Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Best EDC folders under $100 suggestions

What are the best EDC knives under $100.

*Folding*

Types of steel (154CM, S35V others)
Brands to consider
Brands to avoid
American vs foreign
3.5-4" blade lengths
Drop point or similar
*No long skinny blade profiles*

Dixie, that question is about as wide as the Atlantic Ocean. I’d narrow that down a bit. So many styles. For $100, I’d look at Case just because it’s a classic American company with a storied history.

Just avoid China. Screw China, and all things China. Except Chinese food.

American?

Kershaw made still have a couple.
Buck
Case
Maybe Spyderco

Japan?

Spyderco

Taiwan?

Kabar doziers
Ontario Rat / rat 2


For a smidge more….

SMKW runs the Hogue Deka for $106 every so often.

Nice knife. Able (axis) lock. Magnacut steel. Handle isn’t the best, but something has to give for that price.

Ontario Rat 2 in D2

There are a lot of options in what you are asking about.

Usa made, if you want 1 hand opening and a great steel, the buck slim pro models are hard to beat for 100 bucks.

Japan, spyderco has a bunch if you like their designs. I carried a delica for a long time with no complaints.

As mentioned, for the money the ontario Rat series with d2 steel might be one of the biggest bangs for the buck out there.

BRKT Zaccudo in D2 is hard to beat. Ontario Rat 2 with D2 steel is a solid contender. Buck 112 Slim Pro with S30V steel is an amazing bargain.

Love the spyderco delica. The stainless slim version is a great little unit. VG 10.

Also really like the Buck Spitfire/Mini Spitfire.

Buck Spitfire for $35 is a bargain and made in the USA.

KERSHAW SPEED SAFE for modern
Buck and Case for slipjoints

Opinel No. 6, or 7 or 8.

Yep. I’ll also add Cold Steel.
Although they’re probably made overseas.

I’ve carried a large Spyderco steel Police Model for probably 30 years now. Made in Japan.
I’m betting they are more than $100 nowadays too.
But we’ll worth the money.
It was awesome for cutting hay twine off of the big rounds bails when we still had a cow / calf operation.
And has gutted lots of hogs and deer too.

I've carried a folder every day for 40+ years. First time I discovered the thumbstud one-hand openers I was hooked.

Used to carry shorter blades, but in recent years gravitated to ones a little longer. I hate pocket clips on knives after losing stuff when it got hooked on brush, so I remove them.

When I tried the CJRB Centros 3.67" with D2 steel, I became a fan and have carried it ever since. Slim, light, ergonomic.. and about $36.

Ontario RAT both of them either model

they are higher quality than cold steel, benchmade, …. I’ve had a ton of EDC’s these top them all

Milwaukee Fastback

#48-22-1540

I just ordered my 4th Rat2. Lost 2, so ordered another with my Amazon points.
I have the Rat 1 D2, but I like the Rat2 better.
I have the original AUS 8 steel in my pocket now. I think the steel is pretty good, but the D2 seems to hold an edge longer. I think aus8 was 20 bucks on some amazon sale. So it is my fall back when I lose one.
I have 2 spydercos in svn35, but I can't warm up to them.

Honey Badger

Spyderco Delica. Great knife for the💲!!!

Spyderco Delica is just a great pocket knife.

I have a Rat 2 and two Rat 1's. I prefer to carry the Rat 1 every day because it's bigger and easier for me to operate one-handed after the tendon in my thumb snapped and I had to get it replaced with one from my index finger.

Terry is right. The D2 blade does hold an edge much longer.

"Best" for what purpose?

I like the old Buck 442 with a partially serrated edge.

Opinels are good, inexpensive, and come in a variety of sizes to fit a wide variety of hand and pocket sizes. I have fairly large hands, so the #8 is the size that I prefer. Opinel is currently selling a limited "Tour de France" edition of the #8 with a choice of green, yellow, or white handles. The green or yellow would stand out and be easy to find if you drop it or set it down somewhere and forget where you sat it down.

Another spyderco delica for 30 years now. On the third one because they make them black and easy to loose. The last one is 20 years old because I'm more careful now and don't use the clip except for folding money.

I tried the ontario r2ds2 and liked it until one day I reached in and cut myself on a partially open blade. Blame my car keys for wedging out the thumb stud and blade.

No more thumb stud knives for me... use the spydy hole.

Spyderco endura, endela, or delica depending on size preference. They make them in plenty of different colors. I like the PE FFG blade.

Just picked up a Kershaw federalist…

Really nice slip joint folder.

Micarta, 154cm.

Made in usa.

You can find them for $85 or so….

Rat 2 D2.

'Nother vote for the Spyderco Delica 4

Buck .112.
Buck 303
Case sodbuster
Kershaw Leak

A spyderco native 5 lives in my pocket these days. Endela is also a favorite

Been bored lately and started looking on ebay for different things.

Just minutes ago I made an offer that was accepted on an original NIB (new, old stock) Gerber Classic Folder.
Got it for $70 +tax and shipping. Came to $84.95

For my money this is one of the finest pocketable knives ever made anywhere or anywhen. They, IIRC, originally sold for around <$20 in the late 1970s

Here's a pic of one I just grabbed from a web search

two of the best I have ever come across are a Buck 112 Slim Ranger in S30V steel, and a dandy Kershaw Covalent flipper in D2. Both are superb performers and are the equal to anything from Spyderco or Benchmade.

I picked one of these up a while back and have been pleased with it. Use the safety cutter a lot on bailing twine and opening boxes. The "tool" blade has an inches ruler on one side a metric ruler on the other....it's been handy fine tuning while zeroing scopes on paper. Bottle opener is handy for barley pops. Downside....until today I wasn't aware it was Chinese manufactured....

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CI...lade-and-safety-cutter-black-g10-handles

I’ve really gotten to like my R2D2 a lot.

Hard to beat for <$45

My EDC for about a year now is the Off Grid Knives, Stinger XL. It's now up to $107. I like the looks of several of the Off Grid knives.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=off+grid+knives+stinger+XL&ref=nb_sb_noss

Before that I carried a RAT-1 for a few years, it's also a nice EDC.

Case Sodbuster or Sodbuster Jr, pick your size.

For the vast majority of everyday crap the average person does with a knife, nothing else is needed.

Another R2D2 vote.

I've used my cold steel recon 1 for a few years and wish I would have bought a few more while they were on sale at $35. Aus10 steel and good size.

Amazingly useful to carry

I have to agree. I have that in stainless and another in orange. I really want a blue one, but so far haven’t pulled the trigger.

I don't disagree, but if I"m going to carry something with that many tools, I want the scissors. IMO, super useful.

Get your Rat knives while you can. Ontario Knife company is closed. Not sure what that will mean in the future for the Rat knives.

The quality of the Victorinox knives is outstanding. I'd challenge you to find a better fit, finish, and snap on a $50 knife. The saw blade is incredibly handy for me. So is the awl.

I use the awl and the main blade all the time. Occasionally the can opener.

I've used the saw once, and i kinda forget its there...

And another R2D2 fan here.

Another good one I've been carrying lately is this one by LAPG with S35V. Holds an edge very well, though a bit bigger/heavier than I normally carry. Next to an R2D2 for reference:

Lotta love for the Rat 2, but it is small enough that the thumb stud might as well not be there, IMO.
Too small for me to open one handed...

I too like an A. G. Russell mini lock back with drop point ATS-34 short blade and micarta scales. I just open the mail or slice the tape on a package with mine, so I don't need a large knife or lots of blades or attachments. That little Russell is small enough to fit in my jeans watch pocket and it doesn't fall out like a larger knife has in my larger pockets. I learned the lesson not to carry a knife that is a keepsake that you can't replace.

Tag

I like an EDC with a 3.5 - 4" blade, one hand opening and a pocket clip. Of the ones I have that cost less than 100.00 I like my Ontario Rat 1 D2 and my Real Steel T101 Thor.
"

Seems the RAT gets mentioned quite a bit. For good reason.

No issues with the Rat series being made in Taiwan?? Or is that false information?

I am a fan of Case knives buy what are some other quality US made knives?

Went trout fishing a few weeks back and left everyone of the 100 plus pocket knives I own at home. Fortunately I was only a couple miles from the Mast General Store and their knife shop. Was wanting a cheap Gerber LST or similar but walked out with this instead. Very impressed so far. 50 bucks.

CIVIVI Knives Elementum Folding Pocket Knife 2.96" D2 Satin Blade,G-10 Handles C907E (Green)


https://www.amazon.com/Civivi-Elementum-Folding-Pocket-Knife/dp/B0823HYCK2/ref=sr_1_6?m=A1YDKIV8XPI80A&qid=1694538764&s=merchant-items&sr=1-6&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&th=1

My Rat 2 is taiwanese made. I'd not pick on it for that reason, as it's execution is well done in every way. Someone commented above that it was better made than a Benchmade.
Benchmade makes different quality levels of knife, so I wonder what they're comparing?

My only Benchmade knife is a Barrage 134cm, and I don't see much out there that compares for build quality in a production knife.

Those look nice.

Here's one I like: https://www.knifecenter.com/item/BU...nless-steel-drop-point-black-grn-handles

A not too large a one or it will end up in the couch cushions like lots of mine have. I've been most pleased with a small enough stainless drop point that fits in the watch pocket of my jeans. All I do with my edc is cut open a package, the mail, cut a piece of rope, get the grit out from under a finger nail... That kind of mundane everyday stuff. I have bigger more specialized expensive knives that don't get used nearly as often.

Ive carried the kershaw federalist every work day for about a month now.

I like it.

Small enough to disappear in your pocket since it doesnt have a clip.
Blade is large enough to be useful.

Bonus points for 154cm and micarta..

Ended up ordering one of these Rat II. Should be here Tuesday.

I miss the days when the RAT folders were $23/$25 for the most basic models. The AUS8 steel is fine for a budget knife. I took my RAT 1 swimming in the lake with me all summer. Just dried it off after and sprayed/wiped it off with WD40 later when I got home. Never any trouble with rust.

I left a RAT 2 in D2 in my truck and something got on it and rusted it a little. I cleaned it up and it's fine. No pitting, just some staining that looks like a partial patina. I like to give the D2 RATs a 7.5⁰ edge with the grinding attachment on my Ken Onion Worksharp. I figured the D2 would be strong enough to stay sharp even with a thin edge like that. With that angle the toothy D2 steel definitely feels "scary sharp".

I'm a big fan of the RAT knives. I love the full flat grind for cutting apples and other food. It slices through cardboard with ease too. The action feels great, they have nice pocket clips and the positioning of the clip is as versatile as possible, any way you like to wear it.

I'm not a huge fan of the Nylon 6 FRN grip scales, but they are durable. I left one by a fire and it burned but didn't melt and I continued to carry it until I lost it in the woods last year during deer season. I just went home and got the exact same RAT 1 out of a new box in my toolbox and stuck it in my pocket. I still have another brand new one sitting in my tool box right now. I would like to pick up several more.

I don't know what is going to happen to the RATs now that the company was sold. That really sucks. I hate when big corporations buy a company with a good reputation, cut quality and raise prices then milk the brand for everything the greedy suits can squeeze out of it before everyone realizes their bait and switch bs.

Buy RATs and Moras now while you can.

All USA Made and all less than $50. Shopping around on Ebay you can find some great deals. These are all fairly light. The Slyte is very thin.

Kershaw Leek. Assisted opening is fast and silky. $45.

Case Sod Buster Junior. A classic that everyone should have in their collection. Blade does not lock open. $34

Schrade Slyte. This one came as part of a set with its larger brother. The assist on the smaller one needs a little wrist flip to get it to open all the way. The larger one is butter. $48 for the set.

Can never go wrong with the ol' Buck 110.

Before I retired I always carried these two with me at work. Kershaw Onion and a Leatherman Wave.

Bought a spyderco Silverax on a black Friday deal. $85

My new favorite edc.

I know I’m not playing fair with the $100 limit, but I bought 3 more Hogue Dekas in Magnacut for $103 each on Black Friday. With adds I’ve received by email the last few days there are kinda similar deals floating around out there for Christmas. Wouldn’t now, with my experience, settle for less

Curious where the deals are floating around still...Dekas only?

Wanting to pick up an Extrak and cheaper would be more better....

Yeah, sorry - I only look for Dekas because I love them so much. White Mountain Knives is currently at $127.46 - 10% discount code = $114.72.

I'll look around and ask some friends on the Extrak and let you know...

If you've not owned a "button lock" folder, you should try one out. The action is addicting how smooth it is. The Kizer Assassin (for instance) is only $55 for one version on Amazon. Send it back if you don't like it.

I don't do GuangZhou...


Funny, and rhymes, but seriously, there are a [bleep] tonne of great knives out there without resorting to Chinkastan...

Made in USA, not quite $100 level, and I've not handled this one.
https://www.discountcutlery.net/TKT...on-Lock-Pocket-Knife-Black_p_124461.html

AZ, I hear ya on the Rats. I've got 3 and they aren't going anywhere.

BladeHQ runs deals on Hogue knives every so often.

I picked up an Extrak from there.

Forget what i paid. Wanna say it was ~$140’ish.

A RAT "better made" than a Benchmade is Bullcrap every day and twice on Sunday...amazing...

I picked up this ProTech Mordax flipper this past October. The action is as smooth as you will ever find. The button lock is positive, yet easy and quick to release.
You would be well pleased with one of these. My example is made with Magnacut steel.

My wife carries a Spyderco ladybug and a single AAA battery flashlight.

I cannot carry a ladybug. I can only get two fingers around the handle.

My son is carrying a CIVIVI Praxis Flipper, and I gotta say it's a damn nice little knife. The timing and minimal effort to open is outstanding.

A fixed blade in that Elementum pattern is certainly intriguing.