Best $25-$30 knife for edc?

I'm a fan of the Kershaw Cryo in this price range. Thirty bucks. Hinderer design. All stainless steel.

Fine little knife. Excellent for EDC, IMO, though some will object to the weight. You don't get all steel without a price of some kind.
 
Rat 1, great EDC

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Another vote for the Kershaw Cryo. Just feels and looks like a whole lotta knife for under $30 bucks. Also cuts great and easy to sharpen.
 
The two knives that I bought in that price range that I find myself reaching for the most are my Kershaw Oso Sweet and Ontario Rat 1.
 
There's the Ontario Rat 1-2, Ka-bar Dozier, or you can take your pick from Kershaw and Byrd's budget lines and really won't go wrong with any of them. Enlans have a pretty good rep as well, and I like the one I have, but my experience is less with them so I can't speak for the company as a whole. The Spyderco Tenacious is a good choice too, but from my experience most places list them over $30, often closer to $40.
 
timberweasel said:
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. Just pick a flavour. :thumbup:

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For folders, this, actually. Incredibly useful, because it's not just a knife. No, there's no lock, and no, the ergonomics are not fantastic, but for light duty tasks, it's a superb option. There might not be a clip, but there are plenty of sheaths available and places you can put it.
 
Kwon, I agree, SAKs are incredibly useful and well made.

Kershaw cryo has been mentioned. I need to check this one out. I generally don't look at knives in this price range (other than SAKs), so I need to broaden my exposure.
 
bladesnmore said:
I am looking for a knife that I can edc without worrying about beating the crap out of it. So in your oppinion what is the best $25-$30 folder?
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I'm not the roughest user of knives, but I've managed to wreck several lockbacks (all Bucks, for what it's worth) and several slip joints. I work wood with my knives and tend to cut hard and twist when I do it. I've caused knives to loosen up both in terms of vertical and lateral play, enough so that I no longer trust the knife.

I've finally found an inexpensive knife that can handle the abuse I put to a knife. It takes a crazy sharp edge. And its more socially acceptable than 90% of current knives, allowing me to use it in public more often than others. It's available in both very tough carbon steel or in well tempered Sanvik 12C27. Both take amazingly keen edges easily. Both provide edge retention as well or better than any other knife you can find in your price range.

The blades are by modern standards thin and boring. They use a flat convex grind that goes through wood amazingly well and retains decent cutting performance even when dull.

The blade handle has incredibly good ergonomics. I can use it for long sessions of carving and hard cutting without developing hot spots on my hands.

The knife can be one hand opened and one hand closed safely. It's not a fast action, but its very safe. It's a working knife, not a tactical knife in this aspect.

Unfortunately, the knife is out of your price range. It's cheaper, coming in at less than $20 shipped to your door. For many people, inexpensive means "cheap" or "inadequate". Whatever. I'm more interested in performance. And so far, this knife out cuts and out lasts others I've tried.

I'm talking here about the Opinel #9. A new Opinel #9 and a Leatherman Micra will set you back about $35. The Opinel alone is less than $20.


EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
22-rimfire said:
Kwon, I agree, SAKs are incredibly useful and well made.

Kershaw cryo has been mentioned. I need to check this one out. I generally don't look at knives in this price range (other than SAKs), so I need to broaden my exposure.
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Yeah, you do. Don't get me wrong, the Cryo won't change your life, but for under $30 I would say everyone should own one of these. Or at least try one out.
 
pinnah said:
I'm talking here about the Opinel #9. A new Opinel #9 and a Leatherman Micra will set you back about $35. The Opinel alone is less than $20.
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Hey pinnah, I had seen that pass-around you were running for the Opinel. I didn't sign up but I gotta admit, you piqued my interest and now I own a No. 8 carbon. I didn't expect it to feel so good in hand.
 
Utilitac 2 or Rat 1, great knives, feel and perform like much more money. Only downside, a little heavy on dress pants compared to others mentioned. Small quibble, great knives.
 
The rat is a great knife but I'd recommend the ESEE zancudo (which is pretty much a frame lock rat-2) over the rat and tenacious.
 
Kershaw Cryo, Ka-bar Dozier, Ka-bar mini Dozier, Kershaw Skyline, Kershaw Chill, Buck Vantage, any Rough Rider (they are good budget knives), swiss army knife though for the price I think the Cadet/Bantam/Recruit/Compact be my choice, Case Sodbuster

Out of all of them if I were to take just 1 knife, it be the Victorinox Compact though, it's not just a knife it has just about everything else you want in a SAK in an urban environment in a small 2 layer profile.
 
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