EDC

The Wave+ uses 420HC stainless steel for all blades and tools — a high-carbon stainless that holds an edge better than standard 420 stainless while resisting corrosion. The needle-nose and regular pliers are wire-cutters with replaceable cutting inserts — when the cutting edges dull (which takes years), you replace the inserts rather than the whole tool. All tools lock open in both directions with a liner lock, preventing accidental closure. Leatherman backs the Wave with a 25-year warranty. Made in Portland, Oregon since 1983. Users on r/BuyItForLife report 15-25 year lifespans on their original Wave models.

The Buck 110 uses 420HC stainless steel hardened to 58-60 HRC — harder than most stainless knives, soft enough to sharpen on a basic whetstone, and hard enough to hold an edge through a full hunting season. The lock-back mechanism uses a rotating bolt that drops into a notch in the blade tang — one of the strongest locking designs for a folding knife. The nickel silver bolsters and genuine leather handle scales develop character with age. Buck has been making the 110 since 1964 in Post Falls, Idaho, and it's been the best-selling folding hunting knife in America ever since. The Forever Warranty covers workmanship and materials for the life of the knife.

The ProTac body is machined from 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum and anodized to military specification (MIL-SPEC A-8625 Type III hard anodize) — this is the same surface treatment used on aerospace components and is far harder than standard anodize. The single Cree LED is a 350-lumen output with a certified 50,000-hour lifespan. IPX7 waterproof rated (submersible to 1 meter). The dual-fuel design accepts either one CR123A lithium primary battery or one AA battery — universal battery compatibility that works anywhere in the world. Streamlight backs all ProTac products with a lifetime warranty.

The PM2 uses CPM S30V powder metallurgy blade steel — an alloy with a fine carbide structure that maintains a working edge 3-5x longer than standard stainless knife steel. The Compression Lock places the lock mechanism at the spine of the handle rather than the liner, creating a fundamentally stronger locking geometry that is also ambidextrous. The full-flat grind (from spine to edge) makes the PM2 an exceptional slicer — the blade thins toward the edge on both sides with no secondary grind. The G10 handle scales are bidirectionally textured and will not crack, absorb moisture, or degrade. Spyderco offers repair services and spare parts.

The PD35's body is precision machined from aerospace-grade aluminum with HA III hard anodized finish — the same coating used on Streamlight and Surefire tactical lights, rated to MIL-SPEC hardness. The Cree XP-L LED has a 50,000-hour rated lifespan — effectively permanent for practical purposes. Four output levels plus strobe, all accessed through a tactical tail switch with lockout. IPX8 waterproof to 2 meters. Fenix backs the PD35 with a 5-year manufacturer's warranty and sells all replacement parts (tail cap, O-rings, switches) individually. Users on r/flashlight report 10+ year service lives with only O-ring replacement.

Machined from aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum with an anodized finish that resists corrosion and impact scratching — the same aluminum spec used in Maglite's law enforcement models since 1979. The design is a sealed unit with a single O-ring waterproofed lens assembly and a tail-cap O-ring, giving IPX4 water resistance (splash-proof). Every internal component — lamp module, reflector, switch — is individually available from Maglite for DIY repair or replacement. Made in Ontario, California. The 3-D Cell battery configuration provides an 8-12 hour burn time on standard alkaline batteries; LED conversion kits are available to upgrade older incandescent models.

Blades are stamped from X55CrMo14 martensitic stainless steel — high chromium content (15%) gives serious corrosion resistance without sacrificing edge retention. The scales are riveted to stainless steel liners, and each tool locks into place with individual leaf springs rather than a single shared mechanism. Victorinox has been making these in Ibach, Switzerland since 1897 and still supplies them to the Swiss military.

Most models use CPM-S30V or S90V blade steel — powder metallurgy steels with fine carbide structure that hold an edge far longer than conventional stainless. The AXIS lock mechanism uses a hardened steel bar riding in a track milled into stainless liners, creating one of the strongest folding knife locks ever designed. Double 420J stainless liners reinforce the handle. Benchmade's LifeSharp service resharpens and tunes your knife for free, forever.