Best EDC for under $50 ?

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rangerblanket

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Jul 10, 2014
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So I've been looking into getting a new edc blade. i almost have my mind set on the Ontario rat 2 and before i made my purchase i wanted to know if anybody had any recommendations? my price range is around $50 cad. Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
We can guide you better if you give us some clues... what you'll be using it for or any preference (steel, lock, size, etc.) you have, but in that price range and seeing your current choice:

Ontario RAT 1, RAT 2, Utilitac, Utilitac 2
KaBar Dozier
ESEE Avispa, Zancudo
Kershaw Chill, Link, Cryo, OSO Sweet, Skyline, Kuro, Leek, others
Cold Steel Voyager, ProLite
Spyderco Tenacious, Ambitious, Resilience, Persistence
Byrd Cara Cara 2, Robin, Meadowhawk, Meadowlark, others

and the list goes on, and on...if you know how to use it, the search function will give you hundreds if not thousands of answers and results
Good luck!
 
Well what kind of use will it see in your every day, what size, what kinda lock, what opening method? The rat 2 is a good choice, though if you want to go bigger there's a rat 1 with d2 steel selling for a little more than aus-8 version
 
Tenacious or Leek for modern folders, or a Victorinox Compact. Also, in before "spend $20 more and get an Endura/Delica"
 
Kershaw Blur
Kershaw Leek
Kershaw Skyline

All available at or near $50 or less

Also really like Real Steel knives, H6-S1 available for under $50
 
Spyderco Delica can be found for under $50 on a certain auction site. Ontario rat 1 us more utilitarian and the Ontario Utilitac is more tactical. Personal preference there. Kershaw blur is great. Especially deassisted
 
rangerblanket said:
So I've been looking into getting a new edc blade. i almost have my mind set on the Ontario rat 2 and before i made my purchase i wanted to know if anybody had any recommendations? my price range is around $50 cad. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...

What do you do for a living? How will you use it?
Prime Day is July 12th over at the large online retailer that shares its name with a famous south American river. I'd wait a couple days and see what kind of deal you can score to make the most of your money.
 
Kershaw Leek.

Got one for one of my high school employees who was constantly needing to borrow one of my knives at work. I played with it for about a week before I gave it to him, and liked it so much, I got one for myself.
 
Kershaw Skyline. Also, the Kershaw Skyline. I'm a traditionals/slip-joints guy, and I happen to love the sodbuster jr., too.
 
There is only so much you can do with a single knife blade but with a $30 SAK Spartan all of a sudden you have a compact tool kit in your pocket. Snap a cap, tighten/loosen screws, drill holes, open cans, pry lids, undo knots, pull wine corks etc etc. Use the larger blade for coarse and everyday work and the small one (keep it razor sharp) for precision stuff. If you work in an environment where slivers are common you'll (and your friends) will really come to appreciate the tweezers.
 
Ontario RAT 1, RAT 2, Utilitac, Utilitac 2
KaBar Dozier
ESEE Avispa, Zancudo
Kershaw Chill, Link, Cryo, OSO Sweet, Skyline, Kuro, Leek, others
Cold Steel Voyager, ProLite
Spyderco Tenacious, Ambitious, Resilience, Persistence
Byrd Cara Cara 2, Robin, Meadowhawk, Meadowlark, others
Click to expand...

I second the Zancudo.
It has the same great build quality and grind as the Rat folders, yet solved the problems I had with the ergonomics and design of both those knives. In my use the AUS-8 in these Taiwanese knives has easily outperformed the 8cr13mov in most Chinese budget folders, and the blade grind is better than any modern folder you'll find at this price point.

The Chill is an excellent knife, despite the bead blast and 8cr13mov blade steel, which will never impress me in a Kershaw. In general, I suggest avoiding Kershaw's assisted opening folders- which means almost all of their current budget offerings, unfortunately.

The Byrd knives are well-made and very well-designed, but the edge has been frustratingly thick on every one I've owned. This is a common problem with inexpensive knives: when prices go down, blade grind is one of the first things to suffer.

I owned the KaBar Mini Dozier, and I found it to be the most poorly constructed, ineffective, and unsafe tool I've ever purchased.

I also highly recommend looking into the Real Steel knives. I own the E571 and E771, and the quality of both is astonishing compared to similarly priced knives, including the Tenacious line. Both of these knives are ball bearing flippers running FFG Sandvik 14c28n, which for me has performed extremely well- basically indistinguishable from the 154cm in my Mini Grip. They have several other models that I'm interested in, particularly the H6-S1.

I hope this helps, as it's easy to spend Taiwan Spyderco money trying to find the right China Byrd.

-Pericles
 
I am cheap and fall on the low end of the $ spectrum around here. I have both the Rat 1 and 2 and I prefer the Rat 2 for an EDC. It's a more versatile size and is a good all around blade. Takes a nice edge.
 
Ontario just came out w/ their assisted opening Rat 1 model... it's pretty impressive. Instead of the nylon handles they normally come w/ it comes w/ very nice g10 scales. It's impressive for only around $37, I will say that!

Yes... I cerakoted over these scales to a neon yellow color, but it's a sweet blade nonetheless.

IMG_20160706_140207-X2.jpg
 
Totally different style but you are in Nova Scotia? Check out Grohmann knives...head down to the factory outlet in Nova Sctoia and you can find great deals on seconds. They have a very nice Mini Lockblade for 40 bucks right now and regular $80. That's a great deal...probably just a little imperfection in the wood. But you can check it out in hand! They make fantastic knives that are world renown and you can support a local business. Good luck what ever you choose!
 
The Rat 1 looks like it would be Right in my wheel house in terms of ergonomics, but I tend to prefer higher end alloys... Cutting a lot of dirty, double walled cardboard tends to wear out aus-8 rather quickly.
I would Love to have one in Cruwear, 52100, or an m390 equivalent.
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I was curious if the OP has been giving any thought to any of the models listed?
Would you be willing to buy off the exchange and get a bit higher end of a knife for the same funds?
 
NJBillK said:
The Rat 1 looks like it would be Right in my wheel house in terms of ergonomics, but I tend to prefer higher end alloys... Cutting a lot of dirty, double walled cardboard tends to wear out aus-8 rather quickly.
I would Love to have one in Cruwear, 52100, or an m390 equivalent.
------
I was curious if the OP has been giving any thought to any of the models listed?
Would you be willing to buy off the exchange and get a bit higher end of a knife for the same funds?
Click to expand...

Get the Rat1 with D2 steel, still under $40
 
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