What are the best little EDC utility knives?

Case mini Blackhorn. They can be found around $12. I think Lowes still stocks them. Simple, small-ish, lightweight, easily pocketed lockback. Moulded handle. I love those tittle things.
 
Gerber EAB.

Less than $20.00
Cuts like a razor blade (because that's what it is)
Never needs to be sharpened.
A locking folder with a pocket clip.

Great little utility knife if all you want to do is open boxes/packaging, and simple stuff around the house.
 
JR88FAN said:
Gerber EAB.

Less than $20.00
Cuts like a razor blade (because that's what it is)
Never needs to be sharpened.
A locking folder with a pocket clip.

Great little utility knife if all you want to do is open boxes/packaging, and simple stuff around the house.
Click to expand...

I have one of these and am super happy with it. I use it as a money clip.
 
Ka Bar Becker BK11

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Short blades, is that it? Oh right, useful, too. So, the smatchet is out.

I'm fond of smaller knives. Let me outline a few.

The Rat 2. Great design, excellent quality control, inexpensive. Comes in colors, too!
The Dragonfly 2. Excellent knife, as you already know.
Kershaw Leek. I have maybe five of them. Sleek, modern, useful.
ZT0900. A little spendy (but not that much more than a blackwashed composite blade Leek). Compact, stout, tough.

There are a lot of other possibilities, of course, but I favor these.

Forgot to mention the Spyderco Cat! It's another lightweight watchpocket knife. Excellent ergonomics!
 
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Now that ZT0900 loooks like really cool knife. Just checked it out and learned that it was a collaboration of Les George knives with ZT. No wonder it looks so cool :)

Once we go in that price category the Spyderco Air looks very cool too, but is more on the dressy side. And I am also eyeballing the Spyderco Worker, but it is a notch or two up in size from the Dragonfly. The spyderco Nishijin looks cool too, but I do not know how good user it is.
 
Although a bit more than your target price, the Spyderco Lava is an awesome little big knife. The blade is under 2 inches, and the handle is one of the most ergonomic I've ever used.

If you're happy with a non-locking folder, you could try a Spyderco Squeak. For around the same price as a Dragonfly, you get a nice little utility knife that disappears in your pocket, and is pretty readily available.

And when you pull it out to cut something, the pink one is very non-knife-people friendly...

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You may also want to check out the boker subcom. Its another one of those small folders that can go with you about everywhere. Its also fairly inexpensive as well
 
the spyderco chaparral has particularly amazed me, in the realm of knives under 3 inches in length. it has a thin blade stock with a magnificent distal taper that just makes cutting and slicing efficient.
 
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ESEE Candiru

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ESEE Izula

For me I just usually have a little old timey jack knife that I carry along with my PM2:

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NeilB said:
Short blades, is that it? Oh right, useful, too. So, the smatchet is out.

I'm fond of smaller knives. Let me outline a few.

The Rat 2. Great design, excellent quality control, inexpensive. Comes in colors, too!
The Dragonfly 2. Excellent knife, as you already know.
Kershaw Leek. I have maybe five of them. Sleek, modern, useful.
ZT0900. A little spendy (but not that much more than a blackwashed composite blade Leek). Compact, stout, tough.

There are a lot of other possibilities, of course, but I favor these.

Forgot to mention the Spyderco Cat! It's another lightweight watchpocket knife. Excellent ergonomics!
Click to expand...

I'll vouch for the Rat II and the Spyderco Cat. The Cat, especially, feels like an extension of my hand.
 
DocPyres said:
Although a bit more than your target price, the Spyderco Lava is an awesome little big knife. The blade is under 2 inches, and the handle is one of the most ergonomic I've ever used.

If you're happy with a non-locking folder, you could try a Spyderco Squeak. For around the same price as a Dragonfly, you get a nice little utility knife that disappears in your pocket, and is pretty readily available.

And when you pull it out to cut something, the pink one is very non-knife-people friendly...

pnksqk1_zpsrb0apf6n.jpg~original
Click to expand...

That is the cutest knife I've ever seen!
 
My favorite would be my BM mini Presideo. I do not own a Strider PT but from the feel of my SNG I would bet the PT would probably be the best small Utility EDC on the market if you are willing to pay for it, and have the patience for one to turn up.
 
When I imagine a knife like Strider PT next to Spyderco Squeak I just get a smile on my face :) The PT does look interesting, size-wise still OK, but it does not have a pocket clip. I guess one could figure something out, but it would just add to the total cost to have something done properly.
 
The Pt comes with a pocket clip. Only the PT cc model does not come with a clip.
 
Dragonfly is my favorite knife I've owned to date. You should pick up a g10 d'fly in the mean time. It has a much more solid feel than the frn due to the steel liners.

I have tried and tried to find a knife I like more. Sebenza, mnandi, hinderer xm-18 3", chaparral, strider PT... I always find myself grabbing the dragonfly. I will say that I wish I would have kept the PT. If the pocket clip was better, I think it would have knocked the d'fly from the throne.

Hopefully I will be able to get my hands on a HAP40 dragonfly. I'm really digging the orange!
 
I absolutely love my Kershaw Scallion. My Spyderco Dragonfly is a close second. Both work very well and I have two of each.

I even carry my Bark River Necker II, great little knife. Got two them also, lol
 
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