I first wrote about the Spyderco Tenacious folding pocket knife 2-1/2 years ago, calling it cheap but superb. Now, the Tenacious is still one of my favorite folding knives. The Spyderco Southard is also on that list of favorites, but it’s a remarkable knife with a matching price tag. The Tenacious, however, is under $50 and leaves enough money left over for lunch.
The Tenacious is not a spectacular knife by any means, but it has proven itself to be durable, handy, and reliable. It’s not a part of my daily EDC rotation, but it does bounce between my work area and the front door where I open up and break down packages.
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It used to be $30 or so, but is now $40-42, which is still an incredible bargain for what you get.
There are other Spyderco knives in the Tenacious’s product family, such as the smaller Persistence ($38 via Amazon), the even smaller Ambitious ($30 via Amazon), and the larger Resilience ($44 via Amazon), but I still think the Tenacious, with its 3-3/8″ blade, offers the best balance between size and value as a general purpose all-arounder knife.
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On the fixed blade side of the coin, the Mora Companion knife is also a leader in the cheap knives that don’t suck category. But today I found myself thinking hard about inexpensive but exceptionally good folding knives.
Do you have a favorite cheap folding knife of your own that could recommend? Please tell us about it in a comment!
JR says
While I’m a big fan of Spyderco, I’m going to recommend the made in US Kershaw Skyline. Sub$40, light, sharp, good looking. Really good value IMO.
I have the “blackwash” version which adds a little to the price but looks great.
James C says
I second the Skyline (actually third or fourth). The 3 1/8″ blade makes it a little big for some of my EDC needs, dress slacks at work, for example. I’m looking for a cheap 2.75″ or so knife. I’ve heard good things about the CRKT Drifter. I may give that a try for about $25.
irving says
The ontario rat model 1 and 2 knives are amazing for their price point at around $27.
Kershaw makes quite a few low priced knives with relatively good quality. I own a few and can recommend the kershaw chill model, it is VERY lightweight with a decent size blade.
Brian says
I have to agree with the others Kershaw Skyline, and Piston as well as the Ontario Rat 1 and Rat 2. I would add Buck Vantage and 110. The 110 is available in Paperstone so it doesn’t weigh 8 ounces.
irving says
The Ka-bar Dozier is also an excellent knife at around $20, very simple design and very comfortable knife. Great value knife.
John says
I agree. The Kabar Dozier is small enough to carry in dress trousers, cheap enough not to care if gets lost, and is a good little knife for the money.
Hang Fire says
Kershaw 1620 Ken Onion Scallion, a favorite ECD knife wherever <3" blade rules apply.
Dennis says
I’ll add to the Kershaw bandwagon. I have a number of their knives, and I can’t recall ever having a problem with them.
I also like the Leatherman Crater. The low-end model fluctuates in price between $12-$19, the ones with more features (tools/auto assist opening) go up to $40. I originally bought the low end one because I wanted a EDC knife that I wouldn’t feel bad about breaking or losing. It’s so inexpensive and works so well that I’ve bought 2 more matching ones and I rotate through them until all 3 are dull then sharpen them all at once.
Jerry says
For EDC utility use, I really like the Gerber EAB or EAB Lite knives, if you don’t mind a short blade. Small, inexpensive, and sturdy. As an added bonus, if you bugger up the blade, you can reverse it for a new edge, using a coin as a tool (no screwdriver needed, just don’t lose the screw). If I reverse the blade, I like to swap in a new one as soon as practical, so I always have a fresh cutting edge in reserve. If you want, you can sharpen it, or replace the blade, whichever you prefer. If you like the idea of a knife where you can swap out the cutting edge, but want a larger knife, both Outdoor Edge and Havalon make such a knife. I wouldn’t use these type of knives for self defense or prying, but for EDC utility use, they are quite practical. If you chip the edge on a wire or staple, you just swap in a new blade for a buck or less.
Larry says
I have a couple of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016KHW2W/ref=oh_details_o05_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
4 strokes says
The Kershaw fans left out the Zing. For $25 it is a great knife.
If you want a few really cheap, but very usable, knives – I suggest you deal directly with the Chinese. The Sanrenmu 710 or 605 can be had for a $10 bill on Amazon, and both give new meaning to value. If you are looking for a larger, value folder, for $16 look no farther than the Enlan EL04.
Caleb says
Anyone know of a good cheap one with a glass breaker? All the ones I have found are either incredibly cheap and worthless or outside the budget.
Brian says
There is a version of the Kershaw Blur with a glass breaker. Have you looked into it?
Toolfreak says
One of my favorite “tool” knives is the Kershaw Half Ton.
It’s very inexpensive, great quality, and is super smooth to open and close with one hand. The fiberglass handle with steel liners and grip inserts make for a knife that’s easy to hold and won’t slip out of your hand.
I think it’s the ideal handyman/mechanic knife to have on your person since you can reach for it, open it, cut what you need to cut (that you’re probably holding with the other hand), and close it up and put it away.
The 3/4 ton is okay, but isn’t nearly as smooth or easy to flip open, at least in my experience. The 1 ton is too big.
For EDC, really a thin profile knife, either a lockback or a slim all-metal linerlock with the lock built into the handle makes a lot of sense, you can slip it in a pocket without issue.
It’s also worth considering local laws and law enforcement – sometimes cops will hassle people who are “open carrying” knives and multi-tools on a holster, and there are places where knives over a certain blade length can’t be carried in public. A small, unobtrusive knife handles this well since it makes them look like even more of an idiot for hassling someone with a blade that is well under whatever the law allows.
John says
Spyderco delica with the emerson opener is my edc… it’s open on pulling it out of my pocket. Faster than a switch blade. Nuff said.
But there’s more…the blade is thick and far from brittle so it can be used as a pry bar and it’s rock solid and can be bought for around $60.
there’s also the endura with a longer blade but for any legal issues that might arise I go with the delica.
John
joe says
I like the gerber serrated kind. I believe they copied the serrated idea from piranhas and sharks…i watch ‘river monsters’ and have seen jeremy wade put his metal fishing wire in the piranhas mouth the fish would cut it clean on the first bite…also, the finger hole on some of their models would make it really difficult to drop it once you hold it. If they custom made the finger hold for index fingers to fit very snuggly…you would never drop this knife….
This is the one I own…bit old, but still sharp.
http://img0080.popscreencdn.com/106647408_vintage-gerber-usa-bolt-action-finger-hole-folding-knife.jpg
says made in the USA…think I bought it for 20-30 buxs many yrs ago.
Now can you imagine a pocket knifes made with the techniques they use to forge a samurai sword + the serrated tech of piranhas/sharks + the beaver/rats teeth tech (they sharpen themselves while biting)…that would be the holly grail of pocket knifes. hehehe.
RC WARD says
I love knives and have quite a few. But living in California it’s a little worrisome to even carry one in your pocket. It’s pretty much illegal to have a knife in your pocket for any reason. And every knife I’ve ever carried using that little clip they have I have lost. Just looked down and it was gone! Anyway nice review. #TIACREW
Joshua Fields says
Sorry to say but I found out today the Ontario RAT sucks. I own a few of their fixed blades and love them so I am not an Ontario hater. But I cannot say anything good about the RAT 1 I just laid my knuckle open on because the lock slips too easily. So I took it apart and seen the back of the blade where it meets the lock had worn and disintegrated causing lock failure. I even cleaned it and carefully put it back together and did a spine whack test with my leg and barely swung the knife against my leg about 10 times and all ten times it failed. Threw it in the trash and I will be looking into a Cold Steel folder for an everyday folder work knife.