Blades 100$ or less that I can have fun with.

T

TheBushWookie

Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Messages
113
My definition of "fun" ranges from an abuse tool that I can beat up all I want without it giving in, or just a well made knife that has the "cool" factor of some sort whether it's a handmade blade, has interesting features, or just looks badass while still retaining respectable quality.

And by "blade" I of course mean anything that's considered to be blade related. It could be anything from a fixed blade all the way up to a axe for all I care.
 
Tl-29, Opinel? For cutting ability and cool factor, ~15 each


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Kabar BK2 is about $90 on Amazon. It's a beast. You'll throw a major part of your body out trying to kill it.
 
Delica [emoji106] benchmade mini grip, manly comrade
f8b2f83f457e176cb257727c4d6379c8.jpg


Pull this out at the next grill off and your cool factor is invigorated with D2 while your buddies melt


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Most fun I've had lately was with a 30.00 chopper from Aranyik ...... BOMBPROOF and just destroys wood..... they sell it in a 3.5 inch and a 4 inch wide version, I prefer the 3.5

hand made by villagers in mud huts, no 2 exactly alike... file photo shown, mine is MUCH cleaner.... I frikkin love it.... so much so in fact that I placed a second order for 1 of everything they sell.... seriously.... they combine shipping and at 25.00 to 30.00 an item, why not?

All of em are ALMOST 1/4 inch stock, full tang, built to work, not sell to tourists.... differentially hardened. They have retired my BK9, Junglas, and a dozen or so Condor choppers....

 
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irona said:
Tl-29, Opinel? For cutting ability and cool factor, ~15 each


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Click to expand...

SAKs and Opinels are pure inexpensive fun, I just got all these for $30

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great for spending some time modding and tuning them up without caring if you mess up! :thumbup:
 
Pretty much any Rough Rider or Colt would fit you bill. All are well made and sharpen well (when you need to sharpen them) and a great value for the money.

Rich
 
I'll throw in a vote for Condor Moonshiner. One big, tough, nasty blade that can take a lot of abuse. I use mine extensively on everything from trimming juniper bushes, to batoning through seasoned maple, feather sticks, etc. it just goes and goes.

The sheath alone would almost be worth the $50 or so that the knife costs.
 
I'll suggest a becker bk7. Beatable, fairly light for it's capabilities and under $100 last I checked. Personally, I like it better than my bk2. I'm probably in the minority on that though and your mileage may vary.
 
Hawgsnawt said:
Most fun I've had lately was with a 30.00 chopper from Aranyik ...... BOMBPROOF and just destroys wood..... they sell it in a 3.5 inch and a 4 inch wide version, I prefer the 3.5

hand made by villagers in mud huts, no 2 exactly alike... file photo shown, mine is MUCH cleaner.... I frikkin love it.... so much so in fact that I placed a second order for 1 of everything they sell.... seriously.... they combine shipping and at 25.00 to 30.00 an item, why not?

All of em are ALMOST 1/4 inch stock, full tang, built to work, not sell to tourists.... differentially hardened. They have retired my BK9, Junglas, and a dozen or so Condor choppers....

Click to expand...

Tell 'em to up your comission ;), I'm most likely ordering something if not some things. It's like HI but different.
 
Neko2 said:
Tell 'em to up your comission ;), I'm most likely ordering something if not some things. It's like HI but different.
Click to expand...

Shhhh... don't tell anyone or I'll get beaten and run off the forums, but I own 7 HI Kuks and still prefer these...they are not quite as thick of stock on the blade, but every bit their equal in the field.... in fact that little 30.00 chopper out chops all of em by a fair margin due to its slightly thinner blade biting deeper yet still having the mass to work, can't explain it, it just has the perfect balance point between mass and thickness.... the HI's I think are a touch too wide and more abruptly ground, I tend to get a lot of bounce back with em.... these.... meh, I love em, everyone needs 1 just to use as a baseline for comparison by other blades....
 
Lightning OTF. The fun factor is awesome plus they hold up pretty well for a Taiwan made OTF.

 
Hawgsnawt said:
Most fun I've had lately was with a 30.00 chopper from Aranyik ...... BOMBPROOF and just destroys wood..... they sell it in a 3.5 inch and a 4 inch wide version, I prefer the 3.5

hand made by villagers in mud huts, no 2 exactly alike... file photo shown, mine is MUCH cleaner.... I frikkin love it.... so much so in fact that I placed a second order for 1 of everything they sell.... seriously.... they combine shipping and at 25.00 to 30.00 an item, why not?

All of em are ALMOST 1/4 inch stock, full tang, built to work, not sell to tourists.... differentially hardened. They have retired my BK9, Junglas, and a dozen or so Condor choppers....

Click to expand...
Does Aranyik have a website or just where ever you find them for sale?
 
Let me change my question. Is this the popular Aranyik company or a nock off? I bought from Aranyik before and his prices were higher.
For example, I paid 40 for the etoh but it now sells for 25. Did Aranyik lower prices or is this another seller?

Back to the op. Aranyik or condor are awesome choices. I like a sheath so condor for me. Keisha's makes some machetes you can be real rough with also. I prefer the camp 14
 
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scrappy said:
Let me change my question. Is this the popular Aranyik company or a nock off? I bought from Aranyik before and his prices were higher.
For example, I paid 40 for the etoh but it now sells for 25. Did Aranyik lower prices or is this another seller?

Back to the op. Aranyik or condor are awesome choices. I like a sheath so condor for me. Keisha's makes some machetes you can be real rough with also. I prefer the camp 14
Click to expand...

Scrappy, he has a websight, sadly I can't link it..... Google search Aranyik, click the top result found..... on that page see header 3 " Purchasing : click link to new store "

Its the same guy that's been doing this for years, he buys them direct and has them shipped in bulk to Hawaii where he " refines them " in his workshop.... handles any cosmetic issues, touches up the blade, just in general gives em a once over and makes sure they are GTG.....then mails em out to the buyer..... the prices have not changed in the 2 years since I've become a customer of his though the same items seem to be available on both the Bay and the Big River from a different supplier who I do not THINK ( this is an assumption ) reworks them prior to mailing them out.... I have 2 of those blades and while they do offer a few things the Aranyik web sight does not stock, they were pretty clearly not as " clean " ..... they also seem to charge prices based on his PLUS the mark up percentage that both listers charge a seller.....so a 30.00 item from him ends up running you 40 or 45 from somewhere else and its not as polished...

Understand when I use words like Clean and Polished... these are still hand made in mud floor huts, theres only so much you can do to one to make it pretty... its more about the deburring of the handle steels, slight refining of handle shape, slight reworking of the edge, and any easily fixed cosmetic issues, such as in the pic I linked, you can see some residual wood strands from the handle slabs where they contact the blade.....those were all sanded off and the handle refinished on the ones I got....

Sorry, I don't mean to sound like a salesman for the guy, I'm really not, I'm just darned excited to be able to share what I think is the most overlooked and undervalued blades currently available in this style.... compare them to a 120.00 HI.... even to a 65.00 or 70.00 larger condor like some of the bolo style choppers and such.... they are half the price and IMHO almost infinitely more usable and better at the job...../shrug
 
Thanks, sounds like I have been buying from the wrong guy. Thanks for the detailed response.
 
19-3ben said:
I'll throw in a vote for Condor Moonshiner. One big, tough, nasty blade that can take a lot of abuse. I use mine extensively on everything from trimming juniper bushes, to batoning through seasoned maple, feather sticks, etc. it just goes and goes.

The sheath alone would almost be worth the $50 or so that the knife costs.
Click to expand...

I second the Moonshiner in the sub $60 category...or a Moonstalker if you prefer micarta handles for under $80. The 'shiners' sheath is much, much better than the 'stalkers' though and as mentioned should be double the cost.

I'd also suggest the Solobolo, absolutely love mine. I'm biased and a big Condor T&K fan, and know what to expect with their fit/finish for the money spent. I'm eagerly awaiting the Desert Romper release & about to order a Swamp Romper.
 
Big blades are usually very fun so I would second the Becker suggestion. BK9 and BK4 are awesome for bumming around the woods.
 
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