Sturdy Pocket knife under $100

[daniel craig]

So I’ve been carrying a Spiderco tenacious for a while and the longer I carry it the less I like it. Sure, it’s light weight but it’s also A lightweight performer.

I’ve been carrying my Opinel #8 which is a solid performer but takes two hands to open and doesn’t have a pocket clip.

I’m looking at the Ontario Rat II and Kershaw Blur.

It’s important to note I can’t/don’t carry a fixed blade.


What are your thoughts?


P.s. I suppose it is a worthy exercise discussing how to carry a small fixed blade when you can’t have a visible sheath knife on you.


My Uses: Everything from carving wood during projects to cutting drywall, to cutting rope or punching an air hole in a soda can to cutting a deer. Basically my edc is a utility knife. I guess I’m looking for a close to a fixed blade as a person can get in a folding knife. I’ve noticed that the heavier cutting tasks make the Spyderco feel like it’ll collapse on my hand.

 

[hso]

The Blur and Rat are both fine everyday knives, but it would help to know what you're using a knife for day in day out so we're not just operating on assumptions about how "sturdy" sturdy needs to be from the knives you are carrying. The Tenacious is about the same for sturdiness as the Rat and Blur.

 

[JShirley]

Even though I don't like liner locks, the Tenacious and its brethren are fairly sturdy examples of the type.

Spyderco back/midlocks (especially ones with steel liners), Kershaw frame locks, and even cheap Ganzos with Benchmade-style locks should all be significantly stronger

 

[SharpDog]

The Blur looks like a great knife. I carry Kershaw Launch 1 for EDC (plunge lock automatic). The BareKnuckle is a Kershaw frame lock.


Kershaw Bareknuckle - Sub Frame Lock Knife | Gray | Blade HQ

I would also look at the Kershaw Knockout. I have this as an alternative to my Launch 1 but I don't carry it. It is similar to the Launch 1 but frame lock instead of AO:


Kershaw Knockout for sale - Kershaw Assisted Opening Knives - Blade HQ




Kershaw Blur Assisted Opening Folding Pocket Knife 3.4 Drop Point (midwayusa.com)


Kershaw Blur Assisted Opening Folding Pocket Knife 3.4 Drop Point (midwayusa.com)

 

[mcb]

I have a Kershaw Cryo II Titanium (the finish not the actual metal) that I got off of Woot back when they still had good deals for like $20 and it has been a tank of pocket knife for me. You can still find Cryo II on Amazon for $30-$40. Holds a decent edge, but still fairly easy to sharpen. The assisted opening is nice and the pocket clip is very strong and tight so you don't loose it off a pocket. The pocket clip can also be removed or move to either end on either side of the knife. For the money it has been a solid knife.

 

[daniel craig]

The Blur and Rat are both fine everyday knives, but it would help to know what you're using a knife for day in day out so we're not just operating on assumptions about how "sturdy" sturdy needs to be from the knives you are carrying. The Tenacious is about the same for sturdiness as the Rat and Blur.

Everything from carving wood during projects to cutting drywall, to cutting rope or punching an air hole in a soda can to cutting a deer. Basically my edc is a utility knife. I guess I’m looking for a close to a fixed blade as a person can get in a folding knife. I’ve noticed that the heavier cutting tasks make the Spyderco feel like it’ll collapse on my hand.

 

[JShirley]

Also, be aware that assisted openers with flippers you may only be able to open safely with the flipper (even if they have thumb studs). The Cryo is one such knife. It is unsafe to open with the thumb stud.

It's a great knife in many respects, but if you want a "tactical" knife, it and the Knockout (which I also had), are not good choices.

John

 

[daniel craig]

Also, be aware that assisted openers with flippers you may only be able to open safely with the flipper (even if they have thumb studs). The Cryo is one such knife. It is unsafe to open with the thumb stud.

It's a great knife in many respects, but if you want a "tactical" knife, it and the Knockout (which I also had), are not good choices.

John

Love the cryo! I had the all metal one, apparently they make it in G10 now.

 

[mcb]

Also, be aware that assisted openers with flippers you may only be able to open safely with the flipper (even if they have thumb studs). The Cryo is one such knife. It is unsafe to open with the thumb stud.

It's a great knife in many respects, but if you want a "tactical" knife, it and the Knockout (which I also had), are not good choices.

John

My thumb would argue with you on the safety of opening the Cryo with the thumb stud, do it all the time with my Cryo II and never an issue, maybe I am doing it wrong.

 

[SharpDog]

Also, be aware that assisted openers with flippers you may only be able to open safely with the flipper (even if they have thumb studs). The Cryo is one such knife. It is unsafe to open with the thumb stud.

It's a great knife in many respects, but if you want a "tactical" knife, it and the Knockout (which I also had), are not good choices.

John

What's a "tactical" knife ?

 

[JShirley]

My thumb would argue with you on the safety of opening the Cryo with the thumb stud, do it all the time with my Cryo II and never an issue, maybe I am doing it wrong.

Those assisted openers blade travel starts out fast, and then slows down abruptly, and if you've got your thumb on the thumb stud, it can slide onto the edge.

 

[JShirley]

What's a "tactical" knife ?

it kind of seems like you want to have a semantics argument, which does not interest me at all. If one is getting a folding knife with defense being at least somewhat a consideration, you wouldn't want a folder that forces you to change grips before you could use it. Knives with "flippers", for instance, force a grip change before you can use the knife well.

John

 

[SharpDog]

it kind of seems like you want to have a semantics argument, which does not interest me at all. If one is getting a folding knife with defense being at least somewhat a consideration, you wouldn't want a folder that forces you to change grips before you could use it. Knives with "flippers", for instance, force a grip change before you can use the knife well.

John

Sorry, I guess I didn't distinguish between moving my forefinger vs. my thumb to be a 'grip change'. The way I open a flipper is to start it with my forefinger and finish it with my wrist. I really do not see how that could make a "tactical" difference.

(25375) Opening Flipper Knives With The "Lighter Method" - YouTube

 

[Speedo66]

OP: Keep in mind since you're in NYS, assisted openers were ruled to be switchblades, thus only legal to carry while fishing, hunting or trapping, with appropriate license.

 

[mcb]

Those assisted openers blade travel starts out fast, and then slows down abruptly, and if you've got your thumb on the thumb stud, it can slide onto the edge.

Interesting, I guess I always use a firm press of my thumb on the end of the stud and leave a good portion of the pad of my thumb sliding on the handle as I push the blade open so, first the blade does not out run my thumb and in the off chance it does my thumb cannot move down into the plane of the cutting edge. I have carried that knife for almost five years now with never an issue opening or closing it one handed.

 

[JShirley]

Sorry, I guess I didn't distinguish between moving my forefinger vs. my thumb to be a 'grip change'. The way I open a flipper is to start it with my forefinger and finish it with my wrist. I really do not see how that could make a "tactical" difference.

(25375) Opening Flipper Knives With The "Lighter Method" - YouTube

I understand you don't see the difference. Opening my Spydercos leaves my hand in a perfectly usable pinch grip. Nothing has to change to immediately use the knife, no shift, no hand movement, nothing except immediate cutting. In an emergency, that 1/3 second can mean the difference between life and death- however you describe the style of knife you use.

 

[Antihero]

A CRKT Fossil is about as close to a fixed knife as you can get and very sturdy.

I do hate the clip though

 

[jmr40]

For a sturdy under $100 knife there is nothing wrong with your choices. I just like the Buck Vantage Pro better. You get USA made S30V steel and G10 handles for around $85. Make sure you get the Pro version. They make a regular version with 420 HC steel and plastic handles. It is also a decent knife selling for under $40 in most places if the better steel and handle material aren't important.

Amazon.com : Buck Knives 0347BKS Vantage PRO Folding Knife with Clip : Sports & Outdoors

 

[daniel craig]

OP: Keep in mind since you're in NYS, assisted openers were ruled to be switchblades, thus only legal to carry while fishing, hunting or trapping, with appropriate license.

Meh. That might just be the city. Either that or nobody gives a hoot because every place that sells knives here sells assisted openers and lots of people buy them. Used to sell them myself.

I appreciate the looking out but it’s a choice I’m willing to make.

 

[daniel craig]

For a sturdy under $100 knife there is nothing wrong with your choices. I just like the Buck Vantage Pro better. You get USA made S30V steel and G10 handles for around $85. Make sure you get the Pro version. They make a regular version with 420 HC steel and plastic handles. It is also a decent knife selling for under $40 in most places if the better steel and handle material aren't important.

Amazon.com : Buck Knives 0347BKS Vantage PRO Folding Knife with Clip : Sports & Outdoors

Never heard of it; thanks mate! aaaannnndddd Amazon won’t ship to my location.

 

[JERRY]

there are hundreds of lock blade knives for under $100 that I would use for lock blade duty. for serious work its a fixed blade.

 

[daniel craig]

there are hundreds of lock blade knives for under $100 that I would use for lock blade duty. for serious work its a fixed blade.

Same. But I can’t carry a fixed blade, therefor the point is moot.

 

[ugaarguy]

The Buck Vantage line isn't any sturdier than the Spyderco Tenacious. There isn't a liner lock folder in existence that's going to be significantly sturdier than a Spyderco Tenacious. If you want a truly sturdy folder get a Benchmade with an Axis lock (or a Ganzo with their version of the Axis lock), Spyderco with a Caged Ball Bearing or Compression Lock, or a Cold Steel with the Tri-Ad lock. The Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter is a bit over your budget, but it's big and beefy, and comes with an blaze orange handle. Blade HQ has the aluminum handle Cold Steel Code 4 with clip point or spear point blade on sale for $80 right now.

 

[Yo Mama]

Sturdy?

Buck Marksman strong lock is about as strong a lock that you're going to get on a folder, except maybe for the cold steel triad lock. A bit over 100, but stellar in many ways.



And don't order knives from Amazon, you're going to run into lack of options with selection not being anywhere close to the dedicated knife websites, or as trusted to not be a clone or a fake.

 

[JShirley]

The "strong lock" doesn't inherently look any stronger than Spyderco's compression lock, or their ball bearing lock. I'm sure it's a quality product, I just don't think that it's stronger than other strong locks already on the market.