Strong durable blade and a budget of about £25. Need a knife for my new job to carry with me st aat
ll time

Spyderco ones are pretty good for the cheaper end of the price range, model would depend how big you want it etc.
http://www.heinnie.com/-UK-Legal-Carry-Knives/Spyderco-UK-Legal-Knives/c-1-641-658/

I use an Ontario Rat.

Brilliant blade, excellent quality and dead easy to open one handed…

That’s not actually UK legal to carry about though is it? Although granted that might not be a concern for the OP.

Benchmade Balisong 42

My favourite of my collection. Not legal to carry though and well above budget, so I suppose this post is pointless.
IGMC

In reply to the OP though you can’t beat a full tang MORA knife for value and quality. Very little reason to buy anything more expensive than them for everyday use. The two mora’s I have are going strong after 2/3yrs of regular use.

Why do you specifically want a flipknife?

If you need one then check out the knives on Cold Steel. You can’t go too far wrong with most of their knives. I have a couple which are great, no folding blades though. The most recent is the True Flight thrower which is the best balanced knife I have owned. They do a Paradox too which is basically a UK legal version of the balisong I posted about above.

FuzzyWuzzy – Member

That’s not actually UK legal to carry about though is it?

You always get one… 🙄

http://www.shefftek.com/british_army_knife.html

I’d always used Opinel knives when I used to work with the local gamekeeper. Still have the one I had when I was 10. Admittedly the blade is a little smaller from sharpening over the years. Still use it for gardening. Really good quality for the money…:
http://www.alloutdoor.co.uk/knives-multi-tools/opinel/opinel-lock-knife-stainless-12cm-.htm

I’m in the fire service and have been told to get myself a flipknife that I can clip onto my belt or carry in my tunic for when on a shout.

General duties such as cutting line/rope and the like, must be no longer than 10cm blade wise and must be folding.

Preferably some serrated edge on it too as well as a sharp knife edge. My dad is also in the FS and has a good knife he’s had for years but I can’t remember the brand/model…

Opinel are really nice, but the ring-lock’s a bit cumbersome. The blades take and keep an edge really well but are a wee bit easy to snap if you twist them. Not sure it’s the tool for you here but I do like mine.

The blades take and keep an edge really well but are a wee bit easy to snap if you twist them.

They’re a no-go then unfortunately. I should’ve probably been a bit more specific in my OP :\

I tried looking whilst at work t’other day but there wasn’t anything popping up really…trade-specific. They all seemed a bit ‘showy’ i.e. stick them in a cabinet and look at them.

I’ve got a gerber bear grylls thing. Its sharp, has a serrated bit, one hand opening and grippy rubber grip. It does me

i was once a gamekeeper you cant beet a buck knife imo ive got one thats about 20 year old

Link? 😛

Found the Gerber BG folding knife. Looks like what I’m after. Probably go for that. In budget ATM too.

Hmm- had a wee look, there’s a stainless blade version of the opinels, should be more durable than my carbon steel ones. Still not convinced.

My brother uses a Boker one of some sort, they seem to make some proper working knives rather than “lifestyle accessories”

I have some carbon steel chefs knives that I treat like a baby because I know how brittle that stuff is lol. Stupidly sharp, easily capable of taking a finger off with the bigger chefs knives.

I’ll take a look at Boker.

I’m in the fire service

http://www.spservices.co.uk/item/Gerber_GerberE-ZOutRescueKnife_0_6_2620_0.html

If you were working near me with a pointy one I’d tell you to put it away.

For the intended use I’d be looking for something that can be opened one handed and automatically lock(unlike the Opinel), and also that can be unlocked and closed one handed too (unlike the Buck and similar knives with the release catch at the heel of the handle). I have a Gerber Paraframe that is easy to operate one handed and has a half serrated blade. It does look a litle ‘combat’ though. The Ontario Rat suggested is a good call, looks like a no nonsense work knife with a similar lock mechanism to the paraframe.

Mind you, not sure what sort of knife is best for basketball :lol:/sleeping

From a fellow Firefighter i.e me

In my tunic I carry a generic non serrated locking knife for emergency cutting free duty ( guidelines, wires etc etc) this has a chunky handle as well as a great big karabiner and lanyard on it that I can open it when wearing my fire gloves, it has a curved point rather than a drop point. On my belt for general day to day I carry a leatherman, you will end up using this tool every shift I guarantee you.

Don’t worry about the ‘legality’ you have a justifiable reason for carrying a locking blade in a public place. That and the last thing you want when all caught up in wires or line is a blade that can close up when you’re using it one handed.

In my opinion a knife with pen clip will get lost easily, better to find one that is capable of being ‘attached’ to you.

Also get your service number and station engraved on it, that way if you drop it or loan it out at a job it should return to you.

P.s the shiney rescue knifes generally are bobbins and appeal only to people who don’t actually need to use them.

P.p.s get a toffee hammer and seatbelt cutter in your tunic for r.t.c’s

For the intended use I’d be looking for something that can be opened one handed and automatically lock(unlike the Opinel), and also that can be unlocked and closed one handed too (unlike the Buck and similar knives with the release catch at the heel of the handle). I have a Gerber Paraframe that is easy to operate one handed and has a half serrated blade. It does look a litle ‘combat’ though. The Ontario Rat suggested is a good call, looks like a no nonsense work knife with a similar lock mechanism to the paraframe.

Sounds like a Spyderco. Something like the Atlantic Salt, perhaps? http://www.heinnie.com/Spyderco-Knives/Atlantic-Salt/p-0-191-3275/
I’ve always been able to open and close all of my Spyderco knives one-handed, except for the Ladybug, which is just too small.
This one is UK legal, and is a rescue knife, but a bit outside your budget: http://www.heinnie.com/Spyderco-Knives/UK-Penknife-Rescue-Orange/p-0-191-9637/
The quality is worth it, and the blade can’t close up on your fingers. I’ve got a Squeak, which is also non-locking, but the finger choil at the base of the blade makes it impossible for the blade to close up in use, and there’s a strong pause halfway closed as well, so the blade is safe to use one-handed. It’s only downside is lack of a lanyard hole, so the regular Rescue might be a better bet. http://www.heinnie.com/Spyderco-Knives/Rescue-Jnr/p-0-191-1673/

Petzl Spatha (no laughing in the back there) knives are easy to use, cheap at £12ish and designed for Touching the Void style rope cuts. It can be put on a caribiner and opens easily.

+1 on the buck. Best knife I own.

http://www.shefftek.com/british_army_knife.html

Utter dog toffee. Terrible blade that doesn’t hold an edge. Never met anyone who actually used one with success.

I’ve got a Leatherman knife (not tool) with half serration, fold out carrabiner clip come bottle opener as well as belt clip and soft rubber grip inserts. Their fancy opening mechanism broke off, but still easy enough to push the blade out with you thumb.

This

http://www.gerber-store.co.uk/knives-c1/gator-clip-point-folding-sheath-knife-serrated-edge-p107

I have had one (without the serrated bit for years and its still holding its original edge)

and handle is very good, still grippy even when wet.

CRKT

The Gerber Paraframe looks possibly best suited. Going with advice from Lummox also in regards to karabiner/securing it to my tunic one way or another.

Lummox would a window punch not suffice for r.t.cs? Do they not have these with a spring in them, pull the spring back and punch the window through in the corners?

Thanks for all advice so far.

Leatherman tool of choice for me.

One of these might suit – the best blade I’ve ever had for cutting rope, and well within budget.

General duties such as cutting line/rope and the like, must be no longer than 10cm blade wise and must be folding.

Preferably some serrated edge on it too as well as a sharp knife edge. My dad is also in the FS and has a good knife he’s had for years but I can’t remember the brand/model…

Having thought about this, after 22 yrs if FS I don’t think I’ve ever cut cut a line/rope. Maybe sharpened a chinagraph pencil.

Leatherman tool is more useful IMHO.

Window punches (holmatro in our case) are good most of the time but the toffee hammer works all the time, also doesn’t shoot a small chunk of glass into the car, another plus is you can run it around the edges of the window to clear the glass rather than using a glove or other device.

We get a lot of rtcs on my patch so its well used.

Spyderco Assist for me. Serrated, blunt nose, goes through rope, seatbelts, horse blankets and climbing harnesses with worrying ease. You can’t stab/cut the casualty either due to the big, rounded, blunt nose making it ideal for suspended casualties or those in tension (for whatever reason). Also got a glass breaker that shatters toughened and laminated glass with ease if you’re in the rescue or RTA business. Huge thumb hole for one handed opening. Wouldn’t be without it now.

I have a new and boxed CRKT kiss that I would sell for decent offer

Whilst I enjoy looking at all the nice shiny things listed above, one of these is a far better work tool in reality ime

Cold Steel Recon 1 is a pretty decent bit of kit with a plain edge.
Benchmade Griptilian. Few Spydies in that price range too.

Don’t get sucked into the belief that if it’s a non-locking blade and under a certain size it’s “legal” though. If you can’t justify legitimately the reason for carrying a knife, you’ll be in trouble.

bruneep – How easy to use are Leatherman tools though?

Lummox – That’s a good point about taking out the edges of the window with the hammer, never really thought about it. My dad worked on the rescue tender down here for some years so I’ll ask him what they used…

Where are you both based?

Have you seen the Leatherman Raptor? Aimed at emergency/medics etc?

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2012/11/26/leatherman-raptor-for-medics/