Recommendation? Best Budget Hard Use Knife?

Mr.Wizard said:
S35VN is not a tough steel. Consider reading https://knifesteelnerds.com/2020/06/15/what-is-the-best-budget-knife-steel/ and see this chart from the same site.

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I know it’s not a tough steel. I was just throwing out a suggestion to see if there were any other brands or options I could consider. Love the chart!!!
 
Another vote for Rat 1.

The all black, partially serrated, saber ground Spyderco Endura is in the price range too I think. It's tip is pretty stout.
 
GaryOwen said:
Another option, British army jack knife, non locking and almost idiot proof, almost because the world keeps making better idiots. Gar
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The yachting style one?

Because that has a little pry bar, screwdriver.

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Mabye on the same vein. The Gerber pribrid is a saftey razor knife that has a pry bar
 
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Take a look and the reviews of the Ruike P801. Hard to beat for $30 + s/h.

When I see "hard use" and "budget blade", I also tend to gravitate to Cold Steel. I'm a big fan of the tri-ad lock.

You could do the CS Code 4 or Voyager too.

If you like tanto blades and 3" isn't too small of a blade, you can two CS Mini Recon Tanto from Knifeworks (KW) for the same price as a Recon 1.

The KW CS 4 Max Scout and Rat 1 in D2 are also great recommendations.
 
This might not be your ideal candidate.. but my hardrest user and abuser is a large case sodbuster in stainless (I have the blue American workman). I think I paid $30.

The belly is "blunt" enough that I don't worry about snapping off the tip for light prying - it is cheap enough that I don't feel bad if I'd have to replace it.

It has been my go-to work knife for at least 10 years. I can't seem to break it! I always have it in my pack in case I dont want to damage my "good knife".

It has cut open steel cans, de-breasted dozens of ducks, field dressed an elk, cut lots of rope, opened up crates of industrial machinery, broken down a million boxes, opened hundreds of bags of mulch/soil/quickcrete, chipped ice, made a thousand feather sticks, cut large industrial ratchet straps, cut all sizes of pvc pipes, opened dozens of paint cans, screwed in hundreds of loose screws... the list goes on. It was my primary work knife when I was a humanitarian volunteer in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan for a few years.

I love that I can easily open and use with heavy duty (ill-fitting) gloves.

Of course, I don't have it with me today🙄... it is in my gear bag from the lake yesterday (i left it in the wife's car).

Edit: she found it and took some pictures for me
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John Phillips said:
I know it’s not a tough steel. I was just throwing out a suggestion to see if there were any other brands or options I could consider. Love the chart!!!
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Steel formula is only one of many factors and ultimately much less important than many here like to pretend .

The HT , geometry , overall strength and quality of the materials and design .

The thicker built Tri-ad Cold Steel folders have a long, proven track record of reliable hard use performance .

This well earned reputation means more than any chart ever will , IMO .
 
Why are you prying with a knife? Any single bladed pocket knife that can handle that would likely be a lousy pocket knife. If that is really a need than go with a multibladed knife like a SAK, Multitool or Electrician‘s knife, where you have a sturdy blade to do light prying, but retain a cutting blade that is sharp enough to actually cut.

n2s
 
Wow, I guess there’s a few reasons Case sells so many knives!!!!! Lol.
not2sharp said:
Why are you prying with a knife? Any single bladed pocket knife that can handle that would likely be a lousy pocket knife. If that is really a need than go with a multibladed knife like a SAK, Multitool or Electrician‘s knife, where you have a sturdy blade to do light prying, but retain a cutting blade that is sharp enough to actually cut.

n2s
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I think everyone might be focusing a little too much on the prying mention… LOL, maybe that’s my fault. I’m just wanting any good suggestions for a great hard use knife that I won’t mind if I have to use and abuse that will compete or be a better option than a Recon 1.
 
Mr.Wizard said:
S35VN is not a tough steel. Consider reading https://knifesteelnerds.com/2020/06/15/what-is-the-best-budget-knife-steel/ and see this chart from the same site.

magnacut-stainless-toughness.jpg
Click to expand...
"Toughness" is more than the steel. It's also the design.

Cold steel puts more steel behind the edge of their blades than outfits who make "good slicers". It helps make up for the alloy properties. You end up with a blade that is relatively tough and still has good edge retention. Like everything else in a designing a knife, it's a set of compromises. Not a great slicer, but it's tougher and it still maintains a cutting edge for a long time.

Look at the chart you cited. Show me an alloy with carbides which is significantly tougher than S35VN. I don't count Magnacut at this time. I don't know anyone who makes a knife in the stuff, certainly not a budget knife. For an everyday pocket knife most folks want an alloy with edge retention. So you need an alloy with carbides. And then you want toughness. The way to get that is to put more steel immediately above the edge bevel. You can tweak the design the other way, by choosing a steel without carbides to increase toughness, but then you lose edge retention.
 
If you overlook the prying part and just want a knife you can beat the crap out of and not worry too much about it, it’s hard to beat the Recon 1.

I’ve had every size but the micro and they’re great knives. I really wailed on the mini for a few years at work and it laughed off everything I threw at it.

Just throw a Victorinox Pioneer in your pocket and you’re all set for most prying (and lots of other stuff too).
 
Buck's super hollow grind, AKA their "Edge 2000", makes for a great slicer, but not a "tough" design.
 
John Phillips said:
Wow, I guess there’s a few reasons Case sells so many knives!!!!! Lol.

I think everyone might be focusing a little too much on the prying mention… LOL, maybe that’s my fault. I’m just wanting any good suggestions for a great hard use knife that I won’t mind if I have to use and abuse that will compete or be a better option than a Recon 1.
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It also depends a bit on the shape of the knife as to what you want to do with it.

Those sheepsfoot are really good for trying to slice stuff with the tip. Which I find myself double almost all the time in one way or another. All those opening packets or boxes. That kind of thing.

And so it kind of makes the knife appear more durable. And why you see utility knives have that blade shape a bit.
 
I vote for Cold Steel AD10, which can be had for less than $120. Recon 1 with the tanto blade would be a good choice. 4Max Scout is too heavy.

I once lightly pried with an Ontario Rat 1 and the tip was bent. I won't use Buck 110 to do any sort of prying due to its delicate tip. These two knives are not in the same class as the CS folders mentioned above.
 
If “hard use” means putting up with rhe Tri-Ad lock, why not just go all in with the truly horrible lock on the Cold Steel Pocket Bushman. This knife is said to be almost as sturdy as a fixed blade, which is a good thing, as once you have it open, you probably won’t feel like closing it again until after the end of the weekend. Round out your experience with the discomfort of the folded steel handle.
 
John Phillips said:
Understood and agree. I’m definitely open to higher budget options. I have plenty of $200-$600 folders but I’m typically more careful with these. I want to be able to not care if I have to use and abuse a hard working knife.
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Another option is the Spyderco Tenacious. The blade steel is somewhat mediocre, but the the build quality is very solid and 8cr13mov is easy to sharpen. Plus, with a $100 budget, you can buy 2 and have a back up blade.
 
Cold steel SR1 Tanto in S35VN, it has a thick stout blade to go along with the Triad lock. It's a little more than a ben but well worth it, it also comes in a nice clip point as well.
 
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