Sturdy folding knife under 3 inches?

mkjellgren said:
There are a TON of excellent knives that fit your description. First things first, what is your price range? The choices vary greatly based on price and you can get a great knife for around $50-60 (delica or mini grip) or for $400 (small sebenza). A bit more info will get you some more specific answers, otherwise people are going to just blurt out their favorite sub 3" folder.
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Somewhere between $50-$125. Sure don't want to start a flame war but there really are some incredible knives under a hundred bucks - at least for what I would like to get my son.
 
aznav said:
Somewhere between $50-$125. Sure don't want to start a flame war but there really are some incredible knives under a hundred bucks - at least for what I would like to get my son.
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In your price range I would definitely have to point you towards the core lineups from both spyderco and benchmade. Given the fact that you want to keep the blade length under 3", spyderco's, with their finger choil are going to offer the best ergos and most grip in this size range. Benchmade offers the spectacular axis lock. Both companies offer several options in your price range with the advantage going to spyderco with more models. Pick one you like the looks of and go with it.

In terms of spyderco you're looking at the delica 4 (most prefer the ffg version), caly 3, native 5, and the sage series under 3" and within your price range. I personally think the best value of the bunch is the sage 1, which features excellent ergonomics and cutting performance and carbon fiber scales and s30v blade steel for around $100. The sage series is made by the Taichung Taiwan factory which produces arguably spyderco's best knives, featuring fit and finish normally only seen in knives costing several times more. Don't worry about the fact that it's made in Taiwan, Taiwan isn't China and the folks in Taichung are world class knife makers.

In terms of benchmade, the mini griptilian is the standard. It can be found around $ 60 and is an excellent edc choice. 154cm is easy to sharpen and holds an edge reasonably well, and the noryl gtx handles, while cheap feeling, are actually very tough and durable and make a very practical choice. The standard models are also available with either a drop point blade and thumb stud or with a hollow ground sheep's foot blade and a thumb hole. There is an upgraded mini grip called the Doug Ritter mini RSK 1 (ritter mini grip) which features a different blade shape which makes it a better slicer at the expense of the pointier tip as well as upgraded s30v blade steel. The Ritter grips are a bit more expensive at around $110. The mini presidio and presidio ultra also fit the bill. The presidio features aluminum scales and 154cm blade steel and the ultra is the budget friendly version that takes a hit in materials. The bone collectors are another option and are basically g10 sheep's foot presidios with d2 blade steel. The only knock on the presidios is that they are quite thick and bulky and are known to shred pockets.

There are many other choices out there, including pretty much all of Kershaw's catalog, my suggestions are just the beginning. Best of luck in your search.
 
"Over 3 inches is legal IF its description states it as a hunting knife"

Is it just me or is that law incredibly vague?

I could say a small Sebenza, I just got my first a few hrs ago! But no seriously, I think either a Delica or mini griptilian would fit the bill great!
 
aznav

"In terms of spyderco you're looking at the delica 4 (most prefer the ffg version)"

Just so you know, FFG means Full Flat Grind. That's about the geometry of the blade. It means there's a pretty straight line from the spine of the knife to the edge. FFG makes for a good slicer, at the cost of a slightly more delicate edge.
 
I sure love my Caly 3. It's like a little piece of art. When I'm killing time somewhere and other people are playing on their iphones I'm fidgeting with and admiring my knife. I'm not much of a fan of the Delica since the FRN scales make it feel economical, imo (but it probably feels economical because it is economical!).
 
Emerson MicroCommander is less than $200. I have one; great folder. Respected and traditional.
 
Knifeworks is selling an exclusive BM Mini Presidio. CPM-M4 steel. Blade length of 2.97 inches. It's a little bit above your price range. It's $140
 
Any of the Spyderco Sage series.( personally, I like the sage 1 and 2)
Spyderco Delica
Benchmade mini grip
Many more but this is what I thought of off the top of my head
 
If your budget can stretch, get the Spyderco Techno - its the epitome of high-value, short & sturdy.

Within your stated price range, you might want to look at the AG Russel folding spearpoint. Its a 3" blade, and you won't find many quality titanium framelocks for <$100.
 
My pick would be a Spyderco Delica. Great knife! Priced right and a high quality blade.

For a hunting knife folder.... The Buck 110 is a classic and I used one for years as my dominant whitetail knife. If you like a more pocket sized folder that is high quality, look at the Great Eastern Cutlery (GEC) line at their web site. They list dealers that sell them on their website. If he likes a big pocket knife... the Pioneer, if something a bit smaller, then a regular large Trapper. I use a Trapper pattern folder for hunting more than anything else, but I'll usually have a modest sized fixed blade with me such as the Spyderco Moran. It is a great hunting knife in its own right and sized for practical use.
 
One other to consider if you son is pretty traditional... the BF Traditional Forum 2012 knife is a two blade Trapper made by GEC. There may be a few left ($122 including shipping). I like the Wharncliffe blade design for a second blade, but some don't care for it. Love this knife!
 
Holy Frijole!! I had no idea I'd get so many posts. Many thanks!! I'm wading through ALL of the suggestions. Of course, now I'm more undecided than ever. Some excellent suggestions. Thinking of opening a PayPal account and accepting donations so I can purchase all of them to handle which one I actually think is best. Oh, shut up.
 
mkjellgren said:
In your price range I would definitely have to point you towards the core lineups from both spyderco and benchmade. Given the fact that you want to keep the blade length under 3", spyderco's, with their finger choil are going to offer the best ergos and most grip in this size range. Benchmade offers the spectacular axis lock. Both companies offer several options in your price range with the advantage going to spyderco with more models. Pick one you like the looks of and go with it.

In terms of spyderco you're looking at the delica 4 (most prefer the ffg version), caly 3, native 5, and the sage series under 3" and within your price range. I personally think the best value of the bunch is the sage 1, which features excellent ergonomics and cutting performance and carbon fiber scales and s30v blade steel for around $100. The sage series is made by the Taichung Taiwan factory which produces arguably spyderco's best knives, featuring fit and finish normally only seen in knives costing several times more. Don't worry about the fact that it's made in Taiwan, Taiwan isn't China and the folks in Taichung are world class knife makers.

In terms of benchmade, the mini griptilian is the standard. It can be found around $ 60 and is an excellent edc choice. 154cm is easy to sharpen and holds an edge reasonably well, and the noryl gtx handles, while cheap feeling, are actually very tough and durable and make a very practical choice. The standard models are also available with either a drop point blade and thumb stud or with a hollow ground sheep's foot blade and a thumb hole. There is an upgraded mini grip called the Doug Ritter mini RSK 1 (ritter mini grip) which features a different blade shape which makes it a better slicer at the expense of the pointier tip as well as upgraded s30v blade steel. The Ritter grips are a bit more expensive at around $110. The mini presidio and presidio ultra also fit the bill. The presidio features aluminum scales and 154cm blade steel and the ultra is the budget friendly version that takes a hit in materials. The bone collectors are another option and are basically g10 sheep's foot presidios with d2 blade steel. The only knock on the presidios is that they are quite thick and bulky and are known to shred pockets.

There are many other choices out there, including pretty much all of Kershaw's catalog, my suggestions are just the beginning. Best of luck in your search.
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Wow and wow again!! Thanks.
 
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