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Best Budget Knives $30-?

R

RedLynx

Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
11,445
Hi guys,

I know there's a few threads like this already, most recent one I found is a couple years old though...

I love a good find and love it even more when it's a quality, inexpensive knife.

Just wondering in the last couple years if anyone here has any recommendations for great knives around $30ish or so.

Thanks for any recommendations guys.
 
What kind of knife? A thin and light folder? A fixed blade? A big, sturdy folder?

In before:

Opinel
Mora
Svord Peasant
OKC RAT-1
Kershaw China models (too many great $20 knives to list individually, my current favorites are the Chill and Tremor)
CRKT aluminum Ripple
. . . etc.
 
Ontario rat 1 or 2
spyderco tenacious, persistence, ambitious and resilience
Kershaw cryo, burst, one ton, oso sweet

if you can hold out and swing 50-60 range the Kershaw skyline and spyderco delica are absolutely amazing
 
Besides the obvious Mora and Opinel, I recommend the Cold Steel Tuff Lite, Pocket Bushman, Kudu, GI Tanto, Shanghai Shadow, Roach Belly, Tanto Lite, Outdoorsman Lite, Bushman (fixed blade)...I have others too, but its hard to list them all. They have so many solid knives under $30!
 
evilgreg said:
What kind of knife? A thin and light folder? A fixed blade? A big, sturdy folder?

In before:

Opinel
Mora
Svord Peasant
OKC RAT-1
Kershaw China models (too many great $20 knives to list individually, my current favorites are the Chill and Tremor)
CRKT aluminum Ripple
. . . etc.
Click to expand...

Hi evilgreg. I actually have a Rat-1, a few Opinels, and a few Moras. Love them all.

Although I prefer big, sturdy folders (ala CS Pocket Bushman or Spyderco Resilience, which I also have, for example) I try to look for any great deals like this.

My favorite budget knives to buy are nice, "sturdy" folders with a 3.5 " or larger blade.
 
Also I really like the EKA (I think model 88?) A Swedish-made folder with a 3.5" blade. Looks really nice for a traditional folder, but cool knives like that I like to own a few and I can't find any of that model for less than $45ish, so makes it slightly harder to get a few. Oh well.
 
Egnar T Seinnhoj said:
Need more details on what you're looking for. There are just too many options there.
Click to expand...

Hi Egnar,

I like any good deals but I love to get good, inexpensive knives that are larger, more robust folders with at least a 3.5" blade or larger. I love Cold Steel's Pocket Bushman and their Kudu, as well as Opinels. Just a small frame of reference.
 
evilgreg said:
What kind of knife? A thin and light folder? A fixed blade? A big, sturdy folder?

In before:

Opinel
Mora
Svord Peasant
OKC RAT-1
Kershaw China models (too many great $20 knives to list individually, my current favorites are the Chill and Tremor)
CRKT aluminum Ripple
. . . etc.
Click to expand...

evilgreg,

That knife in your photo looks like a nice large Spyderco. Which one is it?
 
RedLynx said:
Hi Egnar,

I like any good deals but I love to get good, inexpensive knives that are larger, more robust folders with at least a 3.5" blade or larger. I love Cold Steel's Pocket Bushman and their Kudu, as well as Opinels. Just a small frame of reference.
Click to expand...

If you already have the CS options that jump to mind and an OKC RAT-1, then what about the Chinese options? Have you tried something like an SRM/Bee/Enlan/whatever EL-01 or L-01?

RedLynx said:
evilgreg,

That knife in your photo looks like a nice large Spyderco. Which one is it?
Click to expand...

It's a delightful, albeit somewhat pricey, Spyderco indeed. In specific, it's a modified Southard flipper (LSCF slimmed down scales and STR low rider clip).
 
RedLynx said:
Hi Egnar,

I like any good deals but I love to get good, inexpensive knives that are larger, more robust folders with at least a 3.5" blade or larger. I love Cold Steel's Pocket Bushman and their Kudu, as well as Opinels. Just a small frame of reference.
Click to expand...

I would have to second the Svord Peasant folder. It uses good steel and your hand is the lock, so you don't have to worry about it closing up on your fingers.
 
evilgreg said:
If you already have the CS options that jump to mind and an OKC RAT-1, then what about the Chinese options? Have you tried something like an SRM/Bee/Enlan/whatever EL-01 or L-01?



It's a delightful, albeit somewhat pricey, Spyderco indeed. In specific, it's a modified Southard flipper (LSCF slimmed down scales and STR low rider clip).
Click to expand...

Hi Evilgreg,

I read about those you mentioned, in another thread, I need to look around for them.

Spyderco's Resilience is a large, Chinese-manufactured model, I like it a lot.

To everyone here I'd like to say I really appreciate the openmindedness of collectors. I'm a member of a couple other sites and many, many people there are very prejudiced when you ask about cheaper, budget knives, as if they also cannot be good or have no place in the knife world.
 
mwhich50 said:
Rat1
Cara Cara
Sogzilla
Click to expand...

Hi mwhich50,

I have a couple SOGZillas, and my only complaint is... unless I am missing something, I cannot reverse the pocket clip! Perhaps since you have one in your collection you can help me out with that.

But I'm a lefty and I want to change the clip to the left side. Problem although I can remove it and it is marketed as reversible, it seems like the rivet at the base is going through where I need to insert the clip, so I can't change it. Hope I am missing something because I'd like to reverse it if I can, that way I'd carry it much more.
 
And if anyone who owns a CS Pocket Bushman can help, I need to change the thumbstud on mine but can't seem to loosen it. I've tried holding it with pliers and using a flat-head to unscrew it, but even with pliers, I can't get it. :/
 
RedLynx said:
Hi mwhich50,

I have a couple SOGZillas, and my only complaint is... unless I am missing something, I cannot reverse the pocket clip! Perhaps since you have one in your collection you can help me out with that.

But I'm a lefty and I want to change the clip to the left side. Problem although I can remove it and it is marketed as reversible, it seems like the rivet at the base is going through where I need to insert the clip, so I can't change it. Hope I am missing something because I'd like to reverse it if I can, that way I'd carry it much more.
Click to expand...

I'm a righty, but if you loosen the clip screw the rivet (pin) on the opposite side will pop out. The screw, screws into the pin. The pin and the clip/screw can be flipped to opposite sides. check it out.:)
 
Sturdy, 3,5" blade ? Sounds like the Ontario Utilitac II to me, seen it for under 30$ on the bay.
 
Folders:
Opinel
SAKs
Kershaw's budget line(honestly, ANY of them qualify, my personal favorites are the OSO Sweet and the Clash, or go with the Tremor if you want something bigger and beefier)
Buck 110
Svord Peasant
Ontario Rat-1
Spyderco's Byrd line(again, any of them would count, pick one you like and you're good)
Cold Steel Kudu, Tuff Lite/Mini Tuff Lite, Micro Recon
Cognet Douk-Douk
Enlan EL04MCT(haven't tried any other Enlans yet, but this one is nice, and kinda beefy since you mentioned liking that)
CRKT Ripple(aluminum)

Fixed blades:
Mora
Cold Steel GI Tanto, Shangai Shadow, Bushman series
Condor Rodan
 
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