10 Best Pocket Knives (Review) In 2021

From Columbia River Knife and Tool our next pocket knife is another small, compact and totally portable one which makes a great piece of every day carry. CRKT Squid Folding Pocket Knife is strong, steady and stable and offers excellent geometry and handling. The tip is well balanced, and the knife itself handles well and is lightweight yet incredibly durable. The blade tip is wider than usual which adds to its strength and resistance.

It utilizes a Bladelock handle that features 2Cr13 steel while the blade itself is made of 5Cr13MoV steel which is what gives it that great strength and balance. It’s a folding knife design and comes with a deep pocket clip as well as a pre-prepared lanyard hole so that you can easily and conveniently carry the knife around your neck if you prefer. There are also friction grooves for more secure and better grip and handling. The blade is slightly smaller than the others we’ve reviewed so far at just 2.25,” and the entire knife when fully open is only 3.5” so it’s small in size but undoubtedly big in character.

If you already own a knife or have ever done any research, then you will be more than familiar with the Benchmade brand, and this 15085-2 Mini Crooked River Knife is a small and compact yet perfectly formed offering from their extensive collection. It features a reversible pocket clip so that it provides the user with the ultimate accessibility. Constructed out of CPM-S30V high-quality stainless steel, the blade is well balanced to hold and provides a sharp and precise edge with superior rust proof resistance. The beautiful stabilized wood handle is also resistant to a lot of the wear and tear and usual hardship that wood might go through in its life.

Principally the Benchmade Mini Crooked was designed for hunting and fishing activities and has a precise clip-point style which makes it easy to control and versatile to operate. One of the reasons for that is that it can be used single-handedly as well as ambidextrously. As with all quality Benchmade products, you also get a sensational lifetime warranty. They promise to service your knife, ensuring it stays sharp throughout your ownership. Overall it’s a traditionally shaped knife that has been combined with modern technology and features an axis mechanism and manual opening action. The blade length is 3.4,” and the total open knife length is 7.89”.

Second to be reviewed in our Best Pocket Knife guide is another offering from the Benchmade stable, this time part of their popular Griptilian range. Again, as you would very much expect, it’s a seriously high-quality knife and has been crafted from 154CM stainless steel to be tough and rust resistant and to create a sharp and precise edge. The handle is lightweight, glass-filled nylon which makes it tough yet comfortable to carry for everyday jobs. Again, it’s an ambidextrous design so doesn’t matter whether you choose to operate left or right handed and there’s a reversible pocket clip for discreet storage yet easy access.

This is what’s known in the knife world as a Tanto design and what we can tell you is that the 553 Tanto Knife has a superior strength tip that makes it a fantastic knife for all kinds of tactical situations yet versatile and comfortable enough for every day carry. Again, it’s backed by that lifetime repair and sharpen warranty. It can be purchased in different colored handle finishes and also with either a plain or a serrated edge and a coated or a satin finish. There’s a lanyard hole so that you can carry it around your neck if you don’t want to use that pocket clip and the blade measures 3.45” while the full open length of the Griptilian 553 is 8.07”.

We’re switching manufacturers for our next review and headed to see what Buck Knives have to offer. This Prince Folding knife from their range is undoubtedly a very handsome and attractive looking knife with its beautiful rosewood handle, and nickel silver bolsters. It’s so good looking in fact that we question whether you would actually want to use it or prefer to keep it in pristine condition in a display cabinet instead? That said, it is meant to be used and as such is razor sharp and versatile. It’s constructed from 420 C stainless steel which delivers exceptional strength, great edge retention and rust, and corrosion resistance.

The knife is easy to open and operate and comes with a lockback mechanism to secure the open blade in place so that you are safe while working. It’s a slim and attractive design which is easy to handle and operate and will perfectly slip into your pocket for everyday use. Buck has been manufacturing and offering their “forever” warranty since 1902 so you know you are buying a quality USA product that has been built and engineered to last. That blade length is 3.38”.

We’re halfway through our Best Pocket Knife, and we’re headed back to Buck to see what else they have to offer in the category. 710 RDS Volt looks nothing like the 503 which as you’ll had that regal rosewood handle. Instead, this is altogether a different beast and lot more contemporary and dare we say it, dangerous looking. By that, we mean that the bold, bright red handle and it’s specific design with the upswept skinning blade do really make this look pretty impressive. It’s corrosion resistant and has been coated with Black Oxide. Combined with that high quality forged 420 HC steel the overall effect is a sturdy knife that delivers excellent edge retention.

That red handle we already mentioned is made of anodized aluminum with a grip textured handle so that it can be easily used in any weather conditions, even if your hands are wet. It comes with a black oxide coated clip so that it can be conveniently, safely and securely carried for those camping and outdoor adventures. Again, that Forever warranty is in place from the manufacturer, so you have nothing to lose. Unless you put your knife down somewhere and forget where you left it of course!

There are a couple of quality knife and tool manufacturers that you can consistently rely on to come up with the goods and Columbia River have done it again with folding pocket knife from their extensive every day carry collection. CRKT M16-10KZ Tanto comes with either a Spear or a Tanto blade and in either Nylon or Stainless finishes. This folding style knife has been designed by Kit Carson and features triple point serrations on the blade as well as a reinforced glass nylon handle. That provides the knife with a firm and rigid operation which is what a lot of knife users prefer.

The blade is of high-carbon stainless steel construction so it’s tough yet razor sharp and with those serrated edges it can cut through all kinds of materials from cord to webbing, nets and vegetation. This makes it an excellent quality everyday knife for all sorts of situations and scenarios. The key feature though according to the manufacturer is that it has been engineered to include their AutoLAKS knife safety feature. What that does is automatically actuate when the blades are open to fix them firmly and safely in place. Alongside those great features, there’s also a removable clothing grip that can be used to secure your knife during transportation and that CRKY generous limited lifetime warranty.

Tenacious by name and certainly tenacious by nature. This is a firm, trustworthy and dependable folding knife from Syperco that certainly won’t let you down. With its robust and reliable 3.38” blade made from the finest quality steel, with this by your side (or in your pocket) you can cut through anything. It features a black G-10 laminate handle that look good but which has also been engineered to be comfortably held in the hand even if you have a prolonged cutting task to take care of.

It’s a rigid knife with a leaf-shaped blade with a flat cutting edge for superior performance. The Sypderco also comes with a 4-way pocket clip so you can choose your own carrier and draw preferences. Store it tip up or tip down and use it ambidextrously. No frills, no fuss, just a good all-round folding pocket knife.

We’re looking next at a great knife from the reputable brand, Ganzo in a pocket folding style. Ganzo G7393 Folding Pocket Knife features a dark blade which makes it more tactical as it won’t blink or cast reflections off the sun – great if you are on a hunting trip and trying to make an inconspicuous approach! It’s stylish and practical and because it’s made from high quality hard 440C steel, it won’t let you know and will remain sharp for a long time to come. It’s a no fuss, low maintenance option that can be just wiped clean and dry to prevent any unwanted corrosion.

The handle is covered with G-10 fiber-glass fabric and comes in a couple of different color options too so you can go for black, orange or what they call a swampy green! Channeling your inner commando no doubt. There’s also a belt clip as well as lanyard hole so you can conveniently carry however suits you best.

We’re back at the home of Columbia River for our ninth entry into the Best Pocket Knife review, and this is an excellent tough and durable every day carry that’s constructed from gray Titanium Nitride. CRKT Drifter Folding Pocket Knife features a strong G10 handle which comes in either black or smooth stainless steel as well as the option to take with a serrated edge. It’s a no frills, totally functional everyday folding knife with a sharp blade that will make short work of a multitude of tasks. There’s an ambidextrous thumb stud so you can use either with a left or right-handed operation. It comes with that usual Columbia warranty so as long as you look after your knife, they will also look after you!

Finishing up our review today we have something that is an entirely different direction style-wise and is a reimagining, in a good way we might hasten to add, of the classic pocket knife. In Ebony and Black or a truly exceptional looking Walnut and Stainless Steel finish, it’s a superb knife with a 2.5” blade. County Ebony Pocket Knife comes from James Brand out of Portland Oregon and has been designed for those of you with a true adventurers spirit. It’s a modern, minimalist and made from the finest quality premium grade materials. The brief when designing this knife was to take your Grandfathers traditional looking pocket knife but to bring it bang up to date, creating a clean and straightforward but still highly functional folding pocket knife. The result, we’re sure you will agree, is a hip yet classic, single straight blade that delivers a seriously impressive cutting edge.