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Fast And Furious: Our Top Picks for the Best OTF Knives On The Market

Josh Wayner
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Fast And Furious: Our Top Picks for the Best OTF Knives On The Market

Despite A Rocky History Of Legality, OTF Knives Have Endured And Are Some Of The Most Popular Pocketknives On The Market Today

As its name suggests, an Out The Front (OTF) knife is a fairly straightforward affair.  In short, it has an enclosed handle with a blade that deploys from the front–the bolster, hilt or what have you. In general, these fast-from-the-gate options are small, most with an average blade length of 3-3.75 inches, though there are certainly larger examples. 

The knife is distinct from its “Out-The-Side” cousin, at least as a switchblade–one of its most common forms–in the variety of the way the blade is brought into action. Furthermore, the OTF knife needn’t any push-button, assisted-open system to flash cold, hard steel in the wink of an eye. 

Overall, OTF knives are a fascinating, if not slightly intimidating, corner of the knife world. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the history, usage and types of OTF knives. Then we’ll show you some of the best options on the market today. Get ready to flick into action.

Legality Of The OTF Knife 

In the past, these knives were favored by paratroopers and sailors. However, thanks to a media campaign in the 1950s that showed automatic knives as the tool of choice for criminals and underworld types, including popular movies like “Rebel Without A Cause”, automatic knives were banned nationwide. The Federal Switchblade Act passed into law on August 12, 1958 and effectively banned auto knives across the country. 

Going into 2023, the panic over OTF knives and other switchblades has somewhat subsided. Most states now allow ownership and carry of OTF, and other types of, automatic knives. However, 11 states still have a blanket ban. Furthermore, there are some issues when it comes to what many places call ‘stabbing instruments’ and other vague terms. Where this becomes an issue is some states that allow automatic knives have laws against double-edged blades. Given many OTF knife options fall into both categories, certain models have a narrow window of legal ownership.

As always, if OTF knives or switchblades tickle your fancy, please check your local laws before picking one up. Better safe than sorry.

Types Of OTF Knives

As mentioned above, there are four types of OTF knives. Each has positives and negatives, and the prices will vary wildly. It’s important to know the differences so you purchase the option that best suits your needs.

Manual OTF Knife

The most basic and least expensive OTF knives are the manuals. They are exactly that, knives that deploy and retract through manual operation. The most common way of doing this is via a slider on the handle. The upside is that you are in total control of the speed of your blade. However, it may not have the wow factor of other knives on the list. But hey, you’ll be safe while using it. 

Single-Action OTF Knife

These knives feature a powered deployment, usually with a button of some type, but require you to manually retract the blade to reset it. And it isn’t retracting like you might think. You pull a handle at the bottom to both retract the blade and recharge the spring so it’s ready to deploy again. 

Double-Action OTF Knife

When you think of an OTF knife you probably think of double-action OTFs–better known as fully automatic. The blade deploys and retracts with the touch of a button or flip of a switch. Prominent companies like Microtech and Cobra-Tec make dozens of different double-action OTF knives.

Gravity Knives

The four-leaf clovers of OTF knives are definitely gravity knives. Few companies still make them. The blades deploy and retract with the help of gravity.

The Reate EXO is one of the most popular gravity knives on the market today and a great example of the style. Just take into account your local knife laws as some places have specific laws banning the ownership or carry of gravity knives.

What To Look For In A Quality OTF Knife

You can find decent, but basic, OTF knives in the $30 range, but expect to pay ten times that for a model that extends and retracts on its own with the push of a button. Though, the sky is really the limit when it comes to the features on these knives, as some can easily jump over $1000 depending on what’s included.

The rub, for the price, is that even the expensive options do not do well for anything other than basic and light use as they are not as strong as other types of knives.

The basic selling point of OTFs–aside from inherent coolness–is convenience. Read that as they can be entirely used with one hand. It’s best to think of the OTF knife as a refined gentleman’s blade: a cutting tool that you could rely on for daily life and its inconveniences. 

OTF Blade Quality

The main issue surrounding blade quality on OTF knives is how light the blades have to be to function. Because the blade is entirely surrounded by the handle, the blade itself cannot be wider or longer than that existing space. As a result, most OTF knife blades are short and light. 

These blades are rarely what we would call a full-profiled knife and many are under 3 inches despite a full-sized handle. These blades are not especially strong and are essentially for cutting only, though there is utility in thrusting or stabbing depending on the strength of the locking mechanism. 

The small tang area is where the mechanisms are anchored, and this space is usually quite insignificant in surface area. It is entirely possible and even easy to break OTF knives if used improperly. 

Practicality Of OTF Knives

If you are in the market for an OTF knife, realize that there are better designs for most daily work that are substantially stronger and can handle a much wider variety of tasks, not to mention are cheaper. OTF knives do have their niche, much like karambits, balisongs, and friction folders, but each of these designs has hard limits on what they can accomplish as opposed to a fixed blade or a suitably strong folder. 

Best OTF Knives

SCHRADE VIPER OTF

Coming in at a relatively low cost (comparatively) is the Schrade Viper. The knife lacks some of the features of higher-end OTF knives, but at 1/10 the price of some of the others on this list, it is a good starting point should you want to familiarize yourself with the OTF style in general. 

The knife is a bit more manual than others in that it is assisted opening but needs to be manually closed. The overall structure of the knife is not cheap. The handle is made of aluminum and includes an integrated glass breaker in the pommel. It also features a manual safety system for opening and closing the blade to ensure it only opens when you want it to.

MSRP: $75

SMITH & WESSON M&P OTF

The M&P OTF retails in the same range as the Schrade Viper and is largely a product that appeals to an entry-level crowd. Many OTF knives on this list retail for more than some of S&W’s guns–a telling sign this market is for the discerning individual. with the M&P OTF, you get a large degree of utility without some of the additional features and glamor of higher-end models. 

Like the Schrade, this knife has an integrated glass breaker in the pommel and is similarly assisted opening/manual closing. If you already own an M&P pistol, you’ll notice that the handle contouring matches the slide machining cosmetically, including a safety lever that resembles the one on the pistol. MSRP: $70

HOGUE KNIVES COUNTERSTRIKE 

Hogue’s new Counterstrike is a flagship design that is sure to impress, not only with its modest price point for a fully-automatic knife but also the materials it is made from. 

What sets the Counterstrike apart is not just that sweet-spot price, but the high-end materials it’s made from and its excellent strength. Among these is the MagnaCut blade, which itself is a prime selling point. This steel is among the best in the industry and gives the Counterstrike excellent edge retention and adds rigidity to the already thin OTF blade profile.  Additionally, the knife has a glass-breaker pommel, aluminum, and carbon fiber handle, and is made in the USA. 

MSRP: $400

KERSHAW JENS ANSO KAPSULE MANUAL OTF 

The Kershaw Capsule is a small manual OTF excellent for concealment. At just 3.25 inches while closed and with a 1.9-inch blade, this small knife is a great self-defense tool because of its size and unassuming appearance.

However, it’s much more than that. The spear point blade works like a box cutter. The tip is great for puncturing the and edge can handle the type of slicing work you’d expect from a commercial box cutter. It’s convenient and compact enough that it can even fit on a keychain.

MSRP: $35

MICROTECH ULTRATECH D/E 

Microtech is one of the companies that popularized the modern OTF knife. In fact, most knife enthusiasts would go so far as to say that Microtech is completely responsible for this trend and has set the bar for all OTF knives going forward. The Ultratech is a solid example why the company calls the tune.A dependable OTF,  the knife displays an excellent balance in terms of material, strength, and utility. It is a fully-automatic design that opens and retracts with the same switch. If you want an incredibly reliable OTF knife for your daily use, the Ultratech is arguably the knife on this list with the most pocket hours across the board and is from an established OTF brand. Like others on this list, it features a glass breaker pommel and is made in the USA. 

MSRP: $310

HERETIC KNIVES ROC

Now here is something you don’t see every day. The Heretic Knives ROC is visually stunning, it is just so rare to see a curved blade on an OTF knife. The company no longer has the ROC listed on its site as of this writing, but it is available and in stock online. The ROC accomplishes its one-of-a-kind appearance by using a curved handle to match the blade, which overall seems like a no-brainer.

But it just isn’t seen these days, despite the advantages in self-defense or martial arts. While it resembles a karambit, this knife lacks a finger ring on the pommel. The ROC is a fully-automatic design that retracts and deploys on its own. If you are in the market for an eye-catching OTF design that is USA-made, you’d better get them before they are gone.

MSRP: $750

PIRANHA RATED-R 

The Piranha Rated-R is one of the most discreet and well-designed knives on this list. The others we’ve looked at have release buttons/switches on the side of the grip in line with the spine of the blade, whereas the Rated-R has it conveniently mounted where the thumb rests near the end of the handle. 

It is a fully-automatic knife and requires no movement of the hand to deploy and retract the blade thanks to the switch location. Unlike most of the others here, it lacks a glass breaker pommel, further adding to its discreet appearance. The knife is on the higher end of cost for OTF blades. But like any semi-custom product, it appeals to a certain customer that has specific needs for a strong, durable, and unassuming knife. The Rated-R is made in the USA. 

MSRP: $490

BENCHMADE AUTOCRAT

This list wouldn’t be complete without a knife from Benchmade. The company has been producing visually attractive and highly functional blades for the most demanding end users: hunters, cops, rescue crews, anglers, and bushcrafters, among many more. The Autocrat is the most sought-after Benchmade OTF model and it has an excellent reputation for strength and sharpness.

The knife is in the same cost range as most high-end OTF knives at $500, making it an investment for most people but a steal for those who desire American-made quality. The knife is fully automatic and is available in two colors. It does not include a glass breaker pommel, making it easier to use in the hand and a bit more classy in overall appearance. 

MSRP: $500

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Civivi Cogent Review: How Versatile Is This Flipper?

Msg Kim Breed (ret.)
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Civivi Cogent Review: How Versatile Is This Flipper?

The Cogent Flipper Folder From Civivi Is Ready To Cut Through Pretty Much Anything

The Cogent button-lock folder from Civivi is well put together. It has a great feel and a classy blackened stainless steel damascus blade. 

Civivi uses 10Cr15CoMoV and 9Cr18MoV stainless steels in the damascus mix. The blade has a full flat grind designed to slim the edge geometry down for efficient slicing.

Testing The Civivi Cogent

Civivi Cogent skiving leather
Skiving 6-ounce leather was no problem as the Cogent did the job aggressively and noisily—the author easily could hear the crunch on each skive.

First up on the test agenda: 20-pound bond copy paper. The Cogent zipped through it without hesitation. The blade was super smooth during slicing. I used a push cut for a full slice. The knife most definitely has a fine edge.

Staying with a push cut, I used the Cogent to effortlessly slice single-walled cardboard to shreds. The edge never stalled in dispatching the medium. Man, this thing is wicked sharp! There was no twisting of cuts, just straight slices. In fact, it sliced so quickly I had to really watch my fingers to avoid cutting them.

I took it up a notch by slicing plastic board. It was like there was no variation at all in the speed and control of cutting. The only difference was the absence of the zipping noise emitted by the cutting of the cardboard. It was nice, quiet slicing with no hang ups.

There was some 6-ounce leather on the bench for skiving. I decided to slice just a part of it up first. Talk about aggressive cutting! I could easily hear the crunching from every skive. The Cogent sounded like it was actually taking a bite out of the leather—which I guess it was. I did some skiving on another piece of leather with similar results. This knife is a wicked sharp cutter.

Wood & Rope

Civivi Cogent cutting rope
The Cogent worked its way to 214 crunching cuts on the 3/8-inch rope before the author got tired and quit.

It was time for some firestick making. Utilizing the fine edge, I whittled some curly-cues in a pine stick. I did some very fine curly-cues and some thicker ones. The Cogent was excellent controlling curly-cue thickness. The thumb notches were very comfortable during the deeper bites. The handle was quite comfy.

For some splitting action to test the lockup, I batonned the Cogent into a half-inch-thick board. It split the wood very quickly with no smears on the blade. The button lock stayed at 100 percent lockup. No wiggle here!

The last challenge was the 3/8-inch sisal rope. The Cogent worked its way to 214 crunching cuts before I got tired. The edge would still shave hair from my arm*. The blade boasts excellent heat treatment. I didn’t find one hot spot on the handle and the knife was very comfortable for heavy cutting.

Civivi Cogent: Final Thoughts

I would carry this knife every day. It holds a sharp edge longer than most. The second-best thing is the comfortable handle. It is made for using. The Cogent is an excellent folder. I’d maybe add more handle color options. I love everything else.

*Editor’s note: BLADE® does not recommend shaving arm hair to test blade cutting ability. It can result in injury or worse.

Civivi Cogent Knife Specs

Blade length: 3.47”
Blade material: Blackened stainless damascus
Blade thickness at the thickest: 1/8 of an inch at ricasso and tapers to the tip
Rockwell hardness: 58-60 HRC
Handle: Green Micarta®
Liners: Stainless steel
Opening: Flipper
Lock: Manual button lock
Knife to know: Open-handle construction for easy cleaning; handle textured; thumb notches on base of blade spine
Country of origin: China
Weight: 4 ounces
Closed length: 4.25 inches
MSRP: $115

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Inside The Shop Of RJ Martin

Pat Covert
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Known For His High-Quality Custom Knives, RJ Martin Has Earned A Spot As One Of America’s Most Creative Knifemakers. 

Between his exquisite custom knives and numerous collaborations with factory cutlery companies, RJ Martin has become a legacy name in the knife industry. As a teenager he was inspired by a Sports Afield article on knifemaker Bob Dozier and decided to try his hand at knifemaking, which he did with very satisfactory results. The seed was planted for what would become a lifelong passion of working with steel, the results of which are his incredible knives today.

To get there he studied at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, graduating in 1984 with a degree in materials engineering. From there he spent 17 years working in the aircraft industry designing parts and mechanisms for hi-tech helicopters. This exposed him to a wide range of materials including carbon fiber and titanium and, just as important, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining. You couldn’t ask for a better prelude to becoming a custom knifemaker.

When Martin retired in 2001, he rediscovered his love for knifemaking and set up shop. At the time the modern tactical knife era was in full swing, so RJ jumped on board and hasn’t gotten off the train since. His tactical folders are his mainstay and if you look at his body of work, his designs flow like a river.

RJ Martin’s Most Important Tools

One half of Martin’s favorite, and most important sets of tools: his hands.

RJ came right out of the chute with a surprise when tendering his most important shop tool. 

“My two favorite tools, bar none, are my own hands,” he begins. “Without them, I could not use any hand or machine tools. More importantly, I’d miss out on the incredible satisfaction working with my hands brings me. It’s important to take good care of your hands and eyes, and your lungs, because knifemaking will take its toll over time. I have had multiple hand and finger surgeries over the years to correct wear and tear—and a couple of my digits have suffered substantial injuries from knifemaking—so they’ve got character! Knifemaking is a contact sport and, banged up as they are, I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Lynyrd Skynyrd had it exactly right in their song Red White & Blue when they sang, ‘If you want to know where I’ve been, just look at my hands.’

“My favorite grinder is my Burr King BBA20, 2×72-inch belt model. It’s super smooth, runs incredibly true, and the 20-inch-diameter 60 durometer wheel lets me grind my bevels high while keeping my blades very strong. I re-grind almost all my blades after heat treating using this machine. The slow speed range is critical for steels like CPM S110V, S125V and MagnaCut, as they must be ground slowly with coolant and light pressure after the heat treat because they are so incredibly wear resistant. I got the adjustable-height pedestal stand because I’m tall, plus the super fancy ergonomic work rest option because it’s just too cool. This machine is also very quiet!”

The Tools RJ Martin Uses

RJ’s Sears 6×48-inch belt sander and the stand it’s sitting on belonged to his father, Richard, “who was a gifted artist, a great parent and—most of all—a decent and caring man. He never made a knife in his life but he encouraged me to make them.”

“And then there’s Sophia, my alter-ego and companion,” RJ continues. “Sophia is an Ares Seiki R5030, three-axis CNC mill built in 2021, and she’s, well, a badass! With 14 tools in her carousel and a 20,000 RPM dual-contact spindle running high-precision Big Kaiser 30-taper toolholders, she is my girl with a short skirt and a long jacket! With properly designed tooling, good [numerical control] programs and quality carbide tools, her precision is incredible. I named her Sophia because her name literally means ‘Wisdom,’ and she is indeed wise! I gave her some awesome LED lights made by OC White to illuminate her beautiful work, and I keep her super clean. She is, after all, a woman of class and distinction! Sophia wears my mom’s American flag, which I pass by every morning when I enter my shop.

“Finally, my Sears 6×48-inch belt sander and the stand it’s sitting on belonged to my father, Richard, who was a gifted artist, a great parent and—most of all—a decent and caring man. He never made a knife in his life but he encouraged me to make them.

“Those hands I wrote about earlier? They came from my father. Of this, I am certain. He passed before I really hit my stride as a knifemaker and I miss him dearly,” RJ notes. “So, I keep this machine in my row of grinders to remind me every day where I came from and how grateful I am to be able to work hard at a job that I love and am successful at.”

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Ernest Emerson: His Shop And Tools

Pat Covert
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Ernest Emerson Is One Of The Leading Designer Of Tactical Knives, And We Get To See His Shop And How He Works

Ernest Emerson is entering his 44th year of knifemaking and his manufacturing company, Emerson Knives, Inc., is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Many knife nuts who have been around awhile remember Ernest when he was purely a custom knifemaker who was making exquisite folders exclusively. Then things changed.

When the first Gulf War came along, Emerson—who has an extensive background in martial arts—had already been working on tactical knife designs and, being the patriot he is, was ideally positioned to do his part in the war effort. Along with a handful of other talented custom makers, it wasn’t long before Ernest was instrumental in helping kick off the modern tactical knife movement that is still a huge part of the cutlery market today. 

He never looked back and 25 years ago took his designs to the masses, switching his focus to becoming a cutlery manufacturer of tactical knives, primarily of the folding kind. He continues to make a limited number of custom knives and also uses his skills designing new knives for his factory line. We asked Ernie to give us the lowdown on the tools and equipment he relies on most to do his custom work and prototypes for Emerson knives.

Ernest Emerson’s Tools And Machines

Emerson employs a number of light, low-cost bench-top drill presses. He leaves them set up for various drilling and reaming operations, which saves him a lot of time as he moves down the row drilling liners and handles.

He opened by praising his vintage mill. 

“The old Bridgeport has been fixed and rebuilt more than once but it is solid old-school quality and can still easily hold +/- .001-inch tolerances,” he observes. “I use it for all of my milling, tool, jig and fixture building, as well as all operations on bolsters and handles that require precise tolerances and hole depths such as bolsters, counterbores and handle countersinks.”

For grinding, he calls out one grinder maker in particular as his favorite. 

“I use a variety of grinders but my go-to machines are those by Travis Wuertz. They are solid, sturdy, virtually silent, and extremely well thought out—and engineered by Travis,” Ernest says. “Their real value to me is that I can build a wide variety of specialized fixtures and tools that allow me to do very precise grinding operations on both blades and handles.”

Emerson uses a number of low-cost bench-top drill presses. 

“At $125-$150 each I can afford to own several of them and leave them set up for various drilling and reaming operations,” he notes. “This saves me a lot of time as I can just move down the row as I drill liners and handles. The light drill presses work perfectly for me because all the holes I drill, tap or ream are small diameters and don’t need heavy drill presses to perform the operations. Plus, I get a better, lighter feel when I’m drilling delicate and expensive materials like pearl without damaging them.”

Keeping Things In Order

Hammered-6 in Moku-Ti bolsters with distressed solid copper scales and a hammered blade. Emerson’s list price: $10,000.

Ernest is a firm believer in being organized. 

“Although my work area may look a little cluttered or messy [he was preparing for a show when the accompanying photos were taken], I am extremely organized and orderly,” he emphasizes. “Having come up through an apprenticeship program to become a tool-and-die maker, I had it drummed into me the importance of cleanliness and organization in producing precise results.”

He also relies on the smaller things that make up the whole of knifemaking. 

“Although machines seem to play the biggest role in most shops, in my endeavors it is the jigs and fixtures that are my most valuable tools,” he states. “Coming up through the apprenticeship program early in my career and eventually earning the title of tool-and-die maker, it was hammered into me that the best machinists are the ones that can conceptualize and invent the most efficient and precise tools, jigs and fixtures to help them do their job. There is a lot of truth in that statement. I also have a full machine shop and woodworking shop with all the jointers, planers, sanders, table saws, routers, lathes and woodworking tools that I use.”

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TILI Ultralight Review: How Good Is This Small Fixed Blade?

Msg Kim Breed (ret.)
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TILI Ultralight Review: How Good Is This Small Fixed Blade?

The TILI Ultralight By Origin Handcrafted Goods Might Be Small But It Packs One Heck Of A Bite.

The TILI Ultralight by Origin Handcrafted Goods is a small fixed blade that can fit in your pocket like a pocketknife with no need to figure out how to open the blade or disengage a safety. Pull it clear of the pocket sheath and you’re ready to cut. Among the things I love about smaller fixed blades is that people don’t give you the evil stink eye when you use the knives in public.

Testing The Ultralight 

TILI Ultralight cutting paper
The TILI Ultralight handled slicing copy paper with ease.

I started with a simple paper slice using 20-pound bond copy paper. The TILI sliced very smoothly using both a draw cut and a push cut. The knife was controllable in making the width of the slices—I just had to move my fingers out of the way fast.

Next up: single-walled cardboard. The handle shape of the TILI Ultralight made for extremely controllable slices in the cardboard as well. I could hear the aggressive edge as it sliced. The edge is very fine and ideal for such a job.

Plastic board was next. There was a little more blade grab in this medium as the TILI’s blade bevel is short—around 3/8 of an inch. The full thickness of the blade engaged the plastic board quickly. It still made quick, clean cuts as fast as I could move my fingers.

The little fixed blade produced beautiful curly-cues in half-inch pine, producing nice, clean cuts. It was easy to control the depth and thickness of the curly-cues. The TILI Ultralight is great for making fire sticks and a handy little knife to put in a pack. It would be excellent at cleaning small game.

Slicing Through Challenges

TILI Ultralight cutting pine knott
The author drove the edge through a pine knot twice. He felt some micro chipping on the edge but it still cut great.

Skiving leather strips was next on the menu. The blade made a forceful crunching sound as it parted the 8-ounce leather. The small blade was controllable in making the slices thin. It favored skiving with the tip more than with the blade’s belly. This is a very sharp knife!

To push the fine edge more, I switched to 3/8-inch sisal rope. The TILI crunched to 125 cuts before my hand said “enough!” It’s hard to keep the pressure on a thin knife without your hand getting sore somewhere. The edge was still sharp and ready for more.

I switched to half-inch pine for some baton practice. The knife was easy to hold onto and it split the wood great. I even drove the edge through a knot twice. I felt some micro chipping on the edge but it still cut great. The steel might be a point too hard on the Rockwell hardness scale for heavy work. Keep the use to slicing and you won’t have any issues.

The TILI comes with a leather pouch sheath to protect the blade. I would put stainless steel pins in the holes at the end of the sheath to prevent accidental penetration as this knife is very pointy and razor sharp.

Bottom line: The TILI Ultralight is a handy knife that’s a perfect little backup blade for all-around use.

Changes I’d Make To The TILI Ultralight

I would add a couple of thumb notches on the blade and extra protection on the tip of the sheath to prevent blade penetration. (EDITOR’S NOTE: The latter is especially crucial if you carry the knife sheathed in your pocket.)

TILI Ultralight Specs

Blade Length: 2.38 inches
Blade Material: 1095 carbon steel
Blade Grind: Hollow
Heat Treat: Differentially Hardened with Hamon
Handle: Skeletonized Steel with hole for included leather lanyard
Weight: 2 ounces
Overall Length: 2.75 inches
Sheath: Black Veggie Tanned Leather
Weight with Sheath: 3 ounces
MSRP: $125

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CRKT And Hogue Announce New Knife-Making Partnership

BLADE Staff
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CRKT And Hogue Announce New Knife-Making Partnership

First Announced At SHOT Show 2023, CRKT And Hogue Knives Announced A New Manufacturing Partnership To Create The Next Generation Of CRKT Knives.

The collaboration between the brands launched at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas with the release of two new American-made knives: the Definitive and LCBK. This new joint effort showcases CRKT’s eye for design, craftsmanship, and making purpose-driven products.

First announced at SHOT Show 2023, Columbia River Knife & Tool and Hogue Knives will join forces in a new manufacturing collaboration. The partnership blends the Oregon-based CRKT’s innovative and user-friendly ethos with Hogue’s long history of precision engineering and will focus on the next era of CRKT knives.

CRKT Definitive And LCBK

CRKT Definitive
The sleek CRKT Definitive has an MSRP of $215, the same as the LCBK.

The companies showcased their first two knives together at SHOT: the Definitive and LCBK. Both models are high-end folding EDC knives made from 154CM steel married to a G10 handle. Both are also among the first in the CRKT lineup to feature a crossbar lock, the ambidextrous, one-handed locking mechanism.

The Definitive is the bigger of the two knives with a 3.7-inch blade (vs a 3.48-inch blade on the LCBK), and it outweighs the LCBK 3 ounces to 2.8 ounces. The blade on the Definitive features a stonewashed finish while the LCBK has a bead blast finish.

Both knives have an MSRP of $215.

The Future Of The CRKT/Hogue Collaboration

LCBK knife
The LCBK has a bead blast finish and is a light 2.8 ounces.

These knives are meant to be the first launch in a long-term, wide-sweeping alliance between the two companies. Both have said they are excited to work together and learn from each other’s expertise.

“We’ve known the team at Hogue Knives for quite some time and their sterling reputation in the marketplace is well deserved,” said Doug Flagg, VP of Marketing & Innovation for CRKT. “As we looked towards partners in US manufacturing, they were an obvious fit in helping us develop top-notch American-made knives and we couldn’t be more pleased to be working with them.”

“This partnership with CRKT is a natural extension for our business,” said Jim Bruhns, President of Hogue Knives. “CRKT’s penchant for design and willingness to take risks and stand out fits right in with the ethos here at Hogue Knives and we’re excited for what the future holds for both brands.”

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Bayonets: An Iconic, Historic Blade

Josh Wayner
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Few Blades Are As Historic As The Bayonet. The Knife Has Evolved Into An All-Rounder Still Issued By The Marines. 

Oddly enough, the history of the bayonet likely began in the hunting field, not the battlefield. By at least one account, the edged weapon was a tool of the French boar hunter in the 1500s. Tusks and a bad attitude, it’s understandable why these gents strapped their hunting knives to the muzzles of their muskets.

Soon after some enterprising soldier figured the invention–in original French baïonnette–might prove useful in warfare, and the iconic edged weapon was off to the races for the next four centuries. Presently, bayonets have essentially become military relics, if employed generally only as a training tool to acclimate soldiers to close-quarters combat.

Despite this, these fairly antiquated edged weapons still stir the imagination of military heroics of yore. Not to mention, in nearly all their versions, bayonets remain one of the coolest and most accessible historic edged weapons to collect.

In the article, we’ll look at some of the major styles of these modified edged tools, how the implement has evolved and who actually continues to make them. So gird your loins, we’re charging forward on bayonets.  

Major Bayonet Styles

A bayonet is so much more than just that. There were, and still are, several different designs of the implement, most mirroring the technology and ethos of war fighting of its particular era. 

Plug Bayonet

The plug bayonet is the earliest known bayonet and dates back to the 1500s or 1600s. The idea is rather simple. if you couldn’t use your gun to shoot or simply don’t have time to reload you turned to the knife. In this case, typically a double-edged dagger with a rounded handle that affixed the implatment directly in the muzzle of a musket barrel.

These earliest bayonets were really fully-fledged daggers in their own right. They lacked a proper pommel as can be imagined, but they could be used exactly like any other dagger. Most in this era were used in a manner of last resort. If a soldier found himself out of ammunition or facing a fast-moving enemy, he would likely want to put in his bayonet and hope for the best. 

The bayonet at this time was the product of changing warfare. While firearms were becoming more prevalent on the battlefield, they were slow to load. Additionally, the close-quarters combat of the medieval era still reigned supreme. In turn, soldiers required an option to hold off infantry and cavalry charges once their one shot was spent. 

Offset (Socket) Bayonet

While it may surprise some, the classic socket bayonet most think of during the flintlock era of warfare was not in full use by 1700. Attempts had been made prior to developing an offset bayonet allowing the soldier to load and fire with it attached. But it wasn’t until several critical battles in the late 1600s that evolution took hold. In particular, the battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. HereScottish Protestant forces were thoroughly defeated by Jacobite Scottish Highlanders, who charged and destroyed their enemy with broadswords and targes. 

This defeat came in part due to the plug bayonets the Protestants utilized. In what would be a rather ironic turn, the Scottish Jacobites would eventually meet their end and the end of their cause at the tip of the bayonet. Outfitted with socket bayonets at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the British were able to let loose a point-blank volley on the charging Highlanders, then finish the rest with their bayonets. The British had even devised tactical doctrine for the use of the weapon, training to a charging man to their side, instead of in front to strike beneath his raised sword arm.

History Of The American Bayonet

M7 Bayonet
The M7 is a legendary American bayonet that is still manufactured today.

Americans were somewhat slow to adopt the bayonet in warfare, giving the British somewhat an edge in the early days of the Revolutionary War. Of course deadly in charges, attached to the British Pattern 1769 Short Land musket–or Brown Bess–the implement also was somewhat a psychological weapon. Said to be the most feared weapon of the British arsenal, the Red Coats mass assaults with a long, gleaming triangular knife at the end of their muskets made all but the most disciplined break.

The Continental Army proved a quick study once trained with the bayonet  by Maj. Gen. Baron von Steuben at Valley Forge in 1773. By the end of the war, there were even strokes of genius with the American use of the bayonet, such as when American Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton (also the first Secretary of the Treasury) led a bayonet-only assault on redoubt 10 during the last days of the Battle of Yorktown. 

Early on, the Continental Army utilized a triangular socket bayonet similar to the British, however on the French Charleville Musket. But its use spread and the wicked device was eventually found on the Brown Bess–the most used arm of the Continental Army.

The bayonets in American service were standard European-style socket-mounted with triangular blades. This remains so through several iterations, including the Harper’s Ferry 1801 pattern, 1807 and 1810 Springfield patterns, M1816, and M1855.   

The M1855 served through the Civil War, where it saw extensive use on the Springfield rifle muskets. The .58 caliber rifle muskets loaded the same way as old muskets and could fire quickly and were very accurate and had substantial range. The bullets used in these guns had a hollow base that expanded into the rifling when it was fired, thus imparting spin. The war was devastating, and there were many bayonet charges, most with mixed results and high casualties. 

More accurate firearms and the introduction of repeating arms mitigated the effectiveness of the bayonet during the Civil War. It is estimated, only around 1 percent of all casualties were a result of bayonet wounds.

Sword Bayonet

sword bayonet
Pattern 1907 Bayonet. (Source: CC by 4.0)

Despite the effectiveness of “cold steel” assaults waning in the face of technological advancement, the bayonet persisted, though evolved to remain relevant.   

A more interesting detour around the time of the American Civil War, was the multi-purpose sword bayonet used by the British. The British Infantry Rifle of 1800–1840–later known as the Baker Rifle–utilized this style. The idea, essentially, was to give soldiers the ability to stave off cavalry charges when used as a bayonet, but also outfit them with a side arm–a short sword–for close-quarters combat. These sword bayonets had knife handles mated to exceedingly long blades, sometimes over 20 inches. 

Surprisingly, this style of bayonet was used all the way into World War I, despite little evidence the elongated blade provided any advantage. Perhaps the most famous final rendition was the Pattern 1907 Sword Bayonet, found on the British Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifle in the Great War. 

The American bayonets of the pre-WW1 era were a bit more well-designed. The bayonet designed for the American Krag rifle (the M1892), for example, had an 11.7-inch blade and could serve as a camp tool as well for daily chores. The Americans ended up following the Europeans’ lead in World War I a bit with the M1905 bayonet, which sported a 16-inch blade. Additionally, there were 17-inch versions used on the trench shotguns and backup rifles like the M1917 Enfield. 

Knife Bayonet

M9 Bayonet
The M9 bayonet works as a traditional bayonet but is more commonly used as a fighting/camp knife.

After WWI, most militaries of the world focused on making the bayonet in the form of a camp knife, something that was worth it to carry for general use that had more than one regular use. The time leading to WW2 produced the highly functional and realistically-sized M1 bayonet for the M1 rifle. The M1 carbine was also set up to use one, and it had its own small setup in the M4 bayonet knife. These knife-style bayonets eventually ran through several iterations leading up to the M7 bayonet for the M16 rifle in the late 1950s. 

As a regular tool, the knife bayonet is great and doesn’t remove any of the function in either role. It can be used for all sorts of tasks and also be mounted on the gun. The later M9 became a full-on utility and fighting knife for the M16 series. It is a large, Bowie-style knife that closely resembles the Ka-Bar. It added some additional utility features like serrations for cutting straps and rope and a wire cutter. Later on, the OKC-3S knife bayonet was adopted by the USMC. These remain standard today. 

Bayonet Realities

The reality of the bayonet is that it is not a principle fighting weapon. Today we are seeing most rifles fitted with a mountain of accessories, from variable power optics, lasers, suppressors, and bipods. 

 The bayonet has, for most of its history, been a weapon of intimidation. Very few times did any two armies charge each other with bayonets, usually one side fled first. Even in our modern era there have been bayonet charges, but again to no effect other than to scatter the enemy. 

Edged weapons do have a role in modern warfare; everyone needs a good knife at minimum. If your rifle has no provision to attach one or you’re using a suppressor, there is no real need to carry a bayonet specifically as opposed to a dedicated knife that serves your purposes. 

Bayonets will always be a curiosity not because of how they were used, but rather why they were used well beyond their abilities. While it is certainly a dangerous thing and absolutely lethal, getting that close to your enemies means you’re having an exceedingly bad day. But, as history has shown, a man with a sharp stick and nothing to lose can sometimes win the day.

Read More

  • The M7 Bayonet: From Combat To Campsite
  • Best M9 Bayonet Options For The Civilian Enthusiast
  • Best Ka-Bar: Modern Options Of The Historic Knife
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