ALL THINGS BUDGET KNIVES

If it helps any the SRM 7063AUC-LI

and the 7063LUC-LI

are both very good, the Axis lock on these is like the ones on the older GB - black G10, GA - tan G10 and LB - Aluminium 763s that is one of the best Axis locks that China produces, nothing needs doing to the Ω springs to make them comfortable to use.
The LUC liner locks are very smooth as well. I have the blue pair same as above but there are other colours.
Both use aluminium for the frames and scales and are solidly built. Blade length is 68mm.


The 9063 linerlock is quite plain looking with black G10 scales over stainless liners, overall they keep the shape of the smaller knife but the 88mm blade is a nice feature. :slight_smile: If they produced a tan scaled model like the Real Steel one I’d be spending next month’s knife money on that. The $8 postage takes the total for the different coloured scales from Real Steel (for the Real Steel E963) up to $17.95, I’d rather have another SRM9063 for that price and try changing the scales myself from some material that I have.
The 9063 is a top quality knife for $16, a budget gem. All of them have the bottle opener as well. :wink: :beer:

Edit……BTW

The vendor that the RAT1 is from, DongCheng Outdoors Co. Ltd., I have bought several knives from, no problems with them as vendors or the quality of knives. One of their own brand knives, the DC-A4 has been on my “To Buy” list for a while now.

I will compare (in a short review) the SRM9063 and the RealSteel 963, but I have to wait for the SRM (ordered it in the Spring festival time period).

Steve your mention of DC-A4 caught my attention because I’ve been looking at a DC-A1 for quite a while (SOG branded) I really like the looks of it but was unsure about the quality would be, and I wondered if it might be produced by Ganzo or SRM. There is also a SOG branded DC-A2

After looking at the DC-A4 at DongCheng Outdoor store I realize the DC stands for “Dong Cheng”.

Now I’m wondering if these SOG branded DC’s are DongCheng’s own brand marked SOG, since they definitely aren’t SOG copies and I’ve never seen them anywhere else. Although 2 other stores sell the DC-A1, (EDC GEAR and camping home), both show DongCheng tagged photos, so maybe those are also DongCheng stores?

I’ll link the DC-A1 with photo in a new post.

I really like this one, anyone have it or know anything about it?

$16.54 (click on photo for link to aliexpress store):

(photo from a Chinese website ):

Too bad the lanyard hole is a paracord cutter!

And it has a detail the 9063, the bottle opener is a round cut that engage on the pivot retention better than any knife o have (plain steel on a rounded pivot vs rounded steel on a rounded pívot), this does a stronger knife becayse avoid deformation on the pivot steel like do cold steel on their lsrger knives like vaquero/voyayer…

I am tempted for the srm 9063, i have too many knives, too many knives… :bigsmile:

I just ordered this one, couldn’t help myself. Ebony wood handles on a 440 blade, it’s small…only a 2 1/4” blade. But the style is so elegant and it was only $10.40 shipped!

I discovered a site called GP Knives. They have a lot of semi-custom blades from African makers and such. Some gorgeous works and really nice prices. Gonna get a fixed blade of one of those, probably with that desert burl wood, beautiful stuff! I’ve got a “NEED” for a damascus blade. Don’t have one. Must acquire…

Edit: a link to the Ebony Buck mini on Ali Express

Sounds like you have both a real RAT 1 and the aliexpress clone? The Real RAT 1 has Nylon handles but the aliexpress clones show G10 in the description. Can you compare with the real one and report the difference and if the aliexpress clone actually has G10 handle material?

I can get a real RAT 1 locally for $25, same price as most clones on aliexpress (although there are a few for $19.99) I’d like one in G10 instead of nylon.
Either way I going to get one of the clones too because I’d also like a Fluorescent green one and I don’t think Ontario makes it.

For the black G10 I may just save up for the RAT 1A (Assisted opening & G10 scales)

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Here’s a photo I found comparing the real RAT-1 to a China knock off:
(China clone is the larger green one on top - real RAT-1 is the tan one below it, other 3 are ESEE Avispa & Zancudo)

(both photos found on bladeforums)
Notice the RAT-1 clone is marked RAT model 3, which is actually a fixed blade knife.
I really like the drop point blade shape on the ESEE and it’s framelock may be stronger than the linerlock on the RAT, but for that you give up having handle scales on both sides, for me it’s a tough decision between the ESEE and the RAT.

That looks really nice! But the handle seems small. I like ebony and am ordering that same one. It says “440C 58HRC” in the description and 440 on the knife. It doesn’t say where it is made in the description, but I it says China on the knife.
GPKnives doesn’t seem to have anything budget.

Is it just me or is that a CRK knife’s profile? I like it.

A lot more CRK profile than the SanRenMu 710 that was called a Sebenza rip-off. :slight_smile:

The lanyard hole is further back lined with a tube I think. The larger hole looks like the wtf hole on the Sebenza (wtf in this case stands for what’s that for. :bigsmile: )

I’ve certainly not seen a SOG of that design before.

I have an Elk Ridge branded knife, although some might think them not up to par I’ve had zero problems with mine the few times I’ve had need of it it performed well.

8¾” blade full tang. Elk Ridge definitely China Made.

I just bought one of those “Buck” Minis. I might be fond of my Cold Steel knives, but I still like a nice little knife.

I guess the definition of “budget” varies widely. GP Knives has a lot of very nice blades from quite a few custom makers. When you can get a well made knife with a top blade steel for under $200, in many cases $120-140, to me that’s budget. Sure, there are also $6500 knives there, which makes the sub $200 knives look like quick grabs. :wink:

The exotic woods, giraffe bone, warthog tusk, water buffalo hide sheaths… some gorgeous work on those blades and a great many are priced very attractively.

Wouldn’t you know the one single blade on the entire site that I feel I MUST have is out of stock?

Thank you very much Steve, for your precious help!! :slight_smile:

We will wait, thank you! :slight_smile:

Hey guys, I’m really digging the looks of the Boker Kwaiken, especially the flipper version. I like the shape of it. Is there something similar to this in the budget realm?

Somewhat similar shape but may not be considered budget at $35 is the CRKT Heiho:

I own one of these and it’s a beautiful knife and excellent quality, extremely sharp out of the box. Slight tanto shape blade and no flipper but it has the OUTBURST Assisted Opening system. (I paid nearly $50 for mine with no regrets so $35 is a great deal)

It’s the little brother of the all black CRKT Hissatsu Folder (which is about the same size as the Kwaiken)
An even larger similar shape knife is the CRKT Otanashi noh Ken But that ones only about $10 less than the Kwaiken.

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There is also a Heiho version with Veff Serrations seems to have less of a tanto style blade shape

Yes I think thats one of the reasons I like it, I also thought it has a similar shape of the Enlan EL-02 and the Ganzo G717

Guess I didn’t see the smaller hole…Wait, maybe it really IS a paracord cutter!

It’s a SOG like this is a Spyderco: :bigsmile:

And like this is a Benchmade, I expected better from FastTech - not sure why.

Timber Rattler Scarab, with a Cold Steel Kobun beside it for comparison.

While it isn’t particularly well made, a bit of blade movement side to side, and the steel isn’t anything to write home about, it is enormous. For $25US it’s probably the king of budget knives (well based on size anyway).