Guest Post: Lightweight EDC Pocket Knives by Matt Keyes

Note: The following is a comparison of lightweight folding EDC knives by Matt Keyes, The Pocket Knife Guy. There are lots of good options in this category of blades, depending on your primary use and price range.

When the SHTF and we need to bug out fast, we can't have EDC items weighing us down. It's important to streamline the gear you decide to carry with you.

One important aspect to consider is weight. Every ounce you can cut adds up and reduces the total weight you have to carry in your pocket, or even a gear bag.

Is a lightweight EDC pocket knife durable?

Durability in a lightweight pocket knife is always going to be a concern. We're trained to think that if a product is lightweight then it's going to be cheap or even unsafe.

I'm here to tell you this isn't the case. Like everything else knife manufacturers have made great advancements over the years. Not only in design elements and features but also with the materials used in constructing knives.

There are many ways to reduce weight on knives without sacrificing durability. Handle materials like Titanium, Carbon fiber and G10 are known for their lightweight qualities. These materials are light, but still very durable and give the knife a good solid feel.

To find a good lightweight EDC knife you need to consider the blade length to weight ratio. From my experiences, a blade length of 3 to 4 inches, and a weight under 4 ounces is the perfect blend for a quality EDC pocket knife.

Top 5 Lightweight EDC Pocket Knives

With the above parameters set there are still way too many choices, let's see if we can narrow this down a bit.

The knives listed below have many great features, and being lightweight is just one of them!

Ontario RAT Model 2

The Ontario RAT model 2 only weighs in at only 2.75 ounces. And for what you get with the RAT 2, I suspect this will be one of your favorite EDC pocket knives.

The RAT 2 has a 3" AUS-8 blade that you can get with either a black finish or a satin finish. The black is a cool option, but over time it will begin to show wear and can chip.

The handle is Zytel, which is cheap to make and explains the low price tag on the RAT 2. But this material is tough and can resist impacts so it's a popular handle material. It's light, durable, and comes is many color choices.

The RAT 2 is ambidextrous, with a 4 position pocket clip and dual thumb studs you can carry this knife how you prefer.

Spyderco Paramilitary 3

If you're familiar with the Paramilitary 2, then you've no doubt heard the Paramilitary 3 is now available.

Quick comparisons of the two models:

• PM2 Blade - 3.44"
• PM2 Overall - 8.28"
• PM2 Weight - 3.75 oz.

• PM3 Blade - 3.0"
• PM3 Overall - 7.27"
• PM3 Weight - 3.00 oz.

Now with that out of the way, the PM3 is a condensed version of the PM2. Over an inch shorter and 3/4" oz. lighter.

Everything else about the knife remains the same. The premium S30V blade steel is a popular choice for many reasons. The edge retention on this steel is exceptional and it's easy to sharpen.

The compression lock is super strong, I would be so bold to say fail proof in conventional EDC tasks. This video dissects the compression lock and shows you exactly how it works.

If you’re in the market for a lightweight pocket knife and were already a fan of the PM2, then I have no doubts you’ll love the Spyderco Paramilitary 3.

Benchmade Pardue 530

The Benchmade Pardue 530 is the ultimate lightweight pocket knife. This knife only weighs 1.8 ounces!

To put that in perspective, 5 US quarters weigh 1 ounce. Add a few more and you can match the weight of this knife for less than $2 in quarters. That would be sweet if that was the actual price tag of this knife.

How is it so light? The answer lies in the handle material, it's a polymer called Noryl GTX. To be honest I can't tell a difference between it and other handles like Zytel and FRN. They look and feel the same to me. But they all perform well and provide a safe and secure grip.

The handle is also very thin, if you put a premium on pocket real estate, the 530 could be the knife for you.

The blade steel is 154CM, which is a harder steel. It'll measure 60-61 on the Rockwell scale. Harder steels are generally a little more difficult to get razor sharp. But, if you can get it sharp, the edge retention is much better on this steel than say the cheaper AUS-8 steel.

Benchmade 940-2 Osborne

Sticking with Benchmade, the 940-2 is not only a lightweight knife, but it's a classic Benchmade design by the late Warren Osborne.

The 940-2 is an updated version to the original 940, which had an anodized green aluminum handle. The 940-2 has G10 scales on stainless steel liners with barrel spacers.

The blade style is reverse tanto and the steel is CPM-S30V. As mentioned earlier on the PM3 this steel is has great edge retention and is easy to sharpen.

The locking mechanism is Benchmade's AXIS lock.  To unlock the blade you pull back on the lock stud and release the tension against the tang of the blade. It's a simple locking system, yet it’s highly effective.

The weight of this knife is only 2.65 ounces, and it's very slim in the pocket. The pocket clip allows right or left hand carry with the tip up. It's a perfect choice for a lightweight EDC pocket knife.

Spyderco Delica 4

The Spyderco Delica 4 is one of the best-selling knives that Spyderco makes. It’s the perfect size for an EDC knife and its super light. The Delica only weighs 2.5 ounces, so it’s easy to carry in your pocket tucked out of the way until needed.

The blade steel used for the Delica is VG-10, one of my preferred blade steels. I like the VG-10 for its versatility, it has a good mix of qualities. It easy to sharpen, has good edge retention and resists corrosion well.

The handle on the Delica is made from FRN, a lightweight material that is offered in many colors. FRN is a popular choice for knife handles because it so light, and it can easily be molded to the desired shape.

To top it off the Delica 4 has a quad mount pocket clip, allowing you to carry left or right handed with tip up or down.

Closing Thoughts

Due to the many available options, it can be difficult to make a confident decision on which lightweight pocket knife to buy. Not only are the knives listed above super light, they are also super popular.

They are popular for many reasons, because all 5 are solid pocket knives. They are well crafted works of art and you absolutely can’t go wrong with any one of them.

Matt Keyes is a writer, blogger, and an avid outdoorsman. In his spare time, he loves to spend time in the woods with his family and friends camping and hunting. Matt has collected knives for many years and blogs about them over at The Pocket Knife Guy. If you're looking for a certain pocket knife, there is a good chance you'll find a review for it at his site.

Ghost Knives Banshee D2

I've recently been carrying a super compact and lightweight fixed blade knife called the Banshee D2, by Ghost Knives. The knife is so small and light that at times I've forgotten I had it on me. If you're looking for a handy, small fixed-blade for everyday carry or to keep in a bug-out bag or daypack, the 6.11-inch over-all length and 1.8oz of the Banshee D2 won't be a burden and will make a fine addition or backup to whatever larger blades you may already carry. 

Ghost Knives Banshee D2

While the 2.38-inch blade won't do everything you might need a knife for, having a small, but sharp, high-quality fixed-blade available at all times is certainly not a bad idea. With it's secure Kydex sheath that can be attached to a belt, pack strap or carried in a pocket with a paracord tether to a belt or belt loop for one-handed draw, the Banshee D2 is quick to bring into action when a folder might be too slow or awkward to deploy.  

The unwrapped Banshee D2, showing the skeletonized handle.

The D2 steel blade is flat ground and comes to a drop point. The sample I received from Ghost Knives was shaving sharp right out of the box. The entire blade and skeletonized handle are coated with corrosion-resistent Cerakote. While you can use the Banshee D2 as is if you prefer the feel of of the skeletonized handle, Ghost Knives includes a length of black paracord for handle-wrapping, which gives a secure, more comfortable grip. The paracord wrap is actually fire cord, with a flammable strand inside that along with the included micro-flint, can aid in fire-starting in an emergency. 

In the Kydex sheath, the Banshee D2 is easy to grab and because the sheath is identical on both sides, lacking clips,  it can be worn on either side and in whatever position you prefer.

My use of the Banshee D2 has so far been mostly limited to slicing open UPS boxes and such, but as small and light as it is, it will be going with me on some upcoming fall camping trips and will likely see plenty of use in the field. I can see carrying it whether hiking, kayaking or canoeing, or riding my motorcycle or bicycle, as there is no reason to leave it at home, really. 

The Banshee D2 is 100% made in the U.S.A. and is reasonably priced at an MSRP of $79.99.  You can save a few dollars off list and get it for $74.99 from Amazon.

If you're not sure what to do with the included handle-wrap cord, here is a video tutorial featuring this very knife with simple instructions on how to wrap a skeleton knife handle with 550 paracord.

 

EDC Lights and Knife from James Williams and CRKT

I received some fantastic products in the mail today from James Williams, of System of Strategy. Those of you who are familiar with CRKT Knives have probably seen some of the designs of James Williams, a master of the Japanese samurai fighting arts and the president of Bugei Trading Company. James Williams has extensive experience teaching close-quarters combat to police and military and his tool and weapon designs are based on the needs of those whose lives depend on them.  Finding this site, he thought my readers would be particularly interested in these personal defense and tactical flashlights designed for EDC, as well as his new Shizuka Noh Ken folder. I absolutely agree, and I will be posting a full review of them after spending some time with them.

Pictured below, from top to bottom, the James Williams-designed CRKT Personal Defense Light, the Tactical Applications Light, and the Shizuoka Noh Ken folder. Note the clips for deep pocket carry on each:

Compact high-intensity flashlights have come a long way since I reviewed some early models here on  Bug Out Survival in this 2010 post: http://www.bugoutsurvival.com/2010/01/gear-review-compact-hi-intensity.html

I'll have all the details and specs of these new CRKT lights in the upcoming review, but I can tell you already that one or both of these will going wherever I go from now on.

I was especially excited to get my hands on Williams' new Shizuka Noh Ken folder, as I was looking to replace yet another Cold Steel Voyager with a broken pocket clip. As a master of bladed weapons, Williams designs his knives for self-defense and combat, so this is not a do-it-all utility or bushcraft knife. It is designed to neutralize an attacker as quickly and efficiently as possible; one look at the blade will tell you that. Carry something else to open packages and whittle with and save this for when and if you need it. The Shizuka Noh Ken (Japanese for "Hidden Blade") is a smaller version of his Otanashi Noh Ken (Sword of Silence) of the same design and it is so light and slim in your pocket you'll barely remember you have it. It's rare to find a blade design that both stabs and slices equally well, but that's exactly what this and Williams' larger Japanese tanto designs excel at. When I post a review I'll show the difference between these traditional tanto blades and the more commonly seen American tanto designs that are much less capable when it comes to stabs and thrusts. For now, note that despite the long curve of the belly of the blade that makes it great for slicing, the needle-like tip is straight in line with the handle, making it effectivly a dagger when it comes to thrusting.

As already mentioned, James Williams not only designs edged weapons, but is a master of using them and teaching others to do so. In addition to the tactical lights and knife, he included two of his instructional DVDs for my review (The Edged Weapon and Continuing Solutions to Edged Weapons). There are a lot of concepts and ideas in the nearly four hours of instruction here that I have never seen  anywhere else, although we worked with knives quite a bit when I studied Ed Parker's system of Kenpo. I'm looking forward to working more with these principles and hope to attend one of James Williams' seminars to see his methods first hand.

The timing for these items to arrive could not have been better, because I have been planning to begin writing more here about self-defense, both unarmed and with weapons, as well as the importance of physical fitness for survival. I feel these are critical skills and attributes that are far too often overlooked or neglected in the prepping and survival community. Stay tuned for more to come soon.