Hey, everyone. David C. Andersen here coming at you from
the KnifeCenter, and today we’re taking a look at the best ECD pocket knives you can
get for less than $100. Let’s check ‘em out. Now, of course, you can daily carry just about
anything, so let me lay out a few guidelines for what we’re talking about when we say
“EDC friendly.” We’re talking about something that’s modest
and unassuming, but with characteristics that will make it a lifelong friend, just like
your dad or granddad who always had that one pocket knife on him; a knife that he could
use for literally any random need that popped up in daily life. What we’re looking at here are the modern
equivalents of those knives. Now, those old-school jack knives and Swiss
Army Knives may have been their EDC, but for our purposes here, we’re considering blades
that have one-hand opening functionality, pocket clips for easy carrying, and feature
locking mechanisms to keep the blades from folding closed. Not necessarily a hard-use bruiser or a fast-action
tactical knife, but something for folks who just need a pocket knife. It needs to look good in khakis or blue jeans,
and make a trip from the country to the suburbs to the city with ease. First up is a favorite around the KnifeCenter
offices, the Kershaw Leek. This is so popular we’ve lost count of the
number of employees who have wound up with a Leek in their collection. Part of the appeal, first off, is how classy
the base model is, and how forward-thinking it still appears today, but also due to the
sheer number of variants that have been available with upgraded handle and/or blade materials
over the years. I myself have had several rotate through my
collection, and honestly, I’ve lost count at this point. It’s a fantastic knife. Part of the appeal, too, has to be the fact
that this is a very affordable American-made design. The standard model is a fantastic executive
gentleman’s knife, and it is an assisted opener, meaning that a spring takes over after
you’ve manually rotated the blade past a certain point. This wharncliffe-style blade cuts aggressively,
and it’s just as good at breaking down cardboard as it is opening a letter. Now, just to get ahead of some of you in the
comment section, oftentimes the Dividend gets mentioned as a new and improved Leek, but
at the budget end of the line, I like the steel selection better on the Leek. We get 14C28N versus 420HC on the Dividend,
which is why the Leek won out. For the budget-conscious, it’s hard to beat
the Ontario RAT-2: a downsized version of their popular RAT-1. The blade is a versatile drop point with a
full flat grind held open by a secure liner lock. You can get them in D2 steel, or if you want
something a little more stainless, they’re also available with AUS-8. There are several different synthetic handle
colors available, as well as different blade finishes, but we especially love the satin
blade paired with the tan handles for EDC. The light color overall makes it unobtrusive
and, dare I say it, more socially acceptable in certain situations. Thanks to that low price, these are good disposable
knives, too. You’re not gonna be afraid to lose it in
a situation where you wouldn’t want to risk a more expensive knife. But you’re not giving up any quality at
the same time. It’s a well-built knife that’s gonna last
for years. Next is a newcomer, the SOG Terminus XR, which
is available with a few different handle materials and blade steels. The Terminus XR is currently the cheapest
way to get a quality-made knife equipped with a crossbar-style lock. SOG calls this their XR lock, and this is
a great option for ambidextrous use that lets you close the knife just as fast as you can
flick it open. This makes the Terminus XR ideal for quick
cuts. You can get out of your pocket, do what needs
to be done, and have it back in place in a flash. And thanks to a deep-carry pocket clip, which
is reversible, it can really stay out of the way until you need it. As far as the options go, this version comes
with green G10 and a stonewashed D2 blade, although you can also get this same version
with red G10, but there’s also a carbon fiber handled version with BDZ-1 steel. Now for another flipper, the Kizer Vanguard
Gemini. Now, the frame lock version of the Kizer Gemini
really kicked the door down in the United States for a new influx of high-quality Chinese
imported knife companies, and this G10 liner lock version, the Vanguard Gemini, benefits
from their precise engineering brought down into our price range. The flipping action is as crisp as anything
out there, with ball bearings and a good detent tune. It makes it effortless and addicting to pop
the blade open over and over again. The blade is high-quality N690 stainless with
a stonewashed finish. It’s nice and broad, and a bit over three
inches, and it’s about as big a blade as we’re considering for this list, and it
kind of bridges the gap between the smaller blades here, and the bigger, more heavy duty
designs out there. You can still get a lot of work done with
this knife, but it’s still a fantastic size for easy pocket carry. So the last few knives have been imports,
but why should they have all the fun? Here are a few American-made models to round
out our list, and few brands are as famously American as Buck Knives. Their 112 Slim Ranger models that were released
last year are the modernized smaller brother to the classic 110 Folding Hunter. This knife has been updated from its traditional
form into a way that most of us like to use and carry our knives today. We’ve got dual thumb studs for easy opening
with either hand, a reversible deep-carry pocket clip for discreet carry, and it still
maintains their signature lockback implementation for security. The 3 inch straight clip point blade is just
enough, and there are a few variants to be had. This S30V version that you see here comes
either with black G10, or green or natural micarta. These models take care of the high end, but
they’re also available in Select versions for the budget-conscious. These feature their famously heat-treated
420HC stainless, and various bright nylon handles in addition to the standard black
option. Getting to the end of our list, these next
two models have bee, duking it out for the top spot for years, so make sure to let us
know what your pick is in the comments. The first is the Benchmade Mini Griptilian,
recently upgraded with S30V steel, these are more competitive than ever. The handle on these knives is a little on
the smaller side. In my hands it’s about a three and a half
finger-length grip, but the benefit is very pocket-friendly dimensions. And to be honest, having previously EDC’d
mini versions of the Griptilian myself for a number of years, I never felt like I was
wanting for more grip. This length can handle just about anything
you would tackle with a blade this size just fine. Speaking of blades, there are three standard
shapes available: the drop point you see here, as well as a sheepsfoot and a tanto profile,
and you can get them with or without serrations, coated or uncoated, and there’s even a number
of different handle colors to choose from. But at its heart is Benchmade’s signature
Axis Lock. Now, SOG’s XR lock may be the new kid on
the block, but the Axis is the one that got the crossbar lock as a genre off the ground,
and Benchmade’s execution is still the standard by which all others are compared, because
they get it right. With smooth flipping action and easy operation,
these are satisfying knives and, dare I say, they are just the right size. So, we mentioned the rivalry, and it could
be none other than a Spyderco, and there are so many Spydercos that could be a part of
this list. Plenty of great options in the price range
we’re looking at today, including the Tenacious, and the ever popular Endura and Delica models,
although I’d argue the new in-between size, the Endela is the model to get there. I almost gave it to the Chapparal Lightweight,
which is a great model that I think might be overlooked a bit, but in the end I had
to give it to the Native 5 Lightweight with S30V steel. Regulars of our channel already know that
I think this is one of Spyderco’s best EDC designs of all time, regardless of the price,
and that’s because it adds one key feature over the Delica family that elevates it. That being the full-sized finger choil here
that allows you to choke up on the blade, effectively giving you a bigger handle than
its folded size would suggest. It also sports that signature Spyderco leaf-shaped
blade with a full flat grind, and Spyderco really gets their edge geometries right. The Native 5 is a phenomenal slicer. This model gives you more grip length than
the Benchmade Mini Grip, but not quite as much sharpened edge, and there’s something
to this method, as it allows you to tackle some slightly bigger jobs with a more secure
hold, but that tradeoff is that little bit less of a sharpened edge. Neither method is right or wrong, it just
depends what you value more in your EDC and what type of work you anticipate doing. One of my favorite parts of the Native 5 is
something it does share with the Delica family: it’s a great recommendation for anyone. It has a four-position pocket clip, an easily
accessible lock back, and ambidextrous hole for one-handed opening, anyone can carry this
in any pocket in any position and open it with any hand with no trouble whatsoever. So what do you guys think of our list of EDC
knives for under $100? Did we leave anything out that you think deserves
to be here? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and
in the meantime, to get your hands on any of them, click the link in the description
below to head over to KnifeCenter.com. And be sure to sign up for our KnifeRewards
program while you’re there, because if there’s anything better than a new knife, it’s getting
free money to spend on your next knife. See ya next time. I’m not even sure exactly how many, it’s…
a really cool knife. (Bedebedebedebe…) (SOLD!) The wharncliffe kyle… (Kyle?)
Kyle Wharncliffe. (Kyle, don’t go to Area 51!)
