EDC Pocket Knife: Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter
As you probably already know, EDC means “something you have on you all the time.” 😉 And when it comes to an EDC pocket knife, what you have on you all the time is a very personal and subjective decision. Although there are many great options out there (I have a few Benchmades that are top-notch), for the last several years my EDC pocket knife has been a Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter folding knife.
Anyway, as far as EDC pocket knifes go, there’s that saying that if anyone ever asks you for a knife, or if you have a knife on you, your response should be, “Am I wearing pants?” (You, of course, can reply, “Am I wearing shorts?” if it’s summer or if you’re in a warm climate or whatever… YMMV.)
As you can see from the pictures, mine has been used and abused. It has lost its thumb screw, been sharpened many times, cut open and broken down countless packages, and has been relegated to base tool duty (scraping / prying / levering), including and especially auto repair. But most importantly, it hasn’t broken yet. I haven’t even snapped the point (knock on wood). And it is easy to sharpen and takes a good edge.
Here’s why I think the Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter folding knife makes a great EDC pocket knife. It’s inexpensive, durable, and it has a very simple, no-frills style of blade.
Cost
I bought my first Ka-Bar Dozier in 2012. In this day and age of inflation it’s amazing to see that the price hasn’t gone up more than a few cents. I paid just on the high side of 19 dollars back then. And today, you’ll pay just under twenty, or just over that if you want a different color, and at that price it should come shipped free in a couple of days.
Finding a quality knife at that price is almost unheard of these days. Comparable knifes made by solid manufactures, like Ka-Bar, in general run about $30-$60.
Quality
After using the Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter for my EDC pocket knife for a few months I liked it enough that I bought several more, anticipating that I would eventually break it. And I wanted to be sure that I had one on hand. Anyway long story short–I am still using the first knife I purchased. I’ve given several away as gifts in the mean time. Writing this article reminds me that I need to pick up a couple more as my stock is running low.
The Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter folding knife has an almost indestructible handle in my opinion. It’s made of of Zytel, a nylon resin made by the DuPont Corporation. I have definitely abused the handle, using it as a hammer, pressing pins, and trying to force or lever parts and objects of all sizes. It still looks great.
The blade is made of AUS 8A Stainless Steel. It’s a great jack of all trades. It doesn’t keep its edge the longest, but it’s also not so hard that it’s brittle. Like I said, I haven’t broken the point (knock on wood again), and it is not hard to sharpen. That being said, it does hold an edge reasonably well. It doesn’t dull quickly.
Initial fit and finish was great, and mine has weathered the years nicely. After nine years mine is still tight. It locks and opens smoothly. There has never been any play in the blade. You can find all the specs on the knife here on the manufacture’s web site
By the way, Ka-Bar has a lifetime warranty “that this product will be free from defects in material and craftsmanship under normal use and maintenance for the lifetime of the original purchaser.” I personally think that you are unlikely to need it.
Style
The thing that caused me to try the Dozier Hunter as my EDC pocket knife was its no-frills and durable style. The knife is very simple to operate. The locking mechanism is great. The blade has no serrations. The drop point is strong, and the handle is just the right width for EDC.
I’m not missing the thumb stud that much, although that does put a damper on one-handed operation. In my case I haven’t needed it that much. I know what you are thinking. And so I will have to get that fixed for emergency reasons. But the locking mechanism is excellent. (It’s not foolproof. So you need to use the appropriate care and safety precautions like with any knife.) Both the locking mechanism and thumb stud are unobtrusive, yet tactile enough to use with gloves.
The 3-inch, non-serrated, drop-point blade is very strong and versatile. Unless you are cutting a lot of thick cord or rope, losing the serrations is a positive in my book. (Of course, just like tools in a toolbox, having more than one type of knife around is an obvious must.) The drop-point blade is perfect for cutting, slashing, slicing, scraping, prying, wedging, and battoning (i.e. using the blade as a wedge with a stick for a hammer). It has got a nice sized flat edge and consistent contour to the symmetric point. The spine is just thick enough and the blade wide enough to give it better strength relative to other knifes its size.
As far as EDC goes, the size and shape of the Ka-Bar is really good. Because of its slender width, it is very wearable and concealable. It’s light and thin enough that I really don’t notice having it clipped in my pocket. The pocket clip is reversible, and although it doesn’t ride fully concealed, it’s not very obtrusive. And it’s easy to get at in the pocket. Just like any metal pocket clip, you need to be careful about scraping it up against your car.
Get a Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter for EDC!
Ok, really … you should and will do what you want, but I highly recommend the Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter for an EDC pocket knife. It’s inexpensive, durable and really practical.
As always, Live Ready!
