Category: Knife of the Week (Page 14 of 35)

Some companies make knives that should be kept in a safe, only brought out under dimmed lighting and handled with gloves. Other companies, like KA-BAR, make knives that are meant to be worked and beaten mercilessly.

The perfect example of this kind of knife is the KA-BAR MULE.

Standing for Military, Utility and Law Enforcement, the MULE is the very definition of a workhorse knife. It features a sturdy 3.875-inch black-coated blade made from functional AUS 8A stainless steel, a reliable lockback mechanism, and a nearly indestructible black Zytel handle.

But we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. KA-BAR describes this heavy-duty tool as the folding knife’s answer to the traditional KA-BAR fixed blade. While no folder can ever compare to a fixed blade as storied as the KA-BAR, the MULE has proven time and again that it can take pretty much anything you throw at it.

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The CRKT Heiho was born out of a challenge to knife designer and martial arts instructor James Williams.

Williams had designed the CRKT Hissatsu — based on an old Japanese fixed blade — for use by tactical law enforcement and military forces. However, some special operations and government security professionals are not allowed to carry a large fixed blade, so he set out to create a low-profile folder that could be used in hostile environments.

The result is the Heiho.

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The SOG Knife was designed by Benjamin Baker, the Deputy Chief of the U.S. Counterinsurgency Support Office. It had a stacked leather handle, an interesting clip point blade design, and a blackened blade to reduce glare.

Knife designer Spencer Frazer was so inspired by the original design that he created a company called SOG Specialty Knives based on the SOG Knife. What started out as a single commemorative model that paid tribute to the special ops that made it slowly turned into a larger knife company with dozens of models.

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Renowned personal-defense trainer Michael Janich is credited with popularizing the modern Wharncliffe blade design with an eye on tactical applications. This unusual blade design culminated in his most recent creation — the redesigned Spyderco Yojimbo 2.

Spyderco is known for taking risks on knives with odd-looking designs, and the Yojimbo 2 is no exception.

The most notable part of the whole knife is the 3.11-inch Wharncliffe blade. A Wharncliffe blade is defined by having a completely flat edge with a spine that tapers to a piercing point. Both of these attributes make the profile excellent for everyday tasks… and self-defense.

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Back in the day, the term budget was synonymous with cheap. These days, you can get a budget-friendly knife that’s built as good as some of the more pricey knives.

Take our latest Badass Knife of the Week, for example.

The Kershaw Fraxion — a collaboration between the esteemed brand and Danish knifemaker Jens Anso — is a lightweight folder with a streamlined design.

The knife features a 2.75-inch clip point blade with a BlackWash finish that springs open with the help of a manual flipper mechanism. The size and blade profile make the 8Cr13MoV stainless steel blade versatile and easy to carry anywhere.

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Want to carry a huge kukri machete without having to attach it to a sheath on your belt? Boy, have we got the knife for you.

Behold, the Magnum by Boker Pocket Kukri.

The Pocket Kukri is massive. It has a long 4.63-inch blade made of 440 stainless steel. The kukri-inspired blade design features a recurve and swedge for optimal slicing and piercing. A fuller near the spine cuts down on the weight of the knife and doubles as a notch for two-handed opening.

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You may not think this makes a good EDC knife because of its size, but the knife is surprisingly versatile. The blade can be used for light chopping or carving, and its reach makes it a fierce self-defense tool.

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Trying to find the perfect everyday carry is almost impossible, but if you had to pick just one knife to carry wherever you go, it might as well be the Victorinox Farmer.

This Swiss Army Knife has all the essentials you need — nothing more and nothing less.

The knife features nine functions. The main tool is the large blade, which opens up with the help of a nail nick and snaps into place with a slipjoint spring. A bottle opener and can opener sit on opposite ends and boast additional uses, including a wire stripper and two screwdrivers.

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A prodigy is a child or young person who is exceptionally good at something, a savant if you will. With that definition in mind, Prodigy perfectly fits as the name of our latest Badass Knife of the Week.

The Gerber Prodigy is based on the award-winning (and previous Badass Knife of the Week) LMF II but somehow manages to pack the same punch in a smaller package. The Prodigy features a very similar design and purpose as the LMF II, only thinned out to create a more versatile tool.

At a length of 4.75 inches, the blade of the Prodigy is only a few tenths of an inch shorter than the beefier LMF II. Where it cuts down on weight and size is the depth of the 420HC stainless steel blade. It is still durable enough to handle any task you throw at it but won’t keep you bogged down.

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Cold Steel is known for its humungous folding knives with blades stretching up to 6 inches long. But what if I told you one of Cold Steel’s best knives was a small folder with a cute little Wharncliffe blade.

That would be the Cold Steel Tuff Lite — the latest Badass Knife of the Week.

Cold Steel creates knives that are meant to be worked hard without fear of failure. Despite the Tuff Lite’s small size and stature, Cold Steel delivers.

The blade features a 2.5-inch blade made from Japanese AUS 8A stainless steel, an alloy known for its ease to sharpen and toughness. Using a classic Wharncliffe design, the blade has a straight edge and a point that can pierce. This underrated blade shape is deceptively versatile for everyday carry.

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