Acceptable blade steel: Blade steel determines a blade’s strength, its corrosion resistance, and how often you’ll be sharpening it. Fixed blades do have their place, particularly among outdoor enthusiasts, but we believe they aren’t the best option for a simple, discreet EDC blade. Benchmade’s proprietary Axis was first to market, but it’s now joined by SOG’s XR mechanism and others.

The Case is a very nice knife, but we preferred the Buck due to the more robust body design and the blade steel.If you appreciate the finessing of all the little details (and you have a good-size knife budget), we recommend the Benchmade Mini Griptilian 556. Stainless steel isn’t as hardy as carbon, but with the addition of chromium, the blade is less susceptible to corrosion. Among many knife aficionados, the Drifter consistently pops up in conversations about the best inexpensive EDC knife. The S30V steel (from Crucible Industries) is a tried-and-true, powder-base steel known for its combination of hardness and durability. I experimented with carrying a replaceable blade knife for a few months and I ended up giving myself several minor but annoying slices.

I confess that given the sea fishing environment that I was not really expecting that much of the knife since most of my other (makes) get rust spots and lose sharpness quickly. A bar of metal or other hard material worn on the foot, from which a number of sharp spikes come out.Anyone who owned the Drifter would be unlikely to covet either of these subtle touches, and they’re by no means essential features, but they are nice, and they are the marks of a high-quality knife. For one, the blades are so sharp, it’s easy to cut yourself, especially if you’re used to carrying a more forgiving pocket knife. UK Knife law states that you are allowed to carry a non-locking pocket knife with a blade length of up to 3 inches (7. Frame: Similar to a liner lock, this system has one side of the knife’s frame slide behind the blade when you deploy it. ounce build, you may, as our testers did, frequently forget it's in your pocket or holstered on your belt, ultimately making it a convenient option to carry everywhere.

But the blade is over 3 inches and the overall length is 8 inches, so we think it’s on the large side, particularly considering that the CRKT Drifter is so compact. Nestled amongst the higgledy piggledy rooftops, Mount House sits snug amongst Whitby’s harbour side cottages on Whitby’s west side.Experts consider frame locks to be the stronger design of the two, but both are plenty durable for everyday use. The blades lock securely into position when fully unfolded and are only released with the unlock button.