It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
Powder steel knives are some of the best blades you can EDC. Their unique metallurgy allows knives made of this type of steel to get harder and sharper than traditional stainless steel, but that prowess often comes at a price. Seeking to deliver value, Artisan Cutlery and their more affordable CJRB EDC folding knife brand formulate and manufacture a proprietary high-performance powder steel that they call AR-RPM9. One of their best knives that feature this design is the CJRB Pyrite, an affordable sub-50 dollar EDC folding knife with solid cutting performance, convenient ergonomics, and stellar aesthetics that make it a joy to carry daily.
The Pyrite is a manual dual thumbstud opening knife that’s easy to open because of the cut-out ergonomic handle and the ceramic ball bearings in the pivot. Closing the blade is also easy because the secure push button lock lets you properly grip the handle as you close the knife. With the top jimping on the blade, you have complete control over the cutting you can do with the 3.11” drop-point blade made from the AR-RPM9 stainless steel, as mentioned above.
Unlike most folding EDC knives you can get at this price range, the CJRB Pyrite‘s AR-RPM9 features similar cutting performance and maximum hardness you’d expect from more premium powder metallurgy blades. It’s also not made out of D2 tool steel like other knives at this price point, which has the downside of not being stainless steel. And on that note, the AR-RPM9 stainless steel on this knife is far superior to the cheapest 8Cr blades available today.
What we like: With an intelligent and ergonomic design and quality powder metallurgy stainless steel, the CJRB Pyrite features excellent performance potential and value for money.
What to watch out for: The Pyrite also comes in alternate textured G-10 handle scales if the stainless steel one is a little too smooth for your liking, as well as other finishes and colors to fit the rest of your loadout better.
Final verdict: If you want better performance and bang for your dollar, look no further than the CJRB Pyrite. Unlike its namesake, it’s a quality EDC folding knife, not fool’s gold.
