The inexpensive valuable knife list.

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If amazon.com sold guns I would be in hog heaven. I find many things there at outstanding prices.

I recently ordered a flooring nail gun from them. Price was no kidding $218 dollars cheaper than I was quoted by both Lowes and Home Depot to special order the exact same item. A water solenoid I need for a whole house humidifeir was $63 dollars cheaper than I could get locally.
 
Several come to mind.

Glock field knife. Might be just a hair above the $25 limit though.

Cold Steel Bushman. I got 3 for $39 a few years ago with nylon sheaths. The sheaths are nothing to brag about. The knives are factory seconds but there is nothing real obvious that screams problem. Every now and then for fun I take one out on the porch and split wood with it. I have not been able to break one.

http://ilbob.blogspot.com/2010/10/cold-steel-bushman-wood-splitting.html

I got this Kershaw Vapor folder I carry in my pocket now from the Cabelas Bargain Cave for $15.
http://ilbob.blogspot.com/2011/01/cabelas-purchases.html

It is not like I get all that much use out of my knives.

Often you can find used knives at flea markets and garage sales (or eBay) for pennies on the dollar. I have often seen high quality wood handled, full tang butcher knives at garage sales for a dollar or two. They would make very suitable field knives with the addition of some kind of sheath.
 
I don't consider the Glock field knives to be of sufficient quality since they come without a working edge on them far too often.
 
Probably at the lower end of the quality curve, but a handy knife that I carried for many years till TSA became the proud owner...Leatherman Micro. Usually comes with a little holster so it won't snag your pant's pocket. The blade is sharp and stays sharp. I have a nice scar on a finger to prove it. It has a few other small tools that are handy as well.
I guess I put the Micro in the category of an inexpensive handy multi task pocket tool that is light and doesn't take up much space in the pocket. I think I paid less than $15.00 for it.
I carry a little Victorinox now. One blade for string cutting and box opening etc. and a blunt fingernail file that can double as a little screw driver for a small chore on one side, and a scissors on the other side. Good for fingernail trimming and clipping skin snags. Close to weightless as any little knife can be. Price would certainly be under $25.00. I got mine as a gift.

I've had two of the Buck knives shown on post #14. Two different sizes of them. I've used them when small game hunting.
 
I find the Byrd line of knives to be well made and inexpensive, however some models venture beyond the 25 dollar mark. Mora's obviously. Then Kershaw has their own "value" line of folding knives that feature the Clash, Drone, Asset, Chill, Needs Work, OD-2, and a few others. Most of the knives are Speedsafe assisted and are very reasonably priced. 8Cr13MoV steel may not be the best around but, from what I've experienced, it's a reasonable steel that provides decent performance for the price.
 
I'm going with Mora #1, Gerber Profile, Victoinox Trekker, Becker BK14 (30bucks), Leatherman ps4, and S&W SWAT II.
 
There's a little Gerber clipped to my T shirt. It's one of the paraframe models with about 2" of blade and weighs little more than a sigh. I think I paid less than $10 for it.

I cleaned my nails with it a few minutes past, opened some mail and shaved a bare patch on the back of my left hand. It's scary sharp and a good little tool. Cleans squirrels like it was made for that.

In the truck there's a former Navy Electrician's knife, like a Boy Scout knife but all metal. Yard sale, $0.25.

Another yard sale provided a bone handled Barlow my son now has. I believe that was under a dollar also. I think that was an Imperial.

Last time at Bass Pro, saw a Fiskars filet knife for $14. Didn't buy it, my old one,also a Fiskars, is still going after close to 30 years. Scary sharp.
 
I really like the CRKT Minimalist knives. Something like 18 bucks on Amazon and 24 at a local outdoor store.

Opinels are some of the best in any price range.

The Victorinox paring knife is great. I like it better then my more expensive paring knife. It's the most used in my kitchen. I always see the guys working the farmers markets and fruit stands using them. You can get a blade cover for it and still be under 15 bucks I bet. Then it's a great lightweight camping or picnic knife.
 
Fixed: Mora Classic No. 1
Folder: Victorinox Pocket Pal, Bantam, Pioneer and Farmer.
Always Knife: Vic Classic SD.
Gentleman's knife*: Case yellow handle, CV blade Peanut and 32087
Click to expand...

A man of great taste. Gotta love those Moras and CV Peanuts.
Just bought my nephew a yellow CV Mini Trapper. They were out of Peanuts, or that would've been what I bought him.


Jason
 
Opinel and the basic Mora knives must be the best values on the planet. Another vote for the Svord Peasant knife. For fixed blades, I also like the Old Hickory line of kitchen knives.

Jeff
 
If we are going into the realm of kitchen knives. Rada Cutlery, super paring knife R127, the tomato slicer R126, and the cheese knife R139.

These are all darn good little knives for little money. The Ladies Auxilary from the VFW, sells them often for a fund raiser. Seems like I have a extra three dozen laying here and there.
 
Grampster, on that note the Leatherman Micra series tools are all readily available online for under $25. The slightly larger Squirt and Wingman sit in the $25-$30 range, again from most of the reputable online dealers. The more pocketknife Style series are all available for less than $20 online as well. I've no experience with the Wingman, but if it's anything like every other Leatherman I've used quality will be excellent. The Leatherman knives & tools are still US Made (with some foreign companents, but so few that only the State of CA says they can't be labeled as US Made), whereas most other similarly priced multi tools from competitors are made in China to varying degrees of quality.
 
None of the post Taylor Brands Schrade or S&W knives or current Winchester or Ozark Trail products are good enough to include as being a real value quality knife. Some of the Gerbers are on the line. These look good, but they're not "punching above their weight" like other knives mentioned that deliver outstanding quality and great value at a $25 and below.

Our objective isn't to find cool looking knives that are cheap, but great performing knives that are inexpensive.
 
I love my Opinel. It's a No.08. I sort of blued the blade. I can, and have shaved with it.

Fixed blade (which I prefer) - Courier des bois knife from Track of the Wolf.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/464/1/KNIFE-COURIER-L
It goes (almost) everywhere with me, and gets used (almost) every day. Even fits in my pocket, in a sheath. Easy to sharpen, beautiful, and sturdy. It's not a pry bar, but it's sturdy. Also, the handle fits the hand very, very well.
I recommend anything from that maker (Dean Oliver, I think).

I also have to recommend the Old Hickory line from Ontario. Just great kitchen knives. I don't use wustoff anymore, as the Hickory knives are easier to maintain, and I don't feel bad throwing their AWESOME butcher knife. Man, does that thing fly!
 
This little Gem- a OLD Schrade Imperial was a whole dollar at a yard sale. Crusted, rusted, and yucky. Dude smirked at me when I bought it. Whatever look at it now

IMG_1250.jpg


Igot an Schrade SB 7 that was 5 dollars and have been offered $150 for - no deal, that one is put up for my only grandson. he is 3. :)
 
One caveat on the knives in this category: the manufacturers save $$ somewhere, and it's often in the sheath (if any). Those who want any kind of sheath, scabbard or pouch may find that they have to buy a better one than the one that accompanied the knife, or make their own.

This isn't really a complaint. I would much rather they spent the money giving me a good blade for my dollars. Sheaths I can make, from leather, from Kydex, or from trash can plastic (for machetes only). I even make my own rivets / grommets from copper tubing, so the cost of a sheath is minimal.

All my best,
Dirty Bob
 
If we are going into the realm of kitchen knives. Rada Cutlery, super paring knife R127, the tomato slicer R126, and the cheese knife R139.

These are all darn good little knives for little money. The Ladies Auxilary from the VFW, sells them often for a fund raiser. Seems like I have a extra three dozen laying here and there.
Click to expand...

Are those the ones with the aluminum handles? I think I have quite a few of those as well.


Jason
 
if i tried to stick to the $25, theres only a few that come to mind..

any Buck that says USA, the Mora knives and the Glock field knife.
 
Limiting

I'm good with two of those (I'm less fond of my Glock knife), but I think you're missing out if you haven't tried Opinel.

They're not perfect for every application, but they are cheap and light, made with good steel, and sharp. And with very little effort, they get hazard sharp. You can sprinkle them throughout your tool boxes, cars, camping gear, and random "ready bags," just in case.

If you do manage to break one (and that's harder than it looks) you won't cry, you'll just replace it.

It's a working man's knife. Ain't nuthin' pretentious about it at all.

It fits in the same "application space" as the sodbuster, but is available in a range of sizes beyond what's available in a sodbuster. The #12 . . . well, it would be awesome if I could find an affordable sodbuster in that size.

:D



 
knifeconstruction.jpg


http://www.radacutlery.com/about/madeinusa

These are the Rada knives I am talking about. I use the super paring knife R127 more than any other knife in my game processing. Darn fine little boning knife for a whopping $7
 
My list
Mora, by Frost
Case Sodbuster
Mercator k55k Black cat
Opinel # 6 thru#8
Douk-Douk
Case Blackthorn
Ebay Camillus TL-29
Ebay Schrade (USA) Sharpfinger
Ebay Schrade (USA) 194ot, 18ot and 108ot
Camillus 717 Trapper with 1 clip blade
All were under $25 each
 
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