Off Topic Favorite cheapo knife

As mentioned, just my two cents also, inexpensive is a better term than cheapo. Cheapo are junk knives that the handle breaks after the first time they are used or cannot even get a working edge on. My inexpensive knives are SAK Alox and Opinel 6 and 8, and of course, Mora.
 
NMpops said:
To me "Cheapo" does not mean the same thing as "Inexpensive". Victorinox, Rat I & II, and most of the knives listed are not cheapo, they are inexpensive. To me cheapo is crap like the $3-4 knives you can pick up at Walmart or those knives for sale at truck stops.
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Agreed!!!! There are plenty of terrific blades out there for the budget conscious folks. IMO, Cold Steel, Ontario, and Spyderco offer some of the best budget blades on the market.
 
I really like my Opinels. Cheap as chips. A sweet spot in value. I also have a couple of Svord peasant knives on the way. Haven't played with them yet, but from all I hear they sit pretty high on the value for price curve as well. Naturally, I had to see what that's all about. Peasant and peasant mini for $30 shipped.
 
Opinel. Been using them for nigh on 50 years, long before I knew what a knife nut was. Using, losing, whittling on, sanding, grinding, burning. Now I have a lot of the knives mentioned here, but I keep on buying Opinel. 6,8,7,10 in that order. Carbone.

My best discovery in the last 10 years has been Mora. 612, Companion, 611, 511, Kansbol.

Rough Rider Improved Muskrat.

But when it comes right down to it, Opinel and Mora. All else is vanity. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
 
Henry Beige said:
Opinel. Been using them for nigh on 50 years, long before I knew what a knife nut was. Using, losing, whittling on, sanding, grinding, burning. Now I have a lot of the knives mentioned here, but I keep on buying Opinel. 6,8,7,10 in that order. Carbone.

My best discovery in the last 10 years has been Mora. 612, Companion, 611, 511, Kansbol.

Rough Rider Improved Muskrat.

But when it comes right down to it, Opinel and Mora. All else is vanity. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
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It`s true the Kansbol offers a H*** of a knife for the price, it takes crazy edges and is the most versatile fishing knife I have never had.

You should try at least one Stainless Opinel, you wont regret it, they can take an edge.
 
I get a good bit of fun kitchen time out of my Opinel 10 slim stainless. :thumbsup: It takes a wicked edge and is long enough to slice with ease. :cool: Try one (make sure it is the "stainless"" slim"). :) Also check out the different woods like Beechwood, Olive, Bubinga; around $17 to $28 depending. :thumbsup:
 
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I do have a couple of stainless Opinels, a No.10 Effile and a No.8 garden knife. I have not seen either one in Carbone. They both take a good edge, but for some reason I have not bonded with them. In any case, I probably should try a regular Opinel in stainless. The stainless Moras have proven quite satisfactory notwithstanding my preference for carbon.

My shelf also has a couple of interesting stainless analogues to the Opinel No.8: the MAM Douro, and the Antonini medium Old Bear. The MAM has a liner lock, while the Antonini has a different take on the lock ring, with a ring that rides inside the bolster rather than out. The Opinel remains my favorite.

Both knives do share one advantage over the Opinel. They both have flatter handles and ride in the pocket better than an unmodified Opinel.

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They're so cheap, they're a little addictive... I've got a 7, 8, 10 and 12. The 12 is stainless and truthfully just as awesome as the carbon steel of the others. Wicked sharp big ol' blade on that one. I think I need a 9...
 
I won't say cheepo for sure but lets say Inexpensive.
I consider any knife less than $100 to be inexpensive.
With that in mind I would have to say my favorite inexpensive knife is the Case Trapper. None of the long term people here will be surprised to hear me say that.
I have at least five of them and one more on the way.
Heck I can buy all five of these (the Case Trappers are in the middle grouping) for around the price of one my modern pocket clip / locking / super steel knives.
Very often I wish the clipped-lock-super was the shape of the Case Trapper.
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Next would be my Boker Urban Trappers (though I put handles on them almost identical to the Case Trapper).
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And finally no body here will argue with the Ontario Rat 1 being a knife with design and quality FAR FAR beyond it's price point. (still not as great as the Case Trapper FOR ME when it comes to the handle shape and blade shape though).
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Case Trapper ! ! ! ! !
 
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NMpops said:
...To me cheapo is crap like the $3-4 knives you can pick up at Walmart ....
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I got some Inexpensive Cheapos at Walmart. That's their $3.87 knife models on closeout for $2. I also got a few of their Sweatshop Army Knives for $2. They do a good job of cutting up a hotdog or spreading mayo on a sammich. But they are no match for the $1.67, 4" fixed-blade "Wahoo Killer" sheath knife from another source. I can dig up dandelions with one of those.

Years ago, I read an article in some knife magazine. The guy knew the actor, Slim Pickens. Slim liked knives and would stop by the office occasionally. The writer would hide any decent knives he had around for review. Had a box of crappy knives that he would scatter about on the desk, since Slim always begged a couple. What a character.
 
Buck Silkirk Folder (hunting style knife) and the Kershaw/Emerson collaborations.

Good knives at very reasonable prices. I’ve really moved up to the higher priced knives but buy these as gifts for buddies and they are always thrilled with the products.

I also buy those small Swiss Army Knife Classic SD knives with the cool scale graphics as thank you gifts. They cost about $20 and people really love them.
 
Wowbagger said:
With that in mind I would have to say my favorite inexpensive knife is the Case Trapper. None of the long term people here will be surprised to hear me say that.
I have at least five of them and one more on the way.
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And here it is !
Carried and used it at work today. Complete with glue from box tape. Pretty darn nice edge on the clip point. The spay blade had some rolling and wouldn't hang on the thumb nail for a good portion of it. Nothing a ceramic rod won't fix. I carried it today and will tomorrow then probably reprofile the clip blade and remove the spay this Sunday.

I've wanted a blue one like this for years but always found something else to spend the knife money on.

Goes with my blue suede shoes. ;)
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BitingSarcasm said:
Gerber EAB lite for $11
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I must admit to over doing it on these.
I enjoy them. Kind of a little bit of modern sculpture, I think.

I have carried them with and without the clip; loose in pocket or clipped on pocket. Clipped in my bike bag / take to work bag. I've never seen even a hint of one opening up accidentally.
Good stuff !

And S110V and Maximet knives . . . move over . . . here come the EAB with a carbide edge !
(truth be told I don't hardly use that one but it sure sounds good doesn't it.) :D
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USMCPOP said:
Lately it's been these 14" m̶a̶c̶h̶e̶t̶e̶s̶ watermelon slicers. Bought a handful of them on closeout for $3. each, delivered.

Edit: The vendor of these knife-like objects will remain un-named. They switched to (rather nice) Colombian machetes. I'm a gardener and I like garden tools. Whack a rock, no problem. Grind it down and go on.
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why can't I ever find a good machete like that, I'd gladly pay $10 even
every time I find anything like it, its at least $25+ and the qc just is horrid
 
Utilitac is often overlooked, but a great inexpensive knife. The Rats are good for the price as well. Case Sodbusters, rough riders if you want to go traditional. Many, many offerings from CRKT.
 
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