Pros: Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness, Handle Feel, Weight, Lock Type, Blade Material, None
Cons: Ease of Opening
Terrific knife, esp at this price
This is a terrific knife. Don't like the hole-as-opener? There's a stud option. Don't like the pointy curve? There's a spear. Don't like shiny? There's a black-coated option. Heck there even briefly was a 4" version (don't I wish I'd bought more than 4 of those?) The AUS-8 takes and holds a good edge, the knife is narrow and light, easily fitting in any pocket or bag. Yeah, it doesn't flip out in a jiffy (s'why it's not in my EDC rotation), but it's unbelievably reliable in so many ways that it's in our hiking packs, my daily bag (one of those 4" beasts), my wife's purse, each car, etc. I've bought innumerable numbers of these, often handing them to people ("you don't own a knife? You must! here...") as a form of knife evangelism. Not many things do I rate EXCELLENT. For this knife it was an easy choice.