Budget stow-away blade (FAK,BOB,etc)

W

WCEDC

Joined
Mar 27, 2014
Messages
167
I'm really new to posting on Blade Forums (I've been reading for years, but just made an account). Anyways....
I'm looking for a good quality, Made-in-the USA (or other reliable country) knife that would be good to store in a car kit, First Aid Kit, or such. I'm looking for a small folder that's got good quality, and performs well all around. I don't need anything fancy like S30V or a double-action auto.
An example would be a Kershaw Scallion (1620, can be had for $23 shipped, great quality, good ergos,lots of colors).
Please let me know!
I don't know how to post pictures on here (and don't have any on my tablet) but check out my Instagram (@WCEDC) for some of the applications.
 
Basic Swiss Army knife, i like the silver Alox handle, and a Mora knife.
 
Because you aren't concerned with premium steels, you definitely can keep the price down. There are a LOT of Kershaw models that would be appropriate for FAK use - thin blades, fine points, good ergonomics for detailed cutting - but I would advise considering a different type of knife altogether for a general-purpose vehicle carry. Ontario's import line would be a good starting point, although Kershaw and SOG would also offer plenty of options too, all for under $35. I personally prefer to have at least one fixed blade knife in my GHB (get home bag) with a somewhat beefier blade suitable for light prying and chopping use, and a folder and multi-tool for general use. Here are a few that I consider suitable, as well as inexpensive: Ontario/King Cutlery BlackTac, Kershaw Scamp, SOG Salute and CRKT Drifter. Most of these don't get a lot of mention, and they are unfortunately all Chinese, but I have all of them and consider all more than sufficient. If you are OK with something from Taiwan, that opens up the Ontario Rat and Utilitac lines, plus more SOG models. As you know, you can get into a USA-made Kershaw for just a little more. I'm not a Blur fan, but plenty of folks here are, and that would be a definite consideration.
 
For what you seem to be looking for I'd say a SAK or even a multi tool that has a good blade on it . Either of them has a lot more tools on them than just a knife .


...............................................
HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS !
 
Opinel in stainless steel, and or a Swiss army knife or leatherman. The Opinal is a dirt cheap locking folder with decent steal. Victorinox and leatherman have affordable multitools.
 
Folks, he said Made in USA! That takes most of the suggestions here off the table. For a made in the USA car bag knife, The Scallion might work depending on what you need it for. If it were me I would want something a bit beefier for an all round car knife. Look at Kershaws other offerings like the knockout or piston. Closer to your budget and the scallions size might be the Skyline.

I do like the suggestion above of a SAK, Multitool, Mora, and especially the Ontario Utilitac II. For my car bag I have a Utillitac II, and a Gerber Prodigy. Nothing to write home about but both would be very serviceable in an emergency situation and will likely never see any use so no point in dropping a bunch of money on them. For premium stuff, I will have the knives and other junk on me plus what is in the car bag....
 
I've never really understood the car kit folder idea. If it's a folder it's on me and if I need something more than my EDC I'm not going to choose another folder. That 23 bucks could be spent on better things but that's just my opinion.
 
WCEDC said:
I'm looking for a good quality, Made-in-the USA (or other reliable country) knife that would be good to store in a car kit, First Aid Kit, or such. I'm looking for a small folder that's got good quality, and performs well all around.
Click to expand...

If you're OK with Taiwan, then check out the ESEE/BRK Zancudo and Ontario RAT II.
 
Cheap folders are generally a bad idea. The last one I tried, a Kabar folder, closed when I was poking a hole in some plastic, which could have taken a finger if I wasn't as careful as I was. Fingers are worth the $50 more it costs for a quality knife.

The cheapest I'd go would be a $60 Spyderco Delica (made in Japan, full steel frame inside the handle) or the ESEE mentioned below.

If I couldn't afford a quality (read: safe) folder I would spend $12 on a Mora.

cairndude said:
If you're OK with Taiwan, then check out the ESEE/BRK Zancudo and Ontario RAT II.
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Some of the best knives I've seen lately have come out of Taiwan (specifically the Spyderco models).

ESEE makes great stuff, I'd trust them long before I trusted anyone else in the price range.
 
I like SAKs and multitools for this sort of thing. There are lots of models with different tools to accommodate most needs and budgets.

I've got a Vic Executive in the first aid kit in my gym bag, the scissors (larger than those on a Classic) come in handy quite often. In my backpacks and range bag I keep multitools. Leatherman or Victorinox, different models depending on the size of the bag and the activities I use it for. Some Leatherman tools have S30V or 154CM blades, but even regular SAK and 420hc Leatherman blades work fine in a pinch (plus I always have a couple of good knives on me).

When I need to add an affordable but dependable fixed blade, I throw in a Becker (BK-9 or Machax), Cold Steel Bushman or one of my Moras.
 
craytab said:
Folks, he said Made in USA!
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"(or other reliable country)"

I don't think it'd be fair to say that country of origin makes a knife unreliable. He clearly already knows about Kershaw's USA line, but as you observed, a Scallion would be a bit on the lightweight side for a number of purposes. If for some reason nothing else in the Kershaw lineup appeals to him, there are plenty of good knives coming out of Taiwan, China and elsewhere. I like to buy American myself, but that doesn't change the fact that every single knife in my EDC rotation and a number of my other "users" are imports.

Of course, I think all Leatherman products are USA-made, and although I rarely carry it, I have a Crater that is a fine knife when small and lightweight are prime considerations.
 
Look on a certain auction website for used SAK's. I've gotten them for around $5, some in better condition than others, but all worked just fine. Function seems to be the main issue here anyway so that shouldn't be a big deal.
 
SAK's are great for FAK's because they allow you to sharpen the smaller blade to a super fine edge at ~15* [inclusive] and pretty much have a folding stainless scalpel should you ever need to cut skin while still having the larger blade for utility use.
 
Shotgun said:
I've never really understood the car kit folder idea. If it's a folder it's on me and if I need something more than my EDC I'm not going to choose another folder. That 23 bucks could be spent on better things but that's just my opinion.
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I think having a dedicated back up folder in your car kit is completely understandable.
 
Inazone said:
"(or other reliable country)"

I don't think it'd be fair to say that country of origin makes a knife unreliable. He clearly already knows about Kershaw's USA line, but as you observed, a Scallion would be a bit on the lightweight side for a number of purposes. If for some reason nothing else in the Kershaw lineup appeals to him, there are plenty of good knives coming out of Taiwan, China and elsewhere. I like to buy American myself, but that doesn't change the fact that every single knife in my EDC rotation and a number of my other "users" are imports.

Of course, I think all Leatherman products are USA-made, and although I rarely carry it, I have a Crater that is a fine knife when small and lightweight are prime considerations.
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Some how I missed the "or other reliable country" thing. My bad.....There are plenty of great inexpensive and safe folders made outside the USA that would work great in a car kit!
 
Not all leatherman products are USA-made. Their knives, the Crater series, are all imports.
 
Ontario Rat 1 or Rat 2, Spyderco Tenacious or Persistence.

...but an ESEE Izula 2 costs little more and gives 3/16" of FFG 1095 fixed blade power. That is a useful little beast.
 
Ok so this is probably going to sound completely ridiculous but lets think about this real fast. What are you going to be using a knife in a first aid kit for? Opening packages, cutting away clothing, or heaven forbid cutting into yourself or another person (to get an object like a splinter out of your skin or something, don't perform surgery in the field). What type of knife are you going to want? The sharpest blade you can easily get your hands on right? The last thing you want is to be dragging a dull blade across clothing or skin. So how do you ensure that you always have the sharpest edge? You have interchangeable blades.

Getting something like this may make the most sense
820909559054.jpg


I am just spitballing here, but I think for a FAK it makes the most sense to have a knife that you can quickly change the blade to a clean brand new blade. I don't know maybe I am wrong. It doesn't have to be this exact model or anything, just something like it. Thoughts?
 
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