A sharp, functional, reliable knife is one of the most critical items you should always have on your person. A knife hugely increases your capabilities in the field and helps you tackle day-to-day tasks quicker and more efficiently. But with so many options, picking the best one for you can take time and effort.
The best EDC blade will be different for every user, but all great EDC blades share the same significant attributes: Features, Size, and Quality. In this article, I’ll cover these three critical considerations so you can pick the ultimate blade for you.
Before we get started, some places in the United States have regulations regarding knives, as they consider them to be deadly weapons. However, most of the knife laws people think they know are myths. This article is not legal advice, so I recommend checking out the American Knife and Tool Institute’s Knife Law Guide and the laws wherever you are.
A Jack of All Trades: Essential Features
Carry
While there are limitless ways to carry your blade, pocket carry, and more specifically, pocket-clip carry, is easily the most popular method for good reason. Carrying with a pocket clip will be the most accessible and convenient, as your blade is always accessible without rummaging through other items in your pocket whenever you need it. When selecting a knife for pocket clip carry, pay close attention to the clip’s location and ensure that it supports the orientation you wish to carry the blade (i.e., right or left pocket carry, tip up or tip down).
Suppose your blade is an assisted opening or automatic variety. In that case, I strongly urge you not to carry in a tip-up configuration, as an inadvertent blade opening (while still in your pocket) can lead to bloody fingers when you reach for some loose change. Otherwise, the orientation you carry the knife should support easy deployment, as we’ll discuss next.
Deployment
A good EDC blade should be simple to deploy and close with one hand, giving you the freedom to simultaneously manipulate objects with the other hand. Various styles of thumb studs or holes are the most common deployment aids seen on contemporary folders, and automatics in both the flip-out and OTF (Out-the-front) varieties are quickly gaining popularity. However, the method I recommend above all others is Emerson’s Wave Feature.
Emerson’s Wave Feature is a wave-like protrusion on the blade’s spine near the hinge point, which allows the blade to be deployed as it is removed from your pocket. No studs to flip, springs to fire, or buttons to push; when you draw the knife- the blade is deployed automatically. Even with automatic knives, the knife must first be withdrawn from your pocket, and then a button or lever must be pushed. The Emerson Wave Feature cuts out the button or lever step, giving you faster deployment than an automatic. In fact, deployment is so seamless it’s almost like carrying a fixed blade in your pocket.
Locking Mechanism
An excellent folding EDC blade should lock, making it safer and more sturdy for demanding tasks. While there are many different styles of locking mechanisms, a liner lock or frame lock mechanism is preferable due to its ability to be manipulated with one hand.
Finger Guard
When your knife is wet, your hands are cold, or you are just slightly careless, it can be easy to slice a few fingers with a knife that does not have a finger guard. Finger guards are usually incorporated on the sharp side of the knife and occasionally on both sides. Some designs include finger guards in the blade, while others add this feature to the handle. In a survival situation, cutting your fingers could easily lead to infection, with death close behind it, so pick a knife with a finger guard.
The Best EDC Blade has a Lanyard Hole
A lanyard hole is a must-have feature for any functional blade you carry, but many people overlook it. The lanyard hole allows you to do much more than just attach a dummy cord to your knife. A lanyard hole lets you Use your knife like an axe, attach your knife to a pole to make a spear, keep your knife in hand without losing it while underwater, improve your grip while drawing it from your pocket, and more.
Size Matters
The blade size you carry depends mainly upon personal preference, but a good rule of thumb is to pick one in which the handle fits comfortably in your hand. Demanding tasks are difficult when the handle is smaller than your hand, and blades that are too long are difficult for accomplishing finer, more detailed tasks. So long as the handle fits your hand, you will find that a 2.75” – 3.75” blade will handle nearly any task you put before it.
Quality: A Crucial Feature of The Best EDC Blade
Steel
There are nearly limitless types of steel that blades are made of these days, and researching them can confuse you even more. Overall, a carbon steel blade is best for an EDC blade, but with so many carbon steel variations, a little research can go a long way. Check out this Knife Steel Guide from Blade HQ to compare most available steel formulas well
Blade Design
The blade shapes and designs available are more numerous than the types of steel to choose from, and many of them look exceptionally cool. The bad news is that the cooler a blade looks, the less useful it probably is. An old-school straight-back or drop-point tip are probably the most durable and all-around functional designs, but as long as the blade has a rounded sweep to the tip and the tip is not super thin or pointy, you should be golden.
The blade’s grind refers to the cross-sectional profile and is not particularly important as long as the blade is thick enough to withstand rugged use. Concave grinds should not be so extreme that the blade is excessively thin near the edge, increasing the risk of it breaking. Additionally, it’s helpful if the blade’s spine (the surface opposite the sharp edge) is flat, as this is more comfortable to exert thumb pressure on and gives more surface area to strike against when needed.
Handle/Grip Material
Polished wood, bone, antler, and metal handles are beautiful display pieces, but they are not practical. What your handle is made of is not particularly important as long as it does not become slippery when wet and resists damage from exposure to saltwater.
Overall Feel
Lastly, if you don’t like how a knife feels in your hand, pick another. If it feels cheap, fragile, too small, too big, hard to open, hard to close, etc., it probably is. The best option is to take a trip to an actual knife dealer, where you can handle a knife before buying it. It doesn’t take long to figure out what a quality blade feels like compared to junk. And the first time you put the ideal knife for you in your hand, you’ll know it.
