What You Want in a Folding Knife

[APS-PF]

I'm out of my collecting phase now and though I have a bunch of them from the major brands for the last 7 years or so I have been carrying a Spyderco Native5 FRN. It's the right size for my hand, light enough and the lock is sturdy. I can easily open/close one handed and the blade is usefully sized. USA made. Due to the lockback's closing bias I never have to worry about the blade opening when I don't want it to. I would rather it not have a choil but that would change other dimensions and I don't think it would work.
This is usually paired with a Victorinox Ranger or Climber. If I could only carry one I would ditch the Spyderco. SAKs are too useful.

[Redhat]

I'm out of my collecting phase now and though I have a bunch of them from the major brands for the last 7 years or so I have been carrying a Spyderco Native5 FRN. It's the right size for my hand, light enough and the lock is sturdy. I can easily open/close one handed and the blade is usefully sized. USA made. Due to the lockback's closing bias I never have to worry about the blade opening when I don't want it to. I would rather it not have a choil but that would change other dimensions and I don't think it would work.
This is usually paired with a Victorinox Ranger or Climber. If I could only carry one I would ditch the Spyderco. SAKs are too useful.

For the last few years, I have carried a Spyderco Delica and a SAK Soldier (since 2005). The SAK stays in the line-up no matter what locking blade knife I use. The Delicas price has gone up so much ($94) I doubt I'd buy another.

[Noah]

A blade.
A screwdriver that fits holster screws.
A caplifter.

I've carried the same SAK for 10+ years. If I could have a knife like a trapper, with a lockback main blade then a second blade on the same side that was a flathead/cap lifter combo, that would be ideal.

I love traditional folders but have too much utility from the screwdriver and cap lifter.

I'd also love a WW2 US Paratrooper auto haha.

I was obsessed with "tactical" folders as a young teenager, but once I started carrying a gun and later also started carrying POM OC spray, I was running out of room and the "tactical folder" was a lot less important to me.

[Clusterfrack]

Great thread topic. I’m looking forward to your results.

I want my folding knives to work well as defensive tools. For me, this means:

1. Symmetric or reverse angled grip. Must be ergonomic in tip up edge in, and tip down edge in grips.

2. Blade shapes that work for thrusting and cutting, especially in the Pikal applications.

3. Good grip texture that isn’t slippery when wet.

4. Ambidextrous clip placement (R/L carry, tip up).

5. Rapid and consistent deployment. Stud, flipper, wave are all good.

6. Rugged blade that won’t be ruined by a drop on to a hard surface.

A few examples:

[Redhat]

Great thread topic. I’m looking forward to your results.

I want my folding knives to work well as defensive tools. For me, this means:

1. Symmetric or reverse angled grip. Must be ergonomic in tip up edge in, and tip down edge in grips.

2. Blade shapes that work for thrusting and cutting, especially in the Pikal applications.

3. Good grip texture that isn’t slippery when wet.

4. Ambidextrous clip placement (R/L carry, tip up).

5. Rapid and consistent deployment. Stud, flipper, wave are all good.

6. Rugged blade that won’t be ruined by a drop on to a hard surface.

A few examples:

Do you carry something more utilitarian with those?

[Clusterfrack]

Do you carry something more utilitarian with those?

Nope. But sometimes I carry a Clinch Pick as well.

Many of those seem utilitarian to me.

Here’s another that I like quite a bit:

[Redhat]

Nope. But sometimes I carry a Clinch Pick as well.

Many of those seem utilitarian to me.

Here’s another that I like quite a bit:

Got it. What I meant was a small slip-joint or similar.

[Noah]

Almost any knife will do the things most often asked of a knife.

[farscott]

I have been carrying a Chris Reeve Small Sebenza with a tanto blade for the past two decades. Works just fine for my needs, most of which are opening packages, stripping wire, and various small cutting tasks. Things I like about it include it stays closed until I open it, it locks open very well, it does not rust, it is easy to sharpen, and it is as tight today as it was in 2004.

[Cory]

I would like to once again espouse the amazing qualities if the Emerson Kershaw CQC6K.

-Wave opening
-Thumb disk opening
-Solid Mechanism
-Can be drawn edge in, or edge out.
-Comfortable grip shape tip up or down.
-G10 on one side.
-Reversible pocket clip.
-Identical trainer version available for grappling.
-D2 Steel blade.
-Relatively cheap.
-Free replacement parts via Kershaw.
-Aftermarket parts available.

I carry a D2 steel version daily, an older chineseium steel version when in/near water or salt water, and have a trainer version. I won my first in a give away here on PF in like 2016 or so. I've not carried anything else since, and likely never will.