EDC Knife For Less Than $100

I have BM's, Rats, Zancudos, a CS, Bucks, SAK's, an Opinel, and LM's that fill your original 2 criteria (all my Spydies are 3.5" or larger). For knives in the 3"range, the only one I really find a hard time rotating out of my pocket is the Buck 112 (dealer exclusives with a DP, but the CP is nice too). One of these days I'll give the Duke 500 a try.

I'll give a nod to the Opinel, but I modded mine to my preferences and it takes longer to lock open and close which many don't like.
 
cashville said:
I'm a big fan of the Mini Griptilian line by Benchmade. Spyderco Delica is another one that will come up a lot. Kershaw Leek is another good option. This was kind of my gateway knife to more expensive offerings. These are probably three of the most obvious choices though.
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This. 3 good knives, 3 different locks, 3 different opening methods, 3 good companies. I’ve owned all 3, but only carry a Delica with any regularity now.
 
Some things to consider:
  • You said ~3". One of the knives you're considering is 3.5". That's a big difference in terms of knife size and how it looks to other people. Do you want a knife that looks and feels larger, or that looks and feels smaller? I know 1/2 inch doesn't seem like much, but most 3" knifes looks small and most 3.5" knives don't.
  • Similarly, how big a handle do you want? One that fills the hand, or one that is a little smaller? Same for pocket - one that's small in your pocket and you don't really notice or something larger?
  • Consider opening and closing. The Cryo II is assisted opening, which means it opens with a spring. This also means you have to push against the spring to close it. Not good or bad, it's just a preference. Assisted knives can be fun as they fly open. I little trickier to close one-handed.
Maybe go to a shop and get your hands on a few to get s a sense of what size you want, assisted or not, and opening method (flipper vs. stud vs. hole). If you haven't spent time with them all it's hard to know.

And maybe go to to BladeHQ or another site and filter by your criteria: price + blade length + whatever else. That will show you a great selection of options in that range. (Tip: you can get more specific blade length search by editing the URL. For example, you could enter 3.0:3.2 to only see knives in that range.)

Good luck. The choices you mentioned all look good.
 
Everyone has their opinions, myself included, but of the ones you mentioned go with the spitfire.

I just got a Copper & Clad upgraded version from my wife as a birthday gift, and I'm truly impressed. It's lightweight and thin, so carries small, but still fills the hand well, great balance, and gives you plenty of knife.

It's like a great little big knife. (Or vice versa if you prefer).
 
BM Mini Grip (MG) vs Delica debate. I've owned MGs and Delicas. If you have a larger hand like I do (2xl glove), the Delica handle is about a half inch longer then the MG. The Delica was more comfortable in the hand for me. If you have a big(ger) hand, I'd recommend the Delica over the MG.

How about a Delica in S30V? https://www.bladehq.com/item--Spyderco-Delica-4-Knife-Flat-Ground--76574

Also: LionSteel Opera, Kizer Vanguard.
 
Spyderco Delica, Endura, Manix II, if you want to spend more I highly recommend the Southard.
BM Grip
Kershaw Premium Skyline
 
If you want 3 inches or less the 3 I would recommend are the BM mini grip, steel will cut jack d2 or the spyderco native 5 LW.

Out of the 3 the native 5 LW would be my choice. It is lightweight, has a compact footprint and the S35vn steel seals the deal for me. Excellent edge retention and very rust resistant.
 
ucfgrad93 said:
I'm looking for an EDC knife for less than $100. My only other requirement is a blade length around 3 inches.

So far, I'm looking at

Cryo II, Blackwash from Kershaw
Cutjack C22M from Steelwill
Extreme Spitfire from SKBlades

What are your thoughts about these knives? Any other knives I should look at?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.
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I'd look at the WE knife company Blitz
 
Love my cryo. Its the least expensive or second least expensive knife i have and i has been great for stuff it never should have been great at. i.e. opening cans, using the back of the blade as a bottle opener, scoring steel and aluminum sheets. the finish has also held up really really well. here a pic:
yilCkKx.jpg
 
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