Engineered for upland hunting and fine-detail game prep, Civivi’s latest fixed blade puts precision first.
Civivi is expanding its lineup of dedicated field tools with the High Grass Field Knife, a compact fixed-blade built specifically for upland hunters and small-game processing. Designed by Michigan custom knifemaker Matt Gentry, the production model translates years of hands-on experience in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula into an accessible, purpose-built knife where fine control takes priority over raw size.
The inspiration for the High Grass stems directly from Gentry’s time spent pursuing small game with his son across Michigan’s northern terrain. Rather than modifying a general-purpose camp knife, Gentry set out to build a nimble tool optimized for delicate field-dressing tasks of fowl and small game.
To achieve that level of precision, the knife features a 2.93-inch drop-point blade with a flat grind and an ultra-fine tip, making detail work around joints and skinning far more manageable. Dual sections of jimping along the spine provide tactile indexing points, allowing users to safely choke up on the blade for tight, controlled cuts.
Field-Ready Materials
Civivi opted for Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel for the blade stock, heat-treated to 58–60 HRC. The steel offers a solid balance of edge retention, corrosion resistance and ease of resharpening in the field. A stonewashed finish helps mask the inevitable scuffs and scratches that come with regular use.
For the handle, natural Guibourtia wood scales offer a classic look that honors traditional hunting gear while maintaining a comfortable, ergonomic fill in the hand. Stainless steel hardware keeps the construction secure, and at an overall length of 7 inches with a weight of 2.26 ounces, the knife carries light on a belt or in a pack.
The High Grass Field Knife ships ready for the field with a molded black Kydex sheath. The setup features a T-Clip mounting system designed by knife industry veteran and BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame® member Bob Terzuola, providing versatile attachment options for belts or pack webbing. A pre-tied black paracord lanyard comes installed from the factory for added draw leverage.
High Grass Field Knife Specs Designer: Matt Gentry Overall Length: 7” Blade Length: 2” Cutting Edge: 3.09” Blade Thickness: .12” Blade Steel: Sandvik 14C28N (58–60 HRC) Blade Grind/Finish: Flat grind, stonewashed Handle Material: Guibourtia wood Handle Thickness: .56” Knife Weight: 2.26 oz. Sheath: Black Kydex with Terzuola T-Clip Extras: Tied black paracord lanyard MSRP: Starting at $59
These veteran-designed or manufactured knives are ready to serve.
A rare combination, military knives aren’t simply utilitarian tools; they stir something deep inside of us. Whether an inborn call of duty or a profound respect for those who served, edged implements meant for battle call to knife aficionados with a patriotic streak. Which, simply put, makes them wildly hot in the eyes of manufacturers and collectors alike.
Not all military knives are issued. Some of the most storied were picked up as “just in case” purchases at post PXs or sporting goods stores throughout the years. This doesn’t make them any less ready to serve. And, today, there are a slew of options engineered or built by veterans, meant for action—in the field of battle and for everyday protection and chores—and more than able to cut muster.
Winkler Knives Operator
At first glance, the Winkler Knives Operator seems like the average utility fixed blade or a larger bird and trout knife. Looks can be deceiving as the Operator functions both as a utility tool and weapon—important in the theater of battle.
Originally founded to produce specialized breaching tools at the request of the SOF community, Winkler Knives of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, is certainly no stranger to tactical knives. Their Operator series offers a unique design that is a crossover of sorts. Yes, it was designed as a tactical knife, yet has proven popular as both a camp, general outdoor and hunting knife.
Designed by former Navy SEAL Kevin Holland, the Operator features a 4⅛-inch-long clip-point blade made of 80CrV2 tool steel and given a black oxide coating for rust protection. This steel is an excellent choice for a multi-use knife as it is resistant to impact and holds an edge reasonably well. When it’s time to resharpen, most are pleasantly surprised by how quickly the edge comes back with basic manual sharpening equipment. Given that the blade tapers to a sharp point, it excels as both a weapon and a tool. It has excellent penetration qualities and the thick stock, combined with a flat grind, allows the blade to slice with little resistance.
The Operator’s handle is very well designed, facilitating an excellent grip—a rarity on many compact fixed blades. A subtle finger groove helps index your grip and a flare at the butt and slight downward turn secures the hand from sliding backwards. All the edges on the grip are rounded for maximum comfort and the Operator certainly feels good in hand. I evaluated the antique maple-finished handle for this review. Other materials are available, including Micarta. As to the wood version, it feels warm in the hand, secure and the grain gives a nod to being like a fine furniture.
The Winkler Knives Operator isn’t afraid to tackle delicate cutting tasks. It easily sliced Styrofoam packing peanuts, a testament to how well the blade is engineered with its distal taper spine, full height flat grind and razor-sharp factory edge.
Standard with the Operator is a formed leather sheath, designed and made by DeSantis Gunhide, specially for Winkler Knives. It has a set screw to control the tension on the knife so you can customize the retention—a nice touch, not often offered. As for carry, there is a fold-over metal belt loop affixed with two screws, facilitating traditional outside-the-waistband and pocket carry. The latter leaves the handle sticking out for quick access.
Overall, I love how the handle feels in-hand with the contouring of the facets making it lie in your grip as if it were made for it. I found the Operator’s slender yet robust build allows it to tackle heavy cutting chores without the unnecessary bulk. It also carries well in the pocket or on the belt.
Operator Specs Blade Length: 4.125″ Overall Length: 9″ Blade Steel: 80CrV2 Blade Profile: Drop Point Handle: Maple Sheath: Leather-Covered Kydex MSRP: $350 Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Stroup Knives HM1
The HM1 from Stroup Knives showcases a prominent clip point blade and a sweeping cutting edge. Both help it excel in either defensive or conventional chores. As a bonus, the tip of the blade is so acute it tackles precise cutting chores with ease.
Based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Stroup Knives specializes in tactical and utility fixed blades. Company founder Chris Stroup is an Army veteran with 11 years of service to our country. His final assignment was with a special missions unit based out of Fort Bragg. Medically discharged in 2020, Stroup Knives was born, and in 2022, Stroup made the decision to go full-time into knifemaking.
Stroup Knives’ latest knife, the HM1, represents a multi-use fixed blade for utility, tactical and outdoor use. The design’s focus is on retention, control and high utility. The blade of the HM1 is 4 inches in length and made of 1095 carbon steel with a black stonewashed finish. The clip-point shape gives the blade its distinct bowie-like profile. Honestly, the tip on this one is flat-out wicked! It’s pointy and will penetrate softer materials easily.
The knife sports a distinct machined texturing, making it easily recognizable as a Stroup; a lot of the company’s knives have this distinguishing pattern. Proportional to the blade, the handle also measures 4 inches and has several features making the HM1 noteworthy. Most prominent is the finger ring. The ring provides a measure of security and retention by allowing you to lock your grip in place through it with your pinky finger. Further, the feature makes dropping the knife, even by accident, difficult.
Stroup uses G-10 for the handle, and it sports a 3D-sculpted pattern to aid hand traction. Each HM1 comes with a fold-over Kydex sheath with Teklok attachment. The setup is Spartan, but hey, this style of sheath is widely used in the industry and it always works well. It locks the knife in place and there isn’t any rattling. The belt attachment is solid and is easy to put on and take off without removing your belt.
Made from 1095 carbon steel, the HM1’s blade is simple to maintain and take a wicked edge. Double-walled cardboard melted like butter under the knife’s edge.
The HM1 can function as both a backup weapon and a utility tool. The blade profile is not only excellent at puncturing, but also is fine enough at the tip for precise cutting or scoring tasks. The knife’s 1095 carbon steel is widely praised—it sharpens quickly and it is less expensive than all of the high-performance CPM stainless steels.
I appreciate the dual role the HM1 plays. The knife seems well thought out as an edged weapon and an EDC tool. The HM1 is available in two black acid wash blade finishes (one with black G-10 handles, the other with OD green G-10 handles) and two Cerakote blades (FDE and OD green G-10 and black with black G-10 handles).
HM1 Specs Blade Length: 3.75″ Overall Length: 8″ Blade Steel: 1095 Blade Profile: Clip Point Handle: G10 Sheath: Kydex MSRP: $270 Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Spartan Blades Spartan Harsey Dagger
The Spartan Harsey Dagger’s handle has a lot going on with a distinctive oval profile that lies in the palm naturally and makes the edge easy to index—even in low-light environments.
Spartan Blades, founded by retired Green Berets Curtis Iovito and Mark Carey, has earned a strong reputation for high-end factory-made tactical fixed blades. Several of those knives were designed in collaboration with Bill Harsey, a well-known knifemaker who specializes in custom tactical fixed blades that are on the next level. Harsey’s impressive background includes knife work for the late legendary Col. Rex Applegate, prototyping the Applegate-Fairbairn fighting knife.
The Spartan Harsey Dagger takes what Harsey learned from working with Col. Applegate and applies it to modern-day production tactical fixed blades. It is a modernized version of the Fairbairn-Sykes, if you will. It has an upgraded handle design, upgraded materials and a beefier build overall, yet still retains the design hallmarks of the legendary F-S.
The dagger has a 6-inch-long double-edge blade, hollow ground from premium CPM MagnaCut steel. A black DLC coating is applied for low reflectivity, as well as boosting the corrosion-resistant properties of MagnaCut. The knife also has some notable features like a long, tapered flat section in the middle of the blade for lateral strength and the hollow ground bevels, thinning the edge for a sharper blade.
The handle is where the magic begins and what sets the Spartan Harsey Dagger apart from the rest. The finger recesses behind the guard help to index your grip and lock it in your hand. The recesses have traction notches in them, not only for a non-slip grip but also for tactile cutting edge orientation. The way the handle flares out toward the butt of the handle catches your pinky to prevent rearward sliding and aids in references a clean grip to clear the blade from its sheath. The Spartan Harsey Dagger has a hidden tang design with the Micarta scales fully encapsulating it. There is a bit exposed at the very end of the handle for use as a non-lethal striker. The double hand guard is angled away from the user a bit to provide a comfortable thumb rest.
The Spartan dagger is made from thicker stock, even so, the hollow-ground bevels and a needle point, the knife punches cleanly and quickly.
Each Spartan Harsey Dagger comes with a Kydex carry sheath with MOLLE-compatible straps. The sheath locks on the double guard and provides a very secure fit with zero rattle or any other movement.
Keep in mind a knife like the Harsey Dagger is not a box cutter or a utility knife. If you need a working knife, look elsewhere. It is likely best served, away from the military, as a backup weapon to a firearm. The blade is engineered to penetrate and it’s frightening how adept it is at its job.
One thing most folks agree upon, the Harsey oozes sexiness, with its curvaceous handle and no-nonsense blade. It is a looker for sure, but it can also perform when called upon. The Spartan Harsey Dagger comes in two colors—the black blade and black Micarta handle, as evaluated here, along with an FDE blade and black Micarta handle.
The points at the ends of the CRKT Xolotl OTF handle not only add visual style but also allow the knife to be used as a non-lethal defense striking tool when the blade is retracted into the handle.
The Xolotl (Show-low-tol) Automatic is CRKT’s second OTF auto in the company’s lineup. The double-action was designed by Michael Rodriguez, a former Green Beret and veteran. It is named for the Aztec god of lightning and fire.
The overall look of the Xolotl Automatic is symmetrical in both handle and blade shape. In turn, it is very pleasing to the eye. The blade is 3.5 inches and is a true dagger, sharpened on both sides. CRKT’s steel of choice is CPM MagnaCut—pretty much the perfect high-end blade material, if there ever was one.
The handle is machined from T6 6061 aluminum alloy, and its thickness is kept to a minimum so that the Xolotl carries well in the pocket. It also features circular machined grooves for enhanced grip retention. Interestingly, there are 21 grooves, one for each year of Rodriguez’s service. The handle ends up tapering to stylized points of sorts, adding intrigue to the overall look by possibly providing a non-lethal method of striking defense. A deep carry pocket clip rounds out the entire package, allowing the Xolotl to ride undercover. A sliding switch on the handle spine controls the blade’s movement, which is very swift and secure.
The thinner blade stock on the CRKT Xolotl OTF allows for great penetration. Additionally, its MagnaCut steel holds an edge like nobody’s business and is highly corrosion resistant.
Dagger blade OTF’s are very cool-looking, and they are fun to own. But they are limited in providing a full functional cutting tool. By this, I mean that given the material removed to form a dagger profile, it is more susceptible to damage by torque. Further, dual edges mean you can’t use a digit to exert more latitudinal force in a cut or more control. Yet, the dagger does have the advantage of two cutting edges, so if you damage one, you have the other.
All this being said, the Xolotl is a capable cutter, opening mail, packages, cutting up cardboard boxes and anything else that you need to slice. I would not subject the knife to hard use of any kind, given its thinner blade.
Summer brings a focused shift toward portability and pocket-ready performance, highlighting a diverse lineup of high-tech folders and streamlined carry options. This month’s selection focuses on the incredible versatility of the modern knives, showcasing the work of veteran masters with decades of experience alongside award-winning new makers. Whether you are looking for an ultra-premium custom bowie to round out a collection or a hard-use automatic for daily carry, our July 2026 roundup proves that the industry’s drive for innovation remains as sharp as ever.
Pro-Tech Knives Avalon
Lock: Button Lock Deployment: Thumb Studs Blade Length: 4.25” Blade Material: MagnaCut Blade Pattern: Drop Point Scales: 6061 Aluminum Overall Length: 9.25” Weight: 3.69 oz. MSRP: $310 Country Of Origin: U.S.A. protechknives.com
Lin Rhea Slip Joint Folder
Jocelyn Frasier image
Blade Length: 4” Blade Material: 80CrV2 Blade Pattern: Drop Point Scales: Micarta Overall Length: 9” Knife To Know: Includes sheath made by Kay Rhea Maker’s Price: $1,300 Country Of Origin: U.S.A. Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,300
Work Sharp RMX Thumbstud
Blade Length: 3.2” Lock: Button Lock Blade Material: M390 Blade Pattern: Drop Point Handle: Magnesium Overall Length: 7.5” Weight: 2.6 oz. Knife To Know: Handle is integral, reversable clip MSRP: $140 Country Of Origin: Assembled in U.S.A. from foreign components worksharptools.com
Cody Adolphson Vest Bowie
Jocelyn Frasier image
Knife Type: Vest Bowie Blade Material: 1084/15N20 Damascus Pattern: Dark Core Feathered Damascus Blade Pattern: Drop Point Blade Grind: Flat Handle Material: Ancient Walrus Ivory, Nickel Silber Accents, Damascus Pommel Guard: Twist Damascus Overall Length: 10” Maker’s Price For A Similar Knife: $1,400 Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
Justin Burton Kukri
Jocelyn Frasier image
Blade Length: 10.5” Blade Material: 80CrV2/15N20 Blade Pattern: Twisted Damascus San Mai Blade Grind: Flat Handle: Black dyed curly mango with red G-10 spacers Guard: Nebular Fat Carbon Knife To Know: Custom bead made with Elforyn Supertusk and Damasteel Maker’s Price For A Similar Knife: $1,500 Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
TOPS Knives Sidekick Diver
Designer: Ana Espinoza Blade Length: 5.75” Blade Material: N690 Blade Pattern: Spear Blade Finish: Black Traction Coating Scales: G10 Overall Length: 11.25” Weight: 12.8 oz. Sheath: Black Kydex Knife To Know: Integral line cutter on the spine. Also available with a double edge. MSRP: $395 Country Of Origin: U.S.A. topsknives.com
WE Knife Dracarys
Lock: Frame Lock Blade Length: 3.58” Blade Material: Böhler M390 Blade Pattern: Clip Point Blade Grind: Flat Handle Material: 6AL4V Titanium Overall Length: 8.13” Closed Length: 4.55” Weight: 3.66 oz. Knife To Know: Limited to 199 pieces, 6AL4V titanium pocketclip, caged ceramic ball MSRP: $370 Country Of Origin: China weknife.com
Chad Fox Bowie
Jocelyn Frasier image
Blade Length: 9.25” Blade Material: W2 Blade Pattern: Clip Point Handle: Koa Overall Length: 14.5” Knife To Know: Salt blackened mild steel Maker’s Price For A Similar Knife: $950 Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
Colten Tippetts Neck Knife
Jocelyn Frasier image
Name: Dinker Blade Length: 2” Blade Material: Ladder Damascus Blade Pattern: Drop Point Handle: Desert Ironwood Overall Length: 3.5” Knife To Know: Also made in 01 Tool Steel with Dymondwood handles. Maker’s Price: $150 Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
Craig Camerer Slim Pickers Fighter
Jocelyn Frasier image
Knife Type: Fighter Blade Length: 7” Blade Material: 1080/15N20 Blade Pattern: Dancing Martian Damascus Blade Grind: Flat Handle: African Blackwood Guard: Nickel Silver Overall Length: 12.5” Maker’s Price For A Similar Knife: $750 Country Of Origin: U.S.A.
Bear & Son Cutlery Auto Bold Action XIV
Blade Length: 4.5” Blade Material: S35VN Blade Pattern: Drop Point Blade Grind: Hollow Handle: Aluminum Overall Length: 8.75 Weight: 1.5 oz. Knife To Know: OTS Automatic, tip-up carry. MSRP: $230 Country Of Origin: U.S.A. bearandsoncutlery.com
Few knives have served America more than those of the U.S. military.
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on the most influential knives to serve the U.S. Military and explores some of the early influences on military knife design.
As what many call the greatest country in the history of countries approaches its 250th birthday, now’s a good time to salute some of the top knives that played pivotal military roles in the forging of the world beacon that is the United States of America.
It is, of course, impossible to recognize in one magazine story every single knife that played a crucial role in the many battles of the wars fought by the USA. However, with the help of some of the knife industry’s leading military authorities—including several of whom have seen the elephant in service to our nation—BLADE® will endeavor to touch on some of the more consequential knives of U.S. military history.
Before embarking on such a quest, the first task is to identify a basic group of the most indispensable knife types over two-and-a-half centuries of American land warfare. At the risk of omitting one or more, five stand out: bayonet, all-purpose utility fixed blade and/or bowie, dagger, machete/chopper and utility folder.
Michael Price recognized that to create a viable knife for self-defense and combat, form must follow function. His solution was to use the full-tang construction method, here on one of his classic mid-19th-century daggers. (Image courtesy of Louis Chow)
“These encapsulate everything that an infantryman used during the 250-year history of our country,” noted Louis Chow, a 24-year U.S. Army veteran who retired with the rank of major and is one of the leading collectors of the knives of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-of-Fame® member Bob Loveless. “The bayonet, of course, from the get-go, from the Revolution to today.”
Louis indicated the all-purpose utility fixed blade/bowie could include privately purchased knives such as the Randall Model 1 and, of course, double-guard bowie types like the USMC fighting utility knife, aka the Ka-Bar. He pointed to the mid-19th-century designs of Michael Price as highly influential on daggers through to today, and machetes such as those made by Collins used in the Spanish-American War and before to Vietnam as vital to U.S. war efforts. Though pocketknives were indeed carried by American patriots during the Revolutionary War, the utility folders to which Louis referred are more of the modern Leatherman/Gerber multi-tool type, not to mention the Buck 110, Al Mar SERE, CRKT M-16 and others. As Louis noted, almost every soldier, male or female, in the modern military carries a multi-tool folder.
Many knife enthusiasts know that bayonets are rarely, if ever, used in combat today, nor have they been for well over a century. “It’s hard to actually find someone who used one in combat,” Louis said. Probably the most legendary American bayonet charge was the eminently successful one by Union forces led by Col. Joshua Chamberlain against Confederate troops down a hill called Little Round Top, a major turning point in the Battle of Gettysburg and, of course, the entire Civil War. Ironically, as Louis noted, “the most famous bayonet charge of all was the last one.”
While bayonets have rarely been used in American combat for many decades, that does not mean they do not remain significant teaching tools in today’s U.S. military. “When I was a company commander in 1990, we trained with the bayonet,” Louis recalled. “There are established bayonet courses on every installation, such as Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Benning in Georgia, and we would go there and train with the bayonet.” The rifles and bayonets have changed over the years but the bayonet training techniques remain the same. Throughout U.S. and nearly all other nations’ histories, governments have been responsible for the issuance of combat knives in the form of bayonets for their infantry fighting forces. During World War II, the USA issued all-purpose fighters and utility knives to many soldiers, sailors and airmen. However, as Louis noted, privately purchased edged tools and weapons have always been the mainstay of our servicemen. During the earliest American conflicts, including the Revolutionary through the Civil Wars, kitchen, utility, farrier-forged and European-imported cutlery were the sidearms of the multitude of militiamen and patriotic volunteers.
The original Applegate-Fairbairn Folder was a collaboration between Col. Rex Applegate and knifemakers Bill Harsey and Butch Vallotton. Harsey stated that a Gerber official said the Army ordered 50,000 of the knife at one time for the troops. At bottom is the original prototype and at top is a first-production Gerber version autographed by Applegate. (From the collection of Michael Janich)
The knife carried and made famous by Cutlery Hall-of-Famer James Bowie in the 1820s and 1830s was copied in various forms by makers worldwide and served as inspiration to any number of fixed blades carried in the U.S. military. Another large fixed blade that met with success in military circles was the Rifleman’s Knife made by the Ames Mfg. Co. circa 1860. Ames also made the Dahlgren Bowie Bayonet around the same time. Collins & Co. made a variety of bowies/machetes, the most famous probably being the No. 18, also incorrectly called the V-44 by many (according to D.E. Henry in his book Collins Machetes and Bowies 1845-1865, V-44 was the real name of a 1944 Case Survival Knife, not the No. 18).
Generational Blades
Circa the mid-19th century, Michael Price was considered one of the premier cutlers in the western United States. He was best known for exquisite presentation knives that incorporated marine ivory and a variety of beautiful shells. However, as Louis wrote, to create a viable knife for self-defense and combat, Price recognized that form must follow function. His solution was to use the full-tang construction method. And for a century and a half, some of the most notable American cutlers adopted the full-tang method that significantly improved a knife’s dependability and durability.
Early in 20th-century Michigan, Cutlery Hall-of-Famer William Scagel began forging axes and knives of various sizes and styles. He made most of his utility, hunting and bowie knives via the hidden-tang method. Though some of his combat knives were also hidden tang, many others employed the full-tang method.
“It was purported that the Scagel hidden-tang fighters with stacked leather washers were made for the European theater, while the full-tang fighters with wood-slab handles were made for the Pacific theater,” Louis wrote. “It was believed that stacked leather washers would be too susceptible to the humidity, high temperatures and salty air” of the applicable Pacific region. As a testament to Scagel’s outstanding craftsmanship and exceptional design, many of his fighters survived the war in good condition.
William Scagel’s hidden-tang fighters with stacked leather washers reportedly were made for the European theater during World War II, while the full-tang wood-slab fighters were made for the Pacific. The stacked leather washers were thought to be too susceptible to the humidity, high temperatures and salty air of the applicable Pacific region. (Image courtesy of Louis Chow)
In 1937, Cutlery Hall-of-Famer W.D. “Bo” Randall observed an older man scraping the bottom of a boat with a knife that appeared undamaged by the abuse. Intrigued by the improvised tool, Bo purchased it from the owner and contacted its maker, who just so happened to be Scagel. Randall eventually became Scagel’s student and soon opened his own shop, making Scagel-style knives.
“At the onset of World War II, Randall designed and produced some of the most recognizable combat knives ever made,” Louis stated. “Nonetheless, all were made with the hidden-tang method. It was not until the early 1960s that Randall introduced the full-tang Model 14-Attack and the Model 15-Airman combat knives.” Continuing the generational theme, Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Bob Loveless read a magazine article about Randall knives in 1953. He corresponded with Bo and made his interpretations of Randall knives before experimenting with and then making his own full-tang models.
From the mid-1960s through the early ’70s, Loveless accepted many orders from service members awaiting assignment to Vietnam. He also received bulk orders from units stationed there. One bulk order in early March 1967 from a unit commander in the 1st Cavalry Division was for 37 fighting knives.
“The unit commander and his troopers were stationed in Saigon and were supporting Operation Junction City, one of the largest airmobile operations in the war,” Louis wrote. “As a patriot and former veteran himself, Loveless would temporarily halt all other orders and place top priority on knives destined for combat. As for those 37 fighters, he worked day and night and completed the order in less than a month. For the next four decades, the Loveless full-tang designs were copied and reinterpreted by countless knifemakers and knife companies in the United States and abroad.”
In addition to the foregoing cutlery legends, the full-tang method was also preferred by many other U.S. World War II knifemakers. Among them: Alfred Bimson, John Ek, Taylor Huff, A.R. Kephart, Kennedy Arms, Bob Riggs, Ernest Warther and Cutlery Hall-of-Famer M.H. Cole. Cole also authored the comprehensive U.S. Military Knives, Bayonets & Machetes series of books and has been dubbed the “Sage of Military Knives” by Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Bruce Voyles. Continuing Cole’s legacy is knifemaker/author Michael Silvey through his reproductions of Cole’s designs and his lavishly illustrated books on the knives of the United States military in World War II and Vietnam, and other works.
We slash away with three machete options to see which is ready to tame your greenery.
Spring uncovers what winter buries. Duff piles up, vines tighten their grip and brush crowds every trail and fence line. A machete cuts through that mess with reach and rhythm. The long blade sweeps low to clear ground clutter, snaps vines before they climb and trims brush without constant repositioning. One tool handles duff, extra brush and creeping vines in a continuous flow, so a hillside that looked wild at breakfast starts to open by lunch.
A good machete carries authority without dead weight. Thin stock bites deep and releases clean, so each swing clears more space with less effort. The long edge opens lanes. The spine knocks dead twigs free. The tip digs, pries and handles rough chores that punish smaller blades. In much of the world, a machete counts as the only daily tool. That heritage still matters in 2026, whether you reclaim a backyard slope or beat a trail back into shape. These three long blades are our picks to tame your wild hills, homestead and camp.
Getting The Swing Of The Machete
Brush changes the fight, so your swing must change with it. Light grass needs quick wrist cuts that keep your pace steady. Thin vines demand snap cuts that break tension before the blade binds. Thick brush calls for short power strokes that drive the edge through stubborn growth. Deadfall needs controlled chops that protect the edge from hidden knots. Each swing builds from stance, grip and rhythm, not brute force. When you match technique to terrain, the machete feels faster and safer. The right swing turns rough ground into clean, workable space without burning your energy.
Condor Roarlock
Chopping Japanese barberry, an invasive vine with painful thorns, is a necessary and annoying chore—the Condor Roarlock hacked it!
Condor’s Roarlock brings Southeast Asian machete influence into a compact, modern clearing tool. The 14.24‑inch blade has a 20.33‑inch overall length and a 0.12-inch thickness of 1075 high-carbon steel. This design keeps the weight at about 21.5 ounces. The etched damascus‑style finish gives the blade a wild, worked look, while the convex grind drives deep into vines, saplings and stubborn brush without sticking. A high‑impact polypropylene handle locks into the hand and shrugs off weather, sweat and abuse. A full‑tang build runs through the handle, so the Roarlock feels solid when you lean into heavy swings.
The ballistic nylon sheath carries light, rides tough and lets the machete move from truck to trail without fuss. Designed by Joe Flowers for 2026, the Roarlock feels like a fast, compact power tool built for real brush, not just catalog photos.
Beating Barberry Back
The Roarlock has the Godzilla silhouette, with usable features for digging and root-cutting.
I’m a fan of any long blade that has more bend than a straight blade, especially when it has some drop to it. Like a Filipino bolo and kukri, whenever the blade precedes the chopping hand, that’s a good thing. Max impact and leverage are far superior to using an all-straight design. The Roarlock has this!
Chopping the most annoying and painful vines in my forest was a must-do chore. Japanese barberry is an invasive plant with small thorns that are sure to get my knuckles and fingers when removed. They stab directly through hiking pants and most layers of clothing. A machete works best at beating them back, but it’s hard to get to the base without suffering a few thorns. The longer reach of the 14.24‑inch blade on the Roarlock helps. Especially when using a helper stick to push back the thorny shrub of mayhem.
Soon enough, I had a pile of various vines, including blackberry, dry grasses, small creeper vines and the dreaded barberry. Also, soon enough, I hit a rock or two and mashed the tool’s tip. So what? It’s 1075 carbon steel and would be easy to get back in order. However, it’ll happen again, but this is a tool meant for work!
ESEE Expat El Deguello
Expat El Deguello, influenced by years of travel and Randall’s Adventure & Training, features a 12.75-inch 1075 carbon steel blade.
The ESEE Expat El Deguello grew out of years of Expat travel and hanging out with Randall’s Adventure & Training. This was in places where a machete counted as daily life support, not a luxury. The blade is about 12.75 inches of 1075 carbon steel with a dark stonewashed finish, set in an overall length of around 18.75 to 19 inches. The blade’s shape has a parang-ish style, giving the machete a strong, weight‑forward feel without turning it into a boat anchor. A flat grind keeps the edge lively and easy to touch up with a pocket stone in the field. Black linen Micarta scales wrap the full tang and give a secure, textured grip that stays honest in sweat, rain and humidity. A brass‑lined lanyard hole anchors a safety cord for steep slopes or riverbanks.
The tan canvas sheath rides light on the belt and matches the tool’s no‑nonsense attitude. Built in El Salvador as part of the Expat line, the El Deguello blends South American machete DNA with ESEE’s survival mindset. Making it a dependable long‑blade for trail clearing, camp work and hard bushcraft.
Seasonal Slashing
I got my hands on the El Deguello Expat machete in winter. I wasn’t sure how it would do in a snowy environment. However, we needed to travel through uneven terrain with gear weight, so light was right. No axe or thick splitting tool accompanied we three adventurers on this trip. In fact, we had two Expat machetes in camp as my buddy brought his Expat Darien machete.
The El Deguello started earning its keep from the start. Due to many branches and small trees succumbing to the weight of the snow, the El Deguello shone. I cleared woody and leafy debris to make the path easier for campers arriving later in the day. By the time I got to camp, I was already a believer of the utility the El Deguello packs. Chopping frozen wood from previous campfires and new dead branches were on the docket. This was predominantly a hardwood forest, so the El Deguello had to be hatchet-ready. And it was!
TOPS Knives Sneak Reaper
The TOPS Knives Sneak Reaper features an 18.5-inch length and a fast-moving 12-inch blade, designed for tight brush.
The TOPS Knives Sneak Reaper draws on Ed Calderon’s counter‑custody background, shaping a fast, purposeful blade built for tight spaces. It has a lean profile that favors quick cuts through vines and brush. The long edge rewards snap cuts, while the balanced weight keeps the machete quick instead of front‑heavy. The handle geometry follows Calderon’s no‑wasted‑motion mindset and gives a locked grip during hard clearing strokes and tight work around obstacles.
The Sneak Reaper has an overall length of 18.5 inches and a 12-inch blade that moves fast through tight brush. The black powder coating protects the blade and supports Calderon’s stripped‑down, purpose‑driven style. The saber grind gives the edge a strong bite, enabling it to handle vines and stubborn growth without slowing your rhythm. The 0.125‑inch thickness keeps the blade lively and responsive during long clearing sessions.
The sheath system supports fast deployment and secure carry, echoing the tool’s defensive roots and utility. Final production specs have not yet been added to TOPS’ catalog pages.
In The Thickets
The TOPS Sneak Reaper has a 5-inch tan Micarta handle that offers a confident, secure grip with great traction.
Once I got this cutting machine in the woods, it called to more substantial branches and green wood. It wasn’t the weight as much as the thickness and feel. The sweet spot was several inches from the tip, making it feel like a shorter machete. This aspect got me thinking of what a great camp machete it would make. However, the pronounced upsweep had its benefits while standing or bending slightly. The front curve can easily nip nasty, thorny vines and thin, new growth without needing to get low. It reminded me of a smaller panga-style machete.
Turning the blade over revealed a sharp tip that could drag and pull the brush back after chopping it. This tip was also excellent at impaling scrap wood and relocating it. I love a tool that helps out.
The 5‑inch handle uses contoured tan Micarta that locks into the hand with confident traction. The 15‑ounce blade weight creates a sharp balance between speed and authority during heavy swings. In a standing position, slashing out front, the curve helped continually slice through materials with authority. I can’t wait to use this one on meat and coconuts.
Final Cut
Three styles of machete sheaths for each trail tamer From left, the Sneak Reaper, El Deguello and Roarlock.
The Roarlock was the clear pick for me while beating back the new brush of spring. Had this been a machete camp challenge, the TOPS Sneak Reaper and Expat El Deguello would shine. Maybe that’s better left for another article!
Small-in-stature clip points that punch above their weight.
There’s a reason Buck Knives chose a clip-point blade for their iconic, mega-selling Model 110 as the blade style for their folding knife. The profile has a history of being a hard-working blade. The clip point’s most distinguishing characteristic is a noticeable change in the downward angle of the blade in its spine, which makes for a sharper angle of the blade toward the tip. This change can be subtle to severe, but it always results in a thinner blade height. In essence, the break in the blade angle “clips” it to a thinner, sleeker, more pointed shape. In this BLADE® feature, we’ll look at four modern and totable clip points and their attributes to see how they fit your needs.
Civivi Slippy Sendy
The Civivi Slippy Sendy weighs a paltry 1.90 ounces, making it an ideal light pocket carry or unobtrusive desk companion. If you don’t need a rough-and-tumble brawling knife, this is a good, lightweight option.
The Civivi Slippy Sendy is the only gentleman’s folder of our test group, and it carries the banner well. Having no pocket clip, it is made for pure loose pocket carry, and at just 1.90 ounces, its weight is no issue. The Micarta handle is a simple slab-style with an overall length of 3.7 inches with a flat, rounded-cornered top that ends in a 1-inch, semi-circular base. The backside scale has a 1/2-inch cut-out that allows the user to access the blade’s rectangular nail nick to engage the blade.
The 2.8-inch blade has its clip breaking 0.80 inch from the tip, while the cutting edge is 0.60 wide, flat-ground and is rounded toward the tip. The blade is Nitro V stainless, a very respectable proprietary knife steel from New Jersey Steel Baron that allows the Civivi Slippy Sendy to punch above its class.
The author kept the Civivi Slippy Sendy on his office desk for a few days and tested it cutting various and sundry “desk stuff.” The 2.8-inch Nitro V stainless blade was plenty sharp and did a good job of cutting crisp, sharp lines on this card stock.
This is an all-round lightweight pocketknife that is very good for light duty around the home, office or on the go. It is not a tactical knife because it doesn’t lock up or have a fighting blade style of thick blade steel. That said, the Civivi Slippy Sendy is handy for tackling mail duty, light meal prep and other unexacting duties encountered daily. I tested it on heavy card stock, packaging twine and thick packing tapes of all types and found the upgraded steel and comfortable ergonomics both handy for all-around use daily.
Cold Steel Engage 2.5
The Cold Steel Engage’s 2.5 sports a 4116 stainless steel made by Böhler of Germany. Of all the knives tested, this is the one that most resembled a modern-day tactical knife.
The Cold Steel Engage 2.5 may be small, but it’s a lot of knife in a 6-inch package. The blade width is just shy of 1-inch wide (0.90-inch), and it looks like a scaled-down tactical, which, in fact, it is. This knife is a shrunken version of the Engage 3.5 and is part of a whole series of varied models in the same platform. The Engage 2.5 is named for its blade length, leaving 3.5 inches for the handle.
The 2.5-inch clip-point blade is 4116 stainless steel made by Böhler of Germany, which opens via ambidextrous thumb studs on either side of the blade. The handle features Cold Steel’s patented Atlas slide lock located on the upper spine. An ambidextrous 1.5-inch pocket clip is located on the rear base.
Even though its steel didn’t sport an upscale moniker, the Cold Steel Engage 2.5 did a yeoman’s job of cutting sharp, crisp lengths of this tough leather.
I tested the Cold Steel Engage 2.5 on some thick, cured boot leather. Taking off lengths of the tough material in strips using a metal ruler as a guide, the blade of the knife never wavered or tried to change angles as lesser steels are prone to do. The curved front tip of the blade dug in at an angle and stayed on course with each slice and despite the blade not being a glitzy name brand, the 4116 stainless did its job well and the Engage 2.5 proved its worth.
Demko Knives Nano Shark
Demko Knives’ Nano Shark is a lot of knife packed into a short, 5.8-inch package. The Nano Shark’s 2.25-inch blade sports a large blade for its size.
The Demko Knives Nano Shark is a pint-sized EDC designed for serious slicing. The very slightly curved blade has always been a workhorse, but during the modern tactical knife era, many edged weapons specialists embraced the blade for its ability to grab and not let go until it had done serious damage.
The Nano Shark has a 2.25-inch blade that breaks to its clip 1 inch into its traverse forward, then breaks downward again where it meets the blade’s flat-ground edge. The upper rear portion of the blade features a healthy, rounded cutout for opening the blade once the user has released it via a pull-down thumb lock. The Nano Shark’s 3.5-inch GRN handle is ample enough to house the entire blade with only the thumb cutout protruding. A reversible 1.75-inch pocket clip completes the package.
The Nano Shark may be a short knife, but it acts like a behemoth thanks to its tall profile and blade thickness. The blade is similar to a short bowie, which makes it a serious small work knife. I tested it as such on a stubborn 3/8-inch synthetic rope. I started by just taking off short lengths on a flat surface before tying a large knot into both ends and free-handing the excess off each knot. I ended up with two tidy knots at each end. When in doubt, practice first!
Big Idea Design TI Lookout
The only fixed-blade in the group, the 6.2-inch Big Idea Design TI Lookout sports a full tang underneath its scales.
The 6.2-inch Big Idea Design TI Lookout is a simple fixed-blade knife with very few parts to break so it is better for stronger tasks. The Ti Lookout is basically one large piece of premium CMP MagnaCut stainless steel from tip to base with two lightweight, diagonally textured Grade 5 Titanium handle scales for gripping. Aside from the few pieces of hardware holding the handle together and forming its lanyard fitting at the base, that’s basically the sum of parts.
With so few parts to break, the fixed-blade can handle larger, tougher tasks. The downside is the user doesn’t have the compact convenience of a folding knife, but sometimes it is necessary to get the job done. The Lookout comes with a small 4.5-inch black Kydex sheath with a steel hanger fitted to the rear for added strength.
The Ti Lookout fixed-blade offers the safety of having no moving parts to break under extreme pressure whereas the folding knife can be vulnerable at its blade pivot. When in doubt, call on a fixed blade for the tough chores.
I gave the little fixed Ti Lookout a run for its money on a length of dried redwood 2-by-4. Holding the plank vertically, I dug the blade in at an angle, taking off shavings and holding in consecutively longer and deeper lengths. The Big Idea Design fixed-blade bit in and did its job until its size was simply outweighed by the larger length of wood, but not before the small fixer had proven its worth. I never felt during the process that the Ti Lookout was going to fold or break. That’s why you use a fixed-blade for the tough jobs.
Daggers have struck home the U.S. military’s point from the trenches of Europe to the jungles of Vietnam.
Through the years, the military dagger has been considered an essential piece of equipment for the soldier on the ground and the pilot in the air. As a second line of defense, the dagger must be accessible and capable of quick deployment, not to mention efficient at its job. As U.S. military personnel have gone into action, their choice of daggers provides a window into their operational history and a view of their actual aptitude when seconds count. Design and dexterity are hallmarks of dagger use in the heat of a life-and-death situation, and these storied weapons of war have gained their place in the annals of close combat.
“A good friend of mine was a chopper pilot in Vietnam,” recalled BLADE® Magazine field editor Kim Breed. “The pilots carried the Gerber MK II upside down on their flight vests. When he was shot down, he and his crew chief went through their ammo; then they drew their daggers while they waited for pickup. They locked onto the enemy, rammed them through the side [with their daggers] and hung on. Then they took [the enemy’s] AK-47s away from them and got back into the fight. They defended themselves while Cobra gunships laid down suppressing fire and a rescue bird, a Huey, came and got them.”
Kim’s comrades might well have been killed in the melee had they not had their Gerber Mk II daggers when needed. Designed by Clarence “Bud” Holzmann, the knife gained legendary status during the Vietnam War, and though it was not standard issue, the Gerber Mk II was popular with U.S. troops—from airmen to special forces and everything in between. The wasp-waisted blade of the original remains a symbol of the close combat sometimes experienced in Southeast Asia, while its intimidation factor led to a redesign for the consumer market.
Later variants of the MK II included saw teeth, a feature added by Al Mar, who worked at Gerber at the time. This allowed the company to market it as a survival knife, not a fighting knife. Sporting goods stores and PXs were more likely to sell the latter. (Les George image)
“It was designed the same as the [original] Mk II except it had serrations on both sides. The serrations might be considered a weak point,” Breed explained. “They had cast aluminum handles and a little thinner blade with that wasp waist. When you actually penetrated something, [the waist] helped along with a bit of extra weight up front.”
While the original Mk II may have been a stronger choice back in the day, the serrated Mk II is also a sought-after collectible. A knifemaker, Kim relates some owners have asked him to grind the serrations completely off this Gerber dagger. He declined to do so. One more story Kim recounts is of a friend who found himself in hand-to-hand combat during a recon deployment in Vietnam. A Viet Cong patrol was walking past, and the last man in their line spotted the Americans in their cover. “Rather than alerting the whole enemy patrol, my friend took the last man down and used his knife,” said Breed.
Regarding the Mk II, knifemaker Les George added, “Al Mar was a designer at Gerber at the time and he added ‘saw teeth’ to the blade to make it a survival knife. The PX was happy to sell it as such since they didn’t want to sell a ‘fighting knife.’”
A great many modern military daggers trace their roots back to the legendary English Fairbairn-Sykes dagger. The one pictured is a third-pattern variant with a ring grip. (Les George image)
Industry veteran Bill Harsey also tells a story of combat survival with the Gerber Mk II in Vietnam. “I heard from a Medal of Honor recipient over dinner that his team was overrun by enemy combatants. In close-quarter combat, he drew his knife and stuck it in an enemy soldier. The knife stuck. Even with both hands he couldn’t withdraw it. I have no idea why the knife stuck and he didn’t offer any thoughts. But just to be careful, we have never made a wasp-waisted blade.”
Fairbairn-Sykes And Beyond
The Randall Knives Model 2 Fighting Stiletto bears the name of one of the most famous knifemakers in history and was developed as a robust alternative to the legendary Fairbairn-Sykes dagger. Randall has gone to war with several memorable designs, and according to Breed, the Model 2 is one of the best remembered.
“The blade is a little wider than the well-known Fairbairn-Sykes dagger,” said Kim. “The Randall was more handle-heavy, with only about a 5-inch blade, as I remember. It feels good in the hand. The guard is not sharp on the fingers, which was a challenge with some of the others. Any Randall daggers are collectible, just like Randalls in general. They didn’t make many of them. The Model 2, to me, is a cross between the Fairbairn-Sykes and the V-42 with a leather stack handle.”
The Randall Knives Model 2 bears the name of one of the most famous knifemakers in history—Bo Randall—and was developed as a robust alternative to the legendary Fairbairn-Sykes dagger. (Les George image)
The Marine Raider Stiletto remains a classic weapon of the World War II era, and it is said to have been the first Marine knife in the Corps’ history designed by a Marine, designed by Lieutenant Colonel Clifford H. Shuey. The story goes that this dagger was developed because the elite Raiders specifically requested a knife for close fighting.
Les offered some observations concerning the Marine Raider stiletto’s proper mission. “When the Marines were issued the Raider Stiletto in World War II, they had been specifically told not to pry with them or throw them,” he said. “So, obviously, they threw them at the first tree they could find and broke the tips off many of those knives.
“I think the Marine Raider Stiletto has the best handle design of all the many knives derived from the Fairbairn-Sykes daggers,” George continued. “It’s not just round. It has features and a shape allowing the blade to be indexed by feel. But the blade is very thin, the tip was fragile and the metal that they cast the handles out of reacts with air. They are all disintegrating. Eventually, we will lose them all.”
Knifemaker and military dagger aficionado Les George is a fan of the Marine Raider stiletto, seen by his collection of the dagger—new and old. (Les George image)
The handle of the Camillus-made Marine Raider Stiletto was fashioned with a die-cast zinc alloy, while the 7- to 7 ½-inch blade was made of blued or bright steel. The overall feel of the stiletto was hilt-heavy for optimal balance.
“The Marine Raider Stiletto has probably the smallest group of collectors since it primarily appeals to Marines,” commented George. “The rest can be categorized in different ways and have broader appeal. These knives and their more modern counterparts may not find their way to the battlefield as a matter of course, but the history they represent is invaluable.”
Knuckled Under
Les includes the iconic M1918 trench knife among those favored few military daggers carried in wartime by American soldiers. Its design was based on the French M1916 Avenger, and the military held field trials after initial 1917 and early 1918 variants were found inadequate. The M1918 was first made by Landers, Frary & Clark, a housewares and hardware company, production was later increased with Oneida, Henry Disston & Sons and the French manufacturer Au Lion.
George considers the knife’s handle the best designed of all the Fairbairn-Sykes derivatives. Unfortunately, this is also the dagger’s weak point as the metal used for the handle reacts with the air and disintegrates. (Les George image)
“The LF&C M1918 trench knife did not see action in World War I,” George explains. “It was made for that war, but it ended before the knives made it to Europe. A lot of them were melted down to reuse the handle material. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, they were the only knives in the system available to be issued to Marines … The M1918 saw use in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. I’m not aware of any combat use of the knife since then, but it is possible.”
The M1918 is distinctive with its integrated cast brass handle and brass knuckle grip designed for close combat, along with small spikes on the finger bows and a skull crusher pommel. The medium carbon steel blade has been criticized at times for being brittle, but nevertheless the knife is recognized as formidable in a hand-to-hand brawl.
“The M1918 was designed to be an effective tool for close fighting,” observed Breed. “With a positive grip and the brass knuckle guard, you didn’t have to stab, or you could hit your opponent with the skull crusher. There were dozens of confirmed kills with this dagger. It was not recommended to dig with them because they were prone to breakage or ‘bendage.’ You could drive that big brass handle into the dirt, but that half shaft that came down from the blade was short on steel and weakened the knife around the tang.” The eye appeal of the M1918 makes the dagger collectible. “It’s pretty popular and one of the iconic knives of its type,” Kim concluded.
Many think of the M1918 as the quintessential World War I trench knife, though the variant didn’t see action in that conflict, adopted too late. Based on the French M1916 Avenger, it was meant to replace the 1917 and early 1918 variants, which were found inadequate. (Les George image)
Representative of the fighting men who carried them into harm’s way, these U.S. military daggers of the 20th century continue to fascinate with their double-edge blade, balanced feel and handle characteristics. Their place in history is secure, while collectors and knife industry veterans are doing their best to preserve and retell the stories that surround them.
