Another Five Knife List

sabre cat

sabre cat

Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
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I am finding that I look at knife purchases differently than I did a couple of years ago. I used to buy whatever I wanted. Now my purchases are more practical and purpose driven. I find that now I look at knives based upon how they are going to be used. You know, dress knife, light duty, medium usage, and heavy duty, etc.

So, my request to all of you is this, please list your favorite budget EDC knife for the four groups I have listed above. Plus one more category of your choice. It can be anything, Rescue, Self defense, etc., whatever you would like. Please keep the list focused on what you consider budget knives for each group.

Thanks.
 
Dress knife: still searching, haven't been satisfied with any of the budget options I've owned so far. I think I'm going to end up with a small Sebenza for this category, which definitely doesn't fit the budget category.
IMO the best budget option I've owned so far was the kershaw leek.

Light duty/medium usage:
Take your pick: paramilitary, endura/delica, SAK, opinel. All good options that will perform well here, I rotate through these for my EDC. I would happily pick any of them randomly, beyond that it's personal preference and exact budget.
Heavy duty:
Any of the Becker lineup, probably either a bk2 or bk9. Bk9 is my personal favorite.
 
f250 said:
Dress knife: still searching, haven't been satisfied with any of the budget options I've owned so far. I think I'm going to end up with a small Sebenza for this category, which definitely doesn't fit the budget category.
IMO the best budget option I've owned so far was the kershaw leek.

Light duty/medium usage:
Take your pick: paramilitary, endura/delica, SAK, opinel. All good options that will perform well here, I rotate through these for my EDC. I would happily pick any of them randomly, beyond that it's personal preference and exact budget.
Heavy duty:
Any of the Becker lineup, probably either a bk2 or bk9. Bk9 is my personal favorite.
Click to expand...

Dress knife: CRKT Ripple, or Leek
Light duty/medium usage: Case Stockman or Sodbuster
Heavy duty: Cold Steel American Lawman

And my added category, Self defense: CRKT Hisatsu folder.

These are just budget choices, my higher end choices would be different.

By the way Cat, what are your choices? You have to play by the rules too.;)
 
My personal carry knives.

Dress Knife: Victorinox Secretary
light duty: Victorinox Farmer or one hand Trekker
Med Duty: Benchmade Griptillian
Heavy: Mora Bushcraft Black

Self defense: Benchmade Contego

Not really sure I like the categories, nothing wrong with it, just not the way I classify my knives so it wasn't easy for me to fill the spots.

Mine would be more like dress knife, daily carry multitool, daily carry locking folder, outdoors general knife, outdoors large knife.
 
For heavy duty - you cannot beat CRKT No time Off:
[video=youtube;XQbPbLfB7rM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQbPbLfB7rM[/video]

sabre cat said:
I am finding that I look at knife purchases differently than I did a couple of years ago. I used to buy whatever I wanted. Now my purchases are more practical and purpose driven. I find that now I look at knives based upon how they are going to be used. You know, dress knife, light duty, medium usage, and heavy duty, etc.

So, my request to all of you is this, please list your favorite budget EDC knife for the four groups I have listed above. Plus one more category of your choice. It can be anything, Rescue, Self defense, etc., whatever you would like. Please keep the list focused on what you consider budget knives for each group.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Dress & lite duty
f61ee76b0d781169715b122ac2577c8a.jpg

Medium duty
8bd8c0e1b5306b275d396b7355d0e686.jpg

Heavy duty
10f9210a578ef31c85aed7e6b50aa2f2.jpg

Multi-tool
6633d00ea0c9ca89a2ce3b3d15a4c025.jpg
 
Everyone's budget is different, including mine from category to category - so here's some choices:

dress knife,
Al Mar Ultra Lite or CRK Mnandi

light duty,
Small Sebenza or Ontario Rat 2

medium usage,
Emerson anything, Sebenza, RAT-1, Cold Steel Large Voyager

heavy duty
Becker BK-9, BK-4 or BK-2
Larger Busse knives or ESSE.

The last category should be medium and light duty fixed blade knives for the field and bushcraft.

I prefer the Becker "Tweeners" (BK-15, 16 and 17 - especially the 15) and, especially for the price, light duty field knives define Mora; or is it the other way around?
 
I haven't purchased a "budget" item in years...or, rather, "budget" has not been a primary consideration. I may limit myself on the high end, but that's not the same thing.
The last knife I purchased specifically because it was cheap was used to experiment with power tools; and when I was done, I threw it away. One of the least expensive knives I've purchased this year was a PM2, and I had to pay almost as much for the new scales I felt it NEEDED - does that take it out of the "budget" category?

Edited to add - I guess I have to retract my original statement if we are considering Beckers budget knives. Low cost was was not a major factor in those purchases (unless one counts the closeout prices that prompted me to buy a few extra 15s)...and does buying extras count as budget?

I guess the point of this post is wondering what can be classified as "budget".
Screw it, I'm playing anyway - disqualify my answers if you want.
My light duty (and sheeple friendly) regular carry is a GEC 15 SFO in green bone.
My dress knife would be the same, or my GEC 62 in birdseye maple...I'm half planning on filling that role with a snakewood Mnandi, but it hasn't happened yet.
My daily carry for two years was my ZT0200kw; but recently it gets rotated with a Carson Boiling, ZT0801bw, and PM2 with aluminum scales. (If the 0200 isn't in my pocket, it's in my pack.)
For heavier duty, I carry a (bacustomknives) utility fixed blade in my back pocket. That sometimes gets left behind when I'm going to be in and out of the car alot because I don't like things in my back pocket when I'm sitting.
 
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sabre cat said:
I am finding that I look at knife purchases differently than I did a couple of years ago. I used to buy whatever I wanted. Now my purchases are more practical and purpose driven. I find that now I look at knives based upon how they are going to be used. You know, dress knife, light duty, medium usage, and heavy duty, etc.

So, my request to all of you is this, please list your favorite budget EDC knife for the four groups I have listed above. Plus one more category of your choice. It can be anything, Rescue, Self defense, etc., whatever you would like. Please keep the list focused on what you consider budget knives for each group.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Where's your list? :)
 
ebidis said:
I wouldn't consider a Griptillian budget. Then again nobody defined budget in this thread.
Click to expand...
Sorry I buy all my knifes at thrift stores or amazon SSI budget
The benchmade was one of 8 knives each cost $1.50 at thrift store
 
ebidis said:
Dress knife: CRKT Ripple, or Leek
Light duty/medium usage: Case Stockman or Sodbuster
Heavy duty: Cold Steel American Lawman

And my added category, Self defense: CRKT Hisatsu folder.

These are just budget choices, my higher end choices would be different.

By the way Cat, what are your choices? You have to play by the rules too.;)
Click to expand...


OK, I guess I can list my four.

Dress- Vic Cadet or Kershaw Zing Tanto. Depends upon my mood.

Light duty- Kershaw Zing 1735, US made.

Medium Duty- Benchmade Griptilian (thanks again, ebidis. Great knife.)

Heavy duty- Camillus Pilot Survival Knife

Rescue- Gerber MP400/ Spyderco Clip-It Rescue (Where is that knife? Need to look for it.)

I picked out budget knives I own. My non-budget, reasonably priced list would be a little different. My dream list would include an Insingo as a dress knife.

The Grip was out of my price range for a budget knife but I received it out of the kindness of someone else so there was no cash out of my pocket. Definitely with in my budget. If you guys feel that I was bending the rules, then I guess that my CRKT Prowler would work as a medium knife. The Grip is what I reach for if I need a serious folder.

BTW, I did not define what "budget" means on purpose. The feeling was to leave that up to each person.


Cat
 
That's too many categories for me.

For dress or light cutting, I carry a SAK (typically small tinker, Wenger Traveler, or Evogrip 16) or small traditional folder like the Buck Lancer.
For heavier stuff, I use the Rat II.

As far as I'm concerned, if the Rat II can't handle it, then it's no longer a job for a knife. At that point I'll reach for an ax, machete, or reciprocating saw.
 
supergnat said:
That's too many categories for me.

For dress or light cutting, I carry a SAK (typically small tinker, Wenger Traveler, or Evogrip 16) or small traditional folder like the Buck Lancer.
For heavier stuff, I use the Rat II.

As far as I'm concerned, if the Rat II can't handle it, then it's no longer a job for a knife. At that point I'll reach for an ax, machete, or reciprocating saw.
Click to expand...

I can see why someone would combine dress and light cutting groups into one knife. If I did that, then a Vic Pioneer would be on my list.

If a Rat 2 can handle everything else, I must take a second look at the whole Rat series of knives.
 
sabre cat said:
I can see why someone would combine dress and light cutting groups into one knife. If I did that, then a Vic Pioneer would be on my list.

If a Rat 2 can handle everything else, I must take a second look at the whole Rat series of knives.
Click to expand...

I don't get it. The Rat II is a small knife. Like the size of a Leek. The Rat 1 would make more sense in this statement.
 
Dress - Al Mar anything
Light Duty - Kershaw Leek, Scallion, Chive
Med Duty - Benchmade 705/710
Heavy Duty - ESEE 5
 
Dress: Victorinox Cadet
Light Duty: Victorinox Pioneer
Medium Duty: Kershaw Knockout
Heavy Duty: Becker BK7 or SOG Tech Bowie
 
ebidis said:
I don't get it. The Rat II is a small knife. Like the size of a Leek. The Rat 1 would make more sense in this statement.
Click to expand...

It's big enough to handle any job that I'm willing to use a knife for. If a job requires something bigger, I'm not going to reach for a bigger knife. Instead, I'm going to reach for a different kind of tool (ax, reciprocating saw, machete).

Edit: kitchen tasks excluded. I have larger knives in the kitchen that I use daily.

But that's just my personal preference. If you're willing to use larger knives to tackle cutting jobs that the Rat II is too small for, then I say go for it.

Out of curiosity, what kinds of jobs do you use knives for that the Rat II is too small for?
 
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