Masculinity

It’s Time You Get A Proper Folding Knife

279 Comments

Since the dawn of Man, our ancestors have used knives for a myriad of vital tasks, from hunting to self-defense. And today is no different. After all, manual cutting tasks still need to get done, and even self-defense remains a live possibility which every modern man must be prepared for. Consequently, just as our ancestors carried knives, we too should arm ourselves in a similar manner.

In modern times, what this means is that we should own a quality folding knife. Indeed, in our present time, a folding knife is the most versatile bladed tool that a man can carry, and so every man should have one. However, given the numerous options that are available, it is hard to know which features to look for when choosing such a knife. That is why this article will give you some tips concerning the type of folder that you should purchase.

He might be able to take a 7-inch bowie to work, but you likely can’t…so let’s just focus on folders.

As mentioned, this article will only deal with folding knives. The reason for this is simple. This article is meant for everyone, and it is rather hard to attend most modern workplaces with a seven-inch fixed blade hanging from your belt. By contrast, every man—even the most den-dwelling computer techie—can carry a solid folder in his pocket.

Additionally, folders are still fast enough to open that they can be effectively used for personal defense, and they are also versatile enough to use for other purposes as well. Consequently, folders are the best all-around knife to discuss for the widest audience of men, which is why this article will focus solely on them.

The General Points

Now, the first piece of advice to remember when buying a folding knife is obvious: do not be cheap! This is especially important if this is going to be your sole knife. After all, you do not want your only knife to fail you when you need it most. So quality counts. Now, this does not mean that price equals quality, but a $10 folder is not going to cut it. However, also remember that it is always better to have a knife than no knife at all, so just get the highest quality folder that you can afford.

Additionally, focus on functionality over fanciness. If a particular knife looks like it was designed based on the fevered dreams of a sci-fi geek hoping to impress the ladies with his mad knife-designing “skills”, then it probably is not the knife for you.

This is not the folding knife that you want

Finally, fit the knife to your life. This means that if you are an office-worker, then the folder that you choose might have to be slightly thinner and more concealable than the folding knife used by a trucker. So keep your lifestyle in mind when picking your folder.

The Blade

When it comes to the blade, the critical point is to pick a blade that has an optimal balance for your specific needs of toughness, hardness, corrosion-resistance and edge-retention. Now, since this is a very detailed topic, and since there are several different blade steels to choose from depending on your needs, I would thus recommend that you read such webpages as Knife Informer’s ‘Guide to the Best Knife Steel’ article for further information on choosing the best blade metal for you.

Concerning length, the blade should be anywhere from two-to-five inches long; anything shorter will seriously reduce the knife’s functionality while anything longer will make the knife way too bulky for your pocket. The blade should also be of sufficient depth and width so that it is sturdy and can clearly handle a great deal of use. Essentially, you should be able to stab and/or cut things repeatedly without the knife breaking or becoming compromised.

Next, a half-serrated blade is recommended. Not only does a serrated edge often cut certain things better than a straight blade, but the possession of such a “utility” function on your knife will give you plausible deniability if you are ever stopped and questioned as to why you are carrying a knife.

Now, as far as the blade tip is concerned, so long as the tip is solid and sharp, feel free to choose whatever tip you like, be it a tanto-style tip or not.

Additionally, make sure that whatever mechanism or stud that is used to open the blade is both solid and allows for rapid opening. It should also be ambidextrous. There are many options, so play around with them until you find the right one for you. However, remember that the key is that the opening mechanism needs to easily and quickly work whenever its needed, but it should not be so big and bulky that it jams up your handling of the knife.

Finally, I would recommend a black matte finish to the blade to reduce any reflections off the blade; after all, no reason to give away the fact that you have a knife if you can avoid it.

The Handle

The handle should obviously fit your hand comfortably and firmly, it should have an anti-slip grip, and it should also be a black matte finish to prevent any unnecessary shine.

At the same time, it is critical to have a very strong locking mechanism for your blade within the handler, so that there is no chance of the blade collapsing when you are using the knife. Additionally, the locking mechanism needs to be quickly and easily accessible with one hand so that you can rapidly fold the blade back in if you need to conceal it.

The handle should have a clip which, once put in your pocket, will be tight enough to ensure that the knife does not slip out or move. But the clip should also be loose enough that it will not restrict the knife from being pulled out of your pocket in one smooth motion. Furthermore, the clip’s ending should be as close to the end of the handle as possible, which will allow the knife to sit deeper in your pocket and thereby be better concealed. The clip should also be mountable on either side of the handle, as well as reversible, which means that it can cause the knife to be situated blade up or blade down in your pocket.

Finally, make sure that the knife contains a window-breaking spike as well as a seat-belt cutter within the handle. Not only are these useful tools in their own right, but again, they give you plausible deniability about why you are carrying your knife.

An Example

Although this is by no means an endorsement, in light of all of the above, I want to show everyone the folder that I carry:

This one has treated me well for years!

This knife has nearly all the features described above and it has served me well for years. I recommend something similar for you.

Conclusion

Remember, while any folding knife is better than no knife at all, if you can carry a high-quality folder with the features described above, then you will be well set to meet whatever challenges come your way, so long as you know how to use it, that is! But that is a topic for another article.

Read More: 14 Self-Defense Tools To Use Where Weapons Are Banned

279 thoughts on “It’s Time You Get A Proper Folding Knife”

    1. “Know the knife laws in whatever jurisdiction you are carrying”
      If some fucking sharia ape gets in my face and tries anything with me, I say FUCK the laws; we are at WAR.

      1. Its pretty easy to find a knife that’s legal. If you read the linked article, a lot of guys spent a lot of money trying to defend themselves from a BS law. Like it or not, you can save yourself an awful lot of trouble with a little planning.
        Got my mother-in-law an assisted opening folder when I found out she was carrying a steak knife in her purse. Where she was living, a fixed blade knife carried that way is considered a concealed weapon. Yeah, I wouldn’t hesitate to use what I have– but, she was going to be open to criminal charges, and it would be used against her in terms of intent etc. At a minimum, even getting charges dropped would cost her thousands.

        1. This is all useful info, but you have to realize that we are at war, and it’s not, at least at this stage, being fought with arms like the yugoslav war, but via the existing policies as mandated by traitor political elites. The laws don’t mean shit; the system is set up to throw innocent men who defend themselves against any migrant insurgent in jail. This is regardless if he follows the proper protocol with regards to everyday carry knives.
          The west (both the USA and europe) are at war – if the plea from one Mr. Tommy Robinson isn’t responded to, then thats it:

        2. There’s little in this wicked world without a downside englishbob…glad we can count on you to find & expose it to us.

        4. I seem to have a bit of knack for that too…maybe I should’ve gone into that line of work. Positive thinking makes me want to hurl sometimes.

    3. Always good advice to be knowledgeable of the law.
      Ohio law on knives – you can carry any freaking thing you want with a blade, no length restrictions, no requirements on folding or not folding, in fact the only restriction is on automatic blades. So if I wanted to go into a bar with a katana on my back, the law wouldn’t say boo to me. This I know for a fact as some guys at motorcycle rallies where cops are monitoriing have giant ass k-bars on their leg and the cops don’t say shit.
      But if you once ever breath that you are or would ever use it as a weapon and you’re basically under arrest.
      Strange law, that.
      Cop: “What’s that 5 foot bastard sword strapped to your back for, sir?”
      Me: “Letter opener”
      Cop; “Very good, have a good day sir.”

        1. Most of the time, but I do like me a nice horse killing sword now and then.

        3. It’s always funny to me to see those kind of swords used as martial weapons in man to man combat in the movies.
          No kids, sorry, that was for bringing down his horse. You’d have another weapon at the ready once you unhorsed the big noble galoot.

        4. Actually, there was this pirate named Piers Donia who was reputed to decapitate multiple people in a single swing. Also, the Landsknecht regularly used this sword despite it being outlawed.

        6. I honestly can’t see it being practical for the average person. A huge mofo, ok, maybe, but give me a nice well sharpened Viking hand axe any day of the week and I’ll have four swings into his shoulder and chest before that behemoth thing manages to arc around close enough to cut me.

        7. Looney Tunes – Is there no subject that they have not already covered in full?

        8. If there is then it isn’t worth discussing I’d venture

        10. Or when you see them in the middle of a fight (with 1000s of guys around them) swinging it around like a madman, hitting nobody but the guy they were fighting

        12. Yep. I history rape films when I see them. Not during the showing, but bro, if you’re in my group and we’re walking out of the theatre you’re going to get a half hour verbal dissertation on every single historical or weapon type flaw in the movie, in stark cold detail.

        16. Shield maidens and Skrillex haircuts were very real in those days!

        17. where did you read that? peeps laffed at me for buying dvds of things like Looney Tunes…Im worried about on the fly editing of classics, guess youll all have to come over to my apt to see it unfiltered

        19. I gave up on that show pretty quickly. I went back for a bit for Ragnar’s son’s symbolic journey, but the show in general is utterly horrid now. I did like the first season though.

        20. Ah, nothing says more about the romance of the Highland era than some French dude with a munged accent that doesn’t technically sound like *anything* other than “weird”, eh?

        22. They’ve compressed about 300 years of history into about… 10. And of course, the crossbows that they have in the show didn’t exist until hundreds of years later.
          And don’t get me started on the obliteration of the strict sex roles that Vikings had. I mean, what’s the point?

        23. I was just about to say: he didn’t have an accent, he just couldn’t speak English. He was also blind as a bat, from what I recall.

        24. There’s no real historical evidence for the “battle viking princess” bullshit, I cannot believe that the History channel would let that even creep into the script. I think there’s been like two graves, tops, that had a female skeleton and a sword, and the sword may well have belonged to her family and not her. It’s all such idiocy. And they expect people who actually know history to just nod along.

        25. probably for the best. I saving up for an Acme catapult when I was a kid, the boulder flipped over on my little sister, killed instantly. haunts me to this day. I blame Friz Freleng

        26. Maybe she was confused and was trying to dig a grave with sword, tripped, fell into the grave and accidentally impaled herself with the sword.
          And thus the Legend of the Shield Maiden was born.

        27. Oh and have you seen Black Sails? Good fucking God, talk about turning history on its head!

        29. I’ve already been forewarned to avoid that show at all costs. So I have.

        31. I thought they were for throwing into no man’s land before the battle starts, to get your guys fired up.

        32. Did Vikings really have threesomes? I find it hard to believe a man like Ragnar Lothbrok would be a cuck.

        35. Simply extraordinary. Its all part of the effort to convince us that we are all gay. I think Black Sails had more gay sex and relationships than straight.

        36. The problem is that barely anyone (even in my native country) knows a shit about history or uses common sense. By the way, was that not supposed to be Herstory channel after they changed their name (the former one being Hitlerschannel….)

        37. Loved when the one pirate told blonde bitch there would be no going back after her last episode of cuntry, then followed through with it & killed her dad LOLOLOLOL

      3. CA has no length restrictions on any fixed blade knife. However, it defines them as dirks/daggers and can’t be carried concealed.
        6″ blade in a sheath on your belt- no problem. Wearing a coat that partially conceals it- problem.

        1. I love that I never, ever really..ever…have to worry about the law regardless of what I’m carrying while walking down the street on any particular day.
          K-Bar? Good to go
          Katana? Good to go
          1911A1? Good to go
          Shotgun? Good to go
          StG-58? Good to go
          Full auto Uzi SMG? Good to go

        3. Always good to hear what the well dressed men are wearing this year.
          Speaking of K-Bars, I’ve got one along with a bayonet for an M1Garand (obtained via CMP, engraved inventory number and scabbard marking indicate it did time with a foreign government) adorning my bathroom counter.

        4. When my pa got back from Vietnam, he gave me the bayonet from his M1A1. He was not infantry or anything so it was still basically like new. Still have it in my basement in the gun safe.

        5. I clearly remember being a very young boy and having my aging grandfather pull out his commando knife and show me the 4 notches on the base of the blade. Then he told me, in elaborate detail, how you kill a man with such a blade in a way that he can’t make a sound or fight back. That was some formative shit right there.

        6. It’s all in how you sling it. A proper holster and good sling make toting firearms easy as pie.

      4. Yeah most States carrying a gun is cool but don’t let me catch you with a knife!

  2. This is a wonderful article and I really do belie that all men should have a knife….one that is useful to them. For over a decade the knee man was practically inseparable from his Laguiole Gentleman Knife. Then it lost and I never replaced it. Reading this article has reminded me how I miss having it and I intend to go online and purchase its replacement this weekend.

      2. Side note Curwen, those are Christian Louboutin stilletos….French, not Italian.

        1. Gee, to what circle I’m going because I don’t know the difference? 8? 9?

        3. I have spent a lot of time studying the little vanities of women, shoe and bag brands, clothing brands, I can even identify quite a large number of perfumes. I have a very particular type of woman I like and what they wear says a lot to me about who they are in that regard. Being knowledgeable is always a good thing so yes, yes I do want to be pedantic.

        4. Like in all things scientia est potential ya? I aim at a very particular type of woman. Knowing these details helps me.

        5. Just curious, how did you stop yourself from turning into a fag? Ever seen men in the fashion industry? Most of them behave like women.

        6. Must…..not….crack……joke…….
          ……………………

        7. I’m not in the fashion industry I’m in the real estate development industry.
          I also know a lot about food–doesn’t make me fat. I know a lot about a lot of things.
          I wouldn’t want to work in the fashion industry but likewise i wouldn’t want to fuck women who aren’t fashionable so knowing a little something is helpful

        9. True and men who seek out work in the world of women’s fashion … well… what can you say.
          That said, I know how much most women spent on their outfits when I see them, I know their perfume. I know what her shoes say about her and what statement she is making with her bag. That stuff is important to me in the women i sleep with so knowing a little about it is kind of important

        10. We all want well dressed women, but knowing the difference between brands of high heels?
          I salute you Master.

        11. There is well dressed and well dressed. Further, and im sure Sherlock Holmes would back me up on this, you can tell a lot by what they are wearing.
          A woman with a Louis Vuitton bag versus a Celine bag versus a hermes bag? What clues does this give you. What jewelry is she wearing? What brand is her dress? Is it this years style? Chanel earring? What about pear earrings? Are the pearls genericnor mikimoto.
          I will bang fun sluts of course. But when it comes to a focused hunting for a woman I particularly want, her perfume choice matters, her drink order matters, manners, hair, all of it is clues

        12. Agree, but my point is that being able to distinguish between the last collection of Prada or LV is too much for me….
          Yes, in a date I’m very observant because those little details are clues about the personality. I can say if her jewelry is real or not, the brand of her watch (if real or not as well), brand of the purse (again, if real or not), etc., but not to the detail…
          Now, in a date the first thing I look is at her fingernails. Are they short? are they large? freshly painted? with silly decorations? The first flag in this case would be really short and no paint (and she’s not a MD nor a Nurse) because that possibly means she (whats the term?) eats them; and a girl who eats her nails means anxiety, psychological problems, etc.

        13. Fingernails and toenails if applicable are also the first thing that draws my eye funny you should say

        14. Its the first indicator about both mental stability and personal hygiene, lol

        15. I couldn’t agree with you more. For me it is nails, like you, and general hygiene but also bone structure. If I look at a woman and she has delicate fingers that look like they should be playing a violin, thin, well manicured nails and then I see she is immaculate, hair, skin, makeup all on point and then I look over what she is wearing and see that she tends towards high quality feminine but not necessarily the very latest trend and if she is carrying a bag like the aforementioned Celine or Hermes which is incredibly high end but isn’t a brand like LV that insists on itself with gaudy branding all over it she is directly in my bullseye.
          I saw one the other day in Louboutin’s not dissimilar from the plain black ones you posted, wearing a cartier watch with absolutely immaculate bone structure and nails in the most tasteful color. I failed to connect, but I had to try.
          I often say in RL and have said here more than once that a woman’s nails are like the bathroom in a restaurant. If they aren’t absolutely immaculate then you can expect every other part of her to be at least as fucked up or more…if a woman can’t put careful effort into what she shows the world be sure she isn’t putting ANY effort into what she isn’t just like if a restaurant can’t be bothered putting effort into its bathroom which everyone sees, there is no way it has a clean kitchen.

        17. Discerning men have discerning taste. If the vast majority of this country things “big boobs and good beer pong partner” are sufficient all the better for me

      3. High heels are an invention of Persians (it’s rumored), not Italians. They were used to help MEN properly keep their feet in the stirrups during battle.

        5. Well…that particular pair, sure.
          I’m a wet blanket party pooper sometimes, I know. Heh.

        6. that went in reverse quick…lol There is nothing like a well heeled woman in silk stockings in my book.
          Speaking of not letting people get away, Puerto Rican girl called me “papi” last night in a text. I told her that my general assumption is that 90% of unwanted pregnancies in Latinas are from them using that word

      5. few drunk tourists have met their end on those heals in places like Thailand.
        And one bitch on NYC subway – but, the dude knocked her out…IIRC

        1. Some years ago Down Under, a bouncer with a BJJ belt was killed with a stiletto high heel, a 60kgs girl stabbed him in the neck while the bouncer was submitting her boyfriend.
          Lessons of the story: BJJ doesn’t work IRL, bitches are dangerous and the italian stilletos knives are not the only ones that can kill.

        2. I am glad to hear you say that…I was really just thinking about this. Just last week it was some anniversary, maybe the birth of the guy who invented BJJ or someshit. Anyway, there was a lot of videos of people dancing around doing this crap and I thought to myself….ok, if you sped it up it would be a fine cardio exercise but probably still less effective than a stair climber…can this actually be a legit way of fighting? I don’t know anything about martial arts and I meant to ask the guys here what they think of BJJ because is seems like silly, ham fisted bullshit to me

        4. The only aspect aspect useful of BJJ in a real life fight are the throws, which are more or the less the same throws that you can find in Judo. In a fight oneonone in a controlled environment is useful if the opponent is not good enough at striking; a tough striker would be beat the shit out of any BJJ brown belt in the first 30 secs.

        5. It’s useful if your fighting on the ground. But fighting on the ground in a real combat situation is basically committing suicide, so it’s useless.

        6. All part of a well rounded marital arts education. As a person who likes to piss people off…most of the time they like to try and fight. Striking is the best way. Its all in the footwork. But many times, the fight goes to the ground. If you ever get some guy on top of you in a fight, its good to have the training to know how to reverse that situation in a second or two. But really though, striking is the better way to go.

        7. I did some formal boxing training and some informal bar room training but I am fairly sure that anyone who has serious marital arts training and isn’t drunk will put a good hurting on me unless I am lucky enough to connect first and hard. But I will be honest, if someone started doing that thing where they are doing cartwheels around in a circle on me I would most likely laugh myself to death…so, yeah, I guess they win.,

        8. I’ve never seen capoeira in the wild. I assume that’s what you mean. Only in movies and NatGeo. I’ve seen some wicked aerial TKD go massively wrong. I’ve seen kickboxers get jammed up trying to throw round kicks in crowds. I’ve even seen a guy get Goldberg speared in the middle of a street. Nothing is quite as effective as the 1, 2, 3 combo, head movement, and knowing when to side step. I say that with 20+ years of fighting experience in MMA cages, TKD tournaments, grappling tournaments, Kickboxing rings and judo mats.

    2. Any man who draws his gun that close to somebody he wishes to shoot is a) unfamiliar with tactical firearm usage and b) is going to get his ass handed to him.
      They’re called ranged weapons for a reason. That close and knife guy wins almost every time.

        1. Some shooters are south paws. Look it up.

  5. Böker and Coldsteel are excellent choices, they are not cheap but the aesthetic and quality is excellent.

    1. Spyderco/Benchmade FTW. A Spyderco Civilian deployed by someone who looks like they’re “capable” would even put the shits up Chuck Norris , I have one myself but it never leaves the house, for obvious reasons (I carry the Harpy instead for EDC) …

      1. Yeah, they are good as well. A Benchmade Balisong or a Spyderco Harpy are mean motherfuckers; what I don’t like about them is that pop culture popularized them, the first in the stupid movie Kickass, the second with Hannibal.

      2. Spyderco Endura 4, I had one and I loved the thing to no end. It fell out of my back pack on a skit trip. It’s been 13 years and I still miss that blade.

      3. I carry a Kershaw Leak. The one in my pocket right now is over 15 years old. Kershaw replaced the blade for me after I broke the end off of it doing something stupid. I have another one in my drawer that is newer, but needs sharpening.

    3. Coldsteel makes the best product videos of any company, ever.

    4. Well, Cold Steel used to be good anyway. They aren’t what they used to be these days. You can get a better blade for the same price or just as good for less money in a lot of cases.

  6. Unfortunately, I have absolutely zero reason to carry a knife.
    EDIT: I didn’t word it correctly, but my original statement was meant to be a lament.
    I have several nice knives and sometimes carry one just for the hell of it. But I cannot remember the last time I legitimately *needed* a knife.
    I lament that my life and/or the world in general has given rise to such an unfortunate situation.

    3. I find that hard to believe…even with a very standard office corporate job I frequently find use for a pocket knife…even if it is just opening mail or boxes.

      1. I have an authentic “west side story”, dago switchblade I bought in Italy. I use it to open things in the office. Mostly just a prop really – excellent for threatening people.
        The blade is crap.

        1. oh man, that is so boss. Closest thing I got to that was my comb back in Junior High

        7. When you first showed it to people did you pull it out proudly, “check this out,” then flip the comb-blade and start combing your hair? That seemed to be the standard routine for guys I knew that had those.

        9. Candy cigs and those giant wax vamp teeth that smelled like…cherries or something.

        11. I had one, until I got the bright idea of making a blade and putting it on. Ruined my comb.

        12. There is actually a classic candy place a few blocks from me that sells them. I might buy some for my nephews that I’ll see on Memorial Day!

        13. I was like 11 so yeah I don’t remember it I assume
          Yes

        14. You can buy candy cigarettes online! I hand them out at Halloween! (seriously, I do). Heh

        16. Last year, I handed out dollar bills. The older kids loved it, anyone under 5 scowled at me.

        17. That’s neat. I do it mostly because I know how un PC it is and I like to taunt the parents, who never really see what I put into the kids bags. They’ll get home and mom and dad will be all “Wha…wha…what?!?” when the kid dumps the bag.

        18. You showed your hand on the interwebs. You are SO doxxed, bro.

        20. There’s only one store in America where you can buy it. Throw in that the paper in the background is only sold in one area in the nation and we can basically triangulate your exact position.
          Isn’t that right….Mr. Bond?

        22. fingerprint nano technology. I can now rob a bank and leave your fingerprints.

        23. “Pizza day will now be known as Italian-American bread sauce day.”
          “Now Thats-a sensitivity”

        24. what about those wax tubes filled with what I assume was cancer juice that you would bite the top off of……ooooh and lets not forget the gum of champions….big league chew

        25. Clearly the younger kids understand the time value of money and that the Fed has inflated the currency so much that a single dollar bill is worth less than a sheet of toilet roll.

        26. And if you zoom in and focus on the blade, you can see the reflection of the holder as well as the ceiling construction. A little facial recognition software magic and ….

        27. I prefer to give the chocolate covered espresso beans, don’t want the little buggers falling asleep early on Halloween. Need to share the joy with the parents late into the night.

        28. We celebrate Italian-American day around these parts by breaking out large ceremonial tins of Spaghetti-O’s and consuming them at a big party that features basically racial slurs against Eye-Talians. Because we’re sensitive too.

        29. That is exactly how I would assume it is celebrated in Ohio–otherwise known as American’s Gallbladder.

        30. I’m sure that’s supposed to be alluding to something or be funny in some way, but maybe I’ve had a bit too much Kratom and my awesomeness level is to high to descend to the depths to comprehend it. An’ shit.

        34. I don’t really think the guineas mind being called wops. I figure if the greaseballs had a problem, they’d let us know. Those ginos speak their minds.

        36. Really? Thought you were a heeb for some reason. Nothing against kikes mind you, those shylocks make great businessmen.

        37. I’ve nothing against them either. Work for em. I’m kraut wop but both sides of my family have been in Ny for 4-5 generation so I really have no connection to “the old country”

        38. The joke there is “you work for Jews? Don’t we all”
          Old stock American myself. But not the rich kind. My 23 and Me comes back as “hilariously white”.
          Don’t you miss the old days when americas white tribes could bust each other’s chops?

        39. hilarious white but not rich people waspy is right. My maternal side is more like “considered white ever since the influx of Puerto Rican’s but letting DiMaggio into the big leagues was probably a mistake”
          Banging out the mayflower DAR old money WASPs is a particular pastime of mine.
          We all need a little more of making fun of each other

        2. Like, you never stop? Literally, right now, you’re using your knives?
          Hardcore bro.

      3. Actually when I travel for more than a few days I check my travel kitchen knives. You always have really shitty knives in rental apartments.

    5. Seriously? I use my SOG tanto spring assist opening knife almost daily for a wide variety of tasks.
      In fact, I can’t think of a time in my life except being on board a commercial aircraft where I haven’t had a knife on me since I’ve been in, geesh, 4th grade.

  7. I love things that start with “from the dawn of man”.
    And this is a very helpful article. So many shitty knives out there…

    1. I used to grade a lot of papers that started with that and the variant, “From the dawn of time,” followed by some grandiloquent BS opinion piece on what was supposed to be a scientific paper.

        2. “As long as there has been X…”
          “Since time immemorial…”
          Not ashamed to say I used to start too many papers this way, but then I got out of middle school.

        3. I don’t remember every essay I wrote in college but I cannot recall once using any of those standard opener type of lines. Usually, because I’m incapable of taking almost anything seriously, I’d start with some kind of opener that you’d expect was written for an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.
          “The sun rose and vomited forth at the North American continent a bath of deadly radiation and neutrinos, many of which hurtled through the atmosphere down to the surface, striking countless innocent people!
          A neutrino is actually a harmless subatomic particle with very unique properties….blah blah blah”

        7. Google is paying 97$ per hour! Work for few hours & have longer with friends and family! !sb190c:
          On tuesday I got a great new Land Rover Range Rover from having earned $8752 this last four weeks.. Its the most-financialy rewarding I’ve had.. Follow this link for more information
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        8. Hahaha…now my wife has to clean up the coffee I just spewed all over the dining room table…thanks!

      3. Grading papers was physically painful. I was always so grateful for the ones who plagiarized

        1. I always wondered why my colleagues assigned so many of them, then complained for four weeks at the end of every semester abiut how they would have no life for the foreseeable future because of grading. I practically automated the process.

      4. when you read that title did the theme music to 2001 A Space Odyssey/ “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair start playing in your head?

        1. ya know, for me, this was around the time the US went full retard- he gets dong lopped off, reattached, and becomes adult film star. even as a youngin, I thought this was insane

        2. You have to give him credit for luck, he got his tallywhacker lopped off then reattached and made a million bucks off it, with my luck if it had happened to me I would be broke with a lopped off dick.

        3. Jesus I thought you were talking about me for a second. Then I hit “becomes adult film star.”

        5. Yes, first it was the Jedi Council, then Obi-wan betrayed me. Even Padme! Wait–no, Anakin? Pfft. Never heard of him. Probably killed him.

  8. I’ve carried the same Ken Onion Kershaw for 14 years. I’ve had to ship it home several times after realizing I still had it on me when I got to the TSA line.

    1. Glad to know I’m not the only one who has done that. I’ve lost two air force survival knives that way…cost of shipping was more than the knife was worth. Part 135 “security” spoiled me for the TSA lines.

      1. I’ve paid for my knife a couple times in shipping. It has sentimental value so I don’t care. I have a good friend who lost his Desert Storm deployment knife because he forgot it was in his bag. He was even in uniform at the time. The TSA got their hands on it. He actually had to go to a hearing. The judge dismissed it but he couldn’t get it back.

  9. I prefer a Swiss Army knife than a straight folding knife. I end up using a toothpick, tweezers and screwdrivers as much as I use the blade.

    1. Usually a Swiss Army Knife is more useful, unless it’s for self-defense, because the blade lacks a locking mechanism.

      1. Mine has a lock, but a short blade.
        My Swiss Army knife has come in handy in many random situations.

      1. Oh, not moving day. The college I worked at had furniture movers all through the summer, doing furniture inventory, ocd furniture arrangement, etc. Had to compete with the cleaners and painters for loot, but we were the fasted crew ever (according to the supervisor) so we got first grabs just about everywhere.
        Got to the point where we were over a month ahead of schedule and had to start “rationing” our time.

    2. I almost got a set of Peugeot alloy wheels with good tires that way, but it turned out the front desk had mistakenly given me the key to a still-occupied room.
      What in the hell they were doing with a full set of Peugeot wheels in a dorm room though is beyond me.

  11. I always have my Opinel with me when I travel around. My father has one, his father before him had one. I always give it as a present to male friends that get married or have a birthday. A knife is a great gift.

        3. Is that the ‘Giant No. 13’? I’m looking for a good EDC and that’s very tempting.

        4. Haha, now that I’ve done more research, I can see quite clearly that it’s not a No. 13. I wasn’t trolling you, I just mistook blade length for overall length (the No. 13 is a monster with ~9” blade).
          I’m gonna go ahead and guess that’s a No. 6 with the carbon steel, which is the one I’m currently considering for EDC and to be used as my general intro to knife care. The price point is exceptional ($11-$13) so I won’t feel too bad about screwing up the blade as I hone my sharpening skills.
          Do you have any tips on appropriate stones or preferred sharpening systems? I’ve heard a light coat of mineral oil or olive oil does the blade some good too since it’s not stainless steel.

  12. This is my EDC Knife, except mine has a half-serrated blade, and I took that stupid safety lever off on Day One.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/816cbeb6ab5d9dbf9943538a9ecb6835e8296df4c5109a7361408952b712ac8b.jpg
    I use this knife for just about everything.
    Open a box, trim fingernails, dig out weeds, skinning (Not the best skinning knife, but it worked in a pinch) whittling, prying, etc.
    Ive had this knife now for….about 5-6+ years. Action still works fine, The serrations are very sharp and stay sharp, the flat part of the blade I sharpen it about once a year. Cost about 70$. Good tough product, low maintenance, not flashy or showy. Simple and efficient. Love it.
    Kerhsaw makes a good ‘middle of the road’ market niche.
    Not too pricey, but still offer decent steel.
    Good article too. Even in the age of firearms, edged weapons and tools still have their place.

    1. I don’t think that’s a safety lever, it’s used on the knives I’ve carried with them on it to keep it at the top of your pocket (the clip being on the outside of your pocket) for easy access. Unless I’m misunderstanding which part you’re indicating is the safety lever.

      1. Right side of the picture, base of the handle. Oval Hole with a circular bolt through it. That’s what I’m referring to as the safety lever.
        Fold the blade down, then slide the circular bolt back, and the bolt prevents the blade from flipping out, even when the you work the action.
        I didn’t like it, so I took the bolt out; no blade-lock.

        1. Well, seems I was entirely off base then, lol. I was honestly wondering “why is he calling the pocket clip a safety lever” lol. Thanks for the correction.

  13. CRKT has always made reliable knives. My current EDC folder has held its edge for about six months so far with no signs of deterioration.

  14. I know they aren’t as good of knives, but I am partial to a Leatherman. Having pliers and a screwdriver handy is nice.

    2. I have that, but haven’t really used it much since the early 2000’s when I was doing some Sun server installs.

    3. I love my leatherman. I really don’t understand how anyone survives without one…especially in the city where having a lot of tools is simply impractical

      1. I have one but never take it out of the draw. I have a pretty comprehensive toolkit in the house and my folding blades pretty much handle everything else outside of the home.

        1. Yeah totally get that. My space makes a comprehensive tool kit impractical for the amount of time I would use it so the leatherman is a super thing tonhave in a kitchen drawer

  16. Now this is a good ROK discussion. A bunch of guys settin around talking bout knives.

      1. Nice GOAT avatar, Patriot. Though I suspect you and me are in the minority here 😉

        1. The rest of them are wrong.
          I really like the throwback jersey and helmet, too. It makes him even cooler.

  17. It has been long said and applies to my country as well but one would do well to understand the laws that apply in his country.
    ,,A knifeless man is a lifeless man.”

    2. Indeed. For foreign folks it can get real hairy real quick I’d wager, to have a knife.
      I don’t worry much about the U.S. though, as outside of the places here
      where people cannot be trusted to act like adults, guns and knives are
      perfectly accepted and common, although some local laws might stipulate blade length or something else more or less pointless.

      1. I never understood blade length restriction….in NYC the blade length that is legal is 4 inches. I never understood how putting a 4 inch knife in your eye would be any less dangerous than a 6 inch one. We also have an outdated law about “gravity knives” so knives that you can flick open using just gravity. I assume this law was passed to keep the ballet dancers from west side story from robbing ninjas or something.
        The funny thing about the knife laws in nyc is that no one ever seriously enforces them. IN a nutshell, they are there to tack extra charges on to someone who has already committed a crime. I have actually been searched by police in a random search who didn’t say a word about my knife, didn’t even care. However, if I jumped the turnstyle and they would have found it they would make a bigger arrest.

        1. The word on knife laws in general is that they are really never enforced and that they’re used only to tack on charges if you’re caught doing something else. I’ve never heard of cops cruising around scanning for over-length blades.
          Blade length limits, heh, I’ve heard of those in theory, tales from distant lands, legends from the mists of time.

        2. Most boring law and order spin off ever
          Law and Order: Blade Measuring Unit

      2. Well…I thank God everyday for the hopes and freedom the USA has stood and stands for.
        I really want an American Flag.
        On another subject…when KGB has infiltrated your country’s highest forms of National Security and makes laws against your freedom – including right to bare arms – then you have no choice but look for a country who has those liberties.
        I like to believe – or at least I try – that I keep one foot in the spiritual realm.
        So from that point, I am truly grateful for the existence of the USA and her men & women.
        God bless the USA !
        God bless America !
        Love & Respect

  19. Gun shows have the best blades. You can get some real nice ones cheap from the section labeled “confiscated by the TSA.”
    It’s crazy what people try and bring aboard planes.

    1. Thing is you can actually bring knives on board planes, you just have to check them. No big deal.

  20. Yes! One of my favourite topics. I have half a dozen folders and just bought a couple new survival blades. My girl thinks its a bit scary that I have a folder in every room. I told her that if she minds her mouth she has nothing to be scared of.
    Strangely she wasn’t reassured but thats women for you.
    Btw, a note on locking folders. These are illegal to carry in the UK without a “good reason”. Apparently not wanting a knife that collapses and cuts off one of your fingers is not a good enough reason. Keep the knife in your desk drawer at work.
    Also on window breakers. Not necessary except in the car. You do not want to use one of these on any other kind of window. A falling pane of glass could take your hand off. That will give you one less hand to hold your knives with.

    1. The UK amazes me. It is illegal for you to carry a 4 inch folding pocket knife, but you can get on the tube with a cricket bat no problem.

      1. Well I feel much safer now that they have the army protecting Parliament.

        1. I know there is a joke in there, but I really don’t know what it is. I am going to assume funny…

        2. Some nut bombed the Ariana Grande concert and the army rushed to protect Parliament. Hang on a minute…
          In any case, the underlying point is (besides closing the barn door after the horse has bolted, besides showing us who is really important in this country), is that only one person can protect you. You.
          So keep your army to protect whoever you want and let me carry a gun to protect myself. If I take out any terrorists I’ll let you know so that you can rush to protect Parliament again…

      2. Really? Because right now I can picture some bloody Millwall hooligan taking a hell of a swing at someone with a cricket bat.

      3. And you can’t have a locking blade in the UK either…Not more than 4″ and no locking blades. The Brits who conquered continents now can’t have locking pocket knives…

    2. a lot of US locations have knife restrictions.
      Unless you are in a skilled trade, having the outside clip on your pocket is the equivalent of brandishing to some authority figures.
      soon there will be more limits on knives than guns.

  23. Oddly enough I carry two, a spring assisted opening Ken Onion Kershaw is my “good knife” that I use to cut things that should be cut with a knife and an old smaller Case with two blades to cut all that stuff I shouldn’t be cutting with a good knife.

    1. I have that same knife. I love opening it in the office and watching my sensitive work-mates cower in fear.

      1. The spring assisted opening makes it a fun toy to combat boredom.

  24. I have a Letterman Crater folding…. just one blade, Philips and flathead screwdriver…. and of course a very cool bottle opener….. got a few ladies wet pulling out my chopper to open a bottle of beer…….

  26. I carry a leatherman tool everywhere I go. I must use it at least ten times each day. Good robust knife on it as well. If I was going bush I’d use something different but judge your situation.

  27. A double-edged one with a crossguard, like a old-style Bayonet, Naval Dirk or a Fairbairn-Sykes, is best. Allows you to cut forehand and backhand. It’s basically a short sword.

  29. Kershaw Skyline or big ‘ol Opinel in pocket ftw. Opinels are light for their size & take a sweet edge.

  30. Now we need article on art of drinking & sharpening technique…it’s a great past time in the kitchen. Im getting consistent with an Arkansas, crock sticks & strop. Left arm shaved in odd areas…

    2. Opinel no 8 is my favourite knife.
      Mine opens milk cartons and slices all my veggies on a daily basis.
      My kitchen is full of knives but I hardly use ’em because I like the Opinel so much.
      It’s always open on my kitchen table (never fold it or carry it around).
      It’s a design classic, an icon, sharp as hell and it keeps its edge for a long time.
      It is dirt cheap (9 Euros), and the shape of the blade is perfect for cutting up veggies and it has a nice grip, while being very lightweight.
      It’s the best knife you can get for the money.

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  33. Serrations ain’t that useful unless they’re on the end half of the blade, because they’re mainly useful for slicing rope and fibers. You generally don’t do that with the closer half. If you’ve got a plain edge running the whole way, it makes things like whittling easier, since your hand is closer to the working edge.
    As a side note, I’m pretty sure that the serrations closer to the handle is so that when you stab something, it bleeds more and leaves a jagged cut. Utility-wise? About as useful as the good ol Swiss army knife’s saw. Badass? Undoubtedly.
    Best knife out there imo is the Winchester Lockback. Looks sexy, takes a decent edge, costs $7. I just got a new one for work, and they really are good for the price. If you do get one, consider getting it at http://www.knifesupply.com/winchester-folding-hunter-lockback-knife.html
    It’s my friends website, so the more people going to it, the better.

  34. As a cop for 6-ish years I used the pocket folder I carried a hundred times for various utility tasks and I used the auto knife I kept hidden under my shirt once- to cut a baby from its car seat in a wreck.
    In all this time I never heard one instance of a knife used in a DEFENSIVE capability by another cop, though many of my cop friends were “knife guys” who carried upwards of four blades on themselves.
    YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TIME TO GET YOUR KNIFE OUT, SQUARE OFF AND HAVE SOME FANTASY KNIFE DUEL.
    The proper response to a knife is a gun, or running away. Period. If someone comes at you with less than lethal force, then a knife, being lethal force, is indefensible in court; you can’t stab a hoe who slaps you.
    If you even see the knife it’s probably already being used on you and you have a second or two to use empty-hand technique to get yourself clear and flee or shoot.
    Yes, carry a knife but clear your mind of this neckbearded, knife duel fantasy where you square off, bow and go through some complex thrust and parry bullshit. Distance, a calm, prepared mind, situational awareness and a little empty-hand skills are way better.
    Look up real knife attacks on youtube and you may see a little of what they really look like. No one in any video ever said, “gee, if only I had also had a knife, I could have had a really cool knife duel, like in the movies.”

    1. I have one of those ‘life hammers’ in each of my vehicles. Has the hook slot with razor designed to cut seat belts.
      I also have a British RN aircrew knife designed to cut seat belts, weird looking thing but excellent for the purpose.

  35. Take a good knife that looks like a tool (Multipurpose knife). Always have an explanation for what you have it on you. You’ll be fine.
    Learn to use it. There a lots of good instructors. kali, eskrima are great.

  37. “be well set to meet whatever challenges come your way, so long as you know how to use it, that is! But that is a topic for another article.”
    Please do one. And thanks for this initial overview.

  39. Damian Michael – What is the make and model of the knife that you use and recommend? Thanks

  40. No offense intended, but your recommendation of a tanto point everyday carry knife is a poor one. The tanto point is strong but designed for stabbing, not the everyday tasks most use knives for. It is also difficult to sharpen properly. A drop point is more versatile and easier to control and sharpen. A combo (half serrated) blade is a good choice and I also find it the most useful. There’s a good comparison of points here:
    http://blog.bladeops.com/tanto-vs-drop-point.html
    As to lock type, with 40+ years of carrying and using various folders, I prefer lockbacks over linerlocks but either works fine as long as you buy quality. I recommend the Spyderco Endura 4 (lockback) or if you want the window/seat belt the Gerber Hinderer CLS Rescue (linerlock).

  42. I have an Opinel like the one pictured in the article. A No. 8, to be exact. I find it to be excellent, sturdy, and very comfortable in the hand with a blade that has held an edge perfectly well. The twist locking collar is a nice touch to keep the blade open or closed as needed. However, I would not recommend it as an everyday carry sort of knife. The first issue is that it really lacks any sort of practical utility due to a simple straight blade, the drop point, and a generally slender design. It also requires two hands to open due to how solid the hinge and how deeply the blade fits into the handle. I’d definitely recommend it as a desk knife, as a perfect tool for carving, or as the sort of thing you keep in a tackle box.

  43. doing white collar work In a big city you go through too many metal detectors. I still have a bunch of knives though.
    you have to think about where you are going each day, and your set up….

  44. Cold Steel, though “Tacticool” in their designs, are of great quality. Some of the strongest knives out there for the price, but some models for some reason just shoot up in price, even if very little extra quality is given. They’re okay, but there are better options.
    Benchmades are okay, but a little pricey for what they are. This in my opinion applies to SOG and CRKT knives as well.
    Spyderco on the other hand, are my absolute favorites. They have thin knives that are easy to conceal, very high quality, many diverse designs, and can come cheaper in prince than Benchmades while LITERALLY retaining higher quality, you’ll be saving more than $100 if you go for the Endura or Delica line that Spyderco has to offer.
    I have the Paramilitary 2, and it is the do it all pocket knife. That one goes for 120 something bucks, but as stated earlier, the Endura and Delica line goes half of that, and does pretty much the same. Not my picture, but since I’m on my laptop I just downloaded a Gewgle pic of the Spyderco
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/042cb0dce1c43c283aace26d155228e3fe9dab179c011f7f5f9f87f8d2a385fc.jpg

  45. Benchmade. Axis lock. Strongest folder out there. I have a 940 Osborne. I use it for everything from opening letters to trimming shrubs and trees. Non-serrated blade. Serrations would help with brush clearing, I’m sure, but are otherwise a nuisance and hard to sharpen.

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