Beater/hard work knife needed

hey! I also am a highschooler and i do a bunch of work for my neighbour and im gonna start by telling you that a folding knife is not the way to go. Get a nice fixed blade; its a lot stronger for things like light prying (nails, wood etc.) and if you get a small one you can just slip it in your back pocket so you can get at it with gloves. Personally, im using a blackjack model 155 necker, its only about 58$. A few more good optoins are some offerings from boker, like the tom krein stuff or the vox rhino. Good luck with the knife hunt and the work!
 
Hands down, RAT 1 or Opinel.

Although....that Leonard Soilknife above looks like it might trump everything for your purpose.

Edit...Giggle tells me they have a 'Deluxe' version of it too--with sheath. May have to head to Sears tomorrow.

.
 
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mr_badexample said:
Mora Robust, Kershaw Clash, Case Sodbuster or Opinel garden knife. I think the kershaw is the most expensive @ $25.
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It's totally worth it so I can't really complain, but I can't seem to find a Sodbuster (full size) for less than $30. :/
 
Get a good pair of bypass pruners, a folding branch saw, bush trimmers, rake with flexible tines, dust pan, trowel, spade, and maybe a small pick axe. I honestly only ever use a knife to open bags of mulch.
 
If your gonna be cutting would would go with carbon fixed instead on stainless. Becker BK24. D2 steel small strong holds great edge when cutting wood. Can be had for around $40 if you look around. For a folder would say something from Cold Steel also for a good cheap blade. Have a ton of cold steel's and best value for money for me for tough folder. Their prices have gone down considerably. Aus8 chips bad on wood though for most part. All depends on what your doing. But if your cutting lots of hard material would get a carbon blade. This whole BK24 set up cost $60 and can do it all. Only complaint is handle is small for my hand. D2 is a awesome steel for cutting wood and other hard use tasks. Cold Steel GI Tanto is a great carbon knife for $20 also.

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Thanks for the suggestion manowar probably going to go with the soil knife for a tool and then use my profit to fund more knives!
 
Go with the soil knife. I have a Zenbori branded one almost identical to the A.M. Leonard one (and possible made in the same place) and it's a real champ. I'd go with that and a 14" Tramontina machete. Between the two you'd be totally set.
 
I was gonna say a Mora Craftline / chisel tip but I think Manowar nailed it. Here is a pic anyway.
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it is the one on the top....obviously.
 
For cutting I'd go with the garden shears. The two handed models are the fastest manual option. I use a chainsaw for trimming my hedge. :)

If you are doing any serious digging you want a full size shovel/digging fork/pick etc
 
The AM Leonard soil knife is the right thing for the work described. It is a modern take on the hori-hori. A curved bladed pruning saw with the Japanese style teeth (Corona sells a good one) and a decent pair of bypass pruners will round out the hand cutting tools I prefer for yard work.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Go with the soil knife. I have a Zenbori branded one almost identical to the A.M. Leonard one (and possible made in the same place) and it's a real champ. I'd go with that and a 14" Tramontina machete. Between the two you'd be totally set.
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I was going to suggest that the 14" Tramontina is an excellent value to pair with a soil knife, but the man I bought mine from beat me to it!

That said, I did landscape work for years and my most indispensable tools were always my Felco no. 2 pruners, folding saw, and a heavy duty steel handled spade.
 
I was going to suggest the Hultafors GK ($14) as a cheap, bullet-proof, knife, but I agree that MOW may have found something perfect. I've never seen that little beastie, but that is the shiz for yard work! Thanks for posting that.
 
Ontario RAT all the way. They have a wide range of sizes but all of them are affordable and tough as hell. Being 1095 steel with a good heat treatment, it is also easy to sharpen after hard usage. For your stated usage, I think you will find that to be an important feature. The blade is going to bang against stones and it is going to chip, sooner or later. A tough steel with good ease of sharpening suits the bill. 1095 and A2 are great steels here; 1095 is generally much more affordable. With the fashion the RAT line is made and the steel that it used, the knives can withstand quite a beating that many other knives would not fare as well with.

ESEE also makes some great knives, but price is usually a bit more.
 
Cold steel has some stuff.

Utilitac 2 would be good.

Rat 1 or 2 would also be good.
 
I love the Hultafors Heavy Duty. Great knife for under $15.

But considering what you said......

Ccnati said:
good knife that can take abuse would be nice for cutting woody weeds or digging out roots...
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Glock 81 all the way. Well under your price point, it has a root saw, and unless you are 250 lbs and you use it as a diving board it will last you forever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fFOeW3eK9Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V6itnuSk8M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzv-5u_q72I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=occ4s9-pkqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9prXyY_m4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvz8eRpsgEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiRPrYa_oNM
 
manowar669 said:
AM Leonard Soilknife. About $20. This thing is made for what you are doing. It's knife steel, not just soft metal like trowels. Made it Italy, I think 420 steel. Just got a 2nd one this year. We do a lot of HARD landscaping. These are the best. Sometimes you will move more dirt with this thing faster than if you had a shovel, and those serrations are SHARP, roots are no problem. Nothing compares. You wont regret it. Thread over.
garden30-art-g9telcv4-1leonard-soil-knife.jpg
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Excellent recommendation. Use a knife for cutting, not digging.
 
manowar669 said:
AM Leonard Soilknife. About $20. This thing is made for what you are doing. It's knife steel, not just soft metal like trowels. Made it Italy, I think 420 steel. Just got a 2nd one this year. We do a lot of HARD landscaping. These are the best. Sometimes you will move more dirt with this thing faster than if you had a shovel, and those serrations are SHARP, roots are no problem. Nothing compares. You wont regret it. Thread over.
garden30-art-g9telcv4-1leonard-soil-knife.jpg
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I was going to say the same thing. Check out AM Leonard for lots of different pruning knives and yard work stuff but that Soil Knife is the perfect choice. :thumbup:
 
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