Quality EDC Folding knife under $50

[lovenhim]

Hello everyone.  My birthday is coming up on 5/24 and I am trying to get ideas for a gift.  I only own one knife and that is a Gerber Paraframe.  I think I want another folding knife but not sure what to look for.  It would be for EDC use and God forbid for self defense if your life was in danger.  Does Leatherman make a quality folding knife, if so which model?  I have no idea of what brands to look for.  Thanks for the help.

[jerseydevil]

I'm sure you're going to get many different opinions on this one, but here's my two cents.  When I carry a dedicated folder, I usually carry a Kershaw Skyline. 3" blade, G10 grips, and VERY light.  Great knife, takes and holds a WICKED edge, and the flipper action is very fast and smooth.  It's not an assisted opener, but just a quick to open.  Perhaps the best part is you can get it at Walmart for much less than $50.  I paid $30 for mine if I remember correctly.

[PyroJames]

I'm sure you're going to get many different opinions on this one, but here's my two cents.  When I carry a dedicated folder, I usually carry a Kershaw Skyline. 3" blade, G10 grips, and VERY light.  Great knife, takes and holds a WICKED edge, and the flipper action is very fast and smooth.  It's not an assisted opener, but just a quick to open.  Perhaps the best part is you can get it at Walmart for much less than $50.  I paid $30 for mine if I remember correctly.

I agree, the Skyline is a fantastic knife!

[prime77]

I would recommend anything from the Spyderco Tenacious family they are great knives and you can pick your size preference.



A knife that I picked up for under $50 and have been very pleased with is the Meyerco Kirby Lambert ShockWave. It's big and beefy and really nice. G10 and carbon fiber and a really nice big liner lock for under $50.



Another one I just got the other day for under $50 is the Cold Steel Rajah 3. I have no pics of it yet but check out some YouTube vids for it. It's a really nice knife for the $.

[lovenhim]

Thank you for the ideas.  Is there a quality knife with an axis lock system on it rather than a liner lock?  Also would a 111mm one hand opening SAK be a good idea as well?

[edcgear]

Just wanted to say: look at 111mm SAK. They are as described. Quality under 50$ and some extras on them!! 

[Fisting_Chili]

Thank you for the ideas.  Is there a quality knife with an axis lock system on it rather than a liner lock?  Also would a 111mm one hand opening SAK be a good idea as well?

If you want a good quality axis lock knife, you could check out the SRM 962.  I posted some pics in this thread after I got it on ebay for $20.00
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,27144.0.html

I was also going to suggest the Spyderco Tenacious line, but was beat to the punch!  Happy early birthday!

[Sparky415]

As you are in the USA how about a Buck? 

[Fisting_Chili]

As you are in the USA how about a Buck? 

The Buck 110 or a Schrade LB7 are both awesome knives, but make sure you find older, USA made versions!

[Sparky415]

I thought the 110 was  USA made but I see you are right Chilli 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Knives

[dks]

As mentioned by others, if you do not want a linerlock, then look at some of the Cold steel Tri-Ad lock models, solid lock and some of them are self defence oriented.

Or, for less money look at the major Chinese makers, like SRM, BEE etc. or some of the Case, CRKT, Buck, Ontario etc. liner locking knives.

If you dont worry too much about self defence use you could get a nice slipjoint for that money.

[lovenhim]

Thank you all so much for this advice, I am enjoy it.  I really know nothing about knives....blade types, point types, steel type, etc.  I am trying to learn.  I am looking at CRKT knives as well because I have some CRKT items being sent to me and I have never seen a CRKT anything.  The reason I think that I want an axis lock is because your fingers are out of the way of the blade when closing the knife.  I only know of the liner lock and the frame lock that is on my only knife which is a Gerber Paraframe.  I consider myself a newbie with knives and I only know of the blades on my multitools. 
     I am trying to do some research about steel used in folding knives but it is confusing.    I like the idea of Kershaw being made in the USA.  I see that knives under the $50 mark made by CRKT are Chinese, we do not want that.    As with many things made in China, they can be of a lesser quality.  I see that the Leatherman knives are 154CM around that price range....which I am seeing is an American made steel.  I am just trying to get good quality for the money as this would be my primary folding knife and my only other knife other than that Paraframe. 

[Cleanser]

Hi,

Kershaw is owned by a japanese company with manufacturing plants in USA. Many of Kershaw knives are made in China, but they are good quality knives and provide good value.

I recently bought a Kershaw volt 2 which is a chinese made model, I think this knife is really good value for 20 dollars and didn't suffer from being built in china

[jekostas]

     I am trying to do some research about steel used in folding knives but it is confusing.    I like the idea of Kershaw being made in the USA.  I see that knives under the $50 mark made by CRKT are Chinese, we do not want that.    As with many things made in China, they can be of a lesser quality.  I see that the Leatherman knives are 154CM around that price range....which I am seeing is an American made steel.  I am just trying to get good quality for the money as this would be my primary folding knife and my only other knife other than that Paraframe. 

Please don't make those types of assumptions, because they straight up haven't been true for years now.

[lovenhim]

I am sorry about the "made in China" comments.  I mentioned that because mainly I am repeating what I grew up hearing my father say who grew up in the 60s.  I am sorry about that.  Thank you all for the great help with picking out a knife and also for calling me out on my comment.   
     By the way, what is the main differences in an EDC labeled knife and a tactical labeled knife? 

[Sazabi]

     I am trying to do some research about steel used in folding knives but it is confusing.    I like the idea of Kershaw being made in the USA.  I see that knives under the $50 mark made by CRKT are Chinese, we do not want that.    As with many things made in China, they can be of a lesser quality.  I see that the Leatherman knives are 154CM around that price range....which I am seeing is an American made steel.  I am just trying to get good quality for the money as this would be my primary folding knife and my only other knife other than that Paraframe. 

Please don't make those types of assumptions, because they straight up haven't been true for years now.

To be fair, that can be true, but that most definitely is not the case for all companies.  I must say that Taylor Craplery Company's Schrade, Uncle Henry, et al. lines are of definitely worse quality and material than the old US-made lines; the counterpoint to that argument is that Taylor Co. only bought the names of the companies to make a few bucks.  On the opposite side of the Chinese-made-knife-spectrum are the Chinese-made Spyderco, Senrenmu, Rough Rider, Chinese-made-Bucks, et cetera, ad infinitum.  Chinese-made products most definitely can be of quality, so long as the companies are willing to tell their factories that; otherwise, just going for the cheapest-made product does nothing to help the products. :/

The same can be said with Chinese-made multitools; the comparison between an inexpensive $5 generic multitool and a $80-$100 Multitasker, both made in China, but the mindset of the company purchasing the production of the items in the country is what ultimately makes the difference.

Personally, I'm dying to get my hands on the eventual EDC Multitasker multitool, and I really want a Rough Rider Scout knife; I carry Fenix flashlights, and my computer - and effectively everyone else's, is made of components and mostly assembled in either China, Vietnam, Korea, or Thailand; I have absolutely no problem which items made abroad, so long as I know the quality is there; for that, you simply have to read reviews and try to go with an established company.

In regard to the topic at hand, I would recommend you look at Senrenmu, or Spyderco's and Kershaw's Chinese-made knives; they really aren't shabby, and depending on which model you end up with, you may have enough left over to get your first Rough Rider pattern(s).   Conversely, if you were wanting to go with Schrade or Uncle Henry, I'd strongly advise you to go with the old US-made knives, as I have seen the differences between the company changeover, and I've been left with nothing but distaste, but that's more of my opinion of Taylor Cutlery Company as a whole, as the current Schrade and Uncle Henry companies are similar to the old companies only in the fact that their names are the same, and they make knives, beyond that, it's like night and day. :/

Err, I didn't get off topic much, did I? ^^;

[lovenhim]

     I am trying to do some research about steel used in folding knives but it is confusing.    I like the idea of Kershaw being made in the USA.  I see that knives under the $50 mark made by CRKT are Chinese, we do not want that.    As with many things made in China, they can be of a lesser quality.  I see that the Leatherman knives are 154CM around that price range....which I am seeing is an American made steel.  I am just trying to get good quality for the money as this would be my primary folding knife and my only other knife other than that Paraframe. 

Please don't make those types of assumptions, because they straight up haven't been true for years now.

To be fair, that can be true, but that most definitely is not the case for all companies.  I must say that Taylor Craplery Company's Schrade, Uncle Henry, et al. lines are of definitely worse quality and material than the old US-made lines; the counterpoint to that argument is that Taylor Co. only bought the names of the companies to make a few bucks.  On the opposite side of the Chinese-made-knife-spectrum are the Chinese-made Spyderco, Senrenmu, Rough Rider, Chinese-made-Bucks, et cetera, ad infinitum.  Chinese-made products most definitely can be of quality, so long as the companies are willing to tell their factories that; otherwise, just going for the cheapest-made product does nothing to help the products. :/

The same can be said with Chinese-made multitools; the comparison between an inexpensive $5 generic multitool and a $80-$100 Multitasker, both made in China, but the mindset of the company purchasing the production of the items in the country is what ultimately makes the difference.

Personally, I'm dying to get my hands on the eventual EDC Multitasker multitool, and I really want a Rough Rider Scout knife; I carry Fenix flashlights, and my computer - and effectively everyone else's, is made of components and mostly assembled in either China, Vietnam, Korea, or Thailand; I have absolutely no problem which items made abroad, so long as I know the quality is there; for that, you simply have to read reviews and try to go with an established company.

In regard to the topic at hand, I would recommend you look at Senrenmu, or Spyderco's and Kershaw's Chinese-made knives; they really aren't shabby, and depending on which model you end up with, you may have enough left over to get your first Rough Rider pattern(s).   Conversely, if you were wanting to go with Schrade or Uncle Henry, I'd strongly advise you to go with the old US-made knives, as I have seen the differences between the company changeover, and I've been left with nothing but distaste, but that's more of my opinion of Taylor Cutlery Company as a whole, as the current Schrade and Uncle Henry companies are similar to the old companies only in the fact that their names are the same, and they make knives, beyond that, it's like night and day. :/

Err, I didn't get off topic much, did I? ^^;

You are right, as long as a knife is made with quality specs, it does not really matter where it is made.  If you did get off topic, it did not matter to me.  I am open to ideas and suggestions as I do not own a folding knife other than a Gerber Paraframe.  I might as well get ideas from those who own them.  I just keep looking as I am not sure what I want.  Thanks for all the help.

UPDATE:  Thanks to GadgetGuy I have a Kershaw Skyline on the way.