Benchmade vs Cold Steel - My Take...

If you tell them that you're interested in Spyderco/Cold Steel/Benchmade/Boker* level of quality, and they're still trying to sell you United Cutlery, they're doing you a disservice. Most United Cutlery is badly heat-treated 420J "Surgical Stainless" junk. You don't want to try to keep it sharp, and you don't want to trust your fingers to their locks. They also have a bad habit of ripping off other makers' designs and making copies with inferior materials.

They're cheap, and for the average user, they're OK. The average user won't do anything more strenuous than open an envelope or clean his fingernails with one. But if there's the chance you might have to fight with it, or if you put it through more chores than the average bear, go with the better names. I'd say those dealers are just trying to sell what they have in stock. It all depends on the dealer. They almost HAVE to carry UC and other low-quality products, because people want 'em (just like gun shops almost have to carry Lorcins and such because a lot of people want to buy those.)

*Not a complete list, I know. Nobody crucify me for leaving out your favorite, OK?
 
I bought a Voyager way back when Cold Steel first made them. After many years of abuse the clip finally broke. I decided to buy another, but this time I got the smaller one. This one stood me in good stead for about a year until I received a Ken Onion Chive for a present. This little knife is my favorite EDC knife. You can read George Hill’s review of the same basic knife elsewhere on AF/CQC. Absolute great knife. Simply because I like a little spice and variety in my life I have been planning on going back the original Voyager, but I haven’t done so yet. I guess what I am saying is that all these knives are great knives, but I can find no fault with the Cold Steel and I am happy to have several.

Another knife to consider is the SOG Vision.
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What follows is only my experience. I had a friend slice his finger to the bone when the lock on his SOG failed. Granted it was being “abused” but I expect better out of a knife. After seeing that happen I decided I would stay away from all SOGs.
 
If you send the voyager with the broken clip back they will most likely send you the new one with the screw attached clip.

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I am very picky about the kind of knife I carry for every day use and selfdefence. My curent favorite is a Benchmade "OSBORNE" I prefer it to the linner lock knives. This knife is very fast to get into action from the pocket, and it is totaly amidestorious which is very important to me because I am left handed and most linner locks are not lefthanded friendly. They cost over a hundred dollars but IMHO it is well worth the exta money. The only thing I would change is I am not that fond of ATS34 steel, I would prefer it to be made from D2.
 
Hi all, first post here from a long time lurker. I was finally motivated to register and post to ask about the following:

What follows is only my experience. I had a friend slice his finger to the bone when the lock on his SOG failed. Granted it was being “abused” but I expect better out of a knife. After seeing that happen I decided I would stay away from all SOGs.
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Which SOG model was it? And what kind of lock did it have? I know the older SOG Visions used liner locks, and liner locks seem to have the worst reliability of all folding knife locks. The newer SOG Visions use the ARC lock and I've never heard of an ARC lock failing. I carry a SOG Night Vision every day (in addition to 3 or so other knives) and I consider it to be the best folding tanto available. If it was one of these that failed I would be very interested to hear the details of what happened.
 
Medusaoblongata,

First of all Welcome to TFL!

Sorry I am just now responding to your question. I hadn’t followed this thread after I responded so I didn’t know you had asked me a question, didn’t mean to ignore.

First the situation was several years ago. My best guess is that it was between 5 and 10 years ago, so I don’t remember exactly what knife it was and even if I did it is probably a good bet that SOG has improved their line considerably since then. Anyway, the knife was some standard type of SOG, had no belt clip but did have a thumb stud. The lock style was not a linear lock. My friend was abusing the lock the way he was using it, the best way for me to describe it would be to say it was a “backwards slash”. To be fair to SOG, the way it was used was not in the way the knife was designed. On a whim I just asked my friend what he thought of SOG as a result of this situation and he said he didn’t think bad of them at all since he was abusing the knife. So take it as you will, for my money I want a lock that will take abuse, and however many years ago it was, a SOG couldn’t. I imagine they can now, but my view of them is tainted.
 
Thanks for getting back to me, and thanks for the welcome. FWIW some of the newer SOGs have the ARC lock, which I believe is really one of the best out there. It sounds like the one that failed was a lockback, which have been known to close inadvertently, especially when pressure is put on the back of the handle.

for my money I want a lock that will take abuse, and however many years ago it was, a SOG couldn’t. I imagine they can now, but my view of them is tainted.
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As do I, which is why I've studied a lot of the available lock formats. I believe the Axis lock to be the best, and I put the Arc lock in second place. Liner locks and lockbacks go towards the bottom of the ladder. I can't speak for the quality of all SOG's knives, but the Arc lock Vision and Night Vision are top notch and should serve anyone very well.
 
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