KnifeCenter FAQ

[@GarrettsGear]

Spyderco and Cold Steel are almost always sharpened superbly.

[@mikeappleget482]

Civivi too. Every knife from them has come screamin sharp.

[@RansomedSoulPsalm49-15]

yessir. sharp and very even bevels

[@Jeremy_810]

I've several knives from all of the above. Nothing on Earth has come close to the polished G10 Large Espada from Cold Steel. Their textured G10 knives are not on the same level. Taiwan Spydercos are pretty good too.

[@ambulldog111]

Yes cold steel have come razor like

[@Crushenator500]

I'm surprised he didn't shout out Spyderco for having good edges. They have always been extremely sharp out of the box for me. They do have grind lines, but so what? The blades do too, and it's still a great edge.

[@Leftyotism]

Böker Atlas are great sharpened out of the box. And Moras. And Kizer Harpoons. And Byrd Cara Cara 2s.

[@brianmatthews3450]

Hey dca I just bought a motorcycle and I'm back on 2 wheels for the first time in 6 years. I want to get a new knife to go with the bike. It's all black/chrome looking for a budget option folder with a very secure pocket clip so I don't have to worry about it falling out. Also a strong detent so it won't open ( unless I want it to) any thoughts? Thanks as always love the videos

[@abc456f]

Maybe it's just me, but I've always liked the edges on Cold Steel knives. The sharpest blade I've ever gotten in terms of slicing paper like going through warm butter was the Esee avispa. Budget blade but deviling sharp.

[@EnderPearlRs]

100% agree about Cold Steel. I've bought 4 different models and every single one came screaming sharp.

[@Cadwallader38]

I had the larger version of the Avispa or maybe that is the larger one I can't remember, got it in SK5 and the edge was near polished I was very impressed because Esee doesn't even make those folders.

[@EnderPearlRs]

@user-io4kw4vx5d My SR1, Code4, Tuff-Lite and Finn Wolf all came scary sharp. With Cold Steel, make sure you are getting something that came out of the Taiwan factory and I can't speak to their quality since the GSM buyout since I got mine a few years ago.

[@abc456f]

@@EnderPearlRs Yeah, the Taiwan stuff is really good. And in terms of value, one of, if not the best bangs for your buck.

[@abc456f]

@@Cadwallader38 Mine's in D2, but still insanely sharp.

[@unfi6798]

The potato & leek soup - Just Brilliant.! Cheers DCA & Thomas from Australia.

[@1099Kramo]

For me, Cold Steel, Buck, Spyderco and Civivi always have very nice edges.

[@deejay2793]

2nd this! Exactly my consensus.

[@DampActionRC]

Bought my hogue deka based on your review in an earlier video saying that it has one of the best factory edges and I absolutely love it. Super charp looking and cutting. I also have a kaiser cormorant with a hollow grind and man, you know what you're talking about, that thing is a slicer! Great video, thanks DCA and great editing!

[@ivantagg5686]

Hi DCA and Thomas love your work! I want to buy a folder knife and a fixed blade for my brother, his birthday is just round the corner. He goes hunting and fishing a lot so I’d like the knives to be high in corrosion resistance, toughness and able to keep a decent edge. The folder blade can be up to 4” and the fixed up to 6” budget is up to $400 USD thank you guys!

[@peter_ry]

One thing to add about hogue deca, mine, like yours has evidence of the blade being stropped (the stonewash is wiped shiny right next to the edge bevel).

[@CadillacDriver]

Clearly you don't own one, because you didn't even spell it properly.

[@sithus1966]

Civivi, CJRB, Kershaw, and Spyderco have always had sharp edges out of the box for me. Shocked that Dave didn't break out his favorite Artisan Proponent for a big and loud option

[@beneagle5653]

Hey DCA and crew. Really enjoying these deep thoughts. For me the biggest problem with folding knives has always been losing them. Whether it's slippery pocket escape artists or some running and jumping, folding knives always seem to get away from me. Been a fixed blade and kydex guy for a while now but I have been recently inspired to stay on the lookout for a good folder since becoming a regular viewer of your show. Who has the best pocket clip design? Who's knife is going to be with me the longest? Best visibility, best scales? Thanks guys!

[@jdisdetermined]

Sounds like retention is what you’re struggling with. You can increase it by removing the clip and bending it a bit further so there is even more tension against the scale. Also have you tried out a few premium/milled clips? They usually sit closer to the scale and are much thicker and stiffer than stamped deep carry clips, so they tend to have a lot more rentention.

[@IvIidnight]

For a sharp AF out of the box edc fixed blade, the Hogue Extrak.

[@MrDarrylR]

From my measurements, the narrowest thickness behind the edge are with Opinel (#6-#8)and We/Civivi hollow grinds, each around 0.40 mm/0.016".

[@1slippery2]

Thanks for adding the link for how to sharpen!

[@jasondominguez2806]

Always had good results with sharpness out of the box from spyderco

[@adleysketches1701]

Dear DCA, My knife collection has expanded to knives worth my entire paycheck these days. But, the more knives I carry, the more my mind goes back to a knife I got a couple years ago from a little shop for just 15 bucks. It was the Browning Mountain Ti 2 small. It wasn't very durable and the frame lock bent the blade beyond repair and I tossed it, but it felt great in the hand despite being so small and felt good every time I opened it. There has never been a knife that I ACTUALLY used more. What dupe would you suggest with a higher quality and a price range of up to $150 that will feel just as nice in daily use? Thanks man

[@a50s250]

I'm an avid runner who carries a folding knife on my waist band around the appendix area (1 o'clock). Must be under 3.5 oz with no more than a 3.5" and no less than 3" blade. Highly resistant to rust/sweat and american made only. Thank you in advance for your recommendations.

[@Knivess0]

Protech SnG in Magnacut, it's an auto but it's matches your criteria. It's light and small and I love it, but like I said it's an automatic.

[@dan_taninecz_geopol]

I'd recommend a Spyderco Manix 2 lw in s110v or a Hogue Deka in magnacut. Didn't look too deeply into specs but pretty sure both are in your blade length range. Both highly corrosion resistant steels, extremely lightweight (I often carry both in lightweight shorts).

[@thorin693]

Don't know the exact weight but try the Hogue deka with CPM Magnacut.

[@TacticalMechaStriker]

@@thorin693 the deka pretty much wins here, only 2.10oz! Perfect for a runner, you barely notice it in your pocket

[@thejetsoncommittee6660]

Dude, my dad gifted me a Spyderco manix 2 light weight with CTS BD1N steel probably 7 years ago now. I also carry my knife inside my waist band all of the time, including running, at the beach, pool, etc. I have completely neglected it over the years, and there has been minimal surface rust on the blade. MINIMAL. I will say the steel is not as tough as I want it to be, it's got a few nicks in it. But the steel is 99.2 percent corrosion resistant. It may be a little larger than what you're looking for though, but a great knife overall.

[@Ivan-L.]

I bought the RUIKE P801 SB (Black coating) and after a month the RUIKE P801 SF (Stainles steel) and both came shaving sharp out of the box. Little bit of stropping gave them the additional scary sharpness :) Swiss army knives also come decently sharp out of the box, they need just some light stropping and that is it. Greetings from Bosnia and Herzegovina :)

[@hairlessforestmonkey7186]

Hey DCA, I have carried a Case Sodbuster for decades and am looking for a fixed blade with a similar blade and handle shape. What do you recommend?

[@realbroggo]

In relation to the reason for a large ricasso - there is another important reason. They serve as sharpening choils. In the 'early days' knives were often sharpened on a grinding wheel - a bit like a peddle powered Tormek. The grinding wheels weren't as smooth and precise as they are today - they were pretty much just shaped rocks. If your blade went all the way to the handle you couldn't sharpening it properly as the spinning stone would damage the handle. Sharpening choils can be much smaller today as the tools we use are far more precise & compact. Sharp blades all.

[@marsarmory6236]

100% - Hogue is the best factory edge for the price tier they are in. Plus they are very active in the 2A community and provide unbelievable customer support. Civivi’s are also ridiculously good imo and cold steel as well.

[@yglvidhughes3721]

agree civivi is great also just got a TRC south pole that was almost razor smooth sharp, still cut my arm hair though you just felt a tiny resistance

[@markcoffman494]

After all the knives that I’ve ever owned. I have to say Spyderco makes the sharpest knives. I’ve owned probably over 600 knives. And every time I’ve gotten one of theirs that shaves and splits hair no problem.

[@christ3831]

I’ll second that, and add that their grind is slicey too. Most of them anyway

[@random_eskimo_in_the_rockies]

@@christ3831 Add another voice to the Spyderco list. Their factory edge can do almost anything up to splitting a helium atom.

[@twatmunro]

I've never had a Mora that wasn't sharper than all the Spyderco's I own.

[@jayr526]

@@random_eskimo_in_the_rockies how sad. They could be the source of free energy

[@CadillacDriver]

You accidentally added one extra 0 to that number. 600? Na.

[@ChoiceCHOPS]

Bought a pm2 in maxamet. Amazing factory edge and a needle for a tip

[@rjbachli]

Hey DCA and Thomas, I've recently started sharpening my knives with a Worksharp precision adjust elite and I am really enjoying it. I would like to get some of my knives to a mirror polish but need something to practice on. What should I get to practice on? What steels take a mirror polish best and why? Thanks and really enjoy the channel(and production...)

[@Ericstraordinary]

12C27 is a great one to practice on because it sharpens easily and takes a decent polish too. For the very best mirror edge, I would say VG-10 will give you the nicest finish of all.

[@fishlanding]

still digging the Kershaw Dividend with the composite blade.... flipper, assisted opening, etc. a little pricey now and I did stick on some skateboard tape to help with the semi slippery aluminum handles...... super sharp & and just for the H E double hockey sticks I would like to have one of those Cold Steel Laredos ...... stay sharp everyone....

[@clowneymcclownface3362]

I reprofile all of my new knives to 20 degrees on the KME system with 140 grit. Then I keep everything sharp with 300, 600 then 1500 grit. Then I strop on a 1 by 30 belt sander with a leather belt and red compound. Shaving sharp every time.

[@billprindle1613]

Since I invested in a Wicked Edge system, there isn’t a new knife, including my Chaves and Mordax, that hasn’t benefited from being sharpened. Most of my 40+ folders have come with sharp enough edges, but I don’t expect any new knife to be as sharp as I want it to be. With some lower cost knives, less then ten minutes on a Spyderco Sharpmaker brings the edges up to shaving sharpness. The point is, it almost doesn’t matter how sharp your new knife is because after using, no matter what the steel is, you’ll have to sharpen it anyway.

[@MD-yw4in]

I’m an HVAC technician and am always looking for the next best pocket knife. It needs to have an acute tip, preferably wharncliffe or something similar that will be robust and will fit in the end of a copper pipe for reaming. Tough steel that holds and edge well, with geometry to support it. 3-4 inch blade, easy one hand open and close with something other than a frame or liner lock.

[@random_eskimo_in_the_rockies]

Spyderco Endura, go with the Wharncliffe blade in K390 steel. I wish I'd waited for the Wharncliffe to come out, but my K390 Endura I have is the next best thing to a light saber. It cuts like crazy, and I've abused my blade far beyond what a pocketknife should do with no blade damage. K390 is incredible stuff. I can't wait to see what Böhler's K890 will do.

[@slate8881]

Just got my first TOPS knife, bought the Fieldcraft 4.5 and its edge is amazing so far

[@bullridermusic2054]

Wow, it's really pleasant to see how many people agree with me when I receive my Spyderco Police 4 with an over 4 inch blade VG10 steel. It was the sharpest knife I think I've ever gotten from the factory, and I'm a highly advanced knife sharpener. Although My Microtech Stitch had a great day on Tony Marfione's Burr King Wheels. One of his associates/co-workers must have had a good cup of coffee that day while sharpening and honing my Stitch (204p steel WAY harder the VG-10) the very small edge they put on and the geometry vs Spyderco's flat blade, might take the crown 👑. I remember just the weight of the blade popping hair off, unreal.

[@nvalley]

I know a lot of folks will say Cold Steel knives come super sharp, but my Airlite and Pendleton Mini Hunter both were just OK out of the box. Super impressed with my Magnacut Deka, every QSP I've handled, Taiwan Spydercos, and Vosteed

[@jerrypomroy2375]

That choil on the bowie also looks to be what gives the blade more broad width from the tang width, otherwise you’d have a blade as wide as a stiletto. Looks much better than if the width tapered out right from the top of the guard.

[@npenick66]

It costs a few bucks but a KME sharpening system with the diamond stones can make it pretty easy for even a beginner to get a mirror polished edge. Practice once on a cheap knife and you're gtg. Not the best for blades over 8-10 inches though. I used Norton tri-stone systems for around 30 years but the hands just aren't up for the big stones anymore so the KME saved my rear. Quick, easy and relatively painless.

[@nehlbobal1407]

Love the program ! David is the GOAT. Can you please list the most affordable MagnaCut, folder options? Thanks !

[@knifecenter]

Cheers! You can sort for steel type and price quite easily on our website. Here is a direct link: www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_store.html?a=folder&steel=MagnaCut&sortType=priceAs

[@just-another-knife-user]

Hi DCA! At first sorry for my bad english. I recently bought a knife Kizer Original XL Titanium, and right out of the package titanium scales they had a strange unpleasant smell, like vomit or something, and my hands after "playing" with it became slightly sticky. After about 20-30 minutes of "playing" with the knife, the smell had faded considerably, but it was still there. This worried me because i read that titanium is odorless. The knife was packed properly, there were no signs of previous use, it looks like new. What could have caused this strange and unpleasant smell ?? ...and how to get rid of it? should i wash the scales and with what?

[@sophiekoifman5130]

Hey dca and Tomas. Love your content. I am looking for a folding "apple" knife under 100 dollars. The main use will be cutting apples and general light food prep. Because of local knife laws, the knife must be non locking and under 100 mm in blede length. I think that a friction folder would be easier to clean than a slip-joint. I am thinking of getting the Fox/Bestinelli slim Dragotac Any other suggestions?

[@paulquanbeck4982]

My choices for best factory edges, in my experience, are Shun, Fallkniven, and Rockstead.

[@woodroez]

Hey DCA! Question about Victorinox. I've been looking at the selection of Alox knives available and have noticed a pattern within the medium-sized SAK patterns: not a single medium Alox currently available has the Small Blade. There are a couple models where you get second blades: the model 7 Alox has the Hawkbill Blade next to the Large Blade, and the Electrician's Knife has the Electrician's Blade. Otherwise, all the other models have either an awl or the Combination Tool for the Bantams in that layer opposite the Large Blade. Why does the Small Blade get neglected, David? He's just a little guy!

[@MrOnegesius]

I have just purchased a Buck 112 Lite knife. This has made me wonder if there is a better knife than this for mainly cutting up cardboard cartons. I can keep this knife sharp with a sharpening steel but understand that many steels cannot be maintained this way. Can you recommend a few knives that are easily sharpened without needing stones. Folding knives with one handed opening but not assisted or automatic. Better edge retention than the Buck but not D2 steel. I could never sharpen a D2 steel knife that I also own.

[@arig5988]

I know a lot of people have had their gripes with Benchmade but every knife I’ve ever bought from them over the years- about 13 of them- was super sharp out of the box. Not all the grinds were even, but useable right away, nonetheless.

[@taylorhickman84]

Best factory edge I've seen was on my Giant mouse Ace Biblio, legitimately hair whittling sharp. I handed it to friend to open a bag of chips and told her "careful it's scary sharp" her jaw dropped as it silently and effortlessly cut through the plastic. Even with my tsprof sharpener and fancy strops, I struggle to get an edge that sharp.

[@dmg4415]

On this new blades, how much do they improve by a quick stropping (10+10) of the factory edge.

[@graemehirstwood670]

I had a Sheepsfoot Mini-Griptillian. Although I have a few other pocket knives this one was in my pocket the vast majority of the time until it went missing. I was going to buy another one but I thought I should check in and see if you could recommend something similar. Thank you in advance for your sage advice. p.s. It has to be ambidextrous or left handed as I am a south paw.

[@israeljohnson2637]

Can you do a video over budget knives that come setup for horizontal carry please! I’ve been looking for weeks.

[@thefeatheredfrontiersman8135]

Dearest Doug funny, I can't get a mental grip on the different types of steel. I know there are many different types. What are the basics? 8cr , 420, x50, vn, magnacut I don't understand. And what about the knives that don't openly display the type on the package how do I find out what type it is?

[@KellyRobinette]

I would have added the Honey Badger Medium Wharncleaver for the “fun” knife question. I love that thing. First, “Honey Badger”…that kind of speaks for itself. Second, that blade shape is probably my favorite of all my knives except the Pilar (which is also a fun knife). Third, there’s so many color options and the backspacers can be swapped. Lots of choices! I love the suggestion of the Spyderco Endura (classic!). And I will own that Hogue Deka very soon. Thanks for such great content!

[@CadillacDriver]

HB are rubbish.

[@erikw3999]

Hi DCA, after a kitchen remodel. I've started looking for a new set of steak knives to get and display on my magnetic bar. Looking for 4 to 6 knife set in the $100-$200 price range. Any options to consider? Thanks for the help!

[@tecnotrog1]

Spyderco edges are scary sharp out the box.🦉

[@mogukumale]

Hey DCA and crew, do you have a healthy work / knife balance?

[@chuckchuck350]

What knifes you recommend for sum one has very larger hands fixed blade or folder for edc thanks buddy!

[@wesleyzuber8146]

I would also go with Spyderco. I have close to 30 Spydies and can think of 1, a mule, that didn't come razor sharp.

[@taylorhickman84]

I must have bad luck, all 4 spyderco that I own were nowhere near razor sharp. The Bow river I bought for my nephew needed to be sharpened right out of the box. Still my favorite knife maker though.

[@giba1963]

Question : hey DCA, I’m looking for folders without finger guards (for legal reasons). Since most folding knives have a more or less ergonomic handle that can act, or at least be considered by the authorities as a finger guard, I’m looking for knives with a flat transition from the handle to the blade, e.g. the opinel, böker’s urban barlow, etc. A lot of slipjoints meet that criteria, but I would prefer a locking blade for safety reasons, and preferably with a pocket clip. I would be interested in hearing which knives you would recommend. Budget from 0 - 450 $. Thanks a lot.

[@TheTedMeister]

From my experience, Japanese manufacturers often have good edges out of the box. Mcusta is a brand with sharp edges; however, they usually use VG-10 blade steel.

[@buškrafterinabaterije]

isnt that Civivi mastodon discontinued model?

[@stevewealthy6120]

Question. Looking to get my son a hard use, folding knife. He uses his knife, and just short of abuses them. Budget is between $200-300. Thanks

[@iamgroot4080]

Hard use folding knives are like Santa. Just give him Mora Robust and some psychiatry support

[@stevesinclair4159]

Of the knives on your list I only own the Civivi Badlands & the Kershaw Leek, I can attest that they are razor sharp out of the box. I have also the Civivi Elementum & Ortis and both are IMO even sharper than the Badlands. The only time I have bought a new knife that arrived near enough blunt out of the box was the MIKOV - 115-NH-6AK, a Czech made copy of the Victorinox 111mm Forester costing around $31 and I had to have it sharpened at local cutlery store for $2.50.

[@imgadgetmanjim]

My sharpest was Murray Carter, White River(some), MtKnives, Spyderco, Survive Knives, CRK and TRM. I sharpen all knives I buy right out of the box except Murray Carter, MT knives, Survive Knives and CRK.

[@SoCalFreelance]

I purchased a Victorinox Swiss Army Evoke and Victorinox Swiss Army 2023 Alox Limited Edition Hunter Pro from KnifeCenter and in both cases I don't have the finger strength to press the backlock enough to fold the knife, I have to use the edge of a table. Am I an anomaly? Is there a trick to doing it? Or is this typical for Victorinox large folding knives?

[@JohnFrumFromAmerica]

It doesn't matter how sharp the factory edge is I always put my own edge on anyway the main thing is heat treatment and edge geometry.

[@bullridermusic2054]

I agree unless unless it's hair popping out the box.

[@sotoshark]

Kubey Knives are always sharp out of the box. The Kubey Drake with M390, at knife Center, I highly recommend.

[@TheIronwil]

Spyderco placed a screaming sharp edge on my PM2. My QSP Bison fixed blade is probably the sharpest out of the box I’ve ever seen. Can easily just push it through paper and shaves hair clean.

[@amirnayeb1332]

Hey DCA, big fan. I wanted you to do some budget lockbacks that are good quality too. I was looking into boker but I feel like their blade material is not the best Thanks!

[@chrisvinai9842]

Hey DCA, I'm a woodworker and as a result live in a world of dust when at work. I currently have a QSP Penguin for it's value pricing, (relatively) straight edge, and washers in the pivot. The handle, however, leaves a little to be desired. Can you recommend any other hard working washer based folders? I see plenty of stuff I like out there but ball bearings just won't work in the shop PS - awesome watch you wore to blade/shot shows. Seiko?

[@just9911]

Spyderco knives aren’t exactly cheap, but they have an excellent heat treat and can take many years of heavy use. They’re also some of the most ergonomic designs available. I’ve been using them for 20+ years, have yet to be disappointed.

[@MB-jg4tr]

Forget the folder and get a Morakniv Mora2000 if you're woodworking. Little over $30, great thin Scandinavian grind straight edge that bites into wood like a plain, with a thin tapering belly to the tip. Amazing handle. Quality stainless. It's one of the best tools I've found for woodworking. Thank me later.

[@just9911]

@@MB-jg4tr everyone should have at least one mora of one design or another.

[@MB-jg4tr]

@@just9911 indeed. High value tool that's inexpensive.

[@chrisvinai9842]

@@MB-jg4tr love Moras, I've got a few, but I'm looking for a more general purpose utility knife for the non-woodwork cutting needs around the shop. Cutting chord, packages/cardboard, pallet tiedowns, marking/scoring, etc...

[@Leftyotism]

I gotta say, that Opinel with the whistle is loud and fun indeed!

[@JerryLoffelbein]

For budget knives, Vosteed's been putting out some of the sharpest blades that me or my BESS sharpness tester have seen. I've got an average of 150 grams on them across 10 models tested. It'd be quite a bit lower, but the Thunderbird in S35VN was an outlier. Makes sense, the steel requires more time to refine than ingot steels do. Time is money, especially in the budget segment. 's why there's so many companies running M390 too soft, so they can save machining time... I've been happy with Spyderco's grinds. They're very neat and consistent, at least across their US and Japanese knives that I've seen. Their sharpnesses do vary quite a bit though. I've had several that scored 230 grams or higher lately (Enuff 2 in K390, Shaman in S90V and Ladybug in S30V as examples). They all took quite a bit of time to get a crazy sharp edge on them as it feels like they run their super steels harder than most, or possibly their heat treats end up with a higher percentage of carbides. Digression aside, once they're sharp, they usually stay that way.

[@PulledPurk]

I ordered a Hogue once. The tip of the blade was discolored like a rainbow, oilslick. Must have gotten too hot when they were grinding it.

[@chuckchuck350]

Hey how are y’all what knife would suggest for someone who has big hands and very sharp and holds a great edge thanks!

[@nonnobissolum]

No complaints about the sharpness of most of the knives that I purchase, although Finch seems sometimes a little bit weak. I have to say when it comes to worried about slicing my finger open straight out-of-the-box, Begleiter from Kizer seems to bite me everytime of LOL

[@fatkido1369]

The cutout on Bowles is more of a sharpening choir or a Choke up point when the Choil is Large enough

[@jay-ai-em3025]

Hi DC and Thomas! I love the show and love traditional knives. Lately all good traditional knives are hard to get (GEC for example) or are subpar quality....do you have any recommendations in the $100 range for a nice wood handled traditional Knives? (Barlow or Sodbuster models preferred) please no CASE knives (bad quality)

[@staceyroberts9177]

I have always had good luck with Cold Steel for sharpness right out of the box.

[@danmartinez1390]

Hey guys, I’ve been watching your channel for a while and I’ve bought quite a few of your recommendations. What is your recommendation for best titanium knife for the money? As of now I don’t have any.

[@markdamon77]

How do you feel about TKell's Nickle Boron process?

[@samspade2104]

Hi DCA! Love you and your videos, love Thomas, and love that other guy with the mustache. KnifeCenter videos keep me going. Thank you! Anyway, here are few data points. By the way, I am not an expert. I own Buck, Case, Boker, Bark River, Benchmade, and Spyderco. In terms of sharpness out of the box, every Bark River that I have, from Bravo 1 to Crusader, has been ridiculously sharp. There are unmolested pieces of paper in my apartment that still haven't recovered from the trauma of seeing the delivery of a Bark River knife. But here is the interesting point: I have Spyderco knives in K390, VG-10 and LC200N. All of them are great knives and great steels, but my Police 4 in VG-10 was insanely sharp out of the box - a huge knife that cut like a surgeon's scalpel. I'm afraid to have cross words with a knife that sharp. VG-10 - who knew? P.S. My Benchmade in D2 was so sharp that, when the blade fell on my finger during closing, I thought I would have to go to the ER. Did I mention that the blade simply _fell_ on my finger? Thanks, again. Love you guys!

[@bobhabsolute4995]

Hi DCA, There’s a lot of knives with minor flaws. Among them, what are the ones that offer the best deal with easy fixing? Thanks!

[@Migh7yb00sh]

My qsp penguin in s35vn ($65 steal knifecenter exclusive) was a razor. My cold steel ad15 in s35vn also came in super super sharp. Neither of my benchmades (bugout and griptilian, both in s30v) were sharp. The griptilian was particularly bad. But once I sharpened, they’ve been great. Also, nice editing with the link to the sharpening vid. Timing was crisp.

[@bullridermusic2054]

Yes, my penguin was unreal. Hair popping right out the box.

[@georgecook5120]

Hello KC crew! What are the considerations when choosing a steel for one of your exclusives? Of course intended use is taken into account but with that known, you still have a myriad of options from which to choose. When selecting the steel, is it based upon some detailed checklist or is it as simple as taking whatever the manufacturer has the most of on hand?

[@mhannixd541]

I agree that Civivi, on the budget side, comes with excellent factory edge. For the price, you get sharp and even grinds. All my 3 spydercos are also great. Worse among my knives out of the box - Benchmade. 4 out of my 5 knives from BM have questionable factory sharpening. Only the mini-crooked river was acceptable.

[@1Rat_Enjoyer]

Hey DCA, Seth, and disembodied voice who really likes reverse tantos. I have a pilot in my life and I’d really like to get him a pocket knife as a gift but I’m having difficulty finding plane-ish knives. It doesn’t have to be practical for flying, just plane themed. Budget around 200 bucks but I’m willing to go a little higher, thanks!

[@daveshikingandbiking8274]

Best factory edge I've ever had would be TOPS and I have several of these and all razor sharp!

[@chrisdunn2934]

Hello DCA and Thomas! I was recently made aware of walk and talk knives. It seems to me they are specific to slip joints. Having only grown up with Case and SAK slip joints I never really noticed much walk and talk from them. What are some knives or knife brands that have really good walk and talk?

[@bryce83]

DCA and Tomás! I'm new to the hobby and so far can only boast the CRKT CEO and Spyderco Tenacious lightweight in my collection. With so many options, what would be a great next big step up? Do I simply go on price point or should I be focusing on a different metric to choose my next knife? Muchas gracias amigos

[@johncrea9395]

Frankly would be interesting if you have access to an Edge-on-Up testing setup, run a video where you actully test and report sharpness out of the box on a bunch of off the shelf knives John

[@danrussell9357]

Hogue has very sharp edges from the factory. Their Extrak is my favorite knife, and with M4 steel it stays sharp.

[@TheIronwil]

What knife OEM’s have the best fit and finish? My favorites are WE Knives and REATE.

[@dailygearguide]

Spyderco sitting right next to the Sebenza and you didn’t include it with the sharpest factory edges? 🤔 they come with better edges than all 3 on the table you listed today. 😅

[@paullambert4445]

The sharpest factory edges I’ve ever bought were from Helle and Martiini. To this day I have never re-sharpened them. Just stroped them. I use them both. Every pocket knife, even Spyderco I have had to sharpen. 🔪🎸

[@Schecter311]

What is a more modern/upgraded sodbuster jr?

[@stevebrown7190]

TRM has some sharp edges out of the box. My Atom and Neutron 2 were both excellent. Spyderco is a close second.

[@BBGinCDM]

Second that. My N2 was sharpest of any new knife ootb.

[@daveyboy6985]

The sharpest knife I've ever felt from its box, is a falkeniven f1 that my brother bought for his son. Scary sharp.

[@rafeer896]

Hey guys I was wondering about knives that have brass or copper handles they look nice and the patina they build also is fun, but they make your hand smell terrible. Is there anything that can be done to address this. If not I don’t think I could own one.

[@joependleton6714]

My buck 110 and microtech were both surgical sharp. My SOG Pentagon was dull

[@drews8585]

Hogue deka, most benchmade ones are good but absolute best edge i own is a cruwear PM2. The thing is like a scalpel!

[@PoetFisherman]

Kizer Towser K Serape series would also be a great loud, fun, non-tactical knife.

[@shotzy87]

Kizer is where its at. I've got the Kizer Cabox for my edc and talk about hair popping sharp🤘🤘

[@palmerconnelly]

Despite what people say, I’ve never had a Benchmade without a perfectly ground and razor sharp. My Bailout 537’s secondary tanto edge was mirror polished out of the box

[@Knifemandan]

I suggest adding a few chives to that soup they provide a sharp contrast to the pointed flavor of a leek

[@sethshockey1114]

DCA, if you had to pick 1 brand to go with for all your knife needs, which brand?

[@boyscout399]

I think the crjb pyrite is a great budget bugout competitor too