Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter Lockback vs Opinel No.08 Stainless Steel Folding Pocket Knife

Recommendation: Skip this knife. Yes, it will do the job, but I doubt you will enjoy using/owning it in the long run. I'm sure you will be happier with Kershaw's Oso Sweet, Valmara, RJ Tactical, Chill; or an Ontario RAT II in AUS-8. Gerber's LST or E-Z Out might also be a nicer choices

It also locks shut, which is nice. For the price, you won't find a better pocket knife. Elegant comfort and simplicity.

It took a good day or two or use of opening and closing it to get it to loosen it A LITTLE BIT. Opening the blade with the thumb stud still totally sucks and is not recommended for opening. I’ve had better luck opening the knife like a traditional pocket knife (by gripping the blade at its halfway point) than with any other method, as it’s by far the easiest and least painful on my thumb. (In fact, I have a feeling the version of this knife with the Spyderco-like blade hole would be the better bet, as at least the pain associated with using the thumb stud would be substantially lessened

As a matter of fact, my only complaint is that it is too difficult to open. I have short finger nails and engaging the groove on top of the blade to lift it out of the body is not easy. The groove should be higher and deeper. I find myself using my teeth (yuk) or a coin to lift the blade out of the body

Con: poorly finished. The backs of the blade and lock had sharp edges. The corners of the plastic handle had sharp points. The knurling on the thumb stud was rough, making it painful to use

I used my Idahone V-type ceramic rod knife sharpener to put a real nice paper-cutting edge on this - it may not be quite as sharp as carbon but it's plenty sharp, and it's pretty easy to sharpen. It's still holding that edge well after a few weeks. Most people focus on the blade when they buy a knife - what kind of steel is it, etc. That's important, but what's equally important and often overlooked, especially with folding knives, is the handle

Same with 8cr13mov blade. It is a sacrifice that is made giving it higher carbon content which gives it better edge retention. Thank you for reading.

BAD: The blade is thin and won't stand up to heavy-duty tasks. It also has a clip-point profile (like a Bowie knife) which tends to make the tip delicate and easy to break off. The wood handle shrinks and expands with changes in humidity, which can make the blade stick slightly. It also is less durable than FRN, G-10 or other common handle materials

5 inches, which is the legal limit in my area, that it be under 3.oz in weight and be relatively thin. This knife meets all those requirements. Then I look for build quality including blade steel and this knife for being ~$20 is very well made and steel is quite decent

The locking ring is extremely gritty. It feels as if it was used at the beach and got full of sand. Sometimes it can't be moved all the way round in one go. The grit will make it bind up, and it has to be worked back and forth to loosen it