Gentlemen's Folders?

"Gentleman's folder" is a bit subjective.
Mine is a Boker ceramic 1 7/8" blade with blue etched titanium scales. Elegant, understated, functional and very "dressy". Around the $100 mark.

With your budget, I would go for a CRK Mnandi. The Rolls Royce of Gentleman's Pocket Cutlery.
 
If possible, go to a knife show. You will see many choices and more importantly, have the chance to handle the knives.

Also, if you don't mind if a knife has been carried/used there are often some good buys on the secondary market.

There are also no shortage of on-line stores. Nordic Knives typically has some knives in your price range you may like.

Good Luck,
Peter
 
The base model Large ($385) and Small ($330) Sebenzas are in-stock at knivesshipfree.com - fixed same price everywhere, at least there the s/h is free. They really are hard to beat.

Santa brought me a Buck 172 Mayo TNT, seen in an early post here, recently. Although a $350 MSRP, they are heavily discounted - often around $200. Very well made (USA) - super sharp hollow ground S30V blade with Bos heat treatment in a Titanium frame-lock. In between the Sebbies in size. I often carry mine in an unused shirt pocket!

Nearly two years ago, I bought a Kershaw 1993-2 'Gentleman's Folder'. Made in Japan (Seki) with a nice and very sharp 3" hollow ground VG-10 lockback blade in a brass lined black Micarta handle with a SS pivot and brass pins and lanyard tube. It comes with a black leather belt pouch with a cheesy plastic clip (I cut mine off - it makes a great inside the pocket protector.). Very nicely made knife. A bit hard to find as they dropped it from production - again - 12/08. Persevere - look around - expect ~$100 these days.

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Stainz
 
Bite the bullet and get the small sebenza for $330.
If you're not in a hurry you can shop around for sales. If you're interested in having a user knife, buy it secondhand and save yourself about $60.
 
I don't quite see how a Sebenza is a gentlemen's folder. A Mnandi, yes, that I can understand.

My recommendation in that price range would be Klötzli: pretty rare, very elegant and perfectionist gentlemen knives that can handle harder use.

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Buck Mayo TNT. Lava already showed a picture of it. Custom quality Titanium framelock with a S30V with one of the best grinds ever. Street prices below $200 now. Fantastic knife!!
 
Spyderco Kopa

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Spyderco Volpe

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Spyderco large and small Persians

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pictures by WhyNot
 
I used to carry a small Sebbie, a Buck TNT, as well as many others mentioned here. What am I carrying now? An Opinel #6 in french Olive wood. I love it too. You can get it for about $15, which leaves $285 for beer.
Stock photo:
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Thanks for all the help! and cgmblade, I'm thinking of a knife thats one-hand opening and elegant. I've got a couple of damascus mcustas and paul knives and have recently fallen in love with all of William Henry's knives - the William Henry's are far out of my price range however. Do you know how long the wait for a Minandi would be?

you wouldnt have to wait for the mnadi. you can by them from higher end knife stores. ie new graham knives, plaza cutlery. they are great little knives.
 
Thanks for the help everybody! at this point, i think I'm either going to go for one of the AG Russell one hand openers or the Mnandi - hell, $50 over is worth it right?
 
Can't go wrong with a Mnandi.... (however, I second the suggestion of Klotzli...)
 
2nd or 3rd on the Mnandi. The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
 
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