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.