Recommendation? Looking for a moderately large, sturdy folder for under $100

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zdrc

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May 25, 2021
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I'm looking for a largish, sturdy folding knife, something I can take on camping trips (sometimes whitewater rafting) and use to prep food, carve or chop small pieces of wood, and perform any other outdoor tasks. I'd like it to be easy to sharpen. I'd like to use the knife to "hone" my sharpening skills.

Ideally the knife would be really corrosion resistant and tough. I'm also interested in the knife having a really strong lock (not a liner lock).

I know CRKT isn't thought of very highly on here, but I must say some of there designs are really appealing even if their steel is not. In particular I like the idea behind the deadbolt design. Unfortunately, all the deadbolt blades are D2 (very hard to sharpen, semi-stainless) or 1.4116 (too soft?). Should I avoid the 1.4116 steel? The Pilar III or Pilar Large also look kind of appealing and are 8Cr14MoV or 8Cr13MoV which is supposed to be not so bad. These knives have kinda short blades though...

Should I just get a fixed blade knife?
 
Sounds like an excellent opportunity for you to try out the Cold Steel Voyager series. There's numerous variations of size and blade shape. Older versions are usually aus8 or newer versions are usually aus10. Either steel is decently tough and has great corrosion resistance. They'll all have the tri-ad lock and recessed steel liners, so super tough for a folder. I'd recommend either the large or XL version of the clip point model to start. Depending on how big you want it to be. The XL is a pretty big knife. Easily had for under your budget. Hope this helps.
 
I second the Buck 110; and if you're needing a lighter version, a Buck 110LT is a great choice. If you can wreck it, you're mistreating your folding knives! It's also easy to sharpen, lightweight, and inexpensive. As I've said before, Buck 110LTs will be doing yeoman work all over the world even a century from now (to say nothing of the standard Buck 110s).

PS: Whatever you go with, I recommend against a "tanto" point. And yes, you might find a fixed blade more versatile across all your needs, but a stout folder is a great tool.
 
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The Cold Steel Recon 1 is a great choice.

If you want something a little smaller, the Cold Steel Code 4 has a 3.5" blade of S35VN and is $20 cheaper. You could then add a $10 Mora Basic (stainless steel) for food prep and other tasks. They weigh next to nothing and you'd have a backup blade and be at your budget.
 
Steel Will Intrigue, 3.5" D2 blade, frn handles, dual liners, flipper, full flat grind to a thin edge, $43 at Knifecenter.
 
Important things to note about the Recon 1 though (that don't really show in pictures): the lockback is slightly heavier than the usual Spyderco lockbacks, it has a sizable footprint when clipped in your pocket, and she's not the lightest gal around. If you don't mind those things, you're good to go. The Voyager is an excellent choice as well.

Personally, I love the Recon 1 and Voyager. Today though, it's the Code 4's turn for EDC. :)
 
Oh, for food prep, I’d say the clip point Voyager XL in aus10a has the edge. That knife is basically a folding kitchen knife. I love it.
 
Another vote for recon 1 or

Cold steel SR1 lite. 8cr13mov 4" Blade for ~ 50 to $60 they tested the tri-add lock on that one at over 600lbs

 
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Another vote for the Buck 110:
bHUlLyS.jpg


If you feel the knife is too hefty for EDC, I am sure there are different versions of the 110 that would suit your fancy. And Buck 112 and variants are also great contenders as well.
Buck did a fantastic job with the 420HC and they hold their edges sufficiently well and are pretty rust proof, not to mention easy to maintain/sharpen too.

Buck 112 Slim:
mjVYVov.jpg
 
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