Best Extreme-Use Knife Under $60?

J

JeremyW

Joined
Apr 20, 2001
Messages
6
Hello,

I'm looking for a "carry" knife under $60 that will stand up to lots
of nasty treatment. I need at 3+ inch blade and a very reliable
handle (though strangely I prefer folders). It has to take a keen
edge and hold it at least moderately well. Most importantly, it has
to have a no-worries level of tensile and toughness.

I plan to take it hiking, and being the only tool at hand it will
probably see all the uses that knife manufacturers warn you against:
chisel, punch, hatchet, wedge, pick, pry bar.

I've done a lot of searching, and have come up with these
possibilities (in order of how I currently rate them):

Spyderco Native 440V at 56-57 HRC lock back
SOG X42 BG-42 at 61-64 HRC lock back
Spyderco Endura ATS-55 at 59-60 HRC lock back
OutdoorEdge Magna AUS-8 at ? HRC liner lock
CRKT M-16 AUS-8 at 57-58 HRC liner lock aluminum

What do you guys think? I'm certainly open to additional suggestions
as well.

Thanks for all info!

-Jeremy Wolf

Ps - I am not kind to my knives.
 
Somebody else should double check on this, but if you're really that tough on your knives, you would want to pass on that SOG. It'll hold an edge extremely well if it's really in the 61-64 HRC range, but it won't be nearly as effective when you snap the blade half.
 
Those are all good knives you have listed there. You should also check out the buck 110 and the schrade LB7. Basically the same knife. Different prices, the buck is a little better than the schrade.
Both are lock backs and have huge boltsers matched up with thick clip point blades and heavy liners. The 110 could come in different handle materials. The LB7 has pretty thick delrin scales.

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I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer... but I've got the sharpest knife in the room.
 
It isn't on your list, but you could get a rekat pioneer II from 1sks.com for $59. I think all they have left is the tanto point.

I have one that I use all the time. It's my do everything "beater" knife. It isn't particularly pretty, but it is a darned stout little work knife.

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It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog!
 
From the list you've presented, I'd go with one of the last 2 on your list. I own the M16 and it is one well-made, tough knife. But, have wanted the Magna ever since reading Kim Breed's review in Blade. He put the point of the open blade on one brick, and the butt of the handle, and stood his 190 pounds on the Kydex-handled Magna, without hurting it. Both are AUS8, a decent edge-holding steel. Both are also Kit Carson designs, using bringing forth the description "tanklike."

On the other hand, I have the Pioneer 1, and it is stout.

Happy choosing,
smile.gif



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Asi es la vida

Bugs
 
Matt, you said the Buck is better than the Schrade--in what respect? I'm not disagreeing, I'm just curious as to what criteria you are basing your opinion on. By the way, I have one of the Scrade LB7's, but I don't have a Buck 110. I know there is a way to quote an earlier post, but I,m pretty new to both this forum and computers, so I'm muddling along the best I can.
 
Jeremy, welcome to the forums!
Sorry, but none of those knives will make even a poor excuse for a "chisel, punch, hatchet, wedge, pick, pry bar"-course none of those are jobs for a knife to begin with.
Don't know why a folder would even be considered for the "only tool at hand" job, and none of the folders listed are particularly sturdy (except the REKAT Pioneer that has been mentioned).
For something close to your price range, that might have a chance of handling all the abuse you plan to heap on it (
smile.gif
sounds like alot of tough jobs for somebody that's "hiking"), check out the Camillus BK&T Campanion.

Here's a link:
http://onestopknifeshop.com/store/camillus-becker-knife-tool.html

You might find the Wilderness Survival forum interesting (it's under the "tactics and training" heading), and that might be a better place to post this question as well.

[This message has been edited by OwenM (edited 04-21-2001).]
 
I don't think any of the knives you mentioned will withstand the abuse you specify. If you must have a folder, go with the Schrade LB7. It's extremely strong (but heavy). Actually, I have owned both the LB7 and the Buck 110 and I think the LB7 is the better of the two. Check them out for yourself.
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Matt Shade:
The LB7 has pretty thick delrin scales.
</font>
Click to expand...

Matt, I think you are confusing the Old Timer version with the LB7. My LB7 has some kind of stabilized, laminated wood. And I rate it above the Buck, mainly because the scales are tougher and the blade has a stainless steel pivot pin that won't wear as quickly as the brass pin in the buck.

As for knife choice, if you want a blade for hiking that will do it all, get a leatherman supertool or something similar.


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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
For camping I would go with a mid size swiss army knife. It will work better, it's not thougher, but it's more likely to have a better tool for the task. With knives it is usually safer to use your head rather than your brawn.

Folders should not be loaded with heavy stress. While I can appreciate that there are many good locks out there, it is still a mechanical device, should it fail it will hurt you. You can get a mid size SAK (a Rucksack would be good) and an Ontario machete, and cover all your bases for under $60.00

 
Sir: This is my opinion only. (of course it is 100% correct)
The sog and native will be too brittle for hard use(snap!) The magana would be better, the crkt best.
My advice is that if you are only going to carry one hard use knife. Save up an extra $35 and get yourself a benchmade stryker in M2. This knife will stay sharp forever (well almost) and is very tough. The tanto point design is among the sturdiest out there. It is the knife I chose for when I need to dig, pry, cut my way out of a metal box (car, plane, portable toilet) I got mine for $96.99 shipped to my door. Contact Bayou LaFourche Knifeworks They are sometimes hard to find(the stryker, not BFK) but worth it in my opinion(see opinion disclaimer above) That is not only what I would do, it is what I have done. Btw, I also carry a light duty "folding razor" (Bm 940) to take care of mundane tasks. (sandwiches, apples, etc.)
I hope this helps you some. Good luck and let us know what you get.
wink.gif

Edited for clarity.

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Brian
The first knife was probably used to cut stuff.

[This message has been edited by bteel (edited 04-21-2001).]
 
Ok,I have had a lb7 since '82,like it a lot.An ad in the Dec.'78 Playboy (I collect these also
wink.gif
) has the handle material listed as Wondrawood (r).Sounds like some kind of man made material.

[This message has been edited by Lone Hunter (edited 04-21-2001).]
 
A BK&T Campanion (about $68.00 at 1SKS) and a SAK tinker (about $14.00) would be a better way to go

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Although it does not mindfully keep guard in the small mountain fields, the scarecrow does not stand in vain
Bukkoku
 
With all these tough use activities when do you have time to hike? While I'm off on my own, not addressing your question I will take the liberty to suggest a stout fixed blade. Might I suggest the SRK or something similar.

Now to your question.
The time tested, tried and true Buck 110 is the unsung hero of modestly priced tough use folders. Mine have performed for decades of use/abuse before I really knew the difference between the two.

If the new-tech one hand/clip knives are important to you, then the M-16 could be considered, within your budget/parameters.
 
Thanks for all the good advice. I'm now seriously considering the Benchmade Elishewitz Stryker with M2 steel and the Becker Companion with 0170-6 steel. I've dropped the SOG: I was hoping to try out the BG-42 steel (heard a lot of good things about it), but you're right in saying that the hardness makes it just too brittle for my purposes.

I'm not opposed to fixed blade knives, I just prefer to pocket or stow knives rather than have them hanging off belts, etc. I also have little knowledge of the fix bladed knives available. I am however concerned about the integrity of folder handles. That's why I'm also dropping from consideration all the lock-backs (except for the Native: the blade on this knife looks stout and I'm impressed with both the type of steel and the hardness range 56-57).

Any thoughts on how the M2 and 01706 knives compare? I haven't heard much of either of these steels, but both of the manufacturers have good names. I'm also still considering the Magna and M-16, though I'm concerned about the M-16's aluminum handle and the edge holding of AUS-8.

Also, please don't think I intend to use the knife for all the purposes I listed! Those are examples, and the knife will likely and eventually be used for one or two of them, but not all. It's just to say that I can get rough with things and I don't want to worry about damaging the knife. My only other knife was a gift; a handmade 440C knife from France with an extremely thin blade. The blade has a mirror finish, and the edge of it is beyond sight: it looks like it was never sharped and the blade just ends without a grind. I've seen knives with thin edge grinds, but the one on this knife can only be seen as a brief flash under a bright light... if you move it around for a while and look hard. BTW- how on earth do they do that? It's the sharpest knife I've seen but I'm scared to death of using it. I could never put the edge back on it as it's supposed to be.

-Jeremy Wolf
 
I'm no outdoor survival expert, but, if I'm taking only ONE tool, it wouldn't be a single blade folder. Take a multitool like a SAK or a Leatherman or take a bigger fixed blade. A bigger blade can chop better that a small folder, but still can cut like a smaller knife. Just my .02.
 
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