I thought this would be kinda interesting to see people's choices. Say that you have a buddy who's just getting into knives, and you want to help him choose a basic set of knives to get started that will cover all the basics for an active or outdoors type of person. You want to get him the best possible quality blades that will serve him well, but he has only $100 to work with. Let's say you want to stick with production blades (as opposed to trying to make your own out of sharpened files, saw blades, whatever 
).
What would you recommend as the best quality production knives in each of the following categories, that would keep the total cost under $100, and yet be reliable and effective blades for your friend to depend on?
1. A small fixed blade or moderate folder for EDC (let's skip multitools and stick with pure blades for this discussion),
2. A mid-sized fixed blade in the 3.5" to 7" range for an all-purpose field, hunting, or camp knife.
3. A large knife (a machete is ok) to use a multipurpose chopping, wood prep, and other tasks (let's skip axes for this discussion and assume a large knife/machete can be useful at least in some cases).
Here are mine:
1. Folder/small fixed: Becker Necker, $36. 3.25" fixed 1095 carbon steel blade, 0.165" thick. Excellent and economical small fixed blade for EDC.
OR (as an alternative, if the friend wants a stainless folder)
Cold Steel Medium Voyager ($35). Has 3" Aus8a stainless steel, and Cold Steel's excellent Triad lock. Very solid little folder for the money.
2. Field knife: Condor Rhodan ($28 street price). 5.25" 1075 carbon steel blade, nicely contoured plastic handle. Good field knife. Enough belly for skinning, enough heft for other tasks.
OR (as a stainless alternative)
Mora Bushcraft stainless blade ($27). A 4.25" Sandvik stainless blade good for an all-purpose field knife.
3. Large knife: Condor Bolo machete ($32). 15" carbon steel blade, good for wood processing, chopping, brush clearing, other large knife tasks.
OR (for a longer, thinner machete that's better at clearing grasses and brush)
Tramontina bush machete ($8). 18" 1070 carbon steel blade.
Cost: $96 for the first choices, or $70 if the friend wants the stainless options plus the longer machete.
Look on your friend's face when he learns he can get three great knives for well under $100? Priceless.
). What would you recommend as the best quality production knives in each of the following categories, that would keep the total cost under $100, and yet be reliable and effective blades for your friend to depend on?
1. A small fixed blade or moderate folder for EDC (let's skip multitools and stick with pure blades for this discussion),
2. A mid-sized fixed blade in the 3.5" to 7" range for an all-purpose field, hunting, or camp knife.
3. A large knife (a machete is ok) to use a multipurpose chopping, wood prep, and other tasks (let's skip axes for this discussion and assume a large knife/machete can be useful at least in some cases).
Here are mine:
1. Folder/small fixed: Becker Necker, $36. 3.25" fixed 1095 carbon steel blade, 0.165" thick. Excellent and economical small fixed blade for EDC.
OR (as an alternative, if the friend wants a stainless folder)
Cold Steel Medium Voyager ($35). Has 3" Aus8a stainless steel, and Cold Steel's excellent Triad lock. Very solid little folder for the money.
2. Field knife: Condor Rhodan ($28 street price). 5.25" 1075 carbon steel blade, nicely contoured plastic handle. Good field knife. Enough belly for skinning, enough heft for other tasks.
OR (as a stainless alternative)
Mora Bushcraft stainless blade ($27). A 4.25" Sandvik stainless blade good for an all-purpose field knife.
3. Large knife: Condor Bolo machete ($32). 15" carbon steel blade, good for wood processing, chopping, brush clearing, other large knife tasks.
OR (for a longer, thinner machete that's better at clearing grasses and brush)
Tramontina bush machete ($8). 18" 1070 carbon steel blade.
Cost: $96 for the first choices, or $70 if the friend wants the stainless options plus the longer machete.
Look on your friend's face when he learns he can get three great knives for well under $100? Priceless.
