It’s always surprising to me how few people carry a pocket knife. I know they don’t have one because when a salami needs to be sliced on a mountaintop or a zip tie needs to be cut, they look around helplessly as I pull out mine and deploy it to solve the problem.
For outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and fishing, a pocket knife is invaluable when household tools are out of reach. Granted, the basic design of a folding pocket knife hasn’t changed radically over the centuries, but what has evolved are the styles and mechanisms making pocket knives enjoyable to both use and collect. Almost any knife can perform the core function of cutting, but once you start carrying a pocket knife daily, you’ll develop preferences for the look, feel, and function.
I found this list(icle) interesting. Yes, it is a link farm, but the author really knows his stuff. A couple of details stood out. He complained about the lock on the Kinzua. He obviously has used it. I too find it heavy. Sticky enough that I don’t regularly carry it.
The other was pulling Coast out for the best value folder. Not the first one people think of. Yes, they are big box imports, but they aren’t bad. The company name has a lot of history behind it. Their flashlights and fish-processing knives are highly regarded.
There is also a good “What to look for in an EDC” section after the list, which goes into a lot of detail.
Read the whole thing at PopularMechanics.com
https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoor-gear/g2975/best-pocket-knives/