Hip pocket feel empty? We got the cure for that…
The pocketknife was once a rare term, most likely because back in the pioneering day fixed blades of all types ruled the roost. With few bears to skin nowadays and more wire to strip and boxes to dismember, a pocketknife practically means knife to a wide swath of people. This ubiquitous class of knives helps make our daily world go round—be they tactical do-alls or slip-joint stunners. And we have gathered a load of new ones—factory and custom—hitting the market.
Barnett Custom Knives 6-Blade Congress
Knife pattern: 6-blade congress
Master blade length: 17/8”
Blade steel: Ladder-pattern damascus
Blade grinds: Flat
Scales: Gold-lip mother-of-pearl
Handle frame: .030” 410 stainless steel
Bolsters: 416 stainless
Closed length: 3.5”
Knife to know: Bruce Barnett is an ABS journeyman smith
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $2,750
Maker: Barnett Custom Knives (Rod Hoare image)
Manuele Messori Little Blue
Knife name: Little Blue
Blade length: 3.5”
Blade material: Björkmans Twist damascus forged by Damasteel w/Fat Carbon White Storm inlay
Pivot: Ceramic bearings
Scales: Titanium GR5 w/Fat Carbon White Storm, zirconium and mother-of-pearl inlays
Backspacer: Zirconium
Hardware: Titanium screws
Closed length: 4”
Maker: Manuele Messori (SharpByCoop image)
Andrew Demko Full-custom AD-20 Stinger Tanto
Knife name: Full-custom AD-20 Stinger Tanto
Blade length: 3.5”
Blade steel: CPM MagnaCut stainless
Blade grind: Compound
Scales: Fat Carbon
Liner material: Titanium
Lock: Shark Lock
Closed length: 5”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $2,000 (standard U.S.-made AD-20 starts at $450)
Maker: Andrew Demko (SharpByCoop image)
Bob Hook Linerlock Folder
Knife type: Linerlock folder
Blade length: 3.75”
Blade steel: Reptilian damascus by Vegas Forge
Blade grind: Flat
Scales: Caramelized musk ox
Bolster: Same material as blade
Closed length: 3 5/8”
Knife to know: Handle has detailed screws and liners; maker’s name in the interior; stud opener; the maker is an ABS journeyman smith
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,200
Maker: Bob Hook (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Fallkniven GPbm
Knife model: GPbm
Blade length: 3.07”
Blade material: Laminated CoS (cobalt steel) stainless
Rockwell hardness: 60 HRC
Blade grind: Flat
Blade @ thickest: .11”
Lock: Linerlock
Weight: 3.3 ozs.
Closed length: 3.94”
Carry: Suede pouch
Knife to know: GPbm stands for Gentleman’s Pocketknife Black Micarta
Country of origin: Japan
MSRP: $327.95 at press-time exchange rate
Company: Fallkniven
Kershaw Livewire
Knife name: Livewire – Double Edge
Designers: Kershaw Originals and Matt Diskin
Knife type: Out-the-front automatic
Blade length: 3.45”
Blade steel: CPM MagnaCut stainless
Rockwell hardness: 60-63 HRC
Blade @ thickest: .125”
Handle material: Textured 6061-T6 aluminum
Pocket clip: Deep carry, right/left, blade tip down w/black Cerakote® finish
Hardware: Black-oxide steel screws
Knife to know: Double-action (opens and retracts automatically w/sliding button)
Weight: 3.1 ozs.
Closed length: 4.8”
Country of origin: USA
MSRP: $400
Company: Kershaw
GiantMouse ACE Biblio XL
Knife name: ACE Biblio XL – Green Canvas
Blade length: 3.2”
Blade steel: Elmax stainless
Blade @ thickest: .138”
Blade finish: Stonewashed
Scales: Green canvas Micarta®
Lock: Linerlock
Pocket clip: Wire, reversible
Backspacers: Brass
Weight: 3.915 ozs.
Closed length: 4.375”
Country of origin: Italy
MSRP: $225
Company: GiantMouse
A Sharp Life with Bob Terzuola
Video series: A Sharp Life with Bob Terzuola
What’s included: 11 episodes start to finish of building one of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bob Terzuola’s groundbreaking ATCF tactical folders, and also on knifemaking in general.
Knife to know: Buy the entire series alone or bundle it with Bob’s monthly subscription service, Shoptalk, the latter which includes weekly Q&A Zoom calls with Bob and two “deep dive” educational videos per month, “Terzuola Swag” and more.
Halfbreed Blades MILSPEC MILF-02PS
Knife name: MILSPEC MILF-02PS
Knife type: Flipper folder
Blade length: 3.54”
Blade steel: CPM S30V stainless
Rockwell hardness: 59-60 HRC
Blade grind: Hollow
Blade @ thickest: .19”
Blade style: Harpoon drop point
Finish: PVD coated throughout
Washers: Phosphor bronze
Handle frame, liner & spacers: 420J2 stainless
Scales: G-10
Pocket clip: Ambidextrous, blade tip up or down
Lock: Framelock
Weight: 7.34 ozs.
Closed length: 4.84”
Country of origin: Comprises Australian and Taiwanese manufacture
MSRP: $185 at press-time exchange rate
Company: Halfbreed Blades
Barking Gecko Forge Eureka Jack
Knife pattern: Eureka jack
Blade lengths: 2.44” (main) and 1.57” (pen)
Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless
Blade grinds: Hollow
Scales: Giraffe bone
Bolster: Fluted 416 stainless steel
Sharp stuff: Domed pins, fileworked liners and center spacer, jeweled liners and stainless steel shield; long-pull nail nick on main blade
Closed length: 3.54”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $795 at press-time rate of exchange
Maker: Barking Gecko Forge (Rod Hoare image)
Rothman Knives Elephant Toenail
Knife pattern: Elephant toenail
Blade length: 2”
Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless
Blade grind: 14” hollow
Handle frame: 416 stainless in an integral construction
Scales: Mammoth ivory
Knife to know: Fileworked liners; the elephant toenail is also known as a sunfish; the maker is a probationary member of The Knifemakers’ Guild
Closed length: 3.5”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,200
Maker: Rothman Knives (SharpByCoop image)
Shane Taylor Linerlock Folder
Knife type: Linerlock folder
Blade length: 3”
Blade steel: Dragon damascus
Blade grind: Flat w/convex edge
Bolster: Same as blade
Scales: Mammoth ivory
Lock type: Linerlock
Backbar: Engraved
Closed length: 3.75”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $2,800
Knife to know: The maker is an ABS master smith
Maker: Shane Taylor, Miles City, Montana, shane@taylorknives.com, taylorknives.com (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Check Out More Knife Drops:
- Production And Custom Kitchen Kinves
- Production And Custom Damascus And Stainless Steel Knives
- Production And Custom Large Blade Knives
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