Pyrite vs Raccoon: r/BudgetBlades Weighs the CJRB Pyrite Against the Vosteed Raccoon for a First Knife

Choosing a first EDC knife is a different exercise from upgrading a collection, and r/BudgetBlades treats it accordingly. A new buyer posted this week with the two names that dominate the budget conversation — the CJRB Pyrite and the Vosteed Raccoon — and the twist was in the pricing. Import fees make local prices uneven: the exact models under consideration were the CJRB Pyrite J1925-GY at €50 and the Vosteed Raccoon A2905 at €85. The question was simple and universal: is the Pyrite at €50 still a good buy, or is the jump to the Raccoon worth it?

The Pyrite is CJRB's flagship budget folder, and at €50 it represents a lot of knife for the money. The J1925-GY pairs a classic drop-point profile with a crossbar lock — CJRB's take on the mechanism made famous by premium American folders — in a package that has become one of the most recommended first knives in the community. Its action and finish punch well above the price, which is why it keeps appearing in exactly these threads.

The Vosteed Raccoon A2905 costs €35 more, and the community's job was to explain what that money buys. The Raccoon is Vosteed's best-known model, built around the brand's signature ergonomics and a crossbar lock of its own, and it has earned a reputation for feel — fuller handles, refined detailing, and a fit and finish that repeatedly beats knives above its price. For many owners the extra spend translates into a knife that simply sits better in the hand and gets carried more, which is the real measure of an EDC knife.

The thread's honest consensus, as these threads usually land, is that both are excellent and the decision comes down to budget and hands. At €50 the Pyrite is the safe, high-value start — if you end up not carrying a knife, you are out less money finding out. The Raccoon is the pick if you already know you will carry daily and want the ergonomic step up. Neither choice is wrong, and both are enormous jumps in quality over the gas-station knives most people start with.

For a first knife, the practical advice is to be honest about how often you will carry it. The €50 Pyrite leaves money for the other EDC gear you will inevitably buy, and it is good enough to remain in rotation long after you upgrade. The Raccoon's extra cost buys the feel that keeps a knife in your pocket — and for many owners, that is the difference that makes the upgrade worth it.

Ready to add one to your rotation? Shop Vosteed → and see the current lineup before stock moves.