[Dorsai]

I admit I don't know much about knives. I know a few reputable name brands (Spyderco, SOG, CRKT), but I have no idea how much a "good" knife should cost. I've seen knives as low as $5 all the way up to $500 or more.

Obviously there will be exceptions to any numbers given, but as a general rule, what is the minimum price point for a good knife, below which it is probably junk.

I'm thinking specifically of knives for the following categories:

1. All-purpose folding knife, the kind I might carry with me on a daily basis

2. Versatile fixed blade survival knife, the kind I might want on an extended camping trip or wilderness hike

3. Fixed blade fighting knife

4. Multi-tool/Swiss Army type knife

Also, feel free to recommend your favorites in any or all categories.

 

[MCLMM]

A knife is a tool. You need to get a decent one, but the trade off is that you don't want to pay so much that you'll cry yourself to sleep if you lose it or break it. All of mine are budget choices. Like everyone else, I've slobbered over the latest and greatest, but the bottom line is always "What if I lose it/it breaks/is confiscated"?

I'll state my preferences according to your criteria:

1. All-purpose folding knife, the kind I might carry with me on a daily basis
CRKT M21. Mine is the M21-04 model

2. Versatile fixed blade survival knife, the kind I might want on an extended camping trip or wilderness hike
I have two preferences here:
Ka-Bar or Cammilus MKII fighting knife
http://www.mooremilitaria.com/Fighting Knife.jpg

SOG Seal Pup

3. Fixed blade fighting knife
I would be using either the CRKT folder or the Ka-Bar for up close and personal work, depending what I was carrying at the time. Keep in mind that if you need to draw a blade, that means you've ****ed up everything right from the start.
Other options I guess range from an M7/M5/M4 bayo or M3 fighting knife through to a Fairbairn-Sykes commando dagger. Pure fighting knives are just extra weight IMHO. A good field knife will get you out of trouble.

4. Multi-tool/Swiss Army type knife:
Choose your weapon. Swiss army knife, leatherman, gerber... all are well regarded. I prefer the victorinox swiss army knife because I'm a traditionalist.

One category I think you have missed is the field chopper.
hatchet, machete, etc.
there are some good ones on the market, but the best I have used in the field (jungle) is the Gurkha Kukhri.

 

[FinnMan]

1) Opinel, Byrd 10-20$
2) Mora fixed blade knife 5-10$
3) I don´t know anything about fighting knives, any knives can fight
4) SAK 20$
5) Cold Steel 12" barong machete 20-25$

 

[AKammenzind]

You can't really give a price. Many brands like SOG, Cold Steel, Benchmade, Spyderco you'll end up spending a min. of 40-50 bucks... more often than not more. But there are a few exceptions like buck, case, opinel, moras, etc. that are often 10-20 and still great knives.

Keep in mind that there are some brands out there that just aren't anything spectacular, but will charge you over a hundred for a knife.

 

[trixie]

you have to spend at least $1000.

 

[CPL_BS_88]

you have to spend at least $1000.

and send the extra 900 to me :

For a folding knife, I carry a Cold Steel Recon 1 in spear point serated. It is great knife but on the big side for edc. another great option is the RC-1 by RAT cutlery, its under $40. My third choice would be from benchmade, i dont remember the model but it was around 40-50 aswell. my recon 1 is in the $80 range but its well worth it. I absolutly love the hinge locking system that they have, its the best imho. I hate the system that CRKT uses, its almost impossible to close it with one hand.

A multipurpose survival knife can get a bit more pricy. Take, for example the Falkniven line on knives, there 130 and up but there damn near indestructable. I have the Cold steel SRK in AUS-8A, i havent used it to much yet but from what little experience i have with it, it seems to be a great buy. Mora, from what i hear is another great knife and for only about 15 bucks, depending on the model. there MANY more and most are great choices. It all depinds on how it fits your hands, needs and budget.

For an all out fighting knife I would say the Ka-bar tanto. for around $50 you can not beat it. it is 1095 so it will rust if you dont take care of it, they also make thm in D2 tool steel. I say stick with the original.

In the milti-tool catigory there many aswell. I cary a leatherman wave. It was a gift and it does just fine for me.

Chopers; these are the only ones that i'd mess with, others are over priced.

Cold steel kukri-$15-$20
Onterio Spec plus SP5 or Marine radier-$45-$50
Ka-bar makes a bowie also but i dont remimber what it was called, look it up and you'll find it. its around $40

 

[offroadgreg]

some fantasy knives on eBay sell for ALOT of money, and they could be made of aluminum for all you know.. and then there is the swiss army knife, and you can get some really nice models for under $50.

#2 you might consider a mora or buck. I think they are fairly inexpensive but not "cheap" in quality..

#3 I have no clue.. kabar maybe? I think the gurkhas in nepal and india use the khukuri for fighting, they are very reasonably priced and handmade.

#4 would be the same as #1 for me, a sharp swiss army knife does most simple tasks I come across on a daily basis.

 

[Macumazahn]

if you know what to look for you can spot good metal and good knives. simple quality work will tell you a lot. are the scales flush with bolsters? are the rivets properly set and straight? are the lines clean? is the metal polished or chromed? is it lubricated? how heavy is it? the more good things you find the more likely the knife is good.

some of the best knives I have bought have been the cheapest. I bought a kitchen knife at Wall Mart because it was $2.99 or there aboutst. the thing was ugly... had clamp marks from mechanical sharpening it endured... but when I got it home I realised it was a fantastic piece of black iron. I touched it up with a file and honed it with my hard Arkansas stone and it took an amazing edge. after my room mates abused it for 6 months it still kept the edge. all three of them cut themselves on it. I really regret having to give it up when I moved.

if you want bling you are going to have to pay for it. if you want good honest workers there are plenty of inexpensive options.

the most important question is what are you really going to be doing with these knives on a day to day basis. do you need a folder for work? can you use a box cutter instead? what do you need in a multi-tool? do you need a Philips driver? a bale hook? a usb flash drive? an awl? having an expensive knife you never use is just a waste.

1) $15 good French Opnel knives can be had for cheap and they are simple safe and easy
2) this is a tough question. it really depends on what you are doing.
3) $0.00 you do not need one
4) $15-$25 for a Victorinox Hiker, Spartan, or Driver. a little more if you need a feature on the more expensive versions.
5) a cheap machete will work just fine. and when you learn to spot good metal you can find great things. I have a machete I paid $10 for and it has been a real work horse. it takes a good edge with only a file or river stone and keeps it. and the simple scale handle and over sized rivets are extremely durable.

 

[mercop]

I am married to guns and have a dirty affair with knives. I carry them, use them, teach about them and design them. Here are my choices
Primary Defensive Folder- Spyderco Military
Utility knife- Al Mar SERE 2000 (I have seen custom folders that are not as well finished)
Fixed Blade for SD- for the most part I only carry SD FBs from Al Polkowski
Utility fixed blade - Becker Tac Tool if you can find one.

With these along with a Leatherman tool I can't think of much you could not do.

 

[JackBohm]

OK. I can give you some prices- I work at Cabela's in Dundee MI- in the Hunting Dept.

A good GP knife- I like the Gerber Mini Covert Applegate- small, useful, legal in most places. well made too. Price $39.95. I carried one while in college as a holdout.

A bigger fighting blade- the Good Old K-Bar. $54.95 in full size, leather or Kraton Handle.

Gerber Mutlipliers can range from around $30 to over $100. Ditto for Leatherman.

Buck makes nice stuff, as does Case. not cheap, but worth the dough. We carry some of them.

 

[Grinnan Barrett]

Welcome Jack.

OK. I can give you some prices- I work at Cabela's in Dundee MI- in the Hunting Dept.

A good GP knife- I like the Gerber Mini Covert Applegate- small, useful, legal in most places. well made too. Price $39.95. I carried one while in college as a holdout.

A bigger fighting blade- the Good Old K-Bar. $54.95 in full size, leather or Kraton Handle.

Gerber Mutlipliers can range from around $30 to over $100. Ditto for Leatherman.

Buck makes nice stuff, as does Case. not cheap, but worth the dough. We carry some of them.

Welcome Jack. Nice reply post and good information. Good tohave you here.

 

[Ferrari]

38 bucks at gpknives will get you a excellent knife by Ontario. The Ontario Spec Plus Marine is a fantastic knife for the price. Another one thats growing on me is the Cold Steel SRK. I got the new version but it actually works very well. Got it for 60 bucks though so its a bit more than my Ontario.

 

[Cryptkeeper]

here is a good survival knife
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/13911-1.html
here is a nice little cheap survival
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=78455

here a good camping knife
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/13906-1.html


fighting knife


http://www.knife-depot.com/knife-133051.html
http://www.1sks.com/store/american-tomahawk-company-lagana-vietnam-tactical-tomahawk.html

total price about $312+s/h
but you could change the ka-bar form survival and to fighting and leave the mora as the survival knife,to cut cost if your on a budget which would bring it down to around $222 . if you cut the axe out as well ,that brings it down to $92

 

[sh4d0wm4573ri7]

You can't go wrong with a Sog, Kabar, Rat, Cold Steel fixed blade- Sog, Buck folder- Mora's are awesome low cost blades- chopping I'd leave to a good hatchet or machete- Leathermen, Gerber, Sog multi tool

 

[Greg5791]

I admit I don't know much about knives. I know a few reputable name brands (Spyderco, SOG, CRKT), but I have no idea how much a "good" knife should cost. I've seen knives as low as $5 all the way up to $500 or more.

Obviously there will be exceptions to any numbers given, but as a general rule, what is the minimum price point for a good knife, below which it is probably junk.

I'm thinking specifically of knives for the following categories:

1. All-purpose folding knife, the kind I might carry with me on a daily basis

2. Versatile fixed blade survival knife, the kind I might want on an extended camping trip or wilderness hike

3. Fixed blade fighting knife

4. Multi-tool/Swiss Army type knife

Also, feel free to recommend your favorites in any or all categories.

1.- My daily carry: a glamorous automatic folding, with a special arrangement for cutting the tip of my cohibas.
2.- My Heavy Duty knife is a nice Ontario Bowie full tang (50$, plus 15$ shipping), with the blade coated in black finish. My favorite. I think that when this thing is out in a fight, the psychological impact is good. The blade is 7 mm thick. I like that. It would be able to cut a rib,instead of bending itself.
3.- Fixed blade fighting will be a Boker EFK, just in case, in a boot.
4.- Only a couple of blades, the most simple one.

I´ll try to avoid the use of a folding knife in an emergency situation, like hanging from a rope, or...tied with your seatbelt...although any blade will be good in some of this cases, I´d prefer to have something in my hand that can´t make my fingers cut, and more easy to handle. The disadvantadges are too many, at least for me. But for normal field use, should be o.k.

 

[JackBohm]

To my previous post, we also have a nice exclusive- the Gerber/Bell & Carlson Gator- its hunting knife, with or with out a Gut hook. Price is $90, any of 4- 2 color options in the handle, with or w/o gut hook. It got a Best of the Best Award from Field & Stream a couple of months ago.

Mini K-bars can be had for around $45.

Hope no one thinks I'm being commercial here. I'm not. just passing on info.

 

[AncientBrit]

To my previous post, we also have a nice exclusive- the Gerber/Bell & Carlson Gator- its hunting knife, with or with out a Gut hook. Price is $90, any of 4- 2 color options in the handle, with or w/o gut hook. It got a Best of the Best Award from Field & Stream a couple of months ago.

Mini K-bars can be had for around $45.

Hope no one thinks I'm being commercial here. I'm not. just passing on info.

we will only think you are being commercial if you keep posting you wears & deals.:xeye:

 

[JackBohm]

another great source for cutlery is Cheaper than dirt. Prices vary on it. I once picked up the full size Gerber Applegate there for $70. I gave the knife to guy who was heading to Iraq for a 2nd tour- I figured he could use it more than I could.

For Most purposes, I stick with Gerber, Schrade- if you can find one- Buck, Leatherman or Case. I haven;t seen much that I didn't like from those 3. I don;t care for Kershaw or SOG, or Ontario- the Ontarios I've handled are cheaper version of the K-Bar.

A good listing of good knives was in Field & Stream a While back- sometime this year. Covered a lot of good ones- 20 best or soemthing like that. Some are specialty, some aren't. Check out a More recent issue- they gave out their annual best of the best awards a couple of months back.

 

[mercop]

Also consider that the many decent fixed blades come with POS sheaths. There are however a few sources for good kydex replacement sheaths.

 

[ActionJackson]

Anywhere from $20.00 to $4000.00 depending on what you are looking for.