Well, after a lot of hemming and hawing and gawking at every piece of cutlery, I finally decided on what new knife I wanted: The Cold Steel AK-47
I have the silver handled version. The difference between that and the black one is the black one has g-10 grips, and a teflon coated blade (along with a 30$ premium) I decided I didn't need all the bells and whistles.
Initial impression: This is a big, hefty sucker. It has a 3.5" blade that is obviously very tall, and 4mm thick. This blade you don't have to worry about breaking. The handle is solid aluminum, and the knife is 9.25" when open. It is substantial. (for those of you who like deep pocket, unobtrusive carry, look elsewhere.)
Honeymoon phase: The knife is great. The fit and finish on it is absolutely superb. The action on the opening is buttery. It opens easily one handed, (also has an alternate opening method, more on that later) The "ultra lock" is pretty much the same as the "axis lock" found on benchmade knives. This lock is SOLID. when locked in place, the blade has zero side to side travel. It feels like working with a fixed blade. The colors are nice, subdued and the whole presentation is of quality. Oh, and the blade comes "ready for surgery" sharp.
Special features: This knife feels wonderful in the hand, there are finger grooves that instill a sense of confidence while using this knife for everyday tasks. The pocket clip is very secure. The metal they used really makes me feel secure that my knife is going to stay where I clip it. (there is nothing worse than finding that your clip bent/failed in some way and your tool is lost/not accessible when needed.)
There is a "grivory" pommel that can be used for "de-escalation" tactics, and use less than lethal force should you feel the need (LEO's take note) this is very solid and with the assistance of a friend, proved to be very effective for joint manipulation, force application, and can also be used to attach a lanyard (has holes drilled into it.)
This knife also has a unique thumb stud that acts much like a waved endura
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyZy6...eature=related which is very good for pretty much every situation I can think of. When you're reaching for your knife, you're going to want to use it, so why not have it open as soon as it leaves your pocket?
Reality time: This is a big knife. It has no place in suit pants or any other situation that requires a fancy look. This is a utilitarian knife. It is made to cut, to last, and to stay open. Also, the name "ak-47" is a bit aggressive for my taste, (though according to friends who have seen it, they tend to say it looks a bit aggressive too.) I feel a bit silly at times, when someone wants to see the knife, and the first thing they notice is the name on the blade. However, this knife is built like an absolute tank. Also, it has everything on it I want on a knife, plus more.
For me, I wanted something with an axis lock. I have found it to be the most secure and stable lock out there right now. (yeah yeah, flame away
) Also, I wanted a waved system on my knife out of the box. I like the impact pommel on the end, as I have a decent amount of self-defense training with a yawara, and that can transfer very easily to this knife. Personally, I feel I am past the honeymoon stage, and I really feel that I can recommend this knife to anyone interested in a no-nonsense, solid pocket knife. Also, it's a pretty decent price, especially compared to other knives in it's class. I am very fussy about my edc, and this knife has finally passed the test, and is now my #1 for pocket carry.
4.75/5
~K
Not to mention his marketing techniques are pure hype and BS 
Typically the steels or materials that hold their edge the best are also the toughest to resharpen when they do get dull. For that reason, I like old fashioned carbon steel. It holds it's edge OK but can also be easily resharpened, in the field, by hand. The downside is it takes extra care becuase it will rust.
