(Part 2) Top products from r/BudgetBlades

A little late to the party... You are following the same trajectory as me. I'm just now expanding into fixed blades, but before you put the brakes on budget folders you should check out a few more options.

The Coast FX350 (9cr18mov, G-10, frame lock, 3-position clip) is a beauty for under $20. The BX315 (9cr18mov, rubberized handle, lock back) is great for wet work and is currently selling for just under $15—it has a sheath instead of a clip because the large rubberized grip doesn't slide in and out of pockets very well. The BX315 also has a little brother, the BX300.

If you like the Kershaw Link's profile then you should try a Flock (8cr13mov, FRN, tip-up clip) that's going for $15. It is a dealer exclusive that was poorly marketed and escaped most people's notice. Probably one of the best Kershaw deals going right now.

Spyderco's Spy-DK is currently selling for $30. It's a special non-locking model for Denmark knife laws. It's old school slip joint action but you get a N690Co blade that is a step up from their more expensive budget folders.

Back to fixed blades...

As I mentioned in another comment, Schrade is a good place to start for budget fixed blades—check out the SCHF36 Frontier for under $30. One thing to note is many fixed blades in this category are going to use 1095 steel which typically requires some maintenance, but most are powder coated to address this. Don't let 1095 scare you away from some nice options.

Now, I know you are looking for budget knives but there is a mid-range option that you may want on your wishlist. If you have an Ontario Rat folder (which you should) then you might want to compliment it with a Rat 3, 5, or 7. Like I said, I wouldn't consider Ontario fixed blades as 'budget' but they're a bargain compared to brands like Tops.

I hope this helps and have fun exploring, this rabbit hole runs DEEP.

You can definitely make knives on the kitchen counter!

You'll need a way to heat it up, either to aid with forging and heat treating if you go the blacksmithing route, or as the first step in heat treating, if you're going the stock removal route.

A two-brick forge is very cheap and only requires two soft (not the hard ones) kiln bricks and a propane or MAP gas torch - https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/virtual-bbq-2-brick-forge-wip.920120/

Just make sure you leave a window open for venting out any fumes, as one of the byproducts from propane or MAP gas being burned is carbon monoxide, and in an enclosed environment with no ventilation, that can kill you.

You can do stock removal very cheaply by hand with a jig like this one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9iNDRwwBQQ

I made one based on that video when I was starting out, and while it is very time consuming and manual labor intensive to use, the results were quite good.

A small benchtop 1"x30" belt sander can speed things up a great deal, like this one for $69 - https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Mini-Belt-Sander-3400/dp/B004D96ZCG/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1519657469&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=craftsman+benchtop+belt+sander


Once you have it sanded / ground / hammered to shape, you heat it up until it glows bright orange, then you quench it in motor oil or hydraulic oil.

After it's cooled, pull it out and clean it off. Make sure to look for any cracks. If there are none, you can temper it in any standard home oven, as it will be extremely brittle at this point. It depends on the steel and the desired final hardness as to what temperature you'll set the oven to, but 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit is common.

After that, put a handle on it, sharpen it up and you're done!

The Spyderco Sharpmaker is a great knife sharpener to use. I believe it has 15 and 20 degree angles.

There is an alternative(and cheaper) Lansky Turnbox That sharpens at 20 and 25 degree angles. These two systems are great to travel with.

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If you want a beginner sharpening system you could get a Lansky System but if you ever get higher end steels you will need to upgrade to Diamond system. You will also need to get a Lansky mount or clamp. It also has a wide variety of accessories and stones.

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You can also get Fixed angle knife shapener that is like an apex edge. If uses the same stone size so you could order upgraded plate sets at a cheap price.

The system that I have been using is the 5th Gen Sharpener. It uses the same stones and plate size as an Apex as well. The only downside is the that it takes forever to arrive from china.

Understandable. It took me a little bit to completely trust the hollowness of the handles. Once I actually used the knife though (cut up an apple), it felt more comfortable and sturdy. I certainly don't mind the overall light-weightedness of the knife.

You gotta code for the $15 Emerson? I'm seeing it at $30: https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Pocketknife-6034T-High-Performance-Stonewashed/dp/B00I0RQ0AO

You might also check out the larger Lands in this same family on Amazon. There are a few models in the $20-25 range. So if you don't need the branding on a counterfeit Sebenza off dhgate, you could try one of these with Land branding, slightly different design, and good reviews on what sounds like more reliable quality.

910 black G10

913/9105/9106 black G10 + stonewash

9102 green G10

9103 steel *edit - photo shows blade labeled 912 despite item title / product description

9104 stonewashed steel?

Here are the two smaller, one of which is OP's

812 titanium, smaller

810/811 blackish?, smaller

Nite Ize Tool Holster Strech, you can find it for $10.45 on Amazon free shipping.

I have just never understood the point for so much belly on such a small blade. IMO one of these is a far better option, particularly if the knife is going to be used for whittling:

https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Carving-Knife-Laminated-2-4-Inch/dp/B004GATX62

After trying the Home Depot Husky brand, I bit the bullet and bought a Wiha set. The difference is huge.

https://www.amazon.com/Wiha-36291-Screwdriver-Torx-Piece/dp/B002C582AQ

About $25 depending on price fluctuation.

I'm not much of a fixed blade guy, but I have a MTECH USA MT-151 and its a beast. Look for reviews on Youtube, people cant break the damn thing and from my limited use, I'd say they are correct.

I also like the Mneck Tool (MT-669) for a neck knife. I generally would not recommend Mtech folding knives, but they do some things right with the fixed blades.

I would pick this one for a scout - a bit smaller. and a few bucks cheaper

The Spyderco Persistence:

https://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Persistence-C136GP-Plain-Knife/dp/B002IWWYS4/ref=pd_sim_200_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002IWWYS4&pd_rd_r=46e03e58-e45e-11e8-8128-07608570eb48&pd_rd_w=LJC6s&pd_rd_wg=b2U0X&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=18bb0b78-4200-49b9-ac91-f141d61a1780&pf_rd_r=Y24WEN6FP5SAYMFTB2GY&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=Y24WEN6FP5SAYMFTB2GY

Spyderco Honeybee

I'd suggest:

Ganzo G753M1

Cold Steel Tuff Lite

Kershaw Skyline

Or the already mentioned Ontario RAT 2.

Eh what the heck, here's what CS based the huntsman off of

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00629W99I/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522289877&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mtech%2Bfixed%2Bblade&dpPl=1&dpID=41RdhFR8xgL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

Practice first with a Lansky Turn Box. In fact, you may not need anything else, unless you need a sharpening angle that's different. I use mine to keep my knives shaving sharp.

I have this smaller Wiha set and it’s been great!

I went through a Husky set I think and even bent a set from Benchmade. Never been more satisfied than with Wiha.