As an internet knife bro that has a serious
lack of dumb list videos- let’s do a dumb
list.
Best Knives under $50… just in time for
the war on Christmas.
A month or three ago my very specialized and
socially awkward skill about knowing more
about knives than other bipeds in my extended
social circles came into play, when my wife
said- hey this woman at work wants a field
knife under $50 do you have any recommendations.
HECK YES I DO.
So I gave her about several knives to bring
to work.
My wife was the buffer between me and her
normal human coworkers.
HEY YOU GUYS LIKE KNIVES??
Smart move.
Some of the knife brands were: spydercos,
Civivis, the Rat 2, and some other bullshit.
Then she came back home and said all of her
coworkers mused the knives were too big, as
in too tall from the side… so tactically
reassessing I sent a Kershaw showtime trying
to not think like a knife person, and the
coworker chose this one.
DOES NOT COMPUTE.
There selection of knives I sent all had locking
blades, pocket clips and were under $50.
So starting with a I like that you like it
knife- the Showtime is a pocket knife for
people who don’t overthink steel, aren’t
overcompensating, don't need purpleness, brand
names, or endorsements from wrestlers.
I think the coworker also liked the weight
of the steel handle and the assisted opening-
I assume, it's hard for me to really wrap
my head around the whole thing.
For non knife people, or people not employed
at tops- a field knife is meant for cutting
tie line, apples, zip ties, but not snitches
or self offense.
Just regular people who’ve never heard of
the word bushcraft, or think Lynn Thompson
is someone’s nice aunt.
The steel is just ok, so you’ll have to
sharpen it more- but it’s apparently attractive
to non knife people.
It’s uhh... compact without being too small
and about $30.
You might think well this is a knife for ladies,
no all the guys had the same opinion too.
So it makes the list because... reasons.
Links to videos and places to buy are below
the video.
Next- the knife I’d pick if I hadn’t blown
money on expensive knives.
The Spyderco Tenacious.
This one is a good size for people who don’t
complain about a blade having too tall a profile.
(whiny voice) yeah but there's a large hole
in the blade.
There are a few things good about it, like
easy one handed opening and closing, it's
not too heavy, has a decent sized cutting
edge and blade, and you can swap the pocket
clip to several positions.
Now at about 30-40 there are a fe downsides,
like the steel is just an ok steel, not bad-
but similar to the showtimes steel.
It's stainless but you'll have to sharpen
it more than say a Para Military 2.
If you're not a regular watcher of the channel
here are things I like from a good every day
carry knife.
Under 4 ounces, a cutting edge over 3 inches,
easy quick opening and closing with one hand,
and a handle grip area about 3.5 inches or
more... the grip areas isn't the length of
the whole handle, but the area you can comfortably
rest your hand.
This fits about all of my qualifications for
a good pocket knife.
However I like Spydercos compression lock
more than the liner lock found on this knife,
so that's a main reason this is not my every
day carry.
Ok, the Spyderco is too big, or maybe $40
is too expensive, because it cuts into your
weed budget.
How about the cheapest knife with a pocket
clip I’d recommend- the KaBar Dozier.
You can regularly find this knife on Amazon
for $18.
It is a cutting tool, and not a fashion accessory,
unless KaBar does a run in purple.
It locks, has an ok steel called Aus-8 and
has a hard wearing plastic handle called Zytel.
The Dozier is a popular cheap knife, the review
I did on it had a lot of people chiming in
who owned it.
If you’re a channel regular, you’ll know
I own many more expensive knives.
Translated to pragmatists, where knives aren’t
a lifestyle- I don’t carry any of the knives
with regularity seen in this video.
I prefer designs, features, and carry options
found on more expensive knives like any internet
knife showboat with bad spending habits.
In that vein but a larger in the handle and
blade department, and just over $20 is the
Byrd Cara Cara 2.
It’s here as the 2nd cheapest knife and
a larger alternative to the Dozier, and maybe
a bit uglier too.
Also a locking knife with a lock back mechanism
similar the dozier, a swappable pocket clip,
and made in China- a good alternative to the
more expensive Spyderco Endura 4.
With a touch of practice you can close this
one handed, with a flick of the wrist and
a twist of your head.
This is easier to close one handed over the
dozier.
As a note, since this is an overview video-
the links to videos I mentioned earlier in
the description are full reviews to the knives,
a wonderful use of your internet time.
What did you do today...
I spent all day watching product reviews on
the internet!
Maybe you want something cheap but American.
How about the Buck 110 Select.
This comes in a few handle colors, and nearly
one of the cheapest folding knives you can
get made in the USA and all for about $30.
It’s the only knife in the video made in
the USA.
It isn’t as small as the Dozier, and more
in line with the previous Byrd Cara Cara 2.
The pocket clip is kinda ugly but it’s deep
carry- so it doesn’t stick out of your pocket
much.
The handle is made from a plastic called FRN,
and the blade is over 3 inches.
If I didn’t need a pocket clip I would consider
a Case Sodbuster as an alternative to this…
those are made in the USA too.
There’s also the Buck 112, similar styling
but smaller than the 110 and I don’t own
it.
The Buck is not easy to close 1 handed like
the byrd, because of the location of the lock
release mechanism.
Ok one more folding knife designed for those
who need a much smaller, and lightweight knife.
The Kershaw Fraxion has a 2 3/4 inch blade,
is under 2, and costs about $30 depending
on what color you want.
This is a recommended for citizens and taxpayers
who live in areas with terrible knife laws,
like Europe, or New York.
A large kitchen knife is A-ok, but a small
folding knife is suddenly a weapon.
Did you ever see that Vice mini documentary
where that chef got arrested for carrying
a pocket knife, but not his large kitchen
knives he was carrying.
Sounds like satire but it isn't.
This is a knife I recommended to a coworker,
who still carries it.
Of course, unless he doesn’t.
Now how about some honorable mentions.
All of those knives preceding this fit certain
characteristics, and here are a few others
to consider if those aren’t your thing.
All of the main recommendations share 4 main
things in common, under $50, locking, stainless
steel, and with pocket clips.
These will still be under $50, but may not
have some of the other essentials I think
are important in a knife like pocket clips.
The Civivi Praxis.
A bit better looking than the Spyderco Tenacious,
and also kind of big.
In the main recommendation list above I was
going for variety, in sizes and price.
I didn’t include this one because it’s
basically in the same category as the Tenacious
with regards to cost, weight and blade size,
with a stainless steel blade.
I’d say if this knife is better looking
to you than the Tenacious go with it- it’s
made by a premium knife maker in China called
We Knife.
The Tenacious is a little easier to buy, because
more retailers carry it.
There's also another honorable mention in
the honey badger.
This comes in three sizes and maybe two colors.
It's an easy one handed open and close, lightweight.
Get the small if you need a compact knife
in the size of the Ontario Rat 2 like seen
here, or get large of you like the Tenacious.
Again this one will be harder to find in stores,
but they're under $30 if you have Amazon.
Ganzos.
Ganzos get a lot of hate because they basically
rip off designs from all the bigger knife
companies.
They aren’t producing fakes, but since say
this Ganzo sorta of borrows design cues the
940-1- people get pissed!
The fact that they feel nothing alike in your
hand, and have many proportional and construction
differences doesn't matter.
If you’re a knife IP law white knight, you're
giving this video a thumbs down right now.
Boy are they going to be upset in 20 years
when the world runs out of ways to make knife
designs look different from one another.
Some astute people might point out, we're
already kinda there.
But the reason I bring Ganzo up, is because
they make well built knives, mostly under
$20.
If you want a larger Ganzo the G753 is a good
choice, and if you want small and light the
F753m is good for that.
If you want cheap and unusual The Mercator
K55K is about $30, and would look great in
Instagram pocket dumps.
There is a pocket clip version available,
for a little more but that version is only
available at one store in the US called Harry
J Epstein.
It comes in a carbon steel variety, so the
blade needs some extra care to avoid rust.
And last but not least the Douk Douk.
No pocket clip, not locking but with an extremely
stiff slip joint back spring.
This is for the hardcore who don’t mind
the blade discoloration and extra care that
comes with a carbon steel blade, don’t mind
the extra strength that comes with closing
it.
I did a video about the best traditional knives
and the Douk Douk and Mercator are in that
one… so check it out if you like the looks
or need some alternative suggestions.
And for the two or three people who will invariable
post below about the lack of Victorinoxes,
I want to say the Victorinox Sentinel is a
good choice… and one of the only single
bladed victorinoxes that lock with a decent
blade size, and pocket clip, that’s under
$30.
So: like, subscribe, comment, Patreon, follow
me on Instagram.
Note these aren’t your opinions, and are
limited to the scope of knives I have reviewed
and owned.
T hanks for watching.
