Pocket knives can be found almost anywhere. They are an incredibly useful tool thanks to their versatility, ease of use, portability, and of course quite stunning designs.
They come in many sizes, styles, and qualities depending on who the manufacturer is. With every brand having its own specialties and unique qualities, choosing the best knife can be extremely difficult.
Some knife brands make knives better suited to cutting twine or cleaning fish, whilst others are better suited to whittling wood or simply carving a pumpkin.
If you’re looking for a high-quality, reliable pocket knife but aren’t sure which brand to go with, you’ve come to the right place.
To make life easier, we’ve compiled a list of the best pocket knife brands around. We will look at who they are, what they offer, and even take a look at one of their best pocket knives.
If this sounds like something that could help you make a decision, stay tuned!
The first pocket knife brand we want to discuss is Buck Knives. One of the most popular and biggest leading pocket knife brands, Buck Knives is famous for producing high-quality, versatile knives that suit a wide range of people.
Offering both affordable and more expensive options, this brand has seen its original knife design copied by many as a result of its quality and usability.
First made in 1902 by Hoyt Buck, Buck Knives found a brilliant, unique method that could be used to improve the knives' edge retention.
Along with this unique feature, the Buck Knife has a good reputation for its sharpness, impressive construction, and unbelievable blade strength.
Still based in Post Falls, Idaho, the company also offers a cool custom knife building feature on its website, which is the perfect gift for pocket knife lovers.
Arguably considered the best in the world, Buck Knives can be used for survival, fishing, recreational use, cutlery, or as hunting knives.
Top Product
Buck Knives 371 Stockman - Featuring a triple-blade design, this 3.1 oz blade is designed to be used in more detailed work. It comes equipped with a stainless steel clip and three sheepsfoot blades all measuring under 3 inches long.
Located in Oregon City, ORE, Benchmade is an all-American pocket knife brand that has a solid reputation for producing high-standard automatic, fixed, and manual knives.
While they are much-loved for the fact all of their knives are 100% produced in the U.S. and come with LifeSharp maintenance, it is actually their famous AXIS lock that consumers love most.
This axis lock is much safer than a liner lock, allows easier one-hand operation, and offers one of the strongest locking systems in the pocket knife industry.
Offering customers a huge range of wonderful options, Benchmade does a great job when it comes to producing both traditional and more modern knives.
All made from premium, durable materials and given their own unique design, each knife produced looks and feels fantastic.
If you truly want your own look and feel, Benchmade also gives customers the chance to customize their blades.
In terms of uses, Benchmade has knives for every eventuality whether it be a knife used in hunting or one you eat your dinner with.
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Benchmade Bugout 535 - Designed with the ultimate lightweight feel in mind, the Bugout 535 provides a comfortable, relaxed carry without sacrificing any strength and power. Also super sharp, this 3.24-inch stainless steel blade is great for everyday use, no matter what the task.
Columbia River Knife & Tool Company is easily one of the best pocket knife brands in America. When it comes to producing state-of-the-art, high-quality, reliable, and durable knives, this brand is very hard to beat.
They not only have an incredibly vast range of knives to choose from, but they also have some of the best technological innovations the industry has ever seen.
In fact, their free field strip technology that has been designed with help from Ken Onion is probably going to be one of, if not, the biggest evolutionary steps the world of pocket knives has ever seen.
In regards to what Columbia River Knife & Tool Company’s knives can be used for, the opportunities are endless.
The company manufactures knives that are ideal for hardcore outdoor activities like hunting and survival, and more everyday knives that can be used for most tasks, whether it be opening a package or whittling wood.
Firmly in their place amongst the elite, the Columbia River Knife & Tool Company is always well worth taking a look at if you want a quality pocket knife.
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CRKT M16-14SFG EDC Folding Pocket Knife - Those of you who love all things survival will love this versatile 3-inch blade with a serrated edge. A type of special forces blade, this stylish, adjustable pocket knife provides great performance over a variety of different tasks. The knife's original M16 design is something to admire so why not check the blade out.
The next brand on our list is actually based in Germany, Europe. They make our list because they are arguably the best when it comes to producing a wonderfully large variety of classic pocket knives at very affordable prices.
The brand's most popular models tend to be their mushroom and tactical knives.
Commonly referred to as the Tree Brand, thanks to the tree logo etched into every blade, Boker Manufactory might actually be the oldest pocket knife brand in the world.
They have a rich history in Europe that goes all the way back to the 17th century. Interestingly, today, they not only produce classic pocket knives, but also swords, axes, and razors.
Despite often being considered an old-fashioned brand, Boker Manufactory actually makes pretty innovative products. They were actually the first knifemakers to make a pocket knife with a ceramic blade.
By not at least taking a look at the products Boker Manufactory makes, you could end up missing out on some fantastic deals that offer amazing performance.
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Boker Plus Urban Trapper Pocket Knife - The Boker Urban Trapper knife has a beautiful, eye-catching design and offers excellent performance. Just 8 mm thick, this knife has a solid titanium frame, a G-10 composite handle, and weighs just 1.7 ounces.
Founded in 1994, Microtech had just one thing in mind. That is to produce the best pocket knives the world has ever seen.
While they might not be the very best, they certainly sit toward the upper end of the market with the other elite pocket knife brands we have already discussed.
On offer from Microtech are an array of automatic, out-the-front, fixed, and manual blades. Every knife has been specially designed and engineered to provide unparalleled performance, comfort, and incredibly tight tolerance.
It is all of these factors along with the brand's strong reputation that makes them such a good choice for many people looking for a knife.
Despite having such a solid design and impressive stainless steel blades, it is actually the overall appearance of Microtech pocket knives we like best. Every knife looks absolutely stunning, fashionable, and sleek.
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Ultratech - The Ultratech knife is Microtech’s standard OTF knife that all other knives are measured against. The blade fires out automatically thanks to a sliding firing button found on the right-hand side of the knife.
If you want something a bit different, Spyderco could be the brand for you to take a look at. Spyderco is known for its groundbreaking designs and intriguing uses of different materials to produce reliable blades that have a variety of practical uses.
A more expensive brand of knife, Spyderco was founded in 1976 by Gail and Sal Glesser.
Still based in Colorado today, this brand actually started its journey as knife sharpeners before branching out and producing its first knife in 1981. That knife was the Co1 Worker.
This knife became extremely popular and set the standard for one-handed blades.
With most of the brand's knives featuring awesome pocket clip designs and fast-cutting blades with a serrated edge, it is no surprise that Spyderco has won numerous awards and expanded its services worldwide.
The company now has facilities in Italy, Taiwan, Japan, and China.
In addition to tactical, fixed, and survival knives, Spyderco also makes marine, culinary, and gentleman’s pocket knives so why not take a look.
Top Product
Spyderco Manix 2 Knife - This beautifully designed knife has a leaf-shaped blade and a slender body. This is a common theme among the brand's other knives. The knife also features a ball-bearing locking mechanism and a reinforced co-polymer ambidextrous handle.
Picking The Best Pocket Knife Brand
When it comes to deciding which brand to choose and ultimately, which pocket knife to buy, things can be quite tricky. There are a lot of things you have to take into account in order to make the best decision.
To make things easier for you, we’ve detailed some things you might want to consider when choosing the best brand below.
Style Of Pocket Knife
One of the most important things you’ll want to consider is the type of pocket knives the brand makes. Some brands like to make more classic, traditional pocket knives, whilst others like to experiment and produce more modern, innovative knives.
With this in mind, you need to think about the type of knife you want.
Cost
Brands sell their knives at massively varied prices, so you have to take into consideration how much money you want to spend. Some pocket knife brands might only sell their knives for $30, while other brands might sell theirs for $100.
If you don’t have enough money to spend $100 on a pocket knife, then clearly you need to start looking at a brand that sells them for less. This will definitely impact the brand that is best for you.
Brand Policies
While the most important thing for any pocket knife brand is how good their knives are, sometimes the things that set them above others are their policies that make the service we receive a lot better.
For example, if two brands both made two types of pocket knives that are exactly the same in style, price, and quality, but one brand also includes LifeSharp maintenance, you’re most likely to go with that brand.
By taking these factors into consideration when looking at brand policies, you might find that one brand is better for you than another.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pocket Knife Brand Is The Best?
In all truth, the best pocket knife brand ultimately comes down to personal preference. In our list, we have looked at the brands generally considered to be the best when it comes to producing high-quality pocket knives.
However, when it comes down to deciding the best, the type of knife, the cost, and the style of the blade are what will decide which brand is the best for each individual.
While we may think Buck Knives are the best because of their overall quality, you might prefer the more traditional blades Boker Manufacturer produces.
How Expensive Are Pocket Knives?
Pocket knives vary a lot when it comes to price. Some are available for a very affordable price, whilst others can be very expensive. You could find a knife for $30 and another for $77.
The reason for this large price range is based on what the brand offers, what the knife is made out of, and any additional features the knife comes with. Sometimes even the brand name can increase the pricing.
Who Makes The Sharpest Pocket Knife?
When it comes down to who makes the sharpest knife, there are generally two brands considered to be the best.
These brands are Columbia River Knife & Tool Company and Benchmade. If you’re looking for the sharpest knives, these are the brands you should look at first.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, that concludes our article looking at the best brands of pocket knives. As you can see from our list, there is a huge range of impressive pocket knife brands to choose from.
While most brands differ in terms of unique features, the style of knife they produce, the materials they use, or the service they offer, every brand on this list has a world-famous reputation for producing reliable, durable, stylish, and most importantly effective pocket knives.
Owning a pocket knife is very beneficial because they have so many uses that can help us in an array of different situations.
Now you have our list of the best brands, it's time for you to do some research of your own. Take your time to explore what each brand offers and which knives suit your needs and requirements most.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you might be able to purchase a new pocket knife. Good luck!
Hi, my name is Tom Bower and I have had a passion for knives since I was in my early 20s. I moved out on my own and started collecting my own furniture, utensils, and hobbies. Not only do I have a passion for cooking, but I also love being outdoors in adventure mode.
I have dedicated part of my life to finding my favorite knives for different occasions. Have you ever tried to cut through a steak with a blunt knife? Or a rope with a low-quality pocket knife? Once you get a taste of quality, you’ll never go back to what you knew before.
