Author: Tim (page 6 of 113)

Timothy Martinez Jr. is the community director for Knife Depot and the editor of The Cutting Edge. If you have any questions or ideas for The Cutting Edge, you can contact him at Tim@knife-depot.com.

CIVIVI Elementum II – Knife of the Week

October 18, 2023 / Tim / 2 Comments

Since it first came out, the CIVIVI Elementum has been widely praised as possibly the best EDC knife ever made.

When you factor in the streamlined design, lack of excessive branding, and unbeatable price, it is clear the Elementum was a masterpiece.

The success of the original led CIVIVI to release tons of variations, including a button lock version that almost hit the mark.

Now, the CIVIVI Button Lock Elementum II may be the pinnacle of the design. It’s definitely one of the best CIVIVI knives.

BnB Tactical Cobra – Knife of the Week

October 11, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

If you need an outdoor companion for heavy-duty tasks or defensive applications, reach for the BnB Tactical Cobra.

This fixed blade is as wily and vicious as the serpent it’s named after. It starts with the long 6-inch blade made from D2 tool steel. This is an increasingly popular alloy for fixed blades due to its toughness and strength.

The drop-point blade features a partially serrated edge that offers additional versatility, while a thumb ramp with jimping on the spine provides greater control for finer tasks.

It also has a black coating to dampen the steel’s reflective properties and add extra protection.

Top 25 Worst Knife Names Ever

October 10, 2023 / Tim / 23 Comments

This post was first published in 2017 and updated in October 2023.

They say a rose by any other name would smell as sweet… but if they were called stenchblossoms or crapweeds, I imagine they would be a bit less appealing.

The same thing goes for a knife. The almost universally acclaimed Ontario RAT Model 1 would still perform just as well if it were called the Ontario Elephant Earwax 7, but it might not be quite as popular.

While I acknowledge naming something is extremely difficult (I considered naming my son Humphrey), it can really kill the whole vibe of a knife. So I scoured the Internet and my memory bank to come up with a list of the worst knife names around. Many of these knives are well-made and perfectly usable but simply have a name that is off-putting.

This is my personal preference, so take that as you will. If you have any to add, let me know in the comments.

Note: I excluded custom knifemakers because they have a little more creative leeway. I also tried to exclude knives with people’s names. For example, I dislike all the Brian Tighe-related pun names (Tighe Rade, My Tighe, Tighe Coon, etc), but it’s the guy’s name so I let them be.

Finally, the LA Police Gear “The Best F***ing Knife” S35VN Every Day Carry Folding Knife (yes, that’s the full name) was considered for this list but I couldn’t figure out whether the overly descriptive and braggadocios name was so over the top it was the best name ever or the worst. I decided to leave it off for now.

25. Kershaw Wild Wild Turkey

Let’s start with one that’s a bit innocuous: the Kershaw Wild Wild Turkey. This now discontinued knife was actually a well-made and sleek gentleman’s folder. The steel was ATS 34 with titanium handles (if I’m correct). The name Wild Turkey is already a bit silly but the addition of another Wild takes things to another level.

I think Kershaw learned its lesson because future iterations of the knife were simply named Wild Turkey. Still, despite the name, this knife is still sought after by aficionados.

24. TOPS Felony Stop

Next we have the first of many TOPS Knives with the Felony Stop. Knives already get a bad rap because of their misuse by a few individuals and you don’t want to call attention to that fact. The name Felony Stop is a bit confusing anyway. Is it supposed to be an instruction to stop a felony or is the knife itself a felony stop? Either way, the knife wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t say FELONY in big bold letters right on the knife.

The knife, designed by the great Laci Szabo, is said to be only intended for law enforcement personnel and specialists, so take that as you will.

23. CRKT Hootenanny

Hootenanny is an Appalachian colloquialism that originally started off as a Scottish word meaning party or celebration. It has since evolved to mean thingamajig or whatchamacallit or doohickey. So when you say pass me that “Hootenanny,” it just sounds funny.

7 Striking Orange Knives

October 10, 2023 / Tim / 4 Comments

This article on orange knives was originally published in 2015 but has been updated to include newer models.

If you look at all the colors that knives and their handles come in, you’ll notice a trend. Yup, they’re pretty much all black. Black is a popular color for knives because of its lowkey appearance and versatility.

While the majority of people opt for those sexy black knives, it’s the other colors that don’t get enough love. So we decided to do a series of posts dedicated to those knives in different colors.

So today we’re looking at orange knives.

1. CIVIVI Elementum

The Elementum is one of the best EDC knives ever made due to its simple yet effective design and highly competitive price. This knife is available in tons of variations, but for this post, the Elementum with orange G-10 scales and a black blade is perfect.

It really gets into the spirit of the fall and Halloween, but it can be a great knife to carry year-round.

2. Colonial M-724 Paratrooper Auto

The Colonial Knife Company Paratrooper Auto is by far the oldest knife on this list. The M-724 is currently issued in all military aircraft ejection seat survival kits. It has everything you need for survival.

The blade is 2.78 inches long and opens with the press of a button. There’s also a manual-opening shroud cutter that can be used by parachutists and those in need of a seat-belt cutter.

Benchmade Claymore – Knife of the Week

October 4, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

Since it was first released in 2021, the Benchmade Claymore has rocketed up the charts as one of the best hard-use automatic knives for workers and daily users alike. It even won a spot on our list of best knives of 2022.

The Benchmade Claymore doesn’t revolutionize the automatic, but it masterfully puts together a truly formidable folder that’s built to withstand the toughest of tasks.

It starts with the straightforward drop-point blade made of D2 steel, an alloy that’s tough with high wear resistance. The 3.6-inch blade is the perfect size for all types of tasks.

The highly textured handle is made from durable Grivory material that conforms nicely to the hand.

CRKT Minimalist Katana – Knife of the Week

September 26, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

Imagine a sword so small and nondescript it becomes your everyday carry. Well, your wildest dreams have come true with the CRKT Minimalist Katana.

The Minimalist series from Alan Folts is a mainstay of the CRKT lineup. The reason? All the knives are lightweight, low-profile, and pared down. But the largest of the Minimalist series may very well be its best.

Despite boasting a large blade that’s 3.56 inches long, this pocket sword is surprisingly small.

The blade itself is made from 8Cr13MoV, which is a stainless steel that’s easy to maintain and sharpen. It has a reinforced tip and jumping on the spine.

10 Best Spyderco Knives

September 25, 2023 / Tim / 10 Comments

Best Spyderco Knives

This post was originally published in August 2018 and was updated in September 2023.

When Sal and Gail Glesser started a company in the 1970s based around a device called The Portable Hand — which could assist jewelers and other professionals who work with small parts — they likely never imagined it would become one of the premier knife brands in the world.

But, more than 40 years later, the company known as Spyderco is a top-tier brand with some of the best and most revolutionary knife designs ever made.

So, as we’ve been doing, we decided to go through the 10 best Spyderco knives currently in production. You’ll notice this list is heavily populated with classics, but that’s partially thanks to Spyderco’s CQI (constant quality improvement) program that improves upon existing designs. That’s how you get perfection.

Here are the 10 best Spyderco knives you can get right now.

1. Spyderco Paramilitary 2

BUY Now – $185.50

Let’s get the Spyderco Para Military 2 out of the way. The PM2 is almost universally known as not just the best Spyderco model but the best pocket knife available.

So how does a knife like the PM2 capture the hearts and minds of people everywhere? It has a nearly 3.5-inch blade with a functional design and quality S30V steel. On top of that, it stays engaged with the easy-to-use and reliable Compression Lock. The G-10 handle had been improved from the first generation for better ergonomics.

Kershaw Heist – Knife of the Week

September 21, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

Despite making some of the most iconic knives of all time and boasting a lineup of expertly crafted knives, Kershaw never rests on its laurels. The Kershaw Heist is the perfect example.

Released this year, the Heist was one of the first knives to use the DuraLock mechanism. It’s a crossbar lock that’s a joy to use and exceptionally strong. The lock makes the knife completely ambidextrous. It also keeps the fingers out of the path of the closing blade.

But the new lock isn’t the only thing that makes this knife one of the best of the year so far.

Like all Kershaw knives, the Heist features a carefully considered design. Its 3.2-inch drop-point blade is made from D2 steel. In addition, it opens with dual thumb studs.

Cold Steel Mini Leatherneck – Knife of the Week

September 13, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

Cold Steel is best known for making some of the biggest and most intimidating knives ever. However, some of its most underrated knives are its smallest.

The Cold Steel Mini Leatherneck is the perfect example.

This immensely popular fixed blade is a miniaturized version of Cold Steel’s take on the classic fighting knife. Let’s just say there’s a reason this is among our top-selling Cold Steel knives.

The Mini Leatherneck has a cohesive design with a size that lends itself to its versatility. With an overall length of 6.75 inches, it works well as an EDC fixed blade, boot knife, or neck knife.

KA-BAR Big Brother – Knife of the Week

September 6, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

The KA-BAR is one of the most iconic knives ever made. One look at the stacked leather handle and long clip-point blade and you know exactly what knife it is.

The knife has come in tons of variations and special editions over the years, but there is only one model that’s the biggest and baddest KA-BAR of them all: the Big Brother.

Boasting a long 9.375-inch blade, the Big Brother is essentially a supersized version of the original fighting utility knife.

Take a look of this hilarious review from one of our favorite knife YouTubers: