Best (new) knives - $20 and under

[Hal]

Obviously - Opinel.
There's a decent number of (what I would consider) good knives in this price range.

 

[Quiet]

Obviously - Opinel.
There's a decent number of (what I would consider) good knives in this price range.

So, what are they?

 

[hhmoore]

Mora

 

[Quiet]

Ten Twenty bucks? Man, kind of a hard ask. Even Opinels* cost more than that these days. @Eli Chaps laid out a good list of reasons why it's probably better to save your money for a few weeks/months until you can afford something actually useful. If you need a knife NOW, then I'd say go buy a gas station knife, use it carefully, and then save up until the funds are there to buy something better. You can get into decent knives for $35-$45, no reason not to try to get something along those lines. I mean, an Ontario RAT 1 is like $40ish shipped. Those are great knives for that level of outlay. Too big? You're in luck, the RAT 2 is smaller (though around the same money).



* In a size I'd actually carry and use.

 

[OrangeBlueOrangeBlue]

Some that come to mind are Mora (lots), Svord peasant knife, and Nagao Higo.
Depending on where you look, a KABAR Dozier will be right at $20 (I saw one for $20.50 at a prominent knife retailer); same with the QSP Parrot and stuff like the CRKT Drifter and M-16.
A lot of people like the Kershaw Shuffle and I've heard the Gerber Paraframe is one of their better products.
The SRM 710/7010 and Land 810/811 get good reviews as cutting implements but also annoy lots of people on BF, with both attributable to them being steel-framed Chinese budget versions of the Sebenza (it's sized in between the large and small CRK).

 

[jlauffer]

Hmmm...sensing a pattern here. Should I wait for the $30 and under thread to throw out the CS Grik and Tuff Lite?

 

[Hal]

Ka-Bar - Dozier Hunting Lockback - #4065. $19.95 right now @ Blade HQ.
Fantastic knife - AUS8A steel. (sort of the .38 Special of stainless steel.....nothing glamorous or overpowering - but - gets the job done)

Boker & Gerber have some Chinese made knives - These can easily be found on Blade HQ in the "knives Under $20.

My personal favorite would be the Boker Magnum Hawk Liner Lock - #01MB042 - I have an ancient Boker auto that is mostly this knife, but, in an auto.
I love that knife. The 440 steel (IIRC, 440A) is far from the best, but, it's also far from the worst.

Should I wait for the $30 and under thread to throw out the CS Grik and Tuff Lite?

. Probably. I'll do the $30 and under next Friday.

 

[timberweasel]

I don't know how much value there is in discussing best new knives by $10 increments. I think there might be only a handful of important price benchmarks (street price); maybe something like: <$50, <$200, <$500, and maybe <$1K. Just my opinion...

 

[OrangeBlueOrangeBlue]

I don't know how much value there is in discussing best new knives by $10 increments. I think there might be only a handful of important price benchmarks (street price); maybe something like: <$50, <$200, <$500, and maybe <$1K. Just my opinion...

For the extreme budget end of the market, $10 is a huge difference.
The difference between what you can get for $20 and what you can get for $40 is incredible, but it's also double the price.
Once you hit $50, I think that level of granularity starts to become less useful.

 

[timberweasel]

For the extreme budget end of the market, $10 is a huge difference.
The difference between what you can get for $20 and what you can get for $40 is incredible, but it's also double the price.
Once you hit $50, I think that level of granularity starts to become less useful.

Yeah, I can agree with that. I just think "SAK, Opinel, Mora" is going to be the litany until you get to around the $50 mark.

 

[afishhunter]

(SMKW) Marbles MR431 D2 Sowbelly Stockman.
D2 blades, black canvas Micarta covers. $16.99 + $3. and coin shipping.
All three blades also have a half stop.

View attachment 1450379

(plus those listed in the "Under $10" thread)

 

[Cvrobinson]

CRKT S.P.E.W.
Under $20 included sheath
Makes for a great urban belt knife

 

[afishhunter]

I don't know how much value there is in discussing best new knives by $10 increments. I think there might be only a handful of important price benchmarks (street price); maybe something like: <$50, <$200, <$500, and maybe <$1K. Just my opinion...

$40 and higher are out of my budget. Even if "only" $25 - $30 I have to save at least 25% of the previous month's "spendable income" for it.
After paying rent/room n' board (assisted living), I have $40 a month spending money. At least half of that goes for chew, and a couple 2 liters of generic Mountain Dew, or some instant (caffeinated) "coffee" or vitamin caffeine pills.
I'm retired, and on a low monthly fixed income. Honestly? I figured I'd be planted and looking up at the grass/pushing up weeds before age 55, like so many of my paternal ancestors.
What I get for figurn' I suppose.

 

[Tyson A Wright]

Ten Twenty bucks? Man, kind of a hard ask. Even Opinels* cost more than that these days...
* In a size I'd actually carry and use.

I can find an Opinel #8 (my preferred size and seems to be the most common for people to EDC) from a recreational equipment company (that pays me a nice annual dividend based on my purchases) for $17.00.

-Tyson

 

[Smaug]

I don't know how much value there is in discussing best new knives by $10 increments. I think there might be only a handful of important price benchmarks (street price); maybe something like: <$50, <$200, <$500, and maybe <$1K. Just my opinion...

In general, I agree with that. At least when talking about the tactical folders that we commonly discuss here. However, there are a few exceptions that are genuinely good, for $20 or under:

• Victorinox Recruit @ $18
• Victorinox Classic @ $16 (plain colors)
• Morakniv Companion @ $15 (and that's not even the basic one!)
• Cold Steel Kudu @ $8
• Higonokami #3 @ $9
• SOG key knife @ $10
• Buck Solo @ $12
• Gerber Ultralight LST @ $13
• Gerber EAB Lite @ $13
• Buck Nano Bantam @ $13 (US-made, too!)
• Case Mini Blackhorn @ $14 (US-made)
• Buck Deuce @ $19
• Buck Minibuck @ $15
• Buck Bantam BBW @ $15 - 19 (US-made)
• Opinel #9 (stainless) @ $19 (3-1/4" blade)
• Ruike S11 Criterion @ $15
• SOG Aegis @ $15
• Bear MGC Executive @ $16 (US-made)
• Case Caliber @ $16 (US-made)
• Opinel #8 Garden Knife @ $16 (12Cr blade, curved handle, drop point!)
• Kershaw Shuffle @ $17 (w/bottle opener)
• Ka-Bar Mini Dozier @ $18 (AUS8A)
• Gerber LST @ $18
• Higonokami 3.75" @ $18 (carbon)

Any of those are better than a gas station knife.

Quiet: most sizes of Opinel are available for under $20, even in stainless.

 

[RoyalHolic]

Like the previous thread, definitely an Opinel and some people swear by the Gerber Paraframe/Ripstop can't say as I'm one of them.

I know you can get some Buck knives under $20 and you probably couldn't go wrong there or anything by Victorinox.

 

[MarkN86]

I've been pleasantly surprised by some really cheap knives and absolutely disgusted by some mid priced knives, some even approaching $100.

I've found build quality is my main concern. I don't expect it to be glass smooth and perfectly centered, but the lock needs to be reasonably strong and the knife should not be flimsy. I don't expect good edge holding out of a cheap knife, but as long as the steel is not utter garbage I don't mind to put an edge back on it. I use 420hc a bit and to me it's not the worst thing in the world, even at a relatively soft HT.

I really like Moras, there's no lock to fail and they are a solid choice as a hard use, nearly throwaway woods knife. You can still get some sub $20 USA made plastic handled folders from Buck and Case that are alright. There are a few Kershaws, a few CRKTs, and a few Cold Steel knives around or under $20 that I would trust. Hard to find a Byrd under $20 these days but I hear they are excellent as well.

I should pick up an Opinel, I've never had one. I know they aren't perfect but I love slicers.

 

[timberweasel]

$40 and higher are out of my budget. Even if "only" $25 - $30 I have to save at least 25% of the previous month's "spendable income" for it.
After paying rent/room n' board (assisted living), I have $40 a month spending money. At least half of that goes for chew, and a couple 2 liters of generic Mountain Dew, or some instant (caffeinated) "coffee" or vitamin caffeine pills.
I'm retired, and on a low monthly fixed income. Honestly? I figured I'd be planted and looking up at the grass/pushing up weeds before age 55, like so many of my paternal ancestors.
What I get for figurn' I suppose.

I hear ya, Steve, and I'm not saying $10 is trivial to a household budget. I'm just trying to think of the price-range where the conversation might noticeably shift to other options. SAK, Opinel and Mora are the long-standing kings of budget knives here on the Forums--and for good reason.

 

[timberweasel]

In general, I agree with that. At least when talking about the tactical folders that we commonly discuss here. However, there are a few exceptions that are genuinely good, for $20 or under (...)

We are on the same page

 

[Ruari]

Going a touch over $20 can get you an Ontario Utilitac II, there are some on sale at the moment.