Category: Best Knives (page 3 of 4)

10 Best CIVIVI Knives

November 3, 2022 / Tim / 3 Comments

Best CIVIVI Knives

In terms of knife companies, CIVIVI Knives (a subset of WE Knife Company) is relatively new.

Yet somehow the brand has catapulted itself into contention for one of the best knife brands around. Its name has become synonymous with high-quality knives at shockingly low prices.

While these knives are made in China, more and more companies are proving that knives you buy from China can no longer be dismissed as cheap junk. So if you’re interested in seeing what CIVIVI has to offer, these are their 10 best knives currently available.

CIVIVI Elementum

Let’s start with a no-brainer: the Elementum. The Elementum is no longer simply one of CIVIVI’s best knives but may be the very best EDC knife for its price.

Almost everything about the knife is perfect. It’s a good size with a 2.96-inch blade that flips open effortlessly and reliably. It has a simple yet ergonomic handle. It’s not adorned with a bunch of logos and numbers. Instead, it’s just a simple knife that works.

And because the knife has become so darn popular, CIVIVI has created this knife in more than a dozen different styles. You can the knife in your choice of handle material and color. There are higher-end versions and larger versions and versions with button locks and Damascus versions. The list goes on and on.

If you want to see just some of the variations, check out the CIVIVI Elementum collection here.

CIVIVI Conspirator

From a more people-friendly design to a more tactically-focused design, the CIVIVI Conspirator is a larger knife with a more aggressive profile.

10 Best SOG Knives

August 19, 2022 / Tim / 12 Comments

This post was first published in June 2018 and updated in August 2022.

When I think about the best knives for each brand, a small number of truly outstanding knives always pop into my head… and SOG Specialty Knives is one of them.

This post was first created in 2018 when SOG was going through a transition year. Almost all of the knives from that original list have gone through a transformation or are no longer available.

These past few years, SOG has been trying its best to recapture some of the magic that made SOG such a powerhouse in its earlier years. So, we thought it would be important to give this list an overhaul and redo the best SOG knives you can buy.

As always, this is a subjective list (that only includes current knives) taking into account personal experience as well as reviews/commentary from across the knife community. Let me know if I missed any in the comments.

SOG Tech Bowie

It seems blasphemous to leave the original SOG Bowie (well it’s now the Bowie 2.0) off this list, but that knife has lost some luster and is priced way too high.

That’s why the SOG Tech Bowie now occupies this spot. The Tech Bowie is a reworking of this classic knife design with a 6.4-inch black TiNi blade and a more comfortable Kraton handle.

The fit and finish and overall design of the Tech Bowie have been praised from users everywhere. The knife is darn sexy and still carries a little bit of history with it.

SOG Flash AT

The original Flash I became a sort of a cult classic thanks to unbridled praise from Nutnfancy and other early knife YouTubers. However, the Flash I and II have been discontinued and reworked into the new Flash AT.

Aside from the name, the Flash AT is almost completely different than the original. It still has an assisted-opening mechanism and the Flash II’s 3.5-inch blade. However, it’s now upgraded with D2 steel and uses SOG’s AT-XR locking mechanism.

10 Best Condor TK Knives

April 10, 2022 / Tim / 0 Comments

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This article was first published in 2019 but has been updated since to include new models.

Condor Tool & Knife is a relatively new brand in the knife world.

Condor Tool & Knife — sometimes known as Condor TK or simply Condor — has only been around in its current form since 2004. However, it has roots that date back to 1787 when Gebr Weyersberg Company was founded in Germany. That company created Imacasa in El Salvador in 1964. That Central American operation was sold in the 1980s to local investors and Condor TK was born.

If you want an inexpensive but reliable outdoor tool, it’s hard to ignore Condor. The brand has quickly become a darling among bush crafters looking for a solid knife. Except for one folder, Condor only makes fixed blades.

So, we decided to take a look at the best knives Condor has to offer.

Condor Hudson Bay Camp Knife

The Hudson Bay Camp Knife is probably one of people’s favorite Condor knives. Its design is based on a classic fixed blade used in the Hudson Bay area in the 1800s. It has an 8.5-inch blade made from 1075 carbon steel with an unusual “rustic” finish.

Here is a good and honest review from Cedric & Ada Gear and Outdoors:

Accompanied by hardwood handles, the knife has a ton of personality and character. This, like many of the knives on this list, is designed by Joe Flowers.

Condor Bushlore

While the Hudson Bay Camp Knife has the character, the Bushlore is likely the most popular Condor. This knife is simplicity at its finest and is often talked about among bushcrafters as a solid outdoor fixed blade option.

6 Best Budget Spring Assisted Knives

August 12, 2021 / admin / 1 Comment

From collectors to avid outdoorsmen (and women), day laborers or simply those who like having a versatile tool ready at hand, spring assisted blades have skyrocketed in popularity.

Also known as assisted-opening knives, these blades are revered for their fast and reliable deployment while reducing the risk of human error and injury.

Many of us have been there, with even the most well-practiced knife-wielder experiencing a misfire from time to time with manual flipper knives. The same cannot be said for spring assisted openers. Short of catastrophic mechanical failure (a rarity), these blades deploy with unparalleled reliability.

10 Best Case Knife Families

July 15, 2021 / Tim / 10 Comments

This post was originally published in April 2017 and was updated in 2021.

Along with the trapper pocket knife pattern, the stockman is one of the best and most iconic American slipjoint patterns ever created.

The history of the stockman is nearly impossible to track, but Gary Zinn of chuckhawks.com speculates it was made first developed around 1900. The stockman design typically consists of three blades: clip, sheepsfoot, and spey (or pen).

15 Knives That Weigh Under 2 Ounces

May 22, 2021 / Tim / 5 Comments

To some people, weight is no issue in a knife. They will happily EDC a large half-pound folder made of steel because they love the design or appreciate the heft.

For others, even just a few extra ounces can feel like extra pounds when they’re carrying it around all day every day.

If you’re a weight watcher, then you’re in luck. We’ve been working on posts about knives within certain weight limits. The first post from a few months back dealt with knives that weighed under an ounce. This post focuses on the best knives weighing under 2 ounces (more specifically 1-2 ounces).

See which knives made the cut. Continue reading

15 Best Lightweight Fixed Blade Knives

January 31, 2020 / Tim / 5 Comments

Small Fixed Blade KA-Bar Knife

The old saying goes that the best lock mechanism on a knife is a fixed blade.

Back in the day, fixed blades were mostly robust outdoor tools, but the trend has been increasingly toward lighter and lighter fixed blades. That’s a plus for everyone.

A few years back, I wrote a post on the best EDC fixed blade knives. While all the knives performed well at EDC tasks, many of them were quite hefty.

So I decided to take the concept of an EDC fixed blade and narrow it down even more to the best lightweight fixed blades. All of these knives are at least under 3 ounces — with many of them being under 2.

Check them out.

CRKT Minimalist Wharncliffe Fixed Blade Knife

Weight: 1.1 oz
Blade Length: 2″
Overall Length: 5″

OK, I know my love for the CRKT Minimalist permeates everything around here, as this model makes it onto many best-of lists (including the aforementioned best EDC fixed blades). But it deserves another mention here. In the best EDC fixed blades post, I highlighted the Bowie version, but the Wharncliffe version is even lighter at a mere 1.1 ounces.

This is one of those knives you can feel confident carrying anywhere you go and feels big in the hand, despite the — well — minimalist handle.

Spyderco ARK Fixed Blade Knife

Weight: 0.9 oz
Blade Length: 2.56″
Overall Length: 4.98″

A Spyderco made it on the best EDC fixed blades, but the Street Beat is a pretty heavy folder. Enter the Spyderco ARK. Standing for “Always Ready Knife,” the ARK was designed as a personal defense knife by U.S. Army combat veteran John Shirley and his friend Sam Owens.

15 Wood Handle EDC Knives

September 2, 2019 / Tim / 8 Comments

Article originally published in February 2018 before being updated to include different knives.

Picking the handle material that appeals to you the most depends on a ton of factors, including looks, purpose, durability, and more.

If you want something that’s durable and won’t warp, opt for a synthetic material. If you want something that’s probably the first handle material ever, go for bone. If you want something sleek and strong, pick a knife with a metal handle.

But, if you want a knife that’s downright good-looking and feels good in the handle, it’s hard to beat good old-fashioned wood.

Pros and Cons of Wood

I won’t go until detail about the pros and cons of wood because you probably already know, so I’ll boil it down. The Good: Comfortable, beautiful, varied, durable, potentially inexpensive. The Bad: Unstable at times, prone to warpage, requires more maintenance, potentially expensive.

The fact that there are so many types of wood out there means you can get the look and durability you desire while maintaining that natural looks.

There are some stabilized laminates on par with plywood in this list, including Dymondwood. If that doesn’t jibe with you, then I apologize in advance.

Without further ado, here’s a look at 15 excellent folding knives with wooden handles.

1. Boker Magnum Backpacker (Soft Wood)

I wanted to start off with the Backpacker. This is a really handsome knife with a simple yet solid construction. It has a 3.4-inch drop point blade made from 440 stainless steel. It opens via a thumb stud and locks with a liner.

10 Best Benchmade Knives

February 19, 2019 / Tim / 10 Comments

We’re continuing our trek through the best knives from each brand. This time we take on the formidable butterfly brand.

What’s interesting about Benchmade is that this list is populated by a lot of newer models, which is somewhat surprising from such a storied brand. That’s partly due to the fact that Benchmade has been going on quite a tear recently with some excellent new knives.

As always, these lists are highly subjective, so let us know which models you think are the best in the comments.

Benchmade Griptilian

We’ll start with a no-brainer: the Griptilian. Despite being around for such a long time, the Grip family remains one of Benchmade’s best offerings — both because it’s an excellent design and because it’s almost become a budget option from the brand.

At this point, the Griptilian has undergone a lot of changes and you can get the knife in different blade steels, blade profiles, handle colors, and handle materials. The standard is now S30V steel and nylon scales.

Because we want to keep this list somewhat clean, we’re including Mini Grips here too. I still carry my Mini Grip frequently.

If I had to pick the best Grip, it would be the 555-1.

Benchmade Freek

The Freek was talked about as a Griptilian killer when it was introduced a few years ago. While the Freek did not kick the Grip to the curb, it did prove itself to be one of Benchmade’s best. In 2019, Benchmade released a premium version of the Freek with M4 steel and G-10 handles.

10 Best Victorinox Knives

October 5, 2018 / Tim / 8 Comments

We’re continuing our trek through the best knives for each brand. It’s time for Victorinox to step up to the plate. After Wenger closed down for good and was acquired by Victorinox, the Swiss knife company is the definitive maker of the Swiss Army Knife.

Boasting more than 13 decades of existence, the knife company has continued to evolve and bring hundreds of different SAK designs. Narrowing down the 10 best is kind of a fool’s errand simply because there are so many options that you can get the exact model you like.

Still, there are a few standout models that showcase the best Victorinox has to offer.

Let’s get to it.

Victorinox SwissChamp

We’ll start with the company’s flagship model — the SwissChamp. In terms of actual carrying, the SwissChamp is far from the best. But it allows Victorinox to showoff its knife-making prowess. It has eight layers with 33 functions that range from a magnifying glass and saw to fish scaler and pliers.

Even though it’s not meant for EDC, this is a knife you can conceivably carry in your pocket or on your person without feeling insane.

Victorinox Pioneer

The Pioneer is the civilian version of the Soldier, which is considered the “true Swiss Army Knife.” The only difference is that it adds a keyring. Unlike many of the other SAKs on this list, the Pioneer features handsome Alox scales that give it a different look and feel. The tools are pretty pared down with only eight functions, such as a large blade and reamer.

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