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Best Big Bushcraft Knives: Huge Backwoods Hackers [Tested]

Ed Sanow
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Best Big Bushcraft Knives: Huge Backwoods Hackers [Tested]

Part big knife/part small machete, 4 fixed blades do both well.

All-terrain has been used to describe the cross between a small machete and a large knife. It’s a tool that doubles as a machete for brush clearing, but, unlike a machete, can do fine cutting and, unlike even a large hunting knife, can build a shelter. It’s less than a kukri, bolo, parang or machete but more than “just” a big knife.

My team and I compared four such crossover hard-use knives, each with blades roughly 10 inches long. All use 1095, 1095 Cro-Van or 1075 carbon blade steels—in other words, alloys that are survival oriented and field-sharpening friendly. All have some standard knife features such as integral guards and bowie-type blades, and some standard machete traits like serviceable blade bellies and large handles. Some have simple, subdued features while others are more aggressive and exaggerated. All are compromises between a big hunting knife and a small machete.

To test the knives as objectively as possible, we did some common BladeSports International (BSI) trials, which have their origins with some of the American Bladesmith Society tests for journeyman and master smith ratings. Among other abilities, the knives of BSI contestants must cut through a 1-inch free-hanging rope and chop clean through a 2-by-4 board.

All test materials (hemp rope, 2-by-4s, 4-by-4 posts, paper tubes and water-filled plastic bottles) were consistent from knife to knife, and we made all feathersticks and tent pegs from the same branches. Yes, we treated backwoods knives like competition choppers to objectively find their real strengths and weaknesses.

The knives were tested right out of the box, with the factory edge and with only a 600-grit stone sharpening before all the stages were repeated to get the average results. All tests were done with bare hands—if there were hot spots during hard work or precise use, we wanted to find them. Four knife enthusiasts with different hand sizes did some of the evaluations.

ESEE Junglas

The author initially wondered if a choil would be needed for precise cutting, but got along surprisingly well without one making notched tent pegs and feathersticks with the ESEE Junglas.
The author initially wondered if a choil would be needed for precise cutting, but got along surprisingly well without one making notched tent pegs and feathersticks with the ESEE Junglas.

Junglas Specs
Designer: Jeff Randall
Blade Length: 10.4″
Blade Steel: 1095
Cutting Edge Length: 9.8″
Maximum Blade Width: 2.0″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.188″
Blade Pattern: Drop Point
Blade Grind: Full Flat
Blade Finish: Powder Coat
Handle Length: 6.1″
Handle Material: Micarta
Pommel: hammer
Lanyard Hole: one
Weight: 23.0 ozs.
Overall Length: 16.5″
Sheath Material: Kydex, MOLLE
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $309

Like most ESEE knives, the Junglas (pronounced “HOON-glas”) is based on the lessons learned from jungle operations, in this instance after ESEE co-owner Jeff Randall spent time with the Colombian Jungla Special Operations Forces. Thus the name of the Junglas, designed to have the strength and rigidity of a fixed blade and the cutting efficiency of a machete. 

The 1095 of the Junglas is the go-to steel for many military, survival, hunting, camping, tactical and bushcraft blades. Compared to all carbon, tool, high speed and stainless steels, 1095 is on the low end for edge retention but in the middle for toughness. What makes it a favorite choice for survival/bushcraft knives is its toughness and very high overall rating for ease of field sharpening with small, simple hand tools. As a carbon steel it has a very low rating for corrosion resistance, which is why nearly all 1095 blades, like with the Junglas, have a protective coating. 

During our tests, we found the Junglas to have excellent balance. The Micarta® scales have the right amount of texture, and their shape allowed full control and orientation of the blade and point. We initially wondered if a choil would be needed for precise cutting, but got along surprisingly well making notched tent pegs and feathersticks.

The Junglas has a Cordura®-backed sheath with snap retaining strap and full pommel cover. The sheath has an adjustable blade tension, which doubles as a knife lock. Like all ESEE knives, the Junglas is no-frills simple and totally functional. It performed extremely well in every test and in the subjective cutting impressions review. It really is a knife, ax and machete all in one.

TOPS Armageddon

The drop-point blade of the TOPS Armageddon has a slight bolo recurve, which signals what the big knife was really good at during testing. The back-to-back choil and finger cutouts provide options in cutting techniques. Don’t be put off by the relatively short distance from the finger cutout to the bird’s-beak pommel. Choke back for chopping and choke up for precision work.
The drop-point blade of the TOPS Armageddon has a slight bolo recurve, which signals what the big knife was really good at during testing. The back-to-back choil and finger cutouts provide options in cutting techniques. Don’t be put off by the relatively short distance from the finger cutout to the bird’s-beak pommel. Choke back for chopping and choke up for precision work.

Armageddon Specs
Designer: Trace Rinaldi
Blade Length: 10.6″
Blade Steel: 1095
Cutting Edge Length: 10.0″
Maximum Blade Width: 1.9″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.25″
Blade Pattern: Drop Point, Recurve
Blade Grind: Partial Flat
Blade Finish: Powder Coat
Handle Length: 5.9″
Handle Material: Micarta
Pommel: Hammer
Lanyard Hole: Two
Weight: 24.0 ozs.
Overall Length: 16.6″
Sheath Material: Ball. Nylon, MOLLE
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $350

All four review knives chopped, cut, batonned and carved nearly the same. Blade steel and edge geometry are very similar. The big differences are in the handles and the most distinctive grip belongs to the TOPS Armageddon. Consider Forged in Fire’s Doug Marcaida and his emphasis on the handle. You must be able to “feel” where the point and edge are, and the handle must not have hot spots. That said, the Armageddon grip gives some good handling options.

If you choke all the way back for chopping on this bushcraft knife, and your hand is large or larger, your little finger will be up against the bird’s-beak pommel, a definite hot spot. The obvious solution is to put your forefinger in the finger cutout. This makes the grip extremely secure when chopping, and there is plenty of room for the other three fingers. That is how we held the Armageddon during the 2-by-4 chop and 1-inch rope cut, when the big TOPS knife exhibited plenty of power.

In fine cutting, we used the choil cutout and spine gimping for precise blade control. With this grip, the finger cutout fit between the middle and ring fingers. If this grip is not completely comfortable, three minutes of radiusing and rounding with a Dremel® tool will customize the choil and finger cutouts and bird’s-beak pommel to your hand.

Blade steel is 1095. The Micarta scales are a clear solution for heavy use, offering the right amount of texture for bare hands under wet conditions. The exposed full tang can easily be hammered, and we found the twin lanyard holes helpful.

We selected or excluded knives for this roundup partially based on the sheaths. The Armageddon comes with a ballistic nylon model over a rigid plastic insert. It has two fabric-fastener handle straps and can be belt worn. The twin accessory pouches can hold a sharpening stone, fire kits, mini med kits, multi-tool and/or flashlight.

The tests showed just how effective the big TOPS knife can be. At a quarter-inch thick, it has the stoutest blade of the test bunch, which helped chop and baton. The flat grind kept the thick blade competitive during slicing tests. The choil/finger-cutout handle offers cutting technique options not found on any of the other test knives.

KA-BAR/Becker Knife & Tool BK9 Combat Bowie

The lightest knife of the test group, the KA-BAR/Becker BK9 Combat Bowie easily split the 4-by-4 posts with no handle shock or grip slip. 
The lightest knife of the test group, the KA-BAR/Becker BK9 Combat Bowie easily split the 4-by-4 posts with no handle shock or grip slip. 

BK9 Combat Bowie Specs
Designer: Ethan Becker
Blade Length: 9.3″
Blade Steel: 1095 Cro-Van
Cutting Edge Length: 9.3″
Maximum Blade Width: 1.9″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.188″
Blade Pattern: Clip Point
Blade Grind: Partial Flat
Blade Finish: Powder Coat
Handle Length: 5.5″
Handle Material: Ultramid® Nylon
Pommel: Hammer
Lanyard Hole: One
Weight: 16.8 ozs.
Overall Length: 14.8″
Sheath Material: Ball. Nylon, MOLLE
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $195

The KA-BAR/Becker Knife & Tool BK9 Combat Bowie is a large, low-profile bushcraft knife. During the tests, it did everything we expected a big bowie to do. It chopped, hacked and batonned with gusto, and cut, sliced and slashed quite well, especially considering it is by far the lightest and nearly the shortest of the review knives. 

Used by KA-BAR on assorted of the company’s knives, 1095 Cro-Van is essentially 1095 with the addition of several elements. Arguably, 1095 Cro-Van is an incremental improvement in edge retention and toughness over 1095. While the chemistry is there, we didn’t notice any big differences in testing. 

The knife has smooth, rounded nylon scales. We decided to use from-the-factory models in the testing, even if factory parts were available to improve performance. Indeed, high-texture Micarta scales are available from KA-BAR. Somewhat surprisingly, the smooth scales with palm swell proved perfectly acceptable during testing, even the hard chopping. Since one of the tests involved cutting water-filled plastic bottles, our hands got wet. However, there was no noticeable hand slipping and the handle was comfortable in hard use.

The BK9 comes with a ballistic nylon sheath over a rigid plastic insert, and one snap retention strap. If you order Micarta replacement scales from KA-BAR, consider getting the Becker Remora skeleton knife, which fits in the BK9’s sheath pouch. 

The lighter, shorter Becker excelled at smaller carving and whittling jobs. In close work, it did the precise cutting easily. We like the gimped thumb rise and used it for precision work. Overall, this is a very versatile bush blade. The big Becker punched way above its weight class in every test.

Condor Tool & Knife Plan A Bowie

Making a featherstick tests blade sharpness, edge geometry and edge retention. It also gauges whether the knife enables the user to choke up enough for precise work. The Condor Plan A passed muster on all fronts.
Making a featherstick tests blade sharpness, edge geometry and edge retention. It also gauges whether the knife enables the user to choke up enough for precise work. The Condor Plan A passed muster on all fronts.

Plan A Bowie Specs
Designer: Julio Diez
Blade Length: 9.0″
Blade Steel: 1075
Cutting Edge Length: 8.8″
Maximum Blade Width: 2.0″
Blade @ Thickest: 0.188″
Blade Pattern: Clip Point
Blade Grind: Partial Flat
Blade Finish: Polished
Handle Length: 6.5″
Handle Material: Micarta®
Pommel: Covered tang
Lanyard Hole: One
Weight: 18.0 ozs.
Overall Length: 14.5″
Sheath Material: Kydex®
Country of Origin: El Salvador
MSRP: $168

The Plan A Bowie from Condor Tool & Knife is very much a big bushcraft knife, complete with an upswept, false edge, clip-point blade. It has the shortest blade of the test knives and the shortest overall length. However, the blade’s partial flat grind and longest handle of the review models kept the weight up a bit. As a result, it held its own in heavy chopping, the difficult slicing and precise carving.

The 1075 blade steel is very similar to 1095. Each alloy has slight advantages. The 1095 is harder and known for better edge retention, while 1075 is known for enhanced toughness, making it ideal for chopping.

The knife sports sculpted palm-swell scales and a pronounced kukri-type pommel swell. We found the handle comfortable and secure during testing and the subjective evaluations. The kukri swell is sharp cornered but we didn’t find it to be a hot spot.

The Condor is the only review knife with the scales covering the full tang, and an exposed tang to hammer with is sometimes helpful in the field. There is a hole for a lanyard. The full sheath has a molded retention feature and a thick leather belt loop.

The knife handled like the big bowie that it is. It performed as confidently during chopping as during slicing. It took the hanging rope, water bottles and 2-by-4 in stride. There is something special about a big, aggressive bowie and the Plan A has that something.

Cross-Over Success

Each knife was able to cross over into virtually all areas of bushcraft. Perhaps a bit more chopping to make a tent peg than carving in some cases, but the end result was still a usable tent peg. Each passed such standards as slicing through the hanging 1-inch rope and chopping through a 2-by-4. Each is a little different from the other, a little better in some areas than others. Overall, however, they are more alike in performance than different in appearance.

Check Out More Outdoor Knives:

B. Goode H.U.T. 4 Review: All-Star Performance

Msg Kim Breed (ret.)
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B. Goode H.U.T. 4 Review: All-Star Performance

B. Goode H.U.T. 4 high steps its way through the author’s test drills

The H.U.T. 4 by Brian Goode of B. Goode Knives reminds me of my military days—it just needs the “2, 3” before the “4.” The acronym and number stand for Hunter, Utility, Trail, 4 inch. An all-around edged tool that can be used for multiple tasks, it’s the one knife you always grab for when cutting needs to be done. How well it cut I’ll let you know.

Light Duty Cutting

There was no difference between the first paper cut test and the last one. The H.U.T. 4 stayed sharp.
There was no difference between the first paper cut test and the last one. The H.U.T. 4 stayed sharp.

I began with a simple yet effective test—the paper slice. I grabbed the H.U.T. 4 with my thumb and index finger and slid the edge into the paper. It kept slicing for the entire blade length. I could hear each slice, so it’s very aggressive in the 20-pound bond paper. You really have to watch closely so you don’t skin a flap from your finger.

Single-walled cardboard was next. I used a push cut and the knife didn’t fail. I felt no resistance while cutting. The H.U.T. 4 zipped through quickly. The blade did get some wipe marks on the acid finish.

Medium Duty Cutting

The knife sliced the 8-ounce leather quite forcefully. Each time the edge hit leather, the author heard it slice.
The knife sliced the 8-ounce leather quite forcefully. Each time the edge hit leather, the author heard it slice.

Grabbing some scrap 8-ounce leather, I did some skiving and slicing. The knife sliced quite forcefully once more. Each time the edge hit the leather, you could hear it cut. This is a very cool test to do. Brian’s knife is light and fast, so you must be quick and get your fingers out of harm’s way.

Heavy Duty Cutting

The H.U.T. 4 was a whittling beast on a ¾-inch dowel rod, providing extremely smooth cuts with nice curlicues at the end. The handle is very comfortable with no hot spots. I went from fine cuts to deep cuts with a slight movement of my wrist. The knife is easy to control.

Using a chunk of wood railing as a baton, the author beat the H.U.T. 4 into another piece of railing. The wood split very fast and no shock carried up the author’s arm.
Using a chunk of wood railing as a baton, the author beat the H.U.T. 4 into another piece of railing. The wood split very fast and no shock carried up the author’s arm.

Even though the knife has only a 4-inch blade, it can handle larger trail chores like splitting wood. Using a chunk of wood railing as a baton, I beat the H.U.T. 4 into another piece of railing. The wood split very fast and no shock carried up my arm. I split both with the grain and across the grain with no difference. The edge was still perfect and I gave it some wood smears for character. It is a fun knife to use.

It was on to my favorite medium: sisal rope using push cuts. The H.U.T. 4 didn’t let me down. Two-hundred sweet crunching cuts happened very quickly. This is one smooth slicing, sharp knife. As fast as I could move the knife it was cutting. The handle is contoured for control and comfort.

In what could be construed as abuse, I gave the fixed blade 30 whacks into a deer antler. After scattering antler chips all over the workbench, the knife passed with flying colors—no damage and still very sharp. Excellent heat treat!

It was back to the 20-pound bond paper for the final cut. There was no difference between the first paper cut and the last one. The H.U.T. 4 stayed sharp.

Bottom Line

This is a great knife to have on you all the time—not too big, not too small and extremely sharp. Any changes? Maybe some thumb notches.

H.U.T. 4 Specs
Maker: Brian Goode, B. Goode Knives
Blade length: 4”
Blade material: 8670 carbon steel on the test knife; other steels available
Blade grind: Full flat
Blade @thickest: .125”
Blade finish: Acid dipped
Scales: Red and black canvas Micarta®
Handle pins: G-10
Weight: 4.5 ozs.
Overall length: 8.5”
Sheath: Leather pouch/belt model
Weight w/sheath: 6 ozs.
Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $350

More Knife Reviews:

New Knives March 2025

BLADE Staff
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New Knives March 2025

Today’s pocketknives come in assorted locks, no locks, blades, handles and more.

Eyes always peeled, we’re on the look out for the latest and the greatest. We think we’ve found a bevvy of them this March. So, with out further adieu, here’s our latest round of new knives.

Stanley Buzek Single-Blade Slipjoint

Stanley Buzek Single-Blade Slipjoint

Blade length: 3 3/8”
Blade steel: Feather damascus forged by ABS journeyman smith Mike Tyre
Blade grind: Hollow
Blade pattern: Clip point
Blade opener: Nail pull
Scales: Mammoth ivory
Liners/bolsters: 416 stainless in an integral construction
Engraving: Alice Carter, including 24k-gold inlay
Knife to know: Fileworked liners and acorn shield
Closed length: 4.25”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $2,800
Maker: Stanley Buzek, sbuzekknives.com (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Michael Zieba Nine Silver Kois

Michael Zieba Nine Silver Kois

Knife type: Side flipper
Blade length: 4.126”
Blade steel: CPM MagnaCut stainless
Rockwell hardness: 62-63 HRC
Blade grind: Flat
Blade @thickest: .159”
Pivot: Ceramic ball bearing washers
Handle & pocket clip: Titanium w/24k-gold koi, lotus and moth inlay
Weight: 5.07 ozs.
Closed length: 5.5”
Knife to know: Air pockets for weight reduction; ceramic detent; white brass skull spacer
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $3,300
Maker: Michael Zieba, (SharpByCoop image)

Curt Zimmerman Flipper Folder

Curt Zimmerman Flipper Folder

Blade length: 3”
Blade steel: Feather damascus
Blade grind: Flat
Blade pattern: Clip point
Lock: Linerlock
Scales: Ancient walrus ivory
Bolster: Stainless steel engraved by Alice Carter w/24k-gold inlay
Liners: Titanium; fileworked and anodized
Screws: 24k-gold plated
Closed length: 3 15/16”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $2,500
Maker: Curt Zimmerman (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Rothman Knives Backpocket

Rothman Knives Backpocket

Knife type: Dress slipjoint
Blade length: 3.25”
Blade steel: Feather damascus forged by Adam Deville
Blade grind: 14” hollow
Blade pattern: Clip point
Scales: Interior mammoth
Bullet shield: Dark mammoth
Frame: 416 stainless in an integral construction
Closed length: 4.75”
Knife to know: Fileworked liners and embellished backspring; Michael Rothman is a member of the Knifemakers’ Guild
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,500
Maker: Rothman Knives, rothmanknives.com (SharpByCoop image)

Jeremy Marsh Mini Assassin

Jeremy Marsh Mini Assassin

Knife to know: A collaboration between Jeremy Marsh and Jonathan Quill
Blade length: 3.5”
Blade steel: Damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels forged by Quill and finished by Marsh w/a dark, deep etch and “a great deal of hand finishing”
Scales: 10,000-year-old bog oak from Ireland w/a coarse-grained, oily look
Liners: Feature a distressed rock finish along the edges applied by Marsh and traditional vine filework applied by Quill Bolsters, thumbstuds and hardware: Zirconium toned lightly bronze and burnished for highlights
Embellishment: Quill engraved the bolsters and pocket clip in a Celtic/Norse theme
Closed length: 4.5”
Make’s price for a similar knife: $8,000
Maker: Jeremy Marsh (Mitchell Cohen image)

Maverik Knives Dress Slipjoint

Maverik Knives Dress Slipjoint

Blade length: 3”
Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless
Blade grind: High flat
Blade pattern: Clip point
Scales: Black paper Micarta®
Frame: Brass
Bolster: Straight twist damascus
Hardware: Titanium
Closed length: 4”
Knife to know: Maverik Murdock is an ABS apprentice smith
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $750
Maker: Maverik Knives, maverikknives.com (SharpByCoop image)

WE Knife High-Fin XL

WE Knife High-Fin XL

Designer: Gavko Knives
Blade length: 3.48”
Blade steel: Hakkapella damascus by Damasteel
Rockwell hardness: 59-61 HRC
Blade grind: Hollow
Blade pattern: Reverse tanto
Pivot: Caged ceramic ball bearings
Handle: Satin-polished 6Al4V titanium in a diamond-pattern texture
Pocket clip: Crystallized gray 6Al4V titanium; blade tip up, right-handed
Lock: Framelock
Weight: 4.03 ozs.
Closed length: 4.67”
Country of origin: China
MSRP: $740
Company: WE Knife, weknife.com

David Kulis Spectre XL

David Kulis Spectre XL

Knife type: Dress tactical flipper folder
Blade length: 3.5”
Blade steel: Dragonskin damascus forged by Bertie Rietveld
Blade grind: 8” hollow
Blade shape: Recurve
Handle: Purple/orange/green burl
Liners: Titanium
Knife to know: All titanium hardware anodized to match the Timascus pocket clip
Closed length: 5.25”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,500
Maker: David Kulis (SharpByCoop image)

Takach Forge Dress Locking Folder

Takach Forge Dress Locking Folder

Blade length: 2 5/16”
Blade steel: Damascus
Blade grind: Flat
Blade pattern: Wharncliffe
Blade opener: Thumb stud
Scales: Carved pre-ban elephant ivory
Bolster: Damascus w/24k-gold inlay
Embellishment: Filework, micro-texturing, coloring, 24k-gold inlay
Liner material: 15N20 nickel-alloy steel
Lock: Linerlock
Closed length: 3.25”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,776
Maker: Takach Forge, takachforge.net (SharpByCoop image)

SOG Knives Escape 2.0 Hi Viz Orange

SOG Knives Escape 2.0 Hi Viz Orange

Knife type: Rescue folder
Blade length: 3.4”
Blade steel: AUS-8 stainless
Blade mechanism: Assisted opening
Handle: 6061 aluminum
Lock: Linerlock
Pocket clip: Low carry
Weight: 4.4 ozs.
Closed length: 4.6”
Knife to know: Belt cutter and glassbreaker in the butt; spare blade for the belt cutter stores in the handle
Country of origin: China
MSRP: $54.95
Company: SOG Knives, www.sogknives.com

Jerry Fisk Saddlehorn-Style Slipjoint

Jerry Fisk Saddlehorn-Style Slipjoint

Blade length: 3.33”
Blade material: Damascus
Blade pattern: Clip point
Blade opener: Nail pull
Scales: Wood from one of the last walnut trees planted by President George Washington
Bolster: Spring steel engraved by Jerry Fisk Maker’s price for a similar knife: $5,900 (includes a bottle of whiskey from George Washington’s Distillery)
Knife to know: In 1999, Jerry Fisk was named a National Living Treasure by the Museum of World Cultures at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Maker: Jerry Fisk (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Chris Richardson Lockback Folder

Chris Richardson Lockback Folder

Blade length: 3.25”
Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless
Blade grind: Flat
Blade pattern: Modified wharncliffe
Handle inlay: Mammoth ivory
Thumbstud inlay: Angelskin coral
Bolster: 416 stainless in an integral construction
Closed length: 4.75”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $850
Maker: Chris Richardson (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Check Out Knife Drops:

Catchy Names On Great Knives

Abe Elias
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Catchy Names On Great Knives

Recognition, catchiness and marketability are but three keys to knife names.

What’s in a name? A knife by any other name will still cut, hopefully. Many people don’t realize what hangs on a name. Is it good enough to be memorable, catchy as it were? A catchy name will make a knife more or less marketable.

If you’ve read my stories long enough, you’ve seen me comment on a knife’s name, especially if it is a long, drawn-out one. To me, it is important for the name to have a short form. For example, salespeople can’t sell a knife by word of mouth if they have to say the company name followed by Omega Kilroy Uber Cutter, Men In Black Forever Ever Sharp Cutting Commando, etc. When I was having knives licensed, the licensing companies would check to see if there were other knives on the market with the same name to avoid any copyright or other legal problems. They no doubt still do that.

I think now more than ever naming a knife would be even more difficult than designing one. After all, you can have numerous drop points but when you go to name your knife you don’t want it drowning in a sea of cutlery. With so many new knife companies out there, knife production is at an all-time high. How on earth do they make their knives stand out from the rest? One way is with the name. Following are some lighthearted ones.

RMJ Tactical Stabby Guy

The large finger loop in the handle butt of the Stabby Guy provides a great platform to support the knife in your hand and keep it from slipping during thrusting motions. The fuller helps maintain blade strength and reduces weight.
The large finger loop in the handle butt of the Stabby Guy provides a great platform to support the knife in your hand and keep it from slipping during thrusting motions. The fuller helps maintain blade strength and reduces weight.

Stabby Guy Specs
Overall Length: 7.25″
Handle length: 3.5″
Blade Length: 3.75″
Blade Steel: CPM 3V carbon
Handle material: Black G-10, Dirty Olive Hyena Brown
Sheath: Kydex
MSRP: $240
Country Of Origin: U.S.A.

RMJ Tactical chose a name short and sweet for its Stabby Guy. I prefer—no, actually love—names like this. If you find yourself wandering off into multi-syllable diatribes for a name, you’ve lost me. Not only is Stabby Guy brief, it’s to the point, pun totally intended. It is what it says it is. I would call it a self-defense blade. It is slender in design and has an American-style-tanto tip. It is built solid, with the body of the knife having no primary edge.

A fuller runs full length on one side of the blade. The fuller allows the knife to keep its strength and still not weigh a ton. After all, this knife technically is equivalent to a tactical sewing needle. Save the fancy moves for Hollywood and put the machine on surge with the Stabby Guy. It has a simple, ergonomic, basically straight handle. A finger loop at the butt serves to anchor your grip and substitutes for the lack of a guard. A guard stops your hand from slipping forward while thrusting with the knife; the finger loop serves the same purpose.

Though there’s not a lot of edge, the knife need not be dead weight all day while you’re waiting for a prison riot to break out. The small but sharp edge can do a ton of minor chores. However, don’t expect to carve a chess set with it. It has a Kydex sheath equipped with a belt loop. I carried mine in my back pocket and forgot it was there. It’s a cool concept of a knife with a name that doesn’t leave you guessing.

Condor Tool & Knife Rude Boy Machete

The overall profile of the Rude Boy shows the sweet spot of the blade is a few inches back from the tip. The farther out the sweet spot, the more force it has during a swing.
The overall profile of the Rude Boy shows the sweet spot of the blade is a few inches back from the tip. The farther out the sweet spot, the more force it has during a swing.

Stabby Guy Specs
Overall Length: 7.25″
Handle length: 3.5″
Blade Length: 3.75″
Blade Steel: CPM 3V carbon
Handle material: Black G-10, Dirty Olive Hyena Brown
Sheath: Kydex
MSRP: $240
Country Of Origin: U.S.A.

Condor Tool & Knife’s aptly named Rude Boy Machete is made for light vegetation like that in a rain forest. Some machetes, on the other hand, are geared toward North American vegetation, such as hardwood or softer trees.

People often view a machete as a survival or bushcraft tool. Actually, it is more of a hiking tool with such primary uses as clearing walking trails through the jungle. For these endeavors the knives are often not razor sharp like many in North America believe. Maintaining a high level of sharpness would be next to impossible in such conditions and at best too time consuming. For that reason, a powerful swing with a thin, dull machete works well in dispatching vegetation. The Rude Boy is not only thin but lightweight, making it possible to swing for long periods. The well-constructed leather sheath has a pivoting belt loop to help avoid hanging up easily on vegetation.

The only thing I take issue with is the blade profile. The blade’s lengthy defined tip leaves the belly swell farther back from the end. My preference would be to have the widest part of the blade farthest out to get the most out of the swing. Don’t get me wrong, the Rude Boy worked well, but a long day of swinging makes you want to optimize a blade’s performance. Then again, you do want some variety in appearance.

The best feature is the handle. In profile it is pretty much the American military style, though there are some excellent ergonomics added to the design. The plastic handle is overmolded to create a hidden tang. Instead of being blocky the contours are smoothed out for a comfortable grip you can use for long periods. I like the Rude Boy and I can see me beating the snot out of it once yardwork season arrives.

Toor Knives Jank Shank S

The sharp point and clean grind lines of the Jank Shank S make it easy to see how the author was able to use it to clean 50 muskrats with minimal effort.
The sharp point and clean grind lines of the Jank Shank S make it easy to see how the author was able to use it to clean 50 muskrats with minimal effort.

Jank Shank S Specs
Overall Length: 7″
Handle length: 3″
Blade Length: 4″
Blade Steel: CPM M4 carbon
Handle material: G-10
Sheath: Kydex
MSRP: $250
Country Of Origin: U.S.A.

Out of the creatively named test models, I probably gave the Jank Shank S from Toor Knives the longest going over. I used it as an EDC but the bigger workout was when I took it to my sportsman’s club. Many in the tactical crowd promote rings in the handle butt for changing positions during combat, but I like them for the advantage they give while cleaning game. That’s right, cleaning game.

When cleaning animals I often find I want to free my hands to work with the carcass. Instead of putting the knife down, I let it dangle from my pinky. I do what needs to be done and then just move the knife into my grip. There’s no fiddling around; it’s quick, simple and no searching for where I put it down.

My club has an annual muskrat dinner, and depending on ticket sales we clean up to 400 muskrats. I cleaned 50 of the varmints with the Jank Shank S, including splitting open the chest and neckbone. Not once did I sharpen it. When done I cleaned it off, gave it a touch up and bam!—it was crazy sharp again. The textured G-10 scales made it easy to grip despite my hands being covered in blood. It worked so well the muskrats didn’t even complain. I liked it so much you won’t hear me grumble about the blade’s fur-catcher choil. Oh, and did those muskrats ever look good with fries and a side of deluxe baked beans! The sheath fits well with no break-in, period. I will add an UltiClip to the sheath and it will be an instant EDC. The Jank Shank S will make it into my game kit any time. Muskrats beware!

Name-Gamers

A name can add to the appeal of a knife by being entertaining. It is also important to have a good name to make the design stand out and be memorable. In the end you don’t want the name associated with a piece of junk, so it is always best to put the most effort into a great design. Our three name-gamers fill that bill.

Catchy Cutlery Call Signs

  • Catchy Cutlery Call Signs
  • Altered Beast (V Nives)
  • American Lawman (Cold Steel)
  • Bot (CRKT)
  • Dreadeye (Tactile Knife Co.)
  • Juma Blue Snake (Fallkniven)
  • June Bug (Emerson Knives, Inc.)
  • Laid Back Jack (Jack Wolf Knives)
  • Little Bugger (TOPS Knives)
  • Monkey Thumper (Fox)
  • Separateur (Bastinelli)
  • Smooth Criminal (Medford)
  • Waning Moon Yataghan (APOC/CAS Iberia)
  • Warhead Auto (BRS)
  • Zilch Baltic Haze (Gerber)

Pocketknife Info:

Locking Folders Knives: Options That Unlock EDC Ease

Reuben Bolieu
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Locking Folders Knives: Options That Unlock EDC Ease

Four new entries help show why locking folders rule the pocketknife world.

Locking folders are the most popular pocketknives—perhaps even the most popular sporting knives of all. Slipjoints have the romance and tradition, vintage style, natural materials and many other things that make knives coveted by so many users and collectors, but locking folders are a lock in terms of being the king of pocketknife sales.

For one thing, while slipjoints can have anywhere from one to multiple blades, they are basically limited to one non-locking mechanism, that being the slipjoint mechanism itself. Locking folders, on the other hand, come in a wealth of locks, including the lockback, linerlock, Integral Lock/framelock, Benchmade AXIS Lock/crosslock, ring lock, button lock, Spyderco Compression Lock and others. Not only that but since they lock they’re much less likely to close accidentally than slipjoints.

Meanwhile, since the explosion in lockbacks after the introduction of the Buck 110 folding hunter in 1964 and the introduction of the linerlock by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Michael Walker in 1981—that by the end of the decade was catching on with custom and factory makers far and wide—locking folders have experienced booms in types and runaway sales that continue to this day.

As Matt Salazar, general manager of House of Blades retail knife store in Fort Worth, Texas, noted in “2025 Trends and Takeaways” of the Spring 2025 BLADE Complete Knife Guide, “While slipjoint collectors are diehards, they’re a drop in the bucket compared to those into locking folders.”

All of which brings us to the subject at hand: a sampling of a few of today’s top factory pocketknives that lock.

KA-BAR State & Union F01OD

The KA-BAR State & Union F01OD was with the author in the woods and carved a beautiful feather stick able to take a spark.
The KA-BAR State & Union F01OD was with the author in the woods and carved a beautiful feather stick able to take a spark.

State & Union F01OD Specs
Lock Type: Lockback
Blade Length: 3.25”
Blade Steel: CPM S35VN stainless
Blade Grind: Hollow
Blade @Thickest: .16”
Blade Finish: Satin
Handle Material: Olive drab G-10
Closed Length: 4.1”
Country of Origin: USA
MSRP: $175

The KA-BAR State & Union F01OD is the first all-USA-made folding knife by KA-BAR in over 50 years. The sleek, reliable edged tool features a sharp drop-point blade. The handle provides a solid grip and is complemented by eye-catching anodized orange hardware.

Designed for everyday carry, the F01OD has a reversible wire clip, ensuring it stays securely in your pocket. Checking in at a lightweight 3.2 ounces, the knife is suited for most any cutting adventure—whether in the field or around the house. Available in several colors, it also looks good while doing it.

Spyderco Alcyone

The leaf-shaped blade of the Alcyone has a sharp PlainEdge and the familiar Spyderco hole for ambidextrous opening.
The leaf-shaped blade of the Alcyone has a sharp PlainEdge and the familiar Spyderco hole for ambidextrous opening.

Alcyone Specs
Lock Type: Linerlock
Blade Length: 2.91”
Blade Steel: CTS BD1N stainless
Blade Grind: Flat
Blade @Thickest: .11”
Blade Finish: Shiny satin
Handle Material: G-10
Closed Length: 4.08”
Country of Origin: China
MSRP: $115

The Spyderco Alcyone is named after a multi-star system in the constellation Taurus. The locking folder combines high performance with classic Spyderco design at an affordable price, featuring premium U.S.-made blade steel. The leaf-shaped blade has a sharp PlainEdge and a Spyderco trademark round hole for ambidextrous opening.

Thanks to its open-backed construction and full skeletonized stainless steel liners, the ergonomic handle is lightweight and easy to clean. The rugged gray scales provide a secure grip with a non-slip peel-ply texture for sure handling. The four-position pocket clip provides left/right side, tip-up/tip-down carry. A generous-sized lined lanyard hole completes the handle package.

CobraTec Olympian

The modified drop-point blade of the Olympian flipper folder is tailored for precision cutting and slicing. The ball-bearing pivot system provides smooth, swift deployment. A robust glass breaker and lanyard loop enhance versatility.
The modified drop-point blade of the Olympian flipper folder is tailored for precision cutting and slicing. The ball-bearing pivot system provides smooth, swift deployment. A robust glass breaker and lanyard loop enhance versatility.

Olympian Flipper Specs
Lock Type: Framelock
Blade Length: 3.5”
Blade Steel: M390 stainless
Blade Grind: Flat
Blade @Thickest: .13”
Blade Finish: Satin
Handle Material: Titanium
Closed Length: 5.375”
Country of Origin: China
MSRP: $279.99

The CobraTec Olympian flipper folder is a marvel of precision engineering, seamlessly blending high-quality materials with an elegant, ergonomic design. A lightweight yet exceptionally durable titanium grip ensures effortless handling and superior strength. The right-hand carry clip provides convenient accessibility.

The modified drop-point blade is tailored for precision cutting and slicing. The ball-bearing pivot system provides smooth, swift deployment. A robust glass breaker and lanyard loop enhance versatility.

CRKT Ibis

Designed by Lucas Burnley, the CRKT Ibis features a drop-point blade with a prominent belly great for slicing, while the black finish complements the titanium handle.
Designed by Lucas Burnley, the CRKT Ibis features a drop-point blade with a prominent belly great for slicing, while the black finish complements the titanium handle.

Ibis Specs
Lock Type: Framelock
Blade Length: 3.08”
Blade Steel: CPM S35VN stainless
Blade Grind: Saber
Blade @Thickest: .13”
Blade Finish: Stonewash
Handle Material: Titanium
Closed Length: 4.14”
Country of Origin: China
MSRP: $200

Designed by Lucas Burnley, the CRKT Ibis is named after a graceful wading bird. For a distinctive look, the blade features a sleek curve along the spine. The drop-point blade boasts a prominent belly great for slicing, while the black finish complements the titanium handle. As Burnley notes, “It just looks good.”

With fast flipper deployment, the Ibis opens smoothly thanks to the Ikoma Korth Bearing System (IKBS)/ball bearing pivot. A low-profile pocket clip keeps the 2.9-ounce knife securely by your side.

Carrying

The way a knife is carried is essential. The sleek Olympian (top left) and discreet Ibis (bottom right) are great gentleman's knives, while the bulkier Alcyone (top right) is more noticeable. The State & Union (bottom left) is the least noticeable of all.
The way a knife is carried is essential. The sleek Olympian (top left) and discreet Ibis (bottom right) are great gentleman’s knives, while the bulkier Alcyone (top right) is more noticeable. The State & Union (bottom left) is the least noticeable of all.

How a knife rides in your pocket is essential. The Olympian carried deep with enough handle to grab onto. The sleek diameter, closed and open, never felt bulky.

The Ibis also carried deep and was easy to retrieve. It came in second to the Olympian for sleekness. The black color also made it the most subdued of the gang, attracting less attention.

The Alcyone carried bulky and a lot more exposed. The protrusion makes it easier to get at but screams, “I have a knife!” If that bugs you, you can always opt for a different folder.

The State & Union carried exactly how I like—deep and almost invisible. It has the right amount of pocket capacity to let me know it was still there. It and the Olympian were my favorite pocket carry folders of the test bunch.

All the knives come with a lanyard hole.

Opening

The test knives are studies in differing approaches to colors, locks, blade openers, pocket clips, lanyard holes, bulk, dimensions and more.
The test knives are studies in differing approaches to colors, locks, blade openers, pocket clips, lanyard holes, bulk, dimensions and more.

The Olympian has a flipper-style opener—and it was smooth and sleek. The Ibis has two ways of opening. Despite how smoothly the flipper operated, the thumb studs were another animal. CRKT should remove the thumb studs altogether. I’ve handled hundreds of one-handed openers. I could not open this one, no matter how hard I tried. All the king’s horses couldn’t open it using the thumb studs.

The Alcyone, on the other hand, has the eternally trusty large opening hole. I could open the blade in an inverted position, using my middle finger to lightly disengage the blade and let a wrist flick do the rest. That’s a Spyderco. It doesn’t vary in quality from any other Spyderco. The State & Union has an undeniable thumb stud for easy access. It opened smoothly, and the sound of the lockback engaging gave a sense of confidence. Solid as can be—it’s a KA-BAR!

Ergonomics

An easy winner in hand comfort was the State & Union. I had it the longest and exposed it to more use than every other test model. Second was the Olympian, though it was close. After all, I spent more time with the S&U. The Alcyone earned a third place yet was very solid. The Ibis wasn’t uncomfortable but would show hot spots as a long-cutting task knife.

Final Cut

Packaging peanuts, leather, light phone cords, 550 paracord, cardboard and nylon webbing are all part of my test gauntlet for folding knives.

The State & Union made feather sticks in the forest for a winter fire with ease. I found some stray nylon rope in the woods and tried slicing it with the S&U. It did not slice through. The task may have dulled the edge. During the gauntlet test, the knife faltered on packaging peanuts, nylon webbing, leather and 550 paracord. It made it through phone cord and cardboard but was a step behind the others.

The Olympian deploys with a fierce snap and displays a ready-to-go attitude—and means it. It slices well and can easily fit the role of a gentleman’s carry knife. The Ibis deployed almost as smoothly as the Olympian. It sliced all materials with authority. It ranked second among the review bunch in knife tasks. However, the Alcyone absolutely smashed it—maybe I should say slashed it. It was the best slicer across the board. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

More Pocketknife Info:

5 Pocketknife Breakthroughs That Changed The Class Of Knife

Elwood Shelton
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5 Pocketknife Breakthroughs That Changed The Class Of Knife

The technological advancements that have redefined the pocketknife as we know it.

When I stumbled onto the knife scene in 1985, the only pocketknives I had carried up to that point were slipjoints and lockbacks. Of course, slipjoints weren’t called slipjoints back then but simply pocketknives. Today, as far as BLADE® is concerned—not that it’s any major newsflash or anything—any knife you can carry in your pocket is a pocketknife.

All of which brings me to the subject at hand: my picks of the five most important pocketknife developments of the modern sporting knife era. In rough chronological order they are:

•The pocket clip: BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Sal Glesser’s introduction in 1981 of the Spyderco pocketknives with the hole in the blade and the pocket clip would turn the genre on its head. While the hole in the blade was a masterstroke in and of itself, it was the pocket clip that forever changed the way people would carry their pocketknives. Rather than rattling around in the bottom of a pocket with change, car keys and what have you, the closed knife was held on the pocket lip by the clip, free from pocket-bottom scratches and poised at the ready to be deployed to cut whatever needed cutting.

•The linerlock: Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Michael Walker invented the linerlock in 1981, but it would take a few more years before custom knifemakers—and shortly thereafter, factory makers—began readily adopting the lock that made one-hand manual opening and closing of the pocketknife an easy reality rather than an exercise in hand contortions. Today, the argument can be made that the linerlock is used on more sporting folders than any other lock.

•The flipper: While exactly who made the first folder with the flipper tab that manually deploys a folding blade with the tap of a finger may be up for debate, there is no debating that the person who popularized it was Cutlery Hall-of-Fame knifemaker Kit Carson. A simple addition to the pocketknife on its face, the flipper tab opens a blade as fast and easy as any other manual method—probably faster.

•The Ikoma Korth Bearing System (IKBS): Pivot systems that helped open folding blades quickly and smoothly had been around before, but it was the IKBS conceived in 2002 that took blade opening to a new level of quick and smooth. In conjunction with the flipper especially, the IKBS transformed one-hand pocketknife opening from fast to just this side of automatic. Developed by Brazilian custom knifemakers Flavio Ikoma and Ricardo “Rick” and Paulo Lala (the latter two collectively known as Korth), the IKBS is another masterstroke of design and invention.

•Material upgrades: These cover a number of materials and years, from Walker’s switch to titanium for his linerlock spring in 1983, to a wide array of other hi-tech substances in subsequent years for pocketknife handles, including titanium, thermoplastics, Micarta®, G-10, carbon fiber and other state-of-the-art materials that not only were super strong and tough but also were lightweight, reducing the weight of pocketknives to the point that they were basically unnoticeable in a pocket. Meanwhile, the advances in blade steels over that same stretch are too many to mention.

How about you? What are the most important pocketknife developments? Tell us in the comments.

More On Pocketknives:

Bradford USA Guardian Review: Cutting Performance At Hand

Msg Kim Breed (ret.)
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Bradford USA Guardian Review: Cutting Performance At Hand

Bradford Guardian 3.2 in MagnaCut is a rope-eating animal.

EDC fixed blades are very popular, small enough to avoid unwanted attention yet able to do most jobs. They often range from 2-to-4-inch blade lengths and 3-to-4-inch handles. Usually carried in a cross draw or pocket sheath, in a pinch they can be used for self-protection (if you have training).

In general, it is a very useful tool that is always on you. I carry one constantly. The Guardian 3.2 in CPM MagnaCut stainless blade steel from Bradford USA definitely fits the bill. As to how well it works, let’s see if it holds up to everyday carry uses.

Guardian Light-Duty Cutting

I started with a 20-pound bond paper slice to check the fresh edge. The Guardian 3.2 was scary sharp. I nicked my fingernail three times by being slow. The blade made smooth, forceful slices with very little pressure. I did all push cuts with nary a snag or rolling of the paper.

Very aggressive slicing into the 8-ounce leather resulted in nice crunching noises.
Very aggressive slicing into the 8-ounce leather resulted in nice crunching noises.

Single-walled cardboard was next on the menu. The results weren’t much different from the bond paper, though there was a slight drag when the thicker part of the blade encountered the cardboard. That didn’t stop the Guardian 3.2 from doing its job. It sliced the cardboard as fast as I could move my fingers out of the way.

Guardian Medium-Duty Cutting

It was time to skive 8-ounce leather. Very aggressive slicing into the leather resulted in nice crunching noises. The handle provided positive control of blade depth and angle during the skiving. I even did some end-grain slicing to keep the crunching going. This is a very sharp knife indeed.

The pouch sheath of 6-to-7-ounce leather holds the knife securely. (BLADE® staff image)
The pouch sheath of 6-to-7-ounce leather holds the knife securely. (BLADE® staff image)

Springtime means camping so I needed to whittle lots of fire sticks. Using leftover pine, I whittled a bunch of excellent curlicues. The Guardian cut very smoothly. The thumb notches on the spine aided in control of cutting depth. Deep cuts or fine cuts, it can do both.

I used the Guardian to baton cut and it split the pine nicely, providing a nice pile of kindling. The handle felt comfortable. There was just one small point by the lanyard hole that was sharp when I rotated my grip. The knife does excellent wood work.

Guardian Heavy-Duty Cutting

As expected, after 30 hard whacks, the MagnaCut blade had a couple of very small nicks along the edge. It would be no big deal to work out the nicks with a very fine diamond hone.

Using leftover pine, the author whittled a bunch of excellent curlicues. The Guardian cut quite smoothly.
Using leftover pine, the author whittled a bunch of excellent curlicues. The Guardian cut quite smoothly.

To show that the small nicks are not that big of a deal, I went back to the 20-pound bond paper slice. There was only one snag when I tried to start a cut on the edge nick. Otherwise, the edge sailed through the paper without tearing. I was impressed the edge didn’t have more issues.

Final Cut

The thumb notches on the spine aided in control of cutting depth. (BLADE® staff image)
The thumb notches on the spine aided in control of cutting depth. (BLADE® staff image)

Some softening at the back of the handle is in order. This knife is designed for slicing every day. The Guardian 3.2 is an impressive fixed-blade EDC.

Guardian 3.2 Specs
Company: Bradford USA
Blade length: 3 1/8”
Blade steel: CPM MagnaCut stainless
Rockwell hardness: 63-64 HRC
Blade finish: Stonewashed black
Blade grind: Saber
Blade pattern: Drop point
Scales: Jade-green G-10
Construction: Full tang
Weight: 4.5 ozs.
Overall length: 7 1/8”
Sheath: Pouch type in 6-to-7-oz. leather
Country of origin: USA
MSRP: $229

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