I wouldn't recommend a "titanium" knife, firstly because for $10, it's not titanium. It's probably some chinesium knife that won't hold an edge very well. Secondly I don't recall Camillus having a great reputation due to materials and QC.

If you're looking for a good budget knife, I know Ka-Bar and Becker make good ones, and if you can swing an Izula, that would be my choice. Here are some links. Izula Ka-Bar 1 Ka-Bar 2 Ka-Bar 3.

The reason I'm recommending Ka-Bar and ESEE is that they both use 1095 carbon steel which is an excellent choice in toughness and edge retention. I almost forgot Mora, a superb Swedish knife that is renowned for its steel and edge retention, and used worldwide by folks in the workforce and outdoors communities.

The ESEE and Ka-Bars will run you $40-$60, and the mora will run you about $15. You can get Moras and Izulas at Cabelas, but Amazon is also great. Good luck.

> Buck 110


I love the Buck 110 as well. The biggest knock against it is it doesn't come with a thumb tab for one handed opening. However, for around $10 you can get this and you're still under $45 for the knife. I have it on my Buck and after 2 years I've had no problems with it.

I also really like the steel they use for it as it's quick to sharpen but still keeps an edge for a reasonable amount of time for most day to day uses. I have an older Buck 105 with the tougher 440C steel and it takes significantly longer to sharpen it.

Edit: Here's the brass Kwik thumb stud. It's the one I have and it goes well with the brass Buck 110.

The UKPK really does hit all your points. I certainly understand your concern about the aesthetics, though -- I disregarded Spyderco for years for that reason. Get one in your pocket for a couple of days and chances are you'll do a complete 180.

Alternatively, you can make any knife a one hand opener with one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-KTS01756-Stud-Stainless/dp/B006OCP46S

http://www.amazon.com/SABRE-3--Pepper-Spray-Protection/dp/B0007VM8UC

It sounds like you want it for personal protection. Get this instead. This is coming from someone who loves knives and carries one always and has used them a ton and trained to use them. A lot more reliable, and will generally keep you safer, and a lot less legal liability if you use it. Yes there was a commando on the front page, but that is offensive use he was talking about anyway.

And a sweet edc knife, currently 52 bucks: http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Blk-Ffg-Plainedge/dp/B0089DFGIG

Sage 1. It's a hair over your budget, but just do it anyway.

I'd go with this thing: http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Survival-Thermorun-Handle-Sheath/dp/B001JA9Y66/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1333752535&sr=1-1

The Fallkniven F1 is made of insanely durable VG10 steel and is used worldwide as a survival knife for military forces. It's a bit outside of the $100 range, but this one's on sale. Just look around, I'm sure you'll find the reviews to be unanimously positive.

The safest lock in terms of "bias towards closure" is the back lock.

I'd suggest a Spyderco Delica. Fantastic knife suitable for nearly anything, and very safe. It's available in a variety of colors, I'm partial to the Grey:
http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B0052HQPWS

its 167 new on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Techno-Titanium-Plain-Knife/dp/B006L6WSIY

Some thoughts, feel free to take them or leave them:

• Skip the expensive cottage packs until you're further down the rabbit hole, look for a cheap osprey/granite gear/etc. pack, go to a store and try them on. Find one on /r/geartrade or at an REI garage sale. It's never bad to have a spare pack later for family or friends that want to join you here and there. Since you mentioned losing weight, the granite gear packs have an adjustable hip belt which is really nice.
  
  
• Make sure you practice with that alcohol stove in advance, a canister stove is not much heavier once you account for 6oz of fuel, and is just so easy.
  
  
• Go with a cheaper, easier to use, knife. Opinel's are well respected around here and weigh like 1.6oz, the larger handle makes it easier to use. (Some people will tell you to skip the knife all together, but since you had one on there I thought I'd offer an alternative).
  
  
• Skip the flint and go with a second lighter
  
  
• Skip the cottonballs and plan for a little extra alcohol to use for a fire starter if needed.
  
  
• You can probably go cheaper and lighter with a tent, but I understand the desire to hammock camp, I'm not experienced in it, so I won't comment on any of those items.
  
  
• No need for 3 pairs of socks. Use one pair for hiking and one for sleeping. The last day hike in your sleep socks.
  
  
• Ditch the sawyer pouches and one of the smartwater bottles, get a cnoc or evernew dirty water bag instead. Less headache, makes life better at camp (stove cleaning/cooking water), and if you're hiking a dry stretch you can carry more dirty water with you and filter as needed.
  
  
• Don't use alcohol to clean wounds, water will do. Alcohol will do more damage than good, you're not performing surgery.
  
  Honestly, by nature forums like this foster a lot of upgrade culture/gear nerds, you can make just about anything work for a hike (especially in mild temps in PA). No need to shove out a ton of cash to get the best when you start, just get out there and you'll figure out where your system can be improved.
  
  
  
  

Benchmade Mini-Griptilian. http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-Pardue-Design-Mini-Griptillian-Plain/dp/B00180GQJA/

Spyderco Delica 4 (stainless) http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica-Stainless-Steel-Plain/dp/B001PLHP4W/

IMO, both would make fantastic groomsman gifts.

Skip this karambit stuff and buy a trusty Spyderco Delica 4 or Endura 4.




http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CH3V5E/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1419378512&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40



http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0052HQMYY/ref=pd_aw_sims_1?pi=SS115&simLd=1

Newest items first

Taurus 709 Slim: http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=588&category=Pistol

Black Tiger Bicycle Deck: http://www.ellusionist.com/bicycle-black-tiger-decks.html

Spyderco Delica 4 Sky Blue: https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B0052HQPWS

MCPocket Wallet: https://mcpocket.com/en/mcpocket.html

Thorkey - Black leather Key organizer: https://www.amazon.com/Leather-Compact-Key-Organizer-ThorKey/dp/B01DKS65G6

Simple 3M clip for Business Cards: https://www.amazon.com/Brands-Binder-Clips-Medium-A7072050/dp/B00TQ8FDB8/ref=sr_1_4?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1491008178&sr=1-4&keywords=binder+clip

Caseology Parallax GS7 case for Samsung Galaxy S7: https://www.amazon.com/Caseology-Parallax-Textured-Pattern-Samsung/dp/B01BE993DU/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491008193&sr=1-8&keywords=parallax+case

I actually really like the balance of lightening up my pack without sacrificing comfort. To me, that is the key to convincing others to lighten their packs.

That being said, the small things I see would be:

1. Why bring an iphone and ipod and speakers? Don't iphones and ipods have decent speakers? Especially for auidobook quality and not music. I bring an android phone backpacking, and if I leave it on airplane mode I can get through a few days without running out of battery, and I would imagine an extended battery (or solar charger) would weigh less then a speaker and an extra ipod. Also on the phone.. I don't know if this is possible on iphone.. but you can get a sleep timer app and have it shut off your phone after an hour so you save battery while you are sleeping.
   
   
2. I saw the suggestion earlier this week of getting a portable bidet instead of wet wipes and toilet paper. I would assume that would only be an option if you had good water source availability.
   
   
3. I generally wouldn't bring two sources of light. Since this is a comfort pack I would say to bring your favorite light and bring an emergency backup that is UL. I know petzl makes an "emergency" headlamp, or you could get an LED light that clips to your hat.
   
   
4. I imagine that the Morkniv knife is a bit on the heavy side in comparison to some fold up knives.
   Gerber Knife
   This gerber is a good, lightweight, cheap knife. I've had this one for almost ten years with no issues. This would shave an ounce or two.
   
   
5. Many people will echo this, but a quilt will be considerably lighter than the sleeping bag listed. That one is ~3 lbs, the Enlightened Equipment Revelation @ 20 degrees would come in at 19 ounces. That Teton bag looks like a great bargain, but if you have some extra money to burn and want to lighten your load further without compromising comfort, this would be a significant upgrade.
   
   
6. This is not so much a weight suggestion as a general safety suggestion. With some orienteering skill, a compass, and a good topo map you can drop those backup batteries for your GPS and be protected against dead batteries or a malfunctioning of your GPS. Also, extra batteries for your flashlight seems a little redundant if you have an extra light source as well.
   
   
7. One final suggestion: I didn't see any footwear listed above, but if you have clunky waterproof boots, you should consider getting a pair of lightweight trail runners. There have been many posts on this sub about the pros and cons, but that has been the single best change I have made to my gear in the last few years. If you are worried about ankle problems, I have read suggestions about getting lightweight ankle braces to supplement.
   
   Honestly your kit looks like a great balance of weight, comfort, and price. You could change nothing and be happy with what you have for a long time. The suggestions I made above are just if you have some extra dough and a desire to go a bit lighter.
   
   

Every guy needs a decent pocket knife.

Spyderco Sage $95 with free shipping!

S30v Blade. Great shape and size for EDC. Handsom carbon fiber scales. Deep carry wire pocket clip. Its an amazing EDC knife!

Not many folders have a differential heat treatment. Mcusta might be the way to go for that price. For right about $450 you can check out https://www.lamnia.com/en/sc/7/knives/folding-knives?sgid=7&mid=671 It's the only thing I can think of that has that look.

Mcusta is kinda crap on the build quality and ergonomics. I think they're a little cheap for the price.

While none of these are true Hamon's in that it's actually differential heat treatment, this one has the look and is actually 2 types of steel welded together. Cooler in my opinion. And affordable and quality. https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Composite-1660CB-Reversible-Pocketclip/dp/B0017KN4MS

Hey /r/knives, I got my CRKT Triumph from the sellout.woot sale a few days ago and I've gotten to do the initial unboxing and "tee hee, knives" play period. Here's a full Imgur album with all the pics (I'll reference a few of them in line). CRKT's Triumph Page.

First impression: It's freaking huge! I lined it up with some of my larger knives here. From top to bottom these are:

• Kershaw Leek
  
• Spyderco Vallotton
  
• CRKT Triumph
  
• Benchmade 950 Rift
  
• Spyderco Police 3
  
  Second thing I noticed was that the assisted open was really aggressive. When you flip the blade open you can actually hear the spring(s?) twanging inside after the blade is fully deployed. There was actually a brief second of worry about if the blade was going to go flying off/out of the handle. However if you're the type who likes everyone in the room to know that you just opened up your knife, this is a good choice. The "SNIKT" is pretty loud.
  
  Other things - the G10 scales were in a weave pattern which you can see here. This was probably one of the "grippier" feeling G10's I own. In fact the weave pattern made it feel like the scales were rubbing off and leaving dust on your hands - it wasn't, but it felt like touching fine grit sandpaper. I haven't done any hard work with the Triumph, but I get the feeling that this handle might actually get a little uncomfortable with bare hands and heavy usage.
  
  The lock system is one I'm not a huge fan of. In the picture above you can see a little red circle just behind the blade. You have to pull that small lever back before you can depress the lock and close the knife. It makes a one-handed closure difficult (not impossible, just unwieldy).
  
  Thickness - it's on the same level as the Vallotton, so a bit too large for me to consider a comfortable EDC, but others may like those larger knives.
  
  All-in-all I like the knife as a part of my collection. If you bought it on Woot, the price was around $45 (MSRP: ~$80-90), and for that price, I consider it a good buy.

I'm asking for a new Kershaw Leek. Nothing is wrong with the one I have now, I just want to upgrade the blade and get the stainless model.

Edit:Format

Spyderco Manix 2

Why don't you just buy a brand-new Delica from Amazon and be done with it?

I have two recommendations that have never failed me within that price range and bring a lot to the table for the price:

The Delica4 by Spyderco which is large and stays sharp. It can cut and cut and just won't stop. I use this for my outdoor activities where a pocket knife can be used with some abuse. Also has a great grip on it which comes in a multitude of colors. Only knife better by them in my opinion is the paramilitary 2 for about $100 more.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CHANLO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1407121452&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40

The Ken Onion designed Leek by Kershaw is my gentleman's knife. Very sharp straight out of the box and won't fail you. Much smaller than the Delica4 by equally as trustworthy. Super fast deploy speed and fits in the pocket nicely with or without the clip. Kershaw is known for cheaply priced big bang for your buck knives that just keep on going...and if you lose it, your wallet doesn't feel it. First folder I bought a few years ago and it is still my go-to most days.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009VC9Y0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1407121786&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40

Spyderco UK Penknife is pretty much the closet to a modern-style folding knife that is UK legal for anyone to carry in public (sub-3 inch non-locking blade).

Word of warning: UK police have apparently confiscated these legal blades before because they thought that the Spyderco detent blade was a locking mechanism which it is not.

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?13843-Arrested-with-my-Spyderco-UKPK

Just a little heads-up, these are $153.59 on Amazon.

Opinel knives are fantastic. They have a good reputation and they're better than other, more expensive, knives. Most of their knives also come in carbon steel.

I guess I'd have to ask if it's general purpose for camping and hiking or general purpose for everyday life in the city?

City: If it's for the day-to-day life in town I'd go with any quality folder. Of all the folders I've owned I really love Benchmade knives. I own the Mini Griptillian. I would probably get it in the half-serrated in case you need to tear through anything a bit rougher (like plastic packaging). The blades are a good quality and they will re-sharpen it for free if you send it in.

Camping & Hiking: If it's more of a camping general purpose knife it should be in the 3-4" fixed blade range. You can do something like a Mora blade that is $12 and awesome. I actually prefer my Becker Necker as a light general purpose blade. It hangs from my neck under my jacket/shirt and thus is always around but never in the way. It's mostly used for light camp tasks but it could process some wood if required for an emergency fire.

Anyway, hope that helps.

Hi! And welcome!

I like the Gayle Bradley 2 in M4, and the BM Valet in M390, but they are both very expensive to start out with. The Shuffle II is kind of crappy - I'd definitely pass on that one. I have no experience with
the Bartender Defeder, but even the XL version looks too small, as is the Rodie. The Delica and Leek are great knives, and would likely be solid options (their ergonomics are better than their handle lengths suggest, especially the Delica). The CRKT M16 is ok, but it's not great (in my opinion). I've never handled CRKT's Endorser, but it looks like a solid choice.

My best suggestion is a RAT 1 in D2. It's 40 bucks and you get a very well-made knife in D2 (semi stain resistant and will hold an edge for a good long time). The AUS-8 version is good, too, but if you're cutting boxes, the D2 option will stay sharp way longer.

As for some other options, here are some good ones from CRKT:

Foresight - It's big and comfy in-hand, but it's expensive for the materials used (aluminum and AUS-8)

Shenanigan - lighter and cheaper than the Foresight, but with the same blade material (AUS-8)

Outrage - aluminum handle and 8Cr13MoV steel (similar to AUS-8, id est, reasonably stainless, decent toughness, ok-ish edge retention), ball bearing pivot (nice and smooth!)

Ripple - aluminum handle, 8Cr13MoV blade, ball bearing pivot

With these suggestions, it may seem like I'm a shill for CRKT, but I'm not. I'm just a fan of Ken Onion's designs and ergonomics. I also like:

Spyderco Endura - very good stainless steel in a lightweight package, with plenty of handle real estate

Byrd Cara Cara 2 - Spyderco's value brand (basically a cheap Endura with 8Cr13MoV steel instead of the excellent blade steel VG-10)

Spyderco Resilience - big and comfy (G-10 scales with 8Cr13Mov steel), and my daily carry at work

Spyderco Manix 2 - light and medium sized (they also make an XL version), with BD-1 (kinda similar to AUS-8, kinda)

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point - a big knife with lots of grippy G-10 handle space. The CTS XHP steel is the bee's knees, and the Recon 1 is an excellent value, but it may be too expensive as a starting point.

Also, I'm sure some other folks will chime in, too. The guys & gals of /r/knifeclub are pretty knowledgeable and helpful.

Again, my number 1 suggestion is the RAT 1 in D2. It'll be hard to beat interms of construction, ergonomics, and utility.

Happy hunting!

Let's get some participation in this sub!

Other things like my wallet, phone, pistol, and keys come and go as a college student-turned-graduate, farmhand, and product distribution specialist, but these are two things I keep with me almost all the time.

Spyderco Endura 4, blue

I've carried this for over two years now. I love it and would quickly and happily buy another, if I was careless enough to lose it. Which is possible.

Leatherman Wave with the frame painted blaze orange.

I can't believe I forgot to post this last summer! (Actually, I can believe it - no internet on the prairie.)

I've carried the Wave for a year and a half. This thing has saved me a few times. A few small things like "Where did I put those pliers/wire cutters" and "I wish I could could snug up these sunglasses" and "Damn, this screw is loose." But the one time it really saved me was one night last summer on my uncle's ranch. I was a recent biology graduate, and unemployed, so I volunteered to help my uncle and cousin on their ranch. I was alone for a few days and was mending fences and checking the cattle - seeing where they were grazing and making sure all the cows, calves, and bulls were healthy and accounted for. I'd just finished up after sunset. There was a young calf that had lost its momma and was wandering all alone. We have a pretty bad coyote problem around here and a possible mountain lion in the area, as well. I'm pretty sure the calf wouldn't have made it overnight. (Sometimes cows "park" their calves in a covered area while they wander elsewhere. In those cases, the calf won't move even if you walk up and touch it. Pretty crazy. In those cases, it's usually best to just leave the calf alone, as the cow will find it again. This wasn't one of those times.) The calf was up and wandering in an area pretty far from where the cows were. I was actually pretty lucky I found it.

After chasing the calf toward where the cows were and reuniting it with its inexperienced, first-time mother, and being very tired, I was driving the John Deere Gator back to camp a little faster than I should have, and ran into/over a small tree stump. Anyone who's driven a Gator for long can tell you it's worthless in low traction and rides stupidly low. So I was looking at having to walk the mile or so back to camp and be Gator-less until I could drive a pickup there to pull it off the stump. But I didn't want to do that. These were the tools I had available to me, as well as the knife, but I didn't include it in the picture at the time, because it was irrelevant. I had tried backing up, rocking it, jamming the pedal down with a stick and pushing with all of my might, stacking branches beneath the tires, and prying it up and off with branches. All of this has taken me about an hour and I'm almost ready to start walking, when I finally use my brain. I couldn't cut through the whole stump, but I could get the tallest part off, and it would have been enough to get it unstuck. I set to work for the next ten minutes with the saw and chiseling out bits of wood with the screwdriver and hammer. Once the top bit was off, the Gator came off rather easily. I drove back to camp, exhausted and pleased with a full day's work.

But as I was undressing, I realized that I'd left my Leatherman in the dirt. So I had to go back immediately. Good thing I got the orange one! Here's a picture of the stump after all was said and done. And the ruts I made. The stump is the gray spot to the right in the center of the ruts.

Just goes to show that your tools are only as useful as your smarts allow. Remember to work smarter, not harder.

I do quality control and put stuff in boxes for a major electronics distributor.

Edited to add what I posted in /r/EDC.

Look at the Kershaw Leek, its got a good 3 inch blade, it practically disappears in your pocket, is basically a modern gentlemen's folder, and can get it in several different colors. Its one of the most popular knives out there and is well made. Only thing to watch out for is the tip, its very thin and can break off if you try and use it as a pry bar. You can find the leek for about 40-60 bucks depending on the model.

Link - Kershaw Leek

If you're looking for something heavier duty, the Kershaw Blur or Freefall would be good buys. I use a freefall as one of my EDC knives and think its a great buy for the money. The blur is very well regarded as well, though I don't have experience with one myself.

Link for Blur

Link for Freefall

If you don't absolutely need the spring assist, another idea would be a Spyderco Delica 4, or perhaps a Spyderco Persistence if you want a little cheaper price. Both are solid knives for the money and aren't too bulky in the pocket. You can get the Delica in colors too!

Link for Delica 4

Link for Persistence

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CHANLO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510161174&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=delica+4&dpPl=1&dpID=41w6rWFbu4L&ref=plSrch

You can find it in ZDP as well as different blade shapes and waves and whatnot. None of them would break 100 bucks.

I normally don't like making recommendations without more information, including what state you live in, however the way your question is asked makes me believe you may not have extensive experience. First if your state law allows this size carry I recommend Spyderco Endura. If that size is not allowed, then Spyderco Delica. These are both primo knives for the price. They are underwhelming at first look but after a few weeks of carry, you will feel like you have fallen in love with the most stable happy partner of your life.

Bag

• Kit Bag
  
  

  Stationary
  

• Best Pen
  
• Backup Pens
  
• Ruler
  
• Notebook (personal)
  
• Notebook Cover
  
• Accordion File - for forms
  
  

  Tech/Media
  

• Pen Drive
  
• DVD/CDRs
  
• Radio Earpiece
  
• Power Bank + various leads/adaptors
  
  

  MOE
  

• Window Punch
  
• MICA Sheets
  
• Fireman's Drop Key
  
• FB Keys
  
  

  Traffic
  

• Tyre Depth Guage
  
• Traffic Law Book
  
• Duct Tape - so useful
  
  

  On-Person Kit
  

• Handcuff Key
  
• Key Holder
  
• Baton Clip
  
• Torch Holster
  
• Torch
  
• Back Support - not the same, mine's smaller, helps no end
  
• Glove Pouch
  
• CS Pouch
  
• Watch
  
• Boots
  
• Knife
  
  

  Comfort/Personal
  

• Flask
  
• IFAK - I made a L1 kit using this video out of the issued document pouch
  
• Gloves
  
• Patch
  
  I have a problem, although to be fair a lot of it is either stuff I always carry on me/use for other stuff, presents or "acquisitions" from colleagues at work who may be retiring, moving etc.
  
  I also need a decent pair of sunglasses that I can replace the lenses on easily, maybe add some leg restraints if we have a spare set at work.
  
  edit: Do I earn this?
  

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Penknife-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B0052HQV40

That's a great UK legal option. And quite under budget! You could also get him this http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker/dp/B004HIZKHE if you're fine with going a little over budget.

Check this out bro

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Penknife-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B0052HQV40

Made specifically to be legal in the UK.

Also swiss army knives are generally legal too since they're slip joints.

This is the stuff I have on me most of the time. I’m a grad student and as you can see, I’ve been lurking here for quite a while. I’m basically an /r/EDC stereotype at this point.

• Saddleback wallet
  
• bullet space pen
  
• Nitecore p12 flashlight (winter . . . short days)
  
• Ruger SR9c (winter)
  
• Sig p938 (summer)
  
• Spyderco delica (summer)
  
• Benchmade 950-1 rift (winter)
  
• carmex
  
• phone
  
• keys
  
• N82 IWB holsters
  
  *Thoughts: I used to carry a FourSevens QT2A (I think?) and it fit in the pocket much better but was obviously much dimmer than the p12. I think i'll go back to a smaller flashlight next winter. I've also carried a Benchmade 707, 275, and several 556 styles. Of all of them I liked the 707 the best but I tend to give away my knives to anyone that takes interest and the 707's price had gone way up when I went to buy another one.
  
  The p938 is, of course, much easier to carry than the SR9c but I can't hit shit beyond 10 feet away and it only holds 6 rounds. Luckily the odds of me needing to hit someone more than 4 feet away are effectively zero. I kind of regret buying the Sig but it'll do for another summer or two. I highly recommend N82 holsters because they are so damn comfortable and secure compared to most others I've tried. The Saddleback ID wallet is amazing if you never need to carry cash, and I've not found a better pen for my pocket than the Fisher space pen. I also like to buy the space pens in bulk so I can give them away to people who take interest.

$63 on amazon, prime shipping any day of the week.

And it won't take a month to get to you either. Massdrop is great for certain things but 90% of their drops are trash.

Mora is coming out with two full tang knives soon, I'm not sure how soon you're wanting to purchase this knife, but if you've got time, Mora currently has a lot of really really cheap options for smaller companion knives that may not be exactly what you're looking for, but since they're like 10$ I had to say something about them, I have four and use them all more than any expensive knife I own.

The BK10 has many variations, a lot of which do come with secondary handle scales included, not sure what specifically you don't like about the scales, just thought I'd let you know.

The RD6 is a good option, I would consider the little things with this knife, Esee is supposed to be an upgrade from Ontario as its founder designed the RAT series by Ontario and left to make better knives. The Ranger series has a lot of options, and if you like all the small things about this knife (the pommel, grind, choil, thickness), I would look at smaller knives in the ranger series. I spend a lot of time using knives outside, and I always prefer a knife between 3-4". The RD6 is pretty massive, a lot of people buy an Esee 6 (similar size to the RD6) and say they can really only use it for dicking around. I have a Benchmade 162 and even that feels a little too big for me, and that's coming from a big guy. That's not to say you wouldn't be able to use it effectively, but there's a happy medium for outdoor fixed blade size, and this steps out of that medium. The RD4 is probably a much better option IF you like this design.

I came here to advise you to get an Esee instead of the ranger, but 5160 steel is a great steel and I honestly didn't know much about the ranger series. I don't know anything about their heat treat, and I do know that Esee's heat treat has a great reputation, so I would consider that if you're planning on really using the knife you purchase to it's fullest. I personally don't care for this style of knife (RAT, Ranger, Esee, Becker) because they all generally are flat grind knives with a coating (nothing wrong with flat grind its just a personal opinion), this coating is great to stop corrosion, at the cost of creating drag when working with wood. If you plan on cutting up a lot of sticks and making fires and whatnot, I would look at the Condor Bushlore, if you just want a companion knife to have with you, the RAT 3is much more cost effective than most Esee knives, and the difference is marginal. One of the smaller ka bar beckers, or the Ontario Tak 1are great options. I cannot find the RD4 on amazon, if you can find it somewhere else it is also a great choice.

If you really want a monster sized knife, sure. But I'd definitely get the carbon steel version that some others have suggested as well. It sounds like their quality isn't too bad.

However, I don't know if I'd really want to take something that huge hiking. Maybe SHTF-type hiking I suppose.

A couple of knives that I'd think would be similar priced or less (and have proven reputations) and would slightly more practically fall into the "only 1" category:

• Ka Bar Becker BK2
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK16
  
• Condor Bushlore - there are other Condor models that are great values as well, but might need a little touchup love.
  
• Morakniv - there is even one with a firesteel built into the handle
  
• ESEE 4 (this might be a tad more expensive)
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK7 or BK9 if you really want a huge knife, but I would definitely consider something smaller to piggyback on the sheath.
  
  Good luck regardless!

Ka-Bar Becker BK2

Ontario RAT-3

Becker BK-16

Depending how big of a knife you want

What's your budget?

1. Granite Gear Virga 2 (Long) -- That maintains your 58 liter capacity while dropping 33oz for $140 @ $4.24/oz
   
2. Princeton Tec Byte -- Saves you over 1.8oz for $18 @ $10/oz. That weight is with 2 AAA batteries which gets you over 90 hours of burn time.
   
3. What do you actually use on the Leatherman? I only ever use a knife or maybe scissors. If you just need a light knife, I like these two. For the weight of that leatherman you could carry a decent fixed blade.
   
4. Lose the dry bags and trade them in for standard kitchen trash bags. Even with "heavy duty" trash bags you'll gain about .5-1.0oz per bag
   
5. What's the "towel" for? I keep some towel/rag type things around for general cleaning, wiping off my tent/gear when it's went from rain/condensation, etc. For this I go to the cleaning aisle of my grocery store and find the cheapest thinnest dish rags. The ones I use are very thin, you can practically see right through them. I cut them in half because they're huge. Each one is 6g. It's more than enough absorbancy for basic camp work.
   
6. You're already using one Smartwater bottle, why not drop the Nalgene and use two "disposable" water bottles?

Check out Opinel knives - they're classic, quality knives. They have many more sizes if you have a requirement, I just linked you to one of the more popular sizes.

That is a very good range, great price point for awesome hunting knives.

Here’s a couple all purpose bushcraft/outdoors knives:

The Benchmade Buschraft: Micarta scales and a very nice leather sheath put it at $200 even. Benchmade is made in the US and is very well known for their high quality and their great warranties. I just bought a Crooked River and am enamored by it.

https://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-162-Bushcrafter-Drop-Point/dp/B00B0E1MB6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549089167&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=benchmade%2Bbushcraft&dpPl=1&dpID=41uGBLFBQNL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

Next up is the Fallkniven F1. It’s got a composite rubber handle but is still full tang. Made out of VG10 which means high rust resistance, great for bloodwork in the cold when you don’t have a lot of time to clean it. This brand is out of Sweden and those dudes know their outdoors gear. I could go on and on about them but there’s not much more needed to be said. At $115 you’re getting an incredible knife for a hell of a price.

https://www.amazon.com/Fallkniven-F1-Thermorun-Handle-Sheath/dp/B001JA9Y66/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549089232&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=fallkniven&dpPl=1&dpID=41BlkNY8VfL&ref=plSrch

Now look at the Esee 6P, this is a good example of everything a knife should be and no more. Its 1095 high carbon steel so the implication would be to keep it cleaned and oiled, but there is a DLC (diamond like carbon coating) so it will keep the rust at bay until it wears off over time. $116 is a modest price, especially for the size of this particular knife.

https://www.amazon.com/ESEE-Desert-Molded-Polymer-Sheath/dp/B0049TYBL2/ref=pd_aw_sim_468_1/147-9912666-5096041?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0049TYBL2&pd_rd_r=35b4fb85-26b5-11e9-a2ee-7323802ef2ad&pd_rd_w=EV1gz&pd_rd_wg=WIYnq&pf_rd_p=469620d9-3e90-496d-9dc8-b19f900ba5fe&pf_rd_r=VEHBMYRN110K86ZGZE9G&psc=1&refRID=VEHBMYRN110K86ZGZE9G

That being said I don’t know a great deal of “brand name” filet knives but what I can assure you of is that there is no more a reliable product than a Morakniv. They literally have a knife for every job, and they’re all incredibly robust and utilitarian. Don’t let the low price point fool you, they are worth much more than the company charges. These are made of 12c27n sandvik steel, again in Sweden. The steel is good stuff, nothing glamorous but still a step above 440c. They have awesome belt clips that are just as simple as can be and I couldn’t personally suggest a whole line of knives other than Morakniv.

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Fishing-Comfort-Stainless-6-1-Inch/dp/B00EAL1HI4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549089826&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mora%2Bfillet%2Bknife&dpPl=1&dpID=31IMwXb73cL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

I'm not a big fan of the 0350 so I'm gonna say Link.

Then for a wildcard I'm gonna throw in the Spyderco Manix 2 Black G-10 PlainEdge Knife.

They're all solid picks though, I wouldn't stress too much, you'll be happy with any of them! Open a picture of each knife in a new tab, and flip between them, it'll become obvious quickly which one is calling to you most of all.

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Manix-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B002ECY7XI

One of the best sub $100 knives you will find with great ergos and an excellent steel to boot. Its a strong design that also cuts really well (better slicer geometry than my Izula). If you look around on /r/knife_swap and dont mind waiting you will see them go for anywhere between $70-80 bucks used still in excellent condition. Delicas and Enduras are also great and Sub $100 if you want something that carries more slim than the Manix.

If you decide you like edc folders you might want to look into a spyderco Cara Cara or Delica both are a similar design to the BX309 but made with more durable materials.

Here are my personal essentials.

• Spyderco Delica 4: $60 VG-10 steel, comes in tons of colors
  
• Spyderco Endura 4: Larger version of Delica
  
• Morakniv Companion: $12-$20 A really awesome fixed blade, outperforms knives triple it's price.
  
• Victorinox Tinker: $20-25 classic swiss army knife, really great quality in general. Lots of tools but not too many so it's easily pocket carried.
  
• Victorinox Cadet: Smaller Swiss Army Knife, aluminum handles. Lots of colors.
  
• Kershaw Cryo, or Cryo 2: $20-40 steel frame lock, Hinderer design, good price, tons of colors. The Cryo 2 is the same as the Cryo just larger.
  
• Ontaro Rat 1 or 2: $25-30 Classically shaped folders with a very rugged build for a liner lock. The 2 is a smaller version of the 1.
  
  Also, you're going to want a sharpening system that works for you in the long run. I personally use the Spyderco Sharpmaker But there are tons of good sharpening options out there.
  
  P.S: You're going to get a lot of people hating on your Gerbers most likely, that's because they're honestly not worth it in the long run. They use very low quality steel for the price and they don't have the best quality control. I'm not saying your Gerbers are trash or anything. But they definitely won't last very long. Just about all of the knives I listed will last you a lifetime if you treat them right, and oil/sharpen them correctly.

You won't be wrong with any of the knives you mentioned, so just go for the one that you think you will like better visually and in EDC use.

BTW - you should consider the Spyderco Delica as well, some colors are on sale now.

For the record, I feel the same that the Cryo is too slippery - which is why I'm super glad Kershaw released a G10 version of it last year.

I also agree that the Tenacious is just a bit too big for EDC - and they do make the Persistence, which is a shrunken version of the Tenacious, with a 2.75 inch blade vs the Tenacious' 3-3/8 inch blade. If you wanna go even smaller, the Ambitious has a 2.25" blade. All 3 knives share a similar design (though the Ambitious is small enough that the proportions might look a little weird to some).

A few other knives of note that are standouts in the sub-$50 price range:

• CRKT Ripple - Ken Onion design with a more-traditional drop point blade, IKBS, 8Cr14MoV. Usually on most people's "Under $50" list.
  
  
• Kershaw Leek - Again, a little slippery and still Speedsafe but a slightly weaker torsion bar so not as forceful. Some people have issues with broken tips since they're a little thin, but this thing was the best under $50 when it came out.
  
  
• Ontario RAT 1 - At $25 this thing is a pretty great package, if not a little big. 3.5" blade, but it's AUS-8 if you don't like the 8Cr China steels (even if they are pretty similar).
  
  
• SOG Flash II - again, a 3.5 inch, AUS-8 blade. Assisted opening, but much less forceful than Speedsafe.
  
  
• The Kershaw Emerson CQC-6K has blown up since it's release and a lot of high speed low drag tactical types love it for EDC use. $25 makes it a pretty appealing choice and rock solid under $30.
  
  
• The Spyderco Delica 4 is just a touch over $50, averaging about $60, but it's also a go-to knife in the $50 for many people. VG-10 steel on this one is a big selling point.
  
  
• On the same hand, the Kershaw Blur is usually available for about $60, and for those looking for a big folder (seriously this thing is large) it's a great choice. Sandvik 14C28N as standard steel, also available with S30V for about $75.
  
  A few notes here
  
  
• You'll see a lot of sub $50 knives using 8Cr13MoV or 8Cr14MoV. The main difference is a little more Chromium in the 8Cr14MoV, leading to a little more corrosion resistance. A lot of people loved the Skyline, but there were a few issues with minor rust spots on the knives, leading to many companies switching to 8Cr14MoV for some of their knives (most of the budget Kershaws are 8Cr14MoV now).
  
  
• Kershaw has many many options for budget folders under $50, for all kinds of aesthetic tastes. The Chill, Thermite, Link, Oso Sweet, etc. I've owned a handful of Kershaws, and loved all of them, especially for the price.
  
  
• The 8Cr steels (13MoV and 14MoV) are pretty much on par with AUS-8, especially from CRKT, Spyderco, and Kershaw who all do a good job on their heat treats. There's a slight difference in hardness (3 to 4 HRC difference by most counts), but really they're nearly identical for all intents and purposes, mainly sharpening and edge retention. Some people just prefer AUS-8 because they don't like so called "China steel."
  
  
  ETA a few more links and some clarification of my still-awake-at-5am rambling.

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Endura4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B003CH77WW

Lol, alright for example:

• Spyderco Delica 4 FFG: For your price range this is going to be the "best" steel you can get in a near 3" folding knife (VG-10). By best I mean the best edge retention in a stainless steel. However, being over 2.5" in some places (Chacago for example) the knife will be illegal. Also, many people do not like the look of the spyderhole as it can be seen as aggressive in office environments. Also the FRN handles, while very strong, have a cheap/plastic feel to them.
  
  
• Spyderco Tenacious: Compared to the Delica, 8CR13MOV is a "worse" stainless steel (not as good edge retention, more prone to chipping during heavy impacts). However, the extra blade length is better for many outdoor tasks (breaking down tree branches). The handle is also G10, which is slightly tougher and has a much better feeling in hand than FRN.
  
  
• Spyderco Centofante 3: A more "gentlemanly" and "office friendly" version of the Delica with a slightly longer blade. Again, VG-10 and FRN.
  
  
• Kershaw Cryo II: Same steel as the tenacious. Metal handles slightly tougher than G10. Flipper action has "cool" factor. The blade grind makes the tip a touch stronger than on the tenacious.
  
  
• Kershaw Skyline: One of the most iconic of Kershaw's knives. Hollow ground blade makes it great at slicing tasks.
  
  
• Esee Izula: Skeletonized fixed blade. 1095 Steel is significantly better than the other steels listed at "chopping" tasks as it is not prone to chipping at all. It is NOT stainless and so the blade has a protective coating over most of it. The steel will require mineral oil/cleaning to prevent rusting.
  
  
• Becker BK 24: Similar to the Esee Izula but D2 steel which has better edge retention and more corrosion resistance than 1095. It is also much harder to sharpen. Many think the BK24's handle is also less comfortable, the sheath is worse, and there are less available after market modifications.
  
  
• Ontario Rat Series (linked the RAT I. RAT 2 similar but smaller): Ontario's version of the tenacious. Bladeshape generally more people friendly. Another very popular beater option.
  
  
• Morakniv Knives (there are MANY, this is just one): Highly regarded in the "bushcraft" community. High carbon steel (similar to 1095) with a scandi-grind which is great for field sharpening and woodworking. Only partial tangs so not advised to use for battoning tasks or chopping.
  
  
• Kershaw OD-2: Gentlemanly knife with great flipping action.
  
  There are a LOT more suggestions I could add...

Maybe give one of these a go? I plan on doing it!

There is a thing called a Kwik Thumbstud or the Kwik Bar on Amazon you attach it to the spine then you can open it one handed.

I camp in the Sierra - and carry this at 0.6oz. Gets the job done just fine...http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-06050-Ultra-light-Folding/dp/B00004WA4R

There's no such thing as a hiking knife.

Personally I carry this.

Whatever hardshell pants work, I use these. Wear a wool base layer underneath. Wool socks, wool baselayer shirt, wool softshell jacket. Maybe a wool hoodie, some kinda gloves.

No cotton anything. No cotton socks. No cotton t-shirts. No cotton underwear.

As far as backpacks go... what do you carry/how much stuff?

I would love this as my entry for gift one. I certainly don't need it, but it would be so cool to have.

For the second one, I do actually need this case. C'mon...gimme.

A lot of this would depend on the situation, but assuming that this bucket would be all that I'd have to live on for 72 hours...

• Line the bottom with 1 liter bottles of water. I'd want minimum 6, preferably 9. Ideally I'd also like a Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System. That's a chunk of the budget right there, but it allows for refilling of water bottles from a lot of sources which could be valuable depending on the situation.
  
  
• 3 Mainstay 2400 Bars. Walmart sells them for less than $5.00 each. I'd add in a couple of gallon sized ziploc baggies to boot because they aren't individually sealed. Probably wouldn't be super pleasant to eat only these for 3 days, but there's zero prep involved and they get the job done. Maybe get an extra one to try out ahead of time to make sure they don't do anything funny to your stomach.
  
  
• Probably some mylar sleeping bags and several blankets. Then add in 100' of paracord. The blankets and paracord would allow you to provide shade or insulation as needed.
  
  
• Two lighters (one for backup) and a standard pill bottle filled with cotton balls smothered in vaseline (tinder for fire, cheap and efficient).
  
  
• Hand sanitizer (also works as a fire starter), sun glasses, chapstick, and a neck cooler (also sold for <$5.00 at walmart). Add in a handkerchief that you can soak and cover your head with. You can probably find more clothes to put on if it's cold, but it's hard to deal with heat, so that's important to take into account. Add in a small roll of duct tape as well.
  
  
• A mini-med kit. To keep it within budget I'd mostly use what I have at home. Add bandaids, gauze, lots of ibuprofen, lots of multivitamins, sinus meds, pepto tablets, sunscreen, and allergy meds. Splurge and pick up a decent sized tube of antibiotic cream. It's not comprehensive, but this is a 72 hour kit. Hopefully that would mean more being concerned with comfort than full on survival.
  
  
• A locking folding knife of some sort. Make sure it's sharp as a razor before putting it into the bucket. Doesn't have to be top notch or expensive here, but does need to be sharp. If room permits and you have one already, also toss something Ka-Bar like in. Something that has a little weight to take a branch off, but also is sturdy enough to assist in minor digging.
  
  
• If you have them, toss a pair of wool socks in. No matter the weather those are always good to have. Otherwise, just get an extra pair in there. If the weather is cold you can double up. If it's hot you can change them out to keep your feet fresh. That's important.
  
  
• A spare phone charger. Chances are there will be electricity somewhere, and phones are absolutely important. Worst case, get a $10 cheapy, test it, then toss it in.
  
  That's the necessary stuff for a 72 hour kit imo. It covers shelter, food, water, warmth (and cooling), and as much security as you can get within budget. It should keep you comfortable for a few days if you have to grab it and move toward a place where you cannot be assured of any necessary resources being present. You can fill gaps with things like gum, hard candy, a good book you don't mind re-reading, as well as anything else you might need to keep yourself occupied.

Given the job and the terrain I'm imagining this is more of a general-abuse knife (ie, "sharpened pry-bar") than a dedicated cutter. Accordingly, I'd try not to spend a fortune on it.

Though they're not serrated I'd be inclined to get a couple of these (~$26 on Amazon) which are designed to be cheap abusable knives for this situation. If there's lots of prying to be done an interesting option would be to get a Breacher Bar, plus a sheath for it (such as this one but currently out of stock), wrap the handle with paracord and pair it with a decent folding knife (such as the RAT 1) for actual cutting.

Other usual suspects:

http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Fighting-Utility-Serrated-Sheath/dp/B000BSZDP8

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Short-Tanto-Point-Serrated/dp/B001EIALK6

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Short-Fixed-Blade-Knife/dp/B000JMEWBC/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1334972468&sr=1-5

(NB: with the Ka-bars make sure you get 1095 carbon steel not 440A stainless.)

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Kraton-Handle-Concealex/dp/B000BSY9AS

Or, for something rather smaller maybe an ESEE 3.

Edit: Just remembered the Glock 78 - again it's on the sharpened-pry-bar side of things and sheath and retention are probably better than most of the options above. (It's a proper Glock product and not just some random company that's licensed the name (I'm looking at you, Smith and Wesson) and IIRC is issued in the Austrian forces.) Available in black, olive green, and sand colours. There's also a saw-back version (the Glock 81 IIRC) but I'd recommend against that.

Try Opinel. They have a bunch on Amazon, and are really durable, inexpensive, and aesthetically pleasing. I personally have the No. 8

Swiss Army Knife

Kershaw method

Kershaw Westin

Ganzo FH-11

Byrd Medowlark 2

Opinel #8

Ontario Rat 1

All of these are going to last longer and perform better than the MTech. In terms of appearance and esthetics, nobody is going to look askance if you pull out a Swiss army knife or an opinel. Flicking your mtech will likely be a different story. You should carry what you enjoy, but understand that conventional wisdom is going to look down on the appearance and, if they know about knives, the MTech brand. If you go with the Mtech, don't trust the lock too much and don't be surprised if the assist mechanism breaks.

Are you talking about the Sage on Amazon for $100?

If you want S30V in a classy folder, I can't think of a better choice in your price range. If you're ok with VG-10, you can't go wrong with Mcusta. Al-Mar knives are ridiculously classy gentleman's folders, but you pay the price and get AUS-8, which you may or may not be ok with.

If the sky is the limit, you could do worse than Chris Reeves Knives' Mnandi.

Pockets

• Phone Case - Magpul iPhone 5 Field Case
  
  
• Knife - Benchmade Mini-Griptillian
  
  
• Handkerchief - Fifth&Brannan Charcoal Pocket Square
  
  
• Bottle Opener - New Belgium Globe - Got this for free after a tour there, and it's lived in the small pocket of my jeans ever since.
  
  
• Lip Balm - Burt's Bees
  
  
• FitBit - Fitbit Ultra - Probably going to be replaced by a newer Fitbit soon.
  
  
• Pen - Fisher Cap-O-Matic Space Pen - I will buy this pen over and over.
  
  
• Wallet - Saddleback ID Wallet in Tobacco
  
  
• Gum - Orbit Sweet Mint - It's unbelievable how much of this I have chewed.
  
  
  
  Keys
  
  
• Biner - Nite Ize S Biner Ahh
  
  
• USB - Kingston Digital DataTraveler 8GB - Contents change daily. Mostly client software.
  
  
• Light - FOURSEVENS Mini 123/ML - Throws a ton of light for how little room it takes up.
  
  
  
  
  That's pretty much it. Any questions feel free.
  

It's definitely enough for a nice knife, though you might want to go a bit higher for a great knife. The KaBar BK2 is actually designed with things like batoning (hammering the knife through wood as a kind of faux hatchet using another piece of wood against the blade of the knife as the hammer itself) or chopping. It's a bit over $60, currently available for $69 to be precise, but as long as you don't flat out abuse it (prying heavy things, for example) it'll serve you well and quite possibly for the rest of your natural life.

At a lower price, you can get the Condor Bushlore, which at $35 is a perfectly valid choice that will serve you well indeed.

For an even lower price yet, the Mora Heavy Companion is from one of those few cheaper knife companies that does incredible work. I wouldn't baton with it, honestly, but even if you did it'd probably hold up just fine.

At a more expensive range, the Ontario Rat-5 is an amazing bushcraft knife. The Fallkniven Pilot Survival Knife is also an amazing knife. The Benchmade Bone Collector is spectacular knife made in D2 tool steel, one of the better steels available at that price. Another amazing knife is the Spyderco Bushcraft made in O1 tool steel. Finally, the Benchmade 162 is a pretty amazing knife.

One thing you'll notice about all of these knives with the exception of the Pilot Survival knife and the BM 162 is that they're all carbon steel knives. Carbon steel is a lot tougher than stainless (with a few very, very rare exceptions I'd never trust a long knife to be stainless steel) with the trade off of being a lot more of a hassle to take care of, since it needs to be regularly cleaned and oiled.

If you want a fire starter, carry a magnesium fire starter. With the carbon steel knives, you can probably strike it against the back of the blade to create the sparks you'll want and if not (like with some of the coated ones) you'll be carrying the striker anyway.

For sharpening, you'll want to get a decent sharpening setup and start stropping. A couple of easy sharpening systems would be the superior Spyderco Sharpermaker (usually available on Amazon around the $50 mark) or the Lansky Sharpening system which while cheaper isn't as good. You could take the time to learn how to free hand it, but most casual users don't care that much because it takes a long time to get proficient at freehand sharpening. Stropping is running the blade against something like smooth leather (usually smooth leather, actually) to remove burrs along the blade of a knife made by use and sharpening and the restore a blade to a better edge without removing metal. Stropping allows for a level of sharpness unachievable by sharpening alone and extends a knife's lifetime by allowing sharpness to be achieved for longer without removing metal from the blade. To learn how to strop, watch videos on YouTube or check out guides from the sidebar of /r/knives.

Finally, if you want a whistle, just carry a whistle. If you want a mirror for signaling, carry a small signaling mirror or mirror polish the knife you buy (a process where you sand the blade with increasing grit level sandpaper until it shines like the sun and you can see yourself in the blade).

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

If you want something that's high quality and will last forever, a great option is a Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner The S30V steel is uses is great for keeping an edge of a long time, and it's backed by a lifetime warranty. It's also made in the US, which is always nice.

Another great option for very tough, no-frills knives is a Swedish company known as Fallkniven. They make fantastic hunting and survival knives. Their A1 model is their most well-known, but I prefer the smaller F1 series It's a fair bit lighter and easier to carry.

$150 is plenty of budget for a good knife. This one is just slightly over that budget but will last you the rest of your life. It's kind of my dream survival knife.

The Fallkniven F1 is very popular as well and right in your price range.

Currently I use this knife which is also very good.

If you want to go a little less expensive still, Becker makes some good ones such as the Bk16. I know the Becker doesn't look anything like "hand made", but I have the BK2- I used paint remover to take the black coating off the blade, replaced the plastic handles with micarta and stained it to look more like wood, and built a leather sheath for it. It's a beautiful knife now. Too bad it's so goddamn heavy.

You could also go with something like the Mora bushcraft. I have that one also, very decent knife.

You could even just get a regular Mora or a Condor bushlore which are even more economical options.

Hard to beat a spyderco delica for a lightweight edc knife. I just got a manker e02h and it’s an outstanding little edc light coupled with eneloop aaa’s.

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Penknife-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B0052HQV40

In the Uk you are only allowed a 3 inch long, non-locking folding knife. This is about as 'manly' a knife you are allowed to carry https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spyderco-Lightweight-Leaf-Shaped-Plain-Knife/dp/B0052HQV40 .

In the box:

• Fenix PD32UE flashlight
  
• 
  Ray-Ban 3025 Aviator Polarized sunglasses
  
• 
  Zippo Slim circa 1960
  
• 
  Nite-Ize S-Biner with County Comm Titanium Widgy Pry Bar / Ti split rings
  
  
• Leatherman Skeletool CX
  
• Saddleback I.D. Wallet
  
• LGE Nexus 5
  
• Pilot Precise V7 RT pen
  
• Clairefontaine pocket notebook
  
• Klipsch Image S4i Rugged
  
• Spyderco Techno pocketknife
  
  The camera pictured is my beater/backup, a Nikon D7000 with a Nikon 35mm F/1.8G AF-S DX lens. These were all taken with the camera I use on assignment - a Nikon D800 with a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S lens, an SB700 speedlight and a Rogue Small Flashbender.
  
  I leave the D800 at home when I'm not working, but I keep the D7000 in my car or on my person pretty much all the time. Everything else here goes almost everywhere with me.

According to Amazon, it is classified as a trading card game.

Seriously.

You could get a screw on thumb stud

https://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-SS-BRK-KTS01756-Stud-Stainless/dp/B006OCP46S

Spyderco Smock. Cold Steel AD15. Buck Marksman. Spyderco Sliverax. For $10 more- Benchmade 940.
I’ve also found that if you add a thumb stud to some knives, you really increase the fidget factor. Kwik Thumb Stud - Stainless https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006OCP46S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_fRBeMuYv9nzna

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Blk-Ffg-Plainedge/dp/B0089DFGIG/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1449084374&sr=1-1&keywords=delica4be awesome, easy to carry knife

• Spyderco Delica4 FFG: http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica-Ground-Plain-Knife/dp/B0089DFGIG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459344866&sr=8-2&keywords=delica
  
  
• Thrunite Ti3: http://www.amazon.com/ThruNite-Ti3-Max120-Lumens-Flashlight/dp/B00LUO028U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459344940&sr=8-1&keywords=ti3
  
  
• Leatherman Squirt PS4: http://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-831195-Squirt-Black-Keychain/dp/B0032Y2OT6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459344970&sr=8-1&keywords=leatherman+squirt
  
  All 3 are amazing value and are altogether just over $100. :)

Also for sale on Amazon Prime for $63.

for that price, i think the bk16 would be a good choice, 4 3/8" blade, 1095 cro-van.
EDIT: it's not under 60 but right at it

Got a blade material are you looking for? (stainless steel or carbon)

Blade profile? (drop point, tanto, spear, clip)

Blade grind? (Flat, Saber, Scandinavian, or Hollow)

Off the top of my head:

Becker BK16 - flat 1095Cro-Van

Esee Camp Lore PR-4 - Saber 1095

Esee 4P - flat 1095

Esee Izula - flat 1095

Morakniv Bush Crafter - Scandinavian 1095

Morakniv Garberg - Scandinavian 14C28N

Cold Steel Master Hunter - Flat VG1 in San Mai

​

FYI The ESEE brand has perhaps the best lifetime warranty of fixed blades. Return and they will replace with no questions asked policy. It is also transferable so they do tend to keep their value over time. Tactical Intent is a verified seller on amazon. At that price range you can get a pretty great knife.

Hope this helps!

I agree, and it's surprisingly usable for all its minimalism. I ordered one of these for one-handed-opening assist, but I don't know it if will ruin the minimalism (hasn't arrived yet).

This is my Proper. I work a lot in New York City so I needed something friendly. I found I like it with an added Kwik thumb stud and a Tec P-7 suspension clip.

The thumb stud is an add on I got at amazon.

Link: http://amzn.com/B006OCP46S

That's good.

https://www.amazon.ca/Spyderco-Delica-Ground-Plain-Knife/dp/B0089DFGIG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521669140&sr=8-1&keywords=delica

Here's the Delica for $90, that is a lot it's definitely worth it.

Well, I prefer a lighter EDC, so i'd recommend the

• Kershaw Skyline
  
  This one is a very nice EDC for most people who use a knife for lighter tasks such as box cutting, opening packages and the like. I would not recommend this for someone who tends to use their knives for "heavier duty" tasks.
  
  
• Kershaw Leek
  
  Pretty much the same recommendation criteria as the Skyline, but this knife is both spring assisted, and has a more "delicate" point.
  
  
• Spyderco Delica
  
  Probably one of the most recommended knives for someone who wants an overall solid EDC at the price point with a lot of versatility and good overall durability. I own one myself, and this one is great for EDC.
  
  
• Ontario RAT 2
  
  The Ontario knife company really hit it out of the park with the RAT series, the Ontario RAT model II is a better choice for EDC over the RAT model I, mainly because the knife is a bit smaller putting it at about 2.75" blade and less "intimidating" for someone who needs for EDC.
  
  
• ESEE Izula
  
  I really like the Izula as a fixed blade EDC knife, it's a fucking tank and you can be sure you can rely on it everywhere, but it does lose some versatility and convenience because it isn't a folder.
  
  --------------------------------------------------
  
  Please keep in mind that these are just my suggestions and reviews, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me anything.
  

The Delica 4 flat ground plain edge knife on amazon says it's FRN but is the only thing that comes up when I search for FFG are they they similar or is that the wrong knife? Delica 4 Flat Ground Plain Edge Knife

http://www.amazon.com/M-Pro-Sided-Tactical-Cleaning-Black/dp/B002CTCFTQ/ref=sr_1_48?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410762717&sr=1-48&keywords=cleaning+kit

http://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-BoreSnake-Cleaner-Choose-Caliber/dp/B004DPJPV8/ref=pd_sim_sg_10?ie=UTF8&refRID=05M04WYT0TVAT23E7G6E

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Micro-Tactical-Folder/dp/B006YBW82C/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410763379&sr=1-5&keywords=cold+steel+lawman

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-American-Lawman-Handle/dp/B0015U73I6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-1&keywords=cold+steel+law+man

http://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-831548-Rebar-w-Standard/dp/B005KSWIBQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764666&sr=1-2&keywords=leatherman+rebar

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WEG8P0/ref=twister_B007QOEXNI

http://www.amazon.com/Neutron-2C-Flood-Cree-Flashlight/dp/B004UH12W4/ref=sr_1_20?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764914&sr=1-20&keywords=thrunite

http://www.amazon.com/Olight-Tactcial-Flashlight-Batteries-Lumentac/dp/B00KANR6KO/ref=sr_1_10?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764992&sr=1-10&keywords=olight+m10

http://www.amazon.com/Winchester-Deluxe-Shooters-Bag-Holds/dp/B00EQ7U3KU/ref=sr_1_20?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410763558&sr=1-20&keywords=range+bag

http://www.amazon.com/TekMat-11-Inch-17-Inch-Handgun-Cleaning/dp/B0036N9A3G/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-5&keywords=gun+mat

http://www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-8760-Stainless-Magnetic/dp/B000OUZCUE/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764144&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=magnet+parts+bowl

Knives, cleaning gear, and flashlights are never unwelcome gifts for gun/weapon nerds. I linked you a bunch of decent tools that would make great gift ideas. Some more affordable than others. Get him a couple really nice things for like 40-50 each or a bunch of little affordable things and toss them in a 20 dollar range bag.

Thanks for the condolences. If you want a cheap version of a spyderco knife I would get one of these Byrd knifes. I am rocking this one and love it.

Spyderco byrd Meadowlark2 Black G-10 PlainEdge Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0048FU4F4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fW5izbBFG7M0C

Spyderco Delica 4 Flat Ground Plain Edge Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0089DFGIG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aX5izbQRC25YW

> Spyderco Delica [I remember when these were $40 MSRP.

$62 with free Prime shipping.

Awesome advice, all of the above models would be quite suitable. For pure woods use, something with a brighter color would probably do quite well for you. But I'm going to have to stick my neck out for some downvotes as well by disagreeing with the half-serration comment. I don't see it as "tactical," at all. I tend to prefer a half-serrated blade. I like serrations for cutting things like rope, handfuls of plastic sheeting, etc. If you just want a knife for the woods, you might not worry about it. I have knives that I carry with both types of edge, but I usually gravitate back to the half-serration. My personal every day carry is an older generation of Spyderco Endura which has a 4" blade, but is very light, well made, and strong. They make a 3" version called the Delica which I carried a lot when I was younger. You can get a perfectly serviceable knife for a lot less, but I've been carrying these for almost 20 years, and my current one has been through a hell that no knife deserves. They make them with plain edges as well, I've had them, but I don't tend to like them as much. Good luck, and I feel like pretty much everyone should have a knife. You just never know when it might be useful.

Cold Steel Micro Recon is great.
https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-27TDS-Micro-Folding/dp/B006YBW82C

What about the Cold Steel Micro Recon 1? Definitely one of the toughest light small EDC knives available, cheap, available in different colours.

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Micro-Tactical-Folder/dp/B006YBW82C

I did a lot of research on this lately. A camp knife and a backpacking knife can differ IMO. At least for me, weight is a bigger issue, and I won't be doing any bushcraft when I am backpacking, so something like a Mora will be fine for food prep and such. But, camping you might need a bigger, more substantial knife for chopping of heavier tasks. I would suggest a either a Schrade SCHF9 or This Ka-Bar.

I had an Ontario RAT-5 for a while. About the same size as an ESEE 5, but with a thinner blade and full-flat grind. The handle was uncomfortably bulky and although it held up to my abuse, I just didn't like it. The blade was thin enough to do finer carving tasks, but it was too wide and the edge profile was terrible. I ended up using my Mora knife and Fiskars hatchet more and the RAT-5 was relegated to batoning duty and even in that I preferred the hatchet. In fact, I carved my first bow drill kit with that Fiskars.

I was considering stepping up to an Ontario RAT-7, but instead I traded the RAT-5 for a KaBar Becker BK7, which is a BEAST of a knife. Longer than an ESEE 5, but just as thick and with a similar profile. It really impressed me with the amount of work it could do and how easy it was to use, but it was heavy and just too fat to do anything but chop and split, so again, I was using my Mora and hatchet for most stuff.

I finally decided to try a different direction and traded the BK7 for a much smaller ESEE 4. Around the same time I bought a Bahco Laplander, and I am in love with this combo. The Bahco eats through 1-2" branches with ease (while generating plenty of sawdust for tinder) and the ESEE is just long enough to baton them into kindling and carve up some feather sticks. The best part is, the ESEE 4 and Bahco together weigh about as much as the BK7 in its sheath, and take up about as much space, but they are FAR more versatile.

I realize the ESEE 4 may be just out of your price range, but Kabar makes a similar knife called the BK16. However, the ESEE comes with a lifetime warranty.

I still take my Fiskars with me occasionally, but for weekend camping, I can process plenty of firewood with the ESEE and Bahco faster than I ever could with any of the bigger knives. If I needed to build a shelter or was venturing into unfamiliar territory, I'd want the hatchet because it's such a capable tool.

The ESEE 5 was designed for downed pilots who can't fit a hatchet or folding saw into their kit but may need to build a shelter, so they made it big and heavy. I understand first hand that big knives are appealing and certainly have their strong points, but their size, weight and thickness can make them difficult to use in a lot of ways and in reality, a big knife will never chop as well as a decent hatchet, because the knife's weight is centered just above the handle, not directly behind a huge wedge that drives into the wood. What you really want in a survival knife is versatility and I've spent a lot of time, money and energy figuring out that size doesn't add versatility.

I use the Micro Recon 1 Spear Point from Cold Steel. I like it for that.
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Micro-Tactical-Folder/dp/B006YBW82C

There is also a tanto style if you rather. I am not a big tanto fan, but for box cutting it works.
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Micro-Tactical-Folder/dp/B006YBW8BI

They are folding knives, with triad lock!, 2" blade, and 1.1oz. You will do good with those I think for just that purpose, maybe opening packages or something.

I'd try one. Fits in coin pocket of a pair of jeans, and stays sharp for a long time with only that role being used. Plus, its AUS 8a, which is easy to sharpen anyway.

Kabar Becker. They're tanks with a reputation. Good luck with your travels as well.

13 bucks on amazon

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say Amazon wasn't playing nice with you.

The SOG Seal Team Elite is partially serrated so here ya go. Hard to go wrong with a Ka-Bar

I was looking into KA-BAR but Ive heard mixed reviews.

what about this one, Its pretty affordable and it seems to be good for all purpose

http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Fighting-Utility-Serrated-Sheath/dp/B000BSZDP8/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1421551679&sr=1-2&keywords=kabar&pebp=1421551689216&peasin=B000BSZDP8http://

Ka-Bar Fixed Blade $59.29

Marine Corps Fighting Knife that has proven itself in the theater of war. The knife will easily outlast you and can be used as a hammer, axe, knife..well just about anything. If I could have only one knife under $100 for the rest of my life I would chose the Ka-Bar.

http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Fighting-Utility-Serrated-Sheath/dp/B000BSZDP8/ref=sr_1_2?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1451214160&sr=1-2&keywords=Kabar

I have this knife and I actually regret buying it. Not because it's a bad knife but because it was one of my first knives and I didn't really have a firm grasp on how I would use it. I almost never use it now except to lend to friends when we go camping. I'll break down the different elements to the knife now and what I think about each of them after using it for some time.

• Handle/feel in the hand: The KA-BAR Kraton G handle is one of my favorite knife handles. It feels great in the hand and very secure even when dirty or wet. It feels really sturdy and that probably has something to do with it weighing 0.8 lbs., which is pretty heavy for a knife imo.
  
  
• Steel: The 1095 Cro-Van steel is pretty good. It holds a decent edge and sharpens fairly well. It's got the powdered black coating which is still intact but I haven't used the knife much for real heavy duty stuff and my KA-BAR kukri (which has the same powder coating) started to lose the coating after repeatedly batoning with it.
  
  
• Blade: The serrations are cool to look at and great if you'd rather not have to keep your knife sharp all the time, but I find that I almost never use them and they just make the knife more difficult to sharpen and a waste of space. The drop point is my favorite look for a knife but be aware that the knife tapers out from the middle and is thinner(less thick).
  
  
• Sheath: The cordura/leather sheath leaves something to be desired as well. KA-BAR makes some kydex sheaths for their standard combat knives but since the blade is slightly wider those won't work.
  
  If you're stuck on getting this knife, I'd advise going for the standard model. The blade is a bit thinner but it's lighter and like $10 cheaper and you get a better sheath (they also sell that knife without the serrations FYI). I actually bought mine off Amazon so I can vouch for buying it from them if you still decide it's what you want. Unless perhaps you want it shipped somewhere outside of the U.S.A., there's nothing special about buying it from them. It's just like buying anything else from them.
  
  Anywhoodle, hope this helps with your purchase. Let me know if there's anything else I can tell you about the knife.

Leatherman OHT

DULEX super Bright Cree Xm-l T61000l

Amazon Basics AA

[Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife Stainless Steel]
(http://amazon.com/dp/B000UGYWTO)


Husky Precision Screwdriver Set

Samsung Galaxy Note II

I mean you could go with a knife designed to be a folding kitchen/picnic knife, the stainless Opinel. For $75 you can get several.

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Carbon-Fiber-Plain-Knife/dp/B0013AW8Y2

Spyderco Sage 1

Spyderco Sage 2. It's $105 and totally worth it. S30v with a full flat grind, super light scales, and a buttery opening mechanism.

Spyderco Sage

Olight I3S-A EOS

Recoil Cord Winder

Soundmagic E10 Earbuds

Allett Ultra Thin Leather ID Wallet

Burt's Bees Lip Balm

Seiko Men's SSC093 Adventure-Solar Classic

Mas Design Titanium Key Carabiner - C11

CHARGEKEY | Micro USB Cable

Leatherman Brewzer

Uncle Bill's Sliver Gripper

Kingston DataTraveler

Stylus

Pilot G2, Black 0.5mm

Fellhoelter TiBolt

Absolutely, I should have done that. Spyderco Sage, Carbon Fiber, plain edge. One of my few go-to's for EDC and I have ~100 folders.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013AW8Y2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Boots are USAF issue circa 2004, they have no label and I can't recall which brand they are; Corcoran, Bates, Belleville? They have vibram soles and are comfy.

I have the combination blade that’s CPM-D2 cutting edge and the sandvik spine. I found it on amazon here if you’re looking Kershaw Leek, Composite Blade (1660CB) 3” Sandvik 14C28N/D2 Composite Blade with 410 Stainless Steel Handle, Features SpeedSafe Assisted Opening with Flipper, Frame Lock, Reversible Pocketclip; 3.1 OZ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017KN4MS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_H93YAb2NFSH8Y

Maybe a Spyderco Native? I wanna say these come in S35VN which is a pretty good steel.

I'd also consider the Mini Grip although that shipping time is atrocious. These come in 154CM.

A little beefier than a Delica and above your budget but I gotta recommend the HK Axis. I've heard that people don't like the mini's quite as much as the full size model but I take it you like the smaller side of things.

Just kinda poked around for some stuff I like on Amazon.ca. Good luck finding something!

Yup. I was thinking [this one in particular] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00180GQJA/).

http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-555HG-Pardue-Design-Mini-Griptillian/dp/B00180GQJA

Mini grip in sheepsfoot. Smaller blade, so less headaches for you. Unassisted, but still easy to open, and it locks. Benchmade is a great company with a great reputation. Haven't seen anyone buy this knife and say "Man, I wish I hadn't bought this." It's a little higher than your price range, but not by a ton and is still very reasonably priced.

If you like kershaw you can get a blur with S30v steel for around 65$ on amazon if you still want a kershaw. I've never been too impresed with them since I find their build quality to be lacking. They seem to have an excessive amount of blade play and use average quality steels in most of their knives. The a premium steel that can hold a razor sharp working edge. The spyderco delica/endura line is also a great knife. They have full flat ground blades that come razor sharp from the factory with absolutlely no blade play. I personally carry a green delica as one of my edc knives. The dragonfly is also great if you want a knife that dissapears on your person. it is a featherweight knife, that cuts and handles like a much larger knife.

If you are looking for a knife that can take an absolutely harsh beating, I would have to reccomend an Ontario RAT 1 or 2 depending on you size preference. They are a bit heavy in hand compared to other knives it size, but perform just as good as any of my spydercos. It is also on the cheaper side at around 25$.

The benchmades are also a good choice, but I would also reccomend the benchmade mini-presidio.

Anyways, I thought I might as well just post some links to them:

S30v Kershaw Blur

Benchmade Mini Presidio

[Benchmade Griptillian] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q9BOF0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2Q6YQ3PL1NNYW&coliid=I1IO3PSF8569TW)

Benchmade Mini Griptillian (I prefer thumb hole openers, but both griptillians also are offered with combo edges and thumb studs.)

Spyderco Dragonfly

Spyderco Delica

Spyderco Endura

Ontario RAT 1

Ontario RAT 2

Thank you for your service.

Hard to beat a Mora for the price though, right?

Could you provide your favorites at different prices? I don't know much about what real world experienced people would use.

I use a Fallkniven but I'm a total keyboard commando and I just like knives so I don't know much. I hear esee5 is nice too.

There is no "right" knife, it really depends on the person and the situation. I know thats a frustrating answer, but you can figure out what your ideal knife is by understanding some of those questions you asked.

Note: I'm by no means a knife expert so take all of this with a grain of salt :)


Full tang refers to the fact that the blade and handle of the knife are a single metal piece. Granted, you may have an additional handle on there (rubber, or wood, or whatnot), but the point is that there are no hinges or places where repeated stress could cause the knife to break.

The advantages of stainless steel are that it is hard, and rust resistant. This makes the knife edge a bit harder to dull, but also harder to re-sharpen.

Carbon steel is best read about here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_steel

Laminated knives are created by layering different types of steels to form the blade. Essentially the only reason I could see the need for this today would be when you needed different types of steel at different points on the blade. For example, a harder steel at the tip to prevent dulling when piercing things.

Now, if you learn to care for your blade properly, I would suggest looking towards a medium hardness full tang blade. The medium hardness will mean that the knife is easier to sharpen when it dulls, and with proper maintenance should stay rust free. I say full tang just because they're less likely to break with use.

Some recommendations I've got are: this -- I do not own one of these (yet) but have heard only good things;
and this -- I don't own this particular model but have heard good things about it as well. I own a different kabar and love it.

Few ideas. I don't have any of them but they are all decent. You're really not getting anything absolutely amazing for under $50. (This is a except of my other comment)

• Ka Bar Becker - Amazon $32 | 3.25" Blade
  
  
• Camillus Fixed - Amazon $35 | 3.75" Blade
  
  
• Schrade Fixed - Amazon $34 | 3.4" Blade (Let's face it. That is a wicked looking handle.)
  
  
• IZULA Fixed - Amazon $52 | 2.9" Blade
  
  
• Mora Fixed - Amazon $16 | 3.9" Blade
  
  
  Blade quality wise the Ka-Bar and IZULA both use high carbon steel 1095. This means it holds an edge better but is also a little harder to sharpen. The Mora doesn't have a lot of information on its steel and the Camillus uses AUS-8 which is decent. Less carbon but acts similar to steel with more carbon because of some magic. The Schrade is 8Cr13 and is again nothing special. Honestly I think any of them should be fine. Then again I am NOT an expert on this. If you are worried about the blade hit up /r/knives
  

I have a Spyderco Manix 2 with a pretty fat knife.
I paid $90 on Amazon for it and It's a fun knife to have. http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Manix-Plain-Knife-Black/dp/B002ECY7XI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394204179&sr=8-1&keywords=Spyderco+Manix+2
There's also the blue lightweight version, but I passed on it because it doesn't have an adjustable pivot screw.

For a few dollars more you can get a Manix 2 http://i.imgur.com/tuUr7XJ.jpg?1 Here's a link to Amazon
$98.87 https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Manix-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B002ECY7XI

Can't go wrong with a Spyderco Delica. It's a trusted and well loved EDC knife. Check out some of the reviews on it.

Spyderco Delica4 Lightweight FRN Flat Ground PlainEdge Knife (Gray) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CH3V5E/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_dQp.AbN109R13

Leatherman juice S2 (older version) and Spyderco Endura 4

be patient, it takes a little while to learn. but its well worth it. remember to wrap your index finger around the lighter, rather than trying to force the lighter into that crevice.

If you still want a knife, but no longer a bottle opener: this is my favorite

Bump that budget up just another 10 dollars and get him a FFG Delica.

Absolutely the Spyderco Delica 4 FFG. Quite literally a perfect knife.

Gerber Shard is a convenient little pry-tool for a bargain. It's worth the price just to try it out. Bottle opener, pry bar, and Philips-head screwdriver all in one make it worth the space on my keychain.

For a folder, you won't go wrong with either a Benchmade Mini-Griptilian or a Spyderco Delica. And at the cheaper end, there's the popular Spyderco Tenacious, but I am personally not a fan. Just don't buy anything with partial serrations, and do learn how to sharpen your blade.

Happy trails.

I would second the Delica recommendation. Amazon has a Delica 4 ffg in Purple that would do nicely. The Dragonfly 2 in a very dark green frn and a yellow H1 salt frn would be great as well. Great gift idea man!

Dragonfly 2 in ZDP-189 is the ultimate box cutter.

Knife: http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Dragonfly2-Brithish-ZDP-189-PlainEdge/dp/B004VG77R8

review: http://www.everydaycommentary.com/2011/07/dragonfly-2-zdp-189-review.html

Pen: want something really cool? look for a fountain pen. Lamy Safari or Lamy Al-Star to start. gouletpens.com

Flashlight: http://www.amazon.com/Foursevens-P2-AE-192-Lumen-Flashlight-Finish/dp/B00914ZM18/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1370113290&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=47+preon+2

This one? It's been in my cart for a while, and I don't think there are many better deals on knives with that steel. Keep in mind it will be tough for a beginner to sharpen that steel.

Spyderco dragonfly 2 zdp-189

Personally, as a nurse myself, I don't carry a knife while at the hospital, but instead trauma shears and maybe a pry bar like a Gerber Shard. I haven't run into a situation yet that the shears or the pry bar haven't able to do and it isn't as intimidating to patients or visitors.



However if you do need a small knife, just like everyone else suggests, the Dragonfly 2 is exceptional.

I have the ZDP-189 version of the Dragonfly and it is perfect for EDC.

If you looking for an even smaller folder check out the Manbug which also does come in a [ZDP-189 variant]
(http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-British-Racing-ZDP-189-Plain/dp/B0089DFLSQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1420580166&sr=8-5&keywords=spyderco+zdp-189). Just be aware that these do not come with pocket clip (I think).

$15: [Kershaw Shuffle II] (https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-8750TBLKBW-Shuffle-Folding-BlackWash/dp/B00TUCPWZM)

$40: [Kershaw Leek] (https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Leek-Knife/dp/B00P2LAQ4W)

$65: [Spyderco Delica] (https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B0052HQPWS)

The knives I linked are all folding locking knives. The shuffle would be harder to sharpen because of the tanto style blade.

For sharpening, most people either get the [Spyderco Sharpmaker] (https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tri-Angle-Sharpmaker/dp/B004HIZKHE) or the [Lansky Diamond Stone System] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000B8L6LS/ref=sxts2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483915806&sr=2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65). If you get the Lansky system, get the pedestal to go with it else your hands will be cramping.

Honestly I suggest getting a knife under $100. Once you get over $100 you start getting into supersteels. Supersteels are hard to sharpen for beginners and if you don't know what you're doing, you're likely to ruin the edge.

You don't need a serrated edge. Most folks here would recommend against it even if you did want to cut rope.

For cleaning and caring, I just put a drop of gun oil on the blade and mechanism. You don't really need to do this though. Unless you see rust or your knife is having trouble opening, you could skip it.

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B0052HQPWSc

I got my ex a pink spyderco ladybug http://www.cutleryshoppe.com/spydercolpnp3ladybug-ffgvg-10blade-neonpinkhandle-sprintrun.aspx

and and purple delica http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B0052HQPWS?th=1&psc=1

my current girlfriend just got a leatherman style cs http://www.cabelas.com/product/Leatherman-reg-Pink-Style-reg-CS-Multitool/1439349.uts

and a pink mini tuff lite http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-20MTP-Mini-Knife/dp/B00F5EUNDU

My ex still carries one of those every day and brags about using them and my girlfriend uses the leatherman way more than the knife but she still carries it.

Edit: links also sorry for shitty format.. mobile+ lazy=garbage format

Spyderco Delica is my edc blade.

Spyderco delica 4 http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B0052HQPWS

Since you're in New York, you need a non-locking, sub 3" blade. Also, because it's a knife-intolerant locale, you're going to want a non-threatening carry, preferably deep. Besides traditionals, the only quality knife I can think of that fits those criteria as well as your price range is the Spyderco UKPK ($50). Oh, and there's a harder to find titanium version that goes for at least twice as much.

best of the best:

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Techno-Titanium-Plain-Knife/dp/B006L6WSIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510170470&sr=8-1&keywords=spyderco+techno

oh wow


CHOKING HAZARD -- This toy is a small ball. Not for children under 3 yrs.

Spyderco Techno Titanium XHP Plain Edge Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006L6WSIY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_s5VXub0EAHAJA

Bought one:

https://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-Stud-4in-STAINLESS/dp/B006OCP46S

considered making one, and may yet try that.

Have you considered something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-Stud-4in-STAINLESS/dp/B006OCP46S

you could get this http://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-Stud-4in-STAINLESS/dp/B006OCP46S/ref=pd_sim_sg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=08HAS1D525NJW2JB41XK

or contact kershaw about it

Easy 1.5 oz: Gerber LST Ultralight Knife, Fine Edge [06050] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004WA4R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JezsDbC3SPXYJ

4 oz, get an OR helium II
Switch your 12 oz fleece to a 6-7 oz down jacket (Exlite anorak or superior down parka). Adds up to roughly 12 oz

This is the one I have

Gerber LST Ultralight Knife, Fine Edge [06050] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004WA4R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_COi1BbV109TAE

We have two of the Ladybugs actually, one is 15 and the other 17, so pretty much the same weight as the Gerber.

Hi /u/just_some_guy7382, you're not shadowbanned, but 5 of your most recent 100 comments/submissions were removed. They may be removed automatically by spam filters and not necessarily by human moderators.


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> Alcohol inequality!





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Amazon does have them.

Why not an KA-BAR like this

What is your budget and what type of blade are you looking for?

My favorite knife is the CRKT M16-13SF With the Auto Lawks feature, it becomes a veritable tank and performs like a full tang fixed blade.

I really like my Spyderco Tenacious as an EDC, does everything you're looking for.

The Kershaw 6034 Emerson Designed CQC-6K and the Kershaw 6044TBLK Emerson Designed CQC-8K are supposed to be really good, I haven't gotten around to buying but I am going to real soon.

If money is not an issue, then I suggest going for the Benchmade or Emerson route.

Fixed blades? Without getting too deep into it an ESEEor a Ka-Bar will last you forever.

Or you could just go with you know... An icepick

You'll never go wrong investing in quality. If you like the ESEE, then save hard and get the ESEE. They make some of the best blades on the market right now and their warranty is as good as it gets.


Also, serration is not all that important if you know how to sharpen your knife properly. But if you had to have it, and you can't afford the ESEE, then a more traditional Ka-Bar Fighting/Utility may be the way to go. Even if you use it for a while and decide on something else later, every man should have a Ka-Bar fighting knife in his collection.


Also, please don't get anything with a tanto point. Unless you are a mall ninja.

this

KA-Bar

So you seem pretty knowledgeable, and I trust your opinion. I’ve narrowed it down to 6 I’m choosing between, with some definitely more likely than others. Three are folders , and three are fixed . While I no longer trust MTech for folders, their blade kept decently well, and there’s not a lot of room for screws loosening on fixed blades. I also know Elk Ridge was never mentioned in the tread, but I’ve owned one fixed and one folder from them and they were both great knives, I have faith in the brand

Opinle is a good work knife.


And milwaukeet tool folder is also a good work knife.

An Opinel pocket knife. They're like $15. They're made out of wood and they look really cool. You can use em for kitchen work, or whittling, or just cutting shit. Great little knives, I've got 5 of them all in different sizes. :D

I would go for an Opinel for its locking capability if I'm looking for a blade only tool.

I'm going to recommend a folder just b/c he'll probably carry it more than a fixed blade. If he's going to use it for cleaning game, I would recommend something with pillar construction (two slabs for the handle, spacers in between) so that he can easily rinse out the mess. If you want a quality knife, it should have quality steel and quality handle materials. G10 is great, Titanium is great, and Bone is really expensive with those prerequisites. With that in mind, I offer spyerco sage 1, spyderco sage 2, spyderco paramilitary 2, DPX HEST, zero tolerance 0200, and the spyderco military. The military is slightly over budget but it's pretty sexy.

This is the heavy duty Leek

As long as you're not doing anything crazy, it shouldn't break, but sometimes people want more of a beater knife, and for that, the Leek wouldn't be a good choice.

Here are a few knives that I either own or have owned. All are in your price range, some for much less. I have assumed that you are only looking for a folding knife...

http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Junk-Composite-Blade-Knife/dp/B001CZDCKM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320358456&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Skyline-Knife-Textured-Handle/dp/B001CZBDF8/ref=sr_1_26?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320364599&sr=1-26

http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Sandvik-Stainless-Steel-Composite-two-tone/dp/B0017KN4MS/ref=sr_1_54?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320364653&sr=1-54

http://www.amazon.com/SOG-Specialty-Knives-Tools-AE-02/dp/B00137HJPS/ref=sr_1_97?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320364734&sr=1-97

http://www.amazon.com/SOG-Specialty-Knives-Tools-AE-02/dp/B00137HJPS/ref=sr_1_97?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320364734&sr=1-97

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tenacious-Handle-Folding-C122GPS/dp/B0017L138E/ref=sr_1_105?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320364768&sr=1-105

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Tenacious-Handle-Folding-C122GPS/dp/B0017L138E/ref=sr_1_105?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320364768&sr=1-105

The axis lock that benchmade uses is easily one hand open, you pull the little silver nubs in the handle to release the blade into a free swing, then release to lock it open. Skip to 5 mins in. But the leek is so different from a lot of knives that your best bet is stick with it, maybe go for a composite leek with better steel if you ever feel the itch for a new knife. That said, your leek is a solid knife snd the sog is good for your beater knife as well. Upgrading is a matter of choice now.

Well how about a compromise, better edge retention and you get to keep your leek.
http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-1660CB-Stainless-Steel-Composite-two-tone/dp/B0017KN4MS/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1409515629&sr=8-12&keywords=kershaw+leek

Still very cool. It reminded me of a folder I've had for a while with a hybrid blade. This. I really want a fixed blade one of a kind though.

Kershaw Leek Composite http://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Sandvik-Stainless-Steel-Composite-two-tone/dp/B0017KN4MS/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335021631&sr=8-1-fkmr0

what I carry for a gentlemanly knife

Take a look at the Leek with the combo sandvik/d2 blade. I have one and it is one of those knives that you just wanna fondle. If you pick one up, do yourself a favor and force a patina on the blade with some lemon juice or something - it really makes the two different steels contrast beautifully.

I get paid next friday and I think I'll pick this one up :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Benchmade-Pardue-Design-Mini-Griptillian-Plain/dp/B00180GQJA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2S2AG4YKJZGP0&coliid=IZFKY24L85FR4

sorry for making you spend more money... lol

Now my knife is worn,
but now the best technique.
At least for this knife.
_____
Well technically not that specific model in the picture, but it will serve for my lazy ass. If you know the lighter trick with a knife like this, all you have to do is use the backside of the blade instead of the bottom of the knife.

Initially when I was trying different techniques I used the top end of the handle... but that eventually got town to shreds so I tried the side and it has been working perfectly for about a year now.


Related: if you ever break a Benchmade knife or even find a broken one they don't give a damn what happened to it, they will just replace it.

A mini griptillian would be my recommendation. A spyderco delica or pm would also be sufficient and handle the tasks you laid out as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00180GQJA/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1495748265&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=griptilian&dpPl=1&dpID=41qybB-lBNL&ref=plSrch

Another option to consider might be the Cold Steel Master Hunter. Or, if you are willing to stretch the budget some, the Fallkniven F1 is a solid choice, well loved in the bushcraft world.

My comment was written with most everyday people in mind. They're mostly sharpening bad 440C kitchen knives and don't want to spend a lot of money. Another big thing is that your average person in the kitchen doesn't even know just how sharp a knife can get. The average guy is usually okay with a good working edge. I was recommending the honing rod and the Lansky system because they're inexpensive, easy-to-use, and they last a long time. Plus, most people are never even going to need a Lansky. That's already more advanced than most want to get.

If you have good knives though, everything changes. If you're a knife guy, then yeah absolutely you need to have a more sophisticated sharpening system.

We're both knife guys, so you'll probably agree that it all really depends on which knife you're using.

There are so many factors that go into it.

How thick is the knife?
What's the blade length/shape?
What's the steel?
What's the grind? Convex? Hollow? Full-Flat Grind? Scandi? Sabre?
What's the angle on that grind?
What type of knife is this?
What kind of edge do I want to put on it?

I personally just put a convex edge on most of my knives, so all I really use is a strop and a handful of compounds. For everything else I just use an Apex Edge Pro.

For ~$30, get one of the "high-end" Moras. I have this one, it's very sharp, very comfortable, nice and light, and great for camp chores like food prep, whittling, cutting cord, etc.
For ~$120-$150, get a Fallkniven. The F1 model is smaller and cheaper, the S1 is a bit bigger, and I think the A1 is the biggest. They're fantastic; great steel, thick but not too thick blade, exposed tang, unbreakable handle. I took my Mora and my Fallkniven camping with me a few weekends ago. The Fallkniven was used to baton through dead wood to make firewood, the Mora was used for cooking and lighter chores. Neither one shows any wear, though they were both used vigorously. And they're both still sharp as hell.
Those are the two that I can personally recommend, and frankly I'm surprised that Fallkniven hasn't come up more here if you're willing to spend upwards of $100 on a knife. If you need to stick to a budget, then a Mora will never let you down. The ESEEs also have a great reputation and people around here love them, so you can't go wrong with those either, I just prefer the style of Fallkniven more than ESEE. One thing that everyone will agree on is to stay away from Gerber if you want a good, dependable blade.

I personally own a fallkniven f1 http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001JA9Y66 It has been a great knife for me over the past few years. The blade is nice and thick, runs full tang and carries a wicked sharp full convex edge. Its made of a laminated steel using a vg 10 core and another stronger steel for the side of the blade. All in all I have used it for whittling, batoning, hammering and even some minor chopping. I highly recommend it.

The Fallkniven F1 is a very nice no-frills knife if you like stainless. It's the survival knife of choice for the Swedish air force. Pick up a 5$ pack of variable high-grit wet/dry sandpaper from your auto parts store for sharpening convex edges if you get one.

No problem. There is also the BK11, I dont really like it though because it has a weird bottle opener on the end of the handle.

I cant seem to find any with a finger hole in them though.

How about http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK11-Becker-Necker-Knife/dp/B001N1CBB6

I don't have the handle, but this looks pretty good http://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-BK-11HNDL-Becker-Custom-Micarta/dp/B004GIDJK0

Unless you MUST have red or pink the Becker BK11 (aka Necker) and the Eskabar are just about half the price of the Izula for damn near the same thing.

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK11-Becker-Necker-Knife/dp/B001N1CBB6

Backpacking and canoeing are similar but not the same thing. When you're backpacking weight is MUCH more of an issue. Personally I went with the Becker Necker from Kabar

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-BK11-Becker-Necker-Knife/dp/B001N1CBB6

It's small and light. I can make fuzz sticks with it and it can stand up to batoning.

Good conversation with alternate opinion here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/WildernessBackpacking/comments/41uryh/gear_knife_selection/?

if it has to be fixed blade your options are pretty limited

becker necker

crkt minimalist

boker gnome

esee izula

the only one of these i've owned is the becker necker, which is great, but the sheath is so big that it pretty much cancels out the small size of the knife.

Can't go wrong with a BK 11

Several neck knives I've EDCed which somewhat fits your criteria are:

Becker Necker (BK11) - This is a skeletonized knife in your price range. If you're only going to carry it at a neck knife you might not want to get the nice micarta scales, as it increases its profile. The spine is nice and thick, but it is 1050, making it harder to sharpen but has better edge retention.

The other I would suggest is the BK24 D'Eskabar Fixed Blade Hunting Knife - It costs just a little over your budget ($55 on amazon), and is D2 steel. It is harder than stainless, but it is water resistant (not as well as stainless though).

I went a bit crazy, and bought three knives based on the recommendations from this post. The ESEE 4HM, Morakniv Bushcraft, and Ka-Bar BK11.

The Morakniv stays in my main pack with the rest of my backpacking gear, while the small Ka-Bar is in my day pack. I use the ESEE around the house on a near daily basis and carry it along with the Mora if I can remember to grab it. So far all three are incredible knives

This it? https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Manix-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B002ECY7XI

I have the Manix 2. I don't like the look of most Spydercos but this one I love. I use it a lot, It feels great in my hand, not too heavy, not too light, cleans pretty easy, and it seems like it is going to last a long time.

I decided to go with the Spyderco Manix 2 G-10 ... but I'm not buying it yet. I'm hoping to get it as a gift, so I'm keeping it on my Amazon wish list :)

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Manix-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B002ECY7XI

How about a pocket knife? They have the benefit of being both cool and extremely useful. You can get yourself a Spyderco Manix 2 on Amazon for just under a hundred bucks with free shipping. It's a good size for a lot of tasks, but small enough that it can easily be carried in your pocket. An excellent EDC blade for the price.

Thanks, I'll look it up. Would you happen to be able to provide a link to the specific knife you're referring to?
EDIT: This: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ECY7XI/ref=gno_cart_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (?)

Gerber EAB & 250 blades (5x 50 packs) Irwin Industrial Tools Bi-Metal Blue Utility Blade, 50-Pack

I can open boxes for the rest of my life!

For an EDC: 2x Spyderco Delica 4

lol im really not a gun snob, but i love my full size mk25, in the summer or when i dont have a suit i carry a small sig p938 so i dont mind smaller guns at all. My spyderco that i just lost was a delica 4. heres the link. I loved it! I also carried a cutco folding knife that was amazing
https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Delica4-Lightweight-Ground-PlainEdge/dp/B003CH3V5E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496332376&sr=8-1&keywords=spyderco+delica+4+knife
https://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?item=lockback-knife#sm.0000tnlyoz18n2dx1qfcjipmxla5a

FYI, its currently $65 on amazon.

You are also in price range of the Delica 4 and Centofante 3 or Endura 4

These are much better knives than the Tenacious, Skyline or Cryo. VG-10 is much better steel, made with much better quality control from better materials.

Obviously, they are right at your price point, but its a whole-nother-level type of thing when compared to the Cryo and such.

The Delica 4 has a 2.875 inch VG-10 blade and is 4.25 inches in length when closed. Handle thickness is about the same with the Nano at 0.40".
It weighs 2.5 ounces, which actually makes it lighter than the Nano at 2.9 ounces.

Spyderco Delica4 Lightweight FRN Flat Ground PlainEdge Knife (Gray) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CH3V5E/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_iURdvb1FNA170
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CH3V5E/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_iURdvb1FNA170

Amazon, $55 if you do the free 6-8 day shipping.

What is your intended use for it? As an EDC knife I think it's not very good. The handle is a bit too thick for my tastes. The hollow grind clip point blade makes it more of a tactical blade. I am not a fan of a combo edge, especially on such a short blade (<6"). Like OldMan said, the 'patent pending' groove on it is pretty crappy too, get a Benchmade Triage if you want a quality cord cutter. The AUS 8 steel, isn't a bad mid-end steel, but for 10$ cheaper than you paid, you could have gotten a Spyderco Endura 4 FFG which has VG-10 steel and has a blade shape TONS better for an EDC blade (can also use a tactical in a pinch). The clip on it, as others say, is pretty awesome. It's one of my favorites.

If nothing else, the Trident does look pretty cool. I'd buy it as a collector just to look at, but I doubt I'd ever use it as an EDC blade.

Keys, knife (Spyderco Endura), flashlight (Streamlight MicroStream), gun (S&W Shield 9mm), and if my EDC belt pouch counts as one item then that. Or my wallet.

If you want classy, you can't go wrong with a Case knife.

If you want a hard worker, go for something like an Emmerson knife. If you really want to make him happy, go after one of the Emmerson CQC (close quarter combat) knives.

If you want something he could carry with him every day and fill just about any EDC type use, get him a Spyderco Endura 4. They even come in multiple colors.

I tried to pull a bunch of good knives under $60 for you. $40 generally won't get you something that will last for years, but $60 will.

You might look at CRKT's M16 knives. Or something from SOG. But I generally wouldn't recommend them, as the quality of the blade steel is kinda meh, and the quality control is iffy as they come from china.

All Spydercos! This beast has been on my wishlist for a while.

Spyderco has a wide range of folders under $100. There's the Delica, Endura, Dragonfly, Centofante 3, and Stretch to name a few. All high quality, made in the USA.

The Tenacious line (including the Persistence and Ambitious) is awesome if you want good quality for less than $40. However, if you want to spend more, I would definitely recommend US made knives.

Spyderco Lightweight Delica, in gray - here. At $58.65 it's just a tad over your stated $50 limit, but I'm confident you'll like it.

7.125-inch open length
4.25-inch closed length
2.875-inch VG-10 steel blade
2.56-inch cutting edge
0.5-inch blade hole
0.09-inch blade thickness
2.5-ounce weight
FRN handle material

FRN Spyderco Native is a back-lock but gets you S30V under $100.

Spyderco Dragonfly 2 in ZDP189 is also a back-lock but is legal pretty much anywhere and has a kickass steel for under $70.

Honestly though, as a Sage owner... just bite the bullet and get the Sage. Or maybe look at building your own S30V Mini Grip.

Spyderco C28PGRE2 Dragonfly 2

• Case knives
  
• Victorinox Cadet
  
• A bit out of your price range, but check out the Spyderco Delica.

Everyone needs a good knife.

Was it a Pingo?

Was it a Byrd Tern?

Was it a UKPK?

Was it a Dragonfly?

If it was anything but the Tern, It is likely a good deal.

Check out this list from Everyday Carry. The Spyderco UKPK is a good option specifically designed for this kind of use- good looking, non-intimidating, and won’t break the bank for about 60 bucks.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0052HQV40/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485534522&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=spyderco&dpPl=1&dpID=416bQseRfeL&ref=plSrch
If you want to stay legal

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004AWOLV8/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1485534784&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=spyderco&dpPl=1&dpID=41CRY-zVxCL&ref=plSrch
If you want a longer blade

Spyderco got some unusual optics, but IMO are great.

Or if you want a knife in Retro look, I'd strongly suggest Opinel, they got all kinds of lengths to choose from. I'd get the carbon steel variant.

HDS Rotary

SAK alox Minichamp

Saddleback sleeve wallet

Ian Schon pen

Seiko SKX 173

Spyperco Techno with carbon fiber back spacer

Yeah, I'm not sure how reliable various sites' information are. Amazon says it has S30V now, but the picture shows CTS XHP.

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Techno-Titanium-Plain-Knife/dp/B006L6WSIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478318176&sr=8-1&keywords=spyderco+techno

And this guy received one that has S30V steel.

https://www.spyderco.com/forumII/viewtopic.php?t=66685

I have a SOG twitch II that has been nice and fits your description but it is a knife I picked up on a budget.
If I had the money and shopped around I would have probably also gotten the Spyderco Techno.

Sorry no more pics I already shipped it. I was able to find it though...

https://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-SS-BRK-KTS01756-Stud-Stainless/dp/B006OCP46S

The one I had was all black. You just tighten it down with the provided Hex key. Lots of pics in the reviews

I don't know about that. I've never owned either knife. I just figured a thumb stud would help.

Here, they come in satin, black, and brass
https://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-SS-BRK-KTS01756-Stud-Stainless/dp/B006OCP46S

https://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Thumb-Stud-4in-STAINLESS/dp/B006OCP46S

it absolutley does work very well for one handed opening

85https://www.amazon.ca/Spyderco-Delica-Ground-Plain-Knife/dp/B0089DFGIG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549287248&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=spyderco+delica&dpPl=1&dpID=41s92VXupUL&ref=plSrch


Would you recommend this? Keep in mind its cdn dollars

I like keychain knives because you always have them when you need them. But I don't want a toy either. I currently have the Cold Steel Micro Recon 1 Spear Point Tactical Folder Knife. I feel like a fish out of water without it.

Maybe the Cold Steel Micro might work for you.

Cold Steel Micro Recon 1

Trust me, if you have the foresight to think you might be weird or awkward going off to college, you're far from it and you'll fit right in.

That being said, I don't see why you couldn't date college guys, in general you're probably pretty safe in a college town- lots of other young people just looking for something casual or dating at a level you'll probably find comfortable. On first meets, however, meet somewhere public- it can be on campus, but it's probably easiest to make it somewhere you can grab something to drink or eat and that way you guys can talk briefly (and it gives you a safe out if you're not interested after meeting- plenty of people around when you tell him you're rethinking doing anything). Always text a friend with his info and what you know about him- name, age, a pic, phone number, etc. And tell them you'll text back in a few hours. That way if you don't, they can take the info to the police or your parents if you go missing.

It's not a pleasant thought, but it's rational- get yourself a knife (folding type) you can carry in your pocket. 3" or smaller and you're pretty much safe anywhere to carry it besides government buildings or inside school. It could make a big difference if a bigger guy is cornering you, or you find yourself hogtied in the trunk of a car. You'll never actually need it, but peace of mind is a powerful thing. Other than that, just don't be stupid- think for yourself and don't just blindly go along with what he's saying because you don't want to offend him- if it doesn't feel right, get out of there.

Just picked up this bad boy for day to day carrying, it's nice and compact, I don't even notice it in my pocket.

Cold Steel Micro Recon 1 Spear Point Tactical Folder Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YBW82C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KqVlybEE0P0Q6

125 on amazon

/u/DoctorCongo may be interested in the grip

And Manix 2 is 75 new from amazon or am I missing something?

Prepare for a massive anti-Gerber circlejerk... You can find them on Amazon. If you can't find it there Ebay is always an option. This particular knife looks pretty good, not a lot of folders that small lock in place.

I'm seeing it for 66 + tax on Amazon
Spyderco Delica 4 Flat Ground Plain Edge Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0089DFGIG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Gsomzb13998T7

>as the last one broke

You want a durable knife? Try cold steel.
BenchSnobs and snobberco, and every other "Hey buy my 599 dollar knife" person will say they're bad. However, none of them will do this:

https://youtu.be/Op6NJPI59Lo?t=3m10s




https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Micro-Tactical-Folder/dp/B006YBW82C/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1466206068&sr=1-2&keywords=cold+steel+pocket+knife&refinements=p_36%3A1253555011

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Plain-Folder-Knife/dp/B006YBW6MY/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1466206068&sr=1-3&keywords=cold+steel+pocket+knife&refinements=p_36%3A1253555011


https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-20MT-Mini-Plain/dp/B004MNAKYM/ref=pd_bxgy_200_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=6XQ1NSW20TSEKE9WKAYM

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Dragonfly2-Brithish-ZDP-189-PlainEdge/dp/B004VG77R8

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Chris-Reeve-Sebenza-21--2359

you were saying...