Factors to Consider Before Buying Your First EDC Knife

Adding a folding knife to the items that you have on you every day can be hugely beneficial. It’s good to be the “handy guy” in the group, and an EDC knife can help you cut small items, open packages, and even tighten loose screws. Here are the things you need to consider when you’re on the hunt for your very first EDC knife:

Function

You’ll want to give serious thought to how your EDC knife will be used on a day-to-day basis before making your first purchase. If you live in an urban environment, chances are you won’t be needing a heavy-duty knife to cut open parcels and perform everyday tasks. If you do go enjoy the occasional outdoor survival-related activity, you may want to look at EDC knives that can cut through rope or small pieces of wood.

Blade shape

There’s a wide variety of EDC knife blade shapes out there, and choosing the right one depends, again, on its intended use case. Below are a few common blade shapes you’ll find:

The sheepsfoot blade shape offers a long cutting surface and a single, continuous edge. The unsharpened spine of the blade curves down towards that edge. This type of blade is best for slicing, chopping, and other heavy tasks.

The clip point has an unsharpened spine that starts at the handle and continues to at least a third or a fourth of the whole blade. From there, it tapers in thickness to a sharp, pointed tip. This is one of the most versatile blade shapes out there; it’s usually the one used in some Swiss army knives because you can use them for precision tasks.

The Tanto blade shape takes its name from the short swords that were carried by samurai in feudal Japan. Instead of having a curved sharp edge, this shape takes on an angular edge transition for a stronger point. This blade shape is great for piercing, but it can be harder to use when slicing.

Size

You’ll want any EDC knife you carry to be relatively small, compact, and lightweight. Since you’ll have it in your pocket daily, it should fit comfortably in your pocket and not be too heavy or bulky. Here, it’s all going to come down to personal preference. Go for a knife that isn’t too small for the tasks you may need it for on an average day, but not one that’s too large to keep on your person at all times.

According to some experts, a 3 to a 3¾-inch blade is the best choice for an EDC knife. It should serve you well for everyday cutting applications.

EDC knives for sale at The Knife Connection

The Knife Connection’s EDC knives for sale include top picks from experts, such as the Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight, which was named Best Lightweight Pocket Knife by Everyday Carry. This EDC knife has a leaf-shaped blade and is equipped with a compression lock in the spine, making it a great choice for tactical EDC. Another excellent choice is the Ontario RAT model 2, which they named Best Tactical Pocket Knife. It’s a highly affordable option that’s great for those who are new to carrying an EDC knife, with a sturdy liner lock and a D2 tool steel blade that’s easy to maintain.