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10 Best Smith & Wesson Knives

August 14, 2023 / Tim / 2 Comments

Best Smith & Wesson Knives

This post was first published in 2020 and updated in 2023.

When you think of Smith & Wesson, high-quality knives might not be the first thing that comes to mind.

No, you probably think of great firearms… and Dirty Harry. But the truth is, Smith & Wesson also manufactures quality knives. They’re the type that appeals to law enforcement personnel and those interested in self-defense. These aren’t your average kitchen knives.

Smith & Wesson knives are versatile and rugged. They’re designed for the field, with sturdy blades that hold their cutting edges, and good grips for ease of use.

Over the years, Smith & Wesson has expanded its lineup of knives to include more than just search and rescue and first response knives. Still, those remain the bread and butter of the lineup.

So let’s cut to the chase. See which are the best Smith & Wesson knives.

Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops

We’re starting with one of the top-selling S&W knives at Knife Depot: the Smith & Wesson SWFR2S Extreme Ops.

This is a tactical folding knife that rivals any other rescue knife in this price range.

As a heavy-duty rescue knife, the SWFR2S feels great in the hands, thanks to its rubberized handle. Its partially serrated tanto blade is 3.3 inches long.

If you keep one knife in your car for emergency situations, this one should be it. It’s also available with engraving! It’s no wonder it was a Knife of the Week a few years ago.

Smith & Wesson 1st Response

The 1st Response is the companion knife of the first knife on this list. While it has a lot of the same features and blade length, it looks very different.

See Red With These 10 Fiery Red Knives

August 1, 2023 / Tim / 1 Comment

best red knives

This post was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2023.

Red is a color with tons of meaning. To some, it means energy. To others, it means strength. No matter what stock you put in the color red, there’s no denying it adds tons of personality and heart to a knife.

We wrote this post way back in 2016; unfortunately, all of those models have since been put out to pasture.

Not to fear though; we’ve updated our list to include 10 knives that are available for your enjoyment.

Take a look at our pick of some of the best knives with red handles.

1. Victorinox Tinker

Let’s start things off with an icon: the Swiss Army Knife.

To be honest, this list could have been nothing but different SAKs, but we thought it would only to be fair to include different models as well.

The model we’re picking for this list is the Tinker. This is what I like to call a “jack of all trades and a master of all” multi-tool, thanks to its screwdriver, blades, bottle opener, can opener, awl, and more.

It’s one of the best Swiss Army Knives.

2. Tactical Extreme Karambit

From a handy little multi-tool to a unique spring-assisted karambit.

The Tactical Extreme Karambit features a 3-inch black blade with an assisted-opening mechanism. But the real selling point of this knife is the red aluminum handle.

10 Best CRKT Knives

July 16, 2023 / Tim / 18 Comments

CRKT M16

This post was originally posted in August 2018 and is updated every year.

Formally known as Columbia River Knife & Tool, CRKT is a relatively new company in terms of big knife brands, having only been established in 1994.

However, over the nearly three decades the company has been around, it’s put out hundreds of different models. There’s a lot to love about CRKT, from its truly innovative designs to its collaborations with some of the top knifemakers. Unfortunately, the use of inexpensive materials leaves a lot to be desired by the knife community. In the last few years, CRKT has tried to remedy these failings.

Picking the 10 best CRKT knives was easy at first until I realized all the knives I was forgetting. The company puts out dozens of new models every year and discontinues a ton. Unlike many of the other brands, this list is a mixture of new and old.

Let us know if you think we missed any.

CRKT M16

We’ll start with the flagship series from CRKT: the M16. The late great Kit Carson, who pioneered the flipper tab, helped propel CRKT to where it is today, thanks to his M16 series. His knife was named one of the 10 best tactical knives of the decade by Blade Magazine, and the CRKT interpretation is nothing to scoff at.

‘Most Innovative American-Made Design of the Year’ Winners at Blade Show Since 1990

July 6, 2023 / Tim / 7 Comments

Every year, the finest knifemakers and manufacturers descend on Atlanta to reveal new knife models, talk shop, and receive awards at the Blade Show.

I’ve already delved deep into the past and laid out the “Overall Knife of the Year” winners since Blade Show first started in 1982.

In advance of the latest Blade Show, I thought I’d take a look back at a different category: the Most Innovative American-Made Design of the Year. This category (and its counterpart Most Innovative Imported Design of the Year) didn’t start until 1990, so that’s where we’ll pick up.

It gives a good insight into the thinking of the judges who pick the knives and whether any of these stood to the test of time (hint: many did!).

1990: Becker Knife & Tool Tactul II

The image features early Tactuls or possibly Divtuls — not sure which models or generations.

We’re starting with the very first entry in 1990: the Becker Knife & Tool Tactul II. These earlier knives are hard to nail down because they have evolved or gone the way of the dodo. You might not be familiar with the Tactul II, but you might know the modern day version better known as the KA-BAR Becker Tac Tool.

Before teaming up with KA-BAR, Ethan Becker had his own company who put out knives made by other manufacturers. The original description from Blade Magazine on the win says the knife is a “heavy duty diving/utility knife that is a saw, hammer/nail puller, screwdriver, chisel, pry bar and knife all in one.”

1991: Gerber Gator Serrated

A more recent version of the Gator.

The Gerber Gator feels like old news now but it was once one of the most innovative when first released. The overall design with the gator-like textured handle was superb. In fact, this — like the Tac Tool — remains a very good knife that’s still around.

1992: Equip USA El Diente

Image provided by Blade Magazine

I wasn’t able to find any information about the Equip USA El Diente, so I reached out to Blade Magazine (which sponsors the Blade Show) to find out more.

Perfect Point Rainbow Throwers – Knife of the Week

July 6, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

This summer, get into knife throwing with the perfect set from Perfect Point.

The Perfect Point Multi-Color Set is a fantastic set for beginners and experts alike. The best part about this set is that it comes with six throwing knives made from stainless steel, so you’ll have everything you need to get started.

Each thrower is 5.5 inches long with cutouts in the handle to provide a better grip and help balance the knife even further.

10 Best Cold Steel Knives

July 6, 2023 / Tim / 12 Comments

This article was originally published in July 2018 before being updated with newer models.

We’re continuing our run-through of the best knives from each brand.

Narrowing down the 10 best currently in production is no easy task, but I did the best I could using personal experience, consensus around the internet, reviews, and more. Here are the 10 best Cold Steel knives.

Cold Steel Recon 1

Let’s start with a gimme: the Cold Steel Recon 1.

The Recon series helped usher in a new era for Cold Steel, one that is currently dominated by tough knives with a tactical bent that use Andrew Demko’s famous Tri-Ad locking mechanism.

The Recon 1 uses high-quality material with a 4-inch blade made from S35VN steel (recently changed from CTS-XHP). The handle is a grippy G-10. One of the great things about this flagship model is that it comes in tons of sizes and blade shapes, so you can get exactly what you want.

Cold Steel Ti-Lite

Reminiscent of the switchblades of the 1950s, the Cold Steel Ti-Lite is a thin yet lengthy folder with an eye on self-defense. There’s a 4-inch or 6-inch version — both come in either budget or premium builds.

The larger one is a legend with a long 6-inch blade made from S35VN steel and an aluminum handle. You can pull the knife out of your pocket while engaging it thanks to a protruding quillon that catches the edge of your pants. The reach on this thing is insane, which is why some people opt for the smaller Ti-Lite. We also really like this budget version with AUS 8A steel.

Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops Folder – Knife of the Week

June 29, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

Sometimes you just need a knife you can beat down, a knife you don’t have to worry about babying, a knife that’s simultaneously dependable and disposable.

That knife is the Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops.

This liner locking folder is part of Smith & Wesson’s Extreme Ops series of well-built yet inexpensive EDC knives. This model has a 3.22-inch drop-point blade made from 7Cr17MoV high carbon stainless steel. It’s an alloy that’s easy to sharpen when it becomes dull.

The blade opens easily via dual thumb studs and locks into place with a liner lock.

10 Best KA-BAR Knives

June 19, 2023 / Tim / 18 Comments

KA-BAR is a legendary brand that’s been making knives under different names for a century. While the KA-BAR knife is the most well-known model from the company, the Olean-based company makes a diverse group of knife designs.

Teaming up with some of the best knife-making minds out there, such as Ethan Becker, Rick Hinderer, and Bob Dozier, shows this brand is committed to quality designs.

There have been a number of great new models over the years, but none have been quite strong enough to topple these classics.

Here are the 10 best KA-BAR knives right now.

KA-BAR USMC Fighting Knife

Let’s start with the icon — the original KA-BAR. I won’t go too deep into the history of KA-BAR (because I’ve already done that) but a few companies actually made the KA-BAR knife. However, the knives that were made by what is now KA-BAR were always considered the best. Even all these years later, the fighting knife remains a favorite among civilians and military personnel alike.

I could have easily made this list nothing but KA-BAR utility knives, but I thought the classic USMC could also stand in for the dozens of other iterations, such as the Kraton models, tanto models, and smaller versions.

You can pretty much find the perfect KA-BAR for you, including a Kraton version, commemorative versions, a short version, and more.

KA-BAR BK2 Becker Campanion

Just as I could have made list of only the fighting knives, I could also make this list nothing but models from the KA-BAR Becker line. Ethan Becker is a knife-designing savant and his line of Beckers at KA-BAR proves it. Few are as great and versatile as the BK2 Becker Campanion.

‘Overall Knife of the Year’ Winners at Blade Show Since 1984

June 17, 2023 / Tim / 35 Comments

With thousands of knives flooding the markets, it might seem like there’s so much overlap out there that all knives start to bleed together. If you actually believe that new knives no longer have much to offer, you have a lot of studying to do.

Every year manufacturers and designers work hard to bring something new and exciting to the table. To better illustrate how new knives are still proving their worth, we thought it’d be interesting to take a look at all the winners of Blade Magazine‘s “Overall Knife of the Year” award since the start.

The winners of this award are voted by attendees of the BLADE Show and a panel of special judges. These knives are typically prototypes at the time, but show real craftsmanship, expert designs, beautiful construction, and much more.

The first BLADE Show took place in 1982. From what I could find, the first Overall Knife of the Year award was given to a Fight’n Rooster knife, though I couldn’t pinpoint the model, so I didn’t add it here.

Also, the show did not have an Overall Knife of the Year winner in 1983. If I am wrong, please let me know. So with that, let’s start with the knife that won the award in 1984 and work our way to the present.

1984: Timberline Survival Hunter

(The image is of a skinner version of the knife made by Timberline’s Vaughn Neely. These old knives are hard to find.)

The Survival Hunter is a design by Vaughn Neely, who founded Timberline, and was a beloved knife. You still see these vintage Survival Hunters for sale but they tend to go very quickly. Like I said, these earlier knives are difficult to find information on, but it also won the American Made Design of the Year in 1985.

1985: Gerber Clip-Lock

The Clip-Lock from Gerber was a Black Collins design that’s now long discontinued. It had an unusual sheath design in that a clip locked it into place. Here is a quick video overview:

1986: Fight’n Rooster 7-blade Congress

I’m honestly not too familiar with Fight’n Rooster Knives, but I was able to find out that the company was started in the ’70s by Frank Buster. Most of them were traditional slip joint designs typically made in Solingen, Germany. This 7-bladed Congress was all I could find of the knife, but if it’s not the correct model, please let me know.

1987: Buck Titanium

The Buck Titanium was an interesting design with a titanium handle and an overall design reminiscent of the Buck 110 Folding Hunter. It had a monstrous pocket clip, which you can kind of see in the image above. It had a back lock and was just a solid knife.

Benchmade Mediator – Knife of the Week

June 16, 2023 / Tim / 0 Comments

What do you get when you combine the best parts of Benchmade’s best knives to create one super auto?

You get the Benchmade Mediator.

The Benchmade Mediator is a knife we affectionately refer to as a Frankenstein folder (or Frankenstein’s monster folder for you sticklers).

The Mediator features a 3.3-inch black-coated blade made from premium S90V stainless steel. It uses a reverse tanto blade shape that takes cues from the iconic 940 Osborne. The shape is versatile and unique.

Benchmade also wanted to capture the speed and force of the Infidel’s opening mechanism in the knife, so they made this a side-firing automatic that’s lightning fast.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot

Page 6 of 114

10 Best Smith & Wesson Knives

Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops

Smith & Wesson 1st Response

See Red With These 10 Fiery Red Knives

1. Victorinox Tinker

2. Tactical Extreme Karambit

10 Best CRKT Knives

CRKT M16

‘Most Innovative American-Made Design of the Year’ Winners at Blade Show Since 1990

1990: Becker Knife & Tool Tactul II

1991: Gerber Gator Serrated

1992: Equip USA El Diente

Perfect Point Rainbow Throwers – Knife of the Week

10 Best Cold Steel Knives

Cold Steel Recon 1

Cold Steel Ti-Lite

Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops Folder – Knife of the Week

10 Best KA-BAR Knives

KA-BAR USMC Fighting Knife

KA-BAR BK2 Becker Campanion

‘Overall Knife of the Year’ Winners at Blade Show Since 1984

1984: Timberline Survival Hunter

1985: Gerber Clip-Lock

1986: Fight’n Rooster 7-blade Congress

1987: Buck Titanium

Benchmade Mediator – Knife of the Week

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