ALL THINGS BUDGET KNIVES

A little Kydex for the HX Outdoors TD-01

Back in the ’60’s I started shooting After I came out of army.

My knives were a mix of Schrade. Puma and a Martiini.
Plus a coupla hand ground power saw blades for serious (Buff. Croc. Goat) skinning.

Puma. Hunters Pal. and Prince. Both Staghorn.
Beautiful knives. for both quality of build. Looks and work.
50 plus yrs and still the best all rounders.

Schrade “Lil Finger’ x 2. Staghorn Engraved, and std handles.
They more a novelty for looks (beautiful looking little things)
but would NOT hold a skinning edge for more than two foxes at best.
Lovely for caping small animals though.

Martiini. the most useful. reliable. “camp knife” for all round work.
Basic. and unkillable. Around ’71/’73 For that one from memory.
Passed on from mate.

Heavy skinning. Aust Buff’s. (and croc’s, shhhh a grand a skin up to 6 ft
softer/thinner skin)
I made several 2in power saw blade skinners. moulded tyre rubber handles.
Mate worked in mould room at tyre mfg’s.
Would be VERY hard to find any Heavy duty skinner to match those blades.
Rough but more than ready.
In pocket nowadays. Either Micron 2 on keyring with house keys and stainless
torch. or a little no scales Puma. Mostly for cleaning finger nails nowadays.

Oh Also a custom Crosssman skinner I bought back in ’86. But yet to cut a skin.
Nicely proportioned and looking blade.
Plus multiple other “pocket” knives over 65 yrs or so. Some good.
Some shouldn’t exist.

Nowadays, there’s a zillion makers and quality’s. I wouldn’t know where to start.
But a 2 1\2 to 3 1\2 inch, Quality, drop point blade with “comfortable” handle would cover 99% of uses methink’s. with a Martiini size/shape FIXED. for general use.
For long periods I’d say a custom moulded (or carved scales handle)
to your hand is the better one. Better than all these fancy “hard” handles.
I.E. Multiple animals a day.

TwoSun TS57 :sunglasses:


Pretty!! How much and where?

Auctions on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Twosun-Knives-EDC-D2-TC4-Titanium-Bearing-Fast-Open-Pocket-Folding-Knife-TS57/352589877320

Is it possible to draw this one out of your pocket when clipped?

I had to modify my TS51 a bit but the framelock recess on the TS57 is looking same much like a seam catcher.

What a pity, their designs are really great and I love the details on mine but they have issues with their clips on many models.


Since we’re talking budget (and that’s pretty much all I do)…

This is on sale right now for $15.99 (Amazon):

Cold Steel Tanto Machete. 13” blade.

I have a couple of the Bowie versions of that I got a few years ago for ~$12. Right now they’re $25 though.

Guys I need suggestions for little assisted knife in the budget category.

I originally had my heart set on a Ganzo automatic, but I’m getting a bit concerned about breaking laws shipping one to myself.

If I had the money I’d get a Pro-Tech Calmigo. Love that knife. Just too spendy for how I intend to use it.

Anything out there of similar style (small, simple) but assisted?

A quick and accurate reply! Thanks, haha!

Anything just a bit larger with a more traditional drop-point?

The Kershaw Turismo has my attention.

Kershaw Pico is quite nice, just a bit larger I think.

https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Dual-Finished-Bead-Blasted-Reversible-Deep-Carry/dp/B01B7MP702/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=kershaw+pico&qid=1550518815&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Ok, since this is the budget thread: are there any assisted knives available from gearbest or similar with better blade material?

Kershaw Pico is pretty much perfect but wish it held an edge better.

Hmmm……Not real sure. I don’t have but a few assisted knives. I like the the Ganzo 758 auto opener. I think that and a blacked out Leek are the only assisted knives I have. I gave the Pico to a buddy who needed it more than I wanted it. My brother in law swears by his SOG Flash II. Aus-8 assisted knife. Might take a peak at that, see if that is your thing.

Have you got a link for that Ganzo 758 Auto?? I can’t seem to locate it.

For high quality budget assisted-openers, Kershaw owns the market.

Automatics are a different story, however.

With all the photoshopped knife pics, is there a practical way to know if they are assisted or automatic?

For Kershaw, their website will tell you.

For other manufacturers, I don't know.

I just got this in my inbox. Westernactive.com have an 11% off coupon (HBTHANKYOU) on any of their Honey Badger knives.

Well I bought it over a year ago. I could have sworn I got it off Ebay but couldn’t find it in my orders. I found out that I ordered it from Fast Tech. It’s listed as discontinued now. Here is a Ebay ad for it. I am always on the lookout for another aluminum handled one. If you can find one, grab it, quickly.

Thanks for the link, much appreciated…. :+1:

Vouking Stedemon TS05 knives 30% off on Amazon. Makes them pretty affordable. Amazon ad doesn’t have much information included so I stuck a BladeHQ ad in there as well with all the pertinent info.

https://www.amazon.com/VOUKING-TS05/dp/B07C714VF1

https://www.bladehq.com/item—Stedemon-Vouking-Samgun-TS06-Frame—84509