ALL THINGS BUDGET KNIVES

No problem.

By the way, there's a link in my signature on how to post pics.

Posting pics is pretty important for a sales thread.

Thanks. And, Absolutely! I learned how to post pics a couple weeks ago from your thread actually! It was very helpful, defintely helped me sell a light and show my knife of the day off :smiley: thanks!

I used to really enjoy assisted knives. I remember making the jump from traditionals and SAKs sometime in the late 90s. Opening a knife with one hand and having it snap open reliably was a game-changer for me. I carried different brands but Kershaw was king. I had an assisted knife in my pocket most days until just a few years ago. What changed is that great manual actions drifted down in price and became widely available.

The only assisted knife I still ever carry is my M390 Dividend. That's mostly because it's a thin tip-down flipper that's perfect for shirt-pocket carry. I'd replace it if I saw a good manual alternative. I've really come to prefer the feel of a good manual action. They can snap open reliably and close more gently. They're simpler, easier to maintain, and I never have to worry about replacing a torsion bar.

I bought four manual flippers, and only one of them opens one-handed very well, so now all I get are assisted-openers.

...

I'm going to quit getting 3Cr13/4Cr14 knives.

I think I only have one or two of those knives, and I don't need any more.

I’m just curious, which manual flippers have you tried? I’ve had budget flippers down to about $30 that flipped extremely well. The now discontinued CRKT Ruger LCK is one, also the Ruike P801 (108?) is also a good budget flipper.

Looks like I exaggerated...

I only have four:

Gocomma 7.7cm D2 blade and a G10 handle

Gocomma 8.9cm D2 blade and a G10 handle

Ganzo FH11, with a carbon fiber handle.

Ruike P801

The only one that opens like I want it to is one of the Gocommas.

And I bought one other knife in that quest, but it wasn't a flipper.

Plus, I got another Gocomma, but it turned out to be an assisted-opener.

I bought 3 of the Limited Edition CRKT M-16FK (only 500 produced) and just wondering what would be the current market value of the M-16FK with CF handle and 3 7/8” AUS 8 blade?
Can’t seem to find anything of Ebay.

You put one of them on ebay for $1, set a minumum selling price, see what happens.

Another knife with fake M390 stamp, usd 22.
LEMIFSHE M390 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000904690024.html

:heart_eyes:

Bummer racoon that they didn’t flip the way you would like.

I stayed off the gocomma wagon, as they just don’t appeal to my eyes.

And I don’t mind a nice assisted flipper, I think I have a few.

Not planning to sell yet. Just wondering what the flipper is worth.

If I was going to sell, it will on to buyers in Canada due to CBSA knife laws.

Two of the Gocomma knives that I bought were excellent value for money, but they are no longer available on Gearbest.

I think "Gocomma" is a Gearbest brand, by the way.

They're all I buy anymore.

It's a shame I don't like manual openers because I could save a lot of money on each knife and have more knives to choose from.

I bought one (M16-14FK), 1 of 500, on Ebay two years ago. Used but in new condition (I collect CRKTs - 200+ so far - this knife is absolutely mint), paid $46 + $4 shipping. Don’t recall seeing another one since then.

Great thanks that is a big help Jeff.

I'm glad to hear it. There is whole world of EDC excitement waiting for you. Not only are there much better manual flippers, there are much better budget steels. (Those GoCommas are not real D2. The most popular one here turned out to be a rebranded Petrified Fish in 8Cr.) I'm sure we could come up with a bunch of recommendations.

Why not splurge on one of the Civivi knives in 9Cr18Mov? For instance, the Baklash is a fantastic EDC knife with good action and a better budget steel. From Civivi or Real Steel, 9Cr18Mov is a noticeable step up from 8Cr13Mov and will cut circles around the lesser members of that series. I honestly prefer it to D2. If you want real D2 though, try one of the entry-level Bestechs like the Texel. In my experience, Bestech offers some of the best manual action for the money.

If you like shopping on AliExpress, the Harnds Talisman has a wonderful action, a comfortable handle, and a nice blade. It's only AUS-8 but in my experience, it's a little better than your average 8Cr13Mov. I'm sure there are other gems that people here can recommend.

Sorry, but as I keep on saying on BLF, I'm done buying manual flippers.

I bought four and only one opened like I wanted it to.

I'm very happy with assisted-openers.

Most of them that I buy I actually like.

Isn’t 440C, AUS-8 and 9CR18MOV practical same? 154CM is a newer modified version of 440C and should be some better. And 14C28N is much better than 9CR18MOV. If you can take care of the knife, it takes minimal of effort, D2 is still the budget king.

I hear you. I’m just saying. That’s kind of like a friend telling you they don’t like wine because they tried Thunderbird, Night Train, and Wild Irish Rose; or they don’t like comedies because they watched Disaster Movie, Scary Movie 5, and Leonard Part 6.

Well, maybe it’s not that extreme. :stuck_out_tongue: It’s just that the joy of a good manual flipper is totally worth experiencing. It’s something that brings me happiness on a regular basis. I’d hate to see you give up before experiencing it for yourself.

No. Here are the compositions of 440C, AUS-8, and 9Cr18Mov compared:

http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=AUS-8%2C440C%2C9Cr18MoV&ni=4005,420,860&hrn=1&gm=0

Some of these differences are pretty straightforward, such as higher chromium levels giving 9Cr18Mov better corrosion resistance than AUS-8. However, there are other factors that affect the performance of a given steel. A big one is the heat treatment given to a particular steel. For instance, 440C can be pretty good with the right heat treatment but when run softer, edge retention can drop down to 8Cr13Mov levels.

The same is true of 9Cr18Mov. I had previously written off 9Cr18Mov as just being like 8Cr13Mov with better corrosion resistance because I'd only tried it from Schrade, CRKT, etc. Then I tried a Civivi and had my mind blown. Edge retention seemed on par with 14C28N. Now it's one of my favorite EDC steels.

Chinese D2 is another one that can vary from maker to maker. Generally, it's a good alternative to 8Cr13Mov. However, is it really better than 9Cr18Mov, 12C27, or 14C28N? (Its low corrosion resistance is a strike for me because summers are humid where I live and I tend to sweat.) Outpost 76 has explored this issue on YouTube. He does a lot of controlled cut testing and is a great resource for comparing knives and steels between manufacturers.