Spyderco has a budget line that some Wal-Mart's carry. I bought one for my 12 year old son liked it and bought one for me. Impressed on the quality v price. Like it much better than the assisted opening Kershaw that I have. Both were about $40. The Spyderco is a lot more knife. I haven't fought w either one but I have used both of them a lot.

With the thumb hole in the blade it is as one handed opening as the Kershaw. CRKT also makes some decent budget priced knifes. I have one of their Apache models clipped to the strap of the pistol bag that lives in my truck.

I prefer drop points or clip points to tanto points particularly on shorter blades. My experience is that they cut better and sharpen easier. They have enough point to stab with if you had to fight w a knife. You survive a knife fight by keeping distance and trying to cut the other guys arms until he bleeds enough to quit while trying not to get cut too badly yourself. If you're close enough to stab he is going to be making you bleed which is not good.