Modestly Priced Quality Knives

[ArfinGreebly]

This thread is spun off from the "Inexpensive Valuable Knives" thread.

This is the place to offer suggestions for knives you consider to be a bargain, modestly priced, yet providing good value, but which don't make the $25 cutoff in the other thread.

So, just to establish the framing for the price range, let's begin at $26 -- where the other thread leaves off -- and continue up to $60.

Some latitude is allowed for "outstanding value," in a knife that may cost a bit more than $60 but whose value would normally peg it as costing twice that.

Let's use some common sense. A $75 knife that's worth $75 is out of range for this discussion, even if it's your favorite and you know someone else would love one. For that, just start a separate thread.


I'm going to start off with the new Light My Fire / Mora product, the FireKnife.

I recently scored one of these for $25, FOB my front door, but the usual retail pricing is around $30.

They come in several colors:

The one I got is green: - -

See also the separate thread on this knife.


I will mention that there are several Mora knives that fall in this $26-to-$60 price range. The Swedish catalog at Ragnar's Forge has a lot of them.

Happily, the $60 cap opens the door to this little gem:

The The Eriksson Hand Axe weighs in at about 18 oz, and costs $59 at Ragnar's place.

 

[HKGuns]

HSO....Does that French knife come in a boxed set with a white flag?

Here is my example of a good and "moderately" inexpensive knife. Certainly not $25 though.

 

[T.R.]

These are my fixed blade hunting/camping knives. None cost me more than $40.00.

- Frost (import)
- Schrade (USA)
- Buck (USA)
- Steel Warrior (import)

TR

 

[BCCL]

Ontario RAT-1 folder.
SOG Salute
Gerber Metolius

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

Are Frost and Steel Warrior knives considered quality? I've never read any reviews of those brands. I know Gerber and Mora both offer a quality, inexpensive knife.

 

[bikerdoc]

From CRKT,

The Delegate and Firespark can be had for about 49 to 59

From Kershaw,

Bawler, Drone, Volt ll, Burst, Needs Work, 39 to 49.

All are A/O, and I have used them all.

 

[Omaney]

Kershaw 1550. Can be had on eBay for less than $50, assisted open, and holds a hair popping edge. I've owned four, not cuz they're cheap, I just lose things.

 

[nebeel]

HK, that's a neat looking knife. What kind of Buck is it?

 

[Pete D.]

Quality for less than $60

KA-Bar USMC plain edge. $56-$59.
They work and they last.
Ontario Knife makes a knock off that is very serviceable for about $43.
Pete

 

[halogrinder]

I like and have been carrying a kershaw shallot for a few years now. been used for everything regarding cutting/hacking/gutting/slicing and keeps a GREAT edge. it retains very well on your pocket, and also opens very quickly and locks very well via its speed opener.

 

[1KPerDay]

Kershaw Scallion is my personal fave. Fits in my change pocket, deploys easily. I was lucky enough to get the damascus bladed stainless frame lock one from a forum member for about $30. LOVE it.

I have the smaller chive as well, and it's almost too small. Cute and razor sharp.

 

[22-rimfire]

Off the top of my head, the basic Buck 110 is a good value for a hard use folder. I'm sure I'll think of others.

There are many Victorinox swiss army knife models that exceed $25 and they are generally an excellent overall value.

 

[Il Duca]

Kershaw Junkyard Dog (plain blade)
Kershaw Leek
Spyderco Centofante
Ontario Rat-1 or Utilitac
Most of Condor's lineup

 

[sigarms228]

Ontario RAT-1 - amazing value IMO.
Kershaw Skylikne
Kershaw Blur
Benchmade Mini Griptilain/Griptilan - just outside the price range but extreme value for the investment IMO

 

[sm]

Arf,
Forgive me in regard to your price range, as I (1) am not sure of some prices, and (2) prices may vary. That said-

-Custom knives.
It might surprise some folks what they can truly purchase from a Custom Knife Maker, in the price ranges Arf is referencing.
Just me, still I respect the craftsmanship and so forth and so on, a craftsman truly does. I have my reasons, and some know the "why" more than others.

-Production.
Yes, I admit a preference for carbon steel, tool steel blades.
I also admit to coming up with Case.

Case Mako Shark. It fits MY hands, and while it does have that danged ole "stainless steel" blade, it fits my hands and I like the leather sheath. I miss a few I had in the past, especially one, hand engraved by a mentor.

I have this thing, while I again no longer have one, for the Case small fixed blade. Name escapes me (Little Finn ? or is it Trout & Bird ?)


Buck.
Darn difficult to argue with a Buck 112 ( my preference) or a Buck 110.
The reality is these two are proven, and continue to prove.

Sending best-
Steve

 

[TimboKhan]

Hands down, my two absolute favorite knives that hover around this price range (Either a touch over or a touch under, depending...) are the Spyderco Endura and the Kershaw Blur. The Endura has been my favorite knife for years, and the Blur has become a favorite over the last few months, bumping out even the very excellent Griptilian on my personal favorites list.

 

[ugaarguy]

KA-Bar USMC plain edge. $56-$59.
They work and they last.
Ontario Knife makes a knock off that is very serviceable for about $43.
Pete

Considering that, one, Camillus was the company that first produced the USMC Mark 2 Combat Knife (also known as Knife, Fighting Utility and model 1219C2), and, two, Ontario has also been contracted by the DOD to make the same knife for military use; The Ontario isn't a knock off. It's the real deal for about 1/3 less money. Ontario is also the current contractor for the slightly smaller, but similarly constructed, so called "US Air Force Survival Knife" which is the standard Air Crew Survival Knife for most of DOD.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Buck 110 and any of the Older Shrade or Shrade Walden made in the USA hunting and fishing knives.

 

[Readyrod]

I love my Spyderco Pacific Salt. It spent almost a week in my swimtrunks last month on vacation going in and out of the sea and the pool without rinsing and only got a spot of rust on the etching.

 

[Inazone]

Is buying brand new a requirement? Once I started paying attention to used items on Amazon, I was amazed at the deals I could find on knives. I bought a "demo" Gerber Prodigy for $15 below the advertised new price at the time, and it turned out to be brand new in the package. I also picked up a used Buck Nighthawk that could have passed for new except for a replaced clasp on the sheath. Most recently, I picked up a USA Gerber Gator for half price, also "used" on Amazon but showing zero signs of use.

Aside from those, I'm quite happy with my various Ontario knives (all USA-made) and the CRKT M60 (Taiwan) that can be found for $30-35; if it was made in the USA, I'm sure it'd cost double or triple, and I have no issue buying products made in Taiwan.

 

[mdauben]

When I think good bargain knives, I automatically think Mora. Its hard to beat that value. For pocket knives, I think its pretty hard to be the Spyderco Delica or Kershaw Leek for quality at a reasonable price.

 

[AuthorityDenied]

Buck 143 $20

[noparse]http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r529/Nymosinman/0607121127-1.jpg[/noparse]

Condor Bushcraft Basic 5" $23

[noparse]http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r529/Nymosinman/FB-Bushcraft-3.jpg[/noparse]

Mod Edit:

Since these fall below $25, I've [post=8215478]moved the content[/post] to the Inexpensive Valuable Knives thread.
​

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Most Quality Fixed Bladed knifes are over the 25 dollars now days unless you get a used one from an estate sale, garage sale or like,

 

[ugaarguy]

Staying at or just over $60 I think Spydercos many Delica and Endura model versions, and their variants like the many Salt and Rescue versions are tough to beat.

At right around the $60 mark the standard VG10 blade Delica and Endura are great values. The Delica based Salt I is still under $70, and the H1 steel is looking like the best thing going for anyone who needs a knife with extreme rust resistance. The ZDP-189 blade Delica and Endura are pushing the limit at just under $100, but I think that steel really pushes them into the exceptional value category.

Along the same theme, the Delica and Endura's little brother the Dragonfly is another exceptional value. With their 2&1/2" blades, and very well designed handles they're still big enough to use for pretty serious tasks, unlike the the key ring sized Ladybug and Man Bug. At under $70 for the ZDP-189 model the entire FRN handle range of these knives meets the price criteria (there are a few even higher priced variants, but I'm not sure they meet the value criteria as well).

 

[JShirley]

Spyderco Cat is a terrific, well-mannered little folder for around $40. The Chicago is similar but only has a 2" blade.

The Dragonfly cuts disproportionately for its size, but really is a bit on the small side. It's around the same price as the Cat, and only a few dollars more for the H1 version.

The Spyderco Lightweight Native 2 can usually be found for around $60. It's a terrific knife, and though I've finally found knives I like more, it's still what I carried for 10 years or more.

An especially neat modestly priced, very useful knife is the Spyderco Persistence Blue Sprint. The Persistence is one of the very best EDC choices for less than $40 out there, and this limited-release version has nifty blue G10 scales.