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namhod
1991
Nov 12, 2017
This is really the age old question. I am gonna try to not go full nerd here. The Kizer Vigor drop is a great option right now, and is BY FAR the best bang for your buck out of all of the knives I list. I do not own a Vigor and I have never handled one. That aside Kizer is a great manufacturer and it is the best steel in the price range you have given.
Right now on Massdrop I think the Kizer vigor is an excellent option. https://www.massdrop.com/buy/kizer-v3-vigor-framelock
Outside of Massdrop. General hard use EDC under $50. This would be my run down.
Ontario Rat 2, they run around $30 ish pretty much everywhere. AUS 8 steel, which is well respected as a budget blade material. Also a fairly reputable and well respected company in the community. The Rat series is a staple in the EDC community, for good reason. They are great knives.
Esee Zancudo, basically an upgraded Rat 2 in D2 steel for only a few bucks more. Get the Rat 2, honestly. This knife says Esee but is not made by them, so it doesn't come with the crazy good Esee lifetime warranty, if it did, this knife would probably be the front runner.
Kershaw Skyline, the down side to the skyline is that it probably has the same blade steel as your current M16, the upside is that in my opinion it is a far more ergonomic knife. A much better flipper, has a nice slim pocket profile with a good blade profile. I have one, I have beat the ever loving crap out of it. They come in right around $50
Tangram Santa Fe, ultimately this is the knife I recommend you get. It is a great value for the price. Has Acuto 440 steel, which is supposedly an upgraded version of 440c which is a well regarded blade steel for a hundred years or more. Super smooth thumb stud deployment. Feels really good in your hand, great over all construction. This knife is made by Kizer, and is my current budget folder of choice. I have had my Santa Fe for around a month now, it is holding up very well and still gets carried even though it is a budget folder!
If you really want to upgrade to something with nicer blade steel, I would save that fifty bucks you got burnin a hole in your pocket and wait for another one of Kizer's mid range drops to come back. I have been loving my Kizer Guru that I snagged off here for ~$100 shipped. If you step up into S35VN, or CPM154 blade steel territory you will notice a huge difference in how often you have to sharped. But that is nearly impossible to do in your price range, cept for that Kizer Vigor!
Just my thoughts, sorry for rambling :D Also, how much do you hate that dumb unnecessary locking mechanism on the M16? I hate mine with a passion, decent knife, bad lock! So silly. That's why mine never gets any pocket time anymore.
erickong
7411
Nov 13, 2017
namhodThat review you posted a while back was about the Sante Fe right? And I don't mind the locking mechanism that much. I always keep my knife in my backpack. This is my first EDC style knife
namhod
1991
Nov 13, 2017
erickongYa I did a video on the Santa Fe. Love that knife. I think the Kizer Vigor is would be the best knife for your money, especially at the price it is being dropped for right now. But I have not actually handled one, so I can't speak to how it "feels", ya know?
If you don't like the Vigor, then I would go Santa Fe or Skyline. Unless you want something that is a little slimmer then the Rat 2 is definitely for you. I have been working on a video that features 10 knives that I own, all less than $50. Mostly Kershaw knives, cuz I live in Oregon and I can go to their factory sale and pick them up dirt cheap.
Kaozer
275
Nov 16, 2017
namhodI would like to add the kershaw CQC6K. Its sometimes here on massdrop for 20ish$ and has a shockingly good build quality. Something more comparable to say one of the lower end ZT's obviously its got cheaper steel. Steel handle instead of titanium and teflon washers. But the way it feels, the way the lock snaps in place reminds me of the frame lock zt so much.
namhod440c was not invented 100 years ago. The modern version of bearing steel isnt even 100 years old. In fact, stainless steel is only about 150 years old, not hundreds. You should know that already.
To stay on topic with the OPs thread. Zancudo in D2 is tops.
namhod
1991
Dec 25, 2017
Illinois_knife_guyPretty sure stainless steel has been around for 100 years or more. Maybe not 440c. I miss spoke. Excuse me! :)
Edit. I see you edited your post. Should I edit mine to make myself look better?
namhodLol. Please exuse my brashness.
A brief history. Bearing steel, which is what most modern blade steels are modeled from was invented in the 1920s. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20120008557.pdf 440c was illustrated in 1906 but not used in cutlery until the mid 60s. (I cant seem to find the exact date knife makers began using 440c). And lastly modern true hardend stainless steel was arguably synthesized in 1914 by Harry Brearley. https://www.bssa.org.uk/about_stainless_steel.php?id=31
erickong
7411
Mar 21, 2018
namhodHey namhod. I finally decided
namhod
1991
Mar 21, 2018
erickongWeeeellllll? What did ya get?
erickong
7411
Mar 21, 2018
namhodBlack Ferrum Forge Gent
namhod
1991
Mar 21, 2018
erickongSuch a good choice! I have mine in my pocket today at work. Love it. Great materials, so much blade for how small it is. Great pocket clip, just vanishes!
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erickong
7411
Mar 23, 2018
namhodnamhod, I checked out your insta and youtube, you got a free knife, super jelly. What do you do for a living if you don't mind me asking.
namhod
1991
Mar 23, 2018
erickongThanks for checking me out man!
I am just a blue collar working stiff. Warehouse. Lot's of manual labor, forklift, boom lift, scissor lift, all of the lifts.. Mostly sweat and forklift though. Not a rich man by any means. A regular guy who carries and uses a knife every single day. Also not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, I just know what I like!
erickong
7411
Mar 23, 2018
namhodGotcha! By the way, your pics of the PNW are gorgeous
namhod
1991
Mar 23, 2018
erickongShoot me a msg on the Instas, I will follow you!
erickong
7411
Mar 23, 2018
namhodI would but I don't have social media because it rots people's brains lol
namhod
1991
Mar 23, 2018
erickongWhat do you think this is? :)
erickong
7411
Mar 23, 2018
namhodAre you talking about Massdrop? Ya there is a chance to communicate with people but to me social media refers to snapchat, facebook, instagram. Places where people post about whatever they want, use impression management to make their lives seem amazing, etc. Massdrop does have social aspects but the discussions around e-commerce don't have selfies, pics of starbucks coffee, and political posts floating around everywhere lol
namhod
1991
Mar 23, 2018
erickongHaha. Time to start posting selfies boys!
erickong
7411
Mar 23, 2018
namhodnamhod face reveal on insta
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