I purchased a Rite Edge Military Hunter knife for christmas, and I am in the slumps so I couldn't afford a higher quality. I tried my best and decided to stick with this one. I want to know if anyone has one or if they can find or do a review, I dont want to abuse it just to find that it doesnt hold up and I'm out of a knife.
Thanks!

I googled it and im getting alota diff knife hits mind providing a link or picture? Also If that knife doesnt work out for you there is a few great inexpensive 10-15$ knives out there i can recommend.

There is a website, http://www.knifetests.com/, that makes videos of knives being tested beyond normal limits. One of the knives they put through the grinder was a Cheaper Than Dirt, $9.97 Rough Use Knife. The knife held up better than many blades costing 10x as much.

http://www.knifetest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57

I know that this isn't the particular model you own but it is an example where a cheaper blade is a better blade.

If you use your knife as the cutting tool that it is and use pry bars, shovels, hammers, rocks and sticks etc. for prying, pounding and digging it should serve you well. A lot of people get caught up in trying to own the latest, greatest and best and thats ok but if you have something that actually works and you can use it well thats even better. Learn how to keep your blade sharp, handle it safely and use it as a tool for bushcraft and survival and you'll be ahead of most people.

The only valid test in the knifetests.com video is the one peeling an apple . . I've got some good solid knives and would not consider abuse to be a test. A 440 stainless blade passed -- that just shows that a knife with relatively low % carbon content may be tougher than one with more carbon, carbides and a higher Rc for edge retention. I will not be taking my knife purchase advise from the unscientific tests on that site. Just MHO

There are a lot of $10-15 "beater" knives that are perfectly serviceable. Many of these are made in China, usually with steel in the 420-440A range. Quality varies widely, so you have to go on a case by case basis.

Instead of looking for an "abuse" test, focus on the essentials:
- is it comfortable during hard cutting (no blisters)?
- can you put an adequate working edge on it?
- will the sheath hold the knife securely and protect you if you fall?
- will you have it with you when you need it?

The important thing is to get out there and use it. Get to know your knife. Learn how to keep it sharp. If it does the jobs you want done, it's good enough. When you decide to upgrade, you will be able to apply the practical knowledge you have gained.

Agree with that. No need to abuse the knife to determine whether it's good enough. Just do the things you expect a knife to do; if it fails at least it failed when you weren't in a real survival situation. Do not mimic the guys in the knife test videos and chop concrete unless that is a job you expect a knife to perform in the field.

Your knife will probably work just fine for you. If it doesn't, then a Mora Clipper would be a good replacement in that same price range - assuming your knife is a fixed blade. If your knife is a folder, an alternative in that same price range would be a Byrd (Spyderco) Robin or Meadowlark.

But the chances are good that your current knife will be just fine. Use it and don't worry about it.

I do field paleontology on the Channel Islands. A lot of walking is involved, and occasionally we have to basically chop concrete. The tool kit has to be light but right.

I literally pack a sharpened pry bar or two which work very effectively for such tasks, along with a relatively small knife. The combination weighs no more than some of the Godzilla knives often considered necessary for venturing into the great outdoors and is considerably more versatile.

If you use your knife as the cutting tool that it is and use pry bars, axes, shovels, hammers, rocks and sticks etc. for prying, chopping, splitting, pounding and digging it should serve you well.

A lot of people get caught up in trying to own the latest, greatest and best and thats ok but if you have something that actually works and you can use it well, thats even better. Learn how to keep your blade sharp, handle it safely and use it as a tool for bushcraft and survival and you'll be ahead of most people.

Is the knife you purchased the folder or the fixed blade knife?

http://www.selfdefence.com/militarycamofolderandhunterknifeset.html#

If you are after a folding knife then the Colt CT55OPI is excellent value for money at $23.

http://www.southerntackle.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CT55OPI&cat=12

The materials are excellent (German Solingen 440, 6061 Aluminium and Carbon Fibre inlay) and the liner lock is rock solid. It also has the feel and look of a much more expensive knife. Personally I don't like the Laser cuts in the blade (designed to make sharpening easier)

The Rite Edge Military Hunter knife looks like some of the offerings from Dealextreme.

Some of the knifes have some quite good reviews. The materials and build quality will hopefully been somewhat similar.

The Boker Subcom copy from Dealextreme is actually quite good value for money and would be perfectly OK for a cost effective PSK knife which can be forgotten about.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19364

If a fixed blade is required than a Mora 780 carbon Triflex is also excellent value for money and will compete with much more expensive knifes for the egde the blade will take.