An excellent EDC. Old style
938355
An excellent EDC. Old style, sharp and comfortable in hand. Good for light duty tasks and a whole lot less intimidating than my usual choice.
4620046
Michael Janich and Spyderco truly outdid themselves and competition with this one. Nothing short of outstanding. Beyond competent. Very nice knife. It's like a giant box-cutter with a very intelligent handle design for well-controlled cutting. Hopefully never have to use this in self-defense, but if I had to, I think this would be one of my best choices to carry for the occassion. I own a lot of different brands, this was one of the few times I've crossed the $100 mark, and for around $120, you want to know what it feels like after inspection/use? I feel like I ripped off both Spyderco and Amazon. $120 is a steal for this knife. Get it before they get discontinued. You will not be disappointed. If you've never owned a compression lock Spyderco, this thing will be mega fun to play with just opening and closing in quick succession without risking your fingers. I have trouble rotating my edc because this one is just that much better than my other blades. I carry it just about every day, and no, I don't get bored with it, or by it. I hope this knife stays an immortal/lassic Spyderco that everyone can own and enjoy throught the years in the future.
902105
A great edc knife. SUPER thin. The belt clip works great. The action is really smooth however mine seems kinda tough to flip open. Ive had it for a few months and it has gotten a little easier. Its just pretty stiff out of the box, opening and closing. Great edge and it sharp enough for any task. Mine got a chip in the blade pretty quick, but it was small and will eventually go away with enough sharpening. At the end of the day its still a China knife and it does need sharpening and maintenance. I cant bring myself to spend more than $100 tops for a knife because they all get destroyed, thats why this knife is an excellent choice. For the price you cant go wrong.
4221990
I've carried the 940-1 everyday for almost a year now, and the original 940 for 7 months previous, before gifting it to my step-father after receiving the 940-1. (Side Note: He's 69 and emphatically claims that the 940 is the best knife he has ever owned!)

I can say that in that time, I have become convinced that the Warren Osborne 940 series from Benchmade is the absolute best EDC (everyday carry) design of all time. I'm a knife nut, unapologetically so, and I have owned and carried several of the most well respected designs from most of the top production knife companies in the world.  As such, I won't bore you with the details of my trial and error testing, because I believe that you're looking at this review for a reason. You've come this far, narrowing down the absolute best production knives the world has to offer and here you are, the 940-1, in my opinion the best production EDC knife in the world.

The 940-1 is the intersection between utility/sleekness/beauty/badassery, it's 3.44" S90V reverse tanto blade shape, and featherweight design combined with the ultra-sleek profile and wear-resistant carbon fiber handle scale backed by stainless steel construction, make this a blade made with utilitarian showmanship in mind.  A blade whose beauty seems to come as an elegantly understated afterthought, and that, honestly, is the best summary I can muster. It's why I love this knife, it is a blade that happens to be a work of art because of, and not in spite of it's functionality.
1695734
I bought this knife to replace a lost Spyderco that was over ten years old and took quite a beating through the years. The new knife had to be as close to indestructible as possible and that is why I chose this one. The ZT350 is built like a tank and has some serious heft to it for its size. It is a little large for an unobtrusive EDC but sits pretty well clipped into your pocket. I really like the multiple options for clip carry changeout via the T6 Torx screws. The Speedsafe mechanism couldn't be simpler, one flick of the hardpoint with a single finger and the blade is ready for use. The blade itself is built to take some serious abuse as well, it wasn't quite razor sharp out of the box, but this easy enough to take care of. Worst case, ZT offers sharpening services for their blade at only the cost of shipping the knife back to them. Once sharpened, they ship it back on their dime. If you need a sturdy blade you can depend on, buy one.
4754513
This knife holds an edge beautifully, and is a pleasure to open.  It feels well-balanced in the hand, and the Black Bear Trading Company delivered it quickly and in excellent condition.  It's my new, right-pocket EDC.
4855806
My EDC and most used knife.  I am a tremendous fan of Cold Steel, especially the folders.  They have an amazingly strong lock when opened and I never have a concern about losing fingers when working with a Cold Steel folder with the Tri-Ad Lock system.  Look up the Tri-Ad Lock and watch some of the videos to see the strength.

This knife has great steel and I haven't had any issues with it.  It stays sharp longer then most knives and the razor sharp edge is easy to maintain.  I strop it about once a month and sharpen it about every three months.  It has a good weight and is slim and sits in your pocket like it belongs there. This is an excellent EDC folder and it just feels strong in your hand, is perfectly balanced and shows no signs of use to this point.  It holds its edge and is easy to maintain, excellent qualities in a knife.

Depending on the steel, they have some real bargains, but prices have gone up recently due to an upgrade in the steels used and the coatings used on the black, tactical series of knives.  I think it's still an excellent knife for the money, some of us just need to save a little longer to pick up another knife.  Once you have seen the strength of the Tri-Ad Lock i just don't know how you can trust your fingers to any other brand.  It's my opinion but it's a strong opinion.

FWIW, It seems that Cold Steel has a Love it or Hate it fan base but I just love most of their knives.  The company owner, Lynn C. Thompson seems to be like his knives, a love him or hate him kind of guy. I have never met him but think I would like to buy him a beer sometime. So I guess I'm a love the knife, love the knife maker kind of guy.  Try one, you'll like it.  This is an excellent knife.  Highly recommended.
601669
This knife is great. Its been my primary EDC for six years now. Sharp, lightweight and fantastic grip. Recommended.
2000288
All knives have a purpose some are heavier duty than others, but all can be used for basic EDC. This knife its a knife to show, it looks very proper and dressy. It has good ergo and lines. The blade its VG10 very sharp good edge retention. Very light good pocket clip very nice size blade. Its elegant even if the handle/scales its not made of an expensive wood, stag or bone. The only down side that I can think of is that you can't take it apart, some people might never have the need to do that but its a good option to have. The price is good also. It is one of my favorite knives and what makes it more special is that I got it for Father's day.
1048513
I have the Benchmade Emissary, the Kershaw Blurr and now the Spiderco Sage. For me, the Spiderco is the perfect size for an EDC; the Benchmade slighty small; the Kershaw slightly large. The Spiderco can take on jobs that either of the other two knives would excel at. The Benchmade handles small up to medium size; the Kershaw handles large down to medium size. Fit and finish of all three knives is excellent except that the Benchmade has very slight slack or side to side movement of the blade. Not bad but still not perfect. The other two are perfect. All came very sharp and hold their edge well thanks to the S30V steel used for the blades. The Benchmade opens the fastest and hides best in the pocket. The Kershaw is more noticeable in the pocket and opens very quickly but is only 2nd fastest. The Spiderco is the slowest but is very smooth opening. I had to learn how to open the Spiderco one-handed because I had used the other two first. With them the knife axis lies along the axis of your palm and the blade is flicked open using the thumb stud. The Spiderco is a little different. Its blade has a hole for the thumb and the axis of the knife has to be at a small angle to the axis of the hand. The thumb is used to rotate through a full 180 degree arc whereas with the other two less than 90 degrees is required. The 180 arc is very smooth though and provides for a certain tactile satisfaction. One-handed closing of the blade is a lot easier with the Spiderco for me and I feel safe doing it. I'm still a little nervous to do so with the other two. There are two other features that the Spiderco has that I like that the other two don't have. Gimping at the top anchor of the blade and a thumb stop at the bottom anchor. This allows for an extremely sturdy grip. The bottom thumb stop is the reason I don't mind closing this blade one-handed.

If I could have only one knife I would get the Spiderco since it covers from small to large EDC tasks. But, the Kershaw is awesome for outdoor work and the Benchmade is awesome for light duty and opens super fast. For night carry I would pick the Kershaw; for office carry the Benchmade; for everything else the Spiderco. I feel lucky to own all three.
434222
This knife is my new every day carry knife. The fit and finish is excellent. The grind is perfect. The blade centering is perfect. It feels very nice in hand. Its very sharp out of box. S35Vn steel for under 75 dollars. Its affordable enough where I can carry it without caring too much if its lost or stolen. It needs a better name, haha.
3329451
I once had the Zebralight SC31. I loved that thing and carried it everywhere. It was literally an EDC item. Unfortunately I lost it on a business trip and bought the SC52 to replace it (the 31 is now discontinued, though there is word that the SC32 will replace it sometime around November 2013).

The positives: I like it. It is very bright and reasonably small. Pick up some lithium 14500 batteries to go with it and it is a blast. I can light an entire room by shining it on the ceiling. The controls take a little getting used to, but work extremely well once you know them. The switch is firmer and farther recessed than on previous models, preventing the thing from going off in your pocket ( problem the old SC31/51 had). It will run on almost any AA size class battery you put into it. If your lithiums need recharged, throw in a regular AA to get by. It is stout and not remotely fragile in the least (don't put in same pocket as phone, it will scratch whatever else is in your pocket, while its finish will last).

The downers: The 31 is smaller and use CR123 size batteries making for a shorter but fatter light. Since the head on the thing is the same size for both models, the 31 (and soon to be the 32) are smaller overall and fit better in the pocket or on the belt. It is still pretty small (not much bigger than a chapstick. It is almost exactly as long as the width of my palm) but bigger than other models. That isn't a deficiency so much as a taste issue. The machining seems good for the most part, but the pocket clip seems slightly misaligned with the recess machined into the body for it. This does not impede function, I bent the clip slightly and it looks good now, but most CNC milling machines I've worked with are accurate to at least 15/1000, so there is little excuse for a $60 flashlight not to have all of its parts mate up correctly. The issue is slight, but it exists. The new body has a ribbed battery tube, which I suppose is for "grip" and to strengthen the battery tube, but I find it less comfortable in the hand than the smooth-barreled predecessors. There are an array of programming features which require numerous multi clicks, double clicks, ouija boards, and a small animal sacrifice to access. No one but the most obsessive of flashlight enthusiasts will ever use these features (the presets all work great) and I would rather they cut the cost $5 than spend money trying to add useless features. Also, the batteries don't last long on the highest setting (I use high for short glimpses and medium for walking at night and such), but that is to be expected.

Overall, I like zebralights best when compared to competitors for the battery life, brightness, size and controls. I would recommend this item (SC-52) as an EDC or toolbox item for sure. If you can wait until November (or whenever Zebralight decides to finally release it) I would advise getting the SC32 powered by CR123 batteries instead because it is almost identical otherwise and fits better in the pocket.
510204
This is an excellent choice for edc.  It's thin profile and high clip point keep it out of sight where it belongs and its quick deployment works flawlessly.  The g10 is grippy enough for most uses and the shape of the blade protects your fingers from getting sliced incase the lock fails.  The blade is adequately sharp from the factory and shaving hairs with it was effortless. I bought a cold steel recon 1 at the same time and prefer this knife for every day uses. Just easier to live with.
665483
This review is actually of the fourth Ontario RAT I have purchased. This was the first one I purchased for myself, the other three given to my groomsmen at our wedding. To cut to the quick, this is a great all around knife. It has a couple issues that keep it from being perfect, but at this price-point that is to be expected. Here is a quick rundown:

Overall build quality is very good. No complaints. Nice pillared liner construction.
Pocket clip can be mounted in any of the four corners for tip up, tip down, left or right handed. Clip slides on easily but has good retention. The knife rides rather high in the pocket though.
Non-assisted opener, but it is very smooth and opens with a simple wrist flip. Solid lock-up and no blade movement when open.
Gimping for the thumb is so-so. It looks a bit aggressive but the tips are rounded. It does help hold the thumb in place but doesn't dig in too much. You call on whether that is good or bad for you.
I'm not the biggest fan of liner locks but the one on the knife is certainly acceptable. No pros or cons here.
It is a tad heavy weighing in at about 5.0 oz. on my scale.

Here are the pros and reasons I bought it, and bought it as a gift for others:
Excellent price/performance ratio. Build quality and features are very good at a great price.
Smooth non-assisted opening.

Reasons it might not be for you:
Weight - at 5 ounces it might be too heavy for some.
Ride height - if you really like the knife to ride low in your pocket, the clip that comes on the knife probably isn't for you.

Overall, I would honestly say this is an excellent knife for anyone to have in their collection. I and all my friends have nothing but positive thoughts on this blade, barring the two cons listed above. I will say that I generally use one of my other knives for EDC (every day carry), often a Spyderco ParaMilitary 2, primarily because of weight. That knife costs four times more and honestly is nowhere near four times as good as this knife. I have no regrets on buying this knife and would buy it again. Hope this helps when deciding how to spend money on your next knife purchase. Thank you.
3473393
Except for Opinel or Mora knives, or the Spyderco Tenacious, you won't find a better valued knife for the money. Like the Tenacious, this is a magnificently conceived EDC knife, light, strong, perfect for everyday chores, but considerably larger. Some people complain about the 8Cr13MoV steel, but in my experience ..at least for ordinary, everyday use.. I find no perceptible difference when compared say to the likes of my s30v or VG-10 knives. The steel is easily sharpened to a razor edge, and if properly cared for ..say keeping it dry and treating it regularly with Super Lube.. it remains free of stains and rust.  I've also found the edge retention to be quite good. The pocket clip is very functional and can be placed in any of four positions, the blade opens and closes effortlessly and smoothly. Some people complain because the knife is made in China, but I believe a product should be judged by its quality and performance, not by its place of origin.
3388456
I own/collect knives. (CR Sebenza to Kershaw Blur) but this Pink RAT 2 is now my EDC. Scary sharp from the factory. Great ergo. Solid without being heavy. Yes, the clip causes a high pocket ride, but try removing the clip and using a leather fob/lanyard. The blade steel is not the real expensive stuff but it is classic; stays sharp and is easy to sharpen.  Oh, about the pink... ever drop or set your black scaled knife down? Pink is much easier to see/find!

CONs: Yes, the black scratches, so get the satin finish. The clip is low (see above).  It is not a Spyderco Tenacious, but it is cheaper and its pink..
2291359
This knife is under rated for quality. It can whittle, clam, and be carried. In the English way it stiffly opens and holds itself securely rather than locks. It's old school awesome. It is small in the pocket, light, but with a eagle claw of a blade. Saying more would be saying less.

-Russell Sage