Staff Picks: EDC Knives

Do you guys remember Blockbuster? If not, there’s a great Netflix movie that just came out, we thought it was pretty good, and let’s be honest, we’ve watched everything else. (Sometimes the couch is your destination, and that’s ok.) It reminded us of one of the coolest things about your local Blockbuster: the staff picks. You got a spot to review a curated collection of movies, in a room full of hundreds options. You also got to know a bit about the people working there.

At Glow Rhino, among other things, we’re interested in knives of all kinds, and much like the vast array of movie titles out there, all those options would be overwhelming without some level of categorization. Just like movie categories, there are many categories for knives—we’ll stick with our favorite for this round up: Every Day Carry. The “Action Movie” of knife categories, these knives are a lot like most heros: Regular folks who have regular lives that are faced with wild situations. These knives are there for you every day, but also have a “special set of skills” if necessary. Here are some of our favorites:

Benchmade Bugout

(image © BladeHQ)

The Benchmade Bugout is essentially the benchmark by which many EDC knives are measured. Many would put it on a pedestal, deep in the Amazon, in a booby-trapped cave. Within the Bugout family are a variety of blade styles, blade finishes, as well as handles that vary in color and material. These knives are so popular that people have demanded custom options in hardware and grip material—personalizing a tool they carry with them every day. Much like Indy’s hat, the Bugout is not going to be left behind—whether by lanyard loop or by the pocket clip (reversible for you leftie’s out there). Unlike the latest installment of the beloved archeologist’s story, we feel the Benchmade Bugout continues to go strong.  

• Bench-mark EDC knife
• Multiple blade styles
• Lanyard Loop
• Reversible clip positioning
• Thumb stud for easy opening 

Spyderco Para 3

(image © SpyderCo)

Jesus Christ, it’s the Para 3! Able to hide in plain sight, this knife has a military history (albeit one the knife remembers), but now lives in the civilian world. The Spyderco Para 3 is nimble enough to deal with city life, but capable of withstanding more extreme conditions. Classic Spyderco thumb hole for quick access, a clip that can be positioned for tip up or tip down carry, for left or right pocket orientation, means this knife will stay with you—even if the memory of signing up for that Treadstone program doesn’t. Available in a variety of G10 scales, the Para 3 has a serrated or smooth-edged blade in CPM S30V steel that’s a bit shorter than it’s bigger brother, the Para 2.

• Low pro clip
• Clip position is customizable
• Multiple blade styles
• Lightweight
• Thumb hole for easy opening 

Gerber Sedulo 

(image © Gerber)

Newer on the scene, the Gerber Sedulo is arguably a nod to the Bugout, but in a heavier weight—not necessarily a bad thing. Whether this knife will develop a long and storied career in the ring, or “if he dies, he dies,” remains to be seen—but we like where Gerber is going. Available in a stonewash and black oxide finish, the blade is a simple full panel grind—no nonsense. Whether you’re throwing hands with a left or a right, the thumb stud and the deep carry pocket clip are ambidextrous. Finally, a lanyard loop provides an additional way to keep the Sedulo from being down for the count.  

• Ambi Thumb Stud
• Variety of Blade finishes
• Variety of handle colors
• Deep carry pocket clip, reversible
• Textured panels
• Lanyard hole 

CRKT Bona Fide OD Green 

(image © CRKT)

CRKT Bona Fide OD Green has the military colorway and styling—the metal this knife wears are the aluminum scales that have a granite-like texture to keep you from losing it... Built for work, this particular knife is unafraid to get as clean as it gets dirty. The Field Strip Gen II system allows the user to remove the scales and really get in there—to make it so sanitary that the Virgin Mary would approve. The flipper on this knife is low profile, with jimping for no-slip operation, a liner lock, and a short clip oriented for deep carry. A lanyard loop rounds out the features on this drop point knife, making it an EDC option that both talks the talk and walks the walk.

• Easy to clean
• Ball bearing pivot
• Low profile Flipper with jimping
• Short clip is Deep Carry
• Lanyard Loop
• Liner Lock 

SOG Terminus XR -S35VN

(image © SOG)

The SOG pick for this round up is the easiest on the wallet—leaving plenty of money for a plane ticket to head out to the coast, get together, have a few laughs. Tough CPM S35VN steel drop point blade carries a full grind panel. With SOG’s new XR locking mechanism, the blade opens smoother than sliding through air vents in your undershirt. A flipper, thumb stud, and XR lock provide three different ways to open the knife. All three of these are ambidextrous and pair with an ambidextrous low-carry pocket clip. Light G10 Carbon fiber scales are rugged, and textured. Welcome to the SOG Terminus XR-S35VN, pal. 

• Lightweight
• Thumb Stud
• SOG’s own XR locking mech
• Simple drop point blade
• Variety of blade finishes
• Variety of handle material
• Easy on the wallet

There are some fantastic options out there for EDC knives—this small sampling is a mix of some classics and some classic styling. We think of good EDC knives as having a durable grade steel blade, pocket clip, blade length of less than 4” and be a folder. We’d like to know what your favorite EDC knives are—and we’ll take your favorite action movies while you’re at it, too!