Many of us here on BLF have or are growing a collection of knives. Since we are BLFers, many of us have a fascination (and collection) of budget knives. No need really to define the category of “budget.” (A wise CPA once told me that each and every one of us consumers defines our own levels of poverty and luxury!) In fact, even that topic, like many of the topics surrounding budget knives, creates wonderfully productive discussion.
This new thread is owed solely to the origination and stewardship by KaiserSosa of a more narrowly titled (but content rich) thread named “Medford Praetorian Clone….” He and many others generated a wealth of research, pictures, descriptions, sources and opinions which are a store of wealth. Please read it! Medford Praetorian Clone....
Soooooooooooo, here we go! All things Budget Knives!
Based on valuable comments I read over on the Medford Praetorian thread Medford Praetorian Clone.... and studiously reading descriptions of Sanrenmu and Elan Bee knives on FastTech, Amazon and AliExpress, I am awaiting delivery of:
Sanrenmu 6261,
7078MUX-GVK,
F3-723,
7073LUC-SK, and
GR5-605.
Enlan Bee M024A,
M025,
EM01,
EL04-MCT, and
M028
M024A.
Harnds Knight CK6013.
Can’t help that I enter a new interest (of any kind, really) with slow, gradual and measured acquisition habits!!
All very good choices, I’d have swapped the Harnds KnightCK6013, (it’s a Kershaw Volt11 without the Assisted Opening), note the similarity.
for the Harnds Viper 6015 and included any of the Enlan/Bee EL-01’s and included a SanRenMu 710/7010 of some kind. Just personal choice.
Don’t be surprised if the 6261 comes badged as a Land, it was the higher end SanRenMu at one time. it has the best, along with the 763/7063, Axis style locks to come out of China, smooth and not too strong Ω springs.
M024A. :bigsmile:
Great start and a decent collection as it stands.
I had hoped that you’d make it onto this thread!!!
[For you readers, 8steve88 was and is a vital contributor to “Medford Praetorian Clone….” at Medford Praetorian Clone..... Again, your time in reading that thread is invaluable!]
I have looked at it. Seems to be a woderfully proportioned longer blade (90mm/3.54”) which are under-represented in my overall knife collection. Most of mine are ~ 3”.
However, I am a bit hesitant with “rocker” studs. I have a CRKT Lerch Enticer (1060) which is knock-out beautiful. BUT the “rocker” stud is awkward to manipulate, is precariously attached by a very tiny screw and rubs my thumb to irritation when I fail to accomplish the flip. As of now, I much prefer flipper and stud mechanisms for opening.
[Above is my first feeble attempt to post pictures on BLF. Any recommendations?
It’s not exactly cheap. I have one (thanks Air Force!), but I’d like to have an automatic switchblade that didn’t cost so much so I wouldn’t worry about breaking/losing it.
I don’t really want an “assisted” open knife, and I figured I could use being on active duty to get around restrictions on buying a switchblade.
Failing that, a good folder that can be opened easily by flicking it open would be great.
You might start by looking at the Kershaw or CRKT lines. For those, "budget" is $25 - $80. I have representative samples of both lines, both assisted and unassisted. Your choices of blade shapes, handle metals, scales and blade steel types. My opinion: You won't regret a Kershaw or CRKT for the money. My first Kershaw was a OSO Sweet (designed by Ken Onion), an assisted opener, 3.13" blade, and a cost of ~ $25. I now give them as gifts!
As for Sanrenmu, Enlan, etc., I defer to others on this thread for recommendations.
I know what you mean, I didn’t like the thumb discs at all when I first used thgem, now I look at them like a thumb stud that’s mounted high, at least the scales don’t obscure them, usually.
You could always take the disc off and mount an aftermarket stud. USAKnifemaker stocks them
And you could fit it into the gap left by the thumb disc.
CRKT are an interesting company, lots of collaborations with top makers means more people can sample their work at a reasonable cost.
The only one I can think of at the moment that looks remotely like it is the Ganzo G702 not an auto or assisted or even a flipper.
The Ganzo G719-B is an auto though, available in black or green.
That G719-B is what I was talking about - I didn’t really mean a duplicate of the Benchmade, but just a budget automatic.
I had a knife in my teenage years that was fairly hefty in the blade section, and you could open it with just a flick of the wrist. Most of the cheap ones that I’ve held have too much friction and/or the blade’s too light to try that.
No problem. There’s this out the front automatic as well but a bit more expensive.
Forgot to say, FastTech are taking a break for Chinese New Year - Details. They won’t be working normally, I buy most of my knives from China so I ordered a few while they were still shipping.
I’ve just ordered a SanRenMu 7010 blackwashed from a Netherlands shop Knives and Tools/edenwebshops- cost £17 - $26 but it’s branded Eden Web Shop, different.
I’m interested in the models that have been tried and are of high quality and have been verified to have the steel listed . Also the stores that have good reviews. Put that all in the first post.
Any Enlan EL-01, Harnds Viper and Blazer, Ganzo G720, probably the best made Ganzo yet. Any SanRenMu that you like the look of. Navy, I don’t have any. FastTech is my first choice for the lowest prices on most knives. I recommend them a lot but I have no link to them other than a satisfied customer.
All the stores I have dealtwith on AliExpress have been very good even when things go wrong. - Money back with no quibble when a knife went astray.
I’ve bought from Run On Rock before with no problems, good email - replies quickly.
Exduct used to be good but his prices have gone up and his attitude to customers down. Still has some hard to find knives but he knows it and bumps his prices up.
If you are in the U.S.A. then Amazon and Ebay but they don’t sell knives in the U.K. The exception is if the knives ship from China and the vendor will sell off Amazon.
Morakniv Companion. Not much to look at, but that is one effective tool. High carbon steel that can be razor sharp and stay sharp longer than stainless steal, great grippy handle, and in a very handy size. All for $10 to $15. Blade is not black normally. The blade below was force tarnished.
A couple of assisted openers you might want to look at, the Kershaw Chive - small but very quick opening and the Ganzo G620 - I have six of them (one in each style) and only one wouldn’t open by the spring, a strip and clean had it opening as normal.
Enlan EL-01 flipper, with a flick of the wrist opens fine, EL-04MCT I can open by the weight of the blade, it didn’t come like that, a clean and omega spring adjustment, it surprised me how quick it could open.
If the friction is too high then adjust the pivot and give it a few drops of oil, stripping and cleaning makes a big difference, more so if you take the time to flatten the washers, the scales and blade where they bear with wet/dry. The pivot can usually be got to a sweet spot where it’s free but without blade play.
Make sure the spring is free to move without binding on scales or liners, some manufacturers put too much grease in with the spring and it gets sticky.
If you are looking for an assisted blade, the Kershaw Speed Bump 1595G10 is very tough to beat. It will open flipper only or wrist only. It was USA made with Sandvik steel (this is my preferred version and I still carry one years later) blades but is now made in China with a blade made of 8cr13mov and it’s still under $30 delivered.
The best big budget folders that I own are the Lansky Responder, Boker Uolcos and Spyderco Resilience . All are 4 inches or more. All will open with just a flick.
