A study of Michael Price’s work, Nick Bachtel’s reproduction gentleman bowie has the looks to wow.
Bladesmith Nick Bachtel has parlayed his fascination with the knives of 19th-century great Michael Price into a faithful reproduction of a Price-style gentleman’s bowie.
Nick studied every Price knife and other like ones of the genre he could find online and elsewhere to help arrive at the way the 19th-century cutler constructed the gentleman’s bowie. However, it was when he saw a picture of a Price knife in BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bernard Levine’s book, Knifemakers Of Old San Francisco, that “a light went off.”
Nick noticed that the handle had three pins so the knife had to have a full tang, not a hidden tang as he had previously thought, so he forged the knife, heat treated it, fit up the guard and forged the tang wider.
“I call it a captured-guard full tang,” the 24-year-old said of the method that apparently originated among bladesmiths in Ireland, Price’s native country. “It’s such a weird, unique, almost comical way of making a knife—and difficult to do as well,” Nick observed, “but boy, did Price make it!”
Nick Bachtel (inset) calls the construction he used to make his reproduction of a Michael Price Gentleman’s Bowie “captured-guard full tang.” For the style to work, it must be forged, Nick stressed. He said another way to do it would be in a frame handle construction and a tapered tang, though a Price aficionado would be able to tell the difference. (SharpByCoop knife images)
The icing on the cake for Nick was ABS journeyman smith Jordan LaMothe’s story, “How to Make the Price Guard” in the December 2019 BLADE®. As Nick noted, “The Price style is the pinnacle of the traditional forged blade.” What better style is there for a young, up-and-coming bladesmith to explore?
Gentleman Bowie Spec Check Knife name: Michael Price Style: Gentleman’s Bowie Maker: Nick Bachtel Blade length: 5 7/8 inch Blade material: 52100 carbon steel Handle: Elk antler and nickel silver Overall length: 10¾ inch Sheath: Traditional center-seam vegetable-tanned cowhide w/frog stud Maker’s List Price For A Similar Knife: $1,100(includes sheath)
A budget option, the D’souza Cerberus punches above its price point.
Adrian D’souza’s Damned Designs folders are very sturdy and exhibit smooth action. D2 tool steel for the blade and a G-10 handle highlight his Cerberus model. Adrian paid a lot of attention to the handle to make it feel very comfortable during use.
As for how well it performs, well, let’s see.
D’souza’s Damned Deigns Cerberus Initial Test
The Cerberus cruised through the initial test of slicing 20-pound bond paper. It was very aggressive slicing and I had to move my fingers out of the way quickly to keep from nipping them. I used the weight of the knife only for the pull stroke. Cutting the paper was kind of addictive—I just kept rotating it looking for a clean edge to slice.
The Cerberus was very aggressive slicing cardboard.
Moving on to a piece of single-walled cardboard, the Cerberus didn’t slow down a bit—zip, zip, zip on every slice. Again, the hardest part was moving my fingers out of the way fast enough for the next cut. The Cerberus was very aggressive slicing cardboard. The handle was extremely comfy and caused nary a hotspot.
Cerberus Heavy Use Tests
Splitting Wood
I had some leftover fencing slats that work great for kindling. The Cerberus penetrated half to three-quarters of an inch on every chop. With a quick twist of my wrist, the half-inch wood split. The lock stayed 100 percent engaged throughout chopping. The softened handle edges kept my hand comfortable during the hacking as well.
Batoning
To add more pressure to the lock, the author batonned the blade into the kindling eight times. It split the half-inch wood very fast, with the author using only a light tap from the dead-blow hammer. No loosening of the lockup occurred.
To add more pressure to the lock, I batonned the blade eight more times. It split the half-inch wood very fast, using only a light tap from the dead-blow hammer. No loosening of the lockup occurred. Grade: very stout design in the lock department with excellent workmanship.
Whittling Firesticks
I whittled firesticks from some of the split pieces. The Cerberus provided excellent control on the depth of cut. It powered through thicker pieces as well as thin, making some great curly-cues. There were still no hotspots and the edge was hair-popping sharp.
Skiving And Slicing Leather
When the author started cutting the full thickness of the leather, the crunching sound became quite audible. The handle shape aided in controlling skiving and slicing depth.
Moving on to some 8-ounce leather for slicing and skiving, I skived a corner very quickly. I could hear the crunching cuts. It worked quite well, yielding very thin slices of leather. When I started cutting the material full thickness, the crunching sound became quite audible. The handle shape aided in controlling skiving and slicing depth. This puppy is really comfortable to use.
Sisal Rope
I looked for half-inch sisal rope for the final test medium and realized I had only a foot length of it left. Well, it was better than nothing! The challenge was to make short but full rope cuts. Any dullness on the edge would be very easy to detect, as a dull edge would just slide out and over the sisal. After 20 crunching cuts, I had two nicks in my thumbnail. It was time to don Kevlar® gloves. In record Spec Sheet time the Cerberus crunched out 141 cuts in the rope, and I still had my fingertips to boot—an excellent outcome! The blade was not even close to slowing down. (I apologize for the shortage of rope. I have more on order.)
Overall Evaluation Of The Cerberus
The action is smooth and the blade locks up nice and tight.
The Cerberus is an excellent folder. The D2 blade has outstanding heat treatment, the handle is very comfortable and lockup is 100 percent secure. I would use it as my EDC.
Potential Changes
I really couldn’t find anything to change. I would recommend that Damned Designs continues to not get too sharp on the handle edges and keep them soft like they are.
Damned Designs warrants its knives to be free of defects. No knife abuse is allowed! For more information contact Adrian D’souza at www.damneddesigns.com, [email protected], and Instagram @damneddesigns.
Cerberus Specs Company: Damned Designs Knife Type: Flipper folder Blade Length: 3.5 inch Blade Material: D2 tool steel Blade Thickness At The Thickest: 1/8 inch Blade Finish: Stonewashed Handle: G-10 Pocket Clip: Blade tip up Lock: Linerlock Liners: Titanium Weight: 6 ounces Closed Length: 4.5 inch MSRP: $49
A vital safety tool for underwater adventure, a solid dive knife is a must-have for your dive kit. Here’s what you need to know to get the best one.
Dive knives are specialized edged tool that is made for people who spend time in the water. This seems like a wide definition, but water sports are a huge series of pastimes as well as a profession for millions of people across the world.
Diving, be it scuba or free diving, is inherently dangerous and rife with hazards, including the gear you may have on your person. The dive knife varies in profile and material, but in the end, it is a tool that can be relied on to remove yourself or another from a tangle of floating netting, a strap caught on an underwater branch, or to evacuate a struggling diver from their tank.
The dive knife is more than a rescue tool, though. In the alien environment that exists underwater it is a lifeline to the surface and a last resort in the worst situations.
Dive Knife Construction
In the course of use, most real-world knives are going to get wet, however, but are not meant to stay wet for extended periods. Getting caught in a rainstorm or left outside by the fire are things that happen, but being submerged in saltwater for weeks on end would destroy most knives as well as erode and damage handles and sheaths. Leather is not found on serious dive knives, nor is wood or carbon steel. These materials are simply eaten away by salt water and are also easily damaged in fresh water.
Dive knives are typically constructed using corrosion-resistant materials and have handles molded directly to them. The idea is to reduce the number of areas where water can enter, making the knives last longer. Very few materials are absolutely corrosion-proof, but they can be made resistant to the point where they won’t degrade for years or decades, sometimes even the lifetime of the owner.
Dive knives are also less rugged for on-land work. Most of the blades of dive knives are thin, sitting in the .12- to .16-inch range, making them unsuitable for heavy use on wood or for camp work. In the water, you’re likely not going to baton logs, so the thickness of the stock is unimportant except for its ability to cut through materials.
Nylon and plastic are the main prey of dive knives, it is the main material for everything from rope to fishing nets and is the basis of most straps on a diver’s gear. It is not that there is only one used in this sense, rather it is that the vast majority of materials a dive knife needs to cut are man-made and are of a relatively normative quality.
Dive Knife Features
When looking at the must-have features on dive knives, one finds that there is no specific answer.
As noted above, the general concept of a dive knife is to cut through maritime-related cordage. The secondary functions are almost irrelevant to this, self-defense isn’t even a tertiary topic considering that shark attacks are exceedingly rare. Natural obstacles like kelp can hang a diver up, and this is perhaps the only naturally occurring material dive knives are commonly used on.
A Sharp edge is the knife’s the main feature and is simply a must—no questions asked. Serration is very ideal on a whole edge and is truly better for cutting rope or nets over a plain edge. A plain edge is great as well, but for cuts that don’t necessitate a sawing motion. Glass breakers in the pommel, paracord wraps, and other features aren’t necessary and may even get in the way. Simplicity is paramount in a dive knife, you should never have to guess where your edges are when working in poor lighting conditions with limited oxygen.
Dive Knife Designs
Popular profiles vary, usually by tip profile. Some divers prefer a Bowie style with a sharp, aggressive tip. This is nice for fine work, especially on primary knives that may be used for harvesting oysters and other such tasks.
A flat tip can prove a safety feature for some on dive knives.
The other main category is blunted or flat-tip knives. These have a tip similar to pry knives in that they have an abbreviated, square-edged tip. They can also be used for various purposes, but their main advantage is that they can be slipped under straps on a diver’s body safely without risking stabbing or lacerating them. Injuries can still occur, but the serious risk is reduced.
Best Dive Knife Size
There is a general limit to the effectiveness of a knife used underwater. Thrusts and slashes are slowed down by the resistance of the water itself, and you tire much easier than on land. As a result, there is certainly too big of a knife, with the lower limit being around 3 inches, or just enough to get under most straps and tie-downs.
The handle should not be too small, however. Many of these designs have a dagger-like overall profile, though, a good scuba or dive knife should not have a dagger handle. You need to know where the edge is by indexing the handle. As a result, a beefy handle and 3- to 5-inch blade are what you want to look for a dive knife.
Steel Vs Titanium Dive Knives
Titanium is hands-down the better material for use on dive knives from a corrosion perspective. Titanium, however, doesn’t hold an edge as well as steel, but when sharp it cuts maritime materials just as well. Sharpness is a main benefit of steel, though even the best steel can experience corrosion over extended saltwater exposure.
Steel or titanium (such as the one pictured), is an eternal debate over dive knife blade material.
Some divers swear by steel, others by titanium, and this seems to be an ongoing debate. Steel coatings are better and better these days, and some steel knives are available with a titanium coating. Again, the benefits are largely subjective, most users won’t notice a difference with regular maintenance. Like all hobbies, the vast majority of conjecture takes place in the 1-percent of professional or constant participants.
Best Dive Knives At All Price Points
Benchmade H20 Fixed Dive Knife
Benchmade H20 Fixed Dive Knife
Benchmade is well known for some incredible and durable products. The H2O fixed dive knife is an example of this.
Designed for military use, the knife carries a national stocking number (NSN) and is exceptionally well laid out for its purpose. Interestingly, this knife has features that are not necessarily in line with what many of the experts say are best.
For starters, it has a relatively simple grip that lacks the excessive texturing found on many other dive knives. The blade is also made of steel, which stands in the face of those that say titanium is a must-have for saltwater exposure. This is not to say that it is the end-all, be-all knife for use in the water.
While the military has picked some good products in the past, it can’t be said that they are correct every time. This knife is a great starting point at a medium price, you get a blunted tip, strap cutter and serration, as well as a generous lanyard loop. The sheath, while relatively basic, can be adapted to many types of carry depending on what you’re doing in the water.
MSRP: $170
Hogue Knives EX-FO2 Dive Knife
Hogue Knives EX-FO2 Dive Knife
As a general purpose outdoor knife, Hogue has a winner in the EX-FO2. This knife is right in the “perfect size” range for a dive knife, however, it has some features that make it both spot-on and a bit questionable at the same time.
Looking at the positive angle first, this knife is very well laid out and has a nicely shaped handle that has positive reviews for water use. The sheath setup is also excellent, it comes ready for attachment to your arm or leg with a padded backer. This is a knife that has multiple end uses. It is sort of a hybrid of a fishing knife and bushcrafter in that it has a stout blade that can be great for filleting but strong enough for general use.
This knife is available as listed with only a tanto point or clip point. For general use this is fine, however, it can be a liability diving. A completely sharp tip is a negative to some, the risk of puncture or personal injury is potentially much higher as opposed to a blunted point.
MSRP: $159
Fox Knives Tenko Military II Dive Knife
Fox Knives Tenko Military II Dive Knife
Fox Knives is an Italian company that makes high-quality products at reasonable prices. The author has used Fox products for quite some time, and all of them have held up very well.
Their dive knife is feature-rich, almost to a fault. The knife is double-edged, one serrated and the other clean. The rear part of the spine has a cord hook directly behind the separation. Unlike the others on this list, the Fox knife has a full cross guard that allows you to choke up on the blade for high-impact puncturing or slashing. This knife has a very fine tip, and while it is military-themed, this tip is a bit too aggressive for rescue work or freeing even yourself from a tangle. A bonus of this knife is that it has a full rubber handle as opposed to textured plastic.
MSRP: $117
Spyderco Salt Fish Hunter
Spyderco Salt Fish Hunter
Unlike the rest of the names on this list, the Fish Hunter is exactly that, a hunting knife. While many of these knives can be used for fishing in general, Spyderco’s product here is expressly made with the intent to be used as a companion for spearfishing and adventurous free divers. This is a specially designed product, and shouldn’t be confused with other dive knives or dedicated scuba knives.
The blade is hollow ground and comes to a very aggressive tip. Serration starts just after the tip and continues to the handle. Many fish are surprisingly thick-skinned and are quite difficult to kill, this knife makes it relatively effortless and the serration allows for quick cuts through even the thickest scales.
While this knife of course can be used to aid in an emergency, it would likely be best to bring a dedicated, blunted rescue tool as well. Spyderco designed their Salt line to fit this bill, and you can find products that are geared towards rescue and escape as well in their lineup.
MSRP: $196
Extrema Ratio Ultramarine
Extrema Ratio Ultramarine
By far the most expensive dive knife on this list, and perhaps the production market, the Italian-made Extrema Ratio Ultramarine is a purpose-built, do-all dive knife. Curiously, for being so costly, it is not made of titanium or another material less subject to corrosion.
Much like the Benchmade H2O, it is a steel knife. The Ultramarine is double-edged, one clean, and one serrated, and it includes a strap cutter and wrapped handle for a very sure grip underwater. The covering is removable. The knife comes with a functional sheath and case.
You may ask yourself just what you get in terms of the extra hundreds of dollars and, well, that is something only you can know. The possibility of losing such an investment in the deep is not something many people want to stomach considering that many dedicated dive knives are less than $100. This is one serious knife for perhaps the most serious users.
MSRP: $792
Aqua Lung Argonaut Blunt-Tip Titanium
Aqua Lung Argonaut Blunt-Tip Titanium
Aqua Lung has a real winner here with the Argonaut. This knife is available as a blunt tip, as well as what they call a Spartan tip, which has a leaf-shaped, pointed profile. For our purposes, here, the blunt-tip version is the knife that we are going to be looking at.
As a scuba knife, it is perfectly suited for the task. The squared, blunt tip profile allows it to easily get underneath any strap, and, depending on what you need to cut, it has a sharp plain edge and a serrated edge. The knife is made of titanium, which is a choice for many people that spend time in the water. This material is far less vulnerable to corrosion and is also quite light. It is relatively thin for its end use at .15 inch, so prying is not on the menu.
This knife comes with a dedicated leg or arm sheath and is moderately affordable at around $200 retail. The handle is simply wrapped in cord, which somebody finds to be a detriment over a high texture Nylon handle.
MSRP: $195
Promate Snorkel SCUBA Knife Titanium
Promate Snorkel SCUBA Knife Titanium
The Snorkel is an affordable, multi-function, titanium knife that is very well thought out. It has a plain main edge and a serrated spine with a cord cutter. While it is substantially less expensive than the others on this list, it boasts very high reviews across the board and is by all accounts the standard, by which all scuba knives are judged. If it does not perform as well as this affordable model, it probably is not going to perform at all.
The Snorkel is available as a blunt tip, as well as a very aggressive Bowie profile. Depending on what you’re going to do with it, the former is more functional for general use, while the latter is going to give you an advantage if you are spearfishing or free diving. Because they are half the price or less than almost everything on this list, you can get one of each and still have cash in hand. These knives are available in different colors to suit your interest and come with a functional sheath setup for use in the water.
A sensational slip joint, Tim Britton’s Badger revives the Keen Kutter pattern with a ton of flare.
When ABS master smith Bruce Bump showed an old Keen Kutter penknife pattern to veteran knifemaker Tim Britton, Tim fell in love with it and immediately set to making his own iteration.
The blades are BG-42 stainless steel that, as Tim noted, has high ductility and holds an edge forever. He flat ground them on his “ancient” 18-inch, 200-pound Porter Cable disc sander. However, it’s the handle that really stands out. Consisting of stabilized diseased ash burl from Whistle in the Woods, the material looks synthetic but isn’t.
Tim Britton , 80, has been making knives since 1971 and has focused a lot in recent years on slip joints, with the Badger being the latest. He’s got about six antique pocketknife designs on his to-do list for this year, including a peanut and a copperhead. (knife image courtesy of Tim Britton)
“The light stuff in it looks like explosions,” Tim said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” The projection on the spine fits right in between the user’s index and middle fingers and the groove on the underside cradles the latter for a comfortable, secure grip.
Calling it the Badger, Tim said he made 10 of them and had four or five at BLADE Show 2022.
Badger Spec Check Knife Name: Badger Maker: Tim Britton Blade Steel: BG-42 stainless Blade Grinds: Flat Handle Material: Stabilized diseased ash burl from Whistle in the Woods Closed Length: 3.5 inches Maker’s Price For A Similar Knife: $375
Visually Appealing Thanks To A Distinctive Rasp Pattern On The Blade And Attractive Handle, The Manzano Proves A Sharp Operator.
Old-school knives often have a classic look, and it’s even better when you can tell what the original material or tool was before it was transformed into a blade. When using recycled steel, more time is involved to prep the material for its new life. Can it be hardened, will it forge, will the steel take a polish?
Paul Gonzales did his homework in producing the Manzano Farrier Rasp Blade. There’s no doubt as to what the blade was before it became a knife.
Manzano Farrier Rasp Blade Edge Assessment
To assess the original edge, I sliced 20-pound-bond copy paper. The Manzano performed smoothly, making a zipping noise as it went through the paper. The knife’s weight made the push cuts easy to control.
As a final test, the author checked the edge once again on the copy paper. The Manzano didn’t skip a beat, slicing smoothly.
Heavy Cutting With The Manzano Farrier Rasp Blade
Next up, single-walled cardboard. At the start of the slice, the cardboard parted smoothly. The sliced strips crinkled from the grind bevels as the cut went deeper, maybe due a little bit to the rasp pattern in the steel. The Manzano’s sharp edge cut smoothly.
I used some dense foam left over from my Kydex press for the next test medium. I had great control over the slices using push cuts. The edge easily passed through the foam.
The author used the dead-blow hammer to baton the Manzano through a chunk of 2×10. The knife split the wood in two smacks with no excess shock transferred to the author’s hand, and then produced some nice kindling, too.
From there, on to 8-ounce leather. The Manzano was very aggressive skiving the material, producing nice crunching noises on each cut. The mirror-polished blade slid through the leather with ease. Paul did a nice job abrading the steel by the choil so there were no sharp edges where there shouldn’t be.
Firesticks were next. It was very simple to make smooth, fine curly-cues, as well as larger coarse ones. The handle is contoured perfectly for my hand for deeper cuts. The edge performed great while whittling wood.
The author checked the edge for toughness with the antler chop. Twenty hard whacks later and the edge and, therefore, the blade’s heat treatment, passed with flying colors.
For splitting larger wood I used a chunk of 2×10 and the dead-blow hammer. The Manzano parted the wood in two smacks with no excess shock transferred to my hand. The knife was very comfortable to use in this manner.
It was time for my favorite test material, sisal rope. Positioning half-inch sisal on my cutting board, I started with push cuts. The Manzano crunched its way to 200 cuts with no signs of stopping. That was plenty for my hand. There were no hot spots with the handle and the thumb notches were grippy but not sharp. This is a very comfortable knife to use—or did I already say that?
The Manzano crunched its way to 200 cuts in the half-inch rope with no signs of stopping. There were zero hot spots with the handle and the thumb notches were grippy but not sharp.
Time to stress the edge and check its toughness with the antler chop. I gave the medium 20 hard whacks, flinging chips all over my work bench. The results? The antler was chopped up and there was no damage to the edge. Kudos on the heat treatment.
Manzano Farrier Rasp Blade Edge Retention
Finally, it was time to return to the 20-pound bond paper. The Manzano didn’t skip a beat, slicing smoothly. I caught the paper with the choil/sharpening notch a few times, tearing it a bit. That was on me.
I Would
Bring the grind up closer to the spine for smoother slicing.
Final Cut
The Manzano is a great performer—classic looking all around and a very comfortable daily user. It’s made to cut.
Paul Gonzales warrants his knives against defects in materials and workmanship as long as the knives have not been abused. For more information contact Gonzales Blades 505-480-7982.
Manzano / Paul Gonzales Blade Length: 3.25 inches Blade Material: Farrier’s rasp Blade Temper: Differential Handle: Kirinite synthetic Handle Liners: White G-10 Handle Pins: Nickel silver Weight: 6 ounces Overall Length: 7.5 inches Sheath: Belt pouch design in 8-ounces leather Weight of Sheathed Knife: 8.5 ounces Maker’s Price: $200
While no longer required to keep lines of communication open, the utilitarian penknife continues to prove its EDC cred.
The penknife is a tool that has grown to fit our needs for centuries. It used to be an item that was in the pocket or purse of just about every individual alive, but today is easily confused with multi-tools and ‘Swiss Army’ knives.
The penknife is the ancient great-granddaddy of EDC knives, it was not just an EDC knife like we understand today in our assist-open or fixed blade defines knives, rather it was an edged tool that accomplished all daily chore-cutting, from maintaining writing utensils to working on small game.
History Of The Penknife
The original penknives were created to help maintain quill pens, the kind you see in movies made from feathers. These were called dip-pens, as they were dipped into ink to write with. The tips of these pens were shaped with penknives. As the quill lost its integrity from use, the tip was reshaped until it was depleted.
Though fairly modern, the Buck 375 Deuce closely resembles what most think of when it comes to a penknife. On one end a small pen blade (in this case a coping blade) and the other a clip point.
The penknife was small, usually only a few inches long with a fixed blade. They remained in their original form for much of history until the 1700s saw some variation as pencils began to appear on the scene, though in limited numbers. Interestingly, the knives excelled as the maintenance tool of the newer writing implement. Through World War 2 the penknife was considered the most functional and least wasteful means to sharpen a pencil. The British famously banned the use of mechanical pencil sharpeners in the war due to how quickly they consumed graphite and wood.
The last major leap forward in design changes came in the mid-1800s when penknives commonly become folders, where they remain today as a standard design element. These knives rarely had any kind of locking mechanism, and even today many are simply opened with a nail nick and held open with a slipjoint design. The pen blades were later combined with larger blades, usually, clip-points and the utility was expanded beyond simple maintenance functions.
Traditional Penknife Design Points
The penknife in its double-blade form became standardized into one of two categories, those being knives with blades mounted at each end of the grip and those with two blades mounted on one end. The latter is referred to commonly as a ‘trapper’ style, itself a design that has a following even today.
The penknife reached something of a crossroads in the modern era. Knives have always been used for regular tasks, however, as pocket knives changed they diverged from multi-tools. Penknives can fall into either category depending on who you ask, some consider any small, sub-3-inch folder to be a penknife, while others would happily call a Leatherman tool a glorified penknife.
The tool aspect is something that blurs the line today, the original utility was as a tool, but in adding more tools to create more function, it moves into a new category…or does it? As we are about to discuss, the penknife isn’t one particular thing. It is what we need it to be.
Practicality Of The Modern Penknife
Victorinox and its classic SD model set up the penknife as a multi-function tool as opposed to a task-oriented specialty item. Some would argue that a true penknife is simply that, a penknife and any added function beyond maintaining quills or pencils move it from this category. That is not something that has legs to stand on in the author’s opinion, as the entire original premise of the penknife has been thoroughly antiquated as quill pens fell out of use.
The Victorinox Classic SD is likely what comes to mind when talking modern penknives. Though, does the extra utility of the knife cross the line from pen to pocketknife?
The pen blade was functional for general use, but then again so was the larger blade. So what to keep? Many of these multi-function knives still carry two blades of different styles and lengths, however, nobody but perhaps a few dozen individuals worldwide are using modern penknives to maintain quill pens. The inclusion of pen blades on these knives is, as of 2023, purely ceremonial or simply a callback to what many see as a necessary feature. Adding things like scissors or a file was the first step in making these small knives functional for regular life, which was of course their original intent, but life changed beyond their utility.
As materials have evolved, so have the strength and utility of these small blades. Despite this, penknives are not for heavy lifting. It is beyond its role to pry, baton, or otherwise abuse these small knives, but it should be your expectation it hold up to regular use in a light-duty setting.
The penknife today should be thought of as a companion tool and that very much depends on what you do with your life. If you don’t want scissors in yours, they make a variety without. If you need a bottle opener, you’re covered. Hell, if you need a can opener, Boker makes a great replica Japanese version that includes one.
The penknife is the knife for your life, and even if you aren’t trimming feathers, you will certainly benefit from one of these clever little knives.
Traditional Style Penknife Options To Write Home About
Case & Sons Small Pen w/Stag Grip
Case has been making pen knives since time started. Well, probably not that long, but they have been the leader in the category for decades. Just about every hardware store across the country has a Case display hosting the company’s various small pocket knives, among them their famous penknives.
The knives are available in a variety of styles, however, the standout example of a penknife is their Small Pen with stag scales. The knife features two blades, one at each end, and it is just about as classic as you can imagine. It has one pen blade and the other a functionally designed clip point. Despite being a rather benign presentation compared to today’s advanced materials, you’ll never want for function with this old-school setup. For all light tasks you are covered, and to make it better, chances are your granddad carried this exact knife… or at least one very close to it.
MSRP: $106
Benchmade 317-1 Weekender
Benchmade manufactures a dizzying number of knives, however, each is very well thought out and of extremely high quality. While not exactly a penknife in the strictest sense, this modern twist has a bit of added function and pizzazz. The Weekender is designed as the perfect weekend companion and has features that make it great for light tasks. It is great for work on small fish or small game and is also equipped with a bottle opener, because let’s face it, you’re probably going to be killing beers more often than you’re going to be killing game.
The knife is finished in green micarta and bears flashy copper-colored accents. It has just the right amount of flair to match the rest of your daily gear but isn’t made of easily damaged materials. Think of this little guy as the ultimate modern penknife. It is the most expensive option listed here, but it is arguably the strongest and sharpest of the bunch. For what it’s worth, these are advantages of a small knife where cutting ability is limited and strength is lacking.
MSRP: $275
Schrade Old Timer
In the world of penknives, there is little room for variation except in price. These small knives are not designed for the strength of heavy work, and in some cases, they are made to a standard that more closely resembles their class in terms of cost.
The Shrade knife here retails at under $20, making it a fraction of the price of some on this list. It has a clip-point blade as well as a pen blade and a pair of small scissors. For the duty of a penknife, you don’t need to spend more and this will last you years if used accordingly. Light duty is something that needs to be stressed here, but at this low cost, you won’t be out much if you do break it. Shrade priced this right to be bought and used, and it makes a great gift or stocking stuffer for that hard-to-buy-for person in your life.
MSRP: $19
Hen & Rooster Stag Penknife
Hen & Rooster knives are great, medium-cost alternatives to Case or other penknife brands. The company is not as well known as the others on this list, but they make a great product that rivals all in quality and appearance.
Its stag-griped penknife is extremely simple and priced right for someone looking to have a nice knife with real materials as opposed to lookalikes or plastic stand-ins for antler. The knife features both clip point and pen blades and is exactly how you figure a penknife should look. Stag isn’t the only material offered for grips, and the company has a tremendous number of models and variants available.
MSRP: $45
Boker Historical Japanese Army Penknife
There is a long history of small utility knives integrated with other tools to make them just a bit more functional. This offering by Boker is a replica of a Japanese army penknife that has an integrated bottle and can opener. This penknife served to open rations and prepare food in the field and it is good for just about anything minor.
It is an exceedingly slim knife in all proportions, the single blade being just 2 inches. The blade folds into the steel frame, itself just slightly wider than the blade itself. History buffs may not be aware of this little tool, but they sure will love it when they open it. Boker has a winner here, and to boot, they also have a Japanese multitool and other historical knives should you want to start collecting modern replicas you can use in your daily life.
Rugged, Long-Lasting And Easy On The Eyes… G10 Might Just Be The Ultimate Knife Handle Material.
You often hear G10 lumped in with a variety of other materials, such as Micarta, glass-filled nylon, carbon fiber, and more. In this vein, you’ll also see misrepresentations such as ‘G10 Micarta’, this is generally incorrect despite being so close to right. This raises the question…
What The Hell Is G10 In The First Place?
G10 is its own material and is more or less a generic trade name for a subset of insulating fiberglass composite. Because it is a standard material used in both civilian and military manufacturing, it is very consistent and must meet certain standards to be called G10.
It is made in a similar way to Micarta, but instead of actual layers of cloth fabric being compressed, G10 uses glass cloth to achieve a similar result—a grainless, easily shaped material that is resistant to the elements and most chemicals.
It first appeared on the radar in the 1950s, but it arguably has seen the most use since 2000 and it has knives to thank for that.
G10 Usage And Properties
G10 is made colorful by alternating these glass cloth layers before it is heated and compressed. The original versions of this were a bit bland, and like Micarta, were developed to provide insulation barriers for electronics. G10 material is not common in electronics today, but in its day it was considered to be quite good at its job.
It is now primarily used for knife handles, gun grips and accessories, robotics, 3D printing, and in some aerospace roles. It has great strength-to-weight properties and is easily shaped, making it ideal for modern manufacturing techniques. Unlike Micarta, it won’t change color when wet and it doesn’t absorb water or chemicals. It is impervious to salt water, making it a great choice for any products that require a firm grip in maritime conditions.
Advantages Of G10
Durability is key to a knife handle. It is, after all, your interface with a sharp, dangerous tool. If you don’t trust your handle material, you don’t trust your knife, simple as that. G10 Gives you a lot to hang on to.
Very strong and light, it’s waterproof, corrosion-proof, and can be washed with normal cleaning products with no ill effect. On knives that are used for hunting or the outdoors, it isn’t bothered by blood, fat, or hasty cleaning methods.
If G10 is textured, it will provide a sure grip in all conditions. Don’t like that your grip is just a bit too textured and perhaps a bit sharp in places? Just take out some sandpaper and knock the edges off and then wipe it down with mineral oil. It will appear just as new.
G10 is just a rockstar material for knife handles because it does what we need it to do in all capacities from initial manufacture to end-use maintenance. G10 is a win-win material across the board and it shows.
Disadvantages Of G10
Due to the overwhelming amount of advantages G10 has over most other knife handle materials, the downsides are for the most part a personal matter. Some people don’t care for the appearance or texture of certain G10 products, and still, others don’t care for how widespread the material has become.
Wood, bone, and Micarta all have significant followings, but are less durable overall than G10 and are usually heavier. These materials do require regular maintenance unlike G10, but this is a relatively subjective thing at the end of the day.
GREAT G10 HANDLE KNIVES
Benchmade 15500-3 Meatcrafter
The Meatcrafter has been around for a few years, but it continues to undergo evolutions. This particular model features a razor-sharp blade using the company’s SelectEdge technology. The 15500–3 model is visually attractive and features green G10 grips with nice-looking accents.
The knife comes with a Boltaron sheath finished in high-visibility orange. The author has experience with the Meatcrafter series, and has found them extremely suitable for their niche. The blade profile is not especially thick, it borders on filet knife territory but is heavy-duty enough for working on large pieces of meat and big animals.
This knife isn’t meant for chopping or use on bone or camp chores. Rather it is for end processing of soft tissue only. The blade has a good degree of flex for boning, though not too much that it won’t give clean presentation cuts in the kitchen if you are trying to impress company. Though, the $370 price tag is impressive in its own right should your dish not wow your guests.
Tops Sky Marshall
Tops is known for making some of the most rugged and powerful cutting tools on the planet. Very few, if any, could be called under-engineered, rather it is just the opposite. Most Tops blades are thick, and heavy, and hold up to years of the worst abuse that their owners can put them through.
The Sky Marshall is one of those items in life you buy once and keep using. Barring being dropped into a lit forge, there is little that can deter the stout Sky Marshall. The knife has a tanto point and rear serration coupled with a daunting 1/4” spine. The knife is finished in all black with black G10 grips. It is both an attractive conversation piece and a hardcore tool. The blade profile has a lowered point and a specially contoured handle with a deep, secure finger choil to give it extra power when thrusting. The Sky Marshall retails at $210 and comes with a black Kydex belt sheath.
Tops Muley Combo
Another G10-handled set from Tops is the new Muley series, made specifically to address materials that are hard on blades when hunting. The Muley series is born to hunt and is best purchased in a set with a double sheath ($500), though each knife can be purchased separately should you wish. One is a standard knife while the other is a knife-handled saw with a gut hook meant for dealing with bone and cartridge.
The combo doesn’t take up much space and affords the owner a high amount of general utility when both weight and durability are concerned. The backcountry hunter doesn’t always get away with pack animals or 4-wheelers, so having multi-use tools is very important when ounces count. The dedicated saws take up room in the pack, and knives with gut hooks are a liability when splitting kindling or skinning. In this set, you get the best of all worlds and each is made of super-tough, easy-to-clean 154CM.
The G10 grips are meant to be stylish but also high-visibility thanks to their orange liners. As field tools, the Muley combo here is hard to beat, and the author looks forward to putting them to hard use in the coming years.
LT Wright Apex
LT Wright is a name synonymous with edged tool quality. The Apex is an interesting knife not just in construction, but in shape and cosmetics. It features black G10 grips with a striking bright green liner and a bright, saber-ground A2 steel blade packed nearly in a brown leather sheath.
The knife has a profile common to many working knives and resembles a Puuko in overall aesthetic, though, it has one interesting point worth touching on. The blade and the spine are reverse curved, giving the blade a deep belly and the handle a distinctive upturned profile reminiscent of traditional Japanese tanto and katana profiles.
This intriguing knife is excellent for just about any task from kitchen chores to outdoor labor, breaking down game, and as a regular EDC knife. The Apex is a fascinating product that deserves more than a second look, and for a decent retail price of just under $200, it won’t break the bank, either.
Toor Jank Shank
One of the more interesting knives released recently, the updated Toor Jank Shank is part EDC knife, part karambit, part self-defense tool, and all American made.
The knife is beefed up over the original release and is thicker in more places while more ergonomic in others. The most visually appealing variant on Toor’s site is a black blade with eye-catching white G10 grip panels.
The knife has an easy-to-maintain straight edge that can be used in many ways in conjunction with the finger ring or without. The tip is aggressive and will easily penetrate through most common clothing and jacket materials.
While not a true karambit in that it lacks the signature curve, it should translate easily for fans of the design while offering daily utility lacking in a hook-shaped tip. The Jank Shank retails at $195 and the included Kydex sheath is compatible with a variety of mounting interfaces.
Kizlyar Supreme Hammy
Hailing from Russia, the Hammy is a cute little blade that has a lovable little hamster engraved on it. While it is small, the Hammy lives up to its namesake—a tough, resourceful little animal that can pack several features into its cheeks… rather to say its small, easily carried profile.
The Hammy comes with bright orange G10 scales and is meant to be a highly visible working tool. The edge profile is designed for common cutting tasks and the handle is contoured for comfort in long periods of use.
The Hammy is the least costly of the bunch here at just $99, but it punches above its class and will probably be the knife in this group that you use the most daily basis. The Hammy comes with a multi-position leather sheath that also features a cute hamster motif.
Esee 5
The Esee 5 is not a new knife, but it is notable for being so rugged and storied that it just had to be mentioned here when talking G10.
There are many models in the Esee 5 line, but the stand out—visually and functionally—is the all-orange model complete with black-and-orange G10 grips. This knife has a highly functional grip texture, is visible in many different light conditions, and is remarkably easy to maintain.
The Esee 5 is a weatherproof machine and it is a popular choice for bush crafters, rescue crews, hunters, and many military personnel for its wide-ranging capabilities. The G10 grips on this knife are available in other colors as well, and due to its popularity, a wide range of other G10 options are available aftermarket through renowned retailer The Knife Connection. TKC makes a full range of G10 grips for most of the Esee line should you wish to change colors or make your trusted blade just a bit more yours.
