medium sized tough carry?

[EZ Bake]

You've got plenty of choices. You also need to figure out what you like best about a few different aspects of the knife (blade/handle-shape, handle-material/texture, opening-mechanism, locking-mechanism, weight, edge-retention, ease-of-sharpening, etc).

Here's some of my suggestions:

Cold Steel American Lawman
Spyderco Tenacious
Spyderco Endura
Ontario RAT1
Kershaw Rake or Junkyard Dog (you can find Blems from Kershaguy on this forum for a good deal - don't know if he's still got any Rakes or JYDs in-stock though)
Any of a dozen or so Kershaw knives would fit the description as well
Bad Blood Harbinger

[treeman8008]

well i want it to be a work knife, if i have to pocket carry itll prob get messed up due to random crap in my pocket, a sheath might be a better option.

[EZ Bake]

well i want it to be a work knife, if i have to pocket carry itll prob get messed up due to random crap in my pocket, a sheath might be a better option.

G10 and uncoated steel wear remarkably well. My original Digi-cam Para-2 is seriously scratched up and worn (it fell out of my pocket onto concrete, I've used it when I didn't have a razor-utility knife handy when helping my father-in-law roof his house, and have sharpened it like 100 times), and it still actually looks really good considering.

[bkduckworth]

Check out a Kershaw Scamp. You could pick up 2 and still be under your budget. It's one of my favorite folders bar none.

Brandon

[BigBill5953]

Misobservation, I think pretty much everyone that is getting into knives says the same thing about Spyderco at one point or another. Once you handle a couple of their knives and get more familiar with the different models, you'll appreciate that they are indeed very different. I think the leaf shape blade that most common Spydercos have is what makes them look similar.

I agree with bladechick777 on the Manix 2. I haven't had a Native yet, but it doesn't look as sturdy as the Manix 2.

Couldn't have said it better.

[Hc720]

manix 2 100% that ball bearing lock is one of the toughest locks spyderco makes!!!

[klute]

Does the Manix exist at under $50?

RAT1 is still tuffer

[klute]

Bro, you should get all of or as many of your parameters in line as u can and balance that out with your budget, one way to think is that this "first" one could very well not fit you and / or your situation [not to say a useless fit] correctly and could turn out to be a backup [down the road in life] so you could end up trialing a knife and then seeing a better unit as you work out the situation with the 1st one. Make sense?

Here's a few parameters in my opinion:

durability

reliability

safety [oh yeh there are some safety issues]

value

ease of sharpening / edge holding

well suited blade geometry for intended use


There is a liner lock issue rolling around the forum these days, as in are they safe / safer vs. other locks, things like that u may want to look into. Good luck and u sound like a solid guy trying to carve out an honest living, cheers man.

[treeman8008]

Bro, you should get all of or as many of your parameters in line as u can and balance that out with your budget, one way to think is that this "first" one could very well not fit you and / or your situation [not to say a useless fit] correctly and could turn out to be a backup [down the road in life] so you could end up trialing a knife and then seeing a better unit as you work out the situation with the 1st one. Make sense?

Here's a few parameters in my opinion:

durability

reliability

safety [oh yeh there are some safety issues]

value

ease of sharpening / edge holding

well suited blade geometry for intended use


There is a liner lock issue rolling around the forum these days, as in are they safe / safer vs. other locks, things like that u may want to look into. Good luck and u sound like a solid guy trying to carve out an honest living, cheers man.

Thanks, id have to say if i really look at it, i either would need a ergonomic small fixed blade (i got large hands and i dont want 4lbs of 14 inch massive steel on my side) or a tank-like folder with a frame lock or lock back, problem is tank-like folders seem to run at a very high price, not im not knife expert either, id rather have my knife dull down fairly easy and have to be sharpened frequently (not like gerber mystery steel) but like my bucks 420. it gets sharp easy and stays sharp enough for a okay amount of time, enough for me to be satisfied with for sharpness and sharpenability.

The biggest problem for me right now is since i dont know alot im going to base my judgement off if it looks like its going to be a hard use knife.
Since im not a knife collector i dont have a problem with hard using my knife and messing it up, id actually rather have a cheaper knife that way i can use it and not worry about breaking or messing it up. I also hear that there are knives with good warrantys for cheaper knives.

My 110 was only 35$ and i have gotten that fixed before when it got a ton of play and they repaired it.

[Matador]

Right at your price point is the Cold Steel Rajah 3. It's a beast and a gas to carry and use.

[MikeC]

I'd like to second or third or whatever the Ontario Rat 1, I've got Cold Steel American Lawman as well. Let me give my take

Rat 1

Easier to open and close one handed
Easier to sharpen
better clip, comfortable handle
Full flat grind, blade shape with lots of belly
Easier to clean and maintain
Satin finish blade

CS Lawman

Hold edge longer
Just my take hope it helps
more comfortable handle and can choke up because of the choil
Very sturdy/tough point that would or will probably be much more durable than point of Rat 1
Cheesy mall ninja black epoxy coating

[treeman8008]

I'd like to second or third or whatever the Ontario Rat 1, I've got Cold Steel American Lawman as well. Let me give my take

Rat 1

Easier to open and close one handed
Easier to sharpen
better clip, comfortable handle
Full flat grind, blade shape with lots of belly
Easier to clean and maintain
Satin finish blade

CS Lawman

Hold edge longer
Just my take hope it helps
more comfortable handle and can choke up because of the choil
Very sturdy/tough point that would or will probably be much more durable than point of Rat 1
Cheesy mall ninja black epoxy coating

lol mall ninja..

[treeman8008]

im really just looking for a knife that will last me. i dont plan to collect. also im short on money and i know that isnt changing any time soon so the most i can afford to spend is 60. and thats the tippy top. i hope you guys understand

[klute]

You are welcome. Yeh i didn't think this was your first knife, just maybe the first one you were seriously researching aforehand. You cant beat the RAT, if somebody can at that price let me know I want one!

"something different" you might look at a Pocket Bushman, i have one of those as well and beaten the snot directly out of it yet the lockup is still tight [Triad lock self adjusts for wear in a much better way than liner locks do]. I snapped the tip off but the blade is long enough i just reground it and it looks perfect enough. They are easy to carry by the way.

[JustAFleshWound]

Svord peasant (seriously)
Pros:
+Less than $20
+Can be opened one handed with practice
+Tuff as nails
+Awesome
+Carbon steel
Cons:
-Can rust
-Not fast opening
-Kind of bulky
-Only available in wood and plastic handles (I'm not sure if this is a con or not)

[kestrel57]

Ontario Rat-1. Just building a collection and the blade is super sharp in a strong knife for a great price. I prefer the satin-type finish to the black.

[kestrel57]

Ontario Rat-1. Just building a collection and the blade is super sharp in a strong knife for a great price. I prefer the satin-type finish to the black.

[MikeC]

Dude hit the flea bay get 2 rat 1s for your budget And call it a wrap

[treeman8008]

the rat 1 just isnt doing anything for me, i dont really like foreign made stuff, im working hard for this country making my money here. I dont feel like i should be buying a tool to do my USA jobs from china or where ever else.

[ThePharce]

the rat 1 just isnt doing anything for me, i dont really like foreign made stuff, im working hard for this country making my money here. I dont feel like i should be buying a tool to do my USA jobs from china or where ever else.

That pretty much limits you to the Spydercos and Kershaws, then. I agree with the notion of looking at kershawguy's site and getting some blems.