So what is everyone's favorite edc pocket knife. I am in the market for a smaller folding pocket knife that fits comfortably in a front pocket. I always have my Gerber multi tool on me but want a small knife for my pocket. Was hoping to find one with a cross lock (just because but not set on it)but most that I am finding are a little bigger than I wanted. So what is you favorite edc knife (preferably one still available)?

Thanks in advance

Case single blade copper-lok

I carry a Case mini trapper. It is not locking.

Buck 284. Inexpensive and tough. A great cutter yet a couple strokes on a good steel brings the little guy right back
to top form.

Osky

I've been carrying a Kershaw Speedsafe with a pocket clip in stainless for years, very handy and useful.

Buck 309, small compact.

Spyderco Police model - serrated edge



I bought this knife used , from a friend 25 years ago. I carry it every day.
Bigger than some but a thin profile in your pocket when using the clip. At first , I was not a fan of the serrated edge , but have grown to liking it as it always has a edge to cut something , never feels like a dull knife.

Very well made , I guessimate this knife is 40 years old. Good Japanese stainless steel for the blade. No slop in the blade or handle and this knife gets used a lot.


They still make it , however due to the good quality , it has gotten spendy. Roughly $125-$150. I got mine used for $20.


In kinda of a defence of the high cost of buying a brand new one , I have gotten many years of use out of mine and it is still going strong. Hard to put a price on that.

I carried a Case folding knife for years and years. Today, while on vacation in Tanzania, we visited a Masai village. The men all had Bowie knives in homemade sheaths. I asked the chief if I could see his knife and it was a Case brand. I produced my razor sharp Case lock back and gave it to him. He was mighty appreciative.

over 30 yrs i've carried this one., been lost a couple times but always found it eventually.

There's thousands of available "pocket" knives, from very cheap to very expensive, most come with a clip which I recommend, very slim and take up very little room....right now I have a Byrd, 3" clipped to my front pocket, I once used a tiny 2" Gerber to skin and bone out a deer, unless you want something "tactical" pretty much any small decent named knife will work....

I carry an old single blade schrade Copenhagen snuff knife

This is the problem. I've been through the 1900+ pocket knives on midway twice and have like 30 of them in my cart! Now having a hard time narrowing it down from there.

I carry an old timer and a case

Kershaw 1560, Ken Onion design. Unfortunately discontinued but you can look at them on the web and look for something similar.

When I was getting ready to retire in the fall of 2010, just 4 days after my birthday, I knew I wanted a larger knife as my EDC. Nothing really big, just something larger than I had been comfortable carrying in the dress pants I wore to work. One of my sons asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told him about wanting a knife, nothing expensive but decent quality like a Gerber or Kershaw. He picked out the Kershaw for me and I love it. My only complaint is that if you carry it clipped, and I do almost always, the clip will scratch up the buttstock of a rifle carried slung over the shoulder on the same side. I expect that's true of any knife carried clipped.

Williams Glide Folder or RX Flipper are hard to beat for knives. Favorite EDC is the Glide though. Loved SOG until I found Williams.

https://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Mini-Fast-Assisted-22-41526-Stainless/dp/B000EDPT7C?ref_=ast_sto_dp

This is what I carry, it does the job for what I want. I really like the mini spring assisted knives. Kershaw has one I wouldn't hesitate purchasing. Benchmade also has one I like but I'm not going to spend over 100 for an everyday carry knife.

I carry sheath knives.

X2

I used to do everything with a small Gerber lock blade. It had a hole in the end and I keep it on my key chain. Squirrel to deer it did it all. It wore out lock would not lock and blade was much shorter than a new one. It had about a one and a half inch blade. Small can get it done.

That said today I have stiff hands and arthritis and reduced dexterity at 45. So I prefer a knife thet fills my hand and longer blade. Kershaw makes some knifes that are thin and not noticeable in my pocket but also wide and long enough they fill my hand and have 4.25 or so blade. They discontinued my favorite one.

So small can get it done but with a knife thats thin larger can also go un noticed in your pocket on a clip and be easier to use and controll if your hands are geting stiff.

I carry an Old timer three blade stockman, and an Opinel No.6.

4 blade hen and rooster

Spyderco manix or para 2 in magnacut, or benchmade Osborne in S90V

Schrade Oldtimer Trapper

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021480641?pid=433747 - These are about perfect IMO. Not too expensive, blade locks, not too big, very versatile and it holds a good edge.

I like to carry Kershaw launch auto's.

Kershaw

Old Timer ...Improved Muskrat USA.

Sharpens up quick

Been in the washing machine

Missing in my wool ice fishing pants for a year..

But keeps coming back

I've always preferred the American made Schrades. I carry a 77OT the bulk of the time. During spring turkey season I carry 97OT for the saw blade and making quick blinds.
To answer the original question, I was given a Benchmade by a really cool guy from Nebraska. It has been a good knife, holds an edge well and has a decent sized handle. The light weight and pocket clip keeps it from falling out of my pocket when I'm hanging upside down at work, and I've come close to losing a couple old timers that way.

This Gerber knife is very thin but super strong.

Ontario Rat1A is my main one.



But a Camper model SAK also rides in that pocket.



This one my left pocket. A kabar d'eskabar.



And this one on my strongside hip. Camillus CQB1.



And if it counts a gerber scout multitool and streamlight strion in a paddle holster.

I have been carrying a CRKT Facet for 2 years. I really like it.

I carry an old timer

Toooo many.
kbar and Stanley.
Used from conventions.

I visited Case Zippo,
expensive trip. They fix or replace free.

MnJag
You might think about yard sales or antique stores, I have a three blade Camillus USA built I carry for good I paid 3 dollars for it. Then I have a 3 blade Imperial USA built I got at a yard sale it was with a package of ten or so used pocket knives I asked if he would sale it separate and he told me to just take it and take care of it. Both are great knives and hold up to anything you throw at them.

Rat 1 is a strong knife.........but really, Warrior..........you should have the D2 steel version.

Don't care for D2, the d'eskabar is D2. Got minor pitting on it and harder than woodpecker lips. It's my beater/pry bar blade.

ATS-34/154CM is my preferred steel.

Too many to list. Just take what I want to carry each day

USA Old Timer.

WS

Kershaw Leek (Ken Onion design), assisted opening knife....

Kershaw Iridium

Thin with locking blade. Hardly know it's there.

Muskrat's is what I had as my EDC before I retired. Slim, light, and decent steel but not real strong blade to handle connection. Doesn't show in the pocket of dress pants.

I carry a leatherman sidekick in one pocket and schrade chip in the other.

I'm thinking of trying this one: https://www.crkt.com/knife/ceo-comp...oI3koypjctBr3mnNWQwdslI4euTaE0jiAkecogc6
Anyone have this knife? Or is anyone familiar with the difference between 1.4166 and s35vn? Is it worth the extra $35 for the better steel?

My daily knife carry. Sometimes I carry the horizontal at the small of the back.

Esse 3 and a western.



Had those on my belt when I evaced the fire. All my other knives burned up. Esse is warranting 4 that i recovered from the ashes for me.

I usually have a Leatherman Skeletool CX on me. My favorite pocket knife is a Schrade Old Timer, my Dad’s knife…

I would say it is.

I'm a fan of premium steels and a bit of a collector..

Nice collection g701

Nice! Ya I went ahead and bought the one with the better steel and grip. It's only money!

Looks like the one I had on my key chane for years tesll I wore it out. Have wore out 2 knife from use so far. The rest got lost or broken from miss use.

I've carried a Gerber 500 for a few years now. It's an inexpensive knife that carries well, sharpens easily and holds an edge reasonably well. I'd recommend it.

Kershaw Blur 90% of the time
Case Trapper 10% of the time

Blur is a heck of a knife for the money.

Also - Just got a Benchmade auto a couple weeks ago but my history of losing stuff has me nervous to actually put it into everyday rotation

Pretty sweet knife though. Went with the CLA

I worked the tool and die traid 40 years. Manly carried Buck that used D-2 tool steel and when tested hardness 100% of blades where 58 RC. All the Chinese made knife's test softer between 54 to 57 RC. Dies are built to cut and sheer steel and D-2 was the go to til 15 years ago. Steel manufacturers' developed powder metallurgy steels (CPM) for superior edge retention and was harder to work with but superior. Two years ago splurged on my EDC and bought a Benchmade with CPM s30v. Not much harder steel but went from needing sharpened every 30 days to twice a year unless abused.

AI Overview
Do they use the proper steel? : r/benchmade
Benchmade primarily uses premium, high-performance steels, with a strong focus on powder metallurgy steels (CPM) for superior edge retention and corrosion resistance. Their most common, flagship steels include CPM-S30V, CPM-S90V, 154CM, and increasingly, CPM-MagnaCut. Other steels used across their lineup include CPM-M4, M390, 20CV, and D2 tool steel, catering to varied needs from everyday carry to heavy-duty, tactical use.

which one would I go buy if I lost the one I have

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102360316?pid=471476

buck 110 slim

had this one since 2021 fathers day

had variations of the 110 slim or 110lt or buck lite since I was 12

I have a few in the drawer that have lost pocket clips or thumb studs or I had lost for a while over the years , current one is orange and seems a little better on the losing it front.

I also have some of the Calumus electricians knives and a Klien
most carried left to right
that little calumus is often carried with the belt knife
I like the Kershaw auto , but it was a gift , kinda spendy and I don't want to lose it.

Besides my pocket knife, I also carry a bic lighter (never smoked, ever) and these pliers. I don't leave the house without them. You can not imagine how many times they have saved a situation.

Guess as this turned into daily carry I will play.
Center is Buck 311 trapper. I have carry this model since my senior year of high-school. Not this knife its the second one. Lost first one in 1984 got this one to replace it.
Other 2 are both Gerber I can open with one hand and either hand.
Pliers is a craftsman that came out of my older brothers tool box. Not his daily carry just from his tools. I started carrying it after I lost my dad's Pliers. Which I wasn't allowed to use to often as kid. Lol
I have lost 3-4 over last 50 years. This pair is old craftsman from 70s



Mav

I like this one. https://amtacblades.com/

case yellow handled stockman with the CV blades

Puma made in Germany, Case XX Tested from the 1930s, or something custom.
Life is too short to carry a cheap knife.

Case Peanuts are great choices.

I carried a cheap, Chinese made Kershaw for years. It was carried all over Alaska hunting and backpacking and it always did fine.
Since then I've received a Chris Reeves small inkosi knife with the insingo blade shape. That's what I carry now. I was a bit paranoid to carry it at first but I figured if I'm not going to use it I might as well not have it.

Have you noticed the difference between a China blade and that high end tool steel blade. From there sight (Constructed from durable CPM MagnaCut steel, heat-treated to a hardness of 63-64 RC). My bet with 63 RC hardness would be a little more work sharpening but edge would last forever compared to what you where carrying. Cut a few sheets on cardboard and see which knife will still shave hair.

Buck 112 is what I've carried since I was about 13 or 14. I've still got my original one (found on a logging road behind my house) but it rides in the glovebox now as a spare. The blade had the tip broken off a couple times (don't use as a screwdriver) and ground down, I actually got so used to it I preferred that blade profile. And it had been sharpened so much there was a good 1/8" of daylight between the blade and handle when closed. But the reason I quit carrying it every day is because the brass of the handle actually cracked through and it flexes so much that the locking mechanism no longer locks the blade. I think the only thing holding it together are actually the wood inserts in the handle. Still it lasted me almost 30 years and I got another just like it. I couldn't tell you the number of elk that little knife has skinned and quartered, not to mention everything else it has skinned.

The model I carry is probably thicker than you want, and doesn't have the pocket clip (personally I don't like a pocket clip, not only are they not comfortable in the hand when using the knife in odd positions but they will catch on brush and things when pushing through tight places and pull out of your pocket). I've seen TWO knifes with pocket clips hanging in horses tails over the years, from guys walking around the horse and the tail hanging the clip and pulling it out of the guys pocket, and I'm seldom around horses. They make it in thinner, lighter versions and with a pocket clip though if that is your desire, same blade and function, just different styles and materials of handles.

/\ /\ ditto on pocket clips, I dislike /\ /\

The edge on the Chris Reeves knife definitely lasts longer. And yes, it's also a bit harder to sharpen. Two sides of the same coin I guess. I appreciate having a knife that doesn't need much attention and stays fairly sharp.

My EDC is first with clip and has advantages and disadvantages. What I like is not wearing a hole in pants pocket there knife rest.

I just got myself a new Gunstock Trapper today and I remembered this post. Just curious if you made a choice?

I ended up buying this one : https://www.crkt.com/knife/ceo-compact-folding-knife-with-liner-lock?sku=7095KX
It's super nice but still not exactly what I wanted. That's what I hate about ordering online. Also a little expensive for a small pocket knife. Maybe it will grow on me.

I got the upgraded steel and handle material

Well, it's not my style of knife but that's why they make so many so there's something for everyone's taste.

If it don't grow on you, so you like it really well, you'll never lose it either, lol. The ones you love will be gone missing in a couple weeks.

Yep that's how it goes for me too. Also bought these 2 at Walmart because they were $5 a piece. Cheap but for $5 I can chuck them in the truck, boat, garden, ect and not care what happens to them.

The CPM blade will be knight and day difference to your Walmart knifes and worth every penny.