SZCO Miner’s Work Knife 4" – Folding Pocket Knife for Men and Women with Stainless Steel Blade and Durable Wood Handle – Classic EDC Knife for Work, Camping, Hunting & Everyday Carry

So I've owned really expensive, quality knives. I appreciated them, but was always worried about losing them or breaking them. I camp, fish, farm..So there are lots of opportunities to misplace or lose it. I'm occasionally in situations where I need to (frankly) misuse my knife and risk damaging it. I'd also say that most were very high quality - HARD - steel and a bit difficult to put an edge on. I've had small, cheap flimsy knifes that I didn't trust not to break. Many were too short, which means the handle is short. This limits your leverage and how much energy you can put behind the blade. So these knives were of limited value. I've had fancy Swiss Army knives but 95% or more of the time, I just used the "big" blade. The rest was just extra weight and bulk. I've had ugly knives - which no matter how good they are designed functionally, there is no excuse for poor aesthetics. Many were designed to resemble something from the movies. I'm not a Navy Seal. I'm not Rambo, I don't need a pocket knife to look like theirs. So what I found in this knife was: 1. Cheap as hell at less than 7 bucks so I'm never worried losing or abusing it if necessary. I'm going to buy more for spares. 2. Full size handle. Not too flat - you can get your hand around it. Not to short. 3. One, simple, functional blade. Even has a point that is useful. 4. Oil the handle and I think it looks sharp as hell. 5. Steel is the (almost) the right hardness. I can very easily put decent edge on it with a whetstone in less than 2 minutes. I keep a stone on my dresser next to my wallet, keys and knife - I keep this knife sharp rather than waiting until it's dull and I have to do something. It's a bit more bulky than I like and the steel is a bit harder than I like - but this is a really good knife. It's a knife for an adult.

Listen, I love high quality, and American made, and collectible knives just as much as the next knife freak, but I had to drop the three bucks and find out what this "Sodbuster" was like. Worst case scenario, it becomes a garden knife. It's pretty cool. This knife is manufactured in Pakistan. Although inexpensive as all get out, it IS tight. The steel is cheap, but it's very easy to sharpen. The factory edge is sufficient a short while, but seriously, knife geeks (like me) who break down and buy this budget stuff put a custom edge on such blades immediately out of the box. Whatever the wood is, it's quite attractive. As for the "walk and talk" ... the spring is very tight and the blade opens in a couple of stages, although it may grow smoother over time. It's talks loud when you close it, making a very satisfying SNAP. So, here's what I did the moment I took it out of the box ... I took 0000 steel wool and removed the word "PAKINSTAN" from the blade. It's not an etching so it came off immediately. Then, I ran the wool over the wood scales to knock back any light finish and rubbed it down with olive oil, also oiling the spring, and left it to sit for a while. Once fairly well absorbed, I wiped away any remaining oil and proceeded to grind a full convex edge to the blade using ever finer grits of wet/dry sandpaper and a mouse pad, until I could shave the hair from my arm effortlessly. (If anyone is interested, I began with 220 grit to reshape the grind and finished with 3000 grit.) Then, another rub down with olive oil left to soak in slowly. Looks pretty lustrous now, and cuts like a knife should. You know, it's just a totally inexpensive, easy to modify work knife. If you're willing to put a really good edge on it, I can't possibly see how it isn't a steal at $3.26 DELIVERED. Good heavens ... no brainer. Great tool to throw in your fall jacket pocket, your tackle box, your gardening tray, whatever. Bust it, ruin it, lose it ... you're out three bucks. I'm happy that I purchased it. I have a half a notion to order a half dozen more and give them away at Christmas! UPDATE: I notice the price has doubled on this product since I posted my review. I've been carrying the knife in my jacket pocket and using it for various utilitarian jobs for some time now, and despite the Pakistani steel (which is normally considered pretty awful) it seems to be holding and edge pretty well. My verdict, even at seven bucks, still worth the money.

When I was about 12, my parents gave me my first real knife, they got it for free. It had a cheap rawhide sheath, and the handle was kept on by some type of recessed screw. But it had a legit bone handle, a thick blade about 7 inches long, a blood groove and was made of stainless steel. Not much of a knife to see, but it sharpened well and was my first fishing knife. Served me well for years, I can still see it in my head. This is such a knife. Not expensive but good lock and snap, solid blade and bolsters. It will treat you as well as you treat it, but that's true of even expensive knives. Thumbs up here especially for the price. ---------------------- One year after the above review, still using it, still loving it. Just ordered a second one now that I can get them again. Could not be happier for the price, don't hesitate. High fives for the guys in Pakistan or wherever that make these descent knives at great prices for is in the west.

It's a simple, cheap pocket knife. It needed a visit to the sharpening stone when I got it, and like most SZCO knives, it has grit in the pivot which makes it a little cranky to operate. But for the price, it's fine. Give it to your kid as a first knife they can lose and won't feel too bad about.

This knife is a good hour project for $4. It comes with real wood scales it is a slip joint with a respectable walk and talk. The action snaps tight. The steel is mediocre "Pakistan Stainless Steel" which is ehh but will take an edge and cut paper. This is obviously not s90v but again your only paying $4. Where this knife shows its price is the fit and finish it truly is subpar but that is fixable provided you have a dremel, sandpaper, and a file. With about an hour or less you have iron out all the rough edges. My knife came dull or with a poor edge so I had to give it a new edge with a whetstone and know it cuts paper no problem. Overall this is a awesome knife for $4 provided you have the tools and know how to fix the mistakes. It is rustic and not well finished but again you are only paying $4 and will do alot of tasks for you. It looks neat and the classic sodbuster look for $4 is hard to beat.

This is the biggest piece of junk. Blade is bent. The hinge is so gritty, not smooth at all. The metal is so cheap. I wasn't expecting much for the price, but this is just awful. Made in Pakistan. Not sharp at all. Do not buy this, find something better.

This is just a wonderful no-nonsense pocket knife. Right out of the box, I knew I would have to give it a little love, so I used alcohol rub over all it's surfaces to remove any oil or manufacturing residue. It's vey tight on opening and closing right out of the box, so I kept working it for a while and that gets it to where it needs to be and smooths it out. Last treatment was a coat of olive oil, and wiping it down. I've not sharpened it yet, but it will take very little effort on an Arkansas stone. I expected a brass pin, but this one had none, they are all steel pins, but that is not enough of a breaker for me to remove a star, even though it says so in description. I'm giving it all 5 stars because it's just what a pocket knife should be, a no frills, solid, pocket knife with good ol' wood slabs, which are very nice too by the way, and could even be made smoother with a little light emery, but I didn't want to do that and change the grind direction on the pins or undercut the wood there in any way. Through time, the wood will take on it's own character. What else can I say?....other than I'm still smiling at the total shipped price of $4.29 I'm expecting it to look even 10 times better after it's been carried and used for a year.

Let's be honest, the SZCO Sodbuster isn't winning any beauty contests, nor is it going to win any awards for smooth operation. From the moment I picked it up, it felt...rustic. And by rustic, I mean rough. The blade, while functional, arrived with a decidedly unimpressive edge. Sharpening helped, but it's clear this isn't high-quality steel. The real issue, however, is the pivot. Even after a thorough cleaning and a liberal application of oil, it remains frustratingly gritty. The action is stiff and uneven, making one-handed opening a chore, and not a pleasant one. The handle, while sturdy enough, lacks any sort of refinement. It feels cheap and utilitarian, which, to be fair, is probably what it's intended to be. I'm not going to pretend this is a knife I'd carry every day. It's not. It's relegated to beater duty. This is the knife that's going to live in the garden shed, used for rough tasks like cutting twine, opening fertilizer bags, and maybe even digging up the occasional stubborn weed. I'm not worried about damaging it, because frankly, it doesn't feel like there's much to damage. If you're looking for a budget-friendly knife that you don't mind abusing, the SZCO Sodbuster might fit the bill. Just don't expect anything approaching finesse or smooth operation. It's a rough tool for rough jobs, and that's about it.