2 blade folder with 1ea. ceramic & steel blades

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    RegularJay

    RegularJay

    NRA & SAF Life Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 20, 2007
    1,383
    Harford County
    I would like to find a two blade folder for EDC with both ceramic & steel blades. Ceramic seems to be super sharp but not quite as durable as steel so 1 of each ought to cover all the bases. All I can find online is an offering from Stone River Gear that is too pricey for my workingman's budget. My present EDC knife is a Kershaw "speedsafe" that likely cost around $25.00. I use my knife multiple times a day from opening mail & cartons to probing into places my finger don't fit - I am not a brand snob when it comes to pocket knives - I'm not stabbing terrorists or carving totem poles, I view them as consumable tools that get replaced when lost or broken.

    Any sub $50.00 suggestions?

    Thank you
     
    Minuteman

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    Dec 13, 2009
    21,393
    Maryland, let's make it a better place.
    That's going to be tough to find. I have never heard of one, until you just said you found one. I've looked over all types of ceramic knives, and now own a few (kitchen types). Even more recently I looked at two bladed knives and purchased a grey Spiderco knife, but all I found were steel.

    If it's the super edge retention, 'hardness' you are looking for, consider one of the super steel knives.

    Does it have to be a folder, or is fixed ok?


    BTW, check out my newest thread on preparedness: https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=198279
     
    RegularJay

    RegularJay

    NRA & SAF Life Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 20, 2007
    1,383
    Harford County
    Needs to be a folder so I can carry it in my pocket, I like the long lasting sharpness of ceramic & the durability of steel - seems like 1 of each is a stupid simple idea but all I can find is 1 fairly pricey example - I can buy a china folder for less than $10.00 I can buy a harbor freight ceramic kitchen knife for less than $10.00 seems like I ought to be able to find what I'm looking for for $30.00.
     
    alucard0822

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,700
    PA
    Good ceramic can be relatively tough, good steel can hold an edge and be stable at high hardness, neither is under $50.
     
    DutchV

    DutchV

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 8, 2012
    4,728
    Might as well get the China-made ceramic folder and carry two knives.
     
    alucard0822

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,700
    PA
    Ceramic really only exceeds at food prep, or high volume slicing of relatively soft material, the edge "sharpness" is just a function of the edge angles and geometry. The angle is simply ground into it, the fine grain allows a sharp edge, most any impact runs the risk of chipping, especially with low-angle fine edges, and sharpening is very difficult, and can be needed to repair chips or improve a mediocre factory edge. IMO wear resistant steel, will hold a practical edge longer, the far greater resistance to damage prevents chips, especially in an EDC that is likely to see impacts, dropping it, inadvertent cutting hard material mixed in like staples in cardboard or bones in food, this is how pocket knives tend to "dull", primarily from edge damage, not from abrasion or wear from cutting. Some of the better wear resistant steels like S30V basically killed the EDC knife ceramic knife market, they hold a sharp edge for a very long time like ceramic, and the fine steel grain can produce extremely sharp edges, and high resistance to corrosion, but they don't have the downside of fragility.
     
    alucard0822

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,700
    PA
    Minuteman said:
    What alucard said.

    But these harder steels are much harder to sharpen when they do eventually need it.
    Click to expand...

    Nowhere near as hard as ceramic, and some of the newest like Elmax and S35VN are surprisingly easy to sharpen, no worse than much less durable 154CM. They are also extremely tough steels with a fine grain, you really have to do something stupid to chip an edge, they resist wear well enough that they don't really dull, the edge can roll with heavy use, but will come back time after time by stropping or steeling alone, and both take a wickedly sharp, high polish. There are some blades I have in my EDC rotation, that have been carried and used for everything, and can go several months between sharpening. I'm really picky, and like to keep a "holy S#!t" edge so I usually strop every few weeks, and sharpen when the edge starts to dull or won't come back from stropping.

    There can be big differences with some of the performance steels. My Father in law has kept cheap folders forever, usually low-end Kershaw or no-name junk, he abuses his knives, works on a lot of cars, uses them to scrape gaskets, open and break down boxes, cut wire, caught him one time perforating sheetmetal. Bought him a good ZT folder in S30V, and he was shocked at how much better it held up, where other knives broke, got damaged, or the lock got damaged and loose, the ZT has held up for a couple years, and still cleans up well with a little oil, the DLC finish is still good, G10 handles still undamaged, lock still tight, spring assist still quick. Took a year till the edge was damaged and dulled enough to need a relatively light sharpening. So while $120 for the ZT350 might seem like a lot, he would probably spend the same for 2 years worth of cheap knives he didn't care about, and still wouldn't have the performance and features, and that is one of the least expensive knives there are in a decent steel, plenty more that are much better for a little more money.
     
    Last edited:
    smokey

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,522
    hmmm, a consumable knife with pretty good steel that's easy to sharpen and slices well...I'll be that opinel knife-knut guy.
    http://www.knifecenter.com/item/OP0...fe-sandvik-12c27-plain-blade-beechwood-handle

    buy 3. If you're strictly using and abusing your knife daily for cutting chores and don't need it to really deploy all that fast, it's hard to beat an opinel. Their edge geometry is just friggin awesome for slicing and the sandvik steel is pretty great at holding an edge...really great at the ease it re-sharpens. Without a doubt, the knife I use in the kitchen the most is my opinel 10 inox. If it starts to show signs of getting dull, I just pass it on the steel a couple times and it's right back. Most people are pretty highly skeptical of them, until they use one for a little...and then they just grow on you.

    Another knife that punches above it's price is the RAT...
    http://www.knifecenter.com/item/ON8...36-inch-Black-Plain-Blade-Black-Nylon-Handles
    I carry this when I know I'm just going to be beating on my knife a lot and don't want to f-up a more expensive one. It handles well, has a strong lock, and the aus-8a has a great heat-treat.

    the only real reason I can see for getting a ceramic knife is if you need one that's not magnetic, such as the boker anti-mag(which still has some steel components). Modern steels just outperform ceramic on pretty much everything...especially once you get into steel like cpm-m4(my favorite). If you want a knife to sharpen once and forget about for a long time...
    http://www.knifecenter.com/item/SP1...-plain-blade-carbon-fiberg10-laminate-handles
     
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