Calling Frugal Knife Lovers!

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Spyderco ambitious and tenacious
At about $30 its a cheapskates dream!
 
Tramontina machete. Despite my usual penchant for customizing anything I get my hands on, all I've done to it is sand down the scales, rub a little oil on them once or twice a year and convex the edge. It doesn't even have a sheath, it hangs on a nail in my garden shed :o

Every homeowner/adventurer/knifeknut should have a good "cheap" machete. :)
 
The best bang for the buck is probably the 2 and 3 layer SAKs (Tinker, Spartan, Compact, Super Tinker, Climber would be my top few). For $25 and under, they are remarkably well made, provide a lot of function, and carry a lifetime warranty.

under $15 - Opinel No. 6-9, Sanrenmu 763/710, Enlan EL-01/F710/F723, Victorinox Classic
$15-20 - Victorinox Spartan/Tinker, Kershaw Volt II/Chill/OSO Sweet/Half-Ton, Ka-Bar Dozier Folding Hunter
$20-25 - Victorinox Climber/Super Tinker/Compact/Rambler/Cadet, Buck Vantage Select, CRKT M16-01Z, Spyderco Robin/CaraCara
$25-30 - Kershaw Cryo, Ontario RAT-1, Victorinox Farmer/Pioneer, Spyderco Ambitious/Persistence
$30-35 - Kershaw Skyline/Zing/Scallion, SOG Flash 1, CRKT M21-02G, Spyderco Tenacious
$35-40 - Kershaw Leek
 
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james terrio said:
Tramontina machete. Despite my usual penchant for customizing anything I get my hands on, all I've done to it is sand down the scales, rub a little oil on them once or twice a year and convex the edge. It doesn't even have a sheath, it hangs on a nail in my garden shed :o

Every homeowner/adventurer/knifeknut should have a good "cheap" machete. :)
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Agreed! My "cheap" machete of choice is Imacasa, but Tramontina totally rocks, too!
 
Bob W said:
Buck, their fixed blades, sure. They have four different phenolic-handled fixed blades that sell for under $50, and some folks would consider that frugal.

Inexpensive knives are no bargain if they're not good quality.
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I really like the Buck 300 Series slipjoints. Liners and bolsters are one piece, giving the knives a solid feel.
 
I guess I'm frugal, but very happy with my Kershaw, and Spyderco blades. In fact I have never had the luxury of owning an expensive knife, nor the need to. I'm afraid I might become spoiled. Ignorance in my case is bliss. No pun intended.
 
Vote for Kershaw and Victorinox.
I also found Opinel very handy for EDC, but my wife keeps it for fruit slicer at her kitchen.
 
Ontario makes a "work and field" knives. They are good users. I have one of their 10" field knives that I use in the kitchen which has become one of my favorites. Also check out their Old Hickory knives.

ric
 
There's room for everybody on this ship. I generally don't buy cheap anything. I've learned this over the yrs.
 
BK&T
Ka-Bar
Ontario
Old Hickory
Dexter-Russell
BUCK

^^^ All Made in America

Condor
Mora
Boker
Remington
certain Cold Steel knives
 
While not in the same ballpark cost-wise as many of the knives mentioned, the Spyderco Mule series fixed blades seem to me to be a great deal for a useful knife in many high-end steels.

This comes with a caveat being if you can make your own scales (or can live with paracord wrapped handles) and sheath it is still in the nice price range if you get them from Spyderco. I paid $59 for a CTS XHP Mule last week and it's on its way right now. Ebay and others often sell them for more than twice that price on the secondary market so you have to act fast.

I've got plans to add my own wooden scales and make a leather sheath and will disregard the time spent because it's for me. You will have a VERY hard time finding another knife in that steel for the same price. In fact many of the nicer blade blanks out there are a good deal more expensive (Fallkniven F1 or H1 for instance).
 
Another +1 for Mora. I have a Companion and two Mora Utility. If I could EDC my Mora I absolutely would. The Mora line and SAK's like the Tinker are unbeatable for the price. Moras even more so than SAK's.
 
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