Light and Saber Recommendations 2024
This is an annual tradition as old as the site (though hosted here only recently). Before we get started, here are the price brackets.
Let’s talk about the rules. Unlike a lot of articles, I am not interested here in finding stuff that is readily available. In fact, for this year (and going forward), I am going to lift both the requirement that something be readily available and something be non-custom. This is about the best of the best. The idea is that you get the best pair for the price—both items are budget, entry level, enthusiast grade, and so on. For out of production stuff, I am using eBay prices circa August 2024. I am still interested primarily in EDC stuff, so no Gem of the Orient here. I also don’t like the Skeletool or other similar minimalist multitools enough to make the list, though I do like a Victorinox Compact with upgraded scales.
Budget
Knife: Victorinox Bantam
Don’t bother with most stuff in this price range, it is pretty terrible. But, as always Victorinox delivers the value in spades. This is a great knife with a simple additional implement that adds tons of functionality.
Light: Sofrin SC01
Here is a weird fact: I have used this light as a charger for 10180 batteries almost as much as I have used it as a flashlight. Try finding a 10180 charger now that the Haywire charger is gone. As a light the twist, twist more UI is a dream.
Alt Recs
San Ren Mu 605: Dearest Spam Knife Makers, please remake this knife. Seriously, its great. If you ever get a chance, buy one. This little guy with better steel would be awesome.
Gear Infusion Everachet: The best keychain multitool out there, better than the Gerber Shard, which isn’t bad, and better than a lot of the novelty custom made stuff that costs $500.
Entry Level
Knife: Wenger Aphid II
You won’t find a knife sharper or easier to carry than this little gem of a fixed blade. You give up the ability to do food prep as this blade is TINY, but given its durability and edge, its a trade off I am okay making.
Light: Reylight Mini Pineapple v3 in Aluminum
At around $40 you won’t be disappointed. It is bright, compact, easy to use and wonderful to carry. I have the Ti version, but there is really no reason you need titanium. Aluminum is a better conductor and cheaper.
Alt Recs:
Civivi Lumi: Well, that went quickly. I am not sure why this knife is OOP, but it is excellent and quite classy.
CJRB Mini Pyrite: So the steel isn’t what we thought it was, but the form factor here is excellent.
Spyderco Dragonfly: Don’t do VG10. K390 is okay, but I worry about a knife that is a daily carry with such a rust prone steel on an uncoated blade. My choice would be either the sprint in 20CV or the ZDP-189 version. I could be talked into the new Micromelt version as it is coated.
QSP Canary: I bought one just so I could handle it for this article. Its really, really solid for the money and the 14C28N steel is, of course, very good.
Knife Center Kershaw Mini Skyline: What? A Mini Skyline? Yup. And it was years after the Skyline was on trend. But it fixes a few things. First, the knife is smaller and fits better in your hand. Second, the flipping action is good as the knife is on bearings. Finally the “spatula” clip is gone, replaced by a generic but effective over the top clip. Only disappointment? D2, which really isn’t that bad at all.
Enthusiast
Knife: Blades We Love Spyderco PM2 Ultra
This is a perfect knife. The size, the shape, the steel are all things you know and love. But the addition of a button activator for the Compression Lock is really incredible. It took a great, but flawed knife and made it perfect. Honestly, if you only want one knife and are willing to put up with the hassle associated with a semi-custom, this is your choice. Its superior to just about everything else out there.
TRM N2: I could easily be talked in to keeping this at #1. It is a better EDC than the PM2 Ultra, but the Ultra can flex into a hard use role pretty readily. Think of this as #1a and the Ultra as #1b.
Light: FourSevens Mini Turbo Mk. 3
You can search all day and you won’t find a light that is this nice at this price that carries this well. I love the throw and the beam pattern and I think the twisty UI is a good tradeoff for a smaller body. Its been on this list forever because it is that good.
Alt Recs:
Spyderco Caly3 in ZDP-189: Like the McLaren F1, this knife has remained a superior performer decades after its debut. Like the F1, part of that is due to the use of carbon fiber. The rest is based on Sal’s truly superior design.
Spyderco Brouwer: A flawed but wonderful knife. Once you get rid of the cliptastrophe, the knife becomes a simple, easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing partner in daily tasks.
Emerson Mini A-100: This is a really great knife from a pillar of the knife community. Like strong coffee or peaty scotch, some Emersons are an acquired taste. This knife is his most approachable and broadly appealing.
Kershaw Bel Air: I love that Kershaw released this absolute classic and kept it in the lower priced Kershaw line up. A CF version could have easily fit in the ZT line, but that would have added $100 to the price tag for zero percent performance improvement.
Bridgeport Knife Co 395v2: Go hunt this obscure gem down. It is a great knife with great ergos and performance at a very decent price. The hollow grind is pretty dishy making the cutting edge positively scalpel sharp.
Latest 1xAA Zebralight: I have one that is one gen old and it still one of my favorite lights. Despite the silly UI I haven’t got lost in a UI maze. Its size is perfect for EDC and the battery format and its dual fuel nature mean you are never far from light even in a power outage or remote corner of the world.
Surefire EDC1 DFT: This isn’t REALLY an EDC light but it is a great small torch that can do just about everything you need a flashlight to do. It can throw for what seems like a mile. It can light up the backyard for a bump in the night and at 25 lumens, the low is bright enough to use for work though it will kill your night vision.
High End
Knife: Sharp by Designs Micro Evo 2.0
Its better than a Sebenza. There. I said it. Its better than a lot of the overwrought and overpriced stuff from Shirogorov and Custom Knife Factory. That’s not that controversial. And it is the best self-published blade ever. See when you are a knife maker and self-publish a blade it will be better than if you are a keyboard warrior that self-publishes a blade. There is a difference between a bullet point list of features and a cohesive knife design. The Micro Evo is just that. It is really as good as it gets even though this particular knife is now quite old. Like with clothing—there is a difference between a new design and a good design (I think their saying goes there is a difference between fashion and style).
1xAAA format. Simple UI. Tons of Lumens. Tailstand, pocket clip that works, and wonderful beam. This is the perfect torch.
Alt Recs:
Small Sebenza Insingo in CF with Magnacut: The best version of an all time classic knife.
TAD Hinderer Mini Dauntless: Production Dauntlesses were great, but this was the best version of those sweet and hard to find knives. It is also the best Hinderer ever. That is pretty cool.
Shirogorov Neon: This is a really expensive production knife that has great flipping action and nothing too silly on the blade. It didn’t make me a Shiro Shill, but I understand why people like them.
Tactile Knife Co. Archer: Nothing Will makes stinks and this is his blank check project. Its kind of like Carroll Shelby making the Cobra. How can this possibly be anything other than amazing. To be fair, I have not held one of these, but Will’s prior track record makes me confident this assessment is correct.
Millit Knives Torrent v3: Its like the kilobuck small batch knives but for half the price. The machining is top notch, the steel is amazing, and the knife carries wonderfully. You can certainly pay more for the elite tier of small manufacturing, but you won’t get more.
Oveready BOSS35: Still 8 or 9 years later this light is the peak of the market in terms of technical sophistication. It has a bevy of upgrades and accessories too. But this is just a perfect torch. Its a little stockier than the Hoku, but it is more than 4 times as bright.
Frelux Synergy 3 LT: This is a weird light, but one that really does feel better because it is different. You won’t find a light this comfy in the hand anywhere else and the output is very good (no fake high “turbo” mode).
Stuff that is missing
The Urban EDC Supply Baby Barlow is a knife I love, but I am concerned that its size might put a lot of people off. I also think the Muyshondt Aeon Mk. 3 is a great light, but its low output and its size is no longer extraordinary. I’d put the Haiku on here, but my 3S drop in has never been sold. As configured it is amazing.
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