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Are there any Good Knives to be had for less than $100?
Are you looking for a good knife that is made of good Steel and put together well?
If you are you have probably been told that you can not get a good knife for less than $100.
Well, I know this to be false, and I know that there are several knife making companies whose products fall well below the $100 mark and they are Heat treated and tempered very well.
Some folks think heat-treated knives ended in the 1960's and 1970's but they are wrong. Many knife companies stopped making non-stainless knives during this period. And others like Case, Queen, and Camillus made the transition to stainless steels which may or may not have been heat-treated. But this was just a short transitional period.
All major brand name knives made in America or almost anywhere else in the world are heat-treated and hardened steel. There are a few cheap knives that you run across that are not heat-treated, but most of these come from China, Pakistan or India. In addition, they are not finished well so you can instantly tell by looking at the knife that it is a cheap knife.
Also, if a blade is not heat-treated, or is poorly heat-treated you can tell by the color and texture of the steel. Raw or untreated steel looks dull and does not reflect light very well. It also has a dull sound signature. If you tap against the blade with a metal object you get a dull sounding tink.
If the steel is heat-treated is has an opal like sheen when the knife if finished, unless it has been mirror polished. Also, non heat-treated steel scratches and bends easily, with very little force applied to the metal you can damage the blade or finish. It will not hold an edge nor will it take a very sharp edge.
With that said, what knives can be had for under $100 that are heat-treated and made well?
The following is a list that includes some of my favorite knives;
(the list is not meant to be exhaustive it only list those that I know of and can think of right now)
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Case (all models)
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Camillus (all except for their cheap international series)
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Queen (all models are presently made with premium D2 tool steel)
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Cold Steel (all models including those made in Japan or the new models made in Taiwan)
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BenchMade (all models)
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Spyderco (all models made in Japan, I am not sure about the new Byrd by Spyderco knives)
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Gerber (all new models made under the Gerber name, and most of the Winchester name brand knives)
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Moki (awesome fit and finish)
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Mcusta (there are few under $100)
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Beretta (super value for the price)
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Browning ( All older knives, and about half of their new knives, unfortunately Browning is importing some real junk from China with the Browning name on it so be aware)
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Fred Carter (These knives are made by Gigand a premier maker in Taiwan that not only heat-treats blades but also cryo quenches which makes and exceptional edge holding knife)
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Harley Davidson (most of these are Gigand made knives, but there are some China made ones in the lineup so be aware)
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Ford (another Gigand made Fred Carter designed knife, But their traditional pocket knives are made in China)
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Timberline (A fantastic knife made in Taiwan that outperforms most knives made today)
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Ti-Knives (a small Georgia based company that make truly exceptional knives)
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A.G. Russell (great knives that are worth what you have to pay for them and they are unconditionally guaranteed forever)
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Boker (all except for the Magnum brand knives, which are made in China)
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Sakai (they make knives for Gerber, Benchmade, Spyderco, Al Mar, and many other firms. They also sell knives under their own name although they are hard to find)
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FalKniven (made either in Japan or in Sweden. Using Powder Steel with incredible heat-treating 60-65HRC, but few models are below $100)
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Khyber ( great knives made in Japan in the early 1980's the company was owned by Ka-Bar)
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Kissing Crane (all Models)
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Anza ( great knives made from old files annealed and heat treated finished superbly)
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Ka-Bar (all models)
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Any knife made in Seki Japan will be a great knife.
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