The 12 Best Pocket Knives Under $50 Of 2024

Pocket knives are the need of everyone, and no matter who you are or what you do, you would need them in your daily tasks if you want to open a can with it or cut the packaging. Everyone tries to find the best suitable option in their budget. We have recently covered the best chef knives under $100 and best knife sets under $200 for our audience, and now we are here to tell you about the best pocket knives under $100 and $50, so those on a budget can buy and use them. 

As you all know that this market is very broad, and many competitors are trying to eliminate each other, so there are many knives in the market, but our team works day and night and finds the best options for you that are lower in price and have all the premium qualities. The best of all these knives is Kershaw Cryo 1555TI because it is made of high-quality steel. You can check the price of this on Amazon.

 

Pocket knives under $50

Finding the best pocket knife under $50 is a bit tough, but many pocket knives are available in the market that can be purchased for under $50.

Here are the 12 best Cheap Pocket Knives:

1. Cold Steel 20NPFZ Finn Wolf Folding Knife OD Green
2. BLUE RIDGE Knives Zancudo Black
3. Ontario Knife OKC Rat Ii Sp-Black Folding Knife
4. Kershaw Cryo Folding Knife (1555TI)
5. Kershaw Shuffle II Folding Pocket Knife
6. Kershaw Emerson CQC-10K 6030 Folding Pocket Knife
7. Gerber Gear Flatiron
8. CJRB Kicker folding pocket knife J1915
9. CRKT Shenanigan Z EDC Folding Knife
10. Ruger 2-Stage Compact Frame Lck Bld Flp Bk Tinto 3.58 R2104K
11. Opinel No 6 Carbon Steel Folding knife
12. Cold Steel Pocket Bushman Folding Knife 95FBZ

Image	Product & Features	Ratings	Price
Top-Pick	Kershaw Cryo 1555TI 2.75-inch blade Made with 8Cr13MoV steel It features a revolutionary SpeedSafe Assisted Opening system.	9.9	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
Best for Design	Kershaw Shuffle II 2.1-inch blade Made with 8Cr13MoV steel Glass Filled Nylon handle	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
Premium Pick	CJRB Kicker 3.5-inch clip point blade Made with D2 steel G-10 handle	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	Cold Steel 20NPFZ 3.5-inch satin polished blade Made with Japanese AUS 8A steel Features a Tri-Ad lock	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	BLUE RIDGE Knives Zancudo 3-inch stonewash finish blade Made with AUS-8A stainless steel G-10 handle with a stonewash stainless back	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	Ontario Knife OKC Rat Ii 3-inch satin-finished plain edge blade The handle is made of Textured black nylon 6 material It comes with an index finger groove on the handle	9.7	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	Kershaw Emerson CQC-10K 3.5-inch clip point blade Made with 8Cr14MoV steel G-10 material on the front and rust-resistant bead-blasted stainless steel on the back.	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	Gerber Gear Flatiron 3.6-inch blade Made with 7Cr17MoV steel G-10 handle	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	CRKT Shenanigan Z 3.25-inch plain edge blade Made with AUS 8 steel Glass Reinforced Nylon handle	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	Ruger 2-Stage Compact 3.5-inch tanto-style blade Made with 8Cr17MoV steel Aluminum and stainless steel handle	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	Opinel No 6 2.75-inch blade Made with carbon steel It features a Virobloc safety ring.	9.8	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay
	Cold Steel Pocket Bushman 4.5-inch Clip point blade Made with 4116 German stainless steel Stainless steel handle	9.5	Check Price on AmazonCheck Price on eBay

 

1. Cold Steel 20NPFZ Finn Wolf Folding Knife OD Green – Chipping & Bending Resistant

It is the best cold steel pocket knife. This knife is an Andrew Demko design; you may already know about it if you are a cold steel fan. The Cold steel Bushman, the Espada, the Spartan, the AD-15, and many other knives feature a Demko design.

The Finn Wolf knife comes with a 3.5-inch satin polished Japanese AUS 8A blade with a scandi grind that essentially means the edge rolls before the chip. The blade is best at cutting many bushcraft tasks and will work in long hours and hard work. Moreover, its zero-ground edge is quite sharp and easy to re-sharpen in the field.

Moreover, the knife features a Tri-Ad lock for superior security and safety. You can rely on this folding knife in even the most challenging conditions. However, the only complaint about the Finn Wolf is that its handle is not that good. The handle scales are not violent or sufficiently grippy. Besides this, every feature of the knife is amazing.

Specifications

 

 

2. BLUE RIDGE Knives Zancudo Black – Durable Knife

ESEE does not manufacture Zancudo Black/Stonewash Framelock Folder, nor do they carry the ESEE logo. ESEE doesn’t warranty, sell, or market these folders. These folders are designed by Randall’s Adventure and Training School of Survival, and their logo was licensed to Blue Ridge for use on these knives.

The word Zancudo in the name of the knife comes from the Spanish language, which means Mosquito. The blue ridge knife is made in Taiwan. If you are looking for a real workhorse with a knife, this will be the perfect choice for you.

The Zancudo knife features a 3-inch AUS-8A stainless blade with a Stonewash finish that gives durability to the knife. The overall length of the knife is 4-inch which is the perfect size of any folding knife. Moreover, it includes a Stonewash stainless pocket clip and lanyard hole.

Specifications

This knife comes with a Black G-10 handle with a stonewash stainless back. The comfortable and unusual teardrop-shaped handle makes this model an excellent knife for more aggressive cutting and tougher work.

The handle adds more durability to the knife that making it ideal for tougher jobs and everyday use. Moreover, the Zancudo has a larger handle and is best for tougher jobs than the CRKT Drifter.

 

Check Tutorials: How to Sharpen A Knife

3. Ontario Knife OKC Rat Ii Sp-Black Folding Knife – Hard and Sharp

The Ontario Knife Company was formed in 2002 with Randall’s Adventure and Training Team (RAT). RAT is an Alabama-based professional survival training, expedition guiding, and outdoor gear research team with operations in Latin America.

If you’re looking for a smaller knife with many good features, this might be the one you are looking for. Ontario Folding knife is made in Taiwan with high-quality materials that ensure the knife’s optimal performance.

The RAT folder features a 3-inch satin-finished plain edge blade with an overall knife length of 7-inch. This size is ideal for carrying and fits in hand comfortably. The blade of the knife is made with Carbon steel that increases the knife’s strength and hardness. Moreover, the weight of the Ontario knife is light, making it easy to carry.

Specifications

The knife’s handle is textured black nylon six material with an open-built steel liner lock frame that gives more durability and comfortability to the knife. The other good thing about this knife is that it comes with an index finger groove on the handle that prevents the knife from slipping in your hands, and this allows you to grip the knife even with wet or greasy hands easily.

Ontario Knife OKC Rat Ii Sp-Black Folding Knife is known for easy and quick access with the 4-way convenient and removable pocket clip and a thumb stud flipper, which makes it an ideal choice for everyday life carry. To conclude here, this knife is perfectly designed for performance and comfort.

 

 

4. Kershaw Cryo Folding Knife (1555TI) – Ideal EDC Knife

The Cryo folding knife was made with the collaboration of custom knifemaker Rick Hinderer and Kershaw experts. It is the best budget-friendly folding knife and is the ideal EDC knife.

This knife features a 2.75-inch blade, and the blade is made of precision heat treated 8Cr13MoV steel that holds an edge of a knife for a long time. 8Cr13MoV is a value blade steel with high-performing features.

The Cryo knife is coated with matte Gray Titanium Carbo-Nitride that increases the blade’s hardness. It also helps to maintain the edge of a knife and increase the longevity of the blade.

This steel has carbon and slightly less nickel for hardness and edge retention.

Specifications

Moreover, it offers toughness and wears resistance that can withstand damage from both adhesive and abrasive wear.

The knife’s handle is made with stainless steel, and the steel contains chromium to equip knife handles to withstand rusting and provide corrosion resistance. Moreover, stainless steel offers durability and comfortability. You can easily grip the knife’s handle with wet or greasy hands.

The good thing about this knife is that it features a revolutionary SpeedSafe Assisted Opening system that enables secure, smooth, fast, one-handed blade deployment. SpeedSafe knives have two choices for one-handed blade deployment. Users can activate the soft, instant open by pushing a thumb stud or a flipper. Both left and right-handed users can efficiently operate the flipper on SpeedSafe assisted knives.

Furthermore, once the blade swings open and locks into place, the flipper disappears for aesthetics or remains visible for added finger protection. The Cryo Folding knife comes with a 4-position pocket clip that allows tip-up or tip-down carry on both the right and left sides. It provides users the most versatility, and the proper use of the pocket clip promotes efficiency and safety while using a knife.

 

Know About Knife Laws:

• Knife Laws in Massachusetts
• Knife Laws in California

5. Kershaw Shuffle II Folding Pocket Knife – Best Safety Features

It is the best folding knife with an affordable price for all purposes because it holds up under high pressure. Moreover, this is the best knife for a bottle opening function because it features a flathead handy bottle opener on either side of the knife; I bought it for this function.

The knife’s blade is made of 8Cr13MoV steel that offers durability to the knife. Moreover, 8Cr13MoV steel is super-sharp and designed to do various tasks, i.e., slashing, slicing, chopping, and scraping the surface of multiple materials.

Kershaw Shuffle II Folding Pocket Knife features a flathead screwdriver tip at the bottom, and you can use it to tighten or loosen screws that have a straight, linear notch in their heads. Moreover, it also features a reversible pocket clip which is convenient for right-handed or tip-down carry.

The good thing about this knife is that it comes with dual, ambidextrous thumb studs positioned on both sides of the blade. These ambidextrous thumb studs make knives easier to open and allow the blade to be opened up with the thumb.

Specifications

Kershaw Shuffle II Folding Pocket Knife comes with a glass-filled nylon handle that increases the knife’s strength. This handle has incredible stiffness for a stable and secure grip. Moreover, a nylon handle has a remarkable ability to withstand heat and dimensional stability combined with excellent wear resistance.

To conclude here, this knife is safe for manual opening with no mechanical assistance. This knife is best for everyday carry tasks, camping, hunting, fishing, and many more. Moreover, this knife is perfect for a gift.

 

 

6. Kershaw Emerson CQC-10K 6030 Folding Pocket Knife – Good for Outdoor activities

The Kershaw CQC-10K knife is affordable; that’s why many hunters like this knife.  The knife comes with a 3.5-inch clip point blade, 4.5-inch handle, with an overall knife length of 8.5-inch.

The knife’s blade is made of 8Cr14MoV steel, which is very durable. This steel is a carbon-dense heat-treated compound that provides hardness, strength, and the ability to hold an edge to the knife. Moreover, this steel has additional chromium, which increases the stain resistance of a knife.

The Kershaw CQC-10K knife handle is made with G-10 material on the front and rust-resistant bead-blasted stainless steel on the back. The handle has an olive drab matte finish on the front, and on the back, the handle has a 410 bead-blasted finish. The other good thing about this knife’s handle is that it has a deep curve that helps you sharpen the blade of a knife easily.

Specifications

The CQC-10K is a perfect hunting knife, and it can handle anything outdoors, including bushcraft and camping. Moreover, the handle is designed to reduce hand fatigue during tough skinning, gutting, filleting, and boning. You can use this folding knife for a long time without any fatigue. This folding knife also helps to start fires, clear brushes, and split wood.

This knife features a frame lock, which assures the open blade remains secure and stable. Moreover, the knife comes with pre-drilled holes that allow the user to change the tip position or side the knife carries. No doubt, this is a perfect folding pocket knife.

 

Read More: Best Electric Fish Fillet Knife

7. Gerber Gear Flatiron – Folding Cleaver Pocket Knife

The Flatiron knife is built especially for utility with a cleaver blade in a folding application. It is the best pocket folding knife at a reasonable price. The Flatiron pocket folder comes with a robust 3.6-inch blade with an overall knife length of 8.5-inch.

The knife’s blade is made of 7Cr17MoV. This steel offers hardness and corrosion/wear resistance properties to the knife. The blade is made in Cleaver style, and the cleaver style blade is perfect for slicing and shaving in harsh environments like camping or any other outdoor activity.

If you want a good handle for a reasonable price, then look no further. Gerber Gear Flatiron knife will be the best choice for you. It features a textured G-10 composite handle that is perfect for any kind of environment. The handle provides a confident grip in any situation.

Specifications

Moreover, this handle reduces fatigue, and due to this, you can use this knife for a long time. The Flatiron knife comes with a sturdy frame lock and a ton of space for gloved hands to work with comfortably.

The good thing about this knife is that it has one of the best finger choils of any folding knife. The finger coils ensure solid hand placement for secure control when choking up. Also, the knife has a sleek thumb-hole opening that allows for smooth one-hand engagement while operating.

 

 

8. CJRB Kicker folding pocket knife J1915 – Lightweight

If you are searching for a hard-use pocket knife that can stand up to anything, then look no further. This knife is specially designed for hard work. It is fast, smooth, and, more importantly, it is tough. It has some hard-use severe specifications, that’s why this knife may be the perfect choice for hard-use.

CJRB Kicker comes with a 3.5-inch clip point blade, 4.75-inch handle, with an overall knife length of 8.25-inch. The knife’s blade is made with D2 steel that offers durability and hardness to the knife. Furthermore, the blade’s flat grind helps to improve the knife’s overall toughness and makes it a decent food preparation knife.

This knife features a G-10 handle that offers comfortability when you handle a knife. Moreover, the G-10 handle is perfect for any environment, and the handle provides a secure grip in any situation.

Specifications

CJRB Kicker comes with a pocket clip that can be moved from one side to the other. This knife’s other good feature is that it comes with a smooth opening and easy one-handed closing system, finger flipper, and ambidextrous thumb knobs, which make it an ideal choice for EDC.  Moreover, this knife is a perfect knife for both left and right-handers.

The best thing about this knife is that it comes with a Recoil-lock that ensures the blade will not slip. CJRB Kicker is best in all its aspects, and also, the price of this knife is relatively low, which is again an edge of buying this knife. Furthermore, this knife is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty which makes it more appealing.

 

Read More: Best Butcher knife Sets

9. CRKT Shenanigan Z EDC Folding Knife – Good Design

Ken Onion designed the CRKT Shenanigan. This knife comes with a 3.25-inch plain edge blade, 4.875-inch handle, with an overall knife length of 8.25-inch. The thickness of the blade is 0.119-inch, which is suitable for a variety of tasks.

The knife’s blade is made with AUS 8 steel with a bead-blast finish which increases the hardness and toughness of a knife. The AUS 8 steel is rust-resistant, durable, and holds the edge of a knife for a long time.

CRKT Shenanigan features a Glass Reinforced Nylon (GRN) handle that increases the strength of the knife. The GRN handle has incredible stiffness for a secure and stable grip. This nylon handle has a great ability to withstand heat, and also, this handle is comfortable to grip.

Specifications

The knife also has an index finger notch that helps to keep the knife from slipping in your hand when working in slippery conditions. The contoured handle, index finger notch, and checkered grip pattern make this knife very friendly to the hands.

This knife features a blade zipper, open-build frame, and bronze bushings at the pivot, which helps the knife to fastly open with one hand. Moreover, this knife has a stainless-steel liner lock which makes this knife exceptionally strong, lightweight, and comfortable.

A custom-designed stainless steel pocket clip with a black corrosion-resistant coating makes it more beautiful. Also, the manufacturer offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty against any defects in materials or artistry, which is again an edge of buying this knife. I recommend this folding knife because of its so many unique features.

 

 

10. Ruger 2-Stage Compact Frame Lck Bld Flp Bk Tinto 3.58 R2104K – Slim and Compact

The 2-Stage Compact is a decent buy at this price. It is made with the collaboration between CRKT and Ruger, and I think this was a successful one. If you need to take a piece off a big chunk of wood or are breaking down cardboard, this is not a bad knife to pack around.

This knife comes with a 3.5-inch tanto-style blade, a 4.8-inch handle, with an overall knife length of 8.3-inch. The tanto-style blade is made of 8Cr17MoV steel with a stonewashed finish. The tanto-style blade is convenient, and it may work between sheets of metal or pry pieces of wood apart.

The material used in the manufacturing of a knife’s handle is Aluminum and stainless steel. These two materials provide knives with more durability. Moreover, the handle is easy to grip. This knife is durable and designed so that it will work in almost every type of environment.

Specifications

The knife comes with a 4-position pocket clip that allows tip-down or tip-up carry on both the left and right sides. It provides users the most versatility, and the proper use of the pocket clip promotes safety and efficiency while using a knife. Another good thing about this knife is that it comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty against any defects in artistry or materials.

This knife is perfectly designed for everyday carry, tactical uses, hunting, and self-preparedness. I highly recommend this knife to you if you are a hunter or camper.

 

Knife Under:

• Knife Sets Under $200
• Chef Knife Under $100

11. Opinel No 6 Carbon Steel Folding knife – Budget Option

This knife has been unchanged since 1890. Opinel No six knife is very durable and is best for outdoor activities. The price of this pocket knife is relatively low, which makes it more appealing. The knife comes with a 2.75-inch blade which is the perfect and legal size of any folding knife.

The knife’s blade is made of carbon steel which is an excellent steel for making knives. Carbon steel is tough and provides strength to the knife. The carbon blade guarantees excellent cutting quality and helps to do various tasks with much less effort. You can use this pocket knife in the garden, at the dinner table, or even in other outdoor activities.

Opinel No six knife is the smallest pocket knife that features a Virobloc safety ring. The Virobloc safety ring has two sections, one sliding and one fixed for secure locking. It increases the safety and versatility of the knife. It also keeps the knife safely closed in the pocket and locks the blade open during use.

Specifications

The handle of the knife is made from durable, hard Beechwood from France. The weight of the knife’s handle is light which makes it easy to grip. The pocket knife’s size is so tiny that you can easily keep it in your pocket, purse, or toolbox. Moreover, this little knife is very durable and non-threatening.

Opinel No six knife is not dishwasher safe, so you have to wash this knife. The dishwasher can cause wood to swell, which will make the knife hard to open at times. So, it is recommended to wash this knife by hand and immediately dry the blade with a soft, dry cloth or towel. It is also recommended to lubricate the blade with cooking oil before closing the knife to prevent oxidation.

This knife is guaranteed under normal use and can be exchanged in case of manufacturing defects. To conclude here, I recommend this knife for everyday carry or outdoor activities, and I highly recommend this pocket knife to you if you are a hunter or camper.

 

Also Read: Japanese Kitchen Knife Sets

12. Cold Steel Pocket Bushman Folding Knife 95FBZ

The Bushman has been the most extensive cold steel line today for more than a decade. The knife’s design is simple, with many features like versatility, strength, and an affordable price. It is perfect for different purposes and perfects to carry with you everywhere you go.

This knife comes with a 4.5-inch Clip point blade, 5.76-inch handle, with an overall length of the knife 10.25-inch. The blade of the knife is made of 4116 German stainless steel. This steel offers a good balance of rust resistance and edge retention to the knife. Moreover, 4116 German steel knives are easy to sharpen, so this knife is relatively easy to sharpen.

The knife comes with a lot of features which makes it perfect for rugged use. The main part of this knife is that it has a Ram-safe lock mechanism. For opening and closing the knife, you have to pull the back bar down from the bottom of the knife.

Specifications

As there are many good features, but there are some defects as well in this knife. The Bushman folding knife cannot be opened with one hand; however, you have to open this knife with two hands.

Some people claim that the knife can be opened one-handed, but Cold Steel does not recommend opening the knife with one hand. I think this is probably the reason why they have moved on to the Tri-ad lock. It is not a big issue; it is still the best folding knife in this price range.

The handle of the knife is made of stainless steel, which adds more durability to the knife. Also, the handle’s weight is light, so you can easily grip the knife for a long time without any fatigue. Furthermore, this knife is perfect for hunting, camping, or other outdoor activities.

 

 

Product Technical Comparison

Buying Guide – How to choose the best Pocket Knives Under $50

These are some of the cheap pocket knives that you can buy in the market. They are the ones that our team selected after very hard and tough research. If you want to know the points that made these knives eligible for this list, then make sure to keep reading. These points would also help you to buy the best suitable knife in the market. 

Intent to use

The first thing that you should know is how you will use the knife because once you determine your way of use, you will be able to find the best one. There are different kinds of knives; some are for very easy tasks like package cutters or the tape cutter while others are for hunting, fishing, and camping so, select your intent that you want to use the knife. 

Material

Now you have a better view of how you want to use this knife, so go on to the second thing: material. Does material decide if the knife is suitable for your tasks or not? There are two common materials, high-carbon steel, and stainless steel, very common in these knife blades. There was a time when carbon steel was preferable in hardness, but now both are the same. So, you can select according to your use. 

Brand 

Everything we are discussing is very important, but the knife maker is more important than all of them so, make sure you do your complete research about the brand before making your purchase. Some brands manufacture knives in China and use the lead material in the blade, which is very dangerous for the health, so double-check the brand before purchasing. 

Hardness

The hardness of the knife also plays an important role according to your use. If your blade is hard, it would be more durable and better than some other knives with a low level of hardness. The harder steel also retains an edge for a long time, so there are many hardness benefits. If you are going to select the knife, then the hardness of your knife should be more than the 54 HRC, then it is suitable for your use. 

Lightweight Ergonomic handle

It is also very important for the knife to be lightweight with an ergonomic handle because there are many hardness benefits when you are using it for a long time. It can cause fatigue on your hand, so the ergonomic handle of the lightweight knife is a must. We have covered all the lightweight knives and have an ergonomic handle so you can choose from them. 

Safety features

You should be very careful with the pocket knives because some people got injured; however, they were not severely injured. Still, you have to look for a knife that has maximum safety features so you can use the knife without any fear. 

LINER LOCKS VS FRAME LOCKS

The liner lock is one of the most used locks in pocket knives, and it was adopted in the 80s, and then every pocket knife has it. A portion of the liner is angled toward the knife’s inside to function as a liner lock.  The liner cannot be reversed without manual force; therefore, it is permanently locked in place.

Frame locks and liner locks differ mainly in that a frame lock uses the handle to secure the frame, and when it’s in place, it also locks the door. Locks have liners that are much thinner than the handle, which is often made of steel with two edges.

It comes with the same mechanism as the liner lock, the frame lock is also configured so that the liner slides inward and the tip engages the bottom of the blade. When you press on the frame to move it away from the blade, you release the frame lock. Force on the lock snaps it across the blade and engages at the furthest point of the blade when it is opened.

The frame locks are stronger and better as compared to the line lock so, when you select your pocket knife, then make sure to choose the one which has the frame lock.

Pocket Knives Under $50 – FAQs

 

Conclusion

Pocket knives are designed mostly for hunters, fishers, or outdoors people. The pocket knife is the most necessary cutting tool for outdoor activities. You can use a pocket knife in many other situations, so buying a pocket knife may be a good choice for you.

In today’s world, the prices of pocket knives are increasing day by day. Finding the best pocket knife under $50 can be a bit tough, but there are many options available in the market that can be purchased under $50 or $100. We’ve gone through some of the best pocket knives under $50 and $100 in this article.

All the knives that we have reviewed are sharp, strong, and durable. We have listed almost 16-best pocket knives in this article, and I’m pretty sure at least one of the pocket knives will fit your budget or needs.