My EDC knife is a Byrd Robin. I thik this knife is a real gem. I paid less than $15 for it when they first came out. Now they have the "Robin 2", which is just slightly above your price limit at New Graham ($17.99):

http://newgraham.com/store/product/8228/Robin-2-FRN-Plain-Edge/

nursemike... got one in front of me(it's my letter opener)and never noticed that before...anyway, didn't know how to reverse the "K" on the computer...

The afore mentioned Bantam

Swiss army steel blade large enough to carve with

can opener, bottle opener, phillips and flat point screwdriver all on one tool of the knife

Thin in the pocket

I looked up some cheap folders I bought. The cheapest decent folder I've bought is $23 on Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/Smith-Wesson-CKG105-Extreme-Folder/dp/B0014VGJFO/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
I've bought cheaper folders, but none would I plan to use on purpose.

A quick upgrade to a cheap knife is take out each screw, drop in Blue Loctite, and screw back in. Also, buy a decent sharpener. You will have to sharpen more often. I personally don't mind. Sharpening more often allows me to keep up with my sharpening skills, and I'm not nervous about sharpening a cheap knife.

Others have mentioned it, but I think the Victorinox Driver would be my choice for the price range; they are availble locally for $14.50.



While I haven't used this particular model, I really have no qualms calling Victorinox SAKs great little folders.

Several of the Opinel folders are available within that price range too. While I have no experience with the brand, I've heard good things.

No they are a little different, driver has nylon scales and recruit has cellidor scales.

Trying the bear grylls "scout"

any real SAK (swiss army knives by victorinox or wenger) you can find for that price (as mentioned above). they're the only ones that fit the phrase "great" in that range.

One of my favorites in the ~$10 range is the Case Mini-Blackhorn.

Classic lock-back design, 2 1/4" blade, light-weight, pretty sharp out of the package, and they're made right in Pennsylvania by Case knives. Lowes sells them for $10.98+tax.

I put my vote in for the victorinox swiss army knife along the lines ofthe recruit ... if you don't mind something a bit smaller you can get a few more tools on the classic size models. I have no personal experience with it yet but the new SOG fusion micron also looks promising.