Pocket knives come in many different price ranges. With all the price ranges to choose from it can take a lot of work to choose the right one. So, in this article, we will be looking at how much a pocket knife is, and what each price range will get you out of a knife.
Here is the short answer:
Generally speaking, a pocket knife will cost between 15-400 dollars. It’s a pretty wide range. How much money a pocket knife will cost depends on what it is made of, how good it works, and what it is used for. Most of the time, the higher the price of a pocket knife, the better it is.
With the short answer out of the way, we can look more in-depth at how much a pocket knife costs, what the best price range of a pocket knife is, what you get out of each price range, and the best knives in each price range.
What do you get out of each price range?
To get the best understanding of how much money a pocket knife is and how much you should spend on a pocket knife, we’ll divide the different price ranges into groups.
15-80 dollar knives
The 15 to 80-dollar pocket knife range is the budget tier knife class. These knives are available in a wide array of places, but what do you get out of spending that much on a knife?
Blade steel-wise, this category of knives will get you knife steels like D2, 8Cr13MoV, and 14C28N. These steels are okay, and they work well, but they are far from the best. Often the steel used in this range of knives is not very good and will need to be sharpened quite often.
The fit and finish of knives in this category are okay. While you will get knives that look cool and fit well in the hand, they will often wear out very fast with any amount of heavy use. Often the finish will be worn off in most places after 6 months to a year.
Overall knives in the budget category are okay and will work for 1-2 years before they should be replaced or repaired. So if you are needing a new carry knife that you don’t want to spend a ton of money on, this is the best category for you. In this category of knives, some good knife companies to start looking at are SOG, Kershaw, Buck, or CRKT.
80-200 dollar knives
This is the middle range of knives. The middle range is pricy and can be a difficult area to know just what you’re getting into, so here is the overview of middle-range knives.
Generally speaking, when you get to middle-range knives, 80-200 dollars, you will start to see the use of premium steels such as S30V, S35VN, CPM-S110V, and the lower-end M390 blades. The steels used in this area of knives are often high quality and will work for a long time.
The fit and finish of middle-tier knives is good. Knives in this category will often fit great in the hand and will have a high-quality finish to keep corrosion at bay. Overall the fit and finish of knives in this category is great and is sure to keep your knife looking good and free of rust.
The middle tier of knives is my favorite to buy from because you get high-quality steel along with a nice feel and a clean look. Knives in this category will often last upwards of 5 years so you will get plenty of use from your investment. Some of the best brands in this class of knives include Benchmade, Spyderco, SOG, and Zero Tolerance.
200-400 dollar knives
This is the priciest of all knife categories, but is it worth the money? Should you spend your money elsewhere?
When you buy from the upper tier of knives you will often get super steels like CPM-20CV, M390, and CPM-S90V. These types of steel are great for just about anything and everything you could ever use a knife for.
Fit and finish of knives in this category is the best compared to the other categories. High-end knives will fit great in the hand, have a great finish that will repel almost all corrosion, and will not lose their finish for a long time.
Overall if you are looking to get the best of the best, this is the category for you, in this category, you will get the best knives ever made. However, if you are looking for a carry knife I would not recommend a knife from this category. For most people, including me, it is not worth it to buy a pocket knife for this category as they are just too valuable to lose or break.
If you were to buy from one category, I’d recommend buying from the middle-tier knives. Middle-tier knives offer the best of both worlds. But if you are going to be harsh on your knife or are going to carry a knife a lot to where you may lose it, it might not be worth spending upwards of 80 dollars on something you may lose.
The best pocket knives in each category
Now that we have looked at how much a pocket knife costs and what you get out of the price of a pocket knife, we can look at the best pocket knives for each price range.
Kershaw Clash (budget category)
The Kershaw Clash is one of my favorite pocket knives that doesn’t cost too much but will still perform great. The Clash has assisted opening, a very comfortable glass-filled nylon handle, and an 8Cr13MoV partially-serrated blade. Overall this is one of the best carry knives you can get for the money.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
Benchmade Bugout (middle category)
The Benchmade Bugout is one of the best pocket knives in the middle class of knives. It has a super sharp S30V blade, a super smooth opening, and an easy to use Benchmade AXIS locking system. The best part of this knife is that it is lightweight: The Bugout weighs only 1.85 ounces so it won’t be uncomfortable to carry when it is in your pocket.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
Benchmade Bailout (premium category)
If you are looking for a premium knife the Benchmade Bailout is a good knife to look at. The Bailout is a robust, lightweight, and durable knife with a premium CPM-M4 blade. This knife is known for being a great pocket knife and while it might be expensive, it is also very high quality.
Conclusion
A good pocket knife can come in many different price ranges depending on the quality of the knife and the materials used. Depending on how much you spend on a knife, you could get a knife that will last you 5 years or one that will last you 6 months. Overall, when it comes to knives, you get what you pay for.