Looking for budget EDC. <$30

If we're talking eye candy then to be completely honest I am not a fan of the bolstered look. But I just want something really strong in lock strength and the only liner lock that seems to be that strong to me is the one on the Spyderco, however, "made in China" doesn't really get me all excited over a knife, no matter which brand name is on it. I'd rather not subsidize hostile nations.
 
rogatsby said:
Hi Pilsner, that guy who got that great gift from his wife would be me :) I normally carry a Spyderco Delica or Dragonfly for EDC. But I really love Opinels. I always have. And they are the best picnic knives ever. And I still take out my wife's gift every night after Christmas to look at my new Opinels haha.

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Can’t help but give that a big thumbs up! :thumbsup: :)
 
jason41987 said:
If we're talking eye candy then to be completely honest I am not a fan of the bolstered look.
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I recommend you keep that high on your list. If you don't like the looks of a knife, I think it's hard to like the knife regardless of the performance. This is IMHO and YMMV. But I recommend buying something you like the looks of.

But I just want something really strong in lock strength and the only liner lock that seems to be that strong to me is the one on the Spyderco,
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The topic of lock strength will generate a lot of differing opinions. Here are my 2 cents FWIW...

I try hard to not rely on a lock to prevent a folding knife from closing. If I really need a knife that needs to be leveraged down like that, I get a fixed blade. Battoning wood is an example where you often need to press down on the handle to get the blade unstuck. Best done with a fixed blade, imo. All folder locks can fail and typically fail totally and with no warning.

IMO, there two aspects of locks that are more important than their ability to withstand closing forces. The first is reliability. I prefer a locks that are not prone to accidental closures and that give me a good indication while using that something is amiss. I know how to monitor the position of collar locks and lock backs with my thumb. On a collar lock, I monitor the collar's position. On a lock back, I monitor how far the lock bar is rising. I don't know how to monitor a liner/frame lock while cutting. I trust them less. Loads of people like liner/frame locks though so I'll them speak to their experiences.

Second issue with locks to consider is durability. Some locks get less reliable the more you use the knife to cut things with a lot of force or or when the knife develops lateral play. In this regard, I find the Opinel to be more durable than lock backs. Repeated hard cutting doesn't change the lock behavior and they generally don't develop blade play. This is why I prefer them for bushcraft/hard use cutting. I strongly prefer lock backs for hunting and have a soft spot for the 110, which is why I'm carrying that for EDC.

TL/DR: I think lock strength is less important than reliability and durability.

You might look at the Buck Spitfire. Or one of Spyderco's lock backs.

however, "made in China" doesn't really get me all excited over a knife, no matter which brand name is on it. I'd rather not subsidize hostile nations.
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I can't get past my underwear or socks when I think along these lines.

The one issue with country of origin and knives that wiggle my needle is with traditional knives. "Opinels" made in Spain bug me. "Buck" knives made in Pakistan bug me. Not because they're junk or the country is "bad" in some way, but I prefer my traditional knives to be from the country that gave birth to them. Just my 2 cents and reasonable people can disagree a lot on this.
 
I am going to watch more Opinel videos but to be honest, I think I like the Svords better for a traditional type of knife. Afterall the Svord sort of knife dates back to at least the middle ages, if not earlier and it doesn't get more "classic" than something that originates to a time before this continent was even discovered.

But I am still looking at more "modern" folders. They can be made classy with some new scales. But given how many times I have read about or watched videos or reviews of people having the springs in their assisted Kershaws break on them, I think I am going to avoid a system that relies and a component that is so easily busted which is a shame, I like that Kershaw Link, I just don't like their assists.
 
One thing to keep in mind is use the right tool for the job.

If someone is batoning a folder they have made a horrible choice of tools for the job.

In fact, if someone breaks the lock on a Buck 110, they have made a horrible choice of tools for the job they are using it for.

When choosing which knife to use or carry, it would be wise to first consider the jobs you will using the knife for.
 
The downside to Bucks though is you can't really take them apart to do a real deep cleaning. If I were to use it in a manner that many people have suggested they have used them for, like cleaning a deer, then I would want to be able to take that apart once I got home to get all the blood out of it before it became a breeding ground for all sorts of stuff you don't want growing in your blade.

And I did find a better comparison between the Spyderco Tenacious and the Ontario Rat 1 and the fact is the liners in both of them appear to be the exact same thickness, so the strength of the lock should be pretty similar and with that little fact in mind, for the price of a Tenacious, you can get the Rat 1 in D2 that there really is no comparison between the two products. If Spyderco made the Tenacious in D2 at the same price, I would have already bought it, but they don't and probably won't because obviously they want you to spend more on their higher end models.
 
jason41987 said:
The downside to Bucks though is you can't really take them apart to do a real deep cleaning. If I were to use it in a manner that many people have suggested they have used them for, like cleaning a deer, then I would want to be able to take that apart once I got home to get all the blood out of it before it became a breeding ground for all sorts of stuff you don't want growing in your blade.

And I did find a better comparison between the Spyderco Tenacious and the Ontario Rat 1 and the fact is the liners in both of them appear to be the exact same thickness, so the strength of the lock should be pretty similar and with that little fact in mind, for the price of a Tenacious, you can get the Rat 1 in D2 that there really is no comparison between the two products. If Spyderco made the Tenacious in D2 at the same price, I would have already bought it, but they don't and probably won't because obviously they want you to spend more on their higher end models.
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Do you disassemble your kitchen knives to clean them?

A drop or two of bleach in your dishwater will disinfect you knife.
 
A sanitizing solution will disinfect a visually clean knife. But you’ll need a power washer to remove coagulated solids from the pivot. A kitchen sink spray faucet or a WaterPik will usually suffice.
 
Bad Ninja said:
Do you disassemble your kitchen knives to clean them?

A drop or two of bleach in your dishwater will disinfect you knife.
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Do my kitchen knives have hollow handles and mechanical bits where things can collect? No, they do not. In fact my kitchen knives have their handles integrated into the blade so there are no interior surfaces on them at all.
 
jason41987 said:
Do my kitchen knives have hollow handles and mechanical bits where things can collect? No, they do not. In fact my kitchen knives have their handles integrated into the blade so there are no interior surfaces on them at all.
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I am of two minds on this subject having spent 30 years in commercial kitchens. One is that municipal health codes prohibit folding knives, and now many also ban wood-handled knives, because they are used all day long, usually without sanitizing, or even washing. Knives are typically wiped down and put away or used again.

Two, home use typically does not entail all day use without cleaning.

If you do not clean kitchen utensils at all, no design details will keep them bacteria free. YMMV
 
jason41987 said:
Do my kitchen knives have hollow handles and mechanical bits where things can collect? No, they do not. In fact my kitchen knives have their handles integrated into the blade so there are no interior surfaces on them at all.
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I would avoid using any edc folder to clean a deer, but to each their own.

I usually use a fixed blade (drop point), and won't use a clip point because it tends to rupture the gut when skinning and spoils the meat.
 
Bad Ninja said:
I would avoid using any edc folder to clean a deer, but to each their own.

I usually use a fixed blade (drop point), and won't use a clip point because it tends to rupture the gut when skinning and spoils the meat.
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I can agree with you there on drop points and also spear points work well too.
 
Hmm, it would seem to me that if you're willing to buy Chinese for a Tenacious, why not buy one of the Byrds instead?
 
I'm a big fan of many of the modern folders.
Nonetheless hard times meant I had to sell almost all of my collection.
Had to keep my Opinel, though.
It is a very good little knife and possibly the best value for the dollar that I've come across.
 
I've been looking at these Ganzo made knives. They seem to be better than the Chinese made stuff from US companies costing many times more for the brand name.
 
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