A sharp knife is a safe knife. But knives also dull incrementally every time you use them. So, if you want to use a knife safely, you need know how to sharpen it. Hereā€™s a look at all the major tools and techniques available to sharpen knives, so you can pick the one that will work best for you.

Before we dive in, let me give you the single most effective piece of knife sharpening advice out there: It is much easier to keep a knife sharp than it is to make it sharp. Maintaining a knifeā€™s edge with frequent honing involves much less work than starting over from a dull edge. Thatā€™s why itā€™s so important to find a sharpening toolĢżyou likeā€”using it every time, or every few times a knife gets used is the best way to take care of that knife.

To begin, you’ll need to learn one key piece of information about your knife: the angle of its edge. Many outdoor blades use 20 degree edges; many kitchen knives are 15 degrees. But there is no hard and fast rule here. Also of note: attempting to sharpen a knife using the wrong angle between it and an abrasive medium will dull its bladeĢżand may result in permanent damage.Ģż Look up any knifeā€™s edge angle before attempting to sharpen it.

There are many devices and techniques out there to sharpen a knife, and each one has its pros and cons. We dove into each method to help you find the best one to suit your needs.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.ĢżLearn more.

Whetstones

Affordable but They Have a Steep Learning Curve

A whetstone is just a flat, abrasive rock or synthetic stone. It’s as basic as a sharpener gets.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Cheap
āŠ• Will last through generations of use
āŠ• Small, robust, and easy to transport
āŠ— No angle guide
āŠ— Risk of cutting yourself
āŠ— Not effective enough to work on very durable steel

Youā€™ll find sharpening stones made from actual stone, ceramic, or synthetic materials. Ones that feel porous require water or oil to carry away material left behind by theĢżaction. With proper technique, a sharpening stone can be extraordinarily effective, but used incorrectly, one can also exacerbate blade wear, and alter the angle of the edge grind.

To use one, you simply push the knife along the stone, towards the edge, as if youā€™re trying to carve into the stone. Care must be taken to maintain a precise angle as you push the knife along the stone. And just to make things harder, most sharpening stones wonā€™t be broad enough to span a bladeā€™s entire length, so you must also push or pull a knife sideways as you move it forwards, again while using your hands to try and maintain that angle.

Sandpaper

Cheap but Requires Fine Motor Skills

A good substituteĢżif you donā€™t have a dedicated sharpener on hand, sandpaper also allows you to choose and change the level of abrasion.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Cheap
āŠ• Using different grits will deliver custom results
āŠ— No angle guide
āŠ— Wears out quickly
āŠ— Requires precise technique

Wrap a block of some kind with sandpaper, then use it identically to that whetstone. Changing from a coarse to a fine grit as you go can help you achieve razor-like sharpness, even on very hard steels.

Honing Rods

Good for Everyday Touchups but Can’t Sharpen a Dull Blade

When you use or sharpen a knife, you actually roll the very thin edge to one side slightly. This is called a micro-burr, and a honing rod can get rid of the burr without removing more material.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Helps edges and blades last longer
āŠ• Quick and easy to use
āŠ• Little potential for error
āŠ— Canā€™t actually remove material from edge

Softer steels sharpened at a fine angle (think: cheap kitchen knives) have a tendency to roll their edges to one side. A few swipes on a each side along a honing rod can correct this. The same thing happens to all knives when you sharpen them. This is why you try and do an equal amount of strokes along each side of the blade, but variables like pressure and duration are difficult to account for when sharpening by hand, so employing a rod at the end of any sharpening session can help ensure the edge is aligned.

Strops

They Deliver an Ultrafine Edgeā€”but Only After Prior Sharpening

Look at the edge of a knife under a microscope and it will appear jagged, or even serrated. Polishing that edge after sharpening can remove some of those imperfections.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Makes sharp knives sharper
āŠ• Feels really satisfying
āŠ— Returns diminish quickly. A quality sharpener used correctly should produce similar results.

Apply a polishing compound to a piece of leather, and run the knife along it like itā€™s a stone. This polishes out microscopic imperfections to create truly razor sharp edges capable of cleanly slicing without tearing.

Pull-Through Sharpeners

Dead Simple but They Can Damage Your Knives

A style of sharpener commonly found in kitchens, these employ two abrasive rods set at a fixed angle inside a guide.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Cheap
āŠ• Easy to use
āŠ— Versions without hand guards can prove dangerous
āŠ— Fixed angle isnā€™t compatible with many knives
āŠ— Can pinch, roll, and otherwise damage edges

This is probably the kind of sharpener your grandparents kept in their kitchen. A housing holds two abrasive rods in a V shape, and can be rested on or mounted to a counter or other work surface. To use one, you just pull a knife through the V, repeating until you achieve your desired results. These things are cheap for a reasonā€”they won’t get your knives razor sharp and could damage the blade in the process.

Electric Belt Sanders

They Work Quickly. Use with Great Care.

Basically just a power sander. You can actually use one of those, but dedicated sharpeners will have angle guides and other safety features.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Extremely effective
āŠ• Big results in little time
āŠ— Can easily damage or destroy knives if used incorrectly
āŠ— Requires a power source

This is how knives are sharpened at the factoryā€”belt sanders are the tools professional knife sharpeners employ. Some models are simple, and use belts of a single grit. Others may be more elaborate, featuring precise, alterable angle guides, hand guards, interchangeable belts, and other features.

Just be careful to read any relevant instructions, watch some video tutorials, and practice first on a knife you donā€™t care about. These things work well enough that you can quickly round a bladeā€™s tip, destroy a steelā€™s heat treatment, or cause undue wearā€”even in just a few seconds of carelessness.

Ceramic Rods

Safe and Easy to Use but They Require Patience

Set into holes in a stable base, ceramic rod sharpeners help maintain a consistent angle while protecting your hands.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Consistent results
āŠ• Easy to use
āŠ• Safe
āŠ— Results can be limited on harder steels
āŠ— Ceramic rods break when dropped

Addressing the major issues inherent in whetstones, ceramic rod sharpeners work on similar principles, but are farĢżeasier to use. Simply pull a knife down the guided rods, and repeat until the edge is sharp.

Guided Angles

Expensive and Time-Consuming, but You Canā€™t Argue with the Results

These things combine precise angle control while the gentle nature of manual sharpening.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Easy on your blade
āŠ• Extremely effective
āŠ— Can be expensive
āŠ— Time consuming to set up
āŠ— Results require patience

To use a guided angle sharpener, just clamp it to the edge of a counter or workbench, install the correct angle guide, clamp in your knife, then manually sweep ceramic abrasives in swappableĢżgrits across your edge. These are a great option for expensive knives because the angle between blade and abrasive is precisely controlled, and you can be as gentle as you need, or really bear down on the handle to bring a dull knife back from the dead. I struggle to find the patience to set mine up and take it down, so even while this is likely the most effective option, itā€™s also one it takes commitment to employ regularly.

Rolling Stones

Foolproof, but Can Only Get Your Knives So Sharp

Also combining precise angle control with manual operation (and few or no moving parts), these promise to work as well as a Guided Angle sharpener, with no setup or takedown.

Pros and Cons
āŠ• Dead simple
āŠ• Gentle on your blades
āŠ• Precise angle control
āŠ— Limited effectiveness
āŠ— Incompatible with some blade designs

These burst into social media prominenceĢżout of nowhere in the last couple of years. I bought one on the promise that itā€™d be as foolproof as a guided angle sharpener without all the hassle, but was immediately disappointed when the angle guide (a magnetic block you place on your counter, then push the blade against) refused to hold a saber-ground knife securely at the 20 degrees I needed.

To use one, you just use that guide to hold your knife inverted, then roll the sharpener back and forth while pushing your hands together to create pressure. Swapping wheels to different grits can achieve progressively finer results.

The post The 9 Best Ways to Sharpen Any Knife appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

If you go shopping for a premium knife right now, youā€™ll find a new word plastered across online retailers and local shops: MagnaCut, a new type of blade steel thatā€™s dominating the market all of a sudden. Now, MagnaCut is being used to justify some astonishing prices. So I set out to learn what it is, how it performs, and whether or not itā€™s worth the premium. And because Iā€™m just a casual knife enthusiast rather than an engineer or craftsman, I set out to do that in terms us normal people could understand.

ā€œMagnaCut has generated quite the buzz due to its toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance,ā€ explained Morgan Keenan, who produces handmade knives in Bozeman, Montana for his brand . ā€œTypically it is very difficult for a steel to excel in all three of those categories. One that is very hard, and able to hold an edge very well, tends to be more brittle. A steel that can bend and take a beating tends to be softer. Stainless steel that can do all that without corroding? Itā€™s just a game changer for the knife world.ā€

ā€œA user will experience a steel that resists rusting, holds an edge well between sharpening, and is resistant to edge rolling and chipping,ā€ Larrin Thomas, the metallurgist who invented MagnaCut, told ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų.

ā€œGenerally speaking, you can maximize two of those things, but not the third,ā€ said Peter Parker, lead design engineer for Leatherman. That brand just released a new flagship multitool called the Arc, which justifies its $80 premium over similar tools thanks to the incorporation of a MagnaCut blade. ā€œIf you make a knife that doesnā€™t corrode, then it doesnā€™t hold an edge. Stainless is not as great as carbon steel at holding an edge. But then carbon steel corrodes. With smart and clever metallurgy [Thomas has] found a sweet spot in the chemical composition that hasnā€™t been done before.ā€

MagnaCut is produced by Crucible Industries, a New York-based steel manufacturer. The companyā€™s specialty is a powder metallurgy processā€”known as ā€”which Thomas explains allows for fine control of a steelā€™s molecular properties.

“The liquid steel passes through a nozzle which is sprayed with nitrogen gas to instantly solidify the steel into fine particles,ā€ Thomas describes. This gives steels, ā€œa much finer microstructure for more consistent properties.ā€

It also allows metallurgists like Thomas to tinker with precise ratios of different compounds in a steel alloy, and how they interact with each other.

ā€œStainless steels have high chromium, forming chromium carbide with the high carbon necessary for high-hardness knife steels,ā€ explains Thomas. ā€œThe best non-stainless powder metallurgy tool steels only have the hardest carbide types, typically vanadium carbide. The powder metallurgy keeps the carbides small for good toughness, while the very high hardness of the vanadium carbides provides wear resistance. Chromium carbides are smaller and so do not provide as much wear resistance, while being similarly detrimental for toughness. More carbide means more wear resistance but lower toughness because they are hard, brittle particles. A harder carbide provides a better combination of wear resistance and toughness. Therefore, the combination of wear resistance and toughness was better for the non-stainless steels.ā€

ā€œMagnaCut uses a unique approach where the chromium content was reduced and the other alloying elements balanced so that chromium carbides are avoided and it has the same properties as non-stainless steels,ā€ the metallurgist continues. ā€œRemoving chromium carbide from the microstructure also improved corrosion resistance versus other stainless steels. Stainless steels get their corrosion resistance from a chromium oxide passive film at the surface. If the chromium has already formed a bond with carbon, it is not available to form the chromium oxide. MagnaCut avoids this issue, so it has both better corrosion resistance and a better wear resistance-toughness balance than prior stainless knife steels.ā€

I asked Keenan to put all that in plain English. ā€œWhat makes stainless steel ā€˜stainless’ is the amount of chromium in the mix,ā€ he explains. ā€œBut this chromium can bond with carbon creating carbides and negating the corrosion resistance and ā€˜stainless’ property. ā€œThe beauty of MagnaCut is in the mix, there is just the right amount of carbon to keep all of the other elements of the mix in carbides, and the chromium is able to maintain the stainless properties of the steel.ā€

Before developing MagnaCut, Thomas worked on automotive alloys, while writing about his passionā€”this history of knife steel metallurgyā€”on his blog: . One brand that was heavily inspirational in his work used to put the word ā€œcutā€ after the name of its unique alloys, so Thomas wanted to pay homage to that naming convention with his first knife steel.

ā€œI named the steel MagnaCut, Magna being the Latin word for great or awesome,ā€ he says.

Leathermanā€™s Parker notes that MagnaCut does have a downside. ā€œItā€™s kind of expensive, thatā€™s the tradeoff,ā€ he explains. ā€œAll this awesome stuff doesnā€™t come for free.ā€

Parker says that the powder atomization process and heat treatment for MagnaCut cost about the same as any other premium steel, but that thereā€™s more costs on the manufacturing side.

ā€œOnce we have it in the factory, itā€™s really hard to grind and process it,ā€ he says. ā€œIt doesnā€™t wear out when the consumer is using it, but it also puts up a fight when we try and make these to the Leatherman quality standard. Itā€™s hard to make it uniform from side to side. You tend to get one side that looks different from the other because you have to push on it so hard to grind the material. That means the tooling has to essentially be pushing harder to the metal which makes things flex. Youā€™re battling the material.ā€

Still, ā€œthis is a massive step in the knife world,ā€ says Keenan.

The Best MagnaCut Knives

For The Kitchen: Sitka x James Brand Anzick ($499)

My wife and I have been using one of these regularly since May, supplanting all other knives in our kitchen. We cook almost all our meals, and this sucker is still sharp. Itā€™s also sturdy enough that itā€™s on the packing list for both a three-week holiday trip to our cabin and a three-month camping trip to Baja Sur and back next year.

For Your Pocket: ($225)

Legendary knife designer Ken Onionā€™s take on an Old West boot dagger, this thing is more fun to fidget with than it is practical, but it is still a very pocketable blade that you can flick open and cut stuff with. It also feels like it costs a lot more money than it does thanks to the sturdy stainless steel and G10 handle.

For The Outdoors: ($225)

Small, slim, and lightweight, this thing is my constant companion in the backcountry. Thatā€™s due as much to the excellent sheath as it is to the blade itself. Much less bulky than similar sheaths from other companies, this one allows you to mount the knife tip-up to a pack strap, horizontally to a belt, or in the traditional tip-down belt hang. Across two weeks spent in a skiff on the Prince William Sound, the knife didnā€™t develop a single spec of corrosion.

For Fixing Stuff: ($230)

Easily the sexiest multitool ever made, this thing is also immensely practical thanks to two bit holders, a redesigned awl, a diamond-like coating on the file, and of course that strong, sharp, easily accessible MagnaCut blade.

The post This Super Steel Is Revolutionizing Knives. Is It Worth the Price? appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Handy people know the multitool conundrum: Do you carry one in lieu of a quality pocketknife? If you forgo the knife, you’ll sacrifice good ergonomics, rapid access, and durable blades. But in exchange you’ll receive a more diverse array of tools.

Thatā€™s the problem Leatherman is trying to solve with the new Arc ($230). The multitool comes complete with a 2 3/4-inch knife blade made from ā€”the latest, greatest, and trendiest steel on the market. Complete with a generous thumb stud, deep carry pocket clip, and an ideal tip-up, right-hand carry configuration, it attempts to combine a full-size multitool with a very good knife. But can it do so without compromise?

The Arc is an evolution of Leathermanā€™s Free P4 platformā€”first released in 2019. That tool uses magnets and redesigned tool access that make the thing operable one-handed, while also packing more tools than other models into a slimmer footprint. All that works exceptionally well. Reviewing that tool, we called it, ā€œthe only series of multitools you should consider.ā€

On top of the Free P4, the Arc adds a black-anodized body to give it a more upscale look, and has revised the tool selection based on customer feedback to add more utility. AĢżnew bit holder replaces the Free P4ā€™s fixed flat and Phillips-head screwdrivers. Combined with an 20-tool bit selection housed in the included nylon sheath, this adds a diverse array of new capabilities.

ā€œIt made sense to put all of our best features and all of our best tools into into product,ā€ explains Leatherman Senior Product Manager Jeremy Rodriguez.

From left to right: Pry bar, medium flathead and bottle opener; mini-bit driver; awl and wire stripper; scissors; wood/metal file, diamond-coated file, edge file; needlenose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, electrical crimper, striking surface; CPM Magnacut knife blade; saw; bit driver; can opener. (Photo: Leatherman)

I find the inclusion of the T10 Torx driver in that toolset particularly useful, allowing me to check tightness on the small screws that mount my Trijicon red dot sight to my handgun. Those are prone to coming loose if the gun gets knocked around outdoors, which switches the sight off. Being able to simply grab the Arc from my pocket, re-torque the screw, and bring the sight back to life saves a lot of headaches, and here in grizzly country, might even save my life.

Thereā€™s also a mini-bit driver which holds a double-ended eyeglass screwdriver, with both flat and Phillips heads. Housing such small tools inside a large, easily portably, one-hand accessible device means I have the ability to cinch up the arms on my Randolphs, and run less of a chance of losing one of the two tiny little screws that holds them together.

That mini-bit driver is adapted from the one first prototyped on Leathermanā€™s limited-edition Mr. Crunch tool, which was released as part of the companyā€™s new Garage program last year. The purpose of Garage is to give the company a means to test new solutions and designs across a large numbers of users (500 Mr. Crunchā€™s were made), then gather user feedback to develop better tools. Itā€™s nice to see that program bearing fruit so soon, and promises more user-centric innovation in the future.

But ultimately, the point of Arc is the blade. ā€œCPM Magnacut maximizes edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance,ā€ explains Leatherman Lead Design Engineer Peter Parker, on what makes that steel such an upgrade. Previously, knife steels have been able to optimize for one or two of those features, but not all three.

Other brands are rapidly adopting Magnacut for everything from large fixed-blade bushcraft knives to high-end pocket folders and chefā€™s knives. ā€œItā€™s kind of expensive, that’s the tradeoff,ā€ says Parker, going on to explain that it brings layers of new challenges to Leathermanā€™s manufacturing process, which explains the Arcā€™s price. Where the regular Free P4 retails for $150, the Arc adds $80 to that, mostly just to include the Magnacut blade.

Iā€™ve been carrying the Arc for a few weeks, and have tried to use the knife on it as often as possible for everything from food preparation, to wild game processing, and cutting up cardboard boxesā€”a task which rapidly dulls most blades. And while I can report that it remains shaving sharp, thatā€™s nothing new for Magnacut. Other blades in my connection made from that material have held up to months of daily use before going dull. Which leads us to another downside of Magnacut: Itā€™s difficult to sharpen.

Where previous blades on Leatherman tools have been made from 420ā€”a very basic stainless steelā€”and are terrible at edge retention as a result, they are at least simple to sharpen. Iā€™ve failed at all attempts to return any Magnacut knife to anything approaching usefulness myself, and have been forced to seek the help of a professional.

Other than its use of Magnacut, the only remarkable thing about the Arcā€™s blade is the big thumb stud, which makes deploying the knife easy. The drop point and hollow grind are similar to the blade on the Free P4, as is the 2 3/4-inch length.

And, like any other multitool, the Arc remains less than ideal when considered purely as a pocketknife. While the clip is a good one, the handle is just too large and too awkward to provide much comfort or security, and even with the thumb stud, deploying the blade isnā€™t anywhere as slick as the mechanism achieved by by pretty much any quality folder.

If youā€™re used to carrying a real knife in you front pocket everywhere you go, the Arc probably isnā€™t going to replace that. Whether or not the presence of a Magnacut blade justifies the $80 premium is going to likely going to come down to your desire for owning the latest, greatest gadget, versus either your patience for relying on a professional sharpening service, or your skill performing that job.

The Arc represents a solid effort at refining the Free P4 platform, achieving the impressive trick of packing even more usefulness into a tool of the exact same size. But it still asks users to compromise ergonomics and convenience if they want to carry one in place of their pocketknife. Mine lives in my backpack, in the exact same pocket every multitool I’ve carried before has.

The post Can the New Leatherman Arc Replace Your Trusty Pocketknife? appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

A good pocketknife creates a foundation of preparedness: with one, you can respond to everything from small, everyday tasksā€”slicing open boxes, cutting a tagā€”to big emergenciesā€”rescuing yourself or someone else from a car accident. Iā€™ve researched and tested pocketknives for over 30 years, across six continents, and on tasks ranging from the mundane to the genuinely lifesaving. All of my research and testing has led me to the very best pocketknivesā€”and everything you need to know to find the perfect one for you.Ģż

Part of the fun here is using different knives, and developing your tastes and preferences over time. When I was ten, I thought Swiss Army Knives were the pinnacle of sophistication. At 41, Iā€™ve learned I prefer a high quality folder. Your journey will be different, because itā€™s your own.

Benchmade Tagged Out ($200)

The Best Pocketknife

The most important quality of any blade is its sharpness. Itā€™s the primary determining factor in a knifeā€™s performance and what makes a knife safe to use.ĢżA sharp knife requires less force, and therefore reduces the odds of your hand slipping down the handle, onto the sharp edge or accidentally pushing or pulling it through whatever substance youā€™re cutting.Ģż

Pretty much any knife that isnā€™t the result of an impulse purchase at a gas station is going to arrive in your pocket with an adequately sharp blade. But every time you use your knife, youā€™ll incrementally dull its edge. So factors to keep in mind are how long a knife is able to retain its edge and how much work itā€™s going to take to keep that knife sharp.Ģż

The absolute sharpest blade Iā€™ve ever tried, and the one that stayed sharp for the longest time, comes from . Look at the edge on most knives under a microscope and youā€™ll see a jagged line, not a straight one. Those bumps and grooves introduce weakness, which allows wear. Select Edge controls the placement of individual carbide molecules in its steel, eliminating that microscopic jaggedness. Benchmade is then able to take advantage of that added strength to offer a finer edge angle. The only folding pocketknife currently available with Select Edge is the .Ģż

My only complaint: Select Edgeā€™s unique angle and extraordinary hardness makes it difficult to sharpen the knife yourself. Youā€™ll need to ship your Select Edge knife to Benchmade to bring it back from dull.

Work Sharp Combo ($50)

The Best Knife Sharpener

The easiest way to keep a pocketknife sharp is to buy one made from steel you can sharpen yourself. And the most convenient knife sharpener Iā€™ve ever found is the . Like any powered belt sharpener, youā€™ll need to be careful not to round a bladeā€™s tip or overheat its steel, but once youā€™ve read the instructions, this thing is just downright easy to use. Give your knife a few swipes on each side regularly, and it will never go dull.Ģż

Milwaukee Fastback ($15)

Best Replaceable Blade Knife

Another way to ensure you always have a sharp blade handy is to go with a replaceable blade knife. This may be the best option for people using their knives for daily work, as pausing to sharpen a blade multiple times throughout a day is anything but efficient. The downsides are that thin, replaceable blades break easily if bent or twisted, and that carrying plenty of replacement blades can get annoying. If you go this route, fans love the for its ease of opening, well-placed pocket clip, and its ability to store up to five extra blades inside its handle.Ģż

CRKT LCK+ ($44)

Best to Carry

The second most important quality for a knife to have is to be easy to carry. Blade size, handle shape, and pocket clip arrangement are all determining factors of how well a knife carries.Ģż

The longer a knife blade, the larger objects it can cut. Blades that are thicker may be stronger, and ones that are broader may offer better slicing performance. But a lot of blade shape and size comes down to looks and feel. Some knife users simply prefer a the sturdy looks and heft provided by longer, fatter, broader blade.Ģż

The tradeoff to size is, well, size. A good compromise between utility and pocketability comes with a blade length of about three to four inches.Ģż

While the dimensions of a pocketknifeā€™s handle are largely determined by the blade that pivots into it, the shape of its edges and its thickness are also determined by its design. A handle with smooth, rounded edges, which is as slim as possible, will more easily fit into more pockets. But you also want a handle that is comfortable to hold. The size of your hand, and the amount of work you intend to perform with your knife will inform what size and shape of handle is right for you.Ģż

A clip ensures pocketknives ride securely. While this might seem like a simple feature, slight variances in clip location can actually make a huge difference. The best clips are those that conceal the entire body of the knife under the lip of your pocketā€”not for the purpose of stealthiness, but simply for security. A knife handle that protrudes above the level of your pocket may catch on things, press into your hip when you sit down, and provide less security. If your knife catches on something, and falls out of your pocket, or if you have to take your knife out of your pocket to find comfort, then that knife may not be with you when you need it.

The is around the size of a Sharpie, and it provides a perfect deep-carry pocket clip that orients the blade tip up, and to the rear of a right-hand pocket. While the handle is slim, itā€™s long enough to fill my size-11 hands, and provides ample traction.

Opinel No. 8 ($18)

Best Budget Pocketknife

Compared to a fixed bladeā€”where the blade and handle are one unitā€”folding knives add a potential point of failure. This is what makes them easy to carry, since they fit into a pocket, typically without the need for a sheath, but it also introduces an element of danger. Should a pocketknifeā€™s blade fold onto your hand or fingers during use, itā€™ll hurt. To prevent accidents, virtually all folding pocketknives include some sort of blade retention feature.Ģż

The simplest form of blade retention comes from friction. The prototypical example here is the Swiss Army Knife, which simply pinches its blade tightly inside its frame, making it hard to move in either direction. The benefit there is the low price, the downside is it doesnā€™t do much to keep your blade open.Ģż

A better choice is some sort of mechanical device that physically prevents the blade from opening. The simplest, easiest one is the rotating collar on an Opinel. By rotating over the channel the blade folds into, it prevents that knifeā€™s blade from closing on your hand. But deploying the Opinelā€™s blade requires two additional stepsā€”first twisting the collar closed when you open the blade, then doing the same in reverse before you can close it.Ģż

The best retention mechanisms deploy automatically, any time the blade is opened, and also work to keep the blade safely inside the handle as the knife rides in your pocket. Different brands achieve this in many different ways. Some are complicated, requiring buttons, springs, and other small parts that might easily fail. A stronger, simpler, but more expensive method is to separate a portion of the knifeā€™s frame, then bend that inwards so it wants to spring behind the blade as it opens. This can be done using either a metal liner that rides inside some other handle material, or with the entire, unified frame of the knife.Ģż

Sebenza 31 ($450)

Best Splurge Pocketknife

South African knife designer Chris Reeve invented the frame lock in the late-1980s. His continues to be one of the strongest, highest quality pocketknives out there. The Sebenzaā€™s handles are simply two slabs of titanium bolted together. Half of one side is separated and tensioned, so it folds to block the entire width of the blade when open.Ģż

Flaws But Not Deal Breakers

If a knife is sharp, easy to carry, and features a secure, convenient locking mechanism, itā€™ll be a good knife. But beyond those factors, there are a bunch of other variables to consider.

Blade Shape and Grind

A knife blade has a length, thickness, width, and both two and three-dimensional shapes. A lot of this is simply aesthetic in nature, which is to say: pick one you think looks cool. There are some performance variablesā€”a slim knife with a high grind will slice betterā€”but the differences are very small. When in doubt, simply look for a shape that’s not too zany, and a blade that’s not too thick, which offers a high or totally flat grind. Thatā€™ll be good at everything.

Opening Mechanisms

The nail knick on a Swiss Army Knife or old pen knife generally takes two hands to open, and a good fingernail. A thumb stud might provide more purchase and allow the use of a single hand, but it can snag on pocket linings. A spring-operated assisted opening feature can make a blade fast to deploy, but it adds complication and potential for failure. A lever built into the back of the blade might make a knife easy to flip open and form a finger guard when deployed, but it can also snag. There are pluses and minuses to everything; try out new knives to see what you like.

Steels

As you move up in price with knives, youā€™ll see the types of steel used to construct their blades listed as selling points. There are far too many varieties of steel to mention here. Understand that any claim like ā€œsurgical steelā€ is total bullshit, and instead look for brand and alphanumerical name, like CPM S35V or Bƶhler M390. Google will then direct you to descriptions of that steelā€™s merits. In addition to the type of steel, some knife makers and steel producers also apply unique heat treatments that can add additional performance to blades.

What About Multitools?

While many multitools incorporate a knife blade into their toolset, the blade is typically of bargain basement quality and can be complicated to access. While a multitool may technically be pocketable, and may even include a pocket clip, theyā€™re almost always much bulkier, which makes them less convenient to carry and less comfortable to use. If itā€™s not with you, you wonā€™t be able to use it.Ģż

But a good multitool does make a good accompaniment to a good pocketknife, if you can carry both. If not, stick with the knife, which youā€™ll use more often.Ģż

Whatā€™s in My Pocket?

When I got home from the airport late last night, the first thing I did was grab a knife out of my knife drawer and stick it in my pocket. That happened to be a with a CPM CruWear blade and brown micarta handle.Ģż

With a 3.5-inch flat-ground, drop-point blade, the Paramilitary 2 is just the right size for pocket carry in a typical pair of jeans. It features a strong liner lock design that inserts a portion of the frame between the back of the blade and one of the bolts that holds the thing together, so thereā€™s no way the blade could ever accidentally close.Ģż

This particular version is made special by both its blade steel, and the handle material. is an exceptionally hard-wearing tool steel thatā€™s capable of holding an edge for a long time, but nevertheless requires a little special attention due to its high carbon content. I donā€™t mind rubbing a little on the blade every time I clean it, but it would easily tarnish and develop surface corrosion without that care. On top of the steel frame liners, Spyderco has fitted a handle made from . That material sets fibers into a resin, producing a comfortable surface thatā€™s almost soft to the touch, and which remains tractive when wet. Both that steel and the handle will develop a unique patina over time.Ģż

I donā€™t like Spydercoā€™s pocket clips, so I will replace this one with a deeper carry option in the near future.Ģż

Accompanying the blade, I also carry a small on my keychain. Itā€™s TSA compliant, so it travels with me and provides some capabilities the knife cannot. I use it less than the knife, so choosing a multitool thatā€™s as small as possible makes sense for my needs.Ģż

On Sunday, I used the knife to field dress a deer. Two nights ago, while staying in a hotel, I used the tweezers in the multitool to remove a splinter. I was prepared for that and more, all thanks to the content of a single pants pocket. You can be too.

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Iā€™m carrying a in my pocket right now. Thatā€™s only around one-tenth the price of the knife I normally carry, but it still gets the job done.

When it comes to pocket knives, Iā€™m guilty of having expensive taste. The blade I had been carrying for the last couple of years was a DPx Aculus Flipper, which retails for $450.Ģż

I justify that price partly because my friends and I like to give each other knives as gifts. That Aculus came from my buddy , who also happened to design it. I gave a similar one to my friend Griff a few years back. Spending that money on other people feels better than spending it on myself.Ģż

And because my friends like to give each other knives, Iā€™ve got plenty to choose from right now, even though I lost the Aculus in a COVID-induced brain fog. But rather than grabbing something else fancy out of the drawer in my nightstand, Iā€™ve instead been reaching for this $44 CRKT. Itā€™s one of those products thatā€™s just right, even though itā€™s relatively cheap.Ģż

There are a couple of things I want any pocket knife to do. The LCK + excels at all of them. Since pocket knives spend most of the day riding inside my front right pocket, I need them to carry well. This knife does that thanks to a deep carry pocket clip that positions the entire body of the knife below the level of of the pocketā€™s brim. Itā€™s incredibly slim dimensionsĢżare approximate to a large Sharpie, which makes it barely noticeable. Because Iā€™m right handed, I like a knife with the blade tip-up, facing rearwards in that front right pocket. That way when I grab it, itā€™s ready to open, without any shuffling.

And thanks to that fancy Aculus, Iā€™ve also become a fan of flippers. A flipping mechanism places a small lever at the base of the blade. When closed, the lever protrudes from the back of the knife and provides the leverage necessary to quickly flick the blade open. Once open, that lever serves as a solid finger guard, preventing your hand from sliding forward onto the sharp edge.Ģż

The LCK + backs up that lever with a spring-loaded assisted opening mechanism. Flick the lever, and after it travels a few millimeters, a spring hidden inside the handle takes over and forces the blade open. Iā€™ve never been a huge fan of assisted openers because they usually require a little play to be left in the pivotā€”so friction doesnā€™t interfereā€”but the ball bearing inside this CRKT feels rock solid.Ģż

By forcing the blade open, that action also deploys the liner lock. The strongest way to safely lock a folding knifeā€™s blade open is with a frame lock. That design sees a portion of the monolithic frame twisted so that it will move inwards when the blade pivots out of the handle, preventing the knife from closing on the userā€™s hand. But making a big chunk of metal move is expensive, as evidenced on the Aculus. A cheaper way to achieve a similar effect is to make the handle from one materialā€”in the case of the CRKT, glass-filled nylonā€”then reinforce that with a thin steel liner, complete with one torsion section. And thatā€™s whatā€™s done here. The indicator of the quality execution of a frame or liner lock isĢżcut in how far that locking bar moves across the blade. And the LCK + achieves perfection, with a locking bar that reliably connects with the blade precisely in the middle, every time.Ģż

In addition to how helpful it is to have a knife on hand for opening packages, helping with food prep and consumption, and various tasks as I work on my trucks, house, and yard, a lot of the satisfaction I derive from knives comes simply from how they look. And while the LCK +ā€™s handle is a total non-event, the satin-finished blade is seriously eye pleasing. Slim and hollow-ground, it feels more like a French steak knife than it does a brute force implement. Sure, itā€™s made from 8Cr13MoV steel, which is an elaborate acronym for cheap, but thatā€™s another big reasonĢżfor that $44 price tag.

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Iā€™m not a survivalist, but thatā€™s not to say I donā€™t end up over my head in the woods. It happens quite a bit, but Iā€™ve never been in a situation where I needed to catch a fish to survive or start a fire to stave off hypothermia. Usually, I just need an extra bike tube or another beer. Yet Iā€™ve always been obsessed with the classic Rambo survival knife.

If youā€™re not familiar with particular piece of gear, imagine an uncomfortably long fixed blade with a hollow handle that stores a compass, fishing hooks, fishing line, and matches. It was like a Bowie knife had a baby with a multi-tool, and I was in awe of it when I was a kid. The movie First Blood came out in 1982 when I was six and trying to figure out what kind of a man I would become. Rambo seemed like a solid role model at the time because A) he had a badass knife, and B) he fashioned that knife into a spear to take on bad guys.

I only knew this from seeing the previews and movie posters because my parents wouldnā€™t let me see the movie. But somehow, they let me have the knife. Actually, it was a knock-off version purchased at a dusty flea marketā€”the official Rambo knife was too expensive. But all of the key elements were there. I loved unscrewing the cap, laying out the various survival tools and imagining different scenarios where Iā€™d need to use them.

My original Rambo knife is long gone, which is fine because I no longer have those survival fantasies. Iā€™ve spent enough time in the wilderness to know that I would be pretty useless in a survival situation even if I had Ramboā€™s magical knife. I canā€™t catch a fish using high quality gear and bait designed in a lab; itā€™s definitely not happening with just a bare hook and line. I donā€™t remember Rambo ever bothering to fish in his movies but he does use the line and hook to sew up a gash in his arm. Iā€™m not doing that either. I might duct tape a wound shut, or use super glue, but Iā€™m not stitching it myself.

But Iā€™m still attracted to the concept of a survival knife, and some very respectable knife-makers still produce blades that are akin to that original Rambo tool. Theyā€™re a little more refined and realistic, and theyā€™re not so overtly aggressive as Ramboā€™s fixed blade. Would they do me any good in a survival situation? Probably not. As Wes Siler says, the ticket to survival isnā€™t a tool; itā€™s a set of skills.

Still, a boy can dream. Here are my four favorite survival knives that actually might come in handy if shit hits the fan.

Gerber Ultimate Survival ($50)

At one point, Gerber partnered with Bear Grylls to make a fully-featured survival knife. The 4.75-inch is the evolution of that partnership and features a stainless-steel pommel that can be used for hammering, a whistle for emergencies, and a ferro rod for starting fires. The handle is rubberized too, to provide better grip when your hands are sweaty or wet.Ģż It’s also a full-tang knife, which means the steel runs all the way through the handle making it harder to break, so you can use it for heavier duties like splitting kindling.

CRKT Parascale ($113)

Fun fact about that Rambo knifeā€”the handle was wrapped in green thread that you could untie and use to sew a wound shut. CRKT takes a similar but less gruesome tack with , a folding knife with a handle wrapped in paracord. Unravel it and you have four feet of cord to build a shelter or brace a limb. While other folding knives have a weak point at the joint, the 3.2-inch Parascale is built with interlocking steel bolts at the hinge to create a stronger connection point for chopping wood.

Opinel No.12 Explore Outdoor Folding Knife ($55)

Opinel makes really pretty folding knives that are often used as picnic knives. But is designed for outdoors scenarios with two survival-specific features: a flint fire starter and a tick remover. Starting fires is handy, but I really like the idea of adding a tick remover to your knife since I live on the East Coast where theyā€™re common. The No.12 also has a whistle and a cutting hook, along with Opinelā€™s simple and classic locking ring. The whole package is ten inches long with the four-inch blade out.

Leatherman Signal ($130)

Multitools are mostly useless in a survival situation because theyā€™re loaded with tools more suited for light office duty than wilderness scenarios. The 7.5-ounce is the exception with a suite of tools designed to help you out when things go south. It has the normal trappings of a multi-toolā€”pliers, Phillips head screwdriverā€”but also a ferro rod so you can start a fire and a whistle so you can call for help. Thereā€™s a small saw for cutting duties and a 2.7-inch 420 stainless steel blade.

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A good knife goes a long way. From pocket-sized blades to larger slicers, we’ve got you covered.

James Brand Hells Canyon ($295)

Weighing just under four ounces, the Hells Canyon is a backcountry foodieā€™s dream. The 5.4-inch chef-style blade is an ideal length for camp-kitchen tasks, and holds an edge flawlessly courtesy of premium steel that resists corrosion. Itā€™s also tough as nails.

WESN Microblade 2.0 ($70)

Donā€™t be fooled by its size: this 1.5-incher is constructed from high-carbon tool-grade steel thatā€™s up for any chore, from opening packaging to cutting paracord and guylines. Closed, itā€™s just over two inches long and fits on a key chain. Ceramic roller bearings and a flipper create a smooth, one-handed opening action.

CRKT Biwa ($50)

At 1.6 ounces, the Biwa is the lightest hunting and angling knife weā€™ve seen, but it still holds up to tougher jobs like cleaning fish. The three-inch full-tang blade resists corrosion, and the slim G10 fiberglass-laminate handle is maneuverable for paring.

Benchmade 535-3 Bugout ($300)

Benchmade keeps upping the ante on ultralight everyday carry. The newest addition to the brandā€™s popular Bugout line has a 3.2-inch drop-point blade made of wear-resistant steel and a carbon-fiber handle, which brings the 535-3 in at just over two ounces. Tech and durability aside, it also looks good, with stylish blue highlights on the thumb stud and lanyard hole.

Zippo SureFire ($20)

The SureFire has everything you need to start a blaze in one neat package. A saw cuts small branches for kindling, a tinder grater and fire paracord create fuel, and a flint wheel sets the spark. A penknife, a flathead screwdriver, and a bottle opener round out this multitool.

CRKT Bona Fide ($125)

The newly updated Bona Fide makes cleaning and disassembling even easier than beforeā€”just slide the button on the handle to separate the knife into three pieces. During all our tests it never came apart accidentally, and the supremely smooth bearing system made it an absolute joy to use.

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Gerber Armbar Cork ($39)

This eight-tool, 3.1-ounce device is a solid base-camp assistant, with scissors, a hammer, and a 2.5-inch blade for an array of chores. Bottle, can, and wine openers keep food and drink flowing, and the stonewashed finish adds class.

The James Brand Carter ($159)

This sleek Ā­everyday carry is as beautiful as it is functional. The de-sign is compact enough for small pockets and features a secure reversible clip. The 2.75-inch VG-10 blade is up to any task, and the ambidextrous slide lock makes it easy to access on the fly.

CRKT Parascale ($130)

The Parascale is up to the toughest backcountry tasks. The lock was the easiest and safest we tested. The burly 3.1-inch blade tucks away with the press of a large button at the hinge, and steel bolts keep it securely in place. The handle is wrapped in paracordā€”a first for a folder.

Spyderco ClipiTool Rescue ($62)

With a flathead screwdriver, a knife, and a rope cutter, this tool is a smart addition to your first aid kit. The 3.6-inch serrated blade can saw through small branches, while the rope cutter is sharp on the inside for quickly removing clothĀ­ing or Ā­severing tangled lines. All three tools are single-hand accessible, thanks to Spydercoā€™s thumb-cutout design, and liner locks keep the two sharp ones in place.

Benchmade 533 Mini Bugout ($140)

The lightest tool in our test, this folding model is a backpackerā€™s dream. It fits in an Altoids tin and weighs just 1.5 ounces. The 2.8-inch drop-point blade is great for slicing and stows in the handle with a slide lock. A reversible tip-up clip and tether loop keep it where you need it.

Coalatree Haswell ($135)

The Haswell looks and feels like a funcĀ­tional heirloom. This second edition is just as skillfully crafted as the limited-run version released four years ago. The full-tang, high-Ā­carbon steel blade is able to harvest vegetables and break down kindling with ease, and the walnut handle and beltable leather sheath look better with age.

Ģż

Editorā€™s Note: (5/20/20) In the print edition of the 2020 Summer Buyerā€™s Guide,ĢżŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶųĢżlisted the price of CRKT Parascale as $150. Weā€™ve updated this page to reflect the current price.

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With all due respect to the makers of real and useful multitools, and with no constraints of what would actually fit in a product,ĢżI designed the perfect multitool. I believe we have to dream big. (But I also believe it is quite probably impossible to stow a pizza cutter inside the handle of any multitool.)

Brendan Leonardā€™s new book, Bears Donā€™t Care About Your Problems: More Funny Shit in the Woods from , is .

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MultitoolsĢżcan save you from gear malfunctions in the wilderness or if you need to tinker with your toiletā€”and everything in between. The right one should be as at home in a pair of jeans as it is inĢża mountaineering pack. And because it might spend a ton of time with you in many different places, itā€™s important to pick the right one. I put four of my favorites in a head-to-head test to make your choice easier.

The Test

• Pocket Comfort: Each one lived in both my right and left front pockets of my most worn jeans for aĢżday (two days total).
• Tool Deployment: I opened each instrumentĢżon every multitoolĢża dozen times. During my garage and shed restructuring project, I deployed each instrument while my hands were full. I also buried all of these tools in dirt and then used them, because I can never keep a multitool clean in the field.
• Tool Efficacy: I used these tools for serious garage, side-yard, and shed-building projects. I cut up dozens of boxes, took apart a shoddily constructed shelving-and-workbench combo, and tinkered with additional shelving (Gorilla racks and others) in my garage. I also worked on all three of my bikes (mountain, road, and electric cargo).

The Results

The Winner: Leatherman Free P4 ($140)

Pocket Comfort: 5
Tool Deployment: 5
Tool Efficacy: 4

The Ģżtook the win because the 21-implement multitool was brilliantly designed, with exceptionally rich features, a sleek build, and simple functionality. Usually companies sacrifice one or more of those positive attributes in service of the others, but the P4Ģżrose to the top in all three categories. Credit aĢżmagnetic opening-and-closing system that makes all 21 instruments usable with just one hand. The ability to utilize any tool in the P4 while holding up something that would crush me if I let go was helpful during my garage and shed cleans. The two knives were among the sharpest in the test, and I was able to efficiently rip through wood with the saw. Iā€™m a strong believer that more implements donā€™t make a better multitool, but I was impressed by the sheer number inĢżthe P4 and how streamlined itĢżwas. However, its Phillips-head screwdriver was among the worst in the test, so beware of that.ĢżBut the smart design and usability of the other 20 tools earned the P4 a deserving victory.

Best Tools: CRKT Technician ($65)

Pocket Comfort: 3
Tool Deployment: 3
Tool Efficacy: 5

While Ģżhad only eight tools (the fewest in this test), each was extremely useful. With itsĢż4.5-inch closed length, 11.8-ounce weight, and beefy width, it tied for most onerous in my pocket, but if you want the most effective tool set, maybe youā€™ll stashĢżthe Technician in work pants and not skinny jeans. Even though the quarter-inch bit driver was about a half inch shorter than the Center Drive Plus (below), I never rapped my knuckles while unscrewing the shelves in my shed, and it had plenty of torque. I liked the texture of the M10 handle, which allowed my sweaty hands to get purchase on the tool and madeĢżit far more effective. The blade was excellent for breaking down boxes, but I was a little nervous taking on larger cutting projects with the 2.58-inch blade, because it was extremely sharp and didnā€™t lock. The telescoping magnetic pick-up tool was the surprise MVP for me;ĢżI was much more efficient when I could grab screws, nuts, and bolts that I dropped with the extended magnet instead of fully bending over.

Best for Simple Use: Gerber Center Drive Plus ($125)

Pocket Comfort: 3
Tool Deployment: 4
Tool Efficacy: 4

The Ģżreally hit a sweet spot in terms of extreme tool capability and ease of use. The pliers and the screwdriver were the simplest to operate with one handĢżand were beasts while wrenching on drawers and bikes. The screwdriver is particularly impressive:Ģżit spans the entire length of the handle (rather than swiveling out of the interior of the tool, like the others on this list), deliveringĢżmaximum torque. Using it feels almost identical to the screwdriver that lives in my tool kit. At 4.7 inches long (closed) and weighingĢż9.5 ounces, the 16-tool Center Drive was bulky in my pocket and would only make sense as an everyday carry if worn on a belt carrierā€”something I just canā€™t bring myself to do. Overall, if you mainly use the needle-nose pliers and screwdriver, the mix of burliness and usability on those two tools makes this your best bet.

Best Buy: SOG PowerPlay Hex ($46)

Pocket Comfort: 4
Tool Deployment: 3
Tool Efficacy: 3

SOG makes some of my favorite EDC knives,Ģżand that pedigree stood out in . It featured two of the top blades in this test: a straightedge that absolutely shredded cardboard and a serrated one that put up a fight against the P4ā€™s saw tool while cutting wood. The small, streamlined unit had a great overall aesthetic, with the exposed opening-and-closing cog catching my attention right out of the box. The HexĢżdid, unfortunately, get very difficult to use after I covered itĢżin dirt. Knives aside, the tool setā€™s challenges outweighed its functionalityā€”it had wimpy needle-nose pliers and an inefficient screwdriver. I was, however, extremely impressed that the Hex came close to the others in effectiveness, despite being half the price of the nearest competitor (and nearly a third of the most expensive).

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