Best Budget Knives Under $20? Cold Steel vs SOG Neck Knives (EDC Test)

Budget knife review of 3 knives under $20 — Cold Steel Mini Tac Bowie, SOG Heater boot knife, and SOG Survivor’s Edge neck knife — tested for EDC, bushcraft, ranch work, and everyday carry performance. If you’ve ever wondered whether cheap knives, budget EDC blades, or neck knives under $20 are actually worth carrying, this video is for you. After losing my long-time everyday carry knife — a blade I trusted for years — I decided not to spend a ton of money replacing it right away. Instead, I went looking for budget knives you can actually find locally, and I picked up three different options to put to the test in real-world conditions. These are all budget blades under $20, including a Cold Steel Mini Tac Bowie, a SOG Survivor’s Edge fixed blade, and a SOG Heater boot / neck knife. They all use entry-level steels like 420 stainless and 5Cr, and they’re marketed as EDC knives, survival knives, and bushcraft tools — but do they actually perform when it counts? In this Tactical Redneck review, we take these cheap knives and budget EDC blades out into real ranch conditions and run them through practical use tests that actually matter. 🔪 WHAT WE TEST IN THIS VIDEO We don’t baby these knives — we test them the way they’d be used in real life: Neck knife draw and retention testing Sheath retention and snap fit security Chain durability under pressure Grip, ergonomics, and indexing Bushcraft feathering and wood prep Ranch work cutting tests (hay bale hasting) Edge sharpness out of the box Balance and control under load Real-world usability for EDC carry If a knife can’t handle those tasks, it’s not worth carrying — no matter how cheap it is. 🔧 THE BUDGET KNIVES WE REVIEW In this video we take a close look at: Cold Steel Mini Tac Bowie Budget neck knife 420 stainless steel Compact fixed blade EDC option SOG Survivor’s Edge Fixed Blade Budget survival style knife 5Cr stainless steel Clip carry and neck carry options SOG Heater Boot / Neck Knife Compact boot knife Finger hole retention Lightweight EDC carry blade All of these are under $20 knives, and all are marketed toward everyday carry, survival, bushcraft, and ranch use. 🤠 REAL-WORLD USE CASES This is not a tabletop review. These knives are tested in the environments where you’d actually use them: Ranch work and livestock environments Cutting hasting and heavy twine Bushcraft and outdoor use Daily carry tasks Emergency / survival use If you’re looking for: the best budget EDC knife a cheap neck knife that actually works an affordable fixed blade under $20 or a budget survival knife …this video will help you decide what’s actually worth your money. 💥 THE BIG QUESTION 👉 Are knives under $20 actually usable tools… or are they just cheap junk? We find out in this test. 👍 SUPPORT THE CHANNEL If you enjoy tactical gear reviews, survival gear testing, ranch tools, and everyday carry equipment, help us out: 👍 Hit the LIKE button 💬 Drop a comment (even just say hello) 🔔 Subscribe for more gear reviews, EDC, survival, and ranch content We’re rebuilding the Tactical Redneck community and every bit of engagement helps. 🌐 CONNECT WITH TACTICAL REDNECK Website: https://thetacticalredneck.com Facebook: Tactical Redneck Training: Tactical Redneck Academy (Skool) Merch and gear available on the website — every purchase helps fund future gear tests and reviews. __________________________________________ 00:00 Intro – Lost EDC Knife Story 00:13 Gerber Applegate Folder Went Missing 01:00 Budget Knife Plan – 3 Knives Under $20 01:54 Cold Steel Mini Tac Bowie – Overview & Specs 02:51 Sheath Retention & Handle Grip Test 03:44 Neck Chain Pull Test (Draw & Retention) 05:31 Sharpness & Wood Feathering Test 06:24 Quick Channel Support Ask 06:45 SOG Survivor’s Edge – Overview & Features 07:44 Draw Test & Finger Safety Notes 08:41 Survivor’s Edge Performance & Use Case 09:32 SOG Heater Boot / Neck Knife – Overview 10:34 Hasting (Twine) Cutting Test Begins 11:44 Survivor’s Edge Hasting Test 12:40 SOG Heater Hasting Test 13:34 Heater Performance – Best Cutter So Far 14:25 Final Thoughts – Cold Steel Mini Tac 14:25 Final Thoughts – SOG Survivor’s Edge 15:25 Final Thoughts – SOG Heater 15:25 Closing, Website & Channel Support ________________________________________ Products: https://www.tacticalredneck.com/shop Website: https://www.TacticalRedneck.com Facebook Page:   / lyonstactical   Facebook Group:   / tacticalredneck   Tactical Redneck Academy: https://www.skool.com/the-tactical-re... Tactical Redneck Podcast: https://www.tacticalredneckpodcast.com/