EDC

Everyday carry knives can force an awkward compromise. You want enough blade and handle for everyday cutting jobs, but not something so large that carrying it becomes inconvenient. You may also want a capable blade steel and an ambidextrous locking mechanism without moving to an automatic knife or an unnecessarily complicated design. Hogue SIG SAUER

Small pocket knives solve an obvious carry problem. They take up less room and add less weight to a pocket. The tradeoff is a shorter grip and less leverage when cutting gets tougher. Price: $23 Where to Buy: Amazon (Gray, Green) The Firebird Ganzo FH924-GR and FH924-GY approach that compromise with the same basic design.

A compact pocket knife is easy to carry until you actually want more handle and more blade in your hand. Small EDC folders disappear nicely into a pocket, but that same compact size can become limiting when the job feels bigger than the knife. The Eafengrow EF97 Pocket Knife goes in the opposite direction with a

Most pocketknives solve a familiar problem: keep a capable cutting tool compact, safe to carry, and easy to open. The CRKT Provoke 4040 approaches that job differently. Its blade does not simply pivot from the handle like a conventional folder. A press on its upper crossbar activates a linked mechanism that moves the blade into

The Sitivien ST147 folding knife combines a Damascus steel blade with a Dalbergia wood handle in a compact everyday-carry format. With a listed 2.99-inch blade, 6.93-inch overall length, and 3.09-ounce weight, it is sized for users who want a lightweight folding knife for common cutting jobs without carrying a larger outdoor folder. Price: $24.99 Where

There are plenty of good-looking EDC folding knives that disappear into the usual sea of black-coated blades, gray titanium, and textured G10. The Trivisa Hippo-CG folding knife is not one of them. This is a medium-size pocketknife with a familiar, practical formula, thumb-stud deployment, a crossbar lock, stainless blade steel, and a pocket clip, but

Most novelty pocket knives are novelty first and pocket knives second. The Vosteed CheesePirates Porcupine does it the other way around. Vosteed CheesePirates Porcupine Price: $69 Where to Buy: Amazon This is not a new release, but it is the kind of fun EDC piece worth revisiting when you want to shake up your regular