Which budget knives ($60 or less) come closest to quality of a premium priced knife?

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Golden Gate Bridge

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Oct 13, 2014
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Which budget knives ($40-50-60 or less) come closest to quality of a premium priced knife? Which knives can you buy in that price range come closest to owning a premium grade $300-400-500 type knife?

I own a
Kershaw Cryo 2, Thermite, Scrambler, Rainbow Leek, Volt SS, Volt 2, Clash.
Ontario Rat 1.
Spyderco Tenacious.
SOG Flash 2 (lost somewhere)
 
In F&F out of my budget knives I would say my Kershaw Manifold Black Wash takes the cake. Smooth, great assist, tight lock up, no play. If they had a better steel on it and it was USA made I would have no problem in believing it to be a $100-$130 knife. My Camillus Hustle is another one, G10, Aus-8 (heat treated very very well), smooth as butter opening, beautiful satin finish, tight lock up, if I didn't know it was a Camillus I could believe it to be a $150 knife.
 
Hmmmm I would bump yourself up to 100 dollars.

spyderco manix 2, spyderco pm2, kershaw blur in elmax...
Spyderco sage1, spyderco chaparral, benchmade griptilian,

If you wanna stick to that number I would recommend kershaw skyline.
the non Chinese spydercos in that price range, unfortunately, only really come with FRN handles. G10 "feels" more high end.
The skyline has g10, doesn't have a spring to open it (the higher end stuff opens smooth, but not with a spring generally)
The other blurs are fun too.
I've always considered the kershaw piston.... I just can't get over the pointless thumb stud.
 
You aren't really going to find one for that price that feels like a $3-500 knife. Sorry, but that's the truth.

That being said, you can get a damn good knife with the FRN manix 2 FFG, but it's not going to "feel" like a high end in the hand.

At a max price of $60, you are going to have to sacrifice either blade quality, steel, or feel.
 
If you have the funds, just buy the more expensive knife. If not, sell the ones you have to finance it.
 
Golden Gate Bridge said:
Do you think a Kershaw Cryo 2 comes close to the feel of a premium grade knife?
Click to expand...

Not at all, a lot of the corners are sharp, attention to detail just isn't there, it's mass produced with as many of the fine touches skipped as possible to reduce production cost. Not to mention the "Tini" coating... The DLC kershaw puts on their America made stuff is much nicer imho.

Go to a store that has a halfway decent selection and play with a benchmade/zero tolerance/spyderco.(America/Japan/Taiwan made) big outdoors stores if not a dedicated cutlery shop.

Don't get me wrong it's well designed and well executed for the price.

I understand how you may feel that way about the cryo and the other kershaws you have, I was blown away when I upgraded from the selection at big5, but the Chinese models lack a lot.

I highly recommend the kershaw skyline, simple elegance, which is a high end quality in my opinion. 40ish bucks.
 
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There are knives that have material quality, build quality, and F&F above the industry standard given their price point. But I've yet too see one with a stretch as large as what your asking for.
For example, The Cryo and other lower cost Kershaw knives have excellent quality for their price, but they're no where near the quality norm of a >$300 dollar knife, like a Sebenza.

When it comes to best build quality for the money, in my opinion, Victorinox blows them all out of the water.
 
Tyronethepro said:
In F&F out of my budget knives I would say my Kershaw Manifold Black Wash takes the cake. Smooth, great assist, tight lock up, no play. If they had a better steel on it and it was USA made I would have no problem in believing it to be a $100-$130 knife. My Camillus Hustle is another one, G10, Aus-8 (heat treated very very well), smooth as butter opening, beautiful satin finish, tight lock up, if I didn't know it was a Camillus I could believe it to be a $150 knife.
Click to expand...

Here is a youtube video of the Kershaw Starter, Manifold, Lifter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruqkmCeceAA

Here is a youtube video of the Camillus Hustle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrxNTfaJ60k
 
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