Thanks David. I understand the issues with large folders and fixed blades, but still cannot understand how they could let their most popular small folders run out of stock for so long.
For the Tekut LK5033E, there is no money clip, no lanyand hole, not suit for EDC; for the Aluminum Handle, it is not textured, so it feels not safe to hold it (it may slip when your hand sweats).
for the Ceramic Material, yes, it is easier to break than steel . but it is as sharp as steel (or more sharper) and it lasts longer for cutting. and it never rust. so it depends on where you are going to use it.
I have no idea about the blade length, but the blade shape is pretty easy to explain. It's a rescue-knife shape, with a turned down tip so you can stick the knife's spine against skin in order to cut off clothing or a seatbelt pressed against someone's chest, or something of that nature. Basically if you need to cut something off of someone you want a shape like that, that's also why the blade bends upward in the middle, to give a higher cutting angle if you thrust it forward.
Yes that is quite a bit more expensive, but this is one in particular seems to be a pretty high-end knife. It's got a frame lock and even has the Rick Hinderer style washer against the frame lock to prevent overextension (the first time I've seen that on a Chinese design). Also the frame lock and pocket clip look good, as does the machined G10 which should provide a good grip as it's more rounded than the flat G10 we usually see.
This is certainly the most "high-end" knife we've seen from Enlan, although I would have liked them not to have it be so heavy (almost 6 oz.) as a result of that solid steel frame. But yes, it's almost 3x the price of the EL-01 which is a much better value. I feel a fair price for this new knife would be about $20, as opposed to $10-$15 of other Enlan knives. At $30 it's the same price as the Spyderco Tenacious. This one might actually be nicer than the Tenacious, but only if the fit and finish are nearly flawless.
Also there are good copies of the Strider SMF and Chris Reeve Sebenza 21 from China for about $60 shipped. While I don't condone the copying aspect, they are still much nicer than this Enlan from a materials point of view (real Titanium and D2 steel). I feel like these new knives are in a kind of "no-man's land" of bad value. Either people want a super cheap Chinese knife for $10-$20 which can be great value (SRM 710, Enlan EL-01) or they will spend more money and get an American brand or high-quality copy of a very high-end American knife. I don't see the market niche for a $30 folder shipped direct from China.