I find I tend to select an open back folder for dirty work. They are easier to clean after the job is done - just hold under running water. They also dry faster.
True story. It's the 30 dollar delica. Work the crap out of it and when it breaks, cry a little bit but keep it for parts 'cuz you know you're gonna buy another. Great knife, but I've gone through 4 of them over the last 5 or 6 years. Wish they sold the washers separate. Wonder what the warranty is like. Maybe I'll look into it.
For work I currently am using an esee avispa. It did require some tuning and sharpening before I began to really like it. I prefer the thinner handle for ease of carry over the Rat 1. These D2 budget bruisers are perfect for work, if I lose it or destroy it…..just replace it…..after all I carry a tool not jewelry on the job!
Firstly, no knife with bearings are hard use, no argument with few exceptions. I’m a farmer and work in industrial settings and do not carry bearing knives if I can help it. Any sideways pressure most people use on washer knives will crack the bearings and break the cages. Plus, bearings gunk up far faster than washers. Not a hard use feature. I love the rat 1, but I can say without pause that it is not “hard use”. I’ve disengaged the lock on it several times (and honestly most liner locks) by just bearing down cutting some harder material (causing lock flex). The plastic on the rat flex along with the liner lock, and with the right angle and pressure, it will disengage. Frame locks do the same if poorly designed.
@@TheBigHatLegion or a lock back, plunge lock (button lock), axis lock, wedge lock, and several other locks that can hold up to abuse. Bronze washers and good tolerances over bearings
@@airadaimagery692 it should, but even tightening the clip on mine to where it doesn’t move on the plastic handle causes lock rock. Copper or brass should help that
My RAT 1 is an excellent beater knife. Camping, hiking, fishing, construction. I drop it in the bag as a companion knife to my fixed blade without fretting.
The Real Steel H6 is a very underrated knife. 14C28N is one of the best steels you can find in a budget knife, and the knife itself is well built. It's a sturdy no nonsense no frills work knife.
Those Sandvik steel are great for a budget knife.Ive used stainless Moras for years with Sandvik steels.they hold a decent edge,they sharpen easy,they are fairly tough and they have a good level of corrosion resistance..they are extremely well balanced steels
I just spent a week in Alaska fishing and hiking and the Ontario Rat 1 was perfect. It was tough and I didn't have to worry about losing it or using it hard. I would definitely take it on a return trip.
@@marcmartens4831 the toughness of the rat 1 lies in the construction; it stands up to hard use without failing in some way. aus8 is pretty much the japanese version of 8cr13mov.
The PocketBushman is now my daily EDC. I almost never use the lanyard to close. SnaggletoothMF makes an aluminum snaggletooth that works with this knife, so I open it one handed. Using my belt or my pocket, I catch the ramlock and do a 1 handed close as well. It's a super good knife, and it's worked well for me. (I use it for cutting fruit, vegetables, to cutting amazon boxes, tarps, and the like). It sharpens pretty easy as well.
I think I’d choose the Range Boss. You get a lot of knife, with a Tri-Ad lock that’s thin. I’ve never used that steel but I’m sure it’s fine if you wipe it off and strop it now and then. Good list 👍
I bought a Esee Avispa several years ago. I use it in a fire ems environment. I have absolutely abused it and it is still in fantastic shape. Cutting airbags seat belts insulation wires etc. Edge retention is good enough it's easy to sharpen and extremely durable.
The CRKT M16 line has never let me down and I bought my first one on a whim over a decade ago, and still use it. Definitely a dedicated hard-use knife, and I love the Auto-LAWKS system!
I have a lot of knives on washers that open every bit as good and smooth as ball bearings..in some cases I prefer washers,if I’m using a knife for a dirty job I don’t want that dirt working it’s way into my ball bearings making the action gritty
Could have had the Buck 112 instead of the 110! I don’t know about most people but growing up my father carried an Old Timer large stockman for most stuff and my Grandfather carried a Case Knife from the 1940s. They both used the hell out of them for everything… no fancy stainless steel… lasted a lifetime…. Hard working knives. If you are applying pressure to a knife… they won’t close unless you bind the blade and go to pull it out. Just saying. Often way overlooked
May I add to the list , cold steel tuff lite. I have given out about 6 or 7 to friends and workmates . They seem to like them And I have one myself that saw daily use til I upgraded.
I love the RAT 1 and 2. Both are tough and long lasting. I really want to try that Cold Steel Range Boss. I really like the shape of the blade, and I highly trust the Triad lock. Thanks for putting on these great shows guys!
I have a couple if these and honestly the real steel h6 special I have is the one I prefer to use. It's got the texture, the thick liner, orange handle and tough as nails. Definitely a great knife
That last Emerson had a handle very similar to Cold Steel’s Recon 1. Most comfortable folding knife handle I’ve ever owned. Wish more knives used that style.
I just replace an old Kershaw Scallion I've had for 20 years with a Rat 1. I did not expect the Rat to be as built as well as it is. It's a very nice big knife. The Kershaw I've somewhat always hated because the lock sucks and digs into blade while sometimes working itself loose on its own. And it had a tendency to open up in the pocket. Kind of happy it broke very happy so far with the rat.
I have to endorse Metal Complex's take on the Cold Steel Tuff Lite and its smaller variant as excellent hard use options. Easy to sharpen utility blade with an excellent lock for under $50.
I have 2 ESEE Avispa's in D2 and AUS8. Both are super tough edc knives. Nothing like a Cold steel triad but its lock up is super tight and the D2 edge retention is great.
I have a smith and Wesson m&p folder I bought as a cheap knife I wouldn’t feel bad about abusing and replacing in 3 months when I was doing landscaping right out of high school, I’ve had the thing 8 years, but now it’s in my toolbox in at work (automotive technician) the thing just loves to be abused and keeps on working every day.
RationalMindRiot I’m a benchmade,spyderco,sog guy those are my go to brands but I’ve got a CS push dagger on the way, that being said if I like it I’ll def get more cold steel to carry in my pocket I’m trying to find that perfect EDC. Strength and sharp is what I’m going for.
There was a time I swore I would never spend more than $40 on a knife, then that price went to $50, $60, $100....now I own spydercos and various other knives in the $150-$200 range. It’s crazy how it changes over time. If you can afford it that is.
@@CadillacDriver Depending on location and line of work, yes it can be very common. Try being a knife guy while working in a large nightclub, the question came up more than I ever would have imagined.
@@presidentmerkinmuffley6769 Just seems odd to me that a non-knife person (let's face it, that's 99.999% of the population) would even entertain the idea of buying a knife or asking about them, let alone specify a particular price range that is niche-knowledge for people who know about knife price brackets.
I gotta just throw this out there... I took the chance and picked up the Gerber Flatiron gen2 and I wasn't sold of comfortable with the idea of a folding cleaver. BUT after less than a week I fell in love with it. I recommend giving it a try. Worst case keep your receipt and return it if your not happy or trade around with someone. It's quickly became one of my top 3 EDC knives to date.
I cant deny...I like the way the Cold Steel Range Boss looks. I even like how slim it is, but I would have a hard time believing that Lynn Thompson set the selling price for the design before taking his leave. I'm not a steel snob, but if you didn't know, 4034 is a bottom rung cutlery steel. It is a dive knife and mass produced kitchen knife steel. Probably just a hair above why you get in those 12 pack Costco paring knives. I cant help but see this as another black mark on the new owners, who seem to be taking full advantage of their rights to the tri-ad lock. Thompson wanted everyone to be able to enjoy the safety and longevity of Demkos ultra reputable, and masterfully engineered brainchild. Now we have a very thin plastic handled knife with crap steel and the triad lock going for almost 50 bucks. This knife should be, and would have been a 24-28 dollar knife. RIP Cold Steel.
The h6 plus might be the best value knife I’ve ever bought in the price range, incredibly smooth, comfortable to use, sharp in box, love it. Unfortunately the pocket clip broke
The Range Boss reminds me of a Buck 110 slim. M16 14Z unserrated tanto has been my most carried big folder. Been looking at the Bushman as a budget get home bag option for multiple bags. I am loving the Talla.
Nice video. I’d add the Civivi Brazen with the 14c28n to this “under $50” list currently on your sight for $49.80. Great steal, g10, nice steel liners, deep carry clip, back spacer for additional rigidity and awesome action. The knife feels like a worker.
Hey David, very glad you've included the Kershaw CQC-9K, it's just above the 50$ mark but it's such a great knife, it really belongs in this line-up. Thank you for this topic i really appreciate it.
👍 As usual in these type of videos a good run down on what is available. Not sure I can agree that a liner lock knife is “hard use”, but the double locking feature of the CRKT might change my view. I own 2 Andrew Demko designed Tri-ad lock knives so I was not surprised to see two of his locking designs on the table. With at least 4 of his locking designs successfully in the marketplace Mr. Demko certainly understands how to make a sturdy well designed folder.
Dave, as always I appreciate a look into your mind. Watching these makes me understand what I like vs don’t in my knives. Would you do a hatchet video? Or how to pick a bushcraft hatchet?
Now these are knives I like in my hand or pocket 👍👍. Plus so many others . They’re all cool and what I like about knives is the difference in how they open and close . From flipping to buttons to switches thumb studs idc for and prefer a flipper but I ll take a flipping hole any day .
Personally I'd say the Kershaw Emerson 8k is a better option than the one shown. Its basically the closest to a legit Emerson you can get for under or at $50. Still a tanto but its got a chisel grind like a real Emerson. And after it breaks in (like most budget knives need to) the action is pretty great. Its still only 8cr13mov but you can get a great edge on it. Its also only a liner lock but its a solid liner lock as well. Ergos wise its pretty great personally.
With a few exceptions, I don't consider linerlock knives suitable for "hard use". They tend to fail with grit or pocket lint, and impacts can have the blade "slip" out of the locked position. This doesn't matter in most normal EDC usage, but in "hard use" out in the bush, failure is not an option.
Always informative which really helps the novice like myself. Keep up the good work. Also, video presentations are awesome showing detail & craftsmanship.
The rat one I's unbelievable. I've had six. Getting the assisted soon. I actually would be confident with it for self defense. You have to hold it. No video prepares you for how the rat feels in hand. Like s 200 dollar knife. Best ergo ever invented
Can you do a tour on the knifecenter warehouse, look at the staff carry, it would be a fun idea also to have another staff co host the video every once in a while, just a random suggestion, love you all
I wish there was a rat 1 without nylon washers. After about a year of heavy use the nylon washers were the first thing to go. Literally beat the crud out of this thing though and I still use it
I think some launch assists from Kershaw like the Dividend and Link are both under $50, have flippers, and are pretty solid. They might not have the fancier steels, but they get the job done with flippers and are made in the USA.
No doubt,my M390 Link,20CV Link and CPM-D2/N690 composite blade Dividend are 2 of my favorite EDC knives..last year before Christmas I got my 20CV Link for just $60 which is an absolute steal for a USA made knife in those materials..I got my M390 Link for $70 a few years ago and paid $65 for my composite blade Dividend..the M390 Link is one of the knives that I started my collection with.I lost my old Buck 110 and I was at Lowe’s picking up some drill bits for work when I noticed they had a few pocket knives for sale.I bought the SOG Flash 2 for $70,I thought $70 was an expensive knife at the time and it didn’t take me long to realize I hated that knife so I decided to do a little research before I bought another knife.I ended up on BladeForums and I noticed people were raving about M390 so I started looking at knives in M390 and quickly realized they were much more expensive than I had expected.I was about to give up on M390 when I stubbled across the Link for the same price I paid for that crappy SOG.when it came in the mail I fell in love with that knife.thats when I started looking at more USA made Kershaw’s in premium steels which ultimately started my collecting.I like a lot of my Spyderco,Benchmade,Hogue,Microtech,Giant Mouse,TRM,etc knives better than my Kershaw knives but for anyone looking to try out USA made knives in premium materials,there is nothing I recommend more than Kershaw as they easily have the best prices
@@garrettferrell6821 I also understand that these guys only have so much time to talk about a selection of knives. This video could probably be several hours long if they included all the quality under $50 knives out there, so it is a matter of finding a handful that stand out. I guess that's what the comment section is good for, to bring up all the others they miss.
Thanks for a great range of the knives! It's realy "weapon of choice" here )) For a such kind of knife I use my ancient Byrd Raven in 8Cr black blade (partly not black for now))) and black anodize aluminum handle. A great peace of metal for a hard use.
They have the Lightweight model Para 3 in M4 blade steel for $122...it obviously doesn’t have an axis lock but that’s a pretty good price for a Para 3 in M4,though I’m not crazy about the FRN scales of the lightweight models
@@garrettferrell6821 I have the blurple one in CPM S110V. I’m satisfied mostly, but I think the axis is easier to use than a liner lock on the backside.
@@CadillacDriver I agree with you, totally. I have one and I don't consider it a hard use folder. Hell, I hardly consider it a light use folder. Once I got my hands on it, I was disappointed and consigned it to my knife drawer.
@@jayr526 👍 When I first saw one in person I said out loud "THIS is what people fizz over?" I too was taken back a little with the flimsy nature and huge price tag for a knife that, to me, would fall apart in a stiff breeze. I compared it to my glovebox knife, a No. 9 Opinel - flimsy and absolutely no confidence in the blade not snapping.
Cold Steel Pocket Bushman... Why oh why Cold Steel didn't have more premium, well-hardened steel options for this knife? Such a good knife in many aspects other vice, but the materials used disappoint...
The reason that I never purchased one was because there are a lot of reviews that complain about the uncomfortably sharp edges where your fingers rest. I still might take the plunge one day, but the urge is not very strong.
The 9Cr is a little better edge holding than 440C from the filet knives I seen made from it. I mean they held an edge very well. What is 4034 stainless steel? Oh, never mind I found it, 8Cr is a better steel, heck they made their other Cold Steel out of low end steel too, 4116? It's actually a little better than the 4034 steel though and the price is right.
That Cold Steel Pocket Bushman reminds me of the cheesy butterfly knives I won at the county fair back in the day. I bet the blade is a hundred times better, though, 'cause sharpening those things was like sharpening an I-beam. Edit to add that I just read David Cherry's review and almost fell out of my chair.
Very interesting presentation! I own none of those knives, and am most impressed by the 2 Ontarios, the Kershaw CQC-7K, the CRJB and the Esse. The Cold Steel knives on the other hand....not so much.
@@bobsmith5088 I know what you are thinking, but that liner lock isn't a standard liner lock! I don't trust them either but I got 2 H6 and I abused them and they are still working like new without failing. That is the reason why I like them because no other liner lock hold up like them. Even the rat 1 failed badly.
There is nothing wrong with a liner lock,I have many that are very sturdy like the Kershaw Link,Kizer Begleiter ,Spyderco Tenacious,OKC RAT 1,OKC RAT 2 and Kershaw Dividend..if a liner lock is done right they can be a very dependable..if you roll the dice and buy some cheap Chinese garbage,you might lose a finger..like they say,you get what you pay for
I'm a construction worker and still prefer a folding Lenox razor blade because I can just destroy the blade and replace it. If not at work I'll delve into my collection.
Really? I have one and nearly returned it after five minutes. There is nothing about the knife I consider good for hard use. Strange how we can have such disparate opinions of the same item. 🤷♂️
It was the first thing I could think of that was under 50 dollars and available from knifecenter. I'm expecting 1soon so I'll take it fishing and put to a test.
After owning a couple of ball bearing knives, I am no longer a fan. For everyday carry, the bearings will load up with pocket lint and dirt, and the action gets gritty. A standard bronze bushing is (in my opinion) much better and when broken in and adjusted, can be absolutely as flickable.
Can you tell me a few other knives with a blade shape like the rat and rat II? it's great for almost any task. I can think astute, maybe the tenacious, maybe the Osborn designed rift or 940, but none of them are exactly the same. Only similar in the belly.
