Best budget blades ($50 and under)

[vivi]

What are your favorite knives that you can get shipped to your door for under $50? Any company, any type of knife.

Byrd Cara Cara 2 - Great knife with a lot of different options available, including rescue versions. I've been carrying an FRN CE lately, and enjoy the G10 version as well. Very comfortable handle, thin slicey blade, and comes in at $25 shipped for the FRN model.

Cold Steel Spike - These $20-25 fixed blades come in four blade shapes. The second generation Spikes feature a grippy handle texture and have a nice guard. They're very light, and they manage to pack a lot of cutting edge into a small package. The scandi grind cuts nicely right out of the box, while the spine retains enough thickness to easily handle light prying. My most frequently carried fixed blade.

Victorinox Pioneer - This $30 Alox swiss army knife resembles the old Alox Soldier. It's my favorite selection of tools for a two layer Alox SAK, giving me a robust blade, an awl, two flathead screwdrivers, a can opener and bottle opener. Simple and effective.

Victorinox 10" chef knife - This is my most used knife. I like the longer blade for extra versatility. Handles certain prep jobs with more efficiency compared to a standard 8". I paid $35 for mine, they might have gone up to $40 or so by now. The steel sharpens easily and takes a nice edge. No corrosion issues either. I like the one piece molded on handle, very easy to keep this knife clean.

Leatherman Micra - Over a decade since I bought my first Micra and I've yet to find a pocket multitool I like better. It has an excellent tool selection. The scissors are more robust and durable than any other pocket tool I've used. My leatherman squirt ps4 lasted two months before the scissors broke while my go to Micra still cuts with ease 11 years later. I really like the bottle opener with the precision flathead tip, it's very handing for scraping and cleaning out small crevices. My only complaint is I rust them pretty easily if I pocket carry them in the summer, but most of it cleans off with a good scrubbing.

Mora 760mg - Thick, chunky handle, and a thin, slicey blade for $12. Tough to beat that. Both the stainless and carbon versions are performers. No complaints as far as the knife goes, but the sheath is junk. Grab an aftermarket kydex rig and for about $40 all said and done you'll have a great outdoors knife or even EDC.

What are your favorite budget blades?

[The Mastiff]

K55 lockback Carbon or stainless
Mercator Carbon or stainless
Opinels

Old NOS Schrade Old Timers in 1095 along with old Imperial Jackmasters , Kabar and Remington ( made by Camillus ) knives also in 1095. Fortunately lots of these knives are still available on Ebay completely unused provided you know which are the original and which are the modern China made copies. I enjoy searching these old ones out and picking off the very good deals on ones I missed back in the 70's and 80's.

Joe

[Doc Dan]

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/lis ... 8.1196338/

Here is an old thread I did for knives under $38 (at that time).

I should add to it the Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite and the Tuff Lite. These are a very similar design to a much loved Spyderco but at a far cheaper price and with a better lock.

[kbuzbee]

I’m a huge fan of Opinels, especially at the price. They are really terrific slicers, across the board.

Ken

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Vivi; would the Cold Steel Spikes, the newer ones, like the Bowie and the Tanto, be great if pressed into use as survival tools and an emergency combat self protection tool?

[Evil D]

I don't really buy many budget knives but I really like my Opinels and Svords. Opinels are outstanding value for the price.

[vivi]

Opinels are unbeatable when it comes to blade geometry. They cut so well. I really like the edge their carbon steels takes. Doesn't hold it super long but it gets wicked sharp very easily.

Vivi; would the Cold Steel Spikes, the newer ones, like the Bowie and the Tanto, be great if pressed into use as survival tools and an emergency combat self protection tool?

I think the latter is what they're designed for. I don't carry for self defense but if I did it'd be a fixed blade or waved folder for ease of deployment.

They're definitely going to be better in a survival situation than any folder. It's a 3mm thick steel bar from the end of the handle to about 1/2" from the tip. It should be able to take a lot of abuse. I've thrown mine and batoned with it a few times and it's no worse for wear.

I like it because it's very light, lighter than a 3oz Pacific salt. It's about 4" of cutting edge, which is one of my favorite blade lengths. Being so light and narrow, it carries very easily. I keep it horizontal on my belt using two paracord loops, and forget its there.

Being a stout fixed blade and costing a mere $25 I feel like I can cut anything with it and not be too worried about what happens. It's cheap enough I bought a spare.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Vivi, have you taken a look at the Cold Steel Finn Hawk? It is one of their versions of the Mora knife. It uses that German 4116 stainless steel in the blade.

[anagarika]

...
I should add to it the Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite and the Tuff Lite. These are a very similar design to a much loved Spyderco but at a far cheaper price and with a better lock.

Doc,

I’m getting one to try. Have been wanting to try Jazzlica, but the Delica handle doesn’t fit me well. I like the ease of sharpening of my CS AUS8 on my XL Voyager, so I have no concern about the steel.
Saw several videos on it and I like the look too.

[vivi]

Vivi, have you taken a look at the Cold Steel Finn Hawk? It is one of their versions of the Mora knife. It uses that German 4116 stainless steel in the blade.

Yep, I might pick one up at some point. I've been looking at picking up a few cheap fixed blades for the woods. Accidentally chipped one of my nicer blades last night :/

[Diamondback]

1) Beretta Loveless Drop Point Hunter made by Moki.
2) Steel Will Mini Druid 205 & 265
3) Ontario RAT 2 in D2 with Carbon Fiber Handles
4) RealSteel H6-S1 Frame Lock
5) RUIKE Knives P801 Flipper

[Doc Dan]

...
I should add to it the Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite and the Tuff Lite. These are a very similar design to a much loved Spyderco but at a far cheaper price and with a better lock.

Doc,

I’m getting one to try. Have been wanting to try Jazzlica, but the Delica handle doesn’t fit me well. I like the ease of sharpening of my CS AUS8 on my XL Voyager, so I have no concern about the steel.
Saw several videos on it and I like the look too.

Let us know how you like them. The TL and MTL are actually different as the MTL has an angled up blade so the blade contacts the material to be cut rather than your knuckle, whereas the TL is straight. I like them.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I also like Okapi knives made in South Africa. They were originally made in Germany until 1987 when the manufacturing went to SA. They are in the same league with Opinel and Svord knives. There are locking and non locking ones. David, you would probably like them and so would others here.

They come in stainless and carbon steel. Okapi also makes fixed blades. CAS Iberia imports them to the USA now:

http://casiberia.com/prod_list.aspx?q=Okapi

[vivi]

I had an Okapi at one point. It was a neat knife, but the blade could bump into a screw when it was closed.

I was tempted to try out the CRKT Scrub. Carbon steel taiwan made fixed blade with kydex style sheath for $30. Unfortunately the grind might be a deal breaker for me. Full flat on the presentation side, flat saber on the back. Weird. Full flat on both would have sold me most likely.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Here is a question for you Vivi and others on this topic: Is it possible for a knife company to make a quality knife with VG10 stainless steel as the blade material, that comes in under 50 dollars, or, will it always be more expensive than that? Say a VG10 blade and FRN or related handle, perhaps G10, that is no more than fifty dollars as the retail price. Is that doable?

[anagarika]

If it’s VG10 by Takefu (and not Chinese equivalent), probably not. Over BF someone confirmed that Kizer imported the steel into China for their knives.
Not sure any is below 50$?

Edit to add: on walmart under VG10 search, it came up with many, such as Kershaw Filter, Blackwash Assisted Opening Pocket Knife 1306BW, but the details shown 3Cr steel. :eek:

[ThePeacent]

If it’s VG10 by Takefu (and not Chinese equivalent), probably not. Over BF someone confirmed that Kizer imported the steel into China for their knives.
Not sure any is below 50$?

Edit to add: on walmart under VG10 search, it came up with many, such as Kershaw Filter, Blackwash Assisted Opening Pocket Knife 1306BW, but the details shown 3Cr steel. :eek:

the Filter is indeed 3Cr or 5Cr or 8Cr as all other Chinese made Kershaws
There are some companies, mostly Chinese, putting out D2 and apparently other higher end steels (S30V, VG10, 14C28N) on their sub-$50 and sub-$100 folders
Even Ontario did it with their RAT in D2, and Kizer, and other well known Chinese brands seem to be doing it this past year

SEF and Vivi, I also have a Cold Steel Kudu, very similar to the Okapi, that is very good slicer due to its BTE thickness and is a very long blade, ultra lightweight, ideal for food prep or hiking without even noticing it theer. It's definitely well built, sturdy and the plastic feels very solid in the hand, the lock is strong...all for a true bargain price!



it's a good "budget blde" in my book.
Others I like:

- Most Kershaw Chinese folders (OSO Sweet, Chill, Cinder, Nura) and some CRKTs (Ripple, Crawford designs, M14 and M16) buut you have to know what you're looking for

- Byrds, some Chinese KaBars (Mule, Dozier) and Cold Steel budget fixed blades (Spike, Roach Belly, Canadian Belt, Mini Tacs, Super and Para edge)



- Some Chinese Gerbers (Yeah, I said it) and their old Folders (Gator) and Multitools, especially the MP series (US Made)



- If you know how to search some original China brands (HARNDS, SanRenMu, Omuda, ShuangRong, Enlan) have excellent models for the money without cloning anything



- And king of all good quality budget blades, to me, are Moras, Opinels and SAKs, as well as other classics like Mercator or Higonokami

[defenestrate]

I've been carrying these two lately. Kershaw CQC-6K and MTech JN-902.

The CQC is a reasonable size, looks pretty good, good action as is typical of Kershaws in this range - and I like the wave feature. Not useful for opening beer bottles, sadly :P but just a good solid feeling knife that feels less clunky than many of the other steel RIL Kershaws like the Cryo (which is a fine knife, I just think that the extra mass in the Cryo is unlikely to make it significantly stronger, though it feels like a tank).

the MTech is, as one might guess, somewhat less expensive, and it's a bit goofy, but the lockup is good (locks up at about 40% like most of my liner lock spydies do, and the lock is holding well) and I love hawkbills, so I thought I'd try it. It's pretty big and reasonably effective at that job. No Spyderhawk, but if I had 10 or 15 bucks and wanted a hawkbill I could probably beat on for a while before it failed, this would do the trick nicely. They make a lot of knives one would likely find at flea markets or gas stations, but MTech likes the hawkbill type designs and this one feels like a better knife than it is. Aluminum scales, some lightness added with the milling on presentation side, pretty good imping, I think it'd be a good garden knife. Not completely sold on the wide thumbstud - not quite enough purchase to open as easily as I'd like, but if it were even bigger and uglier, it would probably work better. Heh.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Here is another one for you Buck knife lovers: Buck has introduced new items for 2018 including a Buck Light Weight 110 folder that has some form of nylon handle, retail appears to be 38 dollars:

https://www.buckknives.com/product/110- ... 10BKSLT-B/

https://www.buckknives.com/new/

Buck says most of their knives are made in the USA in their Idaho factory. Some of the knives and components have been made overseas, like in China.

The Japanese higonokami folding knives are also good budget blades under 50 dollars, generally.

[steelcity16]

Will I get banned if I say Ganzo?? Despite the glaring issue with some of their "homage" models, I find their quality to be great for a cheap beater knife. If you buy them on a slow boat from china you can get a pretty sweet knife for $10-15. If spyderco would make some more blades in cruwear, 3V, 4v and tougher steels, I wouldnt be so afraid of using them in the places i use my ganzos!