Best lock-back pocketknife
Q. What is the best lock-back pocketknife (3- to 4-inch blade) for the money?
–Knifeless Joe, Licking, Mo.
A. Hey Joe. You should be able to get a good quality lock-back that will last many years for about $25 to $40 bucks. One of the best options out there is the Gerber EZ Out ($30; www.gerbergear.com). It’s a simple, strong knife with a 3 1/4-inch blade, solid plastic handle, easy one-handed opening — and it’s made in the USA. Gerber has sold more than 2 million EZ Outs over the past 15 years. Naturally there are lots of other good options out there.
Remember, when looking for a new knife, stick with well known brands like Buck, Kershaw, and Gerber and avoid cheap knockoffs made in China. When shopping for a new lock-back, make sure that when it’s in the open position there’s no movement of the blade. It should feel solid like there’s no chance of it folding on your hand. Hope that helps.
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I am thinking about getting the buck small bantam. is that a good choice? i hear its really good but is it small enough to fit commfortably in a pocket?
The Batam is a great pocket knife!
That knife looks cheap! I expected better from Gerber!
My edc is a Buck 505 its real small though. Ive tested it in a junk yard and its Held up real good i love it. the edge gets dull kinda quick with steady use i sharpen it once a week. But sharpening only takes 2 mins it is a breese that edge straitens out real fast. i know this is to small to fit into the 3-4 in class because the blade is not even 2in long but it is a heavy duty cutter i recomend this knife to any body an need of a quality lock back pocket knife and who can complain about Buck’s wonderful garintee. Keep this baby lubed up and it will last u forever . The only downside is it is light because of its size and i thought i lost it one day at work but thankfuly it was just left in my pants pocket and went for a cleaning in the washer. I got it in NH in a town called Hooksett at an ausome little gun shop named Rielys Firearms. The price is 30-55 but definly worth it. i hope this helps anybody lookin for a quality USA made pocketknife
No offense, but I would not take this knife. The steel is one of the most low-end kinds. If you purchase a Byrd Cara Cara 2, $25, you would benefit from the 8cr13mov steel, which is far superior to the “400 Series” (Gerber Website) steel.
The Buck 412 knife works great! It has a very ergonomic grip and the blade does not move at ALL in the locked position.
check out Bear and Son Cutlery, they make nice lockbacks right here in the US.
Good luck finding a USA made knife. Even Buck and Gerber are now made in China.
Not all of the Buck Knives are made in China, in fact very few are. Their main factory is out in Idaho I believe after they moved from San Diego roughly 6 years back.
You can find a Buck 110 in that price range and it is the best bargain in lock blades out there. It was the knife that made lock blades popular 30 some odd years ago and still made in the USA.
Buck knifes makes 95% of their knifes in Post Falls, ID
Never mind I just found out today that they make 75% of their knifes in Post Falls,ID. And Gerber makes a few knifes in Oregon.
If you can get over the made in the USA part,
(which is rather silly because all that really matters is quality control)Spyderco knives has two very good lockback knives in their line. The best one for everyday carry is the delica and the one better suited for camping and heavier duty chores is called the endura. They both run about 60ish$ online and are much lighter than the buck and gerber options mentioned above. All spyderco knives are made in Seki City japan and are thoroughly hand inspected and taken off the line if they don’t pass quality control standards long before they ever hit the shelves.
I believe that Spyderco Line is made in USA, while their more economical line Byrd is made in China.
I agree that the Spyderco Endura 4 FRN sabre ground is a tough blade, but if you want an even more economical option there is the Byrd Cara Cara2 (which is made in china).
I have a 10-way from this web-site and boy does it work. Gear-guy has some cool stuff.
I have nothing but bad comments about the EZ out. I had two of them and the lock broke quickly on BOTH of them. It’s a shame because I really liked the knife.
Your best best is the Gerber LST II. Greatest knife I’ve ever owned, hands down.