functional art that I will never come in contact with!

[@richardhansen1628]

The Liong Mah Warrior 2 v2 ti, Lion Steel Rok ti, We 819 Drakon and 801 minitor are my favorites this year

[@MycoMatty]

Glad that Ian got some shine in here! Such a classy guy, raising tens of thousands of dollars for less fortunate children around the holidays! We could use more makers like him!!

[@twilly9022]

Great Video With tons of info Doc thanks. ✌

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Thank you!

[@knifeguy1387]

I know you are mostly into higher end knives but I have to tell you I was blown away with the quality of the Civivi Baklash for $42

[@DoctorFrunkey]

One of my Patreon goals is to purchase and review a Civivi model or two. I absolutely agree I need to be watching those!!

[@kniveswalletsandmore....3141]

EXCELLENT VIDEO!

[@korling99]

Kapara was also my favorite of the year. I preordered it too. Please review the Spyderco Kevin Smock when it finally gets released. Happy New Year!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

I most certainly will! Thank you!

[@ctheo13]

Very enjoyable video Doc, excellent work! 12 months from now I’d be happy to shout you some colour ink cartridges tho lol

[@DoctorFrunkey]

haha! 12 months from now, maybe I'll have learned how to edit video!!

[@knifeguy1387]

I agree about the Gent a great knife at a great price

[@EDCwithAaron]

Just got a Kapara... Fell in love instantly but sadly mine has developed vertical play which I thought was near impossible on a compression lock :(

[@d4mdcykey]

Great 2018 review, a couple of these I was unaware of; appreciate the compilation. Look forward to what you have in store for us this year. Regarding Knives to review, are you familiar with Green Thorn, or Cheburkov? They have some very impressive pieces, particularly the high-end lines.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

I have reviewed a Checurkov Scout and loved it. I am not a fan of Green Thorn, as they seem to manufacture a number of clones. I do not support this.

[@d4mdcykey]

@@DoctorFrunkey ~ Ah cool, I must have missed (or forgotten about) that Scout review, I'll look it up. Was not aware of the Green Thorn clone issues, I only became aware of the company a few days ago and really liked a couple of their designs on some website I found. But yeah, the clone industry can be a parasite on many things for sure, agreed. Not sure of you are aware of the channel, but Stalina has some very cool, beautiful knifemakers she uploads occasionally, you may find some there you've not seen before: kzbin.info/door/e7jzJkGmMGQ5w3-QZmDPLg

[@sisler42789]

Great video and great shoutout to Massdrop in 2018. Let's hope their collabs in 2019 give us lefties some good options like the Thresher was!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Agreed!

[@NDeemz]

I agree with you about benchmade. I can't wait for other companies to use the axis lock so we can get knives with good prices, good action without bladeplay, and good qc!

[@Keith_the_knife_freak]

Great video

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Thanks man!

[@SHADOW-ke6xz]

Man at the time I bought my amalgam I handled the kapara and maybe it was just that example but the cf looked cloudy and dull but the more I see that blade on screen I feel like maybe I'm gonna need that one aswell.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

That may be a fit and finish issue. My CF is nicely polished and clean. I need to try the Amalgam.

[@isaacott3230]

I was leaning towards the kapara, and now I feel like it wouldnt be a bad decision. Thanks doc.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

It's not the most "fun" knife out there, but in my mind, it was the best overall EDC knife of 2018.

[@isaacott3230]

Would you recommend the kapara over the shaman, if you could only have one spyderco ?

[@DoctorFrunkey]

@@isaacott3230 for normal, light to medium EDC needs, yes. For heavier duty needs, the Shaman is more robust.

[@isaacott3230]

As a neurosurgeon, I'd imagine you have quite a few keen insights on the effectiveness of various scalpal blades. Would you do a review of the various replaceable blade knives (havalon, Gerber vital etc.) and their pro's and con's for the hunters in your audiance?

[@DoctorFrunkey]

@@isaacott3230 this is a smart idea. I will consider doing this!

[@professorsafari]

How does the JD Vandeventer Gold stack up? I remember you being quite enthralled with it in the videos you made about it

[@DoctorFrunkey]

The Gold was a stellar knife. Unfortunately, mine had a couple of minor issues that made me now want to keep it (lock stick and detent wiggle)

[@jerbearnone2012]

We Knives has been getting scary good. The quality of the knives they are making, not only for themselves but all their collabs, are surpassing full custom knives for the fraction of the price. I just wish the large American companies were at the same level. Smaller companies, like guardian tactical, are also killing it however.

[@connorp5878]

Lol I carry the 0462 and love it, the size does not impact the day to day for me. That said I can see your perspective 100%

[@bryonlvdm]

I’m so surprised you didn’t include the Koenig Arius in this video. Seems like the non-flipper you got was one of your favorites.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

The Arius is excellent. But I had an Arius last year so technically its not really as contender. And being a 1-off nonflipper makes it unattainable for most, and so it becomes un-recommendable. Complicated, this knife reviewing situation.

[@shadgravely4358]

I'm just waiting for the review of the Jake Hoback Snecx Buster

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Soon!

[@shaunfarrier9060]

Dr. F, Would you pick a Kapara over a Skaha 2 ?

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Yes. Slimmer and easier to carry.

[@PkwyDrive13]

I just want a fif23... Like more than any other knife.

[@Teethingpains]

PkwyDrive13 ooh, I’d love to get me hands on PJ FIF21/23. That’s a stupendous knife.

[@Savage.Doomer]

The Inkosi came out in 2016. Like you said not new, but not decades old either.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Correct. I didn't know the exact release but knew it was not a 2018 knife.

[@MetalsForBrunch]

Zt 0470 was my 1st favorite then 2nd is kapara. 😁

[@DoctorFrunkey]

A good choice. I think the 0470 had a few QC issues that Kapara seems to not have, and the cost was a bit higher. But certainly in the top 5 of the year for me too!

[@faretheewell3711]

What about the zt 0640 with the vomit twill? I love the kapara!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Lol hard pass

[@MetalEffort]

Spoiled right from the get go.

[@mrazalisalleh]

My colection is Ganzo

[@tonycanniffe2360]

Kapara is a winner!!!

[@EverydayCommentary]

For my money, a Michael Walker Zipper is the Bugatti of the folding knife world, both in terms of price and innovation. SNECX is probably one of the better custom tactical makers, but Walker, Steinau, and Lake et. al. are making the Paganis, Koenigsegg, and Bugattis of the knife world. Walker's Zipper is a solution to one of the most vexing problems in the history of cutlery (hard edge with soft spine for a perfect combination of hardness and toughness). SNECX is making something like the a Ford GT--something amazing, but not as rare or as complex or as innovative as stuff from Pagani, Koenigsegg, or Bugatti. Walker's Zipper is as innovative as Koenigsegg's Direct Driver Transmission.

[@viennaraider]

I feel like I've never seen a Pena on your channel....are you just not a fan?

[@DoctorFrunkey]

I love the Rhino model, but haven't been able to get one on screen. I am not a slippy guy. He has a new front flipper that looks great too!

[@viennaraider]

Doctor Frunkey I have the rhino, diesel, and talon....all amazing imo. Would love to hear your thoughts on them. I'll have to look into the front flipper, didn't know about it

[@Keith_the_knife_freak]

I forgot what about the Z-hunter???? Come on man !!!

[@joeallen2354]

No offense man but the video was a let down. Not enough knives in hand and way too many on paper...black and white at that.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Sorry to disappoint. It's very hard for me to maintain a stockpile of knives for this kind of thing. Also I am not adept at video processing and do not have the time to integrate that at present. I do this all for fun and for free, but I have opened a Patreon to invest some more into the production quality and content and stockpile!

[@joeallen2354]

@@DoctorFrunkey Thats cool brother. I just wanted to put it out there that im not a fan of the practice of reviewing pictures of knives. If others feel the same then perhaps the practice will fade away from the review channels i follow. If they dont then ill have to live with it lol. Thanks for not taking the comment personally and thanks for turning me on to that blue and black contego in m 390. Its the only benchmade im interested in buying.