3 EDC Knives That Are Pocket & Wallet Friendly

The price tag on knives these days can be astronomical with sizes, build quality and materials used. That doesn't mean you have to carry a $300 knife to EDC all the time. In fact, some of your less expensive EDC knives make some of the best hard use knives to carry. My Kershaw chive is one of my all time favorites!

If your not familiar with the term EDC it stands for "Every Day Carry" meaning a knife that is belt or pocket friendly to be used and carried on a daily basis. EDC knives can be anything you want them to be and there is no right answer to "What is the best EDC knife?"  I could take a poll of 100 different knife lovers and get 100 different answers. Every forum you visit will have a plethora of options to choose from. That is the beauty of the knife industry.

Back in the day, my grandfather carried a Case Gentleman's folder everywhere he went. My father had a very similar approach to knife carry. I however, like to go with a variety of EDC knives that range from a Gentleman's knife to an OTF auto. I really like to change it up often, but then I am in the knife business so that kinda helps.

Here are a few great quality built Every day carry knives that won't break your pocket or your wallet.

Kershaw Swerve

Kershaw knives are synonymous with quality, reliability and affordability, 3 great qualities to have in an EDC knife. Kershaw has a great reputation for having spring assisted knives that are cost effective and the Swerve is no different. It is one of the bigger EDC knives on this list but by no means bulky or large like a Zero Tolerance for example.

Some of the qualities that make the Kershaw Swerve so attractive is it's lightweight (4.8 oz), closed length (4") and rides deep in the pocket for a very comfortable carry while on a bike ride, hike or in the car.

At it's widest point the Kershaw Swerve is about 1.5" closed. The last thing you want is a knife that you "know" is there every time you sit or reach in your pocket for something. If you have to play with it every time you sit down then in my opinion, it is not worth it.

The Swerve has a 3 inch stonewashed 8Cr13MoV blade with integrated flipper to allow for smooth one handed opening via SpeedSafe spring assisted technology. The lightweight locking liner provides rock solid lockup when deployed. The Swerve also has a thumb stud in case your not a flipper knife kind of guy.

The Swerve has an ergonomic curved handle that measures 4.25" and is made of glass filled nylon (GFN) scales with Kershaw's K-Texturing (see pic above) which fits beautifully in the hand and feels even better.

It fills up a closed hand nicely but is not too big or bulky in my opinion. Some may think it is too large for EDC but I think most will agree it is pocket worthy. Here are the specs on the Kershaw Swerve:

• Overall Length: 7.25"
• Blade Length: 3"
• Closed Length: 4.25"
• Blade Material: 8Cr13MoV
• Blade Style: Drop Point
• Blade Finish: Stonewash
• Blade Edge: Plain
• Handle Material: Glass Filled Nylon, K-Texturing
• Pocket Clip: Right-Left Hand, Tip-Up Reversible
• Opener: Flipper, Thumb Stud
• Lock Type: Liner Lock
• Weight: 4.8 oz
• MSRP: $39.95

CRKT Swindle

The CRKT Swindle is a Columbia River Knife & Tool collaboration with Ken Onion making it an instant best seller and Blade Show Winner of 2013 Innovative Import Knife of the Year. When Ken Onion takes on a project it usually means good things and once he again he doesn't disappoint. This EDC knife is an assisted opener with a cool look and design.

The Swindle handle (4.25") is made of stainless steel and comes grooved or smooth with integrated frame lock for solid lockup. It's unique in that it has a tension lever. The tension lever securely clips into the pocket and "nests" the knife for comfort. Ken went the extra mile with a clip design flowing from the tail end, back over the spine.

The CRKT Swindle features a 3.25" 12C27 Sandvik satin finish modified wharncliffe style blade that rolls out buttery smooth via IKBS pivot system. Once you get this knife in your hand and start to look it over, it becomes apparent that Mr. Onion spent a lot of time deciding on the detail of this knife. To be priced at $79.99 MSRP is simply amazing!

The knife feels very solid in the hand and quite frankly surprised me at first. I would have guessed it to weigh at least 6 ounces but it weighs in at just 3.3oz. Well done Ken! Here are the specs on the CRKT Swindle:

• Overall Length: 7.5"
• Blade Length: 3.25"
• Closed Length: 4.25"
• Blade Thickness: 0.12"
• Blade Material: 12C27 Sandvik
• Blade Style: Modified Wharncliffe
• Blade Finish: Satin
• Blade Edge: Plain
• Handle Material: 2Cr13 Stainless Steel Gray
• Pocket Clip: Right-Left Hand, Tip-Up
• Opener: Flipper
• Weight: 3.3 oz
• MSRP $79.99 Grooved
• MSRP $59.99 Smooth

Spyderco Delica 4

Yes the Spyderco Delica is the smaller version of the Endura which has been around for years but it happens to be one of the most popular knives ever created by Spyderco and is still a great EDC knife today. The Spyderco Delica offers a slim design with FRN (fiberglass reinforced nylon) handles and a satin finished VG-10 stainless steel blade that is razor sharp. The Delica also features Spyderco patented Bi-directional texturing for excellent grip.

The Delica handle comes in an array of colors that include green, red, purple, brown, white and black. One of the qualities that make this knife sought after is it's lightweight nature. The Spyderco Delica only weighs 2.5 ounces which is really light. You will totally forget you even have it with you.

The blade features a satin finish, flat grind and Spyderco's patented round hole for easy one handed deployment and nestled in the handles are the knifes stainless steel liners with a lock back locking mechanism. There is jimping from the top half of the handle onto the back of the blade. The lock back can take some getting used to if you are a one handed open and closer.

The Spyderco Delica 4 comes with a 4 way reversible pocket clip that rides well in the pocket. Here are the specs of the Spyderco Delica:

• Overall Length: 7.1"
• Blade Length: 2.8"
• Closed Length: 4.25"
• Blade Thickness: 0.09"
• Blade Material: VG-10
• Blade Style: Drop Point
• Blade Grind: Flat
• Liner: Stainless Steel
• Pocket Clip: Right-Left Hand, Tip-Up-Down reversible
• Opener: 13mm Thumb Hole
• Lock Type: Lock Back
• Weight: 2.5 oz

Having a knife that offers great performance, reduced weight and an economical price tag makes for a perfect EDC knife and these 3 fit the bill in my opinion.