Best Hard Use Folder for around $100

[biggzipp]

What do you guys think is the best hard use folding knife for around $100?

 

[Daddyo16]

It's hard to beat the ZT 0350.

 

[Dantone05]

Spyderco Gayle Bradley on the secondary market is a working beast and will keep you in that $100 area price. :thumbup:

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Cold Steel Code 4, American Lawman or Recon 1.

 

[fsatsil]

Spyderco Manix 2

 

[VermontEdge]

ZT 0350 or 0566 for sure.

 

[strategy9]

What kind of "hard use" are we talking here?

 

[Alberta Ed]

Literally hundreds, maybe thousands of choices. A Buck 110 can be found for >$50 often, or one of the synthetic-handled Bucks if you want something lighter. Cold Steel, Spyderco, Kershaw, Case, all offer good sturdy folders. Have fun looking!

 

[biggzipp]

By "hard use" I mean sometimes using the knife for things it was not necessarily intended for.

 

[SALTY]

There are so many good offerings these days under $50 (did someone say Buck 110 or close cousin?) that one could buy two knives, i.e. a Buck 110 and a Cold Steel Voyager for example and, with two knives have a tremendous amount of durability, reliability and service life for tasks that a folding knife could be reasonably expected to perform - and over many years!

BTW, those two examples were by way of example, not limitation. The list of <$50 folders includes so many good ones. RAT-1, Voyagers, Buck 110s and their relatives and on and on.

 

[BMCGear]

Buy a Griptilian. With Benchmade's warranty you're covered.

 

[strategy9]

Just outside your budget is the TOPS/Buck CSAR in 154cm... All reports is it's an absolute pocket tank! The tip is not going to break prying a staple. But, it's a liner lock...

Kershaw Thermite - framelock, assisted open and flipper.

Boker M-type - framelock but it's coated
Kizer ki302b1 or ki403a1 - frame lock
Kershaw Emerson cqc-7 - framelock

All have a more robust tip then your avg. folder.

 

[ThePeacent]

CS Voyagers and Recons, RAT 1 and 2, Utilitac I and II, some Kershaws and Ka-Bars under $100, as well as most Spydercos (PM2, Manix 2...) all of them suitable as beaters and hard use knives.

If we're talking hard use as rough environment and handling (mud, dirt, salt water, etc.) I'd say you can't go rong with Spyderco's H1 offerings, particularly the Pacific Salt.

I talk from experience with all those.

 

[VermontEdge]

I think one of my favorite things about ZT in terms of using a knife for things it wasn't intended for (cough, prying, cough) is that if you send a knife with a broken blade to them they'll replace the blade for 30 dollars. That's pretty awesome.

 

[JR88FAN]

Spyderco Gayle Bradley on the secondary market is a working beast and will keep you in that $100 area price. :thumbup:

^^^^This is a perfect recomendation, considering it's your knife and not ours....

The GB is built like a tank, yet is comfortable in hand and pocket.

M4 is also an excellent blade steel for anything.

Currently they range in the $100-$125 range on the exchange, which is a steal....

 

[Gizler00]

^^^^This is a perfect recomendation, considering it's your knife and not ours....

The GB is built like a tank, yet is comfortable in hand and pocket.

M4 is also an excellent blade steel for anything.

Currently they range in the $100-$125 range on the exchange, which is a steal....

X2 on this^^ and also check out the Griptilian. Its a solid workhorse of a knife.

 

[link2derek]

By "hard use" I mean sometimes using the knife for things it was not necessarily intended for.

Then I would recommend a screwdriver, a pry bar, and a hammer. Just sayin'...

 

[omaha-beenglockin]

Benchmade HK 14715

 

[Neomentat]

Cold Steel Recon 1 in XHP, it's the toughest you can get for under $100 with the best available steel in that price range and the strongest lock

 

[Surfingringo]

I use this one hard day in and day out.



If you want something fancier then the Gayle Bradley is an excellent choice.