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Good all around knife for around $100?

Buck Vanguard comes to mind. Of course having a good Leatherman as well is essential. But I guess if your just going for the cool factor of strapping a limited us knife to your side. Try carrying that to your local grocery store.
 
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Ultrarunner said:
I'm not sure what they coat the blade with but its impervious to rust. If I let mine sit for more than 6 months dry then the sharp edge will develop surface rust. You can brush it off or two seconds with a stone and you're good to go. In the $100 range if you opt for a more stainless edge you'll loose hardness.
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The trick with Esee knives is to coat the edge with oil, I let mine sit after wet/hard use and run a oil soaked rag over the edge and never have a rust problem, even olive oil works.
 
Darkstar888 said:
Just picked up a second Gerber Strongarm
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How are they to sharpen? I gave up on SS blades in the Army because they took a lot of work to sharpen.

USAF Survival knife isn't popular anymore? Believe those are Ontario and those and KaBar steel blades are easy to touch up. $50 or so.
 
garandman said:
How are they to sharpen? I gave up on SS blades in the Army because they took a lot of work to sharpen.

USAF Survival knife isn't popular anymore? Believe those are Ontario and those and KaBar steel blades are easy to touch up. $50 or so.
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Not hard at all. It's 420hc so it's hard enough with the Heat treatment to hold an edge for awhile but soft enough that's not too tough to sharpen. Super durable.
 
Any of the eese knives or knives from Ethan Becker or Doug Ritter are all quality and I would be willing to bet my life on them. All of those are made by survival experts and made to be used and abused without fail. My personal preference would be the RSK MK2 which is usually $125, but I have seen it for sale at exactly $100. With Black Friday and cyber Monday coming up you might be able to find it cheaper. Although I doubt cabelas would have it.

As far as other knives I would just suggest getting something at least in 1095 steal or d2 if you can swing it. A blade thickness of at least 3/16" and a full tang for hard use and the ability to pommel. Micarta makes for a very comfortable, durable, and grippy when wet handle. Lastly for a good all around knife I would stay between 5 to 7 inches. Any larger and small task become difficult, while any smaller large tasks become practically impossible.
 
Lots of great suggestions here, thanks everyone! I am liking the ESEE knives but some other good ones mentioned too, I will check them all out. I am thinking I will wait until I can afford to go over $100 a little bit if I decide the knife I want is a little more (probably after Christmas) but I still would want to be under $150.

To be honest, I haven't hunted in years and probably won't very soon. I hike and camp but not like I used to. So I am not in a rush and it may seem hard to justify spending $100 or more on a knife. I have small knives I can toss in my pocket and a decent medium sized skinner but I want one knife that can handle most if not all of the non-specialized tasks. I don't want to have to carry a machete plus a hatchet plus a hunting knife, plus a tactical/fighting knife, etc. Getting one high quality all around knife seems sensible to me and probably saves money in the long run.

So keep the suggestions and feedback coming. I promise will let everyone know what I end up getting and how I like it, even if it is after the holidays.
 
Darkstar888 said:
I highly recommend the Gerber Strongarm. It's not I. The 6-8" blade range. It's just under 5". Plain edge. Great ergonomics rubberized handle, full tang, striking pommel at the base. Awesome kydex sheath that can be worn drop leg style, upside down, scout style (horizontal) or attached to Mille webbing. It also has multiple holes for lashing to anything with paracord. It gets great reviews all over YouTube and online articles. It's the best Gerber on the market by a long shot. It's a really great all around outdoors knife. Available in black or coyote tan. Made in USA.
84f9b0b5a80f65a42dc00ffc46c003b2.jpg

http://www.cabelas.com/product/GERBER-STRONGARM-FIXED/2043146.uts
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I do like the looks of that and the price. In addition to the $50 gift card (that is kinda burning a hole in my pocket to be honest [smile]) I have a $15 Cabelas coupon that expires next week. With tax that means I get that knife for about $15 out of pocket. I may grab that for now and still look for another knife later. I could always put this one in a bug out bag if I end up getting something else I like more for general use later.

I am really liking the ESEE-6 though. This place has it for $112.95 and free shipping, that seems like a killer price from what you guys are saying.

https://www.theknifeconnection.net/...linen-micarta-handle-black-sheath-clip-plate/

I usually tend to go for the plain edge rather than serrations because I don't know how I'd sharpen serrations (or do you leave them alone?). I also tend to not go for sharpened clip points as I like the edge just on one side. Are the really compelling arguments for serrations or sharpened clip points beyond personal preference?
 
Wait till you feel the handle. The rubber feels amazing in the hand. The sheath is really awesome too. You def will be glad you got it. I liked it so much I bout two. One black and one coyote tan.
5e6445cc951bd3f708fea8e4975a67ce.jpg
 
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Serrations can be a pain to sharpen but one of their points is that when the plain edge dulls, due to the not as constant and consistent contact with the serrations they remain sharper and usable. Of course if you always have a sharpener with you or the ability to sharpen or even strop the blade when it begins to dull it can make serrations moot.
 
TKC is a good store from my experience. If you want the ESEE-6, get it. You won't regret the knife quality, that's for sure.
 
Dale @ TKC is great. And they usually have a small sale around Christmas. Can't beat the service from Scott at usamadeblade though.

Check out Knifeworks too
 
ESEE is definitely a nice knife.

Less elegant, but VERY functional and price conscious: Mora bushcraft. I have them in all the cars. I've battened through hardwood to build fires with them. They are pretty damn rugged, but don't have your requirement of a metal pommel. Sheaths don't look tacticool, but will retain upside down. only 4.3" blade.

Then spend a little money on some good sharpening gear if you don't already have it. (I like DMT stones. I use them for my woodworking tools.)

Serrated knives are a PITA to sharpen. Not something you will do in the field. JMHO.

ETA: Mora is also now making a full tang knife that I suspect would be excellent: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I1GITMA
 
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Questions on the ESEE 6 sheath system

How does the ESEE 6 carry with the molded plastic sheath and add-on belt clip?

I am used to sheaths that have some type of snap/loop that holds the handle and allows the knife to hang lower from the belt. The ESEE 6 belt clip looks like it has no way to hold the handle of the knife so does the knife tend to flop around more?

Also, it looks like it will carry much higher on the belt. How do people like that?
 
Thinking I may go in a different direction. While I like the looks of the ESEE 6 as an all around camping/bushcraft/survival knife it's probably not what I need until summer.What I could use more is a decent edc knife. Also, I want to get my buddy an edc knife for his birthday coming up.

The legal carry blade length in CT is 4" but living so close to RI which I think has a 3" limit I am thinking of the ESEE Zancudo folder. I may pick up an Ontario RAT 1 too (maybe for both of us). It has a thicker handle for when you are on a hike or in the barn and might need a little more grip for heavier tasks. It is under 4" so still legal in CT, just can't wander into RI with it.

Both now come in D2 steel or the AUS-8. Figure I'd go with the D2 for just a few extra bucks.
 
I have both a Zancudo and the RAT-2, which is smaller than the RAT-1 but pretty much same size as the Zancudo. I prefer the RAT. Both solid mid-level folders. If you don't sharpen your knives and just use them and beat them up, go with the D2. It'll stay sharper longer. If you do sharpen your knives I'd stay with the AUS-8. It takes an edge much easier.
 
Bonesinium said:
I have both a Zancudo and the RAT-2, which is smaller than the RAT-1 but pretty much same size as the Zancudo. I prefer the RAT. Both solid mid-level folders. If you don't sharpen your knives and just use them and beat them up, go with the D2. It'll stay sharper longer. If you do sharpen your knives I'd stay with the AUS-8. It takes an edge much easier.
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What are the pros and cons as you see it that make you prefer the RAT over the Zancudo? I can see some depending on what you want to use them for but interested to hear from someone who owns both. Also, I'm not seeing the RAT 2 in the D2 steel but the Zancudo I do see in D2. If that is true would that tip the scales to the Zancudo for you?
 
Just went with a buck 119 fixed and a buvk 110fg folder[h=1]The 119 meets your criteria except for hard sheath and horizontal carry..[/h]I bought another sheath for it for horizontal carry..im not sure if i like it yet.i wish most knife came witha sheath that could be worn both ways.

Probibly the first knife i bought in 15 years..
I had piles of the knifes from the NRA dinners and raffle and such..
They where good for free but i had a tendancy to use them once they where no longer safe , so i started throwing them out after a task if they failed to lock or had excessive side to side play with the folders.

I hate to spend over $100 on a knife... its already a full time job not loosing my expensive flashlights.
Often when im using a knife its because its the only tool on hand so they get used hard.
 
MGnoob said:
Just went with a buck 119 fixed and a buvk 110fg folderThe 119 meets your criteria except for hard sheath and horizontal carry..

I bought another sheath for it for horizontal carry..im not sure if i like it yet.i wish most knife came witha sheath that could be worn both ways.

Probibly the first knife i bought in 15 years..
I had piles of the knifes from the NRA dinners and raffle and such..
They where good for free but i had a tendancy to use them once they where no longer safe , so i started throwing them out after a task if they failed to lock or had excessive side to side play with the folders.

I hate to spend over $100 on a knife... its already a full time job not loosing my expensive flashlights.
Often when im using a knife its because its the only tool on hand so they get used hard.
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I looked at the 119 and it's not a bad choice but not quite what I was looking for. For now I am going to look for the right edc knife that won't break the bank. I think the RATs or ESEE folders seem to offer an awful lot for the money. If I go with the 4" blade it will probably be the RAT 1 in D2 steel.

If I go smaller I have a conundrum because I like the D2 steel but I'm not seeing the RAT 2 in D2, just AUS-8 steel. So then I can look at the ESEE Zancudo which is just under 3" blade and has the D2 steel. I'm just not sure I like the thin handle and frame lock as opposed to the RATs which have thicker, probably more comfortable handles and a liner lock.

For the price I can afford to try the ESEE and if I find it too uncomfortable I can buy a RAT later. If that's the way I go hopefully by then the RAT 2 will come in D2 steel.

I want to get one for my best friend for his birthday in a couple of weeks too. He has smaller hands than I do (he has guns with smaller grips) so he may like the thinner ESEE folder. Plus he works in a corporate IT dept and may appreciate the thinner, more discrete Zancudo. The ESEE also has the cool factor with the black blade with cooler graphics. Nonsense stuff I know but for a gift it presents a little nicer. [rolleyes]
 
I know this is a mostly a fixed blade discussion, but I've been thinking about another bargain folder for EDC besides my Delica(awesome small EDC, BTW). I keep coming back to this:


ratd2.jpg



For just over $30, I can't see how I could go wrong. Anybody have one of these?
 
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