Um, no. The 305 takes 2 hands to open, is an outdated design, and has virtually zero blade lockup (hope the blade doesn't fold back on your fingers). Hork. There are literally dozens of options out there that are better for the same price point. This Buck was a cool tool in the 1920s - about the only thing it has going for it is that it's got some retro cachet and is disposable (doesn't matter if the TSA takes it). Maybe I'm cranky this morning, but this just isn't a cool tool.

I won't even suggest a better option because there are so many. Gerber is a good place to start for cheap small knives.

This is my favorite small pocket knife:
http://www.gerbergear.com/index.php/product/id/228

The Gerber Trendy. It's very small, thin and lightweight, has a locking blade, a belt clip and is cool looking. I bought one for my dad a while back who stopped carrying a pocket knife because his was too heavy and too bulky, but he loves the Trendy.

I'm a HUGE fan of the Boker Subcom/Wharcom line. $25, decent steel (AUS-8), great one-handed opening, solid lockup, a finger choil that prevents cutting yourself when you close it one-handed, short enough to be legal everywhere, and a wide blade/handle that doesn't roll over as you cut.

I've got a few $75+ knives, but the wharcom is what I carry 90% of the time. Can't say enough good stuff about it!

I'd carry the good old Victorinox Classic over this anyday - for the tool variety in an even smaller package...

http://crkt.com/m16edcz.html The CRKT M16 is a much more useful and cool tool. Single handed opening. The M16-10Z size is ideal for a small daily carry. The AutoLAWKS locking mechanism keeps it securely open but provides for one-handed closing. Excellent knife. Cool tool.

@ paanta and Bob Dog: Great-looking knives, and obviously much more functionality than the Buck, but also bigger.
@Bob Dog: Indeed. The Victorinox is in the same size range and does have more to offer.
@Bill: How long is that one? The Buck that Russ recommends is 2 5/8 inches folded.

While all the knife aficionados are in the house, who can recommend a small/pocket sharpener?--es

When i comes to a quality folding knife, I swear by my benchmade 722. The tanto blade never has had the problem of being broken off (in my use anyways) been through 2 in the military, and the only thing that has ever prevented its use was its loss. a bit more expensive, but definately a quality tool

http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=722

It seems that the "Bargain pocket knife" (Snap Blade Knife) would fit your declared use as well, is always sharp, always has a sharp point and costs less than a buck.

@elon - it's 4", so yeah a bit bigger. The CRKT KISS is 3.5", the Peck is 2.6" http://crkt.com/kiss.html

Depends on what size you want. For real small fixed blades, if you could get an Atwood Booger, Ghoul, or Sumo with a Kydex sheath, you'd be set. http://www.atwoodknives.com/home/spindex.php About $85 - $170, if you can find one. (try ebay or some specialty shops)

Thanks, Bill. I'd be happy with any of those.

@ Roy: This is a cool tool
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000699.php
but how about the XS category that this Buck knife represents?

In this size, NOTHING beats an Al Mar (osprey is the model I believe)for production folders anyways, absolutely immaculate fit and finish, and the sharpest blade I've ever got on a non-custom knife.
2.30" long:)

ive carried the same spyderco endura every day for close to 15 years now, and its never done me wrong. its light (8oz-ish), easy to open, takes a very good edge and holds it well, and doesnt print in anything but the tightest pants. between it and my utilikey, i cant imagine ever needing anything else on a day-to-day basis... and on the rare occasions i do, i just grab my leatherman...

Wow...that brings back some memories. Can't remember how many of those I lost back in the day (late 60's to mid- late 70's back to the land days) . If it's the same model (looks identical,but could be bigger/smaller) it was the cool tool to have.
I think it used to be called the Buck Esquire before they went numerical. Have to agree w/ dingo though on a couple of points..No locks ( got the scars to prove it) and technology has moved on. The thing I really didn't like was the extremely hard steel ( I know that's heresy to the macho blade boys), but I'd rather have softer
more quickly sharpened blade w/ more tensile strength (broke a blade or two). I'm not a total klutz but tend to be very hard on tools (and hands). Have no idea how
many available options there are now (too many) and don't really care....just make do w/ whatever's available currently a fairly Spartan Swiss Army model....no Rambo crap for me....J

I am partial to the Leatherman Micra, personally. it is tiny, unobtrusive, and has scissors, a blade, a few different screwdrivers, a bottle opener, a file, and a tweezer. I thought I lost mine and immediately bought another, and then I found my first one, so now I have two, which is handy.

For years, I carried a Spyderco Delica and I remain convinced that Spyderco, somewhere in their extensive line, will provide the best value knife that best fits your particular need. For the last couple of years, I've been carrying the much smaller Cricket. The short hooked blade is perfect for opening packages and cutting line. I don't use the clip on my belt, but rather for folding money, which I find especially convenient because I do not carry a billfold. Because of its flat round shape, the Cricket seems harder to lose, or at least easier to find. It operates with one hand, unless you are putting bills under the clip, has a good thumb-hole and locks open securely. Its a little more expensive than the "gentlemen's knives", but I kept losing those, so the Cricket is proving more economical in the long run.

You carry that weapon to open letters? My personal preference is the Victorinox Swiss Card, it includes scissors, a pen, toothpick, tweezers, a small blade and some other tools all in the size of (and only slightly thicker than) a credit card:

http://www.swissarmy.com/multitools/Pages/Category.aspx?category=swisscard

@elon: my favorite pocket sharpener, of all-time, is the Model S EZE Lap. It's a diamond-coated steel with a grooved center, and it will cut down a burr or touch-up a blade after use. The groove is for fishhooks, and it really works. The d-shape allows me to use it for serrated edges, which is very helpful for my suggested Cool Tool Pocket Knife, the Gerber EVO Junior.

I bought the EVO Junior with a Clutch multitool as a promo from Amazon for $20. I loved the knife so much, I bought it again on sale, and gave it to my Dad. The multitool is actually somewhat useful, but small. The knife, on the other hand, was perfect. It was very light, and it has the strongest clip I've ever experienced on any knife. It's too tight to use as a money clip, which is just as well since you will be using this knife constantly. It is ridiculously sharp, from tip to serrations. And the serrations, by the way, are really well-suited for wood. How do I know? I hung a door for my mother this past Sunday using just this knife to cut the hinge areas out of the door. Sawed down the notches and carved like I was on my front porch. Expedient, sure, and I was surprised at how well the knife performed. Before this, I'd have nominated another Gerber, the long-discontinued Bolt-Action series with Zytel handle and one-handed opening. The EVO Junior is a one-handed.marvel I can't leave home without.

When it comes to small knives I prefer either small victornox for its utility but for ease of use and safety I prefer the Kershaw Chive. Its a great small blade, even with its size its easy one hand open and close, it holds and edge well and sharpens nicely with ceramic sticks. As for a sharpener, I have yet to have good luck with any pocket sharpeners with the exception of the small diamond rods for touching up serrated edges. I use both a Smith's 3 in 1 sharpener and an Idahone 4 rod v-type depending on which knife I am sharpening. Please take into consideration I don't believe in a "working edge" on a knife, I live by the motto, if you can't shave its not sharp.

There are lots of Kershaw "Onion" models that are tiny, lock open & closed, & have quite flat handles for your pocket. They're pretty darn sharp too, & are available in some wild novelty finishes if you want them to appear non-threatening despite being available with assisted-opening. The only style pocket sharpener I can seem to get results from on a smooth blade is the DMT diamond "mini-sharp" hone in Fine (red.) It's small & flat enough for a pocket & doesn't restrict you to a particular sharpening angle with a slot or guide.

Gerber pocket knife (G41830 EAB)

http://www.target.com/Gerber-Pocket-Knife-Gray/dp/B000YQUXQ6/sr=1-8/qid=1250181247/ref=sr_1_8/175-4856027-7527842?ie=UTF8&search-alias=tgt-index&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3APOCKET%20KNIFE&page=1

Stainless steel; replaceable razor blade; locking back; finger guard; flip open in .5 seconds (with a little practice); disappears in your pocket. A small work of art for $10.

@Sean: that's a nice motto, but it fails in the real world.

I have both the Kershaw Chive and the Leek, the smallest and largest of their Onion designs, respectively. (They also make a mid-sized Scallion, but I've never seen one in person.) Both open effortlessly with the push of a button. The Chive is so small it's almost comical, but it's razor sharp and handy for light cutting tasks. The Leek is about the optimal size for a knife, small enough to carry easily but big enough for cutting rope. They're a bit on the pricey side, however, MSRP on the Chive is $55-80, the Scallion is $55-90, and the Leek runs $70-135, depending on finish.

I sometimes carry a Gerber Ridge, a small folding tanto that's extremely easy to open one-handed. It's also very easy to close one-handed, unlike the Kershaw knives. The blade is about the size of the Chive, but it's perfectly straight instead of a weird curve. It also has a large clip that makes up almost half of the bulk of the knife; it can also be used as a money clip. The MSRP of the Ridge is only $37.50

Well, tell your family never to buy you a knife, a watch, a wallet, some things are really personal to a guy. I grew up with Case knives. Now as an old guy I have a Kershaw Leek. I flip of my finger and it opens. After cutting a finger or two off because I was testing its sharpness, I settled to using in for opening letters. Love that feeling of flicking my finger and bang the blade is there to destroy bills. I do not let that knife out of the house. It is a real weapon.

I forgot about that Gerber G41830 EAB replaceable blade knife. I put a roofing blade in one & it's a perfect line-cutter. Also the Gerber Ridge: it's tiny & non-threatening enough (even in the serrated version) to clip to a D-ring or loop on your backpack strap for convenient access.

I carry a Victorinox Officer pocket knife. Small, unobtrusive, and used on a daily basis. I rarely have to sharpen it. It's not easy to open one-handed but that's rarely an issue for me, if ever, so I don't mind it. A decent buy at 22 dollars from a local outdoor shop.

Aside from the Leatherman micra, my fave is the Opinel No. 9 (I think that's the number) that Coghlan's sells. It's not one-handed, but it has a crude lock and for $10 you can afford to lose it. The high-carbon blade isn't so hot for food, though.