The Gear List: Blade HQ is offering up to 65 percent off knives right now

Price: was $61.80, now $52.50
Seller: Blade HQ

The Civivi Elementum earned praise in our hands-on review for being an honest, simple folding knife that keeps costs down without feeling cheap. It’s slim enough to be an EDC knife and won’t break your heart if you beat it up in the field. The D2 steel in the blade is utilitarian, and one of the main reasons the price is so low. Don’t expect it to hold up as well as stainless steel, but it’s easy to work with and makes a good learning experience for those new to knife sharpening.

The biggest criticism we had with our test knife was its flimsy wooden scales. This Elementum solves that problem with durable Micarta (cloth pressed into plastic). With that problem solved, all that’s left is a good little pocket knife that punches way above its price tag.

Price: was $64.95, now $37.99
Seller: Blade HQ

Short blades are catching on — probably because most of the things we use folding knives for don’t require much of a cutting edge. Let’s be honest, most of your cutting probably involves an Amazon delivery box. This Boker takes the compact cool factor to a whole new level with an aftermarket California-legal automatic opening mechanism. Pair that quick-deploying blade with durable aluminum handle scales that reminds us of the Gerber 06, and you’ve got a solid EDC knife on your hands. It also makes a great backup to your fixed-blade knife in the field.

Like the Civivi Elementum, this knife uses entry-level D2 steel for the blade. Manufacturers have to use a few tricks to protect D2 against rust and corrosion; sometimes that means a cryogenic process, and sometimes it means a coat of paint, which you see here.

Price: was $280.00, now $189.99
Seller: Blade HQ

At the other end of the price spectrum is this premium folding knife from Lionsteel. This knife’s larger sibling, the M4, earned high marks in our hunting knife roundup for top-shelf materials and excellent build quality, and the Italian manufacturer brought the same approach to the Myto. The simple flipper mechanism is stone-cold reliable and easy to master. The canvas Micarta scales look great in or out of uniform and provide plenty of grip. The real star of the show is the M390 steel in the finely sharpened blade. It’s famous for excellent edge retention, and this one comes with a satin finish that’s appropriate in the field.

Spending $190 on a folding knife might seem like a lot to some people, but this is a premium item that will last decades. It’s also marked down by nearly $100, so now is the time to buy if you want to get a knife you can show off to aficionados without paying full price.