Buying a Knife

I’ve dabbled in the EDC world for a while, but until recently I didn’t have a knife in my kit. Knives tend to be one of the first things that someone tip-toeing their way into the community buys. But as a knife newbie, I didn’t know where to start.

I had a few criteria for my knife:

1. Fit in the pocket without being bulky.
2. Light enough to carry, but not so light I forget it’s in my pocket.
3. Blade long enough to use on a camping trip as a kitchen knife.
4. It will last a lifetime.

Using my criteria, and asking a few trusted friends, I settled on two different knives as potential options: the Benchmade Osbourne 940 and the Spyder Kapara.

After a few weeks of hemming and hawing, I purchased the Benchmade Osbourne.

While the Osbourne is cheaper than the Kapara, that was only a minor factor. My primary reasons were the release mechanism, the Benchmade brand, and personal recommendations.

I know Spyder knives are top-notch, but their brand feels a bit too tactical for me. I prefer Benchmade’s humbler approach and their website is really nice.

It’s also hard to beat a personal recommendation. I have multiple friends who own Spyder and Benchmade knives and they had more positive things to say about Benchmade.

I’ve owned the knife for 6-ish months, and I don’t regret the purchase. It’s met all of my criteria and it’s a joy to carry around and use regularly.