Best Pocket Knife Under $100 - Top 5 Affordable EDC Folding Knives (2024)

1. Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife

Name after the founder Pete Kershaw, the company was started back in 1974 to design state-of-the-art pocket knives. nitially released in 2000, the Kershaw Leek is a legendary pocket knife with its ultra-sharp razor and top-class build quality.

The Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife features a solid copper handle, holding a razor-sharp CPM 154 blade. With an overall length of seven inches, the Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife offers four inches closed length with a three inches long blade. It weighs only three ounces allowing you to carry it in your pocket while hiking or camping. This USA-made EDC knife comes with a CPM 154 powdered metallurgy steel blade with a flared edge and zero curvature. Additionally, the superfine tip is responsible for detail piercing and slicing tasks.

One of the advantages of the Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife’s blade is the ease of sharpening. On the downside, it’s incredibly fragile and prone to breakage if mishandled. Another benefit of the CPM 154 blade is its edge-retention, hardness, and corrosion resistance.

The handle is made of copper that is denser than steel to maintain a stable yet comfortable weight and, of course, a custom look It’s built with screws instead of pins to facilitate disassembling if required.

The SpeedSafe assisted opening mechanism facilitates the effortless opening and closing of the blade on the flipper. You only need to exert a slight pressure on the thumb stud to deploy it single-handedly. The reversible pocket clip allows you to carry either side with a tip-up or down. However, the Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife is designed only for right-handed people.

You can utilize the optional safety tip-lock slider to prevent the knife from opening accidentally in your pocket. Nonetheless, you can screw down the safety lock if you don’t want to use it. Since it’s a sleek and lightweight pocket knife, you can’t use it to cut firewood, logs, or other rigid material.

2. CRKT EDC Folding Pocket Knife

CRKT has been designing usable and powerful pocket knives for decades, which are the epitome of craftsmanship and performance. Designed by Kit Carson, this tactical CRKT EDC pocket knife offers maximum strength and an innovative locking liner safety system.

The CRKT EDC Folding Pocket Knife has top-quality features such as automated liner safety and triple point serrations. The CRKT EDC Folding Pocket Knife is a perfect combination of tactical capability, balance, and sharpness. Weighing 5.7 ounces, this compact pocket knife comes with total dimensions of 5 x 5 x 5 inches and a blade length of 3.88 inches. It has a spear point blade that exhibits a decent amount of curvature.

It also has a hybrid blade offering both straight edges and Veff serrations. This way, you can use this multi-functional pocket knife for different cutting and slicing purposes. The blade is made of AUS 8 with a higher amount of carbon to enhance edge retention and sharpness. Also, AUS 8 is known for other characteristics such as stain resistance and ease of sharpening.

You can see the scales, made of Zytel, over stainless liners. This way, the plastic scales keep the knife lightweight and easy to carry. In addition to that, the CRKT EDC Folding Pocket Knife has a series of holes on the handle that gives it an attractive and unique look. What’s not so good about this knife is, these holes may accumulate dirt and dust over time, meaning you need to clean the handle more often.

The Zytel scales add to the overall thickness, while the corners are perfectly rounded to offer a comfortable yet firm grip. The aggressive jimping and flipper form a mandatory guard to prevent the hands from slipping on the blade. This portable folding knife comes with a decent, low-riding clip so that you can conveniently carry it in your pockets. On the downside, the placement of the clip facilitates right side tip down carry only. It implies that it doesn’t offer an ambidextrous mounting option.

The Teflon and phosphor bronze washer aid smooth and fast deployment. When you open the blade, a pin takes place between the liner and the frame to ensure security. The CRKT EDC Folding Pocket Knife uses a liner lock equipped with an Auto LAWK safety mechanism.

3. Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight Signature Knife

The Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight Signature Knife offers balance and edge retention, courtesy of the high-carbon chromium steel. Founded in 1976, Spyderco pioneers in introducing modern features such as pocket clips and serrated edges in pocket knives. Released in 2016, the Para 3 Lightweight Knife comes with a linerless and open-backed construction to ensure a smooth cutting experience. With the introduction of the G10 handle scales, the Para 3 offers a textured grip in your hands.

The three inches clip point blade of the Spyderco Para 3 features a smooth satin finish. Also, the edge offers a long continuous curvature with a significantly smaller straight portion towards the inside. This compact knife comes with a three inches blade featuring an overall length of 7.27 inches. Although it offers a shorter length, yet it provides enough room for a secure four-finger grip.

By the way, a clip-point blade represents a straight spine with a curved edge. This design makes the tip slightly upwards, aligning it with the blade’s pivot point. The blade features a broad design with a flat grind and an absence of a sharpening choil and swedge. Not only that, but the blade includes a 50/50 forward finger choil and thumb ramp. The fine jimping of the Spyderco Para 3 Knife also ensures a reliable and firm grip.

The full flat ground blade coupled with a clip point shape facilitates both slicing and dinner detailed cutting work. Additionally, the Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating adds to the steel’s overall toughness, making it resistant to wear and scratches. It also includes a 13mm round hole thumb opener giving you the flexibility to open the blade using your thumb, index, or middle finger.

A phosphor bronze washer available on the lock side of the Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight Signature Knife facilitates smooth deployment. The true compression lock comes integrated into the knife’s liner for convenient disengaging. The Para 3 lightweight pocket knife is made of Carpenter CTS-BD1N steel for added strength and robustness. Made of fiberglass reinforced nylon (FRN), the handles are quite impressive, with a nested exterior for the lock and liner slab.

The Spyderco Para 3 Knife’s handle offers a webbed design and grip sides for added strength. Also, the bi-functional texturing coupled with contoured edges provide a firm and secure grip. Lastly, the wire clip facilitates ambidextrous tip-up mounting.

4. TACTICAL GEARZ Tc4 Titanium Pocket Knife

The TACTICAL GEARZ Tc4 Titanium Pocket Knife is a one-for-all and all-for-one high-performing pocket knife featuring a sturdy construction. It comes as a complete package with a knife housed in a black MOLLE pack. This way, the bag can loop onto the belt or attach to the backpack MOLLE system.

As the name suggests, the Tc4 Titanium pocket knife features a robust stonewashed, Tc4 titanium handle and belt clip. Needless to say that the handle and clip are resistant to corrosion, scratches, or other regular wear and tear. Not only that, but the TACTICAL GEARZ Tc4 Pocket Knife features the strength of titanium at just 6.17 ounces weight.

Both the regular and pivot screws are made of 420 stainless steel, which is resistant to rust. The blade of the TACTICAL GEARZ Tc4 Titanium Pocket Knife is made of razor-sharp D2 steel. It’s a versatile material known for its hardness, courtesy of the chromium-rick alloy carbides. Additionally, these carbides offer excellent resistance to prevent sliding while in contact with other abrasive materials or metals.

This all-rounder pocket knife offers a blade length of 3.5 inches and a 4.75 inches long handle. The TACTICAL GEARZ Tc4 Titanium Pocket Knife’s blade offers a hardness of 59-50HRC with a thickness of 0.16 inches. Not only that, but it’s treated in a vacuum to guarantee durability and sharpness. Summing up, the knife’s total length becomes 8.25 inches, providing a perfect fit in your hands.

The TACTICAL GEARZ Tc4 Titanium Pocket Knife Package includes a nylon storage sheath and a custom gift box. The MOLLE day pack has a nylon canvas with straps and buckles. It also comes with two metal zipper pockets and a front buckle pouch. The pouch’s overall dimensions are 7 x 5 inches, allowing you to place three inches wide phone in the front. Not only that, the MOLLE day pack comes with an elastic side pocket so that you can store more of your belongings.

5.Buck Knives 112 Slim Pro Folding Pocket Knife

Made in the USA, the Buck Knives 112 Slim Pro Folding Pocket Knife offers both strength and safety with its three-inch stainless steel drop point blade. Buck Knives dedicated more than a century to designing durable knives since 1902. Additionally, they incorporate advanced technology in their pocket knives to facilitate your daily cutting tasks.

The ergonomic design of the micarta handle provides a secure grip even when the hands are wet. It comes as a complete package with a back leather pouch, making it an ideal choice for Christmas or Easter gifts. The 420HC stainless steel clip point blade offers sharpness and exceptional edge retention. Additionally, the Buck treats its standard S30V steel first with heat before proceeding with the prolonged beating.

Paul Bos developed a process of repeated heating and freezing of the steel to retain the blade’s sharpness. This way, it creates a perfectly sharp blade that doesn’t require regular sharpening. The S30V blade is made of carbon, chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium to ensure strength and edge retention. All the edges of the 112 Slim Pro Folding Pocket Knife are rounded to enhance your safety.

The closing length of this lightweight pocket knife is about 4¼ inches. Additionally, the crescent tip is responsible for making the blade thinner with a sharper point. The 112 Slim Pro also includes a classic buck clip point blade and a reversible deep-carry pocket clip. It means you can remove the clip when not required. You can also move the clip to either the left or right side, depending upon your preference. You can easily open the knife with ambidextrous thumb studs. Also, the lock-back design enhances safety by preventing unwanted closure.