I have a great collection of expensive pocketknives that the TSA is holding for me. Seems every time I fly, I can’t remember to take them out of my pocket before I pass through the security checkpoint, and it’s always too late to run all the way back to the truck and stow it. It really tweaked my cheeks to watch my $112 Case Genuine Abalone Toothpick get dropped in the forfeit bin, but it happened.

Look, I don’t go anywhere without some sort of knife in my pocket. If I could remember to take the darn thing out of my pocket before I go to the airport, I’d be fine, but at my age, I can’t usually remember what I ate for breakfast, let alone what I’ve got in my pockets.

Anyway, what I needed was a few great pocketknives that I could carry every day and not miss a bit if I lost them. They needed to look and feel good in my hand, have a nice walk and talk, and generally get the job done – but they also didn’t need to break this old man’s bank account either. So, I went on a mission this week to hunt down an affordable everyday carry.

I’m not going to lie. What I found shocked me a little bit. After heading to my favorite knife showplace and touching and testing a ton of the less expensive brands, I settled on three knives from Rough Rider.

Now, before you bust my chops for buying a China-made knife, let me tell you something. These knives are the real deal. I’m not kidding. Real bone handles. Nickel Silver bolsters. 440A stainless steel blades with a walk and talk that rivals any brand on the market. I’m telling you that I’d have a real hard time in the dark figuring out whether these were my prized Case knives or not, and here’s the best part. The three knives I bought for everyday use ranged in price from $9.99 – $12.99. Yes, you read that right. All of them were under $13.

At that price point for that quality, I won’t mind if I leave my pocketknife in my pocket next time I try to go through a TSA checkpoint at the airport, and I won’t need a separate bin for my tears.

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There are a ton of great patterns and handle materials to choose from in the Rough Rider lineup, but here’s what I ended up with:

Rough Rider: Work Linerlock
Handle Material: Red Jigged Bone
Closed Length: 4-11/16” Closed
# of Blades: 1 Locking Blade
Steel: 440A Stainless
Shield: RR Bowtie

Price: $12.99

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Rough Rider: Stockman
Handle Material: Red Jigged Bone
Closed Length: 4” Closed
# of Blades: 3 (with match-strike pulls)
Steel: 440A Stainless
Shield: RR Bomb Shield

Price: $9.99

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Rough Rider: Trapper
Handle Material: Red Jigged Bone
Closed Length: 4-1/8” Closed
# of Blades: 2 (with match-strike pulls)
Steel: 440A Stainless
Shield: RR Bomb Shield

Price: $9.99

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This article was written by Knife Newsroom Staff Writer, Rusty T. – he’s our resident curmudgeon, but we still love him.

You can read more of the Knife Newsroom blog, by clicking here: http://knifenewsrooom.com