What Features Do You Require In A Pocket Knife

[The Night Rider]

What is your criteria for a POCKET knife? What things are deal breakers for you?


I don't know if I have any ONE thing that's the most important but if any of the following are absent I won't buy or carry the knife.


1. Has to be a lock blade and the lock has to engage automatically. If I have to do ANYTHING to lock the blade it's a NOGO. No Opinels


2. I have to be able to open and close it with one hand.


3. It has to be ambidextrous or left handed. A pocket clip isn't a requirement but if there is one it has to be ambidextrous or removable

4. I want something I can sharpen at home. No "super steels"

Everything else is negotiable.


I INSIST on back locks or Axis locks. I don't like liner/frame locks because they don't seem sturdy to me.


I prefer made in the USA.


I don't like assisted openers. It's not a deal breaker but I have to pick between 2 identical knives and one is assisted and the other is manual I'll pick the manual.

 

[DDDWho]

I don’t require much. A reasonably sharp blade and a secure lock back. I’ve been carrying this thing for many years, it has done everything I’ve ever asked of it. I can’t seem to wear it out, it’s always sharp,100 blades from Harbor Freight has lasted years. I keep buying knives, flippers, non flippers, cheap steel and expensive. Nothing works as well for me as this utility.

 

[JShirley]

A decent lock. Not a liner lock.

A pocket clip. Some kind of one-handed mechanism.

Not 420 or 440A steel.

I prefer not all aluminum or steel handles, because they get slippery. I bought a Spyderco a few years ago that looked like it had diamond plate all over the handle. When I got the knife, I found the pictures hadn't done it justice. it was actually beautiful. The problem was, it was way too slick. I rehomed it to a member here.

John

 

[Blkhrt13]

I carry a very broad range of knifes. Thumb lock is a plus. But I have piles of slip joints. I have lots of USA made stuff. But I also have some cheaper beaters that are Chinese. I have blades for tasks and enough to never have one far from hand.

 

[jmr40]

I have a place in my carry rotation for slip joint knives like my classic Case knives and I appreciate an Opinel. But for my usual everyday carry I like something with a blade pretty close to 3" but depending on the need will sometimes use something larger or smaller. It needs to be light and thin, I'm OK with plastic handles to keep costs and weight down.

I really like the hole in the blade that Spyderco uses for quick opening and the Benchmade style lock. There are examples made by both Spyderco and Benchmade that incorporate both features. But can live with a lock back. I don't like frame locks. I don't care for assisted opening, but I have come to appreciate a couple of automatics. I like a decent steel. The VG10, or similar, that Spyderco uses is about as low as I like to go with steel quality. While I've not tried everything S30V seems to be the best balance of qualities important to me.

As long as I can get the pocket clip to fit my right pocket with the tip up, I'm good. It doesn't have to be adjustable as long as I can get that configuration.

I don't like serrated edges, although I have some that were either given to me, or that was the only option at the time I bought it.

 

[The Night Rider]

I carry a very broad range of knifes. Thumb lock is a plus. But I have piles of slip joints. I have lots of USA made stuff. But I also have some cheaper beaters that are Chinese. I have blades for tasks and enough to never have one far from hand.

What do you mean by "Thumb Lock"?

 

[WestKentucky]

It has to be pretty. Life is too short to pack an ugly gun, or an ugly blade.

It has to feel good in hand. My hands are big and my fingers are chunky. My preference is for a knife where the body is about 1/3-1/2 inch thick and about an inch tall, 3 inches long or more with somewhat arched back.

My favorite knives are generally polished stainless zippos or similar. Mako is another decent fit for me on the opposite end of the spectrum. I greatly prefer a lock. Frame locks and liner locks are not optimal but I tend to carry them because they feel good in the hand quite often. I don’t care for springy folders, or poky little things like the horn on a Russlock.

my current carry is a buck nobleman. I miss the buck canoe I lost. I should buy another halfway decent canoe but everything I find seems to be chinesium.

 

[Mars5l]

I have to have a deep carry pocket clip and prefer unassisted thumb flipper, those are the main things. Also prefer 3.5" or under blade, oh and American made

 

[Blkhrt13]

What do you mean by "Thumb Lock"?

The old school spine style like a buck 110. The kind so stiff you have to push with the thumb.

 

[Blkhrt13]

I do have a cold steel Kudu that’s a ring lock. I’m actually going to order some thumb studs for opening to add to a few blades.

 

[edwardware]

A pocket clip, for tip-up carry, with a large/easily used opening feature, with a secure lock (liner locks need not apply), all of which can be run one-handed (opening and closing) with either hand.

Spyderco Endura is it for me.

 

[GatorHunter]

I used to have a ton of different knives trying to find the perfect knife to carry every day. I never found the perfect knife so I gave up and started carrying a razor knife everywhere. I have had one in my pocket every day for the last 10 years.

 

[sparkyv]

Locking folder, ~3" blade.
Ability to open and close with one hand.
A pocket clip, for tip-down carry.
Rugged scales that don't slip.
Good SS that takes a utility edge and with excellent wear resistance.
Anymore, I usually buy made in the USA.

 

[Blue Jays]

• reliable and sturdy pocket clip
• one-handed opening and closing
• comfortable with either tip-up or tip-down
• approximately 3" blade for day-to-day
• approximately 4" blade for hiking/woods
• quality steel that takes and holds an edge
• prefer knife to be American-made
• comfortable with axis locks, frame locks, and liner locks
• decent amount of "belly" to blade for utility ease
• if very little belly, a tanto shape is also fine
• good scales like canvas micarta, G10, or titanium

 

[Spats McGee]

In choosing an EDC knife, I have to bear in mind that I have an office job and that my knife will rarely used for anything more dangerous than opening letters, I have only a few requirements:

• It must be fairly unobtrusive.
• Blade < 3", maybe 3.25, tops
• No pocket clip. It's going to ride deep in my pocket, and the clip just adds bulk.
• Locking blade -- Preferably something that does not require me to put my fingers in the 'closing path' of the blade to close it. I'm partial to the Benchmade Axis lock, but there are others that will do.
• Something I can sharpen myself. That means a plain edge and avoiding supersteels.
• One-handed opening preferred.
• Finally, it cannot have a coated or painted blade. It's probably silly, but I always wonder if the manufacturer is trying to cover up some defect in the blade.

For office carry, that's been a Benchmade Sequel in 154CM steel for the past few years. On the weekends, it's been a Spyderco Native 5 in S30V. The Spyderco is a bit too large and tactical-looking for the office, but I like the way it handles. I also recently dug my Kershaw Volt out of my range bag. When I decided to start carrying a pocketknife again, I ordered it, thinking it would be an inexpensive, and discreet EDC knife. It turned out to be notably larger than I had imagined, but it's a decent knife, so I tossed it in the range bag.

 

[mcb]

Locking blade, I like liner locks, and one hand open and close. A pocket clip is nice and most of mine have that.

This is the one that is with my about 95% of the time.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

A decent lock. Not a liner lock.

A pocket clip. Some kind of one-handed mechanism.

Not 420 or 440A steel.

I prefer not all aluminum or steel handles, because they get slippery. I bought a Spyderco a few years ago that looked like it had diamond plate all over the handle. When I got the knife, I found the pictures hadn't done it justice. it was actually beautiful. The problem was, it was way too slick. I rehomed it to a member here.

John

This more or less sums it up for me.

Frame, push button, axis type lock, or backlock. Liner locks are not welcomed in my pocket, with the modified Spyderco compression lock being the one exception. But honestly I don't even care for that.

Decent pocket clip that allows relatively deep carry, and doesn’t create a bad hot spot.

One handed deployment.

And I prefer 154 CM or an equivalent as the bottom end steel. Though "bottom end" is a relative term that will vary from person to person.

It also needs to be narrow enough to ride in my pocket that I can slide my hand past it easily to get to the items below it. Fat knives that take up stupid amounts of room aren't welcome. That's why there's no cleaver type blades in my knife pile. Sheep's foot is about as wide as I'll go.

If properly milled or manufactured to provide decent grip then handle material isn't that important to me.


Those are requirements. Preferences are a different thing entirely.

 

[The Night Rider]

The old school spine style like a buck 110. The kind so stiff you have to push with the thumb.

That's a Back Lock

 

[The Night Rider]

I said no Liner Locks but a friend gave me this SAK Trekker a couple of weeks ago and I have to admit it's a well made knife.

It probably won't be a daily carrier but I will be carrying it when I'm in the Mountains.

 

[Speedo66]

I pocket carry, not clip carry, so I prefer a knife that's not heavy, 4oz. is my limit.

Also, slim so it doesn't print, a lock is a must, and self opening is a plus. Decent sized blade, and decent steel.

My Kershaw Leek is one of my favorites as it hits all the boxes.

 

[bannockburn]

Speedo66

My Kershaw Leek is one of my favorites as it hits all the boxes.

You and me both brother!

 

[Blue Jays]

Classic liner lock knives like the Benchmade AFCK and smaller Mini-AFCK are beautiful.
Use appropriate care when closing them and avoid "rushing" and you will be totally fine.

 

[JShirley]

This more or less sums it up for me.

Frame, push button, axis type lock, or backlock. Liner locks are not welcomed in my pocket, with the modified Spyderco compression lock being the one exception. But honestly I don't even care for that.

Decent pocket clip that allows relatively deep carry, and doesn’t create a bad hot spot.

One handed deployment.

And I prefer 154 CM or an equivalent as the bottom end steel. Though "bottom end" is a relative term that will vary from person to person.

It also needs to be narrow enough to ride in my pocket that I can slide my hand past it easily to get to the items below it. is about as wide as I'll go.

We seem to agree a lot. I have no problem with 440C steel, though (dunno how you feel about it). I have cut through the necks of 2 bottles accidentally with my 440C Ganzo.

I will use, but do not love, the compression lock.

John

 

[rust collector]

In an office setting, the small size Outdoor Edge Chasm meets my needs. 2.5" dark wash clip back lock with inset clip. I paid less than $12 on sale. For a bigger, sturdier knife the SOG Terminus XR that was going for $20 awhile back has D2 steel, axis type lock, and a flipper deployment. No tears if lost or given to someone in need.

 

[mcb]

As an engineer that has designed parts using steels from mild low carbon like 1018 and 12L14 to some pretty exotic "steels" like Kovar, Inconel, and Aermet you would think I would hold my knives to a high standard and yet most of them are some form of 420 or similar stainless. Takes and hold a decent edge, easy to sharpen quickly, nothing special.

The only knife blade material that has ever really interested me was a company I found that makes a Tungsten Carbide knife blades. Sandrin, they somehow got the hardness down to 71 HRC (typically Tungsten Carbide is in the mid 80's HRC). The blade was remarkably flexible given the material. But then I realize that very little of my sharpening equipment would be able to maintain the edge when it eventually needed work and I walk away.