What's a good knife I can bring to Costa Rica?

Another vote for a Victorinox brand Swiss Army Knife. You can get one with two blades, a saw, screw drivers, scissors, an awl, and many other options. It will do everything you need a knife to do and more for under $30. If you dont want tweezers, then check out the alox Farmer model;).

Buck, Spyderco, and Kershaw are all brands trusted for quality materials and craftsmanship. You cant fail with them either. Ontario makes an inexpensive folder called the RAT-1. It is also a great knife for about $30.

If I were only going to carry one knife in another country, it would probably be a Victorinox.
 
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Your question isn't so much "will it be sharp when I get it" as "will it stay sharp until I need it?" A dull knife is worse than useless at the moment of truth.

Any $10 imported knife can be gotten sharp. Heck, member knifenut1013 can sharpen a shaving edge on the leaf of an old door hinge. But you need a knife to stay sharp for the time you're there, possibly standing up to some heavy use. That requires some hardness and wear resistance, which are properties of good knife steel costing more than 10 bucks. The cool looking $10 knife will likely dull quickly and not stand up to rough treatment (nothing like being a billion miles from home and have your blade snap in half).

I think when traveling among strangers, one's knife will be used almost always as a tool and should look like one. That's just me - I don't generally favor "weapon-y" looking knives. But you don't want airport staff and foreign officials so favorably impressed with how cool your knife looks that they decide to take it from you. Then you have no knife at all. So here's my list, in order of preference, if I could only take one:

SOG Toolclip
Buck 110
3 blade stockman (buck, case, schrade)
superknife (folder that takes razor knife blades)(if I was traveling for work - construction)
Opinel folder or Mora fixed blade

SAK's are good knives, but too small for my regular use. Get an EZlap for touching up your edge between real sharpenings.

Ideally you'd befriend a local knifenut who could let you try a whole bunch and choose what feels best to you...

Parker

eta: Colt and S&W knives are imports with those companies brand on them. They were not made by the gun co.
 
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In AMERICAN stores a $10 knife is destined to be garbage. However there are actually some very good knives around that price point. Notably Opinels and Moras, which you will probably have to order online.

Hell, Opinels are far from "survival" knives, but I'd be comfortable out hiking and camping with an Opinel #10.

That said, buck up a few extra dollars for one of the great entry level knives. Spyderco Tenacious or Persistance, Buck Vantage, etc...
 
The Government said:
Another vote for a Victorinox brand Swiss Army Knife. You can get one with two blades, a saw, screw drivers, scissors, an awl, and many other options. It will do everything you need a knife to do and more for under $30. If you dont want tweezers, then check out the alox Farmer model;).

...............................

If I were only going to carry one knife in another country, it would probably be a Victorinox.
Click to expand...

Victorinox brand Swiss Army Knife
Two blades, can opener, bottle opener, cork screw, scissors, and perhaps a saw.

No hassle as it is recognized as a picnic knife!!!
 
Get a couple of Mora Clippers in stainless...$15 or so from Ragweed forge. Get the non-OD green ones if you want to look non-tactical. Also maybe a Craftsman series from Mora...I like the 780 Craftsman. They've even got orange and red handles ones which might be good since you won't be trying to evade enybody.

Couple a Mora with a Victorinox and you are there my friend. Best of all, heaven forbid something gets lost or even confiscated or stolen, you may be out a great knife or two but you won't be out a lot of bucks.

I'd buy a machete when I got down there if I were going to spend lots of time in the woods. Of course if you are going with a tour, others may be a bit freaked out by that.

Mora and Victorinox...can't beat 'em. I like RAT Cutlery (now ESEE) but those are expensive and I would think twice about going overseas with one. From the price of one RC-3, you can get 7 Mora Clippers or Craftsmen. And remember, Moras are good knives, not cheapos. The tangs are a little short but on a $15 knife, that's pretty forgivable...especially if you have more than one.
 
If you're looking for a knife under 4 inches and around 10 bucks, you can't go wrong with an Opinel No. 8, or a DukDuk. Both are extremely cheap. They are great slicers, and relatively sturdy- provided you aren't planning on batoning with them, or using them for anything other than cutting, both of the knives I mentioned are awesome, and hold an edge suprisingly well for the pricepoint.
 
I love the different opinels, but maybe they are not the first choice in a damp environment. Swelling of the handle can make them difficult to open.
Buck vantage pro seems a good advice.
 
A good Swiss Army Knife (SAK), Leatherman multi tool, go to the Buck website and look at any of the folding hunters if you only want a knife.

If I could only have one item I would choose a Leatherman Wave or Surge it can handle anything in a pinch and is secure and accessible on your belt, not in your pocket.
 
Another vote for a good Swiss Army knife. I would get one with a saw blade and tweezers (removes splinters and insect stingers). Not sure if you're camping in the jungle or laying by the pool.
 
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