Looking for small, affordable one-hand folder

ABTOMAT-47

ABTOMAT-47

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Jul 1, 2002
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My girlfriend carries a no-name knife that she's not very happy with. I want to get her something decent for Christmas, but most of the knives I'm familiar with are too big for her tastes. What fits these specs?

One-hand locking folder
Reputable company
Closed length 3.5" or less
Prefer not liner-lock
Affordable (hard to define, but cheaper is better)
Not stupid or gimmicky

Lots of knives look promising, then it turns out they're a bit too large. Mini Grip and Delica come to mind. Or some small liner-lock that looks good until you realize it takes a iron grip to release the lock.

Maybe a CRKT Lake 111 2 (the small one?) Anyone?
 
I got a girlfriend a small Ka-Bar folder a few years ago. I was very affordable, don't know the model. Ka-bar has a new line of folders.
Ontario has some folders as well, very inexpensive. I've never even held one though.
There are so many folders out there, have you checked Knife Center? Do a search there and list by price.
 
Maybe a Benchmade 530, you can find it for about $60. It's good looking, very thin, very light, and it has a very safe and easy to use lock mechanism (no fingers ever get in the way to disengage the lock for closing).
 
If you can get past the no liner-lock thing, a pink Kershaw Leek would be a good one.
 
Get her a kabar dozier folding hunter with the pink scales.
They only come in the smaller size, AUS 8 is more than enough for day to day stuff,and they cost all of 22$ most places, and they are actually very solid knives. I have 2 of the mini and one of the Large drop points. The lockback can be a little stiff at first but they smooth out after about a week or two. Just my $0.02 YMMV -Andrew
 
Get that girl a Spyderco Dragonfly. My fiancée carries a white FRN scaled Dragonfly and loves it. Solid construction, lockback, not too large or small, full flat ground VG-10 blade.
 
Not a fan of AO knives.

It really does need to be small. She found my Centofante III (skinny ~4.5" closed) too large for her hands.

I'll check out the Dragonfly, but that blade shape looks goofy.

LOL at the pink suggestions. She wants me to teach her how to shoot deer.
 
Spyderco: Dragonfly (lots of choices)

Byrd: Robin (lots of choices)

Cold Steel: mini-American Lawman, although it's a tad over your closed limit.

Pinch-grip a Case mini-Copperlock.
 
If you don't want to spend a whole lot i'd recommend the crkt drifter, outstanding value for the money.
 
If you can find one at a reasonable price: the Spyderco Kopa. More chic than a Dragonfly.
Otherwise, the new Dragonfly with G10 handle.

EDIT: now that I think about it: the Spyderco Urban, wharncliffe blade variant just be just right in size. It's true, it's a slipjoint, and a very nice one at that...

spyderco-knives-urban-knife-safety-orange-spyderco-knife-c127gpor-581-p.jpg
 
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The Kabar Dozier as mentioned above. Mine is very smooth to open and close. Also one of the Byrd models. My Meadowlark is easy to open and close. Both, Kabar and Byrd are inexpensive.
 
Thanks guys. Went with a Mini Dozier and it turns out be exactly the same size as the junky knife she's trying to replace. If anyone else is in the same boat, here're some comparison pics.

One thing, though. The descriptions don't to justice to how thin the Ka-Bar is. It's a skinny little devil. The 707 is about as small a knife as I can comfortably handle. The Centofante and the 940 are about ideal size. My hands aren't huge but I have long fingers.

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