Looking for a basic small pocket folder

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keljian

Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Messages
33
Hey all,
I regularly find myself in need of a small knife for cutting cloth/twine, the occasional plant(branch) and the occasional (rare) cardboard box.

This is a working knife, not a display, so it doesn't need to look like a million dollars.

I've had my eye on spyderco and others, but I'm a bit lost in all of the options.

I don't want to spend big dollars (wouldn't think I would need to, for what I need) but I want something that will hold up to a bit of use and abuse. Clip point or spear point are my preferred types. Don't want serrations.

Could I have some advice please?
 
Honestly I think you should take a look at the Gerber Micro-LST (or LST, but I think you'd be surprised how much you can accomplish with the smaller blade) just for an inexpensive light use knife that's not obtrusive and won't break the bank. Gerber isn't exactly the highest quality brand nowadays, but i've heard decent things about those knives and don't think you'd need any more knife than they offer.
When you decide, you can send me the knife and I'll put a nice hair popping edge on it for you, just pay return shipping.
Good luck!
Irona

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Last edited:
Welcome to Bladeforums!

Spyderco Delica would be a solid choice. It was my first pocket clip knife (because it was the first pocket clip knife AFAIK) and I carried it for over 10 years before I switched to a Benchmade MiniGriptilian because I wanted something a little heavier (and I liked playing with the Axis lock).

If you want to go less expensive, check out Spyderco's Byrd line. Honestly, these days, it's hard to get a bad knife, but I would still avoid some of the cheaper products- I'm not naming any names because even those brands have fans, so spend a little time around here and you'll get an idea of who's who.
 
Delica is always a solid choice I have knives that are 5-10 times more expensive and still I carry it sometimes


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keljian said:
Hey all,
I regularly find myself in need of a small knife for cutting cloth/twine, the occasional plant(branch) and the occasional (rare) cardboard box.

This is a working knife, not a display, so it doesn't need to look like a million dollars.

I've had my eye on spyderco and others, but I'm a bit lost in all of the options.

I don't want to spend big dollars (wouldn't think I would need to, for what I need) but I want something that will hold up to a bit of use and abuse. Clip point or spear point are my preferred types. Don't want serrations.

Could I have some advice please?
Click to expand...

Does it have to lock or have a pocket clip ?
If not the case sodbuster Jr is an excellent American made working knife that only costs about 25$
a lot of people just don't know how to appreciate them, but the buck 482 and buck bantam are also great American made folders that only cost 20$. They don't have fancy features like reversible pocket clips, but the fixed position clips that they do have are great.
A lot of people love the ka bar dozier or Ontario rat 1 but I haven't bought them because they're made in China or Taiwan so I couldn't recommend them .
Someone will recommend them though and you'll probably here nothing but good things about them.
 
I'd also strongly recommend taking a look at a good ol' Swiss Army Knife. That way, you're not only carrying a (spear point) blade, but screwdrivers, a bottle opener, scissors, tweezers, etc. in a package that's more portable than the average spyderco, less expensive than most modern knives you'll find, and still extremely lightweight and sturdy.


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Hickory n steel said:
Does it have to lock or have a pocket clip ?
If not the case sodbuster Jr is an excellent American made working knife that only costs about 25$
a lot of people just don't know how to appreciate them, but the buck 482 and buck bantam are also great American made folders that only cost 20$. They don't have fancy features like reversible pocket clips, but the fixed position clips that they do have are great.
A lot of people love the ka bar dozier or Ontario rat 1 but I haven't bought them because they're made in China or Taiwan so I couldn't recommend them .
Someone will recommend them though and you'll probably here nothing but good things about them.
Click to expand...

I'll be that somebody. My rat-2 is honestly a preferred carry choice over pretty much all of my more expensive modern knives (benchmade, spyderco, etc). It flicks open like a dream and the steel isn't bad at all. It's also thin and compact, and extremely solid.


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irona said:
I'd also strongly recommend taking a look at a good ol' Swiss Army Knife. That way, you're not only carrying a (spear point) blade, but screwdrivers, a bottle opener, scissors, tweezers, etc. in a package that's more portable than the average spyderco, less expensive than most modern knives you'll find, and still extremely lightweight and sturdy.


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Click to expand...

I wasn't gonna recommend a sak because I'm not sure how much abuse ones blade can take, but I realized that it's blade doesn't have to because you get a Flathead screwdriver which you can pry with.
For a sak I'd start with the Victorinox tinker which costs about 20$ and probably even less for a holiday deal. I really love my new recruit which I'm edcing for the rest of the year, but that's just because I love it's size and secondary knife blade ( most prefer the nail tool over the pen blade )so I think the tinker is probably a better bet.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I wasn't gonna recommend a sak because I'm not sure how much abuse ones blade can take, but I realized that it's blade doesn't have to because you get a Flathead screwdriver which you can pry with.
For a sak I'd start with the Victorinox tinker which costs about 20$ and probably even less for a holiday deal. I really love my new recruit which I'm edcing for the rest of the year, but that's just because I love it's size and secondary knife blade ( most prefer the nail tool over the pen blade )so I think the tinker is probably a better bet.
Click to expand...

I EDC a tinker all day, every day, but your 'rest of the year challenge' has made me realize how I could probably get by downsizing to the recruit. The tinker, if anything, follows the 'two is one, one is none' mantra, in that its extra tools (over, say, a pioneer or SI) are repetition - for example, the can opener already works as a phillips driver, but the phillips is still included. The same goes for the pen blade, in that it's repetition to the main blade, but its being there moves the awl to the backside. The only tool that I'd be unwilling or cautious to lose if I were to switch SAKs would be the pen blade, which is excellent for whittling.


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Hickory n steel said:
I wasn't gonna recommend a sak because I'm not sure how much abuse ones blade can take, but I realized that it's blade doesn't have to because you get a Flathead screwdriver which you can pry with.
For a sak I'd start with the Victorinox tinker which costs about 20$ and probably even less for a holiday deal. I really love my new recruit which I'm edcing for the rest of the year, but that's just because I love it's size and secondary knife blade ( most prefer the nail tool over the pen blade )so I think the tinker is probably a better bet.
Click to expand...

Also by the way, I only recently was tipped off that the toothpick makes an excellent nail cleaner! Just be sure to wash it afterwards :D


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That's what I use the can opener point for 😉
.have you seen the YouTube video where the guy carved down a small ferry rod to fit in place of the toothpick ? If I needed one I'd be tempted to try it, but then again I suspect that it would easily snap on you.
 
Well when you're talking about cheap knives they're almost all Asian steel and manufactured anyway, assuming you mean sub 30 dollars cheap

So you might as well get a Chinese brand and not pay for a brand on your blade.

The Sanrenmu 7010 has a look that appeals to everyone and costs basically nothing, frame lock and pretty small

If you want a flipper there are Enlans and some cheaper kershaws (kershaw is an american brand but they have some high value stuff)

There are also the ganzo knives. You can get a lot of really popular looks with an axis lock. The only downsides are mediocre steel and you run the risk of getting a lemon (as with all cheap knives). If you like spyderco they have both the G729 and G731.

If you don't know what an axis lock is this link pretty much sums up why it's advantageous

http://www.dougritter.com/pop_up_axis_lock.htm

I would not put a cheap frame lock ahead of a cheap axis lock. A cheap axis lock doesn't matter as long as the springs are durable
 
MVF said:
Welcome to Bladeforums!

Spyderco Delica would be a solid choice. It was my first pocket clip knife (because it was the first pocket clip knife AFAIK) and I carried it for over 10 years before I switched to a Benchmade MiniGriptilian because I wanted something a little heavier (and I liked playing with the Axis lock).

If you want to go less expensive, check out Spyderco's Byrd line. Honestly, these days, it's hard to get a bad knife, but I would still avoid some of the cheaper products- I'm not naming any names because even those brands have fans, so spend a little time around here and you'll get an idea of who's who.
Click to expand...

a spyderco native is a good choice for about $65
 
irona said:
When you decide, you can send me the knife and I'll put a nice hair popping edge on it for you, just pay return shipping.
Good luck!
Irona
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer! I'm currently learning the ins and outs of my sharpmaker and have just managed to get a paper shredding edge on my leatherman xTi charge (old model). This is my EDC at the moment and it's just a little big (thick) for me.

To answer a few questions: I have an old Victorinox Troubleshooter (per this one: https://www.smartknives.com/Victorinox-Knives/Victorinox-Troubleshooter.htm ) which I've slowly been bringing back up. which isn't out of the question. It's been barely used and with a bit more TLC it'll come good - which I intend to give it anyhow for sentimental reasons.

By Cheap - I mean up to $80USD. Cheap but not "trash".

I would prefer a locking mechanism. Sometimes I need to pivot the blade laterally to "pry" and it would be helpful to have the lock for that reason - but this isn't something I do very often. I suppose this means a steel which flexes a bit or has a bit of width to the spine.

Pocket clip, nice to have, not essential.

Small Blade sizes are fine, I don't need a machete in my pocket. I carry my Leatherman PS4 everywhere and it is very close to being able to do what I want to do, but the blade is a little small (and thin).
 
Get a benchmade mini grip. You will not regret it! I have 2 and love them both. Benchmade warranty is great, the knife can be had for 80 bucks, it's made in America has ambidextrous carry option. Axis lock is rock solid for one hand opening and closing, something I believe is vital. I do like the delica but it's a back lock makes one hand closing a little more difficult. Personally getting the knife opened fast is cool but being able to close it as fast as it opens is awesome to me, the mini grip can be shut as fast as it is deployed with one hand I have found this very useful. Another plus is if you ever wanted to change the scales there are lots of options. I promise if you get a mini grip after a week of carry you will fall in love with it. Another plus is it can be carried legally in near bout in state and is not obtrusive and scary when the need arises to use it in public. Blade is strong and if you break it, which if you do break you have misused it and if you breaking prying with it you could possibly loose an eyeball, benchmade will well they can't replace your eyeball but they will give you a new blade, perhaps they will use you in a markieting ad and pay you the show people what can happen using a knife blade to pry with! Not to be ugly but you should never cut anything with a pry bar and well you should not get in the habit of light duty prying with your knife because that will one day lead to accidental overload and possibly loosing an eye, it's not worth the risk buy you a niteez keychain prybar for that its small as a key fits on your key ring or in your wallet and can be had for very little money. Hope you get the right knife


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Hickory n steel said:
That's what I use the can opener point for [emoji6]
.have you seen the YouTube video where the guy carved down a small ferry rod to fit in place of the toothpick ? If I needed one I'd be tempted to try it, but then again I suspect that it would easily snap on you.
Click to expand...

When I saw that I had the same concern - that, and that it would wear out quickly with any real use.


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I'm going to recommend a Buck 501. Part of that depends on what you mean by "pocket" and if you want a clip or not. I got one a while ago even though I never had any intention of buying one, and man I love it. It's not the only knife I carry, but I always have it. It's basic, cheap, strong, easy to sharpen, and it looks pretty good too...
 
Buck Vantage

The ps4 has a blade smaller the 2", 420hc, and you said it's "very close" to doing what you want. The small vantage is just over 2.5", or opt for the large at 3.25", (I do like mine a lot).
420hc isn't the best edge holding steel, but it is tough stuff, and Buck does it as good as any in the biz, or opt for the Pro model with s30v steel.
 
I'll fourth the Victorinox. I'd suggest you look at a Pioneer X. It's sturdy, packed with useful tools, and will hang nicely in a pocket if you attach it with a dangler, such as the TEC P7 clip.
 
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