Gun Dog Forum

Looking for a nice, durable pocket knife I can carry every day, maybe spending $150 or less. Any good recommendations?

I really like and have carried Benchmade knives for 8 years. Free sharpening for life and they hold an edge for a long time and are extremely sharp. They bought them for us when I was active duty in the Coast Guard. I used them everyday, and abused them, and I still have one of my original knives I got. They are on the higher price side and I recommend any of them. They do outsource some knives to china/japan so look for the color of box. Blue box is made in USA and red is China/Japan. Still held to their strict standards but I would rather buy here. They are located in Oregon City Oregon, outside Portland. I will never buy another knife besides a Benchmade. Also, their safety seatbelt cutters make awesome gut hooks

John

Any Case knife is all I have carried for years Have never found one as good. The Stockman I carry, have the trapper which is great for some hunting and trapping jobs, and have a couple of great folding hunting knives too. And they won't break the bank, coming in around 40 dollars up to 80.

Ezzy

I carry a Gerber. I have the bigger Gerbers in each map pocket on the doors of my truck and one in my hunting vest along with a multi-tool. I love the Gerbers. Qaulity knife that is very reasonable to purchase and will give a lifetime of service.

My husband likes Kershaws.

I have been carrying a case for about 10 yrs & will probably be carrying it to my grave if I don't loose it before then.For $150 you should be able to buy a very well made pocket knive that will last you a lifetime.
My case was about $25 when I purchased it.

MATT4126 wrote:Looking for a nice, durable pocket knife I can carry every day, maybe spending $150 or less. Any good recommendations?

A pocket knife? Is this a joke? I've never seen a pocket knife that expensive much less more expensive!

Vonzeppelinkennels wrote:I have been carrying a case for about 10 yrs & will probably be carrying it to my grave if I don't loose it before then.For $150 you should be able to buy a very well made pocket knive that will last you a lifetime.
My case was about $25 when I purchased it.

I found my first Case about 50 years ago laying on a wooden country bridge in the heart of Kansas that people fished off of. Carried it for about 30 years and lost it some how. Replaced it with another Case Stockman that is still in my pocket and there are several other Case knives in the working area OF my knife collection.They will last forever or at least as long as I do.

I couldn't have gotten along on the farm without a knife and I still feel that way even though I use tham differently. Probably use it 4 or 5 times a day for odd jobs where it used to be used for everything including surgery quite often..

Ezzy

Don there aren't many factory made pocket knives that sell for that much but look up some custom made pocket knives & it will surprise you I'm sure.I have made or should say assembled quite a few fixed blade knives from parts & materials I bought but never attempted a pocket knive,you would be surprised at the work that goes into them making one custom from scratch.There are custon made fixed blades that sell for thousands & waiting lists for some.

Look fellas, I don't need a fancy custom elephant tusk knife to carry around that i will need a second mortgage for. Simply want a comfortable knife to put in my pocket that will hold an edge and that is preferably american made. Don, if I can spend $10 and get that then fine. Just looking for a well built, quality knife.

I carry a SOG Twitch II to work everyday. It is a liner lock style with assisted opening. I love it, most of my knives end up with TSA I've managed to hang onto this one for over a year, if I lose it I will buy another of the same.

Any of the major brand pocket kinves on the market will give you a lifetime of service if you don't abuse it.I like knives made with USA or Solingen steel blades.
Case,Buck,Kershaw,Kissing Krane,Boker,Shrade

Pick a knive you like at the price you want to pay take care of it & it will become a necessity in your pocket.
I have lost more knives then I could ever wear out.

Vonzeppelinkennels wrote:Don there aren't many factory made pocket knives that sell for that much but look up some custom made pocket knives & it will surprise you I'm sure.I have made or should say assembled quite a few fixed blade knives from parts & materials I bought but never attempted a pocket knive,you would be surprised at the work that goes into them making one custom from scratch.There are custon made fixed blades that sell for thousands & waiting lists for some.

Blows my mind that they are out there. I love Puma's but way out of my league. Love Case, Schrade, Boker, Tree and there's a couple other's that don't come to mind right now. I have a schrade Old Timer I've had for a lot of years, it's retired now. The knife I carry now say's Winchester on it. Been carrying it several years and it came in a set with one other knife for $10. I've seen custom knives that go for quite a bit but don't cart for most of them. For a bunch of them I think they are made to be works of art rather than good using knives. While I do have a Schrade and an Uncle Henry that I've had probably 30+ years now, I find I lose more knives than I wear out!

wems2371 wrote:My husband likes Kershaws.

+1, I like the light weight, yet they are durable. I carry the knife way more than I use it. In the field I carry a Leatherman multitool. For cleaning birds, game shears.

The fixed blade knives that sell for thousands started out as working knives but people liked them so much the demand was so high he could't make them fast enough & he even quit taking orders for a few yrs.
Last I knew he was taking orders again but way behind & they are now scooped up by collecters not may used anymore & it's still basically the same working knive he started with.
Look up Bob Lovless.We all collect something even when it's overpriced.

Case...single blade liner lock.

case canoe been carrying & using the same one since 1975, it will last longer than me.

I really like CRKT. Well made knives.

Been real happy with a SOG flash 2, knife.....for a medium size pocket knife http://sogknives.com/store/fold.html

Also have a spyderco small pocket knife I like.. medowlark 2

I have also had good luck with Case. I carry a trapper.

I agree with others on the Case knives. IMO, the older ones are of better quality than the new ones but can be pricey. For a high quality inexpensive knife, I really like the USA made Shrade Uncle Henry and Old Timers. They went out of business several years ago and are now made in China under the same name and not nearly the quality of the originals. But there are still plenty of the originals to be found on ebay, etc. for any where between 20 and 50 bucks or so, depending on the model. Case and Shrade would be my top choices and will last you a life time if taken care of.

Charlie

I am never without a quality, sharp pocket kife in my pocket and would feel lost without it.

Charlie

Wow! Just looked at those Bob Loveless knife's. Hard to believe that anyone would pay that kind of money for a knife. Have to think each is one of a kind! There was one knife in there that looked exactly like a sheath knife I had years ago when I lived in Montana, I paid $5 for mine, I think his was $6600! I'm guessing he didn't make any knives to actually use?

Actually his knives were made to use & were reasonably priced for custom hand made knives in the begining but were so well liked he could not keep up with the orders so kept getting more expensive untill they became collectors knives.I know at one time he quit taking orders for several yrs untill he got caught up.He started taking new orders & was way behind again so don't know if he is still taking orders or not.
I used to buy blades that were very close to his most popular blade his drop point skinner I believe.The blades were about $35 by the time I put gaurds,handle slabs,& the loveless rivets which he invented & are actually a nut on each side of a straight threaded rod,I would have close to $50 in it unless I used some expensive handle material.Micarta is one of the best & least expensive handle materials out there,
pretty much indestructable.I sold those knives for $90,with sheath $110.The sheaths I hade made & were very close to the ones shown with his knives.Sheaths were made in Potsmouth Ohio by Jim Layton who does high quality leather work to order.Bob makes his own blades out of the best & newest steels,he invented those rivets & they carry his name Loveless Rivets,all his work is done by hand polishing & all.That's why I consider him & others knive makers & say I'm only an assembler of knives.

Case Trapper

Buck knives are the way to go....made in the USA.....forever warranty....Christian family values!!!!!! not to mention support for the fieldtrial community):)

ymepointer wrote:Buck knives are the way to go....made in the USA.....forever warranty....Christian family values!!!!!! not to mention support for the fieldtrial community):)

Buck is my choice for a fixedblade field knife but Case is still No.1for a pocket knife.

Ezzy

Case pocket knives for sure. Had a Shrade for years also.

I have a few edc's depending on my mood. Usually either a benchmade griptillian or a Spydeco h20 but I also like my Kershaw s and crkts. I'd check out a benchmade griptillian or mini griptillian. Great knife for around 100 bucks, doesn't rust to easily and easy to keep sharp. Also made in the usa

Benchmade is easily my favorite for pocket knives. They have a knife for any purpose or all purposes and they support our men and women in uniform more than other knife companies.

I have a Kershaw in my pocket. Gerber in my truck ashtray. I like the Kershaw. Carried a CRKT for years and won't buy another I don't think. Stupid clip issues and she didn't stay sharp all to long with normal use. Just my experience. Tho I only had the Kershaw 6 months and had to send it back because the clip came off and stripped out. They took it no questions asked and shipped it back sharpened and working like a champ! We will see how well it holds up. My girl carries a Kershaw everyday as well. Never an issue but I don't know how often it gets used, she does set-up weddings for a living lots of cutting fabric.

I never had much use for any knife that did not have a wood handle and did not say Schrade. My deer knife is still the Old Timer fixed blade. Never liked most pocket knives. Alway seemed bulky and could feel them in my pocket all day.

But I was in a pinch one day out hunting forgot my knife and stopped by some store and they had this by the register. Cheap enough but do not remember how much. I would get me through the day.

I have not been with out it since. Just a few years. But is just clips to my pocket in the corner of my Levis and I never know it is there and some how always have it with me. I have only stropped the edge never a sharpening. I mainly use it for sharpening my pencils, cutting plastic, card board, rope and the occasional bird when I am in the field and want to eat one.
I like it because it is simple, light, sharp, and not noticeable. It is ugly. but So aint he Mona Lisa.

Thanks fellas. After some deliberation I decided to get a boker. Although not made in the USA it looks like a real nice knife and was only $58.

A little bit of humor from "The Knife Guys".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqoPXC60l_s

That's the knife I want. Cuts through apple sauce but Is still sharp enough to cut to the bone.

I have been a trapper man since 1976, I carried a Schrade for years. Not all Buck are American made, Boker makes some very nice stuff and I have several Case trappers. Queen makes some nice American made pocket knives as does Moore Maker in Texas.

I have tried alot of pocket knives over the years, but the best bar none pocket knife that is easy to sharpen and
keeps and edge is a Rough Rider Trapper from Smokey Mountain Knives. These will take a razor edge if you use
ceramic sticks. Great knives. $12.95 plus shipping. I usually order 3 or 4 to save on shipping. Give some away
for christmas presents. You can't go wrong for the price. Most of the American knives like Case have always
been to hard for me to sharpen.

+1 for Case, but I I will probably buy a Buck next time if I can find one that fits my needs. Sounds like they stand the same things I do.

I used to be real big on Schrade but about 6 months or so ago I received a Sheffield knife for free from one of my inlaws and love it. It is hands down the best pocket knife I have ever carried. My dad is a knife collector and is always giving me nice pocket knives. I have had Gerber, Kershaw, Case, Buck and the list goes on but this Sheffield is just awesome. It takes a razors edge you can shave with without folding over on itself, holds the edge well, has a rubberized plastic handle that won't rust, is the smoothest one handed opening knife I have ever had, is very sturdy and has a beltclip on it. It is nothing special and probably not as nice as my other knives but I am really impressed with.