Given my occupation, what's a hard use knife around $50 that can withstand the work?

I second the Glock. Never heard of one breaking. Folder candidate would be a Buck 110.

Zieg
 
Ten4leader said:
Preferably around $50, if I loose it no major loss or anything but the cheaper the better. Once again, I could care less if its crap, just as long as it's got a thick blade and won't break on me that easy.
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If you are depending on this knife, loosing it IS a major loss. Thick blades are over rated.
 
The 15 is a great knife, but I would NOT use it to pry very much.
For less than $50, I would look at a Condor Rodan. You are not gonna hurt it and it will stand up to prying and such.
My 13 yr old son got a schrade fixed blade A couple months ago( spent his own $$!). Schf24 and it is s smaller fixed blade, but stout. He has not hurt it yet. Not a bad knife for 35 bucks.
The Glock knife is as reliable as a hammer.
 
How much prying do you do? Many fixed blades mentioned are good ones, the key is how much/often you pry. Knives (especially folders) aren't usually very good at prying. You might be interested in something like a county comm breacher bar.

A knifemaker here might be able to make a "semi custom" breacher bar out of 1095 or some easy to get bar stock and put a better knife edge on it. Just a thought.
 
My son has the Gerber Bear Grylls Compact Fixed Blade, (KnifeWorks $33.95) and he will never hurt it.

It has a very secure sheath, and even if you drop it somewhere, the bright orange on the handle will show up pretty good.

It weighs only 5 ounces with the sheath, and it's easy as hell to sharpen.

Gerber and Bear get badmouthed a lot around here, but me and the boy don't care. We'll beat on this thing forever.
 
If you need to do a lot of prying, take a pry bar with you. They come in various sizes.

I never cared for the Condor Rodan because of the plastic handle and the balance.... light handle, thick steel. Some of the other Condors would work. You mentioned that you don't want a bushcraft knife, but the Condor Bushlore is a useful knife and plenty tough. I have the original version and the current thinner bar steel version currently being made. I compare the original to the Becker BK-2 and not something I feel much use to carry except as a work knife cutting all kinds of things I shouldn't be cutting with a knife in the first place. The current version is a nice blade.
 
KaBar and Becker (both from the same company) I would swear by. My great grandfather carried a kabar into war (WWII) (The knife outlasted my grandfather), my father carried his own until he lost it, I carry my own and will be buying new ones soon. There is so many things that goes right with those knives. Very hard to destroy, easy to resharpen, If you take care of it, it will outlast you and then some. You will get the moneys worth you paid for from those knives.
 
Any preference in blade length?

I think the Mora, and svörd peasant suggestions are great ones. Just know the svörd might need a bit of sharpening work when you get it. They also make a "economy drop point hunter" and a "farmers" knife. Both of those could be quite good for your uses as well.

The bk15 is great (I have one), but I wouldn't want to really pry with it. The bk17 is more than your budget usually, but is another great choice, as is the bk14 with the zytel handle scales.

Personally I'd stay away from a folder for your use, but that's just me. Good luck :).
 
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Cold Steel Voyager is perfect if you are carrying a firearm because it is so light weight that you forget it's in your pocket, the tri ad lock is the strongest lock on any folding knife in the world......under 50 dollars with AUS 8 steel, you should pick it up before they become impossible to find because of Cold Steel's new upgraded steel.

Voyager and Recon 1s are HEAVY DUTY FOLDERS.
 
Agree with glock 78 or 81 between 23-29 on Amazon
On YouTube there is a series of destruction tests this knife unbrakeble
I have both of them and works well
Agree with mora I have 3 of them including 2000 outdoor (30$) - all work good
I am not very much about cold steel
Try to open can and you will see
All Condors are good for outdoor
 
Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter is small but a decent cutter yet still strong enough and could probably be found for around $50
the thing is, the thicker it is the stronger it will be for prying but the worse it will be at penetrating and slicing, so it depends on your priorities

speaking of shepherding . . . http://www.wimp.com/sheep-traffic/
 
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If you don't mind a smaller knife, I'd say an ESEE izula. Mine has been carried for 3-4 years now, and I have used it for everything from wire-cutting to prying mortar out from old bricks to anything else you should never use a knife for. :cool: It's held up fantastically and still takes a scary sharp edge. The small size is deceiving, that 5/32 1095 steel can take some major abuse! Plus, should you ever manage to actually BREAK it :eek:, ESEE will replace it, no questions, no charge, period, forever. They're about $50 shipped on theknifeconnection.com and a few other places.
 
I second the izula but got for the izula2. If your going to do any kind of prying a small stout fixed blade would be better than a folder. Especially in that price range.
 
SOG Seal Pup straight edge with the Nylon Sheath Aus8a.
Very reasobably priced around $50, very tough and you won't care if you lose it.
 
Becker BK11 or BK14. Both with the same 3.25 inch blade. Very robust, and compact. You can find them for 35 (BK11) to 40 (BK14). Either one will serve you very well. They are marketed as neck knives, so the sheaths don't come with a belt option (nothing some cordage wont fix though or just make it a pocket sheath, like I do)

BK11


BK14
 
If you're going to pry and you want to keep it under $50, you need a knife you won't have to replace the factory sheath to use. For this, try the $13-15 Hultafors GK (designed for prying and short enough OAL to fit in a pocket) or the Glock 78 as previously mentioned. The latter knife is sturdy and has an excellent factory sheath. Moras fit your price range but I wouldn't suggest prying with them.

I don't recommend prying with folders, nor using any CRKT knife for heavy use.

Edit: Here's the first part of a 5-part destruction test of the Hultafors HVK--a thinner, more Mora-like knife, and it did amazingly well considering the abuse it got.

[youtube]2m1EjwdKpx8[/youtube]
 
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The Zieg said:
I second the Glock. Never heard of one breaking. Folder candidate would be a Buck 110.

Zieg
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Pry with a Buck 110 (or Schrade Uncle Henry LB7 or Old Timer OT7/OT8) or use one as a screwdriver, and you WILL break the tip.
 
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