If you want a good quality knife in the $50 range, Kershaw pretty much owns that segment of the market. CRKT used to be decent, but their quality has taken a noticeable nose dive over the last decade.

If you go up in price just a bit, you can find the Spyderco Delica or Endura (Delica is more your size range). These are excellent blades made from good to very good quality steel (I really like VG10) with FRN handles. I don't like FRN (fiberglass reinforced nylon) as much as G10, but it's light and holds up to all normal use. About $100 will get you a Spyderco Native Lightweight (FRN handles) which is probably my favorite small pocket knife.

I'm a fan of pocket clips. At least around these parts they don't draw any attention as EVERYBODY seems to have a metal clip coming out of their right front pants pocket.

I find myself carrying the Spyderco Native Salt very frequently since always getting wet, etc. in SoFla. The Dragonfly Salt is also great and what I gave both my kids. Both are extremely rust resistant, kids clip to bathing suits and go in water, etc. Only downside is very hard metal so sharpening a pain.

I like the Gerber LST for what you describe. A smaller lockback. It’s poly including the clip weighs nothing decent steel, pick it up at Walmart for $20 or so. 3 sizes I like the middle one.

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
I've been carrying a Case pocket knife for years and I hardly know it's there. A clip just adds bulk and gets in the way.

I remove the clips from most of my knives too. It is a fad which I will not miss. I don't want my knife hanging on the edge of my pocket. And they get in the way on the handle.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
I remove the clips from most of my knives too. It is a fad which I will not miss. I don't want my knife hanging on the edge of my pocket. And they get in the way on the handle.

I’ve heard it explained that in some areas where “concealed knives” aren’t allowed by law, the pocket clip makes the knife visible enough to not be concealed. How true that is, I don’t know. But I’ve seen mention of it several times.

I’ve been considering doing away with the clips on a few bigger knives for a very different reason than added bulk, though. I’ve put some really nasty gouges in furniture and my vehicle with them, to the point where I have taken to covering the pocket clip with my hand when maneuvering through tight fit areas. It’s especially a problem in parking lots around here - for whatever reason, the spaces seem to be tighter than anywhere else I’ve driven. There’s nothing like having someone park so close to your vehicle that you have difficulty getting back in, and put a deep scratch in the paint in the process.

They also tear up jeans, especially with textured G10 scales - both the lip of the pocket, and sanding holes through the coin pocket. Not a fan of that.

Kershaw Blur

Knifecenter is having a sale on all Kershaws...

Just sayin'

Boss

For a thin and light knife, the Kershaw Skyline is fantastic.

G10 handles. Hollow ground blade geometry. Flipper with a good finger groove to make a nice deep guard when deployed. It only has a single steel liner though.

For something a little more robust, the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 carries light and thin as well. It has a stronger compression lock, and skeletonized steel liners on both sides, and the blade is s30v. It's way outside the price limit though.

A slightly cheaper alternative to the Paramilitary 2 is Benchmade's Bugout. You downgrade handle materials to Grivory, but upgrade to the exceptional Axis lock. It is exceptionally light but has less handle strength than the Paramilitary because of the linerless design.

Spyderco Endura 4 with a regular blade (there no way I could sharpen one of the serrated blades). Ive carried one for years.

quote:

I like the clips for easy access, one negative I found out I ended up scratching the door jamb getting in/out of my car, now I am cautious of it and don't let it scrape.

There are scratches near the driver’s side door of my Honda S2000; and a scratched-away section of my Stressless Vegas chair due to knife clips.

Wish I had never started using them. Thanks, Essential Edge.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:

quote:

I like the clips for easy access, one negative I found out I ended up scratching the door jamb getting in/out of my car, now I am cautious of it and don't let it scrape.

There are scratches near the driver’s side door of my Honda S2000; and a scratched-away section of my Stressless Vegas chair due to knife clips.

Yeah, my Mazda 3 has scratches all near the driver's door and an abraded area on the leather seat near the seat belt buckle. Really did a number on it.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
I've been carrying a Case pocket knife for years and I hardly know it's there. A clip just adds bulk and gets in the way.

I remove the clips from most of my knives too. It is a fad which I will not miss. I don't want my knife hanging on the edge of my pocket. And they get in the way on the handle.

Lion Steel made in Italy. The clip is spring loaded it sits flush with the handle when not pushed out. Blade is stainless, handle milled from single piece of Aluminum.

^^ Nice touch.

To many to comprehend. It’s like asking someone about a dog breed, whatever they have is the best whether it fits the categories you listed or not.

Go here and punch in what type and price you want.
https://www.bladehq.com/

Kershaw Skyline is by far my favorite lightweight knife. Not spring assisted but has a flipper for gravity/inertial assist for one-handed operation. Not a heavy duty knife but is great for EDC and casual, routine, daily use. You won’t be disappointed.

Buck has really upped their tactical
Knife game. Or spyderco. Or Kershaw. Or CRKT.

Different strokes for different folks. I won’t cary a folder without a clip, and usually a cord and bead as well. Good makers will make the clip removable and usually even offer a filler plate to fill the gap after the clip is removed. The Prices are past the OP’s budget, but for reference check out Hinderer knives. Well built and fixed blade tough. ZT and Strider folders license the Hinderer design. He makes some cool pens too, if your into that sort of thing.

In North Carolina, I think a lot of guys go with pocket clip carry because they believe the exposed clip means it counts as open carry and therefore they can carry any legal knife that way.

Off topic, sort of...


Anyone familiar with “Mercworx“ knives?

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
These SOG knifes are thin and sound like they fit your description.

https://www.bladehq.com/cat--SOG-Access-Card--787

Carried many in my life time of several brands.
The Sog is a great one,carried it for over five years now