BLADE Magazine

Best Knife Case Options To Protect Your Investment [2022]

Hard cases, rolls, soft sides and more … here are some of the Best Knife Cases around.

Safely stowing away one knife is easy. Doing the same for a cornucopia of knives is a challenge.

Given you’ve laid down cold, hard cash on your dream blades, you need a better place than your junk draw to keep them safe. This is where a solid knife case enters the picture … kind of.

It could be a time-tested knife roll or a display case you show off your treasures when not in use. However you cut it, you need somewhere to keep your knives in pristine order.

We’re is here to help. We’ve gathered 9 of the best knife cases and other knife storage solutions to make your hunt easier. By no means is this exhaustive, but gives you a solid start on what you need to stow away your blades.

But before we get to that, you may be asking ….

Why Do I Need A Knife Case?

Good question.

Many casual owners might not need to make the investment. The top of the chest of drawers is a good enough place for a knife when the day is done.

In all likelihood, these are one or two knife owners who pick up whatever works down at the bait shop, hardware store or mega-mart. When you have $20 or $30 wrapped up in a work knife there’s not much call for kid gloves.

Things change when you drop three, four or even five figures on a top-end factory or custom blade. Heck, you might even have a burgeoning knifemaking business and want to take care of your wares. So here are some reasons why you might want to invest in a knife case, roll or other storage/transport system.

Protection: A good knife case needs to protect your knives. They’re investments. They’re tools. They’re a part of you. Making sure they are protected whether you’re traveling or just in the shop is paramount. A case that doesn’t adequately protect your blades isn’t worth the money or the time.

Transportation: Do you really want to trust the luggage throwers at the airport? Or is skimping really worth banging around your beauties? Near or far, if you travel with more than one knife you should really consider a solution above and beyond chucking your knife in a checked bag.

Organization: The best knife cases have beauty in their organization. There’s something incredibly satisfying about opening a case and seeing all your knives cozily tucked exactly where you last left them.

Security: You wouldn’t toss your knives in a shopping bag and leave them outside your door, would you? A quality case provides the necessary security needed to keep your knives safe. Some even have a low-profile appearance so people don’t know what you have under your arm.

What’s The Best Case For You?

The cliche, but true answer, is it depends. If you’re a serious knife collector who crisscrosses the country going to shows, you’re going to want a case that not only locks but is also TSA-compliant so you can fly with as check luggage.

If you’re the type of person who wants something to show off your few prized knives, a display case would be your best bet. It keeps your knives safe while allowing you to be proud of them.

And if you’re someone who regularly stops by the local knife shop to see what new models are available and maybe buy one or two a year, a study roll might be all you’ll need.

What Makes A Good Case?

More than anything, a good knife case is one that’s well made. Kind of obvious, right? But it’s the truth. Here are some of the basic aspects you want your investment to include.

Durable: You want to spend your money on knives, not replacing a knife case. Buy something built for the long haul.

Protective: Hey, this is one of the main reasons you’re buying a knife case. One that doesn’t protect your investment isn’t worth your money.

Convenient: This depends on you, buy the case needs to match your needs. A large hardcase might not prove ideal if you have a small collection. A knife roll might come up short if you fly cross country to shows on a regular basis.

Best Knife Case Options

Spyderco Spyderpac Large

Spyderco Spyderpac Large

Large is an understatement. Spyderco‘s pocketknife case holds 30 folders, each secured in a pouch with a clear plastic window. This is a nice touch, allowing you to find a particular knife at a glance. Constructed of black polyester Cordura, the roll is definitely built to last. And the 24- by nearly 8-inch tri-fold is easy to get in and out of thanks to its Velcro fastener. An added bonus is a handy strap for carrying ease or hanging up your collection for easy access. MSRP: $66.

Pelican V100 Vault Knife Case

Pelican V100 Vault Knife Case

There’s nothing as durable and rugged as a Nalpak Pelican case. Used to keep fragile camera equipment safe on movie sets, it’s up to the task of knife transportation. A crushproof high-impact polymer exterior makes the knife case nearly bulletproof to all but the most extreme abuse. A full O-ring seal around the lid keeps the interior impervious to water and dust, while a purge value ensures the internal environment is ideal. Multiple layer foam dividers keep your knives in place–there’s room for 19 of them–and protects them from typical jostling damage. And twin stainless-steel lock hasps let’s you lock them away and stay TSA compliant. MSRP: $99.99

Hersent Pocket Knife Display Case

Hersent Pocket Knife Display Case

The budget model on our list of pocket knife cases, Hersent’s display case is no-frills done right. Less than eight inches long, the Display Case has slots for 14 folding knives. Each knife is kept in place by a fabric elastic band. The downside, it is a tight squeeze with seven on each hemisphere, and there aren’t individual pockets. Rougher environments these deficits could potentially could lead to damage. However, with this in mind, the knife case is more than adequate for short excursions where rough and tumble isn’t the norm or if case funds are tight. MSRP: $17.88

Vault Case Secure

Vault Case Secure

Vault’s case is modular and TSA compliant if you need to travel with your knives. Boasting an ample 11- by 6.5-inch interior and utilizing removable foam pannels with a Velco loop system. You get six in all, including one buffer pannel perfect for squirlling away patches (if your into that sort of thing). The advantage of the knife case, it’s extremely flexible, giving you the power to configure it to your needs. And it’s secure, with a TSA-approved combo lock with resetable code on its zipper entry. The one negative, the carbon fiber exterior isn’t actually carbon fiber. Still it looks nice. MSRP: $64.96

Bradley Mountain Field Roll

Bradley Mountain Field Roll

A touch of outdoorsman class, the Field Roll from Bradley Mountain is stylish and functional. Room enough to transport up to seven knives and a sharpening stone the waterproof duck canvas is a classic. At 18 ounces, it’s also little trouble to tote along. Traditional knife roll function, the field roll is simple to access, secured by a stylish leather strap. As for storage, it’s 3.5-inch deep pockets are perfect for to keep your folders, whether a one-of-a-kind slipjoint or the latest tactical flipper. MSRP: $48

Messermeister Preservation Chef Backpack

Messermeister Preservation Chef Backpack1

The ultimate in portability, security, and style, this backpack from Messermeister might be the perfect solution for the mobile chef. It features three multipurpose compartments to orgainze everything from a full-sized chef’s knife to a meat thermometer. Plus, a small front pocket can fit your daily items such as a phone, wallet, and a notebook. It has 12 individual pockets for your cutlery and other tools along with a mesh pocket for anything too wide to fit into the main dozen pockets. The last pocket, closet to the back straps, is a standard backpack pocket, great to tote along whatever you need to bring with you. MSRP: $149.95

Castlecreek Collector’s Cabinet Display Case

Castlecreek Collector’s Cabinet Display Case

Part knife case, part furniture, the Castlecreek Collector’s Cabinet Display Case is an elegant way to show off your knives. This case is a big boy, weighing it at almost 16 pounds, but that’s what you get with a wood and brass construction. Each of the seven draws has a green, felt-lined finish and is completely removable. The top shelf is under glass so your prized knife, or any other possession for that matter, can be seen by all. All of the draws are removable and gold-toned brass hardware. The draws are deep enough to store numerous folders or a good amount of fixed blade knives. At 20 inches long, it’s deep enough to store a large chef’s knife or a Bowie knife or sizable recurve. MSRP: $129.99

QCWN Knife Bag

QCWN Knife Bag

Knife rolls are generally geared toward folders, but QCWN‘s Knife Bag gives fixed-blade fan someplace to look. Primaraly intended for on-the-go culinary types, the roll is versitile enough to handle a wild array of other knives–a long as they don’t exceed 17-inches in length. Made from a thick, waxed canvas, the bag is water resistant and nearly impervious to punctures and cuts. A canvas strap secures the bag into a tidy roll when in route and it’s classic look give the sachale timeless appeal. MSRP: $17.49

Shun 8-Slot Knife Roll

Shun 8-Slot Knife Roll

Shun makes great knives, and they also make great knife cases. The Knife Roll can hold eight knives in individual elasticized pockets, and there’s a zippered internal net pocket to hold other tools and accessories. The closures are fully zippered and feature Velcro as well, and the padded handle makes for easy travel. Made from 600D polyester, this option also holds up against rough use. As with many of Shun’s knives and other products, there are no fancy bells and whistles on this knife case. It’s just a high-quality utilitarian product that can be used for years. MSRP: $50

Read More


NEXT STEP: Download Your Free KNIFE GUIDE Issue of BLADE Magazine

BLADE’s annual Knife Guide Issue features the newest knives and sharpeners, plus knife and axe reviews, knife sheaths, kit knives and a Knife Industry Directory.

Get your FREE digital PDF instant download of the annual Knife Guide. No, really! We will email it to you right now when you subscribe to the BLADE email newsletter.

Click Here to Subscribe and get your free digital 2024 Knife Guide!
Exit mobile version