Pocket/Folding knife under $75

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missin44

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Nov 25, 2015
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I'm thinking about a pocket knife for my 15 yr old son. Multi-blade. Suggestions for something $75 or less? Case, Buck, etc.?
 
Dirk D said:
Victorinox. Literally uncountable variatons of multiblade knives. And very usefull blades for a 15 year old boy
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Yep, Victorinox Pioneer would be my suggestion, or the Electrician, or Farmer depending on his hobbies and interests (Pioneer or Farmer if he's into more outdoor activities, Electrician if he's not). The Alox models are exceptional! A friend brought me back a Fisherman (plastic handled) model with my name engraved on it from a class trip to Switzerland when I was 15 or 16. I carried it constantly for a couple of years until I lost it. It turned up in the couch cushions of my grandparent's house a couple of years later ~ still have it. Solid and well built but it won't be too painful to replace if it falls out of his pocket or he breaks it doing something he shouldn't.

I have Pioneers for both of my 3 year old twins, for when they're a bit older. I got a Victorinox Compact for my 12 year old daughter. I don't see her use the blade much, but she uses the scissors, screwdrivers, pin, and pen all the time :D

If you're just looking for only cutting blades, the Buck 303 is hard to beat. Easy to sharpen, super tough, unbeatable warranty, small enough to be easy to carry, low maintenance. Can't beat 'em on a budget!
 
solphilos said:
I'd vote Case in CV. I'd get something nice to give him a good first experience with traditional pocket knives, and the CV steel will give to something to maintain a bit, a useful lesson for someone new to these I think.
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Yeah actually my favorite is the CV mini copperlock. Man that is just a perfect knife!
 
Agree with previous suggestions that a Victorinox Alox model is a great choice. I carry an Alox Cadet in a GEC pocket slip because, as HeathH mentions, it could be susceptible to falling out of a pocket. Down the line, a good compliment would be a GEC, Case or Buck.
 
Victorinox recruit
For $17 you can't beat it.
It's got 2 knife blades, and some very handy tools including tweezers to remove splinters as kids are always getting.

Throw in a Classic and you've got a pocket combo that can't be beat


Something like a case peanut would be a great option as well if you want to get him used to taking care of carbon steel.
 
Buck stockman, either a 301 or 303 if you are concerned about country of origin.
A 371 or 373, if you are not. All Buck knifes have the same forever warranty, regardless of where they are made.
The Buck 389 Canoe is also a very nice knife.
A SAK would also be a good choice, but don't limit yourself to the Alox models.
The Recruit is a good 2 layer knife.
If you don't mind a 3 layer, the Huntsman is an excellent choice, and gives you their excellent saw and scissors. Victorinox makes a very nice 24 or so inch lanyard that hooks to a belt loop so you cannot lose the knife if it falls out of your pocket, or you drop it.
With a $75 budget you could get him a Buck Stockman AND a SAK Recruit, or Tinker/Super Tinker or Huntsman.
:)
 
Everyone has their opinion as you can readily see. You know your kid better than anyone here possibly could so is he prone to losing stuff or breaking stuff? If so, get a Rough Rider. Inexpensive and well built. If it gets lost or broken, you're not throwing away the $50 - $80 you spent on a Case. If it lasts him a year, then you can take a step up the ladder next Christmas. I guess if he proves himself, my next choice would be a Victorinox or other depending on his likes and dislikes after experiencing one for a year.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
 
Welcome! As you can see, you are going to get lots of different opinions... personally, I would lean towards one of the almost endless versions of the Swiss Army knife. They are easy to find even locally and inexpensive yet well made. My first "real" knife was a SAK camper, and it was terrific!
 
I'm taking a different perspective - whilst I can see the allure of 'traditional' carbon steel it could have drawbacks for a young lad. It will rust unless cleaned and oiled and when it does rust it looks terrible, this could put him off 'traditional' for life:eek: I understand the reasoning of getting people to respect tools and to look after them properly, no dispute. But I'd start him off with a Medium Stockman from CASE in stainless steel. Then if he takes to old school knives he will want to find out more by himself.

Was just looking at a very nice CASE 57615 model Medium Stockman on the Bay at under 60 USD delivered from an established dealer. This model has a Pen blade rather than the usual spey and I've always found it more appealing. This one comes in a very attractive Black Cherry Bone but here are numerous other handle choices too.:thumbsup:
 
Give him a SAK, say an Alox Pioneer, see how he does. What’s it going to be used for? General pocket knife? Cutting cardboard? Chores? If he needs to puncture things regularly, get a lockback, like a Case Copperlock, or mini, nice and thin. Boker and some other companies have recently come out with new interpretations of swiss army knives. Different steels, tools, etc.
Thanks, Neal
 
Everyone has made great suggestions so far. I'll add to Will's suggestion that a pattern that offers a huge number of choices is the Case Medium Stockman. I can't post the name of the dealer but I know of one that currently has 97 variations of the Case Medium Stockman to choose from. Each one a little different than the other and most are in your price range.

There are round bolster models, square bolster models, stainless blade models, carbon blade models, serpentine frames, equal end frames, bone handles, wood handles, synthetic handles, etc. All have three blades and the third blade can vary on some models. For a large selection, I can't think of any other pattern that offers as much variety to choose from.
 
missin44 said:
I'm thinking about a pocket knife for my 15 yr old son. Multi-blade. Suggestions for something $75 or less? Case, Buck, etc.?
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I think we could all offer better suggestions if we knew a bit about the lad. What's he into, scouts and outdoor stuff, or computers? Sports or books? Tinkering with mechanical stuff or chasing the gals?

-- Mark
 
I second the Victorinox. Stockmans are a poor choice for most people...who needs three blades? :)
 
I will agree with the folks who recommended the Case medium stockman (my preference is round bolsters). It's a nice size for carrying, comes in many handle choices, and most are well within your price range.

This would give him a good quality throw back knife, and the chance to experience three different blades - and figure out which one(s) is most useful for future consideration.

If you have any sporting goods stores near you, you may be able to find an Amber bone medium stockman to inspect before you buy. Heck, our local "Wally world" has that model.
 
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