All About Pocket Knives

OK folks, here's one that may or may not cause a lot of debate. But, what makes a good knife, with regards to the materials of construction. Not looking for manufacturers or makers. What type of blade material, liners, bolsters, springs, handle materials, etc. I have a few knives but no concern was given to construction. You can go to THE auction site and find thousand's of knives with construction details, both new and old, expensive and cheap. Help a novice out here. Thanx

tjmurphy wrote:OK folks, here's one that may or may not cause a lot of debate. But, what makes a good knife, with regards to the materials of construction. Not looking for manufacturers or makers. What type of blade material, liners, bolsters, springs, handle materials, etc. I have a few knives but no concern was given to construction. You can go to THE auction site and find thousand's of knives with construction details, both new and old, expensive and cheap. Help a novice out here. Thanx

Being new I am curious to.

I have a Buck 301 and the spring tension opening and closing is very smooth but light in comparison to Rough Rider which has twice the spring tension of the Buck. I know its false security and either will close during use if used improperly but the Rough Rider seems more secure although it seems more likely to cause an accident during opening do to the strong spring tension. I remember my Dad's pocket knives (case - old timer) being somewhere in between.

Your question is one that knife users and collectors have been fighting over for years. Some prefer stainless steels while others prefer carbon steels and still other damascus. Many prefer nickle silver or stainless over brass or aluminum for bolsters. Some prefer heavy springs, other prefer......well you get the picture.

I really boils down to 2 things. Your preference and the task at hand. If you are a sea diver and around salt water constantly, then you are obviously going to prefer a stainless knife over carbon. If you are a casual user who don't mind a little maintanence, you may prefer a carbon steel blade.

There are just too many different variables to pin down the best steel, handle material, bolster material, etc. as to any thing being the best.

It's like buying a rig. If you need a rig that you can haul a bunch of stuff in all the time, then your obvious choice would be at minimum a suv or better yet a pickup. If all you need is a cheap running, easy riding rig to get you around, then you may be better suited with a car. Is either one any better than the other? No. The reason, they both serve their intended purpose and do it really well. So, therefore there is no one perfect vehicle, instead there are different ones to meet different needs, likes, taste, etc.

It's the same with knives. It's been debated as long as I can remember and will probably always be.

Since you state you are new, I would suggest reading everything you can about how knives are constructed. This forum is a great starting place. Buy some books on knifemaking and read them. Learn the difference between the different steels and other materials used in making knives. Then, you will have a better knowledge on what you are buying and can make a better informed decision on what is best for your own situation.

Good Luck!

A: A sharp one!