Recommendation? Good EDC under $60?

Shorttime said:
L Llamaaaa , are balisongs/butterfly knives legal where you are? If so, would they be something you would carry?

It's nice to see somebody who has well-developed ideas of what they want, but the combination of requirements you put up makes it tough. Especially the price cap. I understand completely: I have a limit to what I'm willing to spend on a knife.

Others have mentioned Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT). I will do the same, with the M21-O4G Carson Flipper.

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Flipper tab, 3 7/8 inch blade, made in Taiwan, sneaks in just under your price point, at $57.95.

I will warn you that CRKT has had a problem in the past with their heat treat. About one out of every twenty knives they put out will simply not get sharp. I don't know if they've fixed this problem in the past decade or so, because it's been that long since I bought one of their knives.
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CRKT has been piquing my interest for a while as an affordable name brand, I'll take this knife in consideration, thanks.

I've wanted a balisong for a long time, but NY knife laws are pretty inconsistent and full of contradicting sources. If I knew if purchasing one was legal, I would have 10 by now. I already own a few trainers but don't know if I even can get a butterfly knife at this point.
 
I'd go Kershaw Bareknuckle. One of the best knives they make. A little over your budget but worth it imo.
 
DangerZone98 said:
A tad pricier than 60 bucks as well, but my vote goes to the CS Voyager. Tough quality folding knife. Main downside really is the stiff lockback, but if you don’t mind that, you’re good to go.
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Agree that the Voyager is a bargain of a folder. And the back lock will beak in with use.

In two of the first three websites I looked at, the large Voyager, 4 inches, was less than 60.00. One of the best knives available for less than 60. Taiwan.
 
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Llamaaaa said:
CRKT has been piquing my interest for a while as an affordable name brand, I'll take this knife in consideration, thanks.

I've wanted a balisong for a long time, but NY knife laws are pretty inconsistent and full of contradicting sources. If I knew if purchasing one was legal, I would have 10 by now. I already own a few trainers but don't know if I even can get a butterfly knife at this point.
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NEW YORK?!

Is carrying a knife at all even still legal?

Yeah, stay away from bali's, for sure. You might even go to jail for carrying a flpper...

Is the entire State as "England" about knives as NYC, or are there places where people are cool? I don't really know.
 
Shorttime said:
NEW YORK?!

Is carrying a knife at all even still legal?

Yeah, stay away from bali's, for sure. You might even go to jail for carrying a flpper...

Is the entire State as "England" about knives as NYC, or are there places where people are cool? I don't really know.
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I don't think the rest of the state is as enforced, but yeah, NYC is really tough for knife people nowadays. But I'm pretty sure that elsewhere in NY you can still casually buy most folding knives.
 
As others have said, this a tough combination. Some recommendations recommend breaking the price cap for a Leek or Blur. Personally, I don't care for aluminum handles or assisted actions. (I say that as someone who almost exclusively carried assisted Kershaws for several years, with a Leek being my "office carry" for the better part of a decade.) Some say ditch the flipper tab but that's my favorite way to open a knife so I get it. The big barrier here really comes down to "made in China".

There has been something of a Renaissance in Chinese knife manufacturing. For all the bad companies pumping out counterfeits, lying about steel content, engaging in industrial espionage, etc.; there are good companies like WE, Kizer, and Petrified Fish making high-quality original products. Yes, there are problems with the Chinese government but a meaningful discussion of those problems is beyond the scope of this forum. The fact is that there are good, honest, and talented people working at those better companies. Some of these companies collaborate with brilliant designers around the globe. Some of these companies do an excellent job engaging with the EDC community, including on this forum.

If you haven't checked out a Civivi (made by WE), I recommend trying one. I've disassembled at least a dozen of them now. Fit and finish tends to be on par with much more expensive knives. The blade geometry on a lot of models is quite nice. They've even perfected the heat treatment for 9Cr18Mov, making it a very capable EDC steel. The Civivi Baklash remains an easy recommendation and if 3.5" is enough blade, I'd say "go for it".
 
A good EDC under $60? The list is endless . . . LOL! ;)

But, ok, here are just a couple: 1) Ontario Rat 1 and 2) Spyderco Tenacious. Just $35 and $52.50, respectively, at The KC (a BF sponsor).

I could go on and on, but I won't.

BTW, I just sold about 60 folders - mostly Kershaws, CRKTs and Artisans - that cost under $60 each. Any of them would have qualified as a "good" EDC.
 
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NYC? I'll throw out my usual suggestion for state and cities with tough knife carry laws.

Have you considered a Swiss Army Knife (SAK) ? SAKs tend to be non-threatening to sheeple and police officers. Plus you can get some other neat toys to boot.

No flipper. Blade is shorter then your specs. But under budget, Swiss made, one hand opening, and probably as NYC friendly as a knife can get.
https://www.bladehq.com/item--Victorinox-One-Hand-Trekker-NS-Camo--25396
 
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I’m a fan of Kershaw specifically those made in the USA, so I would chose the Link (they make a 20CV model for around $60-$70 depending on the site). The Leek (also USA) is a great knife too if you want something more slim, and they come in several different colors. And if you’re worried about scaring people the leek won’t do that lmao
 
Buck 110LT made in Post Falls, Idaho. 420HC blade, with BOS heat treat. (All Buck's made in Idaho kives have Bos Heat Treat, even if not etched on the blade.)
I think they are temporaraly out of stock until Buck will make more, but SK Blades has The Smoke Jumper (red FRN handle, clip point blade) And The Blue Line (or something like that) (blue FRN handle, drop point) with CPM154 blade steel and the Bos heat treat.
I think they were under $40 each. or the standard 110.
 
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If you're stuck with the under $60 then there are a few Buck models that would fit. The Vantage for one. The CRKT models are all good. I got the Big Dog M21 for about $45.

I too would ultimately recommend a little more money for a USA made Kershaw.
 
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