Thank you for your recommendations. I'm afraid I need some edumacation here. I don't know the differences in materials, why one would choose one type of blade over the other, why some knives are $30 and others are $800. To me, they all look the same. If you have some time and it's not too much to ask, could you take me through the knives 101? Thanks
Certainly not an expert and more of an enthusiast that appreciates the design and functionality of knives, so please take my comments with a grain of salt!
I think choosing a knife is really about the use-case, much like choosing any other tool. And while functionality is important for any tool, pocket knives these days are also seen as a kind of EDC pocket jewellery. There is some pride in ownership, carrying and using something that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, so I personally use these two factors (functionality, hotness) to decide on the knife I'll carry for the day.
If the knife you gift your bother is intended for pure use in the field for his job (think you mentioned law? Law enforcement? Legal?), most operators will say that forget about a folding knife, go with a fixed-blade knife instead. I am nowhere near qualified to comment on this, so I'll leave this one alone for now, and point you to some other communities (BladeForums) where you might get more informed answers.
If the intent of the knife lies in more of the EDC and pocket jewellery category, where usage could be opening a box, cutting an apple, etc., then a folding pocket knife is perfect for this. Some questions and points to consider include:
- What is the local knife carry laws where the knife will be used?
- Some places don't allow locking knives, blades of a certain length, and deployment mechanisms like automatic knives, so best to check this first.
- Is the environment that the knife will be used potentially corrosive?
- Such as using the knife to cut acidic foods (kitchen or camp use), by saltwater (lives by the coast, on a boat, for fishing), in dusty or dirty environments (in the back yard, on a construction site), etc. This will dictate the type of steel you might want to consider, as well as other things such as washers vs. bearings, deployment methods, scale materials, etc.
- Some good stainless steels used in knives include s30v, s35vn, s45vn, s90v, s110v, M390, 20cv, 204p, CPM-154, RWL34, and many many more.
- For stainless steels that are virtually rust-proof, look out for LC200n, H1, and Vanax.
- For decent budget steels, check out D2, 440, 14c28n, N690, and VG10.
- There are many many more steels (carbon steels, for instance) that I won't touch upon, but check out BladeHQ for a decent article.
- Is it intended more as 'pocket jewellery' for EDC carry?
- There is a specific category of folding knife known as 'Gentleman's Carry Knife', which, while offers the basic functionality of being able to cut things, also offers the aesthetic benefit of being made of fancy materials, in order to produce 'envy' by the people around you, much like a Patek Philippe watch is to a Timex. They both offer the function of telling time, however, the former can be worn to a wedding, graduation, in an office, etc. while the other is better suited for gardening.
- Blade shapes
- There are many kinds of blade shapes and some are more useful for certain types of cuts. Wharncliffe profiles are great for scoring (box and letter opening) - think utility blade shape. Clip-points and spear points are great for piercing tasks. Sheepfoot blades (like kitchen knives) are great for draw cuts, where you are passing the blade through the material.
- Of course, the shape of the blade is also a very aesthetic choice, so if it's a gift, I would personally pick something that looks good to you!
- https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/complete-guide-pocket-knives/
- https://knifeinformer.com/discovering-the-best-knife-steel/
- https://knifesteelnerds.com/
- https://www.bladehq.com/cat--Best-Knife-Steel-Guide--3368
- https://knife-depot.com/pages/pocket-knife-buying-guide
- https://www.betterpocketknife.com/articles/pocket-knife-blade-shapes-and-types/
- https://www.thecoolist.com/best-knife-blade-shapes/
- https://www.marineapproved.com/knife-blade-types-shapes/
- https://everydaycarry.com/edc-knife-locks-guide
- https://hiconsumption.com/complete-guide-to-knife-locking-systems/