High Value, Budget, EDC Knives, narrowed down. Advice Wanted...

[nhobo]

I can recommend all of the brands here except QSP. I'm only one guy but I've had an absurdly high lemon rate from QSP.

I spoke a bit about Chinese D2 in my last post. Petrified Fish is easily the best bang for the buck in that steel. The PF818 has remained a "best buy" among budget knives since it came out. My only real complaint with Petrified Fish is that they tend to have crisp scale edges. Not everyone cares about that sort of thing and not everyone seems to notice. I tend to round scale edges on lots of knives though. A more substantial upgrade I did to my 818 was a $12 set of Skiff bearings. The action was already good. Skiff bearings just take it to the next level, generally improving the balance between good action and solid lock-up. (Aside from high quality, they run more balls in a sturdier cage for greater stability.)

The Sencut Neches was actually my favorite knife of 2022. It is a fairly basic design but they just nail it for what it is. The action is good, it feels great in hand, and I love the blade shape. 10Cr15CoMov is effectively VG-10 and that's a solid value at around $45. (Of course, this is another one I liked enough for a Skiff bearing upgrade.) Forgive me if I missed it, but why the aversion to Micarta?

Does the Sencut have a lanyard pin?

 

[Chronovore]

Does the Sencut have a lanyard pin?

Yes. It uses the same lanyard pin as the Sencut Snap. (These are the two Sencuts in my EDC rotation so I had them handy.) Here is a picture of what they look like.

BTW, notice that the liners here are slightly rounded for comfort. That's a nice touch!

 

[flarp]

Of the ones you have listed, I'd probably lean more towards the RAT-2. It's a solid design at the lower end of your price range for the base model, and the D2 version is just a few bucks more. The Kabar Dozier Folding Hunter wasn't on your list, but it's a fantastic value knife as well (base model is even below your price range, and even the D2 one is near the bottom of your range). Kershaw has a number of offerings with design collaborations with a variety of designers that can be a good entry-level way to try out some of their designs. The Cryo and CQC5K are a couple I really like in that range. The Spyderco Byrd series seem like a budget line to their excellent Japanese backlocks (Delica, Endura, etc.). The Meadowlark from that series (similar size to Delica) fits your size and budget.

If I were in the market for a $50 knife right now, the Kershaw Covalent would be my pick. I like the crossbar lock style, and I'm really curious to see how they combined it with a flipper design. Some initial impression reviews I've seen indicate the flipper works well, which seemed to be one of the challenges with combining flippers with that style of lock.

Dozier Folding Hunter alongside a RAT-2 (and a Zancudo)

CQC5K and Cryo (on either side of the RAT-2)

Delica next to a RAT-2:

 

[greater]

Cold Steel. Triad lock or fixed blade preferably.

I would get the models you want while they are still available at budget prices these days.

 

[Greggy]

Spyderco Tenacious and Ontario Rat are the knives that got me started down this rabbit hole.

My reason for moving past the Tenacious was it's more expensive than anything else on this list with lesser quality steel. Feels like you're paying for the name, with that one (although undoubtedly a decent knife!).

My reason for keeping the Rat 2 on deck while looking at other options is the substantial number of reviews pointing to knives like the Elementum as both construction and steel quality improvements at a similar price point.

QSP's website is garbage, so thanks for the heads up on the Penguin. Parrot looks maybe even more up my alley. Only criticisms I've read are that they're not the most ergonomic knife out there.

Thank you!

I own a Parrot in red micarta. Solid knife. My only complaint is the thumb stud is not the easiest to access. A bit too close to the scales to easily slip your thumb on when deploying. But this is not a deal killer to me. Good knife with a classic drop point blade design.

 

[Truesome]

I'm not sure. I haven't used it and I have not seen it reliably tested. The theory is that K110 is basically German D2 but is made to stricter quality controls than the usual Chinese D2. So in other words, it feels like an answer to one of the two potential issues I raised regarding Chinese D2. While I wouldn't expect the heat treatment to compare with customs or American knives costing three times as much or more, it at least seems to make sense as a modestly priced upgrade for companies who mostly work with Chinese D2.



I haven't tried the Flavorist. It's obviously a different design. Dovetailing with some of the other benefits you gave for this price range, there is a fairly low barrier of entry to just trying it out.



While G10 is fiberglass set in resin, Micarta is a diverse class of materials involving fabrics set in resin. Micarta can be finished in different ways to achieve different effects, from smooth polishes to fuzzy bead blasts. Honestly, that's all part of the fun with Micarta. What you like will depend on you.

The only Micarta I have handy from Petrified Fish is their "Flax Micarta". While nothing to write home about, I definitely prefer it to G10. One of the things I really like about the Sencut Neches is the particular finish they do on that Micarta. It is a good example of a slightly fuzzy finish that feels soft to the touch while still being resistant to the elements.



It's more an issue of coming to crisp edges than overall roughness. For instance, the line created by a hard 90-degree transition can be uncomfortable to some people. I tend to round those over via sanding. Coincidentally, I've found that my wife's two-sided emery boards are perfect for most average G10 and Micarta (polished finishes require finer grits). Just start with the coarse side and finish with the fine side.

(Note that the dust created by sanding is bad for your lungs. While hand-sanding small areas on scales doesn't generate a ton of dust, definitely do it outside or take other precautions to avoid breathing it into your lungs.)



I'm a big fan of Kizer. If you follow the EDC picture thread, you'll see their knives in my pocket on a regular basis; including several examples of modified scales.

The Cozy is a cool knife but the handle contour just did not fit my hand very well.

The Fish is 3.3oz, looks like no liner, just Micarta. Can’t help but wonder if that’s going to feel insubstantial vs a non issue. No idea if I’d like the front flip. I hate to order one just to hold it in person. Might be the only way to find out. The drop point version is a very cool looking design. K110.

 

[K.O.D.]

I normally don't buy knives in this price range. I do however own three Civivi's, though in Damascus. Very impressed with these knives. Two are front flippers. The edge retention on all three has been far better than expected.

The riffle is really nice, and more robust than the elementum in my opinion. Also, knifecenter has the sandalwood and damascus on sale for $65 if it interests you.

Good luck.

 

[gooeytek]

my best bang for the buck:
Two Sun Tusk TS-50
I got 2 of these for less than $50 each a few years ago.
Sculpted Ti framelock, lockbar stop insert, D2 flipper on bearings. Tolerances so good that the knife stays together and you can still flip it clean even after removing the all the body screws.

 

[Chronovore]

The Fish is 3.3oz, looks like no liner, just Micarta. Can’t help but wonder if that’s going to feel insubstantial vs a non issue. No idea if I’d like the front flip. I hate to order one just to hold it in person. Might be the only way to find out. The drop point version is a very cool looking design. K110.

I wouldn't worry about the liners. I've had plenty of knives with liners on both sides that still have flex. I've had knives that use a slab of scale on one side and feel more sturdy. It depends on the design. In any case, there will still be a steel washer for the bearings on that side.

I think most of us have had the concern about trying something or not, getting stuck with it, etc. It's a fact of life when buying things online. It can be helpful to find someone else who has a particular model but at the end of the day, does anyone really know unless they get it in hand? I've got a list of issues I'd consider "deal breakers" but beyond that, I usually find out when it shows up in my mailbox. I don't worry as much with budget knives and that's part of why I recommend them to people wondering if they'll like a particular brand or feature.

There are two things you can do to hedge your bets. (1) Buy from a place that has a friendly return policy. (2) Get a gold membership here so you can use the exchange.

 

[Truesome]

I wouldn't worry about the liners. I've had plenty of knives with liners on both sides that still have flex. I've had knives that use a slab of scale on one side and feel more sturdy. It depends on the design. In any case, there will still be a steel washer for the bearings on that side.

I think most of us have had the concern about trying something or not, getting stuck with it, etc. It's a fact of life when buying things online. It can be helpful to find someone else who has a particular model but at the end of the day, does anyone really know unless they get it in hand? I've got a list of issues I'd consider "deal breakers" but beyond that, I usually find out when it shows up in my mailbox. I don't worry as much with budget knives and that's part of why I recommend them to people wondering if they'll like a particular brand or feature.

There are two things you can do to hedge your bets. (1) Buy from a place that has a friendly return policy. (2) Get a gold membership here so you can use the exchange.

That's great advice. I'm honestly just in the early obsessive excited learning phase seeing all these new designs. I'm 43 and have carried a Victorinox my whole life. Was gifted a beautiful Buck last year that's my EDC now. Got a good sharpening setup, thanks to research on this forum, and now here we are jumping into the deep end of the knife section. I'll end up ordering a couple. Maybe keep one or two. Then hopefully cool down lol.

New short list:

Sencut - Neches
Sencut - Fritch (new, I think. pretty similar size to Elementum but Micarta, stainless steel, looks sweet)
Petrified Fish - Flavorist
Petrified Fish - 818
Kizer - Gemini (I know, I know, now the budget is drifting a bit... also, those blue screws replaceable? I bet they sell replaceable silver ones...)
Kizer - Cozy (maybe a little big)

Here's the Fritch, if people haven't seen it yet:

 

[Deino]

I know, I know, now the budget is drifting a bit...

You let the temptation corrupted your wallet, soon there will be no return.

Yes, the screw is replaceable, I believe that they are standard among most Chinese manufacturers.

Side note, I find it funny that K110 is usually called "German D2" despite it is Autrian/Sweeden as it Bohler designation. If I remember correctly, it was some manufacturer misidentified the country or intentionally called it so for marketing.

 

[Chronovore]

Kizer - Gemini (I know, I know, now the budget is drifting a bit... also, those blue screws replaceable? I bet they sell replaceable silver ones...)

Kizer generally charges $5 to ship replacement parts if there is an issue. I don't think they directly sell alternatives but like D Deino suggests, you can try figuring something out. In the meantime, why not just get a different version of the Gemini? There are several variations if you look around.

On the higher end, Kizer has a limited run of this version with wood inlays on their website:

Getting back towards the budget end, this one is exclusive to one of their authorized dealers:

 

[fishface5]

I went digging in my stash for users around your price range - the kizer is for scale, a modded Ursa Minor same size as the Gemini. The Kershaw is titanium and m390, the modded Real Steel is stainless and D2 & both open by "pinch and sweep" that is easy once you figure it out. The Kershaw is lighter but the RS is actually very ergonomic.

 

[stevekolt]

Another nod to the Buck 112 Slim Select. Great bang for the....dare I say it...Buck

 

[Truesome]

Kizer generally charges $5 to ship replacement parts if there is an issue. I don't think they directly sell alternatives but like D Deino suggests, you can try figuring something out. In the meantime, why not just get a different version of the Gemini? There are several variations if you look around.

On the higher end, Kizer has a limited run of this version with wood inlays on their website:

Getting back towards the budget end, this one is exclusive to one of their authorized dealers:

CPM-4V and a button lock. How bout them apples?…

Weirdly this one’s back up at 3.3 Oz with a visible flush steel liner.

 

[fishface5]

For a weirder option in a cpm 4v button-lock (but over $50), here's a kizer mini cormorant. Recessed liners. I modified this one a bit for ergos, it is snappy and slicey! And more comfortable in my XL hands than the Gemini/ursa minor design, fwiw

 

[Truesome]

For a weirder option in a cpm 4v button-lock (but over $50), here's a kizer mini cormorant. Recessed liners. I modified this one a bit for ergos, it is snappy and slicey! And more comfortable in my XL hands than the Gemini/ursa minor design, fwiwView attachment 2068203

I’m afraid of 4V . Those look like some sweet knives tho.

 

[minimag03]

I'm no expert but I know enough to suggest staying away from random Chinese D2. 14C28N is going to be your best bet for a high quality budget steel. I've also heard the 9CR/10CR stuff from Sencut/Civivi has outperformed expectations. 154CM is also a great steel and can be found on a lot of Kizers, but their N690 is not bad either.

I owned a Gemini and love it, but def not meant for heavier use.

If you're willing to get into the $75 dollar range, the Civivi Pintail is hard to beat.

I'd suggest ordering from White Mountain Knives. They have 10% off codes for most Youtuber influencers and free shipping. A lot of the knives you're considering are prob on their site. They also are great about returns.

 

[SomebodySomewhere]

Deleted.

 

[Truesome]

Pintail is underrated. A real all-around EDC. Am I wrong in thinking they quietly discontinued it?

It's on Amazon for $83. Seems like a good deal for what you're getting: cool looking knife with S35VN.

I will say my only hesitation on the gemini is on how lightly built it appears. Reviews echo that. The Pintail looks even more lightly built, sub 3" blade only 0.10" thick.

Pulled the trigger on the Sencut Fritch. (Came out today, leap of faith I guess.). And a PF818 for $29. Arrives Monday. Good times!