Best (New) knives - $40 and under.

H

Hal

Joined
Feb 26, 1999
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Yes - $40, not $30.
The "why"? - is simple. There isn't really anything significant that I can find/see in the $20 to $40 range that really stands out.
Anyhow - a couple of standouts I'd buy:

-Ontario Rat 2. D2 steel, liner lock, one hand opening. Drop point, which I find very user friendly. $37.95 BladeHQ.

- Buck 110 Lite - made in USA.
- Buck 722 SpitFire - also, made in USA.
 
By new I actually mean - not used, not a new design.
Although a new design is more than welcome.
 
In the sub $40 range there's the D2 RATs, and then there is everything else.
Though Kershaw has made it interesting. Since the release of the Dividend and Link, Kershaw seems like it's trying to get back into this price range with a few more interesting releases in the last few years.
 
spydy tenacious is just under $40... pretty great budget knife
kershaw leek is $40 - likely the best steel you can get at this price range - 14c28n is excellent imho

(d2 is better at edge retention so the rat d2 is still a great option)
 
Opinel!!

At that price, may be able to find two...

Spyderco Byrd series are in that range. Decent hard working knives.

I got a Spyderco Resilience for arround that. But they are more expensive now.
 
Do a little shopping around and you can find NIB Rat 1 in D2 for less than $40.
 
For $35, the Ruike P-108 is an attractive, inexpensive, frame-lock flipper. Even has a Beta-lock. My first 14C28N blade, the heat treatment seems well done. Noticeably better than 8Cr13MoV, or even 440C. And it's easy to sharpen.

All in all, a very not bad example of Chinese knife manufacturing. I prefer to buy American, but it was the right knife at the right price at the right time. We've all been there...
 
You can't go wrong with a RAT1. Mine has been put to the test many times, and still looks and works and cuts great.
 
Hal said:
Yes - $40, not $30.
The "why"? - is simple. There isn't really anything significant that I can find/see in the $20 to $40 range that really stands out.
Anyhow - a couple of standouts I'd buy:

-Ontario Rat 2. D2 steel, liner lock, one hand opening. Drop point, which I find very user friendly. $37.95 BladeHQ.

- Buck 110 Lite - made in USA.
- Buck 722 SpitFire - also, made in USA.
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For a sub-$30 or -$40 utility knife, I’d probably pick up the CS Tuff Lite.
 
Cold Steel Crawford and Cold Steel Bush Ranger Lite are a couple that come to mind that have not been mentioned. Thank You! Kevin
 
Sub $40 I think the Rat 2 in D2 steel is the best knife on the market that I'm aware of. It really deserves all of the accolades it gets. When I first read the title, I misunderstood and thought you meant newly released knives, so I'm gonna throw a couple of those out there too.

If you like modern slippies, the Artisan Biome is a FANTASTIC knife and is sub $30. 12C27M steel, G10, a half-stop, and impeccable fit and finish. It's probably been the biggest surprise to me this year. It's really well done. The other one I have to bring up is the SK Blades exclusive Buck 110 Smoke Jumper in CPM-154 steel. I think I picked mine up for $35. Unfortunately they are sold out and who knows if we'll ever see them again. It's a hell of a knife though!

Aside from gifts that I'll never part with, the Biome, Rat 2 D2, and Smoke Jumper are the only three sub $40 knives that have a home in my permanent collection so far.
 
Ruike. $30, runs on bearings, 14C28N, flips like a knife thrice the cost.

If you don't dig it, then a Rat 1.
If you don't dig a Rat 1, look at anything from Kershaw. For the price, Kershaw knives are great.
 
Billy The Hungry said:
Ruike. $30, runs on bearings, 14C28N, flips like a knife thrice the cost.
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I read this a lot. I'd like to try out a P801-SF but it's just a tad too large. I really wish they would come out with something similar with a 3" - 3.25" blade.
 
Aside from the standards like the Rat and SAKs, new this year I like the Artisan Biome (under $30) and the CJRB Ria.
 
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