Help me choose which to buy £45 $50 budget

[Mattswan2512]

Hi folks, i fancy treating myself to a little budgetish number and im stuck on 2 knives....

1. CRKT CEO now im in the uk so no locked blade carry but this is for collection so not crucial so (a) uk or (b) usa variant

2. Sanrenmu 1161 with a decent and proven sandvick steel.

So below folks please just post 1a 1b or 2... write more if you wish but i want a slim slender sweet ass blade.

Vote away folks, sorry its nothing fancy but its what i can afford right now.

 

[King of the Cheese]

Hi folks, i fancy treating myself to a little budgetish number and im stuck on 2 knives....

1. CRKT CEO now im in the uk so no locked blade carry but this is for collection so not crucial so (a) uk or (b) usa variant

2. Sanrenmu 1161 with a decent and proven sandvick steel.

So below folks please just post 1a 1b or 2... write more if you wish but i want a slim slender sweet ass blade.

Vote away folks, sorry its nothing fancy but its what i can afford right now.

Hello,
If I were going to buy a blade on a budget for use in the UK, I would also take a look at these three models from Spyderco:
1. UK Pen Knife
2. Squeak
3. Roadie
My logic is that Spyderco has the philosophy of designing a knife as a cutting extension of your own hand and with high quality materials rather than dumping the budget on flashy tactical appearance. These knives while small, are sturdy, sharp, and the steel quality will be excellent.
I personally own the UK Penknife and the squeak, and I don’t have a single complaint about them.
Just some additional considerations to think about.

 

[gazz98]

If I had to vote, I guess I'd vote CRKT. IIRC, Sanrenmu has (or maybe had) a rep for stealing designs/clones/counterfeits. If I'm mistaken, someone will correct me.

I'm not a fan of CRKT but I would pick them over Sanrenmu if my memory is correct on the above statement.

Are you open to other suggestions? Case has several options in your price range. I'm not sure about availability in the UK tho.
https://www.bladehq.com/item--Case-Barehead-Slimline-Trapper--14695
https://www.bladehq.com/item--Boker-Plus-Tech-Tool-City-1-Pocket--32035

 

[Mattswan2512]

Not a huge case fan and the quality can be a bit hit and miss from both experience and report.
Thank you very much for the consideration

 

[Sergeua]

Get some kinda Ruike instead

 

[allenC]

1a CRKT CEO

 

[dirc]

Get some kinda Ruike instead

I agree, the right choice (imho) would be the hussar - p121 model - in 14c28n ... amazing overall & in budget

 

[Mattswan2512]

The spyderco squeak is around £66-£75 that's over $80.....would you spend that on that blade genuine question?

 

[afishhunter]

Slipjoint of whatever pattern you like.
I don't know what the few remaining cutlers in Shefield are selling their wares for.
A SAK Recruit or Cadet or possibly a Tinker/Super Tinker or Huntsman might be another option.

 

[Chronovore]

Get some kinda Ruike instead

Isn't Ruike made by Sanrenmu?

As far as the original choice, my experience with CRKT has not been great. In my personal experience, fit and finish tends to be better with Sanrenmu. (I've also had excellent experiences with Ruike and Real Steel, which I believe are made by Sanrenmu.) Besides issues with fit and finish, CRKT also charges exorbitant prices for knives in 8Cr13Mov. That rubs me the wrong way. Sanrenmu's 8Cr13Mov or 8Cr14Mov knives are much more reasonably priced. I've been very happy with Sanrenmu's 12C27, which easily outperforms 8Cr13Mov.

Outpost76 is one of my favorite YouTube cut testers. He recently experienced Sanrenmu's 12C27:

I haven't tried any Sanrenmu-branded knives in 14C28N but my Ruike in 14C28N is good to go.