Budget Yard and garden knives

[Ram307]

Looking for suggestions for durable, inexpensive knives to use for general yard and garden work. Should be tough enough to dig in soil, cut roots, etc., and hopefully hold an edge. Prefer folding, but would consider fixed blade. Thanks

 

[Jody744]

I use 2 Condor fixed blades in the yard, small bushlore and a kukri machete. Wearing gloves makes folder use a pain for me

 

[Hickory n steel]

If you're going to dig with it and such I'd get a Hori-Hori which is a Japanese trowel / knife combo tool, it's probably the best choice of tool, but they're $30+ it seems.

If you're dead set on an actual knife, get a mora companion, or a Svord peasant.

 

[Fixall]

If you're going to dig at all, I highly suggest a fixed blade. Hickory n steel had some good suggestions.

If you're dead set on a folder, I'd get something like an Opinel or a Sodbuster.

 

[davek14]

Svord peasant might be good if you are dead set on a folder since they would take apart for cleaning easily.
Any folder I've ever used in the garden has gotten quite a bit of grit in the action.
I swear by big, old time, kitchen knives for the yard, re-profiled to a shorter blade so the blade is sturdy. I see a lot of them at yard sales.

 

[Mitt]

The Woodman's Pal is the one tool I reach for when I need to cut limbs, roots or vines. I cant say it's much for full on digging and it looks like the prices have gone up dramatically.

 

[Camillus]

A hultafors is a good choice

 

[buckthorn]

I'm afraid the combination of "dig in soil" and "cut..." is problematic. Adding "folding" exacerbates the problem. If it's only roots that you plan to cut then one of the (now many-and i suggest searching for all the variations from several sources) "Hori-Hori" styles could work, but it's not a folder. Would you consider relinquishing the folding requirement and consider two or three separate tools carried in a combination belt sheath? That solution can be obtained fairly inexpensively and you'd not be asking a particular tool to undertake chores for which it wasn't intended.

 

[Old Engineer]

I have this old WWII era Cattaraugus that I got at an auction in Holton , Indiana 5 or 6 years ago that is basically indestructible by human hands that we have been using in our flower gardens ever since .




Harry

 

[BrotherJim]

Looking for suggestions for durable, inexpensive knives to use for general yard and garden work. Should be tough enough to dig in soil, cut roots, etc., and hopefully hold an edge. Prefer folding, but would consider fixed blade. Thanks

Personally, I wouldn't want a folder for general yard and garden work ... and the operative word there is WORK.
Now don't get me wrong, a folder is handy for piddling around when you still have your church clothes on.

There are many to choose from but for general yard and garden WORK, I'd want a fixed blade if I used a knife at all (there are other handy general yard and garden tools as well).
Take a look on youtube and videos about the GLOCK KNIFE. This knife will go to WORK and then some ... and beg for more. Straight blade, root saw on spine and all.
Some of the Glock Knives don't come with the root saw on the spine, so double check. Some are just a straight blade.

Glock Perfection OEM Fixed Straight Blade Field Knife with Root Saw, Polymer Handle and Sheath (same material as Glock uses in their firearms, so you know it's good).
How much for the Glock FM81 knife? ... under $40 ... a bargain

(not my picture)

A Garden Knife? ... Nonsense ... well, maybe on Sunday
(my picture)

 

[Bastler]

I prefer my Otters in the garden.

 

[screened porch]

If you're going to dig with it and such I'd get a Hori-Hori which is a Japanese trowel / knife combo tool, it's probably the best choice of tool, but they're $30+ it seems.

If you're dead set on an actual knife, get a mora companion, or a Svord peasant.

I have a narrow, shallow trowel with teeth that seems to emulate the hori hori.

Svord peasant might be good if you are dead set on a folder since they would take apart for cleaning easily.
Any folder I've ever used in the garden has gotten quite a bit of grit in the action.
I swear by big, old time, kitchen knives for the yard, re-profiled to a shorter blade so the blade is sturdy. I see a lot of them at yard sales.

I have two tool-boxes full of old black kitchen knives. I don't see them at sales the way I used to, but Ontario's Old Hickories are still available new (and are great in the dirt.)

The Woodman's Pal is the one tool I reach for when I need to cut limbs, roots or vines. I cant say it's much for full on digging and it looks like the prices have gone up dramatically.

Woodsman's Pal was always too expensive for me.
I too am dubious about digging with a folder, despite the examples of Tom and Huck, but the svord would be a good choice, especially if you wear gloves.
Ontario beaver-tail machete, Barteaux mini-machete, ...
Actually I haven't gotten much use out of the beaver-tail. It's balanced funny for cutting and is awkward for digging.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

To me, 'dig in soil' and 'hold an edge' are a contradiction. I don't know of any steel tool that'll really hold an edge after dirt enters the equation.

Having said that, years ago, I picked up what's called a 'duct knife' at Home Depot for not much money. Double-edged dirk-style blade, and mine just had a simple wooden handle. As the name implies, it's intended for cutting fiberglass duct board. And in that use with fiberglass, it also won't hold a sharp edge for long. But, in terms of it's no-nonsense build and easy resharpenability with something as simple as a file, it immediately struck me as a bonafide 'dirty jobs' tool for anything you're not willing to use your good knives on.

More recent versions have both plain and serrated edges and thicker blades with plastic or nylon handles. And they're still not very expensive.

I like the previous mention of using old kitchen knives for such work. No matter what's used, the cutting edge will take a beating in the dirt.

 

[555]

Back in the day, these were the Garden Knives/tools.

 

[Misplaced Hillbilly]

To me knives and dirt don't mix. My great grandfather used to have a saying, "You CAN drive a tack with a spike hammer, but you CAN'T drive a spike with a tack hammer" Old man was a carpenter by trade, and his anecdote pretty much is saying "use the right tools for the work".

For those unfamiliar this is a tack hammer,
And this is a spike hammer. Notice they're similar in shape, but one weighs 8 ounces and the other 8 pounds

 

[555]

I find when working in a Dirt environment, folders take to dirt about as well as chainsaw chain, it only takes a little bit of dirt to mess up the works, this is where a Fixed Blade rule over folders.

 

[Modoc ED]

 

[Henry Beige]

A hultafors is a good choice

Another vote for the Hultafors GK. The oversized handle and thickish blade suit it for hard use. If nothing else, the rustoleum green handle make fit it well to the garden enviroment.

 

[brownshoe]

Looking for suggestions for durable, inexpensive knives to use for general yard and garden work. Should be tough enough to dig in soil, cut roots, etc., and hopefully hold an edge. Prefer folding, but would consider fixed blade. Thanks

I buy vintage hawkbills at flea markets and give to my friend who has a truck farm and his city-people day laborers use them. He uses an inexpensive Case Caliber zytel lockback.

No knife can dig in dirt and hold an edge. Case knives are easy to sharpen and they also sell a hawkbill.

 

[Will Power]

The wise have pointed out that soil and knives don't generally do well together....BUT you asked for a budget/low cost option and there is a FOLDING knife up to the task.

https://www.opinel.com/en/the-brand/the-company

An Opinel No.7 or 8 in stainless will hold up well, no liners, no spring to get fouled up with sand in the pivot a horrible feel on a multi or single blade spring knife. If it doesn't get hopelessly wet the wood will stand up to it, plus it locks with a simple ingenious locking collar so it's good for tasks that a spring knife might close on you....The Sandvik steel is easy to sharpen, Opinels are light in the pocket and great in hand. After all, they've been at it for 131 years and were intended for thrifty hard working French peasants in the fields or vineyards or workers, handymen and gardeners.

The fixed alternative I'd suggest is a Mora, cheap, durable, easy to spot with that red handle, never found them that good in the hand really but people vary. The national knife here is the puukko (although we tend to refer to all fixed knives as that.. like people calling all Traditional patterns, Penknives) so the Mora is perhaps less revered, still good though

Can't post pix, Imgur's having a nervous breakdown....