Impressive low cost knives $15-$30

Dstocker said:
I don't see much love for the Kershaw Salvo. Can be had most places under $35 and even under $30. When I got mine the sharpness put the box was amazing and for a framelock that rides that well in the pocket and made in the USA it's a huge steal in my opinion. The tip is not a prybar tip though it's more of a razor tip. My buddy who I just got into knives :) thought it was a more expensive knife than a benchmade griptilian based off feel.
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After my Leek blem, I wanted to try a made-in-USA, non-assisted drop-point Kershaw. Got a great price on a new Salvo. It does feel good, and I still really like the blade shape. But my big fingers find it too hard to open. I can't get the meat of my thumb in there, and it takes chunks out of the nail. Maybe I need to loosen the pivot. Trying it with a bit of wrist-flick once, it stuck in the wall behind me.
I think it would be awesome with Blur thumbstuds. As it is, it sits in the trunk of my 3rd car, in a just-in-case portable tool pouch. Honsetly, it is a fine knife. But I tend to use mine a couple times a day, and really like easy one-hand-opening, so I always find something else to use instead. But they tend to cost a lot more!
 
evilgreg said:
There are so many great cheap options out there. Here is my quick list:

Ontario RAT-1
Kershaw Cryo
CRKT Drifter
Kershaw Crown
Spyderco Tenacious
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This. I'm becoming partial to my Rat-1 but Tenacious is a good light use EDC mid size folder. Its also very light in your pocket and thin profile whereas the Rat-1 is bulkier.
 
Just to reiterate what other people have said, pretty much all of Kershaw's budget line that I have any experience are nice...and are usually what I EDC. Likewise, the aformentioned Byrd and Spyderco options are well worth the price as well.

And Mora does indeed makes a nice low priced fixed blade...
 
My Mora Companion might be the best $16 I've spent on a knife in good long time. I've immediately scratched it up, beat on it, resharpened it, and put it back to work on a dozen jobs in the last week. I purposely bought this one to abuse it to see how I liked maintaining a scandi edge. So far, I can't complain. It's cut cardboard, fruit, meat, tape, etc. I just hit it with a mild stone and a loaded strop and it's back to popping hair off my arm.

I might have to get the 2000 next AND one of the traditional ones with the painted wood handle. Great EDC fixed blades:thumbup:
 
An alox SAK is tough to beat. Affordable, excellent quality, handy tool-selection and good-lookin' to boot! I vote for the Victorinox Pioneer or Cadet.

Good luck, OP! :)
 
I didn't read every reply so someone may have said this already, go for spyderco tenacious. HANDS DOWN, this knife beats ALL other spyderco / any pocket knife in the price range and beats every byrd knife and I'll say it over and over again. The feeling is perfect and compared to a byrd such as a cara cara or anything else the opening is just smooth like butter, ( mine has no blade play at all ) it is just so obvious that every person should have at least one of these. The handle texture is awesome too. ( It came sharper then any fixed blade or pocket knife i have bought to date ) I can glide through ( not a page ) but the entire spin of a magazine.. so that means it's gliding through EVERY page at the same time, lol. I love it! ( better then the rat-1 too imo ) Also it would be at the higher end of your price range, at 33 USD.
 
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I think the CRKT M16-01KZ is about ideal. Light, trim, better than straight liner lock, the handle and blade shape is an extremely practical combination, and it's eminently replaceable.

But there are knives like the budget Spydercos that are 'more' knife, better steels and grinds, I just happen to find the execution of that particular CRKT to be outstanding. 3.25" blade for the win as an every day pocket knife.
 
My Mora 711, is one of my favorite "go to" knives. I really feel like you get a very nice handle, as well as excellent blade steel, and a serviceable sheath. For the money it's hard to complain really.

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Boker, the Plus and Magnum lines, and CRKT. The last year I've purchased the Chad Los Banos knives, and recently the Subcom, plus a Magnum Carbon Tech folder, and Vox Gnome. In CRKT, I got the Folts Minimalist Tanto neck knife, and it's worth every penny, too. Really different, and a useful size for EDC.

There's lots of diversity under $30, and the prices let you enjoy getting one more often.
 
I would have to say a Buck 110 as the best knife in this range. It will do pretty much anything you need it to do within reason. The last one I bought was like $29.99 in a blister pack at walmart several years ago.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
My Mora Companion might be the best $16 I've spent on a knife in good long time. I've immediately scratched it up, beat on it, resharpened it, and put it back to work on a dozen jobs in the last week. I purposely bought this one to abuse it to see how I liked maintaining a scandi edge. So far, I can't complain. It's cut cardboard, fruit, meat, tape, etc. I just hit it with a mild stone and a loaded strop and it's back to popping hair off my arm.

I might have to get the 2000 next AND one of the traditional ones with the painted wood handle. Great EDC fixed blades:thumbup:
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Love my Mora Companion. Everyone should own at least one Mora. I own three. That edge is almost mystical in how it retains its sharpness.
 
Highly Subjective,,, but I have been buying INEXPENSIVE knives for over 20 years, going back to flea market days with rough Pakistan folders. I do NOT like the Spiderco knockoffs via Spiderco :jerkit: [they are light and flimsy (the Byrd is a word, I do NOT Like that word) and I have better $5 and under knives], I Youtube and Look for the bad reviews and sign up for every Knife Shop/Center/Internet Newsletter I can get to get those Clearance/Special Deals, AND read the Knife/Survival ForumS. When I see something of interest I start by comparing EBay with Amazon as beginning reference costs with Emphasis on Shipping and Handling. For a Nice Inexpensive EDC I like the :) Classic Enlan Bee EL01A for UNDER $13 w/ shipping and handling (started out as an $8 as a Sanrenmu, I missed that one), what I call my bumper knife [the handle looks like a truck bumper design] that I get for under $14 w/ shipping and handling bidding on EBay [NOT "buy at" price, do a search, do bids and bid up to $10 or $11 bucks depending upon ship and handle costs] the Kershaw Drone :D, and there is currently a little fun spring assist G-10 Handle Action Assisted Tiger-USA Folding Knife 7" I get for $7 free shipping on EBay. SOME of the Inexpensive knives I have bought after reading the WOW Reviews on, bought and therefater thought Meuhhhh,, Kinda YUCKY :foot: , not a good feel! Personally, I do NOT like the Spiderco design, I LOVE an edge all the way rather than a combo serrated, my Gerbers have had issues, the :D Kershaw Tremor :D is just FUN. When I get a bad blade, I take that Muther apart, reshape the blade, torture that little sucker!!! I bought my Cold Steel Katana Machete :) [Amazon/WalMart.com], sanded and sharpened it as I sat on the crapper [much more FUN than making my phone calls from there], and since I am divorced {:D YES, there IS a God, I am sooo FREEEEEE!!! :D}, I clean up, or NOT, when and if I feel like it. OH, the Mora line is a kick!!! In my targets is the Mora Craftsman 333 loooong Insulation Knife [was never meant to be called a machete, its a knife]... and the :thumbup: Mercator Solingen K55 Black Cat Knife German Army Folder, and the :thumbup: Opinels, and the Columbia River CRKT line, and the Kershaw line, and within each breed [Manufacturer] there are the good, the bad, the ugly, the WOW that was Crap, and the hidden treasures. OH, if you do EBay, WATCH the shipping and handling, and do NOT overbid never ever... sometimes gems get thru the cracks. IF you get large enough orders to pay for the shipping and handling, some places sell some of the Chinese Spring assists really CHEAP, OMG CHEAP, like the Bullets with a cool simplistic Spring assist method [DEPENDS Upon do you just want to play with, flick it out, cut open cardboard boxes, or baton]. You can get Fun Flickers for $3.25 or less, inexpensive Shrade folders, or Batonable Kershaws and CRKTs... the sojourn, the adventure, process and product. I get knives to BEAT THEM UP :eek:, !!!NEVER!!! to collect! Get that D@MNNNED Signature out of the way of my Cutting and Abusing this Metal!!! :rolleyes: Now, itz ... Shapenin time :cool:
 
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OH, one thing I do is, find what I like at a Brick and Mortar Shop, then see how much I can get it for Online... looking for Savings on Shipping and Handling, and see if it is out of State and I can save on Taxes... AND... AND Always Google for Coupon Codes, which can help you Save on Shipping and Handling, OR get you an Additional Discount X%, or get you more FREE Knives [small ones, or, outcasts, but I LIKE Free!].

In the old days {I am just a tad younger than Dirt}, we in the USA made fun of things "Made in Japan", but the Japanese kept making things better. The Chinese are following the way of the Japanese, they are making things to Spec better and better and better [NOT all, some!]. The Chinese lines I currently have been happy with, for Inexpensive knives are:
Kershaw
CRKT
Enlan Bee

and
Opinel
from France
Mercator Solingen
from Germany
Morakniv Mora
from Sweden

FIND the one you might Like, either Brick and Mortar [Dicks Sporting Goods, WalMart, REI, Local gun Shop, Anywhere]
or Online [all the databases are tied in, Sears.com, WalMart.com, Amazon, etc] Redsgear.com, What-You-Google.com, etc
just build your own Database of Inexpensive Distributors that have SECURE Sites, Do YOUR Research, always Calculate
Shipping and Handling and COMPARE before you make that Final Purchase... be prepared to LOSE if you bid on EBay or
you will pay too much... READ the Experiences of those in Blade and Survival Forums AND checkout the Youtube Reviews.

The NICE thing about Inexpensive, and I do not mean Cheap knives IS... you can always buy a Backup, you can Share the Best
ones, and you can beat them up, lose them, baton them, hammer them, re-shape them, take them apart, turn them into throwing
knives [ANY knife IS a throwing knife, I just bought a 12 knife steak knife set for $12 @ Walmart.com just to throw them]....
OH AND HEY!!!!

EVERYONE needs to have at least ONE $1.00 WalMart knife [OR, you can pay $3-$10 or More on EBay for this same Dollah Knife].

For Moi, if I could ONLY have One under $20 knife to survive, it would be a Mora knife, VERY Subjective, BUT of all my knives,
these have drawn the most blood from me from just messing with them, jussss sayin !!!! ;)

Disclaimer: NOTE: I would NEVER Promote one Knife Shop over another, there are soooooo MANY Great Knife Shops, with different
Specials and Closeouts at different times, different promotionals, different shipping and handling costs [Beware], and make sure they
are on a SECURE Server!!! The stooopid saying: "You get what you pay for", is INCREDIBLY Dumb!! A FOOL can always pay TOO MUCH!
Just paying more, is NOT getting Better! I have placed this in this thread because, reasonable expectation: goes to buying an
inexpensive quality [or just CHEAP and FUN if that is what you desire] knife, and in that pursuit, I would WANT anyone NEW to purchasing
sharp metal, to be careful, and IF you become OCD ADDICTED to knives and metal like me, I want YOU to be Successful !!! :D

This concludes my 3rd Post in this forum, I appreciate any and all feedback and criticisms... BUT OMG I LOVE metal and woodworking,
and Knifes ARE an ART Form of the Highest Caliber! Oh, and weapons that fire projectiles, bullets, arrows, darts, paint, Cool Too! :thumbup:
 
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Ontario R.A.T. II folder - anything better will cost you 2 to 3 times as much (Taiwan made - which is NOT the same as China made)
...and of course, the USA made Remora
 
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