Folding Knife Classifications & Terms Explained - Beginner's Guide
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**DISCLAIMER** This channel's content is meant for educational purposes only, and encourages the proper/safe use, handling, and understanding of tools. #everydaycarry #edc
this dude is crazy about knives and I can relate
He’s not crazy
He just has a metal complex 😝
@@nickedcr2320 I think I do too
@@nickedcr2320 🤣🤣
Also knows what the Timmy's are gonna say before they say it lol
When I say gentleman’s knife im mostly looking for something that has a good lunch room factor and is very slim that hides well in a suit jacket pocket. Great video!
Was just about to say the same thing. If you pull this out at a wedding or funeral people don't freak out saying it is illegal or should be illegal.
I spent 10 years in the ARMY RANGERS. we went to places that our knives were a critical piece of equipment, and we never chose our knives because of being "tactical" we chose knives that were good for a very wide range of tasks. 99% of the human race does not have any idea what a knife fight looks like, and most of those who do are not knife fighting experts. Most of the features we looked for are very close to what people now call a bushcraft/survival knife. but we did tend to gravitate to a slightly thicker spine, and a sharpened swedge. most of the stuff that tacks "tactical" on to stuff is just a gimmick. also most of us carried a folder as well, and the folder needed to be lite, strong, and easy to sharpen. one hand operation was beneficial, but I personally had my Buck 110 on me every day.
My parents tasked me with finding a folder for my little brother for the army. I’m leaning for a microtech socom elite manual. Just think it’d be perfect but i might be wrong.
@@cameronbottoms1118 in all honesty, you would be better off with something really tough, but much less expensive. there is a fair chance that if he spends 4 or more years in, he will damage, full on break, or lose it. and I know it seems weird, but really the more expensive it is, the better chance something will happen to it. not because it's expensive, per say, just because that seems to be the way it goes. kind of like, if you drop a piece of toast with jelly on it, the odds of it landing jelly side down go up in relation to how bad the stain will show on the carpet. I would suggest something in the $45-75 range, with decent steel, good grippy scales, and a flipper. if I were still in, I would want something like this ( actually I really want this knife, but cant justify it right now, and it is out of my current budget) www.smkw.com/esee-expat-medellin-black-blade-1
@@cameronbottoms1118 Socom Elite a great folding knife but fairly focused on stabbing @ slashing. Too pointy to survive the mundane tasks a knife often does; opening a tin can, prying something out of a boot or tyre, etc. Suggest a tanto blade. Very strong at the point and can also stab, cut and slash. Something like a Cold Steel SR1 or it’s thinner brother the Recon 1 tantos.
@@cameronbottoms1118 I personally would get a kid a microtech even if a manual. Especially a socom just not being a very good general use knife when it comes to a kid. It’s a good general knife for older people but it will probably get lost beat up or broken. I would got something cheaper like a lower price spyderco
@@cameronbottoms1118 the Cold Steel SR1 Lite is a pretty good beater, slammed it into a car hood repeatedly and the blade held up fine, tip only broke when it was slammed on concrete obviously 😂
I * really * appreciate you spending the time to explain all this. Prior to your video, I was very confused (not unusual as I am a grandma, but still an unwanted state of affairs). Gentleman's knife, traditional knife, EDC knife, tactical knife, etc. I still camp on occasion and like having a variety of tools when I do so. This includes what I would call a, "bush knife/skinning knife" which I use while hunting, a multitool, and a series of tools for processing firewood: a chopper/machete, a full sized axe with a hammer on the back, a hatchet with the same, and (for years now) a silky saw. I also use a tool which combines a collapsible shovel with a pick on the back for latrines if we are staying a while.
But the knife category has exploded over the last decade with all manner of brands, styles and marketing terms. Your video really helped confirm what I suspected with some of these terms, that they are basically "marketing only" terms which can be applied to nearly anything.
So thank you, excellent video! :-)
.
😁👍👍
That all said, I HAVE to have that Batman double knife ! My walking cane in one hand and this rainbow colored double Batman knife in the other - I will be the envy of my sewing circle !
.
I definitely could’ve used a video like this 20 years ago when I got into knives and EDC in general! 👍🏻
"Tactical" is the most overused and fake description ever.
Almost as much as "assault rifle"
@Desert Smeagol he has ascended
may the force be with him for he has a long, tactical journey ahead
@Desert Smeagol My brother is in the military. He views the term "military grade" differently now that he's serving.
Before he joined he would gravitate to military grade stuff thinking "if its good enough for the troops its more than good enough for me!"
Now when he sees "military grade" he grabs something else. His reasoning is this "if the military taught me one thing its that 'military grade' is just a fancy word for 'cheap junk.'"
I only think of emerson when i hear tactical
Tactical = black
It makes it much more deadly
Interesting vid! I think "categories", being real, perceived, generalistic, unclear, product of marketing efforts, ilogical or flat out ridiculous, still help. It would actually be a contribution to the knife community to try to "improve", correct, and standarize these classifications. If done correctly, sources with the experience like Metal Complex could do a bunch towards this goal. Kudos on discussing the topic.
‘Tacticool’ is a knife that to quote Slicey: ‘ makes me giggle’.
Every time I see the AD 20 I put a 20 in the buy me jar.
The "gentleman folder" term is not BS or nonsense. Typically, these knives are elegant slender pocket knives, often made from premium materials, and having simple but classy design features. A gentleman (or gentlewoman) at a business meeting or social, would typically not carry a Para 3, OTF or heavy-bladed knife; however, a Tactile Bexar or small/medium Case Pen knife would be perfectly fitting for snipping a cigar, removing the foil from a bottle or trimming the frayed thread on a ladies dress. A gentleman's knife is much easier to define than the term "tactical." Too many knife experts base a knife's usability on its FIDGET FACTOR... probably the last thing considered by those that use their knife for "true" work and security. If a knife expert doesn't know what a gentleman's knife is... well I won't bother finishing the sentence. There are many reasons to collect and carry knives, my advice is not to get too caught up on all the terms. By the way, if you're wondering what a gentleman looks like; a real gentleman removes his hat when indoors;-).
Lol. I couldn't stop laughing at the gas station knife on the thumbnail
Just bought a hogue doug ritter mk1-g2 black on black based on you always referring to it. Love the videos and quantity of them. 👌
"What kind of business man carries a Microtech Halo?!" (Paraphrased) -Jack Bauer, 24 S1. Leave it to Jack Bauer to help define the expectations between gentleman and tactical knives. ;-)
To me a "Gentleman's Knife" is simply any knife one can pull out and use in a room full of non knife people and not raise a lot of eyebrows. It's the opposite of the "Gas Station" knife. Think the term is perfectly valid despite what MC says.
Yeah I see it as just a casual conversation piece that isn’t going to make the whole room go silent and stare at you because you need to open something up. I knew a guy who was at a wedding and they needed to open a box of wine glasses and the dude pulled out a microtech venom tech and the whole room just stared at him like really.
Yo, MC this is probably the best video for knife slang, categories, labels that us knife geeks are totally subject to. Great video, great discussion.
now i feel enlightened, thanks a lot great for newbie like me
I really wish I had known a lot of this in the past
I now know the difference in well made budget knives and not well made, as well as mid and high grade knives
Most of us have to learn the hard way
Same, when I first got into knives I wasted so much money on cheap shits, not budget blades
I just got into quality knives. I've had Case, Swiss Army, Buck and knives like that. I just bought the Kershaw Launch 6 about 2 weeks ago and just bought the Natrix and the Bareknucle yesterday. This video and all of your videos are super informative and interesting. Just wanted to say thank you
9:24 I see you have brought out your gentlemans folder.
Just a regular dude trying to put together a functional EDC and stumbled across this video. My eyes were popping outta my skull looking at some of the price points on knives when just looking for something generally useful for everyday mundane non-bushcraft use. Thanks for clarifying and educating a simple suburbanite.
What did you end up with?
@@MrLewisTan Spyderco McBee! Small and easy to carry, crazy durable. I carry it every day and I'm in love with the thing.
You touched on it a bit, but many of the terms are individually defined. Most of my knives are functional fashion accessories, or I’d have nothing more than a Delica and an Endura. So from my point of view, “Pocket Jewelry” has broad application.
Now I gotta go find something in the new super steel CTS-/HP!!!
That small Buck 379 you pulled out is my edc while at work. It’s super small, like $15 bucks, and it’s held up fantastic for the 2 years I’ve owned it. (Can’t have a pocket clip on the job and it needs to be small as pockets are lined with other crap)
Perhaps you could do another video explaining the more specific terminology. You could even do two videos. One could define knife parts (jimping, choil, liner, frame, scales, bolster, etc.). Another could analyze blade shapes, including hybrids.
Nice and very informative video, I carry spyderco Ikuchi as my gentleman knife and pm 2 for my edc. I don't know about my zt 0456 should I put in what category
Interesting how there's still high end customs that can still look like the gas station/tacticool knives.
To me, pocket jewelry is anything that's designed with premium/exotic materials and/or unusual lines and patterns for mainly aesthetic purposes. Anything using damascus over comparable quality steels or exotic wood types would fit that description to me. There tends to be a strong overlap with how I view gentleman folders (those being the slim, more elegant ones).
Of course it's all in the eye of the beholder.
Great content as usual. I agree with you on almost everything you brought up. I struggled getting through the whole video though because of the mass amount of commercials 🙇
I don't think that a "gentleman's knife" is hard tó define.
The basic definition would be something easy to carry in a suit and non threatening.
A bit broader szál ficatiion is that in's kinda fancy.
Kind of like what I said in the video... you're now the 7th or 8th person to define it in a vague but unique way lol. It is what it is... (whatever you want it to be)
I keep little Hudson's Bay Co. Multi tool with a 3 inch knife. Its cute
ok... dude... continuing to show me the bat-a-rang on all these videos is only makin me WANT ONE! (haha!)
Thanks for input about custom knives think it's a term that's way over used . I feel custom means the maker and customer collaborated on both materials and design to make a one of a kind knife and all the rest are hand made. Great video MC well-done .
I use on EDC my MT Stitch + LM Free P4, and its all for me. I work in construction shop. I love that snappy spring recoil from Stitch when i lunch it to open something to my customer :D
Wtf? No the pm2 is meant to be beat on son!
Your ‘custom’ fixed blade analogy is definitely going to put you squarely in the cross-hairs. Let’s not forget who the ‘little brothers’ are in this equation.
Great vid buddy beginners or not. Lots to talk about.😊👍
Good educational vid man! Nicely done! 🖖😁
Thank you for Mildly entertaining me! Actually loved it, did you cover beater? Think I missed it.
I am relatively new to knife collecting and really appreciate these videos. Do you have a video breaking down the anatomy/terminology of knives?
24:25 ive never heard someone say that, especially in that voice.
You can EDC anything you want, but in my observation EDC gradually has come to be hazily defined by the things it isn't, such as large, tactical, work-crunchy, ninjatastic, impractical blade shape, scary auto, etc. It's an amorphous cloud but generally tends now to inhabit a more middle ground despite not disqualifying those lying farther out. As you say, a pretty elastic term.
Pocket jewelry is any knife regardless of cost that is carried and never intended to use. It could be 20 bucks just like those rubber rings and mall necklaces. Simply carried for the beauty.
I see that S35VN Penguin up there!! My favorite knife right now
I carry a used helicopter blade, with a custom sheath. Really lightweight, only a thousand pounds or so. Some say its overkill, but they are the ones who don't know what its like to be an operator..... high speed low drag
Stupid issue to raise, but this _is_ the internet:
Do you really think a helicopter blade weighs 1000 pounds?!
Nearly all civilian helicopter blades weigh under 150lbs, with many under 100. Even giant chinook blades "only" weigh about 700lbs.
Again, I completely realize how ridiculous this comment is and I mean absolutely no disrespect.
awesome video. I really like different classes for different uses.
What is the knife he never touched top row second from the right?
Nothing like a good ol gas station, custom, traditional, tanto karambit, otf, serrated, saw back, hard use, tactical, edc fixed blade.
Nothing quite like an OTF fixed blade.
I don't believe Nick , no I mean Batman would ever give up that knife. It's two sided now his belt is lacking
How much does a mall-ninja/tacti-cool knife have to be before it becomes art? I'm looking at you CRKT Hirin. I get that the materials are much better, and help justify the cost. However, it's a show piece at the end of the day. I feel like a cheap piece of flash is viewed in a fairly negative light, while expensive pieces are "art". If you like it and it works for you, I say go for it.
I'd say the difference there is that while the Hirin is super flashy, it will actually outlast the gas station junkers by a long shot. What separates these types of knives overall is build quality. It can be more or less functional in terms of ergonomics, deployment, etc but the Hirin can 100% be used without the worry of it falling apart as fast as something like an MTech. Would someone actually WANT to use it daily? Thats another question.
@@metal_complex I totally agree that the price of higher quality knives is justified by their build quality, design, and materials. I guess what I was trying to say is that it seems like it's a spectrum of flash to art, and not really a specific categorical qualification. The same as how "pocket jewelry" is based in personal opinion, but set against an objective scale (cost). Would you agree, or do you find that there is an objective delineation that can be used to separate the two?
I think anything can be viewed as more art or tool. It's an eye of the beholder thing for sure.
Like the L-51. Where did you say it came from?
Poop knife would be a good subject. What’s your favorite poop knife? I see it everyday on Facebook.
If you're a gentleman, your knife is a gentleman's knife.
If you carry your knife every day, your knife is an EDC.
If your knife gives you tactical advantages, it's tactical.
If you think your knife is cool and someone else doesn't, it's tacticool.
If your knife was produced by a machine, it's a production knife.
If your knife was produce by a machine and has a high price tag, it's a high-end production knife.
If your knife was produce by a machine and has a higher price tag, it's an ultra high-end production knife.
If your knife is partially hand-made, it's mid tech.
If your knife is partially hand-made, it's custom.
If your knife is hand made, it's custom.
If your knife is hand made, it's true custom.
If you've changed anything on your knife, it's customized.
If someone thinks your knife is fancy, it's pocket jewelry.
If you use your knife to do hard things, it's hard use.
If you use your knife to do easy things, it's hardly used.
If your knife is a copy of another knife, it's a clone.
If you read to the bottom of this list, get a life.
I'm the proud owner of a Tacticool coffee cup, I call it Tacticool because I fill it three to four times a day with a quad shot of Espresso!
Great video... as usual
If you were going to buy one premium 300 to 400 dollar EDC knife what would you recommend? I ask because I have Spyderco, Benchmade, WE, etc.. but I want one upper tier. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙏.
100% Hinderer. Check out my "Hinderer Knives" playlist
Geez, I was considering using my manual Microtech Socom Elite to gut my deer this year. About at tactical as I get.;-)
A knife is a knife yes there’s many stages of quality. I personally have really good knives and cheap fleamarket knives basically. It’s all in what you think that it is. Tactical is a generic term for I want to make money. Tactical is like a colt 45
“Something that is used by law enforcement, military…..ninjas” 😂😂
Tactical to me is a knife that you would see in a B movie trying to make a point 😎😎
And a true outdoor worker buys a foldable razor blade that way when the blade is shot you should check it in the dumpster and put a new blade in it
A tactical knife is a knife that can do anything especially cut very good and a defensive knife.
I think you were a little off on the "Tactical" term. It is a real thing. When I have my Ninja suit on and I am going out on my nightly Zombie extermination runs, I need a good "Tactical" knife. Don't make fun of the "Tactical". Hey....can I have the Batman knife? That is so cool!
You always tell it like it is.
Pretty new to the channel but was wondering what your opinion on the ZT made hinderer designs such as the 0562 personally I love mine but was just curious to see what your opinion was on it
Welcome! I actually have a very extensive playlist on Hinderer knives in general. There you'll find MANY videos about the 0562 and other Hinderer / ZT collabs! (I love them 😊) - You can find the playlist here:
th-cam.com/play/PLqAK7GyLGMyHXB9FszXp9qsASb-ROx7nA.html
Very useful. And funny!
Can you let Jimmy know I’d like one of his custom $100 garage fixed blades. Is there a waiting list ?
Once made a “custom knife” in 5th grade from a fucking ruler.
Don’t get me wrong I love my framelock knives but the tri-ad lock is over 10 times stronger, at least in negative pressure against the blade but that doesn’t really matter since that’s not how you use a knife. If you’re using a knife properly you don’t really even need a lock, it’s a luxury.
Helpful 😎
Link to knives? Sorry, I'm not seeing them.
Batman must be heartbroken
I laugh so hard to hear that the word for my knife preference is pocket bricks
Well done. 7 ads though. Seven. TH-cam is going to kill your watch time percentage.
Ironically TH-cam places the ads automatically now 😖
Solid 👍
As a ninja, I define tactical EDC as... 🐱👤
Edc is just a term for companies to use to charge a premium for a crappy product like gaming headsets or keyboards etc
Ah, no. The word you're thinking of is "tactical".
EDC is rarely a bullseye marketing strategy.
So i noticed youre a southpaw do you have recommendations for actual left handed knives? Swapping pocket clips doesnt make it left handed :)
I'm actually right handed. I would recommend checking out any Benchmade axis lock knives, or Cold Steel Triad Lock knives as they're fully ambidextrous 👍
@@metal_complex ive got several benchmades, as well as some CRK blades, i keep bugging the Grimsmo team for a southpaw edition but so far ive only found one or 2 produced years ago
Tactical is funny. You picture something a black-outfitted spec ops guy would carry. Except he probably wouldn't be carrying or fighting with a folder. I think tactical just means "looks badass and I can pretend".
I had to make a comment on the clone bs I'm a budget knife newbie but I'm attracted to Medford and Chris reeve knives that noway I'll ever buy theseknives. But having a knife like the sebenza is just as important in honoring the creator as having the knife it self so I say F clones
One aspect of tactical to me is subdued in color. Nothing bright or anything that would reflect light.
I gave a friend gas station knife that was so cheap, I’m embarrassed to tell you I did that. It was big and looked flashy. Then, on the fourth day...lol.
On the fourth day he threw it at a tree and it broke into a thousand pieces.
Curly mustache gentleman folder hipster with a CRK Mnandi
I love CRK and have a couple but idk why that was the first knife that came to mind haha
My definition of gentleman’s knife is a combat troodon.
what else do you do down in the basement with you knife fetish lol
People that make customs out of leaf springs using a grinder. Lol
Unpopular opinion: pocket bricks don't have to be made out of cinder
Isn’t tanto pronounced TAWN-toe, not TAN-toe?
Lol. I mean, maybe. But honestly, I'm just not overly concerned with the correct pronunciation. "TAWN-toe" sounds odd to me. I'm just gonna keep saying "TAN-toe."
Before I got my Sebenza, my gf bought me an Ebay chinese clone. Still have it cuz it was a gift, but its a total POS.
You don't have to spend a ton of money on a knife that basically does the same thing it's meant to cut. If I'm spending $600 plus for a knife I'm going to spend that on a gun or rifle.I will guarantee you a sharp buck knife will cut the same as any other thousand dollar knife what are you cutting a piece of string.
Yep. Ok. Thank you for that. I'll add it to the pile of other similar comments over the last 3 years. People aren't exclusively buying utility in a $600 knife. If you can't wrap your head around that, it's fine. But you're not gonna change anyone's mind about it. Buy what you want. Doesnt matter what it is or what it costs. If it brings you happiness, it was the right choice for you.
And then there are the Ozark Trail 8607# and 8604#'s.
Everything but a sharp stick in your pocket is pocket jewelry lol
Aaaaaandre!!! ...Buehler?, Buehler?......anyone???
Hello Mr. Complex, I would like to use the opportunity provided by this comment section to voice my stance.
I disagree.
Thank you for your time.
With what?
Every knife is a hard use to me
Sorry sir you cannot enter our curly moustache gathering, not with that SR1 in your pocket.
🤣🤣🤣
I find myself disagreeing with a lot of your classifications here.
Is that a Batman or mustache 😁 knife
Ontario rat top of the line pocket jewelry
Civivi, total "pocket jewelry"
Civivi is pocket jewelry? You're the first person to ever say that
It had to be said out of the shear ludicrous idea of it! LMAO!!
A gentleman's folder is not one kind of knife. It is any kind of knife that by its looks, colour & materials, fit & finish, size and blade shape appears non threatening and even classy to non-knife persons. By opposition, I would say that the reverse of that is the Tactical knife. That being said, your video as some good elements but is so full of opinionated talk that for a knife enthusiast like me it is annoying to watch.
Only cool people understand tactical knives. 😎