ALL THINGS BUDGET KNIVES

Well you just had to go and show me that didn’t ya. I have been really good. Haven’t ordered a new knife in a while. Then you show up with that beautiful thing and now I got the itch again. It also didn’t help that I found this while looking for a TS164. Hadn’t seen that one before. I’m gonna get in a lot of trouble.

Eafengrow EF04. My first Eafengrow, and not a good first impression.

The blade is way off to one side. The gold stripe pattern is poorly done at the base of the blade. In order to get the blade centered, the pivot screw has to be tightened to the point the pivot action is too stiff. Opening the knife is not good, and it won’t close unless you force it closed. I’m going to return it.

If you like that design, the Ontario Rat might satisfy ya. Aus-8 or D2 in all kinds of handle/blade options. Aus-8 for about $25 or so, $40 for the D2. They are all over Amazon and Ebay. Might get them cheaper from overseas but then you get the long wait on shipping.

I do have a RAT 1 with AUS8 and I am impressed with how well made, and how wonderful it feels in hand. I didn’t get the good steel (D2), and it has FRN scales, but it is a great knife none-the-less. When I seen the Eafengrow EF04 I wanted to see how it would compare, but I have no love for the EF04. It is almost as bad as the junk Canku C06 knife I bought not to long ago, and immediately returned it.

I don’t have any Eafengrow or Canku knives but, I can certainly understand being disappointed in a knife I looked forward to getting. The Ruike P831 I got was horrible. Blade way off center, the frame locked pushed so hard against the blade it was impossible to close or open one handed. Worked on that knife forever trying to get it to work properly. I gave up and gave it away. He is a friend too. I should have never done that to a friend. :wink:

Just received my first Stedemon knife. The price on Amazon showed it was $22.29 for the orange one, but it came out to $19.39 with tax included at checkout. That was a nice surprise! Would make a good budget gift.

I like the knife. It is good for the price. A 3.3” 440C very sharp blade, and good quality plastic (FRN ?) scales. Feels good in hand, like a quality budget knife. Has a good strong lockup. The blade can be deployed by a quick shake of the knife. The detent is on the weaker side, that’s my only con on it.

You can adjust the detent strength by slightly bending the lock-bar towards the blade after disassembling the knife.

Just be careful. There is elastic deformation, inelastic deformation, and straight up snapping. Some liner steels are more forgiving than others. You also want to apply pressure evenly so the lock bar continues to mate up properly with the blade.

I’ll only try this on inexpensive knives. If it’s an expensive knife, I’ll either return it or send it in for warranty work.

When I have to bend a liner/framelock a bit for mor tension I use a wooden spatula.

The spatula lays flat on the inside of liner, the push it towards the cutout.

This way you can mark till where you had to push and see if needs a little more.

Always worked for me.

I am hesitant to do any bending. I am not confident enough to do that.

I opened her up, instead, and adjusted the pivot screw. This knife is unique to me, in that the pivot screw in under the scale. I really enjoy fidgeting with the Stedemon, now.

This is the pivot screw. It lays hidden under the show side scale.

Nice ball bearings for the price point. Wiped it down, and used mineral oil for the re-lube.

Hey guys, are there any budget knives with a compression lock like the Spyderco’s use?

Or button (compression) lock…

Thanks

The Boker Kalashnikov comes to mind. Trying to think of any others…………………

Is the Kalashnikov available as a button lock knife without the spring installed?
I always pictured it as an automatic knife.

The only button lock knife I own is the RealSteel E776 Griffin, but I’ve seen some other ones around lately.
(I like the Griffin but the blade could be really ground thinner like 0.2mm 0.3mm behind the cutting bevel.)

There’s also the Kizer Tangram Vector, some William Henry and Rockstead gentlemen’s jewlery, Spartan Blades Pallas…

The MTech MT1118BK is looking interesting, a button lock flipper with anodized AL handles but with 3Cr13MoV (!) blade.
Sounds like a tin can blade to me :frowning:

Google ‘CRKT Tighe button’ and you’ll get some more knives, the design doesn’t appeal to me,others like it.

I think The Boker Kalashnikov’s are autos.

I’m liking the crkt and griffon. I’m not sure about the alu scales on the griffon, are they very slick?
And the style of the crkt is not really for me but that knife looks very figgitery and that’s what interests me the most.
Thanks guys

Sorry I was getting the Boker and the Gerber mixed up. I forget the name of the Gerber. Had another not so budget one if I can remember the manufacturer. Well aren’t I full of useful info. :smiley:

Hey, all you were trying to do is help, and I appreciate that. Have a nice weekend.

Ruike P843-W
I like everything about it. With the dye job, it has a rustic appearance now.

Don't some Navy knives have a compression lock?

I don't know how budget they are now, though.

You can convert all automatic knifes with a button into a button lock by removing the spring inside. My only automatic Ganzo is now one because the spring broke. But why not using an axis lock? I find it superior while kind of similar.

The difference between an automatic and a manual button lock is that on the automatic you have to press the button to release the blade for both opening and closing.
On a manual button lock knife there’s versions that you can open with either a hole/cutout or a flipper tab so you don’t have to press the button to release the blade.