Christmas gift ideas for the boys - inexpensive pocket knives

[Bullseye]

For the past 5 or so years I have been having 5 guys over for an early Christmas dinner. These guys are great friends and help me deal with life all year long and I try to help them as well.
The dinner I put out and make myself is just as good as the knives we have fun with after dinner. Usually spaghetti and meatballs or a pork loin roast and the knives I have been getting are all different and cost about $25.00 each.
I of course get 7, one for myself to play along and one that they will never see and I keep in the safe ... ta have.

I wrap them up in Santy Clause paper.
Every one gets to pick one not knowing what's inside.
First guy opens his and can keep or trade his knife for another guys unopened
package. then that guy does the same and so forth until everyone has their knife. This is kind of fun too.

So I have been getting knives like Kershaw and Boker, Browning.
I have bought some Elk Ridge and Buck knives and Schrade too.
Last year I sandbagged on keeping a Boker Magnum Damascus model 788 which I thought looked well made and just felt it looked nice.
Another guy was thrilled with a Tree Brand Boker 2 blade folding knife.

I am writing for ideas about other brands like Colt and Hen and Rooster etc.
Any suggestions on better inexpensive knives?

I like to pick out classic designs without serrated blades.
I think I like Boker knives the best.

Here are the two I liked and so did everyone else.

 

[CopperFouling]

If you like fixed blades, check out Mora. You will even spend less than $25.

For a $25 folder, it's hard to beat a Victorinox. I have a Hiker that I carry and use frequently that cost $24.

 

[Barry the Bear]

I'd recommend a buck model 110 for about 27.99 depending on where you go to for an American made knife with a leather sheath it's easily my favorite hunting knife.

 

[redneck]

I really like the buck vantage select in that price range. If you want more traditional I'm not sure what to recommend, but the brands you listed are good places to start.

 

[JohnKSa]

There are some pretty neat Opinel knives you might want to take a look at.

 

[bannockburn]

sigsmoker

How about something by Case, like a Sod Buster or a Medium Stockman?

 

[hso]

Colt and Hen and Rooster

Stay far away.

Look at these. http://www.hallmarkcutlery.com/#!pr...(kc6135br)-robert-klaas--gentleman's-lockback

 

[hso]

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/s...and=&min_price=0&max_price=30&country=&&&s=85

 

[Barry the Bear]

Hso, that first link has a gorgeous knife!!! May just order one for myself. But tell me what do they mean a tobacco handle?

 

[Bullseye]

I am settling on Boker Tree Brand but comparing prices on hso's link. I'm getting 2 each of 3 kinds. On these three, I found a better price on eBay with free shipping.
They all run about 28-30 each.
I guess Santa thinks they were all good this year.
Thanks everyone. I looked at all the suggestions but I think these knives are pretty nice and have the Damascus one myself and had the lighter copperhead in last years mix and everyone wanted to have that one, so it should be a hit again this year.

I am placing my order now so this could be considered a done topic.

 

[T.R.]

I've had good luck with Colt and Rough Rider knives. They're imports but built right for a lifetime of use. Same is true of Schrade imports.

TR

 

[Jimfern]

Midway is having a sale on the Leatherman REV for $20 and free shipping on orders of $25 or more.


http://www.midwayusa.com/product/60...mc=pe_weekly-_-hotbuy-_-leatherman-_-20151025

 

[hso]

Oooo, that Rev price is sweet if you order 2 to get the free shipping!

 

[rbernie]

I just bought a handful of these for the youngest kids:

http://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCH107

I figure that they'll do fine as a knockabout blade for young'uns.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I had a good run with Rough Rider brand and you never go wrong with case.

 

[hso]

rbernie, I wouldnt give cheap liner locks to youngsters that weren't well trained in knife safety. Of course, wring with youngsters to teach them what a knife is for and how to use it safely is more fun than just giving them a knife.

 

[rbernie]

Can you expand on that? I've found that liner locks are generally easier for the kids to close safely than, say, lockbacks. They tended to drop lockbacks trying to close them, and it's been easier to teach them to keep the thumb out of the way of the blade as it closed on a liner lock than teach them how to reposition a lockback for closure. I will generally make sure that the liner lock has adequate engagement before handing them out, but other than that I'm clueless as to what I'm missing.

I'd love to hand out Axis locking folders, but I'm not made of money.

 

[JShirley]

From my standpoint, it's just much easier to find inexpensive safe lockbacks than liner locks.

I will grudgingly trust a Spyderco liner lock for light duty, but a $20 knife? No way in hell. I'd sooner have a slipjoint.

 

[rbernie]

In fairness - I've not handled the Schrade's, so I don't know what I'll get until I get it. I'm willing to toss them if they don't give good lock engagement or if the liner is too flexible.

Last year, I gave Spyderco/Byrd Crow's to the older kids. Having used/carried one myself for a couple of years, I'm pretty comfortable that the liner lock won't slip off unless the knife is being twisted clockwise while being used as a pry. That, to me, is far less likely of an occurrence than the kids dropping an open knife trying to manipulate the lock on a lockback to close it.

Not being quarrelsome - just explaining my rationale.

 

[Kookla]

Amazon has the victorinox tinker starting off at a little under $20 shipped.

 

[hso]

rbernie,

A liner lock requires careful fitment of the parts to consistently lock the blade in place. That requires greater precision in the parts and more precise assembly. Most cheap liner locks don't make that effort and they compound the problem by making the lock easy to release. This can and does cause lock failures in normal use. In trying to use a knife in a more farm or field choirs the thin liner locks have buckled.

I'm not as critical as John is of liner locks, but I insist on properly made ones amongst what I own or give because of the shortcomings in inexpensive mass produced examples. Flat lock faces that don't mate, weak springs, thin stock and poor fit (usually too loose, giving vertical play) are examples of failures in cheaply made liner locks. It takes a great deal more effort and precision to do one right as on Spyderco Military and others. Even then, I've gotten $80 liner locks to fail in tough normal use cutting and scraping because I noticed the inadequate geometries and fit and investigated. I've had less expensive ones endure also, but the liner lock is the one lock that calls for that level of scrutiny. CRKT incorporated the LAWKS into their liner locks to preclude these sorts of failures of the liner lock while still keeping manufacturing costs down...ish. Better liner locks cost more money to make than cheap ones and cheap ones lead to injuries.

 

[srtolly]

Ya can't rule out knives by Sanrenmu and Eden. I have some of each and the quality is great along with the price.

 

[JohnKSa]

Most cheap liner locks don't make that effort and they compound the problem by making the lock easy to release. This can and does cause lock failures in normal use.

That's been my experience and it's part of why I generally avoid liner locks. I've run across more than one that would unlock as the result of a relatively light tap to the back of the blade.

 

[cdk8]

For next X-mas, this site may interest you...
http://kershawguy.com/products-page/kershaw-blems/

They frequently have stock of various blemished model Kershaw and ZT knives, and these knives are 100% functional. Two knives I consider to be among the most iconic of affordable smaller pocket knives, the Chive and Leek, can often be found for $20-30. Between the assisted opening and the frame lock, the ease of operation makes them really enjoyable as everyday carry pieces. They also frequently have the larger Blurs, which IMHO is an outstanding knife in its respective class and is a perfect balance of performance vs. affordability.

Now and then they also have blem models with upgraded steel. A few years ago I got a couple Leeks in CPM-S30V blade steel for about $35. And CPM-S30V is arguably among the finest of blade steels for everyday usage, and Kershaw/ZT tends to do a very good heat treatment with S30V. As a relatively expensive PM steel, finding a S30V knife for that little is somewhat rare.

 

[Bullseye]

It's another year gone by already

I did my shopping for Christmas 2016 and chose multiples of these three Bokers.
They are pretty nice knives and the guys like em. So do I ( I get one for myself )

The Damascus knife was a hit last year even tho it is called a "Lady Damascus" it doesn't say so on the knife.
Supposedly real folded steel but made in China and a Boker Magnum. Still, a neat little knife. The other two are new models to me but are both Tree Brand Bokers and made in Germany. Fake green bone and fake tortoise shell.

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