Glad I found this community. I hope it’s ok to ask for some gift recommendations on here - wanna make my kid smile this Christmas :)
My son is 17, and he really likes knives. So far, he just has a few, and none of them are too nice. I would love to get him one within my budget, which is $150.
What are some quality and cool-looking knives in that range? He loves DnD and fantasy, as well as the color black and red.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and recommend!
Kershaw and Benchmade have some solid options.
A mini Osborne or mini bugout from benchmade are great edc
Thank you so much, I’ll check those out!
Another plug for Kershaw.
I have just a generic copper handled one. It’s one of the best pocket knives I’ve ever had.
Good quality, and warranty.
Thank you!
I daily drive a mini-osbourne or bugout. I have a couple speedsafe kershaws, but i find the axis lock from benchmade preferable to the liner lock that kershaw uses
Most knives that look like dnd or fantasy knives are kind of cheap trash. No reason not to buy them but a good reason not to use them.
I was wondering about that - he would definitely find an “ordinary-looking” knife cool too, especially if I explain the difference in quality to him.
Spyderco has kind of different looking knives but are still quality. I like the previous recs of Benchmade and Kershaw as well.
Nice! I like some of those for myself, too. What have I started, lol.
When I was 17 I was all about Spyderco. They’re good quality and they have a distinctive look to them that he may like.
Benchmade, Kershaw, and CRKT are all good options in that price range too.
Love Kershaw. Perfect combination of quality and price that makes me want to use them.
Yeah, I think he might like the look. I might be a teenage boy on the inside cause I low key like them too.
Sypderco was where my mind went first too. I wonder if they’re as cool now as they were back in the day.
Ontario RAT2 in D2 steel is a fantastic option and a tad cheaper. Benchmade bugout or any number of Spyderco models are also great options.
But the next step is getting him a water stone, and looking up some good videos on free hand sharpening. It’s a lot cheaper than spendy sharpening systems, and learning to sharpen also teaches you what to use your knife on and what not to, depending on how frequently you want to be pulling your stone out.
I think he would love to learn how to sharpen it properly with a water stone, thank you for the suggestion!
It took me years and buying shitty “sharpeners” that actually mess up your edge to the point where it needs to be reprofiled before I figured out that a simple water stone and a little technique is your best bet.
You can get really crazy about using diamond stones, diamond pastes on a stone, and stones of graduating fineness, followed up by a leather strop, but I find for most low to mid grade blade steels, a normal medium grit and some elbow grease does the job just fine.
Thank you, you are likely saving me hours of research online. I really appreciate it.
There are a lot of great knives out there. My recommendation, all things considered, is the SOG Kiku LTE. You can find it on Amazon for just under your limit: https://www.amazon.com/SOG-Kiku-XR-LTE-Blackout/dp/B08WJNY5P5?th=1
I carried the Kiku every day for several years. It looks a bit odd, but there are reasons for all of it. The blade shape is versatile, offering options for push cuts, pull cuts, and tip use. The steel is high-end and coated to prevent corrosion. Blade length comes in at 3", which is legal almost everywhere but long enough to perform almost any task.
The indentations in the handle provide a solid grip while remaining comfortable. The lock is similar to the Benchmade Axis design and can take a tremendous amount of force… The sliding release can also be held so you can wrist snap the knife open. There is also a flipper and a thumb hole for alternative ways to open it. It is great for fidgeting, as well as practical.
Another interesting thing about this knife is that it does not have a steel frame. The structure is made of carbon fiber. It is tougher than steel or titanium, at least in some respects. There is no possibility of corrosion. And it is quite a bit lighter. The pocket clip is a “deep carry” design that does not expose the knife.
I can’t think of any other knife is this price range that offers as much.
Wow, thank you for such a detailed review! I will definitely be considering this one, it sounds so versatile.
I’m glad you’re putting some effort into this. Getting someone their first knife should require some thought. Particularly since most of these knives are capable of outlasting him.
I hope it goes well!
Thank you, I’m so glad I found this community so I could ask.
Cold Steel has some more fantasy like knives and are good quality. They’re not fantasy themed but they are modern folders with aggressive design elements.
Victorinox Swiss Army Knives are iconic but they are also cheaply made and bulky for daily carry.
Case XX are good quality classic pocket knives that are popular collectors. You’ll never be embarrassed pulling out a case, which might be an issue with fantasy or character themed knives if it’s a long term carry knife. With a little care a case will last decades as a daily carry.
I will second the Benchmade suggestion. Very good knives, nice designs including some more aggressive folders that may offer a more fantasy like look but they’re pricey. You may have trouble finding one under $150.
I may expand my budget if that means getting something he can use for years. I got so many great recs on here, I’m going to spend a couple of days looking through options. Thank you so much for your input!
I carried a vintage Case 3 blade for years growing up and was never embarrassed. Not about that at least.
Is he carrying them around and using them or are they more for collection/display?
For general use I like having a multitool, often having a bit more than just the knife comes in handy. I normally carry a Leatherman Wave+ and consider it a pretty good tool to have, but I suspect that might be a bit over your budget even with exchange rates taken into account. Something like the Leatherman Skeletool might be worth considering though.
That’s a great question - he does both. He tends to leave more ornamental ones in his collection and carry the more practical ones. I know he use to carry a butterfly knife (just not to school), but I am not sure what he is carrying right now.
The Skeletool is my daily carry for the last decade. I love that thing.
Opinel. Simple and timeless.
Adding to the list - I may end up getting him more than one over time, so all recs are great!
I’ve been carrying a Civivi for a while now. They seem to be better quality than their price would suggest. They also have some neat options for locking mechanisms, many ambidextrous that don’t require you to put your fingers in the line with the blade when closing, and different colors. Take a look at this Knife Center Search for Civivi and red. I’m also partial to Boker in th$100 or so range. For a $150, you could have a decent knife or two, and or a sharpening stone as mentioned by others.
Thank you! So many cool choices… I think regardless of what I end up getting for him, I will put all of these suggestions together and send it to him along with some gift money. Then if he wants, he can buy a second knife for himself.
For something functional that still looks nice, Kershaw or Spyderco are both great options. Kershaw’s “Leek” series are probably my favorite EDC knives, and they come in a handful of different colors.
Thank you, I will make sure to check them out!
I’ve got a whole drawer full of pocket knives. I’ve been carrying one or another for decades. These days I’m partial to the Rough Rider brand. They are quality knives, but cheap enough that if you lose or break it, no big deal.
My son really wanted a Swiss army knife when he graduated high school. I got him a really fancy one with many many features. He loved it. It was closer to your price point. I ordered it direct from Victorinox.
Another possibility is to steer him towards knife making. See if there are blacksmithing classes near you and sign him up for lessons.
Blacksmithing classes are actually a great idea. He could use a hobby like that, and it sounds so interesting. I just looked, and there are several options within an hour’s drive of us. Thank you for the suggestion and the knife rec!
I will go ahead and point out that the Bradley Kimura comes in this fetching red variant.
Oh, wow, that’s pretty, he might like that a lot. Thanks!
In the past I knew some people who were into knives, but I never understood the fascination.
I’m not judging, I’m just trying to understand the perspective. What is cool about them? I’d like to know.
For me, it’s utility. I use my knife a surprising amount, and having a good quality knife that keeps a good edge makes a huge difference. And if you’re going to carry one, you might as well carry a nice looking one. I personally like the look of a classic wood handled Buck, but there are tons of styles and variations to fit everyone and every need. And once you start a collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.
I don’t know if I can explain it since it’s not my fascination, but my son’s. I think a part of it for him is the fantasy of owning a sword, but then there is also the utility of having a tool on you. Personally, I can appreciate knives, but I could take them or leave them. He’s been into them since elementary school. Not sure if that answers you question.
One of the other users here mentioned Case Cutlery, which is located in my hometown. That whole area had been known for sharp blades; there were a bunch of shops from the mid-1800’s making knives and razors. I’m kind of in awe of a bunch of dudes coming from the old country making their way industriously in a new home. One of my own gggrandfathers was a blacksmith from Sweden who apparently made a lot of nails; idk, that’s the story.
The other part is that I use knives every day as a chef. And fire, too. It’s fun. They help me change things to be the way I want them to be.
Some people collect spoons.. We’re just coming at it from the opposite direction.
For me there are a couple reasons to collect knifes:
- Utility: I find myself using a knife somewhat regularly beyond just opening Amazon boxes. My kids are all in Scouts, I’m a Scout leader and routinely teach knife safety.
- Design: there are people who turn steel, wood, synthetic materials, etc. into tools. They are talented and the end result is not something you put on a shelf or hang on a wall to look at but to use!
- Variety: All cars get you from A to B but some do it differently than others. All knives will cut things but some do it differently than others. Plus knives are less expensive than cars :)
- Technology: I have a background in science. I find the science of the steels used to make blades fascinating and I enjoy learning about them. And all of that learning can be put to practical real-world use by buying one of those knives.
Knives are tools with personality and I like that.
Thanks for the insight. I have my own fascinations and it’s nice to get a better perspective on why people have their fascinations. This is really helpful.
