The Best EDC Fixed Blades of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Apart from MagnaCut, the largest pattern in knives is EDC fastened blades. Particularly knives that may be simply carried in your pocket quite than in your belt. The advantages of an EDC fastened blade are that they arrive out of the pocket able to work and may tackle more durable jobs than a folder. 

I examined 10 of the most effective EDC fastened blade choices on the market, so in the event you’re For those who’re wanting so as to add a hard and fast blade to your carry rotation this can be a good place to start out. I assessed every knife’s chopping capacity, sheath, ergonomics, and ease of carry to make my remaining picks. 

How I Examined the Greatest EDC Fastened Blades

My tenet all through testing is that an EDC knife must be simple to hold, lower something, require low upkeep, and be easy to deploy. If a knife can do all these issues, it would earn a spot in my pocket or on my belt. Right here’s how I discovered if a knife met that standards. 

Reduce Take a look at 

I lower cardboard, wire ties, hemp twine, and apples for my lower take a look at. I ranked the knives’ chopping efficiency from finest to worst for every medium. Two fascinating notes are {that a} high performer for one medium wasn’t essentially the highest performer for an additional, and several other knives tied for first place in every take a look at. I averaged the knives’ rankings for the lower exams to give you a tier system. I’ll word the tier one, two, three, and 4 cutters in every overview. 

Carrying

An EDC fastened blade is simply nearly as good as its sheath. That’s why I carried every knife and evaluated their consolation, ease of deployment, and ease of sheathing. A few of the knives examined include sheaths that aren’t supreme for EDC, however have wonderful aftermarket choices accessible. I’ll point out and embrace hyperlinks to these aftermarket sheaths in every overview. 

Ergonomics 

Whereas doing the lower take a look at and carrying the knives, I famous how snug and safe every knife was to carry in varied grips. My remaining take a look at of ergonomics was once I used every knife to carve inexperienced wooden and make feathersticks with seasoned firewood. Wooden carving requires extra drive than chopping cardboard, so I observed ergonomic deficiencies extra readily. This was additionally an fascinating take a look at to see if the knives may double as a camp knife. 

Additional Testing

I’m nowhere close to accomplished shopping for and testing EDC fastened blades. There are nonetheless a ton of fashions which have been offered out or I haven’t had time to order but. I’ll replace this text with new entries as they arrive in and put them by means of the identical testing protocol — with a slight modification. As an alternative of going face to face in opposition to the entire class, they’ll go up in opposition to my high performers: the Shwarz Overland Sport, Esee Sencillo, Bid Concept Designs Lookout, White River Knives Small Recreation Hunter, and TRC Freedom Basic. 

The Greatest EDC Fastened Blades: Examined and Reviewed 

Greatest General: Schwarz Overland Sport 

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Key Options

• Blade Metal: MagnaCut 
• Deal with Supplies: G10 or Micarta in varied colours 
• General Size: 6.6 inches
• Blade Size: 2.8 inches
• Blade Thickness: 0.130 inch 
• Grind: Flat
• Comes with a Kydex sheath arrange for pocket carry with an Ulti-Clip 
• Made in USA
• Worth: $265

Execs

• Objective constructed for pocket carry
• Glorious sheath 
• Unimaginable ergonomics
• Reduce all mediums nicely 

Cons

• You may’t simply purchase one. You’ll have to attend for a drop or place an order and wait one to 2 months 

The perfect general decide got here all the way down to the Overland Sport and the Lookout. The distinction maker was the Overland Sport’s higher ergonomics and chopping capacity. It was within the elite tier of slicers, which included 5 knives. Its ergonomics are pure and safe. Your thumb lands on the jimping, which isn’t too sharp or too uninteresting. Your index finger sits near the sharpened edge for management, nevertheless it’s not at risk of slipping ahead throughout heavy use. The G10 scales I ordered for mine may use just a little extra texture, however they’re thoughtfully milled with leverage and index factors. Let’s say it is advisable to use a pinch grip or index finger on the knife’s backbone. There’s a divot on the grip on your thumb, which supplies it a ledge to push off in opposition to. With a thumb on high of the knife, your center finger lands within the ferrule milled into the grip. Once more, it offers a cushty and safe leverage level. 

Whereas the Overland Sport is a greater knife than the Lookout, it lagged behind within the sheath division. The Schwarz makes use of a pancake-style sheath and an ULTICLIP to safe it to your pocket. That type of sheath takes up extra space within the pocket and the ULTICLIP isn’t my favourite attachment methodology.

The Overland Sport is a small-batch knife, which is superb for high quality management however not supreme if you need a knife instantly. You’ll at the moment wait two to 4 weeks earlier than you obtain your customized order, or you possibly can attempt to snag one on the weekly drops. In my view, if you need a knife that’s a well-rounded cutter and is straightforward to hold, there’s no higher choice than the Overland Sport.

Learn Subsequent: Best EDC Knives

Greatest for Pocket Carry: Big Idea Designs Lookout 

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Key Options

• Blade Metal: M390 (China) or MagnaCut (USA) 
• Deal with Supplies: Grade 5 Titanium, G10, Tigerwood, Ultem, and Pure Micarta
• General Size: 6.2 inches
• Blade Size: 2.2 inches
• Blade Thickness: 0.12 inch 
• Grind: Flat
• Comes with two Kydex Sheaths (left and proper pocket carry) w/ titanium pocket clip
• Made in China and USA
• Worth: $200 (China) or $250 (USA)

Execs

• Objective constructed for pocket carry
• Good sheath 

Cons

• Grip wants extra traction 

This knife isn’t the most effective for onerous use. It’s not even the most effective slicer. Its ergos are good, however they’re not nice. So why is it my favourite EDC fastened blade for pocket carry? Its design and execution are good. If you carry and use it you possibly can inform that somebody put a number of thought into how this knife and sheath wanted to work round being carried in a pocket.

The result’s a very intuitive person expertise the place pulling the knife out and dropping it again into the sheath takes no thought. Different knife firms ought to pay attention to the sheath design as a result of it’s the one one I’ve examined that works flawlessly for pocket carry — though the Overland Sport could be very shut. The sheath has supreme pocket clip rigidity and a small footprint. Most taco-style sheaths connect the clip to the rivet holes close to the sting facet. However, the Lookout’s clip is moved nearer to the middle of the sheath, which prevents the clip from blocking entry to the knife and strikes it tight to at least one facet of your pocket. 

The knife was within the second tier of cutters, nevertheless it’s loads slicey for many EDC duties. The jimping is just too clean to offer sufficient traction, and the titanium scales on my mannequin are slick. If you wish to use the Lookout for hard-use duties, I’d advocate getting the USA-made mannequin with G10 or Micarta handles. 

Greatest Large Knife: TRC Classic Freedom

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Key Options

• Blade Metal: M390
• Deal with Supplies: Micarta 
• General Size: 8.08 inches
• Blade Size: 3.63 inches
• Blade Thickness: .107 inch
• Grind: Flat
• Worth: $280
• Made in Lithuania 

Execs

• Mild for its measurement
• Slicey 
• Nice ergonomics 
• Good sheath for belt carry 
• Unimaginable end 

Cons

• Not all the time accessible in inventory 

If the Overland Sport and Lookout blades are too small on your wants, the subsequent best choice is the TRC Basic Freedom. It’s about 1.5 inches longer than each of these pocket-carry choices and what you get in return is extra deal with and extra blade. I put on an additional massive glove, and I can get a full grip with room to spare. The grip has a ledge close to the ricasso the place your thumb can get leverage whereas utilizing a finger-on-spine grip. The deal with space is skeletonized to scale back weight and it places the steadiness level the place your ring finger sits. The backbone is rounded and really snug when placing onerous strain on it. 

The blade got here insanely sharp, and it was simply within the high tier of cutters within the take a look at. Its basic drop level form is ideal for almost all chopping duties. It may possibly do meals prep, feather sticks, subject dressing, and EDC duties. So it’s a great blade for tenting, searching, and doing chores round the home. 

The sheath has good retention and comes configured for horizontal belt carry. You might take away the belt strap and add a pocket clip in the event you’d like.

Another excuse the Basic Freedom is one among my favourite EDC fastened blades is its unbelievable construct high quality. The backbone and all hand-contact factors are polished and rounded. There isn’t a single flaw on mine and its knife that may be appreciated by critical customers and collectors alike.

Learn Subsequent: Best Knife Sharpeners

ESEE Sencillo

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Key Options

• Blade Metal: MagnaCut or A2 
• Deal with Supplies: Brown Burlap Micarta
• General Size: 7.25 inches
• Blade Size: 3 inches
• Blade Thickness: 0.12 inch 
• Grind: Flat
• Kydex sheath with belt loop 
• Made in USA

Execs

• Glorious ergonomics in all grips 

Cons

• Nice knife, so-so sheath 

There’s loads to like concerning the ESEE Sencillo. It’s an incredible worth at beneath $200 for a USA-made knife with wonderful supplies and good construct high quality. Its tall, fully-flat-ground blade is a slicing machine that was a tier-one cutter in my take a look at. The ergonomics are very safe, and the deal with fills your hand, so you may get a number of management over your cuts. This was by far top-of-the-line meals prep knives and would additionally make an incredible searching knife.

That is an all-to-common case of an incredible knife with a primary sheath. The sheath will work nicely for belt carry, however I’d advocate getting an Armatus sheath if you wish to carry it horizontally in your belt or Roac sheath for pocket carry. 

Greatest Hole Grind: Griffin Co X Series EDC Fixed Blade

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Key Options

• Blade Metal: MagnaCut
• Deal with Supplies: Brass, G10, Ultem, Micarta, and titanium 
• General Size: 7 inches
• Blade Size: 2.875 inches
• Blade Thickness: 0.118 inch 
• Grind: Hole grind
• Kydex sheath 
• Made in China
• Worth: $230 

Execs

• Slicey
• Good ergonomics
• Glorious for piercing cuts 

Cons

• Pocket clip broke throughout use 
• Drops promote out rapidly 

The Griffin Co X Collection is a thinly-ground knife with a wonderful level. It’s a precision cutter, and it’s not the only option for any sort of onerous use. The ergos lend themselves nicely to a number of management. There’s a deep choil that secures your index finger and a flat in entrance of the choil if you wish to choke up extra. 

The sheath it comes with has extra rigidity than I’d like, and the pocket clip was additionally too tight. I used to be carrying the Griffin Co in my Origin Delta denims, which aren’t thick by any means, and the pocket clip wouldn’t slide off. It’s a 3D-printed clip that broke whereas attempting to take away it. 

Greatest Mid-Priced: Bradford Guardian 3

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Key Options

• Blade Steels: M390, Elmax, and MagnaCut
• Deal with Supplies: Micarta, G10, carbon fiber, and G-wood
• General Size: 6.75 inches
• Blade Size: 3.5 inches
• Blade Thickness: .14 inch
• Grinds: Saber and full flat 
• Worth: $159 to $229
• Made in USA

Execs

• Compact measurement
• Glorious grip traction (textured G10)
• Loads of deal with, metal, and grind choices
• Good worth

Cons

• Not the most effective cutter within the take a look at 

The Bradford Guardian 3 was my first EDC fastened blade, and I’ve had it for over 6 years. The design has remained unchanged, and it’s nonetheless top-of-the-line EDC fastened blades. You get a full-size grip with a really helpful blade form and size. I’ve used mine for EDC and to quarter deer, the place the great ergonomics and drop-point blade form excelled. 

The Guardian 3 was within the third tier of cutters in my take a look at. I feel that’s a mix of a reasonably thick blade inventory and its saber grind. Bradford now provides a full flat grind, which ought to slice higher. The benefit of the thicker grind is that you would be able to abuse this knife with gentle batoning and onerous chopping. Mine has accomplished each of these duties through the years with out chipping the blade. 

Greatest Looking EDC: White River Knife and Tool Small Game

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Key Options

• Blade Metal: S35VN (58-60 HRC) or MagnaCut (62-64 HRC)
• Deal with Supplies: Micarta 
• General Size: 7.25 inches
• Blade Size: 2.62 inches
• Blade Thickness: .130 inch
• Grind: Flat
• Kydex Sheath
• Made in USA
• Worth: $160 (S35VN) or $180 (MagnaCut)

Execs

• Sculpted deal with 
• Slicey
• Full-length grip 

Cons

• Sheath isn’t supreme for EDC

It is a mullet knife: occasion within the again and enterprise upfront. The massive deal with permits a full grip and its Coke-bottle form makes for snug ergonomics. This sculpted grip conforms to your hand with a hammer grip, thumb on the backbone, or index finger on the backbone. The small, thinly floor blade was a top-tier slicer. It’s a great knife for subject dressing, breaking down packing containers, or different light-duty chopping duties. 

White River Model 1

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Key Options 

• Blade Size: 3 inches
• General Size: 7 inches
• Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Features a Kydex sheath 
• Blade Materials: S35VN
• Micarta or G10 handles 
• Made in USA
• Worth: $175

Execs

• Mild and straightforward to hold
• Excellent ergonomics 
• Would make an incredible searching knife along with its EDC function

Cons

• Jimping is painfully sharp when chopping onerous supplies 

The M1 Caper is among the finest EDC fastened blades I’ve discovered at balancing a full grip and straightforward to hold measurement. The deal with is Croc snug and mountain climbing boot safe. The deep choil gave me a number of management over cuts and whereas I appreciated the sharp jimping, it was painfully sharp whereas chopping with a number of drive. It was among the many finest slicers I examined, nevertheless it didn’t wish to chunk into the wooden like a number of the steeper floor knives. It comes with a Kydex sheath of excellent high quality, however I might improve to an Armatus sheath for day by day carry. 

Greatest Finances Fastened Blade: Gerber Stowe

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Key Options 

• Blade Size: 2.5 inches
• General Size: 6 inches
• Weight: 2.6 ounces
• Features a leather-based sheath 
• Blade Materials: 440A
• Made in China
• Micarta deal with
• Worth: $47

Execs

• Mild and straightforward to hold
• Helpful blade form 

Cons

• Sheath may use enchancment 
• Choil must be just a little deeper 

There’s loads to love concerning the Gerber Stowe. Its blade form was nice at push and utility cuts. The total flat grind sliced by means of all of the supplies nicely and the deal with can be utilized in quite a lot of grips. Then there’s its beneath $50 price ticket, which will increase its attraction for individuals who wish to experiment carrying a hard and fast blade. 

The Stowe’s ergonomics may use some refinements although. If the choil was just a bit deeper my pinky would have a a lot simpler time staying on the deal with, and it could give extra blade management. If the scales had been flush with the tang it could get rid of the recent spots I felt whereas placing the Stowe by means of the lower take a look at. 

Knives that Didn’t Make the Reduce

• Knafs Lulu: This Scandi floor knife isn’t nice on the slicing duties required for EDC, and it didn’t excel at carving wooden both. I just like the idea of a pocket bushcrafter, however a convex edge or a skinny, true scandi would have been higher blade grinds.
• Asher Knives: I actually like this knife, nevertheless it couldn’t sustain within the lower take a look at with simularily priced choices.

The right way to Select an EDC Fastened Blade

Sheath 

Sheaths are simply as vital as knives. Sadly, knife firms haven’t put as a lot thought and care into sheaths as they do blades. Because of this, a complete business of aftermarket sheaths exists to offer finish customers with wonderful choices. 

If the knife you need doesn’t include a sheath you like, think about a customized sheath into your buy value. Kydex sheaths are usually cheaper and most of the people desire a taco-style for its smaller footprint. Leather-based sheaths might be bulkier within the pocket, however there’s no denying their magnificence, particularly as they patina with use. 

General Size

Basically, I like an EDC fastened blade that’s between 6 and eight inches lengthy. That enables for sufficient blade and deal with for it to be helpful, whereas nonetheless being sufficiently small to hold all day. 

Blade

For EDC, I like thinly floor knives with a drop level or wharncliffe type. I discover knives with an excessive amount of stomach have a tough time chopping cordage as a result of it slips down the sting as you apply strain. 

Remaining Ideas on the Greatest EDC Fastened Blades

There are a number of nice causes to hold a hard and fast blade as a substitute of a folder: They’re sooner to deploy, have higher ergonomics, are extra dependable, and are usually extra reasonably priced (all issues being equal). If you wish to carry a hard and fast blade, select the knife that has the dimensions, blade type, grip, and value you want and be ready to order a sheath that you just like too.