What’s one of the most critical pieces of gear for any EDC (everyday carry) setup?
I’ll give you a hint: it’s one of the most varied choices you can make.
Okay, I’ll give you another hint: it’s sharp and pokey.
Table of Contents
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Why Is an EDC Pocket Knife So Necessary?
Because they are just so dang useful. A pocket knife is an invaluable tool for both exciting and mundane situations.
I personally don’t carry a pocket knife with the intent that it’s a weapon. The meanest thing any of my EDC knives slices and dices is clamshell packaging.
I’ve worn a lot of hats. I’ve been a Marine, a repo man, a hunter, a student, and even worked retail for a short, terrible period of my life. In all of those positions, I needed and used a knife almost daily.
Not having a knife is a lot like not having a spare tire. Or even worse, not having a flashlight.
What’s the Best Knife for Everyday Carry?
Haha, like I could possibly pick a single knife.
The good news is you don’t have to just pick one, either. Outside of the knives Eric sent me, I own dozens of knives. Fixed blades, folding knives, automatics, and more.
Choosing only one knife is like only shooting one caliber, drinking one type of beer, or watching only one tv show. Monogamy is for marriage, not for pocket knives.
Also, we know knives get expensive, very expensive. So to keep things simple we’ve divided our knives into two categories. The best under $50 dollars, and the best under $100 dollars.
And if price isn’t an issue there is always the carbon fiber Spyderco Gayle Bradley.
Things to Know
Serrated vs Straight
Serrated vs straight is going to be a battle fought till the end of time. It’s personal preference and there are disadvantages and advantages to both.
Generally, a little serration on the blade is going to make the knife more versatile. It’ll cut through harder materials faster and with greater ease. The downside is they can be trickier to sharpen.
Straight blades offer the user an easier to sharpen knife and a longer cutting blade. This makes deep slices easier to control. They tend to be poor at sawing through rougher materials though.
Knife Steel
Knife steels are varied and best determined by what you want to do with the knife. This could be an article or several articles unto itself. We’ll detail each of our picks’ steel and briefly talk pros and cons of that steel
Point of Origin
Point of Origin is all about who built the knife. Most junk won’t have an associated brand name. Brand name doesn’t mean everything, but in the knife world, it’s pretty important.
The Best Under $50
Best EDC Pocket Knives
1. Kershaw Zing
The Kershaw Zing is a stainless steel knife with a 3 inch 8CR13MoV steel blade. This steel is a cheaper option and makes the Zing a great budget knife. As a steel, it’s not bad. It’s strong, holds an edge for a good amount of time, and is corrosion resistant.
The Zing’s handle is a matte stainless steel and the knife uses a frame lock. The knife has an ambidextrous flipper on the back of the blade and is an assisted opening blade. The blade uses a drop point blade for simple cutting and slicing.
When you stop to factor in the price of this knife, it really is an impressive blade. The first thing I noticed was how fast the blade flies out of the handle with just a little pressure on the rear flipper.
The slim and sleek design makes it easy to carry and comfortable in the hands. It’s light at only 3.3 ounces and the steel is easy to sharpen. The grip has zero texture so it may be difficult to use with wet and sweaty hands or when wearing gloves.
The blade can get sharp, but I never got that real razor’s edge to it. It’s sharp enough to deal with cutting and slicing, but don’t expect it to be so sharp it gives you that ‘gliding’ feeling. When put through cardboard it plows instead of glides. It’ll get through it, but won’t be pretty. I had to sharpen it once or twice a week when I was really getting down and dirty with the Zing.
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Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to carry
- Super fast to open.
Cons
- Untextured grip
2. Kershaw Leek
A more refined version of the Zing that’s sleeker, lighter, and more quality feeling.
The Kershaw Leek sports a blade made from Sandvik 14C28N knife steel. This steel is commonly used with high-end chef’s knives. It’s hard, corrosion resistant and it’s easy to sharpen. It’s the kind of knife you sharpen maybe once a week or right before a lot of slicing. It didn’t take much before I started plowing more than cutting.
This knife is super small and easy to carry. My XL mitts are a little big for the handle, but I was still charmed by this knife. I love the all stainless look.
The grip is also not textured in any way so this isn’t a knife designed for super hard work. For normal EDC tasks, it’s perfect.
It’s non-threatening and well suited if your dress is more professional. And at only 3 ounces it’s at home in the pocket or the purse.
The blade dulls pretty fast, but it’s a light duty knife. Also, the rear of the blade has texturing for thumb placement, but my thumb slides way too easily across it for any decent stability for hard cuts. This knife does a much better job cutting through cardboard than the Zing.
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Pros
- Small and Lightweight
- Looks Non Threatening
- Easy to Sharpen
Cons
- Dulls Relatively quickly
- Poor Thumb rest texture
- Untextured Grip
3. Opinel #8
The Opinel #8 is an old design and of course, it shows. The wood handle thumb screw opening device and simplistic spinning lock are all old school. It is old school cool, though.
The Opinel isn’t a high tech tactical knife, just a simple folding blade pocket knife. So why would you choose this knife over a higher-tech option?
Because the Opinel works. It’s incredibly light, the blade is sharp, and it’s affordable. Once you start cutting and slicing you see why the Opinel has been around since 1890. This thing flipping cuts.
It slices and glides through paper, cardboard, paracord, and even chicken. It just keeps cutting. I didn’t think I could dull this thing.
That being said I did sharpen it just to hone the blade a bit. The carbon steel was insanely easy to sharpen, less than 10 swipes had me back to a razor’s edge. The wood handle weighs about an ounce and its round shape is comfortable in the hand. Because it’s so wide the force is distributed equally through the hand. This helps mitigate hand fatigue when it comes to heavy work.
In a lot of ways, this is my favorite knife, but that’s more due to the old school cool nature of the knife. It has issues. It’s slow to open, the blade will rust easily if you don’t pay attention, and there is nowhere for me to rest my thumb during rough cuts.
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Pros
- Extremely sharp blade
- Easy to sharpen
- Comfortable in the hand
Cons
- Blade rusts quickly
- Wood can react to oils, water, etc.
4. Kershaw Cryo and Cyro II
The Kershaw Cryo is a collaboration between Rick Hinderer and Kershaw to produce something completely new. The end result was a small, compact knife with a 2.75-inch blade and an overall length of 6.5 inches. The blade is made from 8CR13MoV, which we discussed a bit more above. It’s tough, holds an edge for a while, is corrosion resistant, and doesn’t get razor sharp.
The Cryo is a confused knife. It’s short but heavy and wide. I’m not exactly sure what it’s supposed to be. I honestly don’t mind a heavy knife, but really don’t care for the super short grip on the Cryo.
I will, however, admit that it’s textured well. Both the front and rear of the knife feature serrated portions for a sure grip. The blade has an ambi flipper, and the blade opens nicely.
The handle is stainless and the offset screws and bolts are quite good looking. The entire knife looks good, but this is my least favorite knife on the list. This is another knife that plows more than cuts through harder materials.
One of the biggest problems I have is the pocket clip. The screws they use aren’t flush fitting and catch and tear at the outside of my pockets. It’s especially tough with my work pants.
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Pros
- Affordable
- Great Looking
- Compact
Cons
- Heavy for its size
- Pocket clip screws tear at my pants
5. Spyderco Tenacious
The Spyderco Tenacious packs a 3.39-inch blade made of 8CR13MoV stainless steel. As you already know this steel is tough, easy to sharpen, and holds an edge well. The Tenacious weighs only 4.1 ounces and has an overall length of 7.76 inches. It features Spyderco’s thumb hole opening device and is available with a straight blade and serrated blade.
It’s a Spyderco, so of course, it’s a great knife. The Tenacious is one of the more compact Spydercos, but it doesn’t hold anything back. The grip is great in my hands, and the G10 material is nicely textured.
Like every Spyderco, it has a stylish appearance. The blade design allows for a long cutting edge that is efficient for the blade’s length. The thumb rest on the rear of the blade curves upwards. This design really allows you to take control of the blade for fine cutting tasks.
Slicing and dicing is easy, and it cuts through thick materials well with nothing more than a gentle rocking motion.
The blade chews through cardboard, cloth, rope, and more without much challenge. The handle and blade design works well together, and it’s comfortable even after cutting for long periods of time. The thumb hole release is ambidextrous, and people either love it or hate it.
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Pros
- Nicely Textured Grip
- Extremely Durable
- Easy to Sharpen
- Long Cutting Edge
Cons
- Hard to get the blade razor sharp.
The Best Over $100
6. Cold Steel Recon 1
In a crowd of EDC knives, this bad boy stands out due to its massive size. So you might need to have giant pockets.
This is a tactical folding knife and isn’t for everyone. The massive grip fits my big hands perfectly. The grip is contoured for the hand, and the G10 materials are lightweight and textured for a good grip.
What I was really disappointed in was the fact that Cold Steel didn’t seem to sharpen the blade very well prior to shipping it out. I took it through cardboard test and it absolutely failed. I knew Cold Steel was better than this, so I took the blade to a diamond sharpener. It took forever to really get this thing sharp, but once it was sharpened it went through the cardboard without too much issue.
The blade is made from something called CTS-XHP, a steel I hadn’t heard of. Watching Cold Steel’s Youtube videos have convinced me it’s quite tough. Tough is what you need in a tactical knife. The flat spine is also nice for striking ferro rods to start fires with.
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Pros
- Well Built
- Nice Sized Grip
- Massive blade
Con
- Hard to Sharpen
7. Spyderco Delica 4
I received Eric’s well used EDC and could already see it took some major abuse before I got it.
The Delica 4 is a smaller Spyderco knife, and its 2.875-inch blade is perfect for states with silly 3-inch rules. The Delica 4’s grip actually fills my handle well. It’s a little thin, but its a compact knife so you make concessions. The grip is made from FRN or Fiberglass-Reinforced Nylon, a super tough polymer composite.
The Delica 4 chews through just about everything I tossed at it. I did give it a quick run through a sharpener and it shined up really nicely. The Delica 4 uses VG 10 steel, which is more common in kitchen knives. This steel is corrosion resistant, easy to sharpen, and gets nice and sharp pretty easily. Although it didn’t seem to hold that razor’s edge for long, sharpening it was easy enough.
The Delica 4 is a handy, lightweight little knife. It feels great in the hand the upward swooping thumb rest is great for carving motions. The blade is a little on the short end for my tastes, but compact is compact.
Pros
- Comfortable compact Grip
- Excellent Ergonomics
- Easy to sharpen
Cons
- Short blade, especially when you have a combination edge
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8. Benchmade Mini Griptilian
The Mini Griptilian puts the pocket in pocket knife. This is a small knife, but it acts like a much bigger knife. When slicing through cardboard the knife would actually get away from me and cut deeper than I intended. The blade is extremely sharp and never seemed to lose that sharp edge. Without a doubt, the 154 CM steel is to blame for this long-lasting edge.
The lock has zero give to it. The blade doesn’t budge forward and rearward or left to right. The Mini Griptilian uses an interesting opening device. There is a simple blade stud for pressing the blade upward, but that’s second string to the push to release lock system.
Pull the sliding lock release downwards and flip your wrist and the blade comes flying out. You close the knife the same way. The knife can be opened and closed with a single hand. The back of the grip and back of the blade both have metal textured portions for controlling the knife via the thumb. This is a smaller knife than I prefer, but I can’t deny it’s a well built, well thought out, and intuitive knife.
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Pros
- Super Sharp
- Easy to open/close
- Positive Lock Up
Cons
- Short Blade
What’s your take on the Griptilian?
9.Gerber Highbrow Compact
Right off the bat — the Highbrow’s metallic sage finish makes this a sweet looking knife. That cannot be ignored.
But while looks are nice, how it works is what really matters. Gerber is a long time favorite of ours since their knives just work. And they are a reasonable price.
The assisted opening action is super crisp, and the blade deploys with a pretty satisfying thunk via the finger flip mechanism that doesn’t require the sort of wrist flicking motion sometimes common in folders.
Most knives feature a linear locking piece, but the Highbrow uses a pivot lock instead. It takes some getting used to, but it’s ambidextrous and allows you to close the knife while keeping your tender digits out of the sharp blade’s path.
Overall? A solid ass EDC folder with super smooth deployment action that has met my day to day needs without any real gripes – especially for the price point!
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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10. Ka-Bar Mule
Ask one of our editor’s and he’ll tell you what a badass knife this is and how true to the name Ka-Bar made it.
Mules (the animal) are well known for being rough and ready pack animals that will get a job done. Always. From opening the west to taking tourists down to the bottom of the Grand Cayon, mules get it done.
And that’s a really good description of the Mule (the knife) also.
If you want a knife with features, the Mule won’t have much. It comes in straight edge or semi-serrated. Other than that… it is what it is. It’s a big, thick, over built folding knife.
Weighing in at a full half-pound, the Mule has some gravity to it and that’s handy in case you need to use it as a hammer — our editor has, a lot.
A 3.8″ blade made of AUS-8A Stainless Steel, takes a great edge and is durable over long use.
While there are some options in grip and blade type, personally, the Black Mule with a straight edge and a clip point is my pick.
If you want to see more Ka-Bars, take a look at the Best Ka-Bar Knives!
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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EDC-ed Out
Man, I had some fun testing these pocket EDC knives.
It’s not often you get a handful of knives and the ability to handle a variety of knives from a variety of companies. I learned quite a bit about knives, steel, and just how tired my hand gets after cutting stuff and carving all day.
Hopefully, I’ve explained the 8 knives well, but if you have any questions ask below. I’m going off to rest my hands a bit. If you’re looking for fixed-blades…check out our 4 Best Survival Knives.
Or if you want to complete your EDC loadout…our Best EDC Flashlights will have you mastering the night.
55 Leave a Reply
I prefer the Benchmade Bugout over the Griptilian. One of my all time favorite EDC carry blades is the SOG-TAC AU Compact in tanto shape with serrations. It's got a solid chassis, can easily be deployed and stowed with one hand, and the pocket clip is one of the best I've used. I obviously also go slightly bougie with my Microtech Ultratech II in apocalyptic with full serration. I do not open boxes with that one, though.
OK-Just a couple of things. My formative years were on a ranch. A knife was something that was always close at hand - a folder in your pocket or a fixed blade on your belt. Or both. I was quite happy with my Boy Scout knife and a sheath knife that belonged to my dad.(I don't remember the brand, but my younger brother has it now. Most likely a K-bar) Didn't know much of anything about steels, but did learn how to use a whetstone. As life progressed my parents moved to a city out on the coast - and drug me along. No cowboys there! Life was different, to be sure. I still had a knife in my pocket most of the time, but they didn't care for it when I came in to school with a sheath knife on my belt. After a short stint at college, I went to work at an Aerospace company - started to learn about steels! Then life was interrupted by a little fracas in S.E. Asia. My "fieldcraft" from the ranch served me well, as did the K-Bar my dad gave to me before I deployed. He had carried it in WW2. That was my first combat experience. I have gone on to participate in combat in eight more countries. I have carried a vast variety of knives and used them in a vast variety of situations. Some not so pleasant, but here I am, 70 plus years old, with at least a couple hundred knives. I have my favorites, to be sure. I have off the shelf and custom "combat" knives - some of them are not black, so I guess they are not "tactical". There are hunters & skinners & bird knives & a variety of folders and yes, my Boy Scout knife! I have cut LOTs of material, but have found that one of the most brutal and terrible things you can do to a knife is cut cardboard with it! That is why they make box cutters and utility knives!
It just makes me cringe every time it is mentioned, but then, it IS a good torture test!
(oh, btw - those cuts across the spine of the blade are called "jimping" - guess it's easier to say! But you knew that, right?)As I sit here at the computer, there is a Kershaw auto opener clipped to my pocket and a SOG Kukri on a magnet within arms reach. Oh - and half a dozen or so "fighting knives" in the desk drawer by my elbow. I am not paranoid - I don't have to be, I'm just ready.
I do woodcarving. Read that is nuts about sharp tools. The edge on a knife is a compromise.
First the chosen angle of the edge. A shallow angle will be sharper but will not hold the edge as long. A courser stone will produce a saw like edge. The microscopic teeth will seem sharp but will quickly dull as the points break off. A truly sharp edge that will last is produced by a series of stones. A course one to remove steel going finer and finer ending with a strop. We all have knives where the steel is so poor, they are impossible to put a good edge on them.
Thnx for the solid article.
I'd like to see you do a review on the best high-end tactical folders on the market (Ernie Emerson Super Karambit for me) and your best review of autos (Microtech Combat Truodon & Exocets for me).
Speaking of Ernie's permitted redux of the LaGriffe, how about a neck knife top 10?
(Emerson has teamed with Kershaw on lower-end production that makes him more accessible and skyrockets Kershaw's street cred.)
On the cheap side Cold Steel's Urban Skinner is a goodie, but, no LaGriffe.
We'll talk survival knives next.
Tom Brown Tracker 2!!!
Excellent at everything, Perfect at nothing.
(THE HUNTED.
Tommy Lee Jones and Bennie Del Toro. Remake of First Blood in '05. Awsome knife crazies movie.)
A EDC selection without discussion of the multi tools is uhm, incomplete. Leatherman Supertool for the win! (Yes, I have field dressed deer with mine and used the saw to go through a deer's pelvic bone....
Your Cold Steel knife wasn't as sharp as it should've been, because Cold Steel / Special Projects isn't Cold Steel anymore. They were purchased by GSM Outdoors several years ago. They also don't appear to stand behind the product like Cold Steel did.
I've had great luck with Kershaw. Especially the quick open blade design - it's a one hand wonder. Don't know when this article was written, but the Amazon prices were about twice as what's posted in this article. I don't need or want to spend a fortune on a knife because I use and lose them daily (used daily, lose about every 3 - 6 months) - so I'm realistic and frugal. Hey, it's life, and it happens.
No love for the Buck 110?
You need to spend 100+ for a knife. Stay away from Kershaw and cold steel when it comes to EDC.
We'll have to disagree with the 8cr13mov steel. It's terrible stuff that needs sharpened constantly even if only cutting tape to open boxes. I even put a 25° angle per side on them in disgust and they still fold like napkins. About six months ago I threw my 3 daily beater knives with Chinese 8cr13mov in the garbage because for every cut you make you know that will be another stroke on the stones in a couple days. You could literally feel those knives getting duller with each cut. Terrible Chinese stuff.
14c28n has been astronomically better for a EDC beater knife.
These days you can get knives in s30v and s35vn for under $100 and nitro-v blades for not much more than $60. There is no need to subject yourself to the frustration and edge failure of Chinese steel just to save 20 dollars.
My EDC is a Ka Bar 1213 (which is a 1211 with a kydex holster). I use the Ka Bar attachment system for horizontal carry on my belt, across my back. Sometimes it snags a little getting into my vehicle, but I love the knife so much IDC. All I can say is thank God for Constitutional Carry states.
Good choices. I carried a Delica 4 with that same blade for 18 months in Afghanistan, and never regretted the choice. I lost that one, gave the second one to a nice host in Thailand, and carry the third one on a daily basis when I'm wearing shorts.
My preferred EDC in jeans is the Kershaw Leek - I have several of them, but the best is the one that you did not mention - it has carbon fiber scales and the steel is brushed CPM-154. The model is 1660CF. With the carbon fiber it is lighter, and with the CPM-154 it holds an edge better. A wonderful knife, highly recommended.
A great article and a good selection of knives. I fully intend to pick up at least a couple of them. After all, one can never have too many knives. I've never been a big fan of partially serrated blades, but last week my lawnmower sucked up several feet of nylon rope in the tall grass and I had to cut it out with a knife. Thank the gods I had one with a partially serrated blade. It made short work of cutting that rope out, so my opinion has definitely changed.
Buck Knives make a very good product from hunting to an EDC. Hand crafted and American made. I have several in my collection and I have never been disappointed in the product or company.
Two important things you left out about the Opinel. 1) Jacques Pepin uses it to pick mushrooms - talk about cool factor x 10. 2) It floats. I'm surprised you missed that one.
Right my opinal got lost in the bottom of my sump pump for quite some time and after cleaning and disinfecting it is still very functional no damage
So, you talk over and over about sharpening once or twice a week... What kind of sharpening system are you using? I use a stone and it's a process. Not something I want to do once or twice a week, more like every six months. Am I doing something wrong?
I EDC a Buck 102 in a pouch sheath on my belt tucked into my back pocket. Perfect in so many ways
Hands down best EDC in my book has been in my pocket since 1993, Remington R-1 upland pocket knife. The clip blade gets and stays sharp, the choke tool is a great prybar and it's screwdriver tip works in blade and Phillips head screws, but the handiest is the slender gut hook. Besides performing it's normal job well,, I can't count how many strings, wires, etc got pulled thru or under openings with this thing. The Delrin stag handle are fairly slip-resistant and give this fine tool a refined look in the field or in my suit pocket.
Surprised no SOG’s on the list ...my EDC is. Flash Tanto and my wife’s is a Twitch 2 ....both great blades and not serrated ....not a fan of serrated blades .
I’m a Rancher/Horseman, I carry a Gerber instant assist it’s the most practical knife I’ve ever used, handy one hand operation very handy for any type of work or play less then $50 can’t beat it
I have found a really nice Gerber Covert Spring Assisted knife, model 22-41966, that has Applegate-Fairbairn signature on the blade, that I use for my EDC. Gerber-Tools.com for $51.33 on sale, normally $78. It has a spring metal clip o one side that will allow it to sit at the top of your favorite draw pocket. Has a button slide on the other side that allows you to unlock the 3.75 inch blade for flip out extension where it automatically locks. The slide allows you to unlock the extended blade for closing. This is a fighting knife with serrations on one side, half way from hilt to point. Easy to conceal, draw, extend and use. It has a very sturdy construction that fits comfortably in my hand. Balance point is about 1/3 from center of knife on handle.
Nice suggestions, personally, I carry several in my rotation, the Benchmade Mel Pardue 531, and two Protech knives, my Godson and Whiskers magic.
I go with Buck knives all the way. Any problem I have had over the years (my fault) I send in knife and they send back a new one or my old one with a full spa treatment. Great company, great warranty. And good performance from the blades.
I personally prefer Case knives. They're not cheap, but they're sharp enough to shave with, durable as hell, made in the U.S., and guaranteed for life. Workdays, it's my large Stockman that has a blade for every task. Other days, it's my Kickstart Trapper. It's spring assisted and can be deployed in a hurry with one hand.
I've kept Spyderco Ladybug on my keychain for over a decade..can't imagine life without one.
"Choosing only one knife is like only shooting one caliber"
Sensible?
"drinking one type of beer"
Too many?
"or watching only one tv show."
People still watch TV?
Kershaw select fire. Cheap ish takes abuse and always need a screw driver and can carry multiple bits.......Perfection.
I bounce back and forth but overall my Delica four is by far my favorite. I have several high dollar benchmark and Bucks but I’m comfortable using my spyderco in tough situations. It’s thin with fluid motion, I prefer the combination blade since I cut strapping frequently but the lockup, overall feel is wonderful. I have many SOG, Kershaw, Crkt and sanrenmu but for a day to day use, it can’t be beat
At this point in time I am carrying a 3.5 inch Gerber. I am planning on getting a Kershaw of the same length, like I used to carry. TSA took it away.
Been carrying a knife since I was six I believe. Dad said I was old enough and had the responsibility.
If I have my knife, pen, matches and a handkerchief I am well dressed.
I personally have the SOG Mini Trident. It has a partially serrated blade, holds an edge, and is easily maintained with a Smith's sharpener that has coarse, fine, and serrated tool built in.
This is the best EDC knife I’ve ever owned, and has been in my pocket every day for nearly the last five years. It’s a Benchmade 531, but REI has an exclusive model with a CPM-S30V blade. Not cheap but it’s amazing the steel doesn’t hold a razor edge, but it holds a workable edge almost indefinitely - great for a used and abused kind of blade. It also is the perfect size - you won’t intimidate people when you pull it out, but it’s still big enough for most tasks. Streamlined and extremely light. I don’t even notice it in my pocket unless I reach for it and realize it’s not there. It’s not assisted opening, but I have loosened all the screws enough that I can swing it open or closed with a gentle fling of my wrist.
This is my third EDC Benchmade by the way. The first one I lost at work many years ago (although it was eventually returned) and I bought the same one as a replacement. Still have both. I eventually switched to the REI 531 because it was smaller and less intimidating.
Agreed on the 531, mine sees heavy EDC rotation in my pocket
My hands down favorite EDC knife is the Benchmade Contego. The CPM M4 blade is very hard, and not easy to sharpen. But once you get an edge on it, you can relax because you aren't going to have to do it again anytime soon unless you decide to field dress a Buick. The scales are aggressively textured with a carbide glass breaker opposite the blade. It's a heavy duty knife and some complain about the weight. I don't find it to be excessive, especially considering the nice flat profile of the knife. I think it's mostly a matter of getting used to it. I've always carried heavy knives so it wasn't an adjustment. The Contego isn't cheap but if you don't mind parting with the coin, you'll be hard pressed to find a better knife.
Don’t forget the Kershaw Launch 1. I bought mine on day one and it has been used every day for years and still works perfect, and under a $100. Just remember it is a push button auto opener.
My favorite EDC Knife is currently the Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops. Half serrated and half straight blade. Also has a window break and a seatbelt cutter which isnt the knife blade itself. I've used both of them quite a bit as a law enforcement officer. I've also gone through many knives and for whatever reason this one is lasting the longest even compared to my benchmarks. I haven't had any issues with it.
I'm surprised nothing from SOG made the list, I have a Trident that I've had in my pocket for 5 years, the only issue is the safety lock which I remedied by removing and I've never had it open when I didn't want it to open
My personal fav EDC is the Boker Klashnikov. Easily $40 online. Fast sleek and durable. My daily other than my classic buck hunter.
Kershaw Atmos. It's even better than last year's Fraxion. Better essential carry properties: similar sub-2oz weight, superior deep carry clip design, no extraneous studs to scratch items in your pocket. Better handling: Outstanding well-balanced Dmitry Sinkevich design, lightning quick assisted opening action, positive grip lines. And it's also only about $30.
UPDATE: The Kershaw Atmos is now at the top of the list, essentially for the same reasons as the Fraxion, but with a more practical drop point blade and a better deep carry pocket clip. Another contender is the CRKT LCK knife, also quite light, with a very narrow profile that makes it great for carrying in my back pocket next to my wallet.
I'll take my ZT 350ts knife over any that were listed
Folders will fail, wear out and break. Do yourself a favor and get a fixed blade with full tang. I have had several thats on this list and they will not hold up to actual use day in and day out.
Here are some I like, that won't break you, and have done me very well!
CRKT M16-03S
KATSU Handmade D2 Steel Blade G10 Handle Bamboo Style Japanese Razor Pocket Folding Knife with Pocket Clip
Uncle Henry Schrade Special Edition Bruin
Schrade Old Timer 96OT Bearhead 2-Blade Trapper Knife
Gerber Gator 650 Lockblade
Gerber Profile Fixed Blade Knife, Drop Point [22-41795]
Kershaw 1660OL Ken Onion Leek Olive Drab
Kizer Cutlery Ki5414A1 V3 Magnum Vigor Flipper 3.89" S35VN Stonewashed Tanto Blade, OD Green G10 Handles
Case Knives #22546 (6318 SS) Medium Stockman
benchmade is a crock, way over priced!
As someone who has kept a Benchmade in my pocket almost every day for the past decade, I cannot disagree more.
Their warranty is awesome, and on par with Protech and Magtech.
You get what you pay for. My Benchmades are awesome.
I also disagree, having used and carried dozens of brands and models for decades, I've settled on the benchmade 535 bugout and 533 mini-bugout for EDC. I don't consider ~$130 on Amazon very expensive for a very high quality knife, and an excellent design and size for EDC. Just take a look at it, you've got nothing to lose.
KERSHAW FRAXION
1. It's lighter (1.8 oz) than any knife on your list.
2. The carbon fiber panels have a slight texture for improved gripping and control, especially when wet, vastly superior to the Zing and Leek.
3. It features Kershaw's awesome adjustable tension assisted opening mechanism, of which which you are already apparently a fan.
4. There's no thumb stud to scratch your pinky when you reach into your pocket while carrying the clipped knife there.
5. It's really inexpensive (only $29.00 when you get it on sale at Big 5)
I have been a big fan of Kershaw for a long time.
My EDC is the Kershaw Blur (Ken Onion design) made from 1670S30V. It falls in the sweet spot of under $100.
The bade is incredible. I have had this thing for years and the blade is in great condition. The black rubberized grip is fantastic.
Yup, there's so many good knives out there!
When you say ambi "flipper", I assume you meant thumb studs.
A flipper is different than a thumb stud. It's a protrusion at the rear of the blade that, when the knife is closed, sticks out through the middle of the handle. To open the blade, you press down and slightly back on the "flipper" and the knife "flips" open.
By default, flippers are ambi since it's in the center of the handle. It doesn't matter which hand you're holding the knife with when you want to open it.
Yes, I'm familiar with the terms, just never seen a flipper described as "ambi"..
It's in the center, so calling it ambidextrous is redundant.
A knife is an item that your life may depend on do yourself a favor and find a quality one that you feel that you have not made any Compromises on.
The first time you buy one. If your are inexperienced go to a good knife shop and talk to the person behind the counter most likely they can give you advice and answer questions you did not even think of to begin with. Yes they will have THEIR personal favorites and will probably try to oversell you if they are lacking in morals but all in all most are not and will help you find the perfect knife for your budget and needs.
Benchmade knives are not cheap. But with that being said they are the highest quality knives I feel you can buy. They also carry a lifetime warranty. I personally carry a McHeneryand Williams 4” model. Thay are insane sharp from the factory and hold an edge very well I only need to give her a quick honing once every 4 to 6 weeks to keep it in top shape. It will literally skin and bone a deer without the edge needing to be touched. At work at Home Depot I have to cut a lot of cardboard and she goes through it like butter both the grain and through the ribs. They are also extremely fast openers with very little pressure being needed to use the thumb stud.
Benchmade came up with a new style of lock system is a little bit different but once you get used to it which will be extremely quick I feel they are the most effective and safest system ever built You can find them at many different price points including under $100 and if you’re on a budget save up a little bit And buy a knife that’ll last you the rest of your life and that will not be disappointed with.