Looking to learn about knives

[metro212]

Greetings everybody!

First I would like to thank you for reading this and for responding with advice or with a welcoming message. It is great to find people who are experts and are willing to share.

Looking to purchase 2 knives (for me and a friend).

If someone can recommend good quality brands, nothing too fancy but something I can have for a long time. Good quality steel (know nothing about steel so any education would be greatly appreciated), good weight and handle.

As far as I understand Kershaw and Beckers are pretty good, but if there are other similar in quality, I would really like to know.

Price range $50 to $80.

Made in USA.

I thank anyone who reads and responds.

Have a great day and great holidays.

Cheers

 

[Roof]

First question is do you want a folding knife or fixed blade

 

[NJBillK]

First question is do you want a folding knife or fixed blade

Agreed!
As well as the following:
-What size gloves do you both wear (mechanix/work glove)?
-Do you have any sharpening equipment?
-Are you comfortable with carbon steel or would you prefer stainless?
-What state do you live in (for legality reasons)?
-what tasks are you planning on doing with them, food prep, fire wood processing, whittling, edc?

The answers to those should narrow it down to a manageable list.
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I have a L/XL hand and I Love my Beckers. I used to use my bk15 as my boning knife when I was cutting bone in pork on a bandsaw all day. It cut circles around the crap Dexters they wanted us to use.
Now it is my hiking knife.

Hands down my favorite Becker is the 15. Next is the BK4, it is my favorite wood processing knife.

 

[RevDevil]

You come to the right place. My advice is read, read, read, search, and read some more. There is a lot of information here, very recent and very relevant.

 

[Armenate]

For folding knives in that price range I would pick:

- Ontario Rat model 1 or 2 (about $25 but an awesome knife)
- Kershaw Blur
- Kershaw Leek
- Spyderco Tenacious
- Spyderco delica
- Spyderco endura
- Spyderco dragonfly

Fixed blades
- Mora companion (about $15 and a great knife)
- Beckers are nice
- Esee izula (small pocket carry fixed blade)

Without more information on what your preferences are like:
-Serrated versus plain edge
- Handle material
- What your intended uses are
- Blade length (what's legal in your state)
- Automatic versus manual
- Lock preference

It's hard to be specific with your set of criteria. Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw are all very solid brands. Kershaw tends to have some of the cheapest options overall and benchmade doesn't make many knives that fall into your budget (unless you purchase used ones). Spyderco has a very big range of designs and prices but you need to know what your looking for and not mind the spydie hole. My favorite knives as of right now are the spyderco sage 2 and the spyderco para military 2. Good luck with the search!