Welcome Home...THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY

iKnife Collector

The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

Can I get your advice please?

I have 3 knives that I want to get but can only afford one of them in Feb as my splurge of the month and I want to know what you fine folks think I should do...

The 3 knives are...

The Lion Steel SR1-A (Red)

The Zero Tolerance 0801 (Ti)

The Cold Steel Espada (Large, the XL is a bit too much IMHO)

If it was your choice which knife would you get, all three of them appeal to me for different reasons, all of them have something special that makes me go "Ooooooh, me want!" but I can only afford to get one. Right now, mostly because I just watched some videos of it, the Espada is yelling to me to get it, I love the lines, the blade shape, the polished bolsters, but I'm not a fan of lockback knives too much. I know they're sturdy but I prefer a one handed closing capability but in this blade it doesn't seem like that would matter a whole lot. So long as it isn't too tight. I just love the looks of the knife, it's so sexy. The Lion Steel just has that polished, custom look and feel to it. I considered the Titanium one but I don't really NEED that and I like the better color options of the Alu models and esp. the red one. The ZT 0801 has gotten some awesome reviews and seems like it's lightning fast and smooth but it's not a very pretty knife, but I'm not ALL about looks. Though aesthetics often do play a role in what I buy, I'm an artist and if something catches my eye it will go a long way towards drawing me in (hence the appeal of the Espada right now). HELP! I'm completely at a loss as to what to do come the first of the month. What do you guys think? Please, leave me lots of detailed comments as to what you would buy and why you would buy it.

Also, any custom knife makers on the site who have blades for sale, please link me to your wares and tell me your prices, I'd like to patronize our local group and would love to get some custom knives in my collection sometime. I'm partial to locking folders but not totally adverse to fixed blades. I also have my eye on a beautiful Silver Stag fixed blade bowie knife that's just outstanding looking and has gotten some very favorable reviews from some of the YT'ers I watch. So that's on my list of eventual buys. Saw a nice Damascus one on Amazon tonight that I threw into my wish list.

Also, do you folks ever do trades on here? I haven't yet hit the point where I have enough knives that I'm ready to trade any of them, yet, but I imagine I will in time. Or maybe someone would want a dagger or sword. Though most of the ones I have are NOT combat ready, they're wall hangers I've collected because of my love of a film or just liked the design, they're mostly 440c steel, nothing you would use in real practical applications. The ones I do have that are quality blades I would never part with, they stay wrapped in an oiled cloth in a chest in my basement office and I take them out once in a while to clean them and fondle them. :)

I know you guys are big into picture taking, but like I've said, I'm stuck in a chair, it's hard for me to take decent pics from my position, but some day I'll try to do it. Or get someone to go around the house and take pics or a video or something. I have a lot of LOTR swords, several Kit Rae swords, some UC stuff and so on and so forth, but I digress here. I'm really interested in your opinions on these three folding knives, please let me know. Also if I'm using the blogs wrong tell me. On most of the Ning sites I've been a member of we used the blogs sort of like forums because the forum portion of Ning was never very well done IMHO. Blogs were always just easier to work with. So just let me know if I'm ever doing things that are against the usual method around here, I'm still a noob to your community and need to learn the ropes.

Warmest Regards,

Michael

3 members like this

< Previous Post

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of iKnife Collector to add comments!

Join iKnife Collector

Comment by Alexander Noot on January 26, 2015 at 5:58: hmm....links don't work right. Let me see.

Available page:

And this is the price structure page

Comment by Alexander Noot on January 26, 2015 at 5:56: Hey Michael,

I suspect you'll LOVE the Espada XL. I've always wanted one. I suspect I might some day. I've owned a CS SPartan for a while and that was a beast of a knife. The Espada is even better.

My knives go anywhere from $75 all the way up to $500 depending on what you want. There are prices with the "Available" page if you click on the pictures or put your mouse cursor on them here: http://www.lxblades.com/#!current/cbm9 (just realised one of those knives has been sold. I need to update that page slightly)

And for my price policies you can check this page: http://www.lxblades.com/#!price-list/c14sr

Let me know if I can do anything for you.

Alexander

Comment by Michael A. Smith on January 26, 2015 at 2:31: I think I've decided to get the Espada XL, why? I have plenty of smaller knives and being a sword guy, I'd like to have a pocket sword or at least a very big knife. As I mentioned before, I'm a huge guy, 7' 360lbs, so most knives are just dwarfed in my hand, it'll be cool to have something that actually looks like it fits me. :) I'll get the other two in future months though.

Like your knives, but, no prices, can you give me a ballpark? I'd love to own a custom blade from some of the makers on the site if I can afford it. I'll check your website out more fully when I get up, I'm off to bed now. Thanks for commenting.

Regards,

Mike

Comment by Alexander Noot on January 26, 2015 at 1:46: Hmm....touch choice. The SR-1 and the ZT801 are somewhat similar in application and design..

But I have to agree with you on the Cold Steel....that knife is just sexy.

If I were going for practical application I'd get the ZT801

If I were going for best value I'd probably get the SR-1 A

If it were looks and just "Stupid grin" factor it'd be the Coldsteel...(probably the biggest one because it's just fun in a redicilous kind of way.

As a sidenote, because you asked. I make knives. You can check out my website: www.lxblades.com has availibility and price structure on it.

The one I finished most recently (the biggest one I've done so far) isn't on the website yet. But it usually has a nice wow factor so I'll include it in the post here:

Comment by Michael A. Smith on January 25, 2015 at 19:30: Took a few pictures of my swords and daggers in the living room just now, will upload them later tonight (early AM). See my video for my folders.

Comment by Ms Data on January 25, 2015 at 17:20: Pictures, pictures, pictures! Trades - yes.

Comment by J.J. Smith III on January 25, 2015 at 16:25: Just need to take the edge off.

Comment by Michael A. Smith on January 25, 2015 at 15:27: I imagine I could live without any of them if I had to, but I have the collectors bug, I get into collecting something and I can't stop, like potato chips. :)

Comment by John Bamford on January 25, 2015 at 9:40: I think that the working out which knife to get next is the best part of collecting. I also work on a tight budget Michael there are always more knives than the money to get them in my life.

As to which of the three you have mentioned I am at a loss to say, I collected traditional patterns and mostly slipjoints. Get whichever one you can't live without at the moment, there will be lots more on the market soon !