Features you like in an EDC folder?

It's funny the diverse features different people like. Different strokes for different folks!

For me:

decent steel
finger choil
"jimping"
solid lock
thumb hole, I get obsessed about any blade that lacks a stud, I'll even forgive some of my negatives about a blade if it has a thumbhole.
materials used for handle
tip up carry is a must, I won't get a folder unless it's tip up right side carry
manufacturing origin is another must for me, no more chineese blades, I know there are decent offerings from China, but it's a mental block I can't get past.
plain edge, only blade a serated has worked for me is the Victorinox Trekker, but that's it.


these are in no particular order
 
Here's what I look for...

Small enough to drop in pocket
Plain edge
Sharp
Steel relatively easy to sharpen

That's pretty much it. I'm not a huge fan of pocket clips except when I'm working outside, where I tolerate them.
 
My current main three criteria for a GREAT EDC are:

-Fine tip
-Negative blade angle
-thin, slicey grind

Other good criteria:

-three to four inches blade length
-carries light and thin for its size (spyderco Military, spyderco centofante, etc..)
-reasonable blade steel. anything from vg10 to CPM M4
-makes me smile while using it (purely subjective)

For those that don't know, a negative blade angle is something that drops the tip way down low in line with your hand. Most Spyderco designs do this (military/pm2, endura/delica, yojimbo, etc...) most Benchmades and Chris Reeve knives have basically no angle, or a straight design leaving the tip relatively in line with the handle axis, if not a bit higher (sebenza, umnumzaan, 710, griptilian, etc...) Trailing point and persian type knives have a POSITIVE blade angle, leading to a tip higher compared to the handle axis. (spyderco persian, emerson persian, BM Persian, Spyderco South Fork, etc...)

I prefer the negative blade angle for average utility use. a straighter, no angle knife is okay if it has a fine enough point and makes me smile, but it's not preferrable. I've never liked any trailing point designs as it makes the tip nearly unusable for my purposes unless i contort my wrist to strange angles every time. Useful for certain skinning/game processing/fish processing/etc... (which I don't do)
 
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