(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best hunting knives

You're asking a very broad question while looking for specifics, making it very hard to pinpoint an answer. I'll give my advice on bug out bag items.

The bag itself - Should be a solid backpacking bag. Keep it light enough that it's manageable. For a very fit individual, the max weight should be your body weight divided by 3. Most of us are not that fit, so adjust accordingly. It should have hip support, well stitched straps, several compartments and a way to attach things to the outside (molle webbing, carabiner loops or exterior straps). Should be weatherproof.
Water - Depends entirely on your location. I live in Canada - Land of lakes and rivers. I wont need to carry a ton of water all the time. I've got a sawyer squeeze as my primary water filter. The collapsible water bottles it comes with work great for water storage as well. Wife and daughter carry a lifestraw as backups. We have some iodine drops as well.
As far as water carrying devices go, i find nalgene bottles work great. Theyre light and strong, and come in various sizes. A canteen is great if you want to use it to cook over a fire. Its not a bad idea either to have a large (5 litre+) collapsible water container. They're plastic and light. I havn't used mine extensively enough to recommend.
Sharp Things - I've got a Kabar as my primary fixed blade. It's tried and true. Good metal, full tang. I've got a leatherman wave multitool. Carry it everyday on my belt. Super handy. I should really add a 3-4" folding knife to my pack as sometimes the kabar is too big, and the multitool is hard to clean.
I also carry a Cold steel shovel. I looked into folding shovels, and they didnt seem reliable. Moving parts means they're more likely to fail. I haven't used this one extensively, but the few times i have tried it, its done an excellent job. If your pack's too heavy, put this one in your car.
Food - Your typical protein bars, dried rice/bean mix, snickers, small jar of PB, oatmeal and dehydrated fruit. A small bit of olive oil packs a ton of calories and adds flavour. It's good to have a small container of salt and pepper, or other spices to add flavour. You can grab MRE's or those mountainhouse dried meals, but theyre expensive. If you regularly buy pepperettes or jerkey, stick some in your bag and rotate it out when you buy it next. Multivitamins can keep you up if youre not getting a ton of food, but dont rely on them. Bring any meds you need, as well as tylenol or aspirin.
Hygiene - Pack a couple rolls of TP. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant (chuck if too much weight), wash cloth, soap, soap for clothing, feminine products (if applicable), couple garbage bags (can separate dirty clothes), wet wipes, lip balm, hand sanitizer. Sun screen and bug spray in small bottles.
Clothing - Carry at least 7 pairs of good socks. Some warm ones if the location's cold. Extra shirts, underwear are essential. Pants/shorts and sweater are optional (besides whatever you're wearing). Stick your clothing in a waterproof sack. Try to keep only clean, dry clothes in there (no airflow + damp = mold).
-Paracord and rope
-Carabiners
-Sewing kit
-Tent patching kit (if you have a tent or a tarp)
-Tarp (who saw that coming). Doesn't have to be massive. Just know how to set it up to keep you dry.
-Fire Source. Have many. Lighters are cheap, stash away a bunch (7?). The lighter leash is awesome. You should be able to find that cheap at a corner store. Storm matches, for when its rainy. I think these are what I got. You can light them in any weather, put them under water, and they'll still be lit. Not a bad idea to carry regualr matches in a waterproof container. Firestarter packets are great. I just soak cotton balls in Vaseline. Flint and steel is cool, but only useful if youve exhausted all other fire starting methods.
-Super Glue
-Safety pins
-Zip ties
-Light. Hand crank flashlight is awesome. If you have a battery powered one, carry spare batteries. The mini maglite has a belt holster. Those small LED flashlights are great too. Grab a few glowsticks.
-fork and spoon
-emergency blanket or emergency sleeping bag. Only useful if you're SOL.
-poncho
-sleeping bag for your location. If its warm you don't need this. Can use a hammock or sleeping pad. Try and keep these small as they take up a ton of space.
-Compass. Useful if you have a map.
-Map of your location/where youre going.
-Signal mirror and a good whistle.
-Fishing supplies. I've got an emmrod. You can put a fairly small cheap reel on here. I've got the shimano ix2000. It casts a pretty good distance. Hooks, weights, bobs etc. Can all fit in small waterproof containers or camera film containers. Dont forget line! Mines already on the reel. A fishing vest gives you lots of little pockets to keep things in arms reach.
-First Aid kit. There's extensive lists online depending on how large you want it. Some gauze, band aids, polysporin, burn cream are a good start. Try and build it yourself, don't buy the gimmikey premade ones. Keep yours in a waterproof Tupperware container.
-Tiny roll of Gorilla Tape
-Games. Some dice and a deck of cards go a long way. Don't underestimate the value of laughter. If a sudden collapse ever happens, these might save you from depression.
-Headlamp. I've got this rayovac one (i think). Seems easy on batteries and has lasted a few camping trips. Haven't put serious use on it tho.
-Eating equipment. A mug and a small plate go a long way. A folding pan goes a long way, but is heavy. I would love to learn to use a pressure cooker over fires.
-Handkerchief or travel kleenex
-Bandanas. 3 of them.
-Bungee cords can be useful, but they run the risk of snapping and taking out an eye.
-Ziplock bags are handy. Keeps a lot of small things organized and dry.
-Pencils, Pens, notepad/book, sharpie.
-Hatchet is useful, but heavy. Take one if you can. The sven saw is awesome and hasn't broke on me yet.
-Spare pair of glasses (if applicable)
-Some sort of firearm is almost necessary. I don't have one yet, but i was planning on a 10/22 takedown. It's small and easy to pack. Bullets are light. If you need more stopping power than a .22, you're in a heap of trouble. Guns are not my specialty (can you guess), so ill leave it up to you
-In lieu of a firearm, you could grab a crossbow. If that's still too much, a good slingshot will do great.
-phone booklet and address's. In case your phone craps out and you cant charge it.
-A small windable clock is great. A solar watch is better. I think thats the one i have.

All this stuff is useless unless you know how to use it. Do your research, take some courses. Learn the necessary skills to survive, because that's what's really necessary. I like Les Stroud's (survivorman) book Survive!. Learn to tie knots, fish, hunt, forage, fight, build a fire in all conditions, etc.
If you have questions on the use of any of the above items, ask away. Any advice or suggestions, I welcome those too.

It's definitely enough for a nice knife, though you might want to go a bit higher for a great knife. The KaBar BK2 is actually designed with things like batoning (hammering the knife through wood as a kind of faux hatchet using another piece of wood against the blade of the knife as the hammer itself) or chopping. It's a bit over $60, currently available for $69 to be precise, but as long as you don't flat out abuse it (prying heavy things, for example) it'll serve you well and quite possibly for the rest of your natural life.

At a lower price, you can get the Condor Bushlore, which at $35 is a perfectly valid choice that will serve you well indeed.

For an even lower price yet, the Mora Heavy Companion is from one of those few cheaper knife companies that does incredible work. I wouldn't baton with it, honestly, but even if you did it'd probably hold up just fine.

At a more expensive range, the Ontario Rat-5 is an amazing bushcraft knife. The Fallkniven Pilot Survival Knife is also an amazing knife. The Benchmade Bone Collector is spectacular knife made in D2 tool steel, one of the better steels available at that price. Another amazing knife is the Spyderco Bushcraft made in O1 tool steel. Finally, the Benchmade 162 is a pretty amazing knife.

One thing you'll notice about all of these knives with the exception of the Pilot Survival knife and the BM 162 is that they're all carbon steel knives. Carbon steel is a lot tougher than stainless (with a few very, very rare exceptions I'd never trust a long knife to be stainless steel) with the trade off of being a lot more of a hassle to take care of, since it needs to be regularly cleaned and oiled.

If you want a fire starter, carry a magnesium fire starter. With the carbon steel knives, you can probably strike it against the back of the blade to create the sparks you'll want and if not (like with some of the coated ones) you'll be carrying the striker anyway.

For sharpening, you'll want to get a decent sharpening setup and start stropping. A couple of easy sharpening systems would be the superior Spyderco Sharpermaker (usually available on Amazon around the $50 mark) or the Lansky Sharpening system which while cheaper isn't as good. You could take the time to learn how to free hand it, but most casual users don't care that much because it takes a long time to get proficient at freehand sharpening. Stropping is running the blade against something like smooth leather (usually smooth leather, actually) to remove burrs along the blade of a knife made by use and sharpening and the restore a blade to a better edge without removing metal. Stropping allows for a level of sharpness unachievable by sharpening alone and extends a knife's lifetime by allowing sharpness to be achieved for longer without removing metal from the blade. To learn how to strop, watch videos on YouTube or check out guides from the sidebar of /r/knives.

Finally, if you want a whistle, just carry a whistle. If you want a mirror for signaling, carry a small signaling mirror or mirror polish the knife you buy (a process where you sand the blade with increasing grit level sandpaper until it shines like the sun and you can see yourself in the blade).

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Mora is coming out with two full tang knives soon, I'm not sure how soon you're wanting to purchase this knife, but if you've got time, Mora currently has a lot of really really cheap options for smaller companion knives that may not be exactly what you're looking for, but since they're like 10$ I had to say something about them, I have four and use them all more than any expensive knife I own.

The BK10 has many variations, a lot of which do come with secondary handle scales included, not sure what specifically you don't like about the scales, just thought I'd let you know.

The RD6 is a good option, I would consider the little things with this knife, Esee is supposed to be an upgrade from Ontario as its founder designed the RAT series by Ontario and left to make better knives. The Ranger series has a lot of options, and if you like all the small things about this knife (the pommel, grind, choil, thickness), I would look at smaller knives in the ranger series. I spend a lot of time using knives outside, and I always prefer a knife between 3-4". The RD6 is pretty massive, a lot of people buy an Esee 6 (similar size to the RD6) and say they can really only use it for dicking around. I have a Benchmade 162 and even that feels a little too big for me, and that's coming from a big guy. That's not to say you wouldn't be able to use it effectively, but there's a happy medium for outdoor fixed blade size, and this steps out of that medium. The RD4 is probably a much better option IF you like this design.

I came here to advise you to get an Esee instead of the ranger, but 5160 steel is a great steel and I honestly didn't know much about the ranger series. I don't know anything about their heat treat, and I do know that Esee's heat treat has a great reputation, so I would consider that if you're planning on really using the knife you purchase to it's fullest. I personally don't care for this style of knife (RAT, Ranger, Esee, Becker) because they all generally are flat grind knives with a coating (nothing wrong with flat grind its just a personal opinion), this coating is great to stop corrosion, at the cost of creating drag when working with wood. If you plan on cutting up a lot of sticks and making fires and whatnot, I would look at the Condor Bushlore, if you just want a companion knife to have with you, the RAT 3is much more cost effective than most Esee knives, and the difference is marginal. One of the smaller ka bar beckers, or the Ontario Tak 1are great options. I cannot find the RD4 on amazon, if you can find it somewhere else it is also a great choice.

Hi! And welcome!

I like the Gayle Bradley 2 in M4, and the BM Valet in M390, but they are both very expensive to start out with. The Shuffle II is kind of crappy - I'd definitely pass on that one. I have no experience with
the Bartender Defeder, but even the XL version looks too small, as is the Rodie. The Delica and Leek are great knives, and would likely be solid options (their ergonomics are better than their handle lengths suggest, especially the Delica). The CRKT M16 is ok, but it's not great (in my opinion). I've never handled CRKT's Endorser, but it looks like a solid choice.

My best suggestion is a RAT 1 in D2. It's 40 bucks and you get a very well-made knife in D2 (semi stain resistant and will hold an edge for a good long time). The AUS-8 version is good, too, but if you're cutting boxes, the D2 option will stay sharp way longer.

As for some other options, here are some good ones from CRKT:

Foresight - It's big and comfy in-hand, but it's expensive for the materials used (aluminum and AUS-8)

Shenanigan - lighter and cheaper than the Foresight, but with the same blade material (AUS-8)

Outrage - aluminum handle and 8Cr13MoV steel (similar to AUS-8, id est, reasonably stainless, decent toughness, ok-ish edge retention), ball bearing pivot (nice and smooth!)

Ripple - aluminum handle, 8Cr13MoV blade, ball bearing pivot

With these suggestions, it may seem like I'm a shill for CRKT, but I'm not. I'm just a fan of Ken Onion's designs and ergonomics. I also like:

Spyderco Endura - very good stainless steel in a lightweight package, with plenty of handle real estate

Byrd Cara Cara 2 - Spyderco's value brand (basically a cheap Endura with 8Cr13MoV steel instead of the excellent blade steel VG-10)

Spyderco Resilience - big and comfy (G-10 scales with 8Cr13Mov steel), and my daily carry at work

Spyderco Manix 2 - light and medium sized (they also make an XL version), with BD-1 (kinda similar to AUS-8, kinda)

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point - a big knife with lots of grippy G-10 handle space. The CTS XHP steel is the bee's knees, and the Recon 1 is an excellent value, but it may be too expensive as a starting point.

Also, I'm sure some other folks will chime in, too. The guys & gals of /r/knifeclub are pretty knowledgeable and helpful.

Again, my number 1 suggestion is the RAT 1 in D2. It'll be hard to beat interms of construction, ergonomics, and utility.

Happy hunting!

A little late to the party... You are following the same trajectory as me. I'm just now expanding into fixed blades, but before you put the brakes on budget folders you should check out a few more options.

The Coast FX350 (9cr18mov, G-10, frame lock, 3-position clip) is a beauty for under $20. The BX315 (9cr18mov, rubberized handle, lock back) is great for wet work and is currently selling for just under $15—it has a sheath instead of a clip because the large rubberized grip doesn't slide in and out of pockets very well. The BX315 also has a little brother, the BX300.

If you like the Kershaw Link's profile then you should try a Flock (8cr13mov, FRN, tip-up clip) that's going for $15. It is a dealer exclusive that was poorly marketed and escaped most people's notice. Probably one of the best Kershaw deals going right now.

Spyderco's Spy-DK is currently selling for $30. It's a special non-locking model for Denmark knife laws. It's old school slip joint action but you get a N690Co blade that is a step up from their more expensive budget folders.

Back to fixed blades...

As I mentioned in another comment, Schrade is a good place to start for budget fixed blades—check out the SCHF36 Frontier for under $30. One thing to note is many fixed blades in this category are going to use 1095 steel which typically requires some maintenance, but most are powder coated to address this. Don't let 1095 scare you away from some nice options.

Now, I know you are looking for budget knives but there is a mid-range option that you may want on your wishlist. If you have an Ontario Rat folder (which you should) then you might want to compliment it with a Rat 3, 5, or 7. Like I said, I wouldn't consider Ontario fixed blades as 'budget' but they're a bargain compared to brands like Tops.

I hope this helps and have fun exploring, this rabbit hole runs DEEP.

For the record, I feel the same that the Cryo is too slippery - which is why I'm super glad Kershaw released a G10 version of it last year.

I also agree that the Tenacious is just a bit too big for EDC - and they do make the Persistence, which is a shrunken version of the Tenacious, with a 2.75 inch blade vs the Tenacious' 3-3/8 inch blade. If you wanna go even smaller, the Ambitious has a 2.25" blade. All 3 knives share a similar design (though the Ambitious is small enough that the proportions might look a little weird to some).

A few other knives of note that are standouts in the sub-$50 price range:

• CRKT Ripple - Ken Onion design with a more-traditional drop point blade, IKBS, 8Cr14MoV. Usually on most people's "Under $50" list.
  
  
• Kershaw Leek - Again, a little slippery and still Speedsafe but a slightly weaker torsion bar so not as forceful. Some people have issues with broken tips since they're a little thin, but this thing was the best under $50 when it came out.
  
  
• Ontario RAT 1 - At $25 this thing is a pretty great package, if not a little big. 3.5" blade, but it's AUS-8 if you don't like the 8Cr China steels (even if they are pretty similar).
  
  
• SOG Flash II - again, a 3.5 inch, AUS-8 blade. Assisted opening, but much less forceful than Speedsafe.
  
  
• The Kershaw Emerson CQC-6K has blown up since it's release and a lot of high speed low drag tactical types love it for EDC use. $25 makes it a pretty appealing choice and rock solid under $30.
  
  
• The Spyderco Delica 4 is just a touch over $50, averaging about $60, but it's also a go-to knife in the $50 for many people. VG-10 steel on this one is a big selling point.
  
  
• On the same hand, the Kershaw Blur is usually available for about $60, and for those looking for a big folder (seriously this thing is large) it's a great choice. Sandvik 14C28N as standard steel, also available with S30V for about $75.
  
  A few notes here
  
  
• You'll see a lot of sub $50 knives using 8Cr13MoV or 8Cr14MoV. The main difference is a little more Chromium in the 8Cr14MoV, leading to a little more corrosion resistance. A lot of people loved the Skyline, but there were a few issues with minor rust spots on the knives, leading to many companies switching to 8Cr14MoV for some of their knives (most of the budget Kershaws are 8Cr14MoV now).
  
  
• Kershaw has many many options for budget folders under $50, for all kinds of aesthetic tastes. The Chill, Thermite, Link, Oso Sweet, etc. I've owned a handful of Kershaws, and loved all of them, especially for the price.
  
  
• The 8Cr steels (13MoV and 14MoV) are pretty much on par with AUS-8, especially from CRKT, Spyderco, and Kershaw who all do a good job on their heat treats. There's a slight difference in hardness (3 to 4 HRC difference by most counts), but really they're nearly identical for all intents and purposes, mainly sharpening and edge retention. Some people just prefer AUS-8 because they don't like so called "China steel."
  
  
  ETA a few more links and some clarification of my still-awake-at-5am rambling.

Lol, alright for example:

• Spyderco Delica 4 FFG: For your price range this is going to be the "best" steel you can get in a near 3" folding knife (VG-10). By best I mean the best edge retention in a stainless steel. However, being over 2.5" in some places (Chacago for example) the knife will be illegal. Also, many people do not like the look of the spyderhole as it can be seen as aggressive in office environments. Also the FRN handles, while very strong, have a cheap/plastic feel to them.
  
  
• Spyderco Tenacious: Compared to the Delica, 8CR13MOV is a "worse" stainless steel (not as good edge retention, more prone to chipping during heavy impacts). However, the extra blade length is better for many outdoor tasks (breaking down tree branches). The handle is also G10, which is slightly tougher and has a much better feeling in hand than FRN.
  
  
• Spyderco Centofante 3: A more "gentlemanly" and "office friendly" version of the Delica with a slightly longer blade. Again, VG-10 and FRN.
  
  
• Kershaw Cryo II: Same steel as the tenacious. Metal handles slightly tougher than G10. Flipper action has "cool" factor. The blade grind makes the tip a touch stronger than on the tenacious.
  
  
• Kershaw Skyline: One of the most iconic of Kershaw's knives. Hollow ground blade makes it great at slicing tasks.
  
  
• Esee Izula: Skeletonized fixed blade. 1095 Steel is significantly better than the other steels listed at "chopping" tasks as it is not prone to chipping at all. It is NOT stainless and so the blade has a protective coating over most of it. The steel will require mineral oil/cleaning to prevent rusting.
  
  
• Becker BK 24: Similar to the Esee Izula but D2 steel which has better edge retention and more corrosion resistance than 1095. It is also much harder to sharpen. Many think the BK24's handle is also less comfortable, the sheath is worse, and there are less available after market modifications.
  
  
• Ontario Rat Series (linked the RAT I. RAT 2 similar but smaller): Ontario's version of the tenacious. Bladeshape generally more people friendly. Another very popular beater option.
  
  
• Morakniv Knives (there are MANY, this is just one): Highly regarded in the "bushcraft" community. High carbon steel (similar to 1095) with a scandi-grind which is great for field sharpening and woodworking. Only partial tangs so not advised to use for battoning tasks or chopping.
  
  
• Kershaw OD-2: Gentlemanly knife with great flipping action.
  
  There are a LOT more suggestions I could add...

in my opinion, once you get above like ~$250, you arent really getting any better in quality. just different designs, brand names, etc.

my advice is get him a benchmade 940 and be done with it. thats easily the nicest and most popular "expensive, but worth it because its actually really really nice" pocket knife. that company has great customer service and warrenty as well - part of that price tag is the fact that at any point for the rest of his life, if anything goes wrong with it, he can just ship it off to benchmade HQ and they will take care of it and send it back for free. it's a great high quality pocket knife that he will have forever, unless he sells it.

if you think he might like something a little smaller and dressier, the north fork is the same caliber.

another option that's ridiculously popular is the spyderco paramilitary 2

these are all equally high quality knives that are great for every day carry. choosing between them is just personal preference really

You have a lot of good choices available within the $50 range. My personal two top choices for a small, inexpensive but well built folder would be the Ontario RAT 2 and the Cold Steel Tuff Lite. Both are under $30, easy to carry, and very capable. If you want more of that traditional look, go with the best Case model you can afford. Great Eastern Cutlery is really nice too for traditionals, but a bit more pricey. Another option might be an Opinel, classy and inexpensive.

If you really want a monster sized knife, sure. But I'd definitely get the carbon steel version that some others have suggested as well. It sounds like their quality isn't too bad.

However, I don't know if I'd really want to take something that huge hiking. Maybe SHTF-type hiking I suppose.

A couple of knives that I'd think would be similar priced or less (and have proven reputations) and would slightly more practically fall into the "only 1" category:

• Ka Bar Becker BK2
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK16
  
• Condor Bushlore - there are other Condor models that are great values as well, but might need a little touchup love.
  
• Morakniv - there is even one with a firesteel built into the handle
  
• ESEE 4 (this might be a tad more expensive)
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK7 or BK9 if you really want a huge knife, but I would definitely consider something smaller to piggyback on the sheath.
  
  Good luck regardless!

• ~$7-8 Sanrenmu 7010/710 - You can find these at Gearbest for cheap as hell when they have sales but they're absolutely $30 worth of knife
  
• ~$10-20 Opinel no.6-12 - Depends on blade size/steel/handle wood. #6 is under 3in blade if that kind of thing matters.
  
• ~$20 CRKT Drifter
  
• ~$20 Spyderco Byrd Cara Cara2
  
• ~$20-25 Ontario Rat II or Rat I
  
• ~$30 Victorinox Cadet Alox
  
• ~$30 Kershaw Cryo
  
• ~$35 CRKT Ripple
  
• ~$35 Spyderco Persistence
  
• ~$40 Kershaw Skyline - Often on sale in the ~$30 range
  
• ~$40 Kershaw Leek - Same sales as with the Skyline \^^
  
  Honorable Mention: Case knives. Traditional lockbacks. Hard as nails and pretty to boot. True pocket knives. Your grandfather (possibly great grandfather) had one. Good stuff the lot of them. $25-50 will get you a legacy knife that you can carry and use and then pass to your kid.
  
  You don't need to spend $200 to get a quality, durable, reliable knife. I've owned all of these knives at one time or another and loved every one of them. Sure they needed sharpening more often and sometimes something a little more drastic (Sanrenmus are often cheaper to replace than fix) but the value is insane. Plus, lets face facts; we're much more likely to break out our Cadet when we get box duty than our Sebenza.
  
  Knife enthusiasts (brothers) if there's a weighed and measured cheapo that I forgot, let me know.

Let's see...

http://www.fedtacticaldirect.com/Kershaw-Camp-10-1077_p_49809.html

Kershaw Camp. Great kukri style blade on a budget that performs excellently.

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Cryo-Spring-Assisted--11101

Kershaw Cryo. Hinderer design for a cheap price! Small blade, but feels big in the hand. The Cryo 2, the larger version, will be coming out soon.

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Made-in-Sweden-511/dp/B004GAVOUU/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1372063610&sr=1-2&keywords=mora

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Companion-Heavy-Duty-Knife/dp/B009NZVZ3E/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1372063610&sr=1-3&keywords=mora

Moras. 1095 carbon steel, strong and used to do a lot of good things in the woods. Very tough, very sharp, very cheap.

At higher prices, the BK2

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK7-Combat-Utility/dp/B001IPMG8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1372063915&sr=8-2&keywords=bk2

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE


And of course, the tried and true classic Kabar

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Ka-Bar-Short-USA-FightingUtility--16358

A few to get you started, though, with knives, you generally get what you pay for. Generally, you'll want to figure out exactly what you want in knives, especially in how you use them to find the best deals and blades.


Collecting knives is an expensive habit that ends up going into 500 dollars knives and 1k customs. ;) Budget and collecting don't mix!

A lot of your criteria is pretty subjective. What's your size limit? What climate are you in?

By 'quality' metal I assume you're not a metal snob and are just looking for a metal that will not be terrible at holding an edge and will get sharp as needed. Because of this, I will keep the AUS8 and omit the 8Cr13MoV.

Rust 'proof' might happen, but you'd do better I think with a carbon steel of some kind, which will rust if not taken care of.

All that being said, here are some good suggestions to start you off.

Gotta have rust free? Spyderco Pacific Salt with H-1 steel

Spyderco Endura

Cold Steel Recon 1


Cold Steel American Lawman

Cold Steel Voyager

Kershaw Blur

Benchmade Griptilian

Ontario RAT 1 Folder

CRKT Heiho

All of these knives should be quality options with good steels that can be relatively easily concealed and opened, and fall under your price point. Their 'rust proof'ness will be directly proportional to the amount of care you give to your equipment. I have carried a Spyderco Endura with a VG10 steel blade for years and as long as I wash off the blade every once in a while (like right after you cut something acidic with it), and oil it whenever I get around to feeling like it sometimes (like whenever you start to see patina issues after the 30^th blue moon)...I do not have rust problems. YMMV

The tenacious is awesome, but yes, takes a little room in your pocket. Second folder is awesome as well. I picked this baby up today: http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Knife-8CR13MOV-Stainless-Steel/dp/B001PM9FEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314335296&sr=8-1

2 1/8 inch blade, and faster than an assisted blade. I call this the E.D.C. backup (I usually have something like the tenacious as my main EDC, and a subcompact as a backup that fits in the 5th change pocket, like my boker credit card knife).

I bet you played with these for an hour the first day ;)

Also, with the spyderco, you can flip it open quickly using either your thumb, or have it open slightly and then flick your wrist to lock it in place scary fast. Lots of advocates on youtube advise against it though... but heck, what good are knives if you can't be rough with them?

I wouldn't recommend a "titanium" knife, firstly because for $10, it's not titanium. It's probably some chinesium knife that won't hold an edge very well. Secondly I don't recall Camillus having a great reputation due to materials and QC.

If you're looking for a good budget knife, I know Ka-Bar and Becker make good ones, and if you can swing an Izula, that would be my choice. Here are some links. Izula Ka-Bar 1 Ka-Bar 2 Ka-Bar 3.

The reason I'm recommending Ka-Bar and ESEE is that they both use 1095 carbon steel which is an excellent choice in toughness and edge retention. I almost forgot Mora, a superb Swedish knife that is renowned for its steel and edge retention, and used worldwide by folks in the workforce and outdoors communities.

The ESEE and Ka-Bars will run you $40-$60, and the mora will run you about $15. You can get Moras and Izulas at Cabelas, but Amazon is also great. Good luck.

Hey /r/knives, I got my CRKT Triumph from the sellout.woot sale a few days ago and I've gotten to do the initial unboxing and "tee hee, knives" play period. Here's a full Imgur album with all the pics (I'll reference a few of them in line). CRKT's Triumph Page.

First impression: It's freaking huge! I lined it up with some of my larger knives here. From top to bottom these are:

• Kershaw Leek
  
• Spyderco Vallotton
  
• CRKT Triumph
  
• Benchmade 950 Rift
  
• Spyderco Police 3
  
  Second thing I noticed was that the assisted open was really aggressive. When you flip the blade open you can actually hear the spring(s?) twanging inside after the blade is fully deployed. There was actually a brief second of worry about if the blade was going to go flying off/out of the handle. However if you're the type who likes everyone in the room to know that you just opened up your knife, this is a good choice. The "SNIKT" is pretty loud.
  
  Other things - the G10 scales were in a weave pattern which you can see here. This was probably one of the "grippier" feeling G10's I own. In fact the weave pattern made it feel like the scales were rubbing off and leaving dust on your hands - it wasn't, but it felt like touching fine grit sandpaper. I haven't done any hard work with the Triumph, but I get the feeling that this handle might actually get a little uncomfortable with bare hands and heavy usage.
  
  The lock system is one I'm not a huge fan of. In the picture above you can see a little red circle just behind the blade. You have to pull that small lever back before you can depress the lock and close the knife. It makes a one-handed closure difficult (not impossible, just unwieldy).
  
  Thickness - it's on the same level as the Vallotton, so a bit too large for me to consider a comfortable EDC, but others may like those larger knives.
  
  All-in-all I like the knife as a part of my collection. If you bought it on Woot, the price was around $45 (MSRP: ~$80-90), and for that price, I consider it a good buy.

Morakniv makes some great budget fixed blades, some are quite small and most have a general utilitarian use. Here's a model for less than $17 and these have built a really good reputation for value and hard use.

However, maybe that isn't quite what you're looking for. Maybe you want something thicker, more substantial? Continuing with fixed blades is the ESEE 4P which before shipping is $99. Another option would be the Ontario Knife Company's RAT-7 for currently $63. Being an avid knife collector, I have maybe 150 total knives total. That said, I think if I had only 1 knife to take out with me and feel secure in doing so, the Kabar/Becker BK7 would be it. For ~$78 new on Amazon, it's just a big hunk of steel (1095 steel specifically) that can tear through almost anything you put in front of it from wood to meat to a car door panel lol. I would recommend looking into some customization for it for a couple for reasons. The black plastic handle scales that it comes with are not so great. This can be resolved by using a bike tire inner tube mod OR just grabbing those ~$40 micarta scales that the link suggests below the photos of the knife itself. The sheath is definitely serviceable for your needs, but you may eventually want to upgrade it to a kydex sheath, or even a leather one if you really like leather. Finally, the coating that's on all of the Becker knives has the benefit of protecting the blade very well but the cost is a lot of friction and eventually that coating will wear off and it'll look different. Many modders just strip that coating off and blue or force patina it and frequently oil after use. Or go the other route and spend hours up front polishing it to a mirror polish and now you have a knife that will look really Bowie-ish.

I had an Ontario RAT-5 for a while. About the same size as an ESEE 5, but with a thinner blade and full-flat grind. The handle was uncomfortably bulky and although it held up to my abuse, I just didn't like it. The blade was thin enough to do finer carving tasks, but it was too wide and the edge profile was terrible. I ended up using my Mora knife and Fiskars hatchet more and the RAT-5 was relegated to batoning duty and even in that I preferred the hatchet. In fact, I carved my first bow drill kit with that Fiskars.

I was considering stepping up to an Ontario RAT-7, but instead I traded the RAT-5 for a KaBar Becker BK7, which is a BEAST of a knife. Longer than an ESEE 5, but just as thick and with a similar profile. It really impressed me with the amount of work it could do and how easy it was to use, but it was heavy and just too fat to do anything but chop and split, so again, I was using my Mora and hatchet for most stuff.

I finally decided to try a different direction and traded the BK7 for a much smaller ESEE 4. Around the same time I bought a Bahco Laplander, and I am in love with this combo. The Bahco eats through 1-2" branches with ease (while generating plenty of sawdust for tinder) and the ESEE is just long enough to baton them into kindling and carve up some feather sticks. The best part is, the ESEE 4 and Bahco together weigh about as much as the BK7 in its sheath, and take up about as much space, but they are FAR more versatile.

I realize the ESEE 4 may be just out of your price range, but Kabar makes a similar knife called the BK16. However, the ESEE comes with a lifetime warranty.

I still take my Fiskars with me occasionally, but for weekend camping, I can process plenty of firewood with the ESEE and Bahco faster than I ever could with any of the bigger knives. If I needed to build a shelter or was venturing into unfamiliar territory, I'd want the hatchet because it's such a capable tool.

The ESEE 5 was designed for downed pilots who can't fit a hatchet or folding saw into their kit but may need to build a shelter, so they made it big and heavy. I understand first hand that big knives are appealing and certainly have their strong points, but their size, weight and thickness can make them difficult to use in a lot of ways and in reality, a big knife will never chop as well as a decent hatchet, because the knife's weight is centered just above the handle, not directly behind a huge wedge that drives into the wood. What you really want in a survival knife is versatility and I've spent a lot of time, money and energy figuring out that size doesn't add versatility.

Gerber is like one notch above if not the same really. You don't have to spend a fortune, although you definitely can if you can afford it and get something really awesome, to get a solid EDC knife. You can get a nice Spyderco, Cold Steel, SOG, or CRKT in the lower price ranges that would serve you well.

You could even just get a nice fixed blade like the ESEE Izula-II. Nutnfancy has a playlist of edc folders for under $40 as well that you might want to check out. Uf you've never watched one of his reviews before, he's extremely thorough and should mention the clip.

I'm also a big proponent of carrying a small fixed blade on your off side to aid in weapon retention in case of a gun grab. I carry a Ka-Bar TDI LE which a sweet knife (strong AUS-8a steel) for a great price. The only thing lacking is the sheath that you can always choose to replace later with the PHLster TDI sheath. If you want something smaller and cheaper they also have the Ka-Bar TDI LE Last Ditch knife.

Of the two you mentioned I would get the Ganzo. I love the Axis lock, its the most fun lock type to play with IMO. I carry a Ganzo G727 quite often and it has been holding up great. Its a good size for a big EDC beater, and the blade does most cutting tasks well. It is a copy of a knife that is very popular for a reason.

The Cryo 1 is a much smaller knife than the Ganzo, they have a larger model 2 that is more similar to the G727. Just be aware of the sizes and what you want to do with your knife. The Cryo is damn good knife I will not fault it for anything other than in my hands it needs a pointer finger choil. That is purely a preference thing though. If you want a sub $20 Kershaw I very much like my Kershaw Freefall. It's lightish, full size, deep carry and has great ergo's. Another option is the Volt SS again with great ergo's and is very thin in the pocket.

If you want a great flipper look for something that runs on ball bearings. CRKT makes some amazing ones for $30~40. The Teigh Tac Two Tanto, Outrage, and Ripple 1 and 2 all fit the bill. The Outrage is a very strong feeling knife, but the tip is very thin, and the other two are not overbuilt but solid so make great EDC knives, but are not the beaters a Rat or Ganzo might be.

For fixed blade if you are gonna be using the knife for hard use then I would not recommend a folder. I'm more knowledgeable on folders so someone else may find a better choice. If they don't, this is still a very solid choice, I have never had one, but I did have an izula (which is very similar).

For folder I would go with the Ontario rat, they make this is d2 blade steel which would be better and they make a smaller version (rat 2) but any version of this knife you choose will be the best for the money.

Another fixed blade that is similar to picture is this Schrade. Schrade usually isn't the best company but 1095 is definitely a cheap, good steel. With the blade thickness and steel, I would trust this knife any day.

Cold Steel Tuff Lite, this is a good utility knife though the cutting edge is pretty tiny

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-CS20LT-BRK-Tuff-Lite/dp/B006YBW6MY


Honey Badger medium, it's more expensive than $25 but it's quirky and very good IMO. The large and small versions aren't quite as good as the medium.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CPNZ7C8/


SRM Land 910 Plus, ignore the "sharpener" it's junk. This is one of the best knives you can buy IMO but they're getting discontinued

https://www.amazon.com/Folding-Sharpener-Tactical-Outdoor-Sharpening/dp/B07BGC4RDH/

The Tangram Santa Fe is good as well but I liked the SRM better.

I don't know if this is what you were looking for but this knife matches most of your criteria and price range: http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-31-000751-Survival-Ultimate-Serrated/dp/B003R0LSMO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It is $32 on amazon but $60 in all my local camping stores. The blade steel is alright, nothing spectacular but for the money it's a good knife. I like mine. The serrated edge will come in great for cutting line quickly. Plus some of the safety features are great for a backpacking knife such as a whistle, a sharpener, and a fire starter. It also comes with a survival booklet. I doubt your brother needs it, but hey, never hurts to read up on some stuff.

everyone seems to rave about the griptillian and the 940 from benchmade. also includes their lifesharp service, which is pretty awesome

i have a decent number of knives, but the one i use the most by far is the delica 4 wave-- best $60 i ever spent.

in the end i'd say you could definitely spend a lot less than $200 for a great knife, just depends on your taste

Maybe a Spyderco Native? I wanna say these come in S35VN which is a pretty good steel.

I'd also consider the Mini Grip although that shipping time is atrocious. These come in 154CM.

A little beefier than a Delica and above your budget but I gotta recommend the HK Axis. I've heard that people don't like the mini's quite as much as the full size model but I take it you like the smaller side of things.

Just kinda poked around for some stuff I like on Amazon.ca. Good luck finding something!

The axis lock that benchmade uses is easily one hand open, you pull the little silver nubs in the handle to release the blade into a free swing, then release to lock it open. Skip to 5 mins in. But the leek is so different from a lot of knives that your best bet is stick with it, maybe go for a composite leek with better steel if you ever feel the itch for a new knife. That said, your leek is a solid knife snd the sog is good for your beater knife as well. Upgrading is a matter of choice now.

Got a blade material are you looking for? (stainless steel or carbon)

Blade profile? (drop point, tanto, spear, clip)

Blade grind? (Flat, Saber, Scandinavian, or Hollow)

Off the top of my head:

Becker BK16 - flat 1095Cro-Van

Esee Camp Lore PR-4 - Saber 1095

Esee 4P - flat 1095

Esee Izula - flat 1095

Morakniv Bush Crafter - Scandinavian 1095

Morakniv Garberg - Scandinavian 14C28N

Cold Steel Master Hunter - Flat VG1 in San Mai

​

FYI The ESEE brand has perhaps the best lifetime warranty of fixed blades. Return and they will replace with no questions asked policy. It is also transferable so they do tend to keep their value over time. Tactical Intent is a verified seller on amazon. At that price range you can get a pretty great knife.

Hope this helps!

http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-555HG-Pardue-Design-Mini-Griptillian/dp/B00180GQJA

Mini grip in sheepsfoot. Smaller blade, so less headaches for you. Unassisted, but still easy to open, and it locks. Benchmade is a great company with a great reputation. Haven't seen anyone buy this knife and say "Man, I wish I hadn't bought this." It's a little higher than your price range, but not by a ton and is still very reasonably priced.

IDK if some one has recommended it yet OP, but I hugely recommend getting a Becker by Ka-Bar! I love it cause it’s a tough-ass, fixed-blade knife. 5.25” blade and 10.5” overall = strong enough for prying even. There are like 3 or 4 types of blades you can buy on them... so do a little searching off the link I post below.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXYFDF9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OdvVCbV72GG8W

Edit: for a few more dollars, you can get their 7” blade. This is the one I almost went with but I didn’t quite want that large of a blade.

https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-BKR7-BRK-Combat-Utility/dp/B001IPMG8K/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?keywords=Ka+Bar&qid=1555911141&s=gateway&sr=8-16&utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

Edit #2: I totally forgot to mention my foldable...
My nearly 4” blade, CRKT!
EVERY CRKT I’ve owned (4 or 5) has came out of the box with the sharpest blades I’ve ever purchased, by far. For the price, you can’t go wrong. They have a cheaper on that I owned previously: the CRKT M16. Just don’t use these guys to pry anything. Lol

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001A2GO6Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BsvVCbNX7VFHS

Some thoughts, feel free to take them or leave them:

• Skip the expensive cottage packs until you're further down the rabbit hole, look for a cheap osprey/granite gear/etc. pack, go to a store and try them on. Find one on /r/geartrade or at an REI garage sale. It's never bad to have a spare pack later for family or friends that want to join you here and there. Since you mentioned losing weight, the granite gear packs have an adjustable hip belt which is really nice.
  
  
• Make sure you practice with that alcohol stove in advance, a canister stove is not much heavier once you account for 6oz of fuel, and is just so easy.
  
  
• Go with a cheaper, easier to use, knife. Opinel's are well respected around here and weigh like 1.6oz, the larger handle makes it easier to use. (Some people will tell you to skip the knife all together, but since you had one on there I thought I'd offer an alternative).
  
  
• Skip the flint and go with a second lighter
  
  
• Skip the cottonballs and plan for a little extra alcohol to use for a fire starter if needed.
  
  
• You can probably go cheaper and lighter with a tent, but I understand the desire to hammock camp, I'm not experienced in it, so I won't comment on any of those items.
  
  
• No need for 3 pairs of socks. Use one pair for hiking and one for sleeping. The last day hike in your sleep socks.
  
  
• Ditch the sawyer pouches and one of the smartwater bottles, get a cnoc or evernew dirty water bag instead. Less headache, makes life better at camp (stove cleaning/cooking water), and if you're hiking a dry stretch you can carry more dirty water with you and filter as needed.
  
  
• Don't use alcohol to clean wounds, water will do. Alcohol will do more damage than good, you're not performing surgery.
  
  Honestly, by nature forums like this foster a lot of upgrade culture/gear nerds, you can make just about anything work for a hike (especially in mild temps in PA). No need to shove out a ton of cash to get the best when you start, just get out there and you'll figure out where your system can be improved.
  
  
  
  

Don't get that. If you want to wow him, definately get something special, like a Spyderco Delica Wave

The wave, patented by Emerson (famous high end brand), allows knives to be deployed the moment out of the pocket by itself. See if he owns one already, if not, that is a great choice.

Any of the Kershaw X Emerson CQC series is also a great choice, with the same wave feature. I always get these as gifts for people, both knife nut and non-nut. They always seem to be wowed by the wave feature. Its just my go-to for a knife gift.

http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-6034-Emerson-Designed-CQC-6K/dp/B00I0RSVQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449725440&sr=8-1&keywords=kershaw+cqc

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica-Emerson-Opener-Plain/dp/B00165X4K6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449725449&sr=8-1&keywords=delica+4+wave

Quick suggestions:

CRKT SS Eros ($37 on amazon, neat flipper, light, but tiny)

Spyderco Dragonfly 2 ($48 on amazon, the popular "little big knife" option, comes in other flavors, I prefer the Cat though)

Spyderco Cat ($41 on amazon, often my choice for Chicago or Boston carry, at least when I'm not carrying a Tuff Lite)

. . . and one more that's far superior to the other three in utility, but that is perhaps less easy on the eyes:

Cold Steel Tuff Lite ($29 on amazon)

CRKT Ripple is an amazing little knife; good blade length and cool handle. If you want to spend a little more money get the spyderco centofante 3 on amazon. Amazing knife and beautiful aesthetics.

I'm going to recommend a folder just b/c he'll probably carry it more than a fixed blade. If he's going to use it for cleaning game, I would recommend something with pillar construction (two slabs for the handle, spacers in between) so that he can easily rinse out the mess. If you want a quality knife, it should have quality steel and quality handle materials. G10 is great, Titanium is great, and Bone is really expensive with those prerequisites. With that in mind, I offer spyerco sage 1, spyderco sage 2, spyderco paramilitary 2, DPX HEST, zero tolerance 0200, and the spyderco military. The military is slightly over budget but it's pretty sexy.

If you like kershaw you can get a blur with S30v steel for around 65$ on amazon if you still want a kershaw. I've never been too impresed with them since I find their build quality to be lacking. They seem to have an excessive amount of blade play and use average quality steels in most of their knives. The a premium steel that can hold a razor sharp working edge. The spyderco delica/endura line is also a great knife. They have full flat ground blades that come razor sharp from the factory with absolutlely no blade play. I personally carry a green delica as one of my edc knives. The dragonfly is also great if you want a knife that dissapears on your person. it is a featherweight knife, that cuts and handles like a much larger knife.

If you are looking for a knife that can take an absolutely harsh beating, I would have to reccomend an Ontario RAT 1 or 2 depending on you size preference. They are a bit heavy in hand compared to other knives it size, but perform just as good as any of my spydercos. It is also on the cheaper side at around 25$.

The benchmades are also a good choice, but I would also reccomend the benchmade mini-presidio.

Anyways, I thought I might as well just post some links to them:

S30v Kershaw Blur

Benchmade Mini Presidio

[Benchmade Griptillian] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q9BOF0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2Q6YQ3PL1NNYW&coliid=I1IO3PSF8569TW)

Benchmade Mini Griptillian (I prefer thumb hole openers, but both griptillians also are offered with combo edges and thumb studs.)

Spyderco Dragonfly

Spyderco Delica

Spyderco Endura

Ontario RAT 1

Ontario RAT 2

Consider the purpose of a defensive blade. A blade is deadly force. That means that if you're justified in using a knife, you're justified in using a gun. A gun is a much better defensive tool than a knife under almost every circumstance, including at knife distances. The only time a knife has the advantage over a gun is in the clinch, i.e. when you are not just close but actually entangled with your adversary. Under those extreme conditions a small fixed blade is best, as it's easier to access and deploy than a folder. Two of the best designs for this purpose are the ShivWorks Clinch Pick with a good sheath, and the KA-BAR TDI, also with a good sheath.

You, however, are in a special situation. One, you're in a state that flagrantly violates the U.S. Constitution. And two, you won't do the right thing and bear arms in defiance of unconstitutional state laws. You could spend money on a compromise knife that is meant as a poor substitute for a gun, or you could just get one of the good knives I recommended above while waiting on your state-issued piece of plastic. Given your same constraints, I would choose the latter.

Good luck behind enemy lines.

I was in almost the exact same position recently. I had purchased a Flash I and was quite disappointed with it. I decided to give SOG another chance and picked up a Twitch I, since, like you, I enjoy small knives.

First, it's real small. About the size of a Spyderco Ladybug. But unlike that tiny classic, the size of the Flash I works against it: as an assisted flipper, your fingers have very little real estate to activate the flipper action [which by the way is incredibly stiff on mine]. I find it has similar issues when it comes to deactivating the back lock.

Like my Flash, the Twitch came to me with substantial side-to-side blade play, and tightening the pivot does nothing to remove it. It doesn't have the nasty flex that my Flash does, nor does it rattle like a tin can, but in general I find the fit and finish to be similarly cheap.

I would recommend against it, and for my part will not be buying any more SOG products at this point. If you're looking for a good, small flipper at a budget price, check out the Kershaw OD-2.

Unfortunately there just aren't a lot of great, smallish, narrow knives that can really take abuse. Back locks are stronger than liner locks so I'd point you in that direction - check out the waved Spyderco Delica. The Delica is a classic design and the waved version has a couple advantages you might appreciate: great steel that isn't a bear to sharpen, great ergonomics, and blade geometry that can take a beating. Oh and the wave is pretty cool and sometimes practical, too.

It miiight be one of the ugliest knives ever made but when I want an easy to carry, capable, and comfortable blade I always grab mine.

EDIT: just realized you said you wanted a partially serrated knife in which case check out the foliage green version, which happens to be a little cheaper, too.

So you seem pretty knowledgeable, and I trust your opinion. I’ve narrowed it down to 6 I’m choosing between, with some definitely more likely than others. Three are folders , and three are fixed . While I no longer trust MTech for folders, their blade kept decently well, and there’s not a lot of room for screws loosening on fixed blades. I also know Elk Ridge was never mentioned in the tread, but I’ve owned one fixed and one folder from them and they were both great knives, I have faith in the brand

I strongly believe if you are serious in becoming a knife collector - you should start low and gradually advance till you reach the peak.

Saying that because I've known a lot of guys that went for the CRK Sebenza as their first knife, didn't understand why the hell it costs so much and burned themselves out of the hobby.

I usually recommend getting the OKC RAT 1/Spyderco Tenacious as a first knife, but in this case I'd say go for the US made Spyderco Paramilitary 2 (was voted the best overall knife in the recent poll) or if you like something Japanese - the Mcusta Katana is a great option.

The spyderhole cutout on the liner makes a pretty good choil. It works better than I thought it would for sure. I do think it'd be nice with a forward choil like other spyderco models but it isn't a dealbreaker for me.

Amazon warehouse had the Techno for $150, so that's roughly two $65 dragonfly zdps. (if you can find a new zdp dfly2 for $50 please lmk!) The amazon new price is $161. My apologies to your wallet ;)

You won't regret it, but honestly. I would've gone for this version instead..

http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-River-Knife-Tool-K415KXP/dp/B0030IT794/ref=sr_1_1?srs=3548657011&ie=UTF8&qid=1464407607&sr=8-1&keywords=415kxp

it's slightly bigger, but the same exact model. And easier to hold and better overall :)


if you want you can cancel it and purchase it, up to you however.

I bought mine in Florida where it was legal to sell and carry. It was one of my favorites and a pretty frequent EDC for me. Then, recently I moved to Portland, OR, where they're not so legal. I had to replace my favorite EDC, but I'm pretty happy with my new quick deployment knife, the Spyderco Delica 4 with Emerson Wave opening.

the skyline is a great choice.
Spyderco persistance is another great choice. 29$ below.
http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Persistence-C136GP-Plain-Knife/dp/B002IWWYS4
Are you primarily just interested in folders? if fixed blade knives appeal to you Becker bk14 is another wonderful knife for 34$
http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK14-Becker-Knife-Eskabar/dp/B004CIQY6K

Spyderco has a wide range of folders under $100. There's the Delica, Endura, Dragonfly, Centofante 3, and Stretch to name a few. All high quality, made in the USA.

The Tenacious line (including the Persistence and Ambitious) is awesome if you want good quality for less than $40. However, if you want to spend more, I would definitely recommend US made knives.

I picked up the Condor Bushlore knife w/ Micarta handle last month right before I went elk hunting. It worked out really well. I used it to debone two elk quarters while it was snowing. The micarta handle did not get slick even when wet and it handled meat/wood/random camp jobs with ease. I also carried it on my belt for 20 miles over 4 days in it’s leather sheath and it stayed secure with quick access when I needed it. My only con is that the knife blade was a little short for some of the field dressing jobs but that’s why you carry multiple knifes! Otherwise it will definitely be my primary knife for camping this summer and my next hunting trip. Great knife for $65. I was looking at an ESEE but they were too expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Tool-Knife-60005-Bushlore/dp/B003D9ORT0

I'm a big fan of Condor's carbon steel knives. Scandi grind, well made and the price is great.

This one with the micarta is quite a bit more than the wood, but it's pretty sweet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D9ORT0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My comment was written with most everyday people in mind. They're mostly sharpening bad 440C kitchen knives and don't want to spend a lot of money. Another big thing is that your average person in the kitchen doesn't even know just how sharp a knife can get. The average guy is usually okay with a good working edge. I was recommending the honing rod and the Lansky system because they're inexpensive, easy-to-use, and they last a long time. Plus, most people are never even going to need a Lansky. That's already more advanced than most want to get.

If you have good knives though, everything changes. If you're a knife guy, then yeah absolutely you need to have a more sophisticated sharpening system.

We're both knife guys, so you'll probably agree that it all really depends on which knife you're using.

There are so many factors that go into it.

How thick is the knife?
What's the blade length/shape?
What's the steel?
What's the grind? Convex? Hollow? Full-Flat Grind? Scandi? Sabre?
What's the angle on that grind?
What type of knife is this?
What kind of edge do I want to put on it?

I personally just put a convex edge on most of my knives, so all I really use is a strop and a handful of compounds. For everything else I just use an Apex Edge Pro.

Preference is huge here but a rough guide

• Fixed blade
  
  
• Full tang
  
  
• Flat/Scandi grind (easier to maintain)
  
  
• 4/5/6" blade with a decent belly
  
  
• Good quality steel, carbon if you can maintain it otherwise VG10 or some other respectable stainless steel.
  
  My favourite knives
  
  
• [Becker BK7]*http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK7-Combat-Utility/dp/B001IPMG8K(
  
  
• Fallkniven S1
  
  Other ones to look into
  
  Kabar USMC
  
  Bark River Bravo1 <--- people swear by this
  
  SOG Seal <--- I'm not a fan of any of SOGs knives, they seem....petty
  
  Some gerbers seem pretty damn good

I don't have one myself but I hear a lot of good things about Condor knives, they can be had for ~$30-$60 on amazon and they come with a great looking leather sheath. I've been eyeing them for a while myself, this one specifically: https://www.amazon.com/Condor-Bushlore-4-375-Inch-Micarta-Leather/dp/B003D9ORT0/ref=sr_1_9?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1464781096&sr=1-9&keywords=condor+knife

nah for that price... not a huge fan.

Kabar USMC would be my choice for camping/survival/etc. Might want to complement with some sort of small collapsable handsaw or something if that's what you intended to do with the spine serrations. Or just get a small hatchet.

Also not a big fan of square tantos.

Maybe it's just personal preference but I can't say i'd buy one for any reason.

TBH just take your khuk your grip and something else that can do the job serrations would and you'll be much better off ;)

might seem like it looks badass but.... meh no, you can do better.

Pockets

• Phone Case - Magpul iPhone 5 Field Case
  
  
• Knife - Benchmade Mini-Griptillian
  
  
• Handkerchief - Fifth&Brannan Charcoal Pocket Square
  
  
• Bottle Opener - New Belgium Globe - Got this for free after a tour there, and it's lived in the small pocket of my jeans ever since.
  
  
• Lip Balm - Burt's Bees
  
  
• FitBit - Fitbit Ultra - Probably going to be replaced by a newer Fitbit soon.
  
  
• Pen - Fisher Cap-O-Matic Space Pen - I will buy this pen over and over.
  
  
• Wallet - Saddleback ID Wallet in Tobacco
  
  
• Gum - Orbit Sweet Mint - It's unbelievable how much of this I have chewed.
  
  
  
  Keys
  
  
• Biner - Nite Ize S Biner Ahh
  
  
• USB - Kingston Digital DataTraveler 8GB - Contents change daily. Mostly client software.
  
  
• Light - FOURSEVENS Mini 123/ML - Throws a ton of light for how little room it takes up.
  
  
  
  
  That's pretty much it. Any questions feel free.
  

I'll give you some options here instead of just one choice.

This CRKT is a wonderful tool.

If you'd like another Spyderco you can't go wrong with a Dragonfly or a Centofante III.

If you've never got a Kershaw they're killer knives for the price. The Leek is a great introduction.

Or, you could buy 2 knives with your fifty. Ontario's RAT I and RAT II are some sweet knives.

Depending on your taste. You simply cannot go wrong with any of these knives.

EDC LIST

(A helpful redditor pointed out that r/EDC doesn't endorse using knives in defense. I wanted to be clear the ka-bar is used for utilitarian purposes and never on anything animate.)

[From top to bottom][I know 'techno-utilitarian' makes me sound 'techno'-cally like a tool.]

• Apple Watch 3 with Marge leather wristband
  
• Bellroy Cardholder
  
• Bellroy Keyholder
  
• iPhone 6
  
• Grey Moleskine ruled journal
  
• Parker Arrow Ballpoint Pen
  
• Asus ZenPower 10050mAH portable charger
  
• Ka-Bar concealed "McStabby" (don't have the name handy)
  
• Spyderco Ambitious Black G-10
  
  The vitamins are technically EDC, too, but I didn't mean for them to sneak into the shot. ANIMAL PAK. No big deal.
  
  E: I'm upgrading the Ka-Bar 'McStabby' with a slightly safer Ka-Bar TDI LE fixed blade, but I'd take other recs. Thanks guys!

My brother is coming to visit with me and my wife for the first time since we got married. We're gonna go shooting and then have a video game marathon! So stoked!

Thanks for the contest! Wow $50 is huge!

1.21 Gigawatts

MARTTTTYYYYYY!!!!!!

Link

Haha, awesome! Where do you recommend getting one? Is this alright?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TXMFQQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

the BK14 is a legitimate colab between ESEE and Kabar/Ethan Becker so if you want a knife with the same handle, but a bigger blade, that's your best bet. Also you can buy Orange Zytel scales for it as well if you wanted.

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK14-Becker-Knife-Eskabar/dp/B004CIQY6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405386912&sr=8-1&keywords=bk14

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Scales-Handles-Orange/dp/B0073GZSM4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405386912&sr=8-2&keywords=bk14

It's the Gerber 31-000751 and runs about $40 on Amazon. It's obviously too big for my EDC, so I haven't used it much, but it feels solidly constructed. The grip is... grippy. I've tried the firestarter/whistle, and they work as expected. The cover is also well constructed and could be hung from a belt, if you're into that kind of thing.

All said, despite being branded by Bear Grylls, I'd still recommend it. :)

For about $50, these are the best you're going to get.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001EI7578/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1498269519&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=spyderco+resilience&dpPl=1&dpID=21SYwroxw1L&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004AWOLV8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498269519&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=spyderco+resilience&dpPl=1&dpID=41CRY-zVxCL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CH1SQ8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498269566&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=spyderco%2Bendura&dpPl=1&dpID=31TgYMj7KDL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

These are all great knives, they're just a little different from each other.

A knife specifically for defensive use needs some unique features that a typical EDC knife designed for opening boxes and stuff won't have. Specifically, you need to be able to take it, bare-handed, and slam it down on something hard like a piece of wood as hard as you can.

Most knives can't do that because your hand will slip onto the blade and you'll slice your hand open (unless you're using what I'd call an unnatural grip). So a defensive knife needs a finger choil or a guard. It should also be fixed-blade. The assumption that I think you should make when looking for a defensive knife is that your attacker is already on top of you, and you'll only have one hand and fairly limited dexterity to deploy it, so a folding knife won't work well. Plus, folding knives don't typically have a guard or choil.

As you can imagine, it's tough to get a guard on a knife that's small enough for EDC, especially concealed. (Really, who wants to walk around open-carrying a giant knife?)

Here are three recommendations, in descending order of price:

Spyderco's Street Beat

ShivWorks Clinch Pick

Ka-Bar TDI

None of them are quite as badass or tacticool as a giant 5" serrated tanto, but there's a reason that serious trained self-defense instructors will recommend stuff like these.

Do you have to pay import taxes or anything? I can go grab you a new KaBar at the damn knife store here and ship it to you. I'm happy to help any way I can.

Edit: Amazon has them new for $65.09 with free shipping (to me) with Prime. I can then ship it to you. Should come in under your budget. Let me know if you're interested.

KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife, Straight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_12lUAbHERFVKJ

I have several KA-BARs and love them all.

I love this one for camping: https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Combat-Bowie-Fixed/dp/B001IPKL7I

This one is always in my car (next to a small KA-BAR tanto, and SOG hatchet): https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-200038-BK3-Becker-Tool/dp/B001IPILMA

best of the best:

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Techno-Titanium-Plain-Knife/dp/B006L6WSIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510170470&sr=8-1&keywords=spyderco+techno

I can vouch for the KA-BAR TDI law enforcement it comes with a sheath with a belt clip, there are different sizes, serrated or non serrated, mix of serrated and non serrated, its ergonomics are great and it comes sharp as a fucking bitch!

It's part of my EDC and I love it!

Here's a video review. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nfmDXy1waQ

Hope it helped!

Kershaw OD-2

It's not really a collectors item but it's cheap and small...and pretty good imo.

Cold steel tuff lite. I carried that to my job at Menard's for about two years never had any problems with it. Best part is it a nice budget knife short blade but is still very sharp. Easy to resharpen and maintain. It comes in both serrated and plain edge.

Link
https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Plain-Folder-Knife/dp/B006YBW6MY

Was it the Gerber LMF? I'm pretty sure those are still made in the US and are actually fairly adequate, as long as you don't use it like a throwing knife. It's one of the very few things Gerber still does okay.

If you feel like getting him something that'll kick all kinds of ass, I'd recommend some of these.

I dunno what you're looking for, but this is what I carry on my offhand.

https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Enforcement-Knife-Fixed-Blade/dp/B003IXYW3M/

It's small and discreet, great concealability and quick to access. comes with a left/right draw kydex sheath with good retention.

If you're just looking for something to cut clothing for tourniquets or seat belts they also have a serrated version.

Now my knife is worn,
but now the best technique.
At least for this knife.
_____
Well technically not that specific model in the picture, but it will serve for my lazy ass. If you know the lighter trick with a knife like this, all you have to do is use the backside of the blade instead of the bottom of the knife.

Initially when I was trying different techniques I used the top end of the handle... but that eventually got town to shreds so I tried the side and it has been working perfectly for about a year now.


Related: if you ever break a Benchmade knife or even find a broken one they don't give a damn what happened to it, they will just replace it.

Swiss Army Knife

Kershaw method

Kershaw Westin

Ganzo FH-11

Byrd Medowlark 2

Opinel #8

Ontario Rat 1

All of these are going to last longer and perform better than the MTech. In terms of appearance and esthetics, nobody is going to look askance if you pull out a Swiss army knife or an opinel. Flicking your mtech will likely be a different story. You should carry what you enjoy, but understand that conventional wisdom is going to look down on the appearance and, if they know about knives, the MTech brand. If you go with the Mtech, don't trust the lock too much and don't be surprised if the assist mechanism breaks.

I recently bought a PM2 from Amazon. One thing I noticed was multiple listings for it and at different prices.

I got the all black. http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-ParaMilitary2-Black-Blade-PlainEdge/dp/B004TXMFQQ?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

Here it is for $30 more.
http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-ParaMilitary2-Camo-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B004VZVI88?ie=UTF8&keywords=spyderco%20paramilitary%202&qid=1464034297&ref_=sr_1_1&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-1

Pretty sure mine is legit and I will compare g10 scales tonight.

The Becker Necker and Izula II are both good knives. the Kabar Eskabar has the Necker's big blade, with the Izula's handle... the best of both worlds.

and it's only $34

If I know I am going to be in a survival situation?

Phone + Battery, 50 Flares, vehicle with a full tank of gas would be my top 3.

More serious you say? Just limiting myself to ordering online, mostly amazon -

1. Warbonnet hammock and tarp
   
   
2. Sawyer water filter
   
   
3. 1,000 feet of 750 cord
   
   
4. 50 bic lighters
   
   
5. 12 Months supply of food
   
   
6. Heavy knife
   
   
7. Light cheap knife
   
   
8. Any expensive sleeping bag
   
   
9. Cell phone, including my favorite RPG games.
   
   
10. Solar recharger
    
    
    

• Assumes I am stranded in the forest of the Northwest United States.
  
  
  Given a more specific survival situation, a budget, weight limit or other constraints, I may adjust my list accordingly.
  
  

For your own safety, don't get that thing please.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001IPILMA/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?pc_redir=T1#

This is a higher quality and better tool.

Kabar Becker. They're tanks with a reputation. Good luck with your travels as well.

While lots of people recommend the Becker BK2, I personally am enamored with my Becker BK3 On top of being a knife, you can use it as a pry bar, hammer in windows, (or nails), club things, and generally wreak havoc. You can also use it as a bottle opener, but be careful- I used it last week and actually broke the bottle's neck as well. Whoops.

This thing comes with a thick edge, you can grind it but it'll chop through wood pretty easily. You can get custom scales if the grip is too slick for you, or file away at the stock scales, which lots of people do.

That said, I still have my Esee 4/Izula and Mora knives literally ON me when I go hiking. The BK3 stays in the car as my BOB/GHB due to its weight.

Kukris don't have to be that expensive if don't mind a 'modern' take on them.

Besides the Ontario and Condor /u/lowlife9 mentioned maybe consider Cold steel Royal Kukri or Ka-bar Kukri and compliment it with a Ontario Rat 7 or Rat 5, that's a pretty can-do-all combination..

Not spring assisted, but just as fast - Kershaw OD-2. I carry one every day and love it.

What would be a fair price for these. I see them for about 100
Im also looking at this https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=pd_sim_200_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001H53Q6M&pd_rd_r=P19CMAPTDJDWYET7DZG3&pd_rd_w=QRVXy&pd_rd_wg=44qV2&psc=1&refRID=P19CMAPTDJDWYET7DZG3 The KA Bar I like a little better and is a tad bit cheaper.

Sprderco Delica Wave. Not only is it an awesome knife, but the wave feature doubles as a bottle opener. It's not the safest bottle opener, but it's safer that it looks, just be careful. Not a keychain knife though, but it's very pocketable.

Take a look at the Leek with the combo sandvik/d2 blade. I have one and it is one of those knives that you just wanna fondle. If you pick one up, do yourself a favor and force a patina on the blade with some lemon juice or something - it really makes the two different steels contrast beautifully.

In the box:

• Fenix PD32UE flashlight
  
• 
  Ray-Ban 3025 Aviator Polarized sunglasses
  
• 
  Zippo Slim circa 1960
  
• 
  Nite-Ize S-Biner with County Comm Titanium Widgy Pry Bar / Ti split rings
  
  
• Leatherman Skeletool CX
  
• Saddleback I.D. Wallet
  
• LGE Nexus 5
  
• Pilot Precise V7 RT pen
  
• Clairefontaine pocket notebook
  
• Klipsch Image S4i Rugged
  
• Spyderco Techno pocketknife
  
  The camera pictured is my beater/backup, a Nikon D7000 with a Nikon 35mm F/1.8G AF-S DX lens. These were all taken with the camera I use on assignment - a Nikon D800 with a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S lens, an SB700 speedlight and a Rogue Small Flashbender.
  
  I leave the D800 at home when I'm not working, but I keep the D7000 in my car or on my person pretty much all the time. Everything else here goes almost everywhere with me.

Just a bit larger, but not by much, the BK 14.
https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK14-Becker-Knife-Eskabar/dp/B004CIQY6K
it fits perfect in this sheath.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RIEJA8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Leatherman OHT

DULEX super Bright Cree Xm-l T61000l

Amazon Basics AA

[Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife Stainless Steel]
(http://amazon.com/dp/B000UGYWTO)


Husky Precision Screwdriver Set

Samsung Galaxy Note II

Just a heads up that this knife has plummeted almost $20 in price since I picked it out last week. Might be a good time to buy if you're interested. I'm going to have to call in for a refund on the difference!

Spyderco C66PBK3 Centofante III Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BT1GAI/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_TkZJub0NBH13T

You are also in price range of the Delica 4 and Centofante 3 or Endura 4

These are much better knives than the Tenacious, Skyline or Cryo. VG-10 is much better steel, made with much better quality control from better materials.

Obviously, they are right at your price point, but its a whole-nother-level type of thing when compared to the Cryo and such.

Opinle is a good work knife.


And milwaukeet tool folder is also a good work knife.

Yeah I have a Ka-bar 1245 and love it to death.

These are the next two knives I'm planning to buy from Ka-bar:

KA-BAR TDI Hinderance

Ka-Bar BK3 Becker Tac Tool

And to be honest I probably will buy their Tactical Spork.

I actually went against my original post. I just bought this CRKT Ken Onion Ripple . Thanks tho!!

This seems to be a pretty popular option among the self-defense world. Not sure what purpose you're wanting, but I'm sure this would be more than sufficient.

All 3 of your items seem like winners but here are some other options:

Leatherman 831195 Squirt PS4 Black Keychain Tool with Plier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032Y2OT6/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ipLOub1HMS951

Leatherman 831925 Juice S2 Multitool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY4ZZO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_YqLOub1KN62CQ

Nitecore Tube 45 Lumens Blue USB Rechargeable Key Chain Flashlight with Lumen Tactical Keychain Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OY9TH16/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_isLOub1Z83R8W

Victorinox Swiss Army Signature Lite Pocket Knife, Sapphire https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001Y7XR3K/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_UtLOub1FPPN01

Foursevens Atom AL Stainles Steel Finish / Cool White LED; 1xCR123A; 110 Lumens https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HDP0JQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_5uLOub0F2HBEK

Spyderco Persistence C136GP Plain Edge Knife, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IWWYS4/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_5wLOub1Q2CA1D

Cold Steel Tuff Lite Plain Edge Folder Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YBW6MY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_UxLOub0PWZ3YF

My father was in the marines in the 70s and came home when I was somewhere between 1 or 2. April 22 was his birthday and I always have a hard time finding a present for the old bastard. I stumbled across this on amazon one night trying to get ideas. http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1462620162&sr=1-1&keywords=ka+bar I have never seen his eyes light up like they did that day. He looked like a little kid on christmas. Apparently before he went in one of my grandfathers friends gave him his kbar that he used in ww2 island hopping in the pacific and he had etched the places he had been in the blade. Some scumbag stole that knife from him just before he was to leave to come home. Definitely one of the best reactions I have ever gotten from anyone I have bought a present for.

Personally I have this


I don't know how real survivalists would rate it, but for going camping and being my first fixed blade knife, I really enjoy it.

Have you considered adding a KA-BAR Becker BK3 they were designed for use by EMTs and are apparently very good at prying open car doors and the like.

Mine batons like a champ. Check amazon.com. I picked up mine for 50 bucks there. I also picked up a plastic sheath for about ten bucks, as it comes in a leather one which probably shouldn't get wet.

http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370297639&sr=8-1&keywords=kabar

If you like KaBar, their Becker line is better for camping. The old USMC fighting knife is for that, fighting. They are also known to break at the handle under hard use.

I love my Eskabar. Wrap the handle in paracord for a better grip, and some emergency cordage.

Best Price!
http://charts.camelcamelcamel.com/us/B003R0LSMO/amazon.png?force=1&zero=0&w=725&h=440&desired=false&legend=1&ilt=1&tp=all&fo=0&lang=en

For that budget the Ka-Bar does seem like a good choice. If you don't mind going 5 bucks over budget, I would consider this too though.

Spyderco Ambitious sounds like it would fit.

Edit: Or maybe a Cold Steel Tuff Lite

Amazon has them for $70. About the best price you will get.

Well the actual price would be like 100 bucks right? (at least it is in Euro)
Theres one for sale for 40 Euros right now, should I get it?

http://www.amazon.de/Gerber-Grylls-Survival-Ultimate-GE31-000751/dp/B003R0LSMO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425314802&sr=8-2&keywords=gerber+bg+knife

Try Opinel. They have a bunch on Amazon, and are really durable, inexpensive, and aesthetically pleasing. I personally have the No. 8

This

This knife has helped me in many different wilderness situations, and the striker is awesome to start fires with.

An Opinel pocket knife. They're like $15. They're made out of wood and they look really cool. You can use em for kitchen work, or whittling, or just cutting shit. Great little knives, I've got 5 of them all in different sizes. :D

https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=k-bar&qid=1568318527&s=gateway&sr=8-1

This tried and true classic will get the job done I absolutely guarantee it.

Well, the good news is, it's only around $60.

Well how about a compromise, better edge retention and you get to keep your leek.
http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-1660CB-Stainless-Steel-Composite-two-tone/dp/B0017KN4MS/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1409515629&sr=8-12&keywords=kershaw+leek

Check out the USMC Ka-bar as well, its a tried and true survival knife.

As an avid Becker fan and owner, I have to say that the BK11 was a low point for the Brand.

I recommend going for a BK14 instead.

ive demo'd one in real life before. They sell them as conversion kits or as a solid ar style crossbows. theyre really cool but id rather just have a normal crossbow. If they were to add anything knifey i'd like this kabar knife/prybar It could serve utility purposes and still cut down the enemy. It has been well praised in the field, and in the reviews.

oh wow


CHOKING HAZARD -- This toy is a small ball. Not for children under 3 yrs.

Maybe there's a reason, but why carry a heavy "axe" (hatchet?) when you can carry a knife like a BK-7 and a folding saw and have most if not all of the functionality of a hatchet with the two?

The leek is a wonderful knife, but I would hesitate to use it for medium/heavy tasks. The tip is so excellently thin and sharp it could double as an emergency field scalpel. And I like to keep it that way. The package/mail/trimming a loose thread/digging out a splinter (perfect) stuff is all I'd use it for. If more hard use is expected, I'd look elsewhere...

Spyderco is hard to beat in the edc value equation. Just over your budget but the endura or delica are awesome to carry.

Currently $62.85
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CH1SQ8/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1465505158&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=spyderco&dpPl=1&dpID=41kpq7-MmML&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

I'm looking to get a Delica 4, such a sexy knife!

What are you basing that on, your meticulous tracking of Amazon prices?

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Spyderco-Paramilitary2-Black-Blade-Plainedge/product/B004TXMFQQ

Some pretty big deltas there. It reached $99 a few months ago, almost exactly $40 less than the typical $138 MAP. Did their inventory turn into fakes that day? Who said this guy didn't buy it in a matter of minutes? You sure are backpedaling on your guarantee that they are all fakes at that price.

Benchmade Mini-Griptilian. http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-Pardue-Design-Mini-Griptillian-Plain/dp/B00180GQJA/

Spyderco Delica 4 (stainless) http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica-Stainless-Steel-Plain/dp/B001PLHP4W/

IMO, both would make fantastic groomsman gifts.

I am a huge fan of my Ka-Bar BK7

http://amzn.com/B001IPMG8K

The Condor Bushlore in micarta is a great choice for a tough, budget bushcraft knife. Just around $10 over budget: http://www.amazon.com/Condor-Bushlore-4-375-Inch-Micarta-Leather/dp/B003D9ORT0

Just keep a gun or a knife on you at all times. It could save your life or others.

Throw this https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Enforcement-Knife-Fixed-Blade/dp/B003IXYW3M

on your belt and start swinging if you need to defend yourself. Aim for the head/neck and get to safety.

$63 on amazon, prime shipping any day of the week.

And it won't take a month to get to you either. Massdrop is great for certain things but 90% of their drops are trash.

pretty close.... http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK3-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001IPILMA

This is the knife that always comes with me whenever I do pretty much anything outside. Becker Necker Eskabar

Still very cool. It reminded me of a folder I've had for a while with a hybrid blade. This. I really want a fixed blade one of a kind though.

I have at least three "knives" in my truck. In the middle console I keep a Leatherman Skeletool and an EOD Breacher Bar. The breacher bar would be great for breaking a window, using as a pry bar, make shift shovel, I've even used it to mix concrete for a post hole when I couldn't find anything else.

In my GHB in the "trunk" (Honda Ridgeline), I also have a Gerber Bear Grylls fixed blade I got on clearance at Wally World.

I almost always also have a knife on me as well, usually a locking folder but sometimes a swiss army.

I'm glad to share my experiences.

Oh one last thing. I pretty confident that KA-BAR is the real deal and not fake.

I started looking at the "bad" reviews a little closer. Look at this:

Scrolll to the second "bad" review of that KA-BAR, by "Brandon" - his complaint is that the knife was not sharp...His friend experienced the same thing and they called KA-BAR and got a new knife.

If it was a fake, I don't think KA-BAR would send back a new knife.

Or if it was fake and KA-BAR still replaced knife just because they are awesome...

Either way you win.

By the way, I have had no problems with the sharpness of my knife.

Check out Opinel knives - they're classic, quality knives. They have many more sizes if you have a requirement, I just linked you to one of the more popular sizes.

When you say "handmade," do you mean custom? If that's the case, they aren't cheap. What is your budget? I can recommend the Condor Bushlore or Micarta if you're trying to stay below $50.

My Fav knife I own.
https://www.amazon.com/1086277-Ontario-Knife-RAT-5-1095/dp/B000R30XAC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1492035080&sr=8-10&keywords=ontario+rat

It's hard to beat a KA-BAR. Trusted by Marines since 1942!

Aw fuck, you just sicked Boooohjoke on me, must feel nice to be out of the crosshairs for once.

I will contribute a prize. To anyone who can take my tags 7 times (the number of times I took soundnerd's tags) in a match without being knifed by me, I offer a brand new KA-Bar to commemorate the occasion.

I'd second that. This Ka-Bar is reasonably priced, with good reviews. You could even consider the small size a feature, since that means it's light.

I did a lot of research on this lately. A camp knife and a backpacking knife can differ IMO. At least for me, weight is a bigger issue, and I won't be doing any bushcraft when I am backpacking, so something like a Mora will be fine for food prep and such. But, camping you might need a bigger, more substantial knife for chopping of heavier tasks. I would suggest a either a Schrade SCHF9 or This Ka-Bar.

a true man's knife

Olympia Expedition All Season Moto Jacket

Benchmade Adamas - Sand Handle

Spyderco Paramilitary2 Black G-10 Handle

Walther PPS M2

Custom Kydex PJ Holster

Custom Leather Wallet

HJC CL-17 Marvel Helmet

2014 MacBook Pro Retina - Black Kuzy Shell Cover

Biltwell Moto Gloves

OGIO International Throttle Pack

Nintendo Switch Neon - Zelda BOTW Carry Case

iPhone 7 128GB Matte Black (not pictured)

This one and a whole bunch of others like it.

I actually like this knife, would buy if I had too much money: http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK3-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001IPILMA

Something like this?

fixed blade survival knife. I like gerber, here is one example from Bear Grylls:

http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-31-000751-Survival-Ultimate-Serrated/dp/B003R0LSMO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1395438205&sr=8-4&keywords=gerber+knife#productDetails

Amazon

https://www.amazon.ca/KA-BAR-Marine-Corps-Fighting-Straight/dp/B001H53Q6M/

There are a bunch of different versions if you just search for Ka Bar, black, serrated, etc. The black sheath I also got from Amazon, figure I'll attach it to my hunting bag or something, I prefer the leather one for wearing.

Here

It's about $20 more for the micarta, but worth it imo.

I get paid next friday and I think I'll pick this one up :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-Pardue-Design-Mini-Griptillian-Plain/dp/B00180GQJA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2S2AG4YKJZGP0&coliid=IZFKY24L85FR4

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK3-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001IPILMA

You can hammer with any part of this and not worry about damage, it's a beast.

Speaking of knives, I'm in the market to get a new one. Considering this for the fun of it but I might just swing by a surplus store instead

Yeah, I'm not sure how reliable various sites' information are. Amazon says it has S30V now, but the picture shows CTS XHP.

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Techno-Titanium-Plain-Knife/dp/B006L6WSIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478318176&sr=8-1&keywords=spyderco+techno

And this guy received one that has S30V steel.

https://www.spyderco.com/forumII/viewtopic.php?t=66685