Monofletch
Gold Member
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- Jan 14, 2010
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Check out Kershawguy's blem sale. He has great prices. Save your pennies and get a JYD composite blade for a couple more dollars than your budget-that's a nice big folder.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Best Budget Knives $30-?
- Thread starter RedLynx
- Start date
Standard for this question repeated:
Have a look at: Ontario RAT-1 or RAT-2, Ka-Bar Dozier folding Hunter or BRK/ESEE Zancudo.
Three budget knives everyone should get imho!
After those you can make an educated statement on what you like/dislike and make recommendations much more easy
Have a look at: Ontario RAT-1 or RAT-2, Ka-Bar Dozier folding Hunter or BRK/ESEE Zancudo.
Three budget knives everyone should get imho!
After those you can make an educated statement on what you like/dislike and make recommendations much more easy
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2010
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- 8,340
+1 for the Rat-1.
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- Apr 4, 2013
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Well then you need a Ontario Utilitac 2.
I'll mirror what a lot of people have said here. One of my hobbies is purchasing cheap knives and then abusing them to the point of failure.
Overseas knives:
For ~$10 you really can't go wrong with a SRM knife. Particularly their rip off of the Sebenza.
I would say that the quality on that particular model at least is on par with anything that costs twice as much from Kershaw's
Chinese line. I'm not a big fan of the Enlan/Bee knives that some people recommend - the edges just don't hold up well. If you want
a big, beefy, gritty Benchmade-like knife check out the Ganzo knives.
Of course, the Opinel is a classic and an insane value, but unlikely to be chosen by a new knife buyer.
Condor: Fantastic value for the money, with a lifetime warranty - and surprisingly good CS from a South American manufacturer. Very tough blades that you may need to sharpen more often due to the 1075 that they use, but sharpen easily and feel like knives that easily cost twice as much.
Glock 78 - Great for throwing and digging. Just about indestructible. They won't hold an edge long, but they're cheap and double as a shovel.
US Companies:
Old Hickory 7" Butcher - No, seriously. You can sometimes find an older thick one on Ebay in good condition for about $10. Carbon steel, full tang, great heat treat. You could turn it into a project and grind the blade and handle down to a profile that you like and then oil up or even replace the scales.
Just about anything by CRKT. Especially Taiwanese made ones. They use cheap materials, but their QC and fit and finish for the price is impeccable. I used to work at a knife store and CRKT was about the only brand that you could take ten random samples from a batch of brand new knives and have them all function identically - same feeling in opening, same lock up... Like carbon copies... The blade steels used usually aren't the best, but they utilize them to their full potential.
Kershaw - you can find US made folders for <$30 that will have a lifetime warranty and just be great blades all around, but you have to shop around. Their Chinese knives have yet to impress me.
Spyderco - You could buy a Chinese Spydie or a used Seki for this price. Never a bad option.
Ka-Bar/Ontario - I lump these two companies together because basically... they're the same. Not owned by the same company. I know a lot of people feel strongly about one or the other - but in all honesty - I've abused similar knives from both brands for years and they've both performed identically. I almost wonder if it's the same factory churning out their 1095 and doing the heat treating because their blades in similar format knives seem to perform identically. I've heard stories of the occasional bad Ontario heat-treat, but out of the 20 or so I've tried to trash, not a single one has failed me yet, and I throw almost all of my fixed blades. If you shop around, you can get a decent US-made carbon steel knife that will most likely last you a lifetime if properly cared for.
That's all I can think of right now... I know there are more... Those were the brands that stuck out in my head.
Contrary to popular belief, a good knife CAN be had for under $30, but don't expect it perform the same as a $200 or so knife. To a certain extent, you get what you pay for, and after that it funnels down to supply and demand as well as hype (and unnecessary luxuries). I've seen $1000 custom knifes get trumped by $80 knives. Just do your research. There are a lot of knowledgeable individuals here.
Good luck!!!
Overseas knives:
For ~$10 you really can't go wrong with a SRM knife. Particularly their rip off of the Sebenza.
I would say that the quality on that particular model at least is on par with anything that costs twice as much from Kershaw's
Chinese line. I'm not a big fan of the Enlan/Bee knives that some people recommend - the edges just don't hold up well. If you want
a big, beefy, gritty Benchmade-like knife check out the Ganzo knives.
Of course, the Opinel is a classic and an insane value, but unlikely to be chosen by a new knife buyer.
Condor: Fantastic value for the money, with a lifetime warranty - and surprisingly good CS from a South American manufacturer. Very tough blades that you may need to sharpen more often due to the 1075 that they use, but sharpen easily and feel like knives that easily cost twice as much.
Glock 78 - Great for throwing and digging. Just about indestructible. They won't hold an edge long, but they're cheap and double as a shovel.
US Companies:
Old Hickory 7" Butcher - No, seriously. You can sometimes find an older thick one on Ebay in good condition for about $10. Carbon steel, full tang, great heat treat. You could turn it into a project and grind the blade and handle down to a profile that you like and then oil up or even replace the scales.
Just about anything by CRKT. Especially Taiwanese made ones. They use cheap materials, but their QC and fit and finish for the price is impeccable. I used to work at a knife store and CRKT was about the only brand that you could take ten random samples from a batch of brand new knives and have them all function identically - same feeling in opening, same lock up... Like carbon copies... The blade steels used usually aren't the best, but they utilize them to their full potential.
Kershaw - you can find US made folders for <$30 that will have a lifetime warranty and just be great blades all around, but you have to shop around. Their Chinese knives have yet to impress me.
Spyderco - You could buy a Chinese Spydie or a used Seki for this price. Never a bad option.
Ka-Bar/Ontario - I lump these two companies together because basically... they're the same. Not owned by the same company. I know a lot of people feel strongly about one or the other - but in all honesty - I've abused similar knives from both brands for years and they've both performed identically. I almost wonder if it's the same factory churning out their 1095 and doing the heat treating because their blades in similar format knives seem to perform identically. I've heard stories of the occasional bad Ontario heat-treat, but out of the 20 or so I've tried to trash, not a single one has failed me yet, and I throw almost all of my fixed blades. If you shop around, you can get a decent US-made carbon steel knife that will most likely last you a lifetime if properly cared for.
That's all I can think of right now... I know there are more... Those were the brands that stuck out in my head.
Contrary to popular belief, a good knife CAN be had for under $30, but don't expect it perform the same as a $200 or so knife. To a certain extent, you get what you pay for, and after that it funnels down to supply and demand as well as hype (and unnecessary luxuries). I've seen $1000 custom knifes get trumped by $80 knives. Just do your research. There are a lot of knowledgeable individuals here.
Good luck!!!
Nice.
Sorry, I don't mean to hurt any feelings. It's obviously not a Sebenza - not even close... but for $10 or so you have to admit it's freaking amazing. I have a lot of custom knife maker friends who I've given them out to as gifts (they're usually used as shop knives) and the response has been 100% positive. I use one all the time and will often carry one if I'm going to a party - if I lose it, big deal - it was only $10!!! I don't support counterfeiting... just honesty...
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2013
- Messages
- 449
Several kershaws and CRKT knives I highly recommend CRKT fossil
What? This thread was asking about budget knives for $30 or so, where on earth are you finding the Fossil for $30? That famous river site has them at $52 or so for the small one, $62 for the large, BladeHQ has them $48 or the small, $52 for the large, Knifecenter has the small version for $50 and the large one for $58...I didn't find them around $30 anywhere.
Love the Rat-1 and in fact since I originally made this thread last year, I've now got 3 of the cool suckers.
I would love to get a Skyline, for the price I really should... I wish the blade was just a tiny bit longer but then, I think it's only about a quarter inch shorter than my preferred minimum of 3.5".
I would love to get a Skyline, for the price I really should... I wish the blade was just a tiny bit longer but then, I think it's only about a quarter inch shorter than my preferred minimum of 3.5".
They did but I had to go use one at the ol' local library, they didn't have personal laptops back then.
Yep addylo, I have since picked up a few great budget knives (and to be honest already had a lot of knives in my collection, but I think quality inexpensive knives are really my favorite... gives me an excuse to buy some back-ups if I really like it.
Yep addylo, I have since picked up a few great budget knives (and to be honest already had a lot of knives in my collection, but I think quality inexpensive knives are really my favorite... gives me an excuse to buy some back-ups if I really like it.
Seven months ago?!? Did they even have computers back then?
Kershaw chill
Crkt ripple
Kershaw cryo
Ontario rat 2
Kershaw injection 3.0
Buck 112 Eco lite
Buck bantam blw
Buck buck lite max medium
Byrd meadowlark
Kershaw drone
Those are some smaller options
These are the larger ones
Kershaw injection 3.5
Kershaw cryo 2
Ontario rat 1
Ontario utilitac 2
Byrd cara cara 2
Buck buck lite max large
Buck bantam bhw
Buck 110 Eco lite
Gerber eZ out (made in USA under 30$)
Kershaw asset
Crkt m16/m21
Just slightly over 30$ but worth the money f you can get it
Kershaw skyline
Kershaw leek
Sog flash 2
Cold steel voyagers
Hope this helps it's all I got off top of my head.
Crkt ripple
Kershaw cryo
Ontario rat 2
Kershaw injection 3.0
Buck 112 Eco lite
Buck bantam blw
Buck buck lite max medium
Byrd meadowlark
Kershaw drone
Those are some smaller options
These are the larger ones
Kershaw injection 3.5
Kershaw cryo 2
Ontario rat 1
Ontario utilitac 2
Byrd cara cara 2
Buck buck lite max large
Buck bantam bhw
Buck 110 Eco lite
Gerber eZ out (made in USA under 30$)
Kershaw asset
Crkt m16/m21
Just slightly over 30$ but worth the money f you can get it
Kershaw skyline
Kershaw leek
Sog flash 2
Cold steel voyagers
Hope this helps it's all I got off top of my head.
No, I had not noticed that. Sorry.
Hey man don't worry about it. If you think of any other new knives that come on the scene later this year for budget prices, feel free to revive this ol' thread of mine again. I am always in the market for budget quality.