The American Made Pocketknives of Nick's Permanent Collection

[@dergepard572]

Hello Mr.Shabazz, i come from Germany and i buy USA Made knives, because I trust them more than anyone else . And i learned in German Steelindustrie. But the US-Steelindustrie is verry good. Especially the powder metallurgical US steels are outstanding. Your KZbin channel is excellent and always fun to watch. I wish you a good hunting success when collecting knives.They understand, sometimes you're lucky to buy and sometimes not. 😊😞😊😞😊😞😊😞😊😞😊😞😊😞😊😞 Stay as you are, Mr. Shabazz. Sincerely, The cheetah🐆

[@match1050]

That Mnandi story is a heart warmer. I love this community.

[@vikingplumber9541]

That custom Benchmade Barrage is my favorite! It carries such providence in knife history. I envision, "Pawn Stars 2099" this knife was custom made for an Icon in the community of the "golden age of knife collecting", back in the early internet days... Chumlee the Third, "I'll give you 200 bitcoin"...

[@PaulMunkoTV]

So happy to see that you like the Spaced Out Bugout enough to keep it around longterm! Plenty more where that came from :)

[@kevinfitz3721]

Excellent collection! And speaking of knives my CRK small 31 box elder burl with the blasted handles just came in today and loving it!

[@alisuperhornet]

That pena custom trapper is a beauty

[@profesorEDC]

Nicolás great American made collection😊👍

[@weirdmusicmixmaster]

Forgot about that space bugout, one of the most beautiful knives ive ever seen

[@geico1975]

The Buck 110, yes I've been considering buying one just to have. I don't think I'd use it much, but if I'm collecting knives I should probably get one is pretty much my thoughts on it.

[@jeffcanyafixiy]

After many years of owning, collecting folders I finally bought a 940. I finally get why it got so much hype. Just love it. Ohhh, ahhh Tactile is looking very promising. Stay safe, stay sharp 👍🇺🇸👍🔪

[@airadaimagery692]

It’s so awesome

[@Phaminator525]

Imo 940 is overrated af. I just sold mine after a year of carrying it. No doubt the feel of the deployment is like no other. But the actual performance of the knife is terrible. Doesn't do anything good and on top of that mine came with shitty blade centering and blade play. I payed $200 for it and was disappointed. The reason I sold it was because I carried a Kershaw dividend my friend gifted to me for one day and it worked way better than the 940.

[@airadaimagery692]

@@Phaminator525 opinions are like butt holes. Everyone has them, and they all stink!

[@Phaminator525]

@@airadaimagery692 I mean some of the stuff I said is fact. The dividend is a better cutter and slicer than the 940. The only thing 940 does better is prying , and you shouldn't even use a knife for that lol.

[@codys5727]

Nick hit most of the best us makers but didn't remember hearing about or seeing Skiff or American bladeworks. Nonetheless a fantastic video and glad to see so much variety

[@Gambit166]

I try to only buy American made knives, but there are many foreign-made knives that are just better in fit & finish, materials used, prices, and value. A lot of American knife designers and even custom knife makers outsource their production to China and Taiwan. CIVIVI has taken over the budget market. No U.S.A. made pocketknife can compete in the budget category except some U.S.A. made knives made by Kershaw, but most Kershaws have assisted opening mechanism that many knife buyers do not like. We need more U.S.A. made knives that fall into the budget category.

[@mattlombardi54]

I have a civivi elementum with dyed g10 handles and a black s30vn blade and i carry it a lot. For the price you get a good amount of knife. More budget friendly U.S.A knives is most welcome and needed if they want to compete. The most recent knife I bought that was U.S.A made was a para3 g10 s45vn. The price difference is huge but I also notice a better more sturdy feel to the para3. Still feel that para3 could be priced a tiny bit lower.

[@Phaminator525]

CIVIVI is ok. Not really a fan of their designs. Had 2 elementums and sold both of them. Action didn't stay smooth forever and needed maintenance. Whereas my Kershaw dividend has never failed me.

[@strongside4565]

@@mattlombardi54 The Para3 is fair enough in price. On the secondary market you can expect to get one for around $100. I just got the M4 sprint run one for $122 and I love it. I have yet to find a knife better suited for me at work in terms of it being really lightweight and totally out of my way while still being plenty of knife when I need it.

[@strongside4565]

@@Phaminator525 I've never liked the fact that CiVIVI hits that budget mark by forging really thin blades. It turned me off to some designs I initially really liked from them. That being said, I've never had luck with Kershaw.

[@clintonlewis1261]

Nice collection 👌 👍

[@Shanes_Sharp_Sheet]

Thanks Nick, I feel like we need a little focus on the U.S. of the A right now....we should and need to do a little better with buying American made products.

[@gaberoo9099]

Right on! Both us consumers and knife makers (I wish knife makers made a better effort to supply the affordable/budget folder market: if only more companies followed products like Kershaw's US made Link, Launch series and Bareknuckle with supersteel bladed versions under 100$ or even regular versions with 14C28N steel...even if these supersteels should be better heat-treated).

[@Phaminator525]

@@gaberoo9099 yeah Kershaws lineup is second to none. Sold my Benchmade 940 for a Kershaw dividend m390. Never regretted it one bit. Imo Kershaw is better than Benchmade. My 940 was terrible, blade centering was shit, had blade play and fit and finish were garbage. Kershaw always has their shit on point

[@gaberoo9099]

@@Phaminator525 Thanks BBR. Do you find Kershaw's heat treatment good/decent? I'm referring to their treatment of steels like M390, S110V, D2, and 20CV (I have Kershaws in all of those steels). If so, then they are an absolute bargain as I've paid anywhere from 59 to 90$ for these...none have come close to even 100$.

[@gaberoo9099]

@@Phaminator525 Sorry to have to ask these questions but I am just starting to sharpen my own knives and have very little personal experience to get any "feel" for how good heat treats on knives are. Thanks in advance!

[@Phaminator525]

@@gaberoo9099 in my experience Kershaws heat treats are just as good as Spyderco or Benchmade. Except Kershaws are way better built than Benchmade. Think of it this way, Kershaw is ZT which is a high end knife company. ZT just makes Kershaws knives in titanium framelocks and carbon fiber, Kershaws are the same thing but with normal materials

[@pauldayton5285]

My two favorite EDC knives are the Spyderco Manix 2XL & the S.O.G. Seal XR Flipper. I try to only buy & use Made in the 🇺🇸 product's.

[@HowardRB]

Nick, it's clear to see that you are a "tip up" carrier as seen by your table display. You demonstrated in a previous video on the "pocketknife clips" the contour of the handle curve carried to give pocket clearance. As you begin to pick up the knives and open them [this video], you have to flip each knife over in order to operate the knifes action. I would really like to know why you believe the tip up carry is best in your opinion. A demonstration from your pocket would be ideal. I have a Spyderco. I have seen your various collections and you own several. I am a retired firefighter-paramedic and a pocket knife was a "never leave home without it" item, up there with car keys and ID. Spyderco, as with all other flipper style knives, has the action device at the pivot end. My question is, Why would you bury the knife's action at the bottom of your pocket? In a tactical drawl you want the action device in your finger tips ASAP. In my opinion no other knife delivers it's action device more superiorly and noticably than the Spyderco's signature hole. But in a tip up carry you bury that hole in the bottom of your pocket making a tactical drawl delayed. In a tip down carry with a Spyderco, hole acquisition is immediate. If you practice grabbing the knife by the hole, the subsequent pull by the hole will automatically open the knife with the handle into you palm and the blade pointing forward ready to go *into action. I responded to many self inflicted *accidental gunshot wounds, but never to a tip down carry self inflicted knife wound (nor for a tip up carry to be fair) This one feature alone governs my pocket knife purchase choice. Love your videos !

[@joshuaanderson7511]

You answered your own question. Tip down is for you but for many people like nick they dont draw their knife and have seconds to react to something. So instead they can just pull the knife out and have it automatically positioned for use with a small wiggle instead of flipping around.

[@HowardRB]

@@joshuaanderson7511 Thanks Joshua, but my question was for Nick to answer. I know my rational. I wanted his. He obviously has influence with his reviews and should be able to field questions like mine.

[@admiraljosh]

@@HowardRB It sounds like you carry tip down and with blade opening away from yourself?

[@strongside4565]

I've been lusting for a Shaman for a while, but I want either the Cru-Wear one with the canvas micarta scales or the rosewood one. Both are tough to find and both are almost always over $300. Maybe one day Spyderco will make shamans in something other than black.

[@johnny3652]

No Hinderer?

[@gotshpilkes]

I stopped looking for the perfect EDC knife when I found the Spyderco Native 5. The only mod is the deep carry pocket clip.

[@guerillamike5150]

I appreciate the bravery it takes to handle and flip open thousand dollar knives above a bed of slightly less expensive knives. It was like being at an air show hoping nobody crashes.

[@dscmatr]

We support the home team Nick!

[@euphoniumguy5smith]

I'm not jealous, you're jealous.. Thanks for the video, Nick!

[@Gambit166]

Interesting. No Koenig, Hinderer, Microtech, or Zero Tolerance in this video. I do love me some TRM knives. So well built at a somewhat affordable price. Just really hard to obtain if you missed their small drops and don't want to pay secondary market prices.

[@NickShabazz]

Koenig is mentioned, and Hinderer just hasn’t made a 3” non flipper XM-18 I can buy.

[@Gambit166]

@@NickShabazz You might've mentioned Koenig, but no Koenig knife appeared in the video. You don't like the 3.5" XM-18 Skinny Slicers? Those are somewhat available through DLT Trading every few months and through the secondary market. I agree that the 3" XM-18 are way too rare and need to be produced more often.

[@NickShabazz]

Once they get mini Ariuses out there, I’m in. And agreed!

[@1312020m]

Im a little surprised you dont have a Buck Marksman variant in the permanent collection. Its IMO the best knife Buck makes by a wide margin.

[@mr.e9017]

Agreed. Gray Ghost👍

[@NMiller_]

So want to get a Sebenza. Moved to ID two years ago and have since decided that Knives are the chief export, not potatoes. Buck, Chris Reeves, Medford, Tops, Pirahna.

[@granthaller9544]

I am from Boise and have several Chris Reeves knives. My small Sebenza is carried the most. I have bought some custom knives at the Idaho Knife show (held each year in August.) My knives are virtually all American made, but I prefer to got even more local and buy Idaho made. I am originally from PA, though, so I have a few Case knives.

[@thejuicer9706]

Excellent

[@marcvanberlo4936]

Love that 110

[@bruceleroy8063]

That BM zombie is a very good thing.

[@Tankman333]

the pena much much class

[@dangerfeild4Life]

I hadn’t seen the Trash Oper8or before 😂

[@IchNixHabenUsername]

Sold the mini-bugout?

[@user-ms5gt1kd6p]

HOW MUCH FOR THE TABLE?!! :)

[@samrinehart3035]

Beautiful collection! Are you wearing a Batman cowl? 15:39

[@mattlombardi54]

Welcome to the knife world, here’s your para 2 🤣.

[@dantem5228]

Para 2 doesn't exist.

[@christopherrogers7584]

You sold the ti-lock?

[@justhereforgear3441]

No one stirs my juices like you, Nick! Er wait...

[@CoordinatedCarry]

Grail American made knife for me is a USA made Cold Steel 4Max. Until then I’ll go for a ZT 0308.

[@tonyzhangnz]

What about quiet carry?

[@NickShabazz]

All of them are made overseas.

[@tonyzhangnz]

@@NickShabazz interesting

[@iam1ee]

Agree with the para 2. It is the welcome knife haha

[@h545-k9m]

That barrage is what happens when the Z-Hunter team gets drunk and breaks into the Benchmade factory

[@wupwop]

Heck yeah

[@mattlombardi54]

I actually have a sedulo, I like it except for the blade centering. It was not centered at all, a blind man could’ve seen it, it was really that bad. Other than that it’s been great for camping.

[@ParamountPocket]

And i completely made a mistake on thinking that barrage was Z hunter! 😂 I remember now

[@Jezus42]

At first glance I thought that was the zombie hunter too.

[@mattlombardi54]

Yea same here, thought it was a sentimental Z lol. I should have known better lol.

[@Tankman333]

i made the same fool out of myself and even got a like

[@ParamountPocket]

Did you realize it was the barrage before he actually got to the barrage though? 😂

[@gaberoo9099]

Hahahahaha...the "way of the beast"...love it!!!

[@lcurtsinger4313]

They might try saying something like made or assembled. In USA of some globally sourced parts, it works in other industries, really says something about character of company there not trying to fool anyone

[@21RIP]

I was right. I says USA but same thing! Thanks Nick

[@Ryan_the_tinz]

"Stir your patriotic juices" 🤣 Also, no Hinderer?

[@commanderosis435]

I love my Doug Ritter hogue.

[@Ortez02]

The whippersnapper doesn’t count as an American knife. Yes, I know geography doesn’t dictate quality, but if it wants to be called American, then every part of the process has to be done here. From sourcing the materials, to the people working on the knife, to manufacturing, and so on and so forth.

[@brose04008]

Heh. You say “these are not for sale” as though saying so will actually stave off inquiries.

[@justadudefrom97]

Where are your hinderers Nick? Why 😢

[@СветославДимитров-з3ш]

Shame on him...

[@AlohaBlade]

Soft detent? Nice to look at but heavy and not the great flipping action you’d expect for the money. Nick likes a crisp action.

[@justadudefrom97]

@@AlohaBlade that's not true at all, besides the slightly heavy part, okay yeah, but its still not bad. The detents have been fixed for years, so unless its a gen 4 or before (which did have soft detents) the detent on the newer hinderers are actually good to go.

[@AlohaBlade]

knifeguy it’s true for me. You compare them amongst generations and I compare them to better actions on other flippers.

[@СветославДимитров-з3ш]

@@AlohaBlade hinderers are iconic knives for 🇺🇸... And that is for reason...

[@pauljosephbuggle3722]

There is something wrong with an industry based on creating false demands and price increases through sprint runs and add on expensive scales and clips. It's based on milking a design to death through one particular knife basically competing with itself. Not only does Soyderco do this but also overcharges for plastic knives made in China with design flaws. I am not that clear on "made in the US versus assembled in the US". And I certainly don't accept that American knives are higher priced just because. That US made knives are better quality is nonsense. Spyderco's Taiwan made knives have generally better quality. The "made in America" thingy is just marketing, unfair trading and prejudice without scientific evidence. We the world buy and appreciate American knives when the quality and pricing are right. Most of us don't bat for our home teams, because we play football. So God bless America (although I can't see why God would particularity want to bat for the US).

[@spydercoslacker7466]

Calm down buddy, time and a place.

[@ParamountPocket]

Hey look at that i was right!

[@mj1653]

Gets comped popular hard to get knives and tells us to stop whining about availability - every KZbin reviewer. 🤷‍♂️ I’ll have some cheese now 😉

[@dirtbagel]

I mean, I get comped and loaned many things because of my job \_(ツ)_/ ̄ be a knife reviewer if you want free things! What kind of cheese are we getting?

[@valerianthemackiii5896]

👈🤓 This guy! I'm tellin ya? Brovo!

[@ncsEsper]

Consistent quality > country of production.

[@DamasKriss]

I am conflicted. China puts out cheaper and better quality traditional blades than Case does, that being said, i hate supporting China. Seeing as how they'd love to see US downfall.

[@michaelmechex]

Exactly. Except if you want to support local economy and keep the employment rate high. I’m not from the us though and my country has zero knife companies, so I don’t give two shits about it.

[@csquared4538]

What's wrong with complaining? It's stupid how people react to complaining and I don't like it.

[@NickShabazz]

🤣. Here’s your 🧀

[@valerybuggle]

Im an effort over geography guy. Batting for the home species is my take on this. The American knive industry basically produces the same knives in different steels and sizes. The sprint runs are a con job for steel nuerotics. There are exceptions but most of your stuff is the same. So stop the American bs and start looking around the world and giving some time to new innovation designs and new designers.

[@spydercoslacker7466]

We vote for our home team just as you probably do for yours. Don’t take it personally.