Looking for a folding blade thats made like a tank for $100 or less. Suggestions?

ol_sc

ol_sc

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Sep 12, 2011
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Hey there, long time lurker, first time poster. I'm in the market for a heavy duty folder but I can't spend (much) over $100 as I am paying my way through college and work a minimum wage job :(

But I know there are probably plenty of good knives in that range :)

Some models I'm considering are the ZT0200 (found it for 117 shipped), ZT0350 and the Spyderco Manix 2. Does anyone have other suggestions or advice? Much appreciated!
 
CS Voyagers or Lawman series are light and very tough, or the classic Buck 110, which you can also get in various configurations: brass/wood or synthetic scales.
 
The Cold Steel Recon 1 is pretty tankish at 5 + oz but it's a pretty big folder. Also try the Griptillian not quite a tank at 3.7 oz but still pretty stout.
The Spyderco Resilience comes in at 5.4 oz. For my money if its a tank i'm looking for (for less than $100) I would go with the Recon 1
 
Boker Plus Mini-Resurrection. Can be found for around $50, in made with some GREAT 440C (Boker has a great HT with 440C), and tough as hell. Go look up videos or reviews about this knife, its a tank for sure.
 
I think the cold steel options fit your criteria a lot better than the spyderco or benchmade ... of course, the CSs are made in china/taiwan/etc. Also the spyderco chinook is heralded as a very tough folder. Not sure if it is beyond your price point.

It would be a lot better, however, to go for the ZT. The whole philosophy of their knives is basically to provide a tank-like folder. I just don't know if it is over $100. I have a ZT and it is a very, very tough frame lock.
 
you can do a lot worse for the money, than an Ontario made RAT 1 folder. The steel is good, AUS-8, and it holds a great edge. The knife has a very sturdy liner lock. The handle is big and beefy as well.
I bought mine from Chestnut Ridge a year ago for $29.95.
RAT1folder.jpg
 
The ZT 0200 is a great knife; very well-made, tough, and ergonomically sound. It is heavy, though, and it will tear up your jeans. Try GPknives; if they have it in stock it should be a little less.
 
If you like the looks the Cold Steel AK-47 is a brute of a knife. About as stout a folder as there is and has the triad lock all for approx. $70.
 
I'll echo what has been said about the ZT 0200. It's one of the stoutest liner locks I've seen.

If you want to save a little money and don't mind imports, any of the tri-ad CS knives are fairly stout as well. I know LTSpecPro has Spartans on sale right now for $59. You can ususally find them on Amazon for about $64 shipped as well. Doesn't exactly "disappear" in your pocket, but it is a tank.
 
dcmartin said:
The Cold Steel Recon 1 is pretty tankish at 5 + oz but it's a pretty big folder. Also try the Griptillian not quite a tank at 3.7 oz but still pretty stout.
The Spyderco Resilience comes in at 5.4 oz. For my money if its a tank i'm looking for (for less than $100) I would go with the Recon 1
Click to expand...

The Griptilian is very strong for its weight.
 
The zt0200 is nice but heavy in the pocket. Take a look at the Benchmade Presidio...its in the same pricerange as the zt I think. It's well built and the all-metal construction inspires confidence.
 
Most of the suggestions are pretty good. ZT folders are pretty tough if you can find them for around your budget.

I would personally go with the suggestion of the Cold Steel Recon 1. Not the newest exotic steel, but aus8 is a good steel and should work well for most things...tends to be excellent in Cold Steel knives. Also the Tri-Ad lock used in it has no real equal when it comes to pure strength.
 
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