15 Best Folding Knives Reviews-Buyer Guide (Updated 2022)
Folding knives vary in terms of design and usage, and you should buy one that is well constructed and strong.
A good folding knife has its advantages over the bigger fixed blade knives.
If you are looking for a solid everyday knife that you can easily carry around that can easily fit in your pocket or purse; then a good folding knife will be of great importance.
Fixed blade knives are cool, however folding knives are great for many reasons, such as…
- Compact; can store them or carry them without them taking up to much room
- Don’t have to worry about poking yourself on accident
- Can flip the knife out in front of your friends, thus feeling pretty cool
With these in mind, I have comprised a list of some of the best folding knives that the market has to offer. These are the bestsellers on Amazon and have proved to be sharp and long term knives.
However, I wanted to share a few tips on picking the right folding knife for you!
3 Tips for Picking the Right Flipping Knife
1. PLAIN OR SERRATED EDGE?
Depending on what you plan to do with the knife you would either want…
- Plain edge: great for push cuts or slicing and is easier to sharpen, but you sacrifice not being able to cut through rope, wires easily or anything that requires you to saw through something
- Serrated edge: great for saw cuts or pull cuts, but it is harder to sharpen serrated blades and isn’t good if you need clean/smooth cuts.
We suggest that you use a plain edge if you do more jobs that require clean, push cuts. While on the other hand you should use a serrated edge if you are needing to saw through material such as rope, wire or to cut your bread.
2. HOW BIG OF SHOULD THE KNIFE BE?
Smaller knives…
- Pros: Compliant with knife laws and easier to carry around
- Cons: Not as versatile as larger knives
Larger knives…
- Pros: Longer range of motion for cutting, great for self-defense, and can cut through more material than smaller knives
- Cons: Heavier/bulkier, could be illegal depending on local laws, could be scary to other folks
It’s all up to you and what you would need; I personally use a 3″ tanto pocket knife. Gets the job done and doesn’t get in the way.
3. PICK A GOOD BRAND
I always stick to the best names of the knife game; Buck, Kershaw, Cold Steel, SOG, Spyderco are all very good knife companies.
However, I do list other knives in this post that are by other companies, but I only choose good folding knives.
So don’t worry about buying a poor quality knife.
They are exceptional tools that combine the many uses of a knife with a very low weight and compact size. Having a good folding knife while out camping or as an everyday backup knife can be a great addition to your knife kit.
Check out our top 10 best folding knife reviews so that you have an idea on what folding knife to buy if you are looking for one.
The Best Tactical Folding Knives of 2020
SOG Fielder Knife with Straight Edge Folding
“IF you are looking for a REALLY NICE pocket knife for general everyday use at a good price that is backed by a solid name you CAN’T go wrong with this blade” – Reviewer
The SOG knife is an excellent folding knife that is crafted from 7CR17 steel; it is a high quality metal that is known for edge retention and durability.
With this knife you won’t have to worry to much about sharpening your knife.
Very sharp with a 3.3″ knife, making it short but also very effective.
On top of this, it is has an ergonomic G-10 handle that is lightweight yet textured to give you traction with the grip.
Don’t worry about this knife slipping out of your hand while using it.
The only thing this knife lacks is assisted opening, which means you need to be careful when you flip this knife open.
Columbia River M16-10KZ Black Folding Knife
“Great little knife, sharp and does not take up too much space in my pocket.” – Reviewer
The Columbia River Knife; a surprisingly sharp knife out of the box that packs a real punch.
You won’t have to worry about sharpening this knife when it comes out of the box because Columbia River prides in taking care of their customers and delivering awesome knives.
This knife comes with an AutoLAWK patented automatic flipping mechanism which allow for quick and seamless flipping without having to sacrifice safety.
To sum up, it is a smaller folding knife, yet is very effective and capable of cutting through just about anything. Giving the CRK the most bang for your buck.
Kershaw Leek by Ken Onion
Ken onion is a highly regarded knife manufacturer, and this is one of his beautiful and functional folding knives.
It uses the patent speed safe opening system which makes sure there is the deployment of a smooth blade with just one hand.
The Sandvik14C28N stainless blade is very sharp and stays sharp for quite long. However, the blade tip is delicate, and it’s not advisable to use it for heavy-duty tasks.
It’s light in weight, compact and comes in different colors both in smooth and serrated blade types. This is just a bargain for a high-quality folding knife.
The Sandvik14C28N stainless blade is very sharp and stays sharp for quite long. However, the blade tip is delicate, and it’s not advisable to use it for heavy-duty tasks. It’s light in weight, compact and comes in different colors both in smooth and serrated blade types. This is just a bargain for a high-quality folding knife.
Smith & Wesson SWFR First Response Knife
The S&W first response knife makes for a really good knife that is easy on your wallet. It is a simply designed knife crafted from stainless steel.
It also comes with a seat belt cutter and window punch, making it a great knife to keep in your car or on any camping trip.
It comes with a pocket clip attached to it which means that it will stick in your pocket without it slipping out. The only downfall of the knife is that it is stainless steel knife which means that it can rust or corrode easily.
So if you do get this knife then you need to keep it from accumulating moisture on it.
Gerber Bear Grylls Folding Sheath Knife
This folding knife from Gerber is an exceptional part of the brands very popular survival series.
For over 70 years, the company has manufactured some of the most trustworthy and functional survival gear that you cannot find anywhere else.
Every tool they manufacture is meant to serve a specific purpose or several purposes in the outdoor world, making one well equipped and confident to venture out in the fields.
The blade is partially serrated, and it’s produced from the highest quality of carbon stainless steel. The handle is ergonomically designed with high-quality rubber. Since it is very easy to firmly grip the handle, you have full control of being able to cut easily into anything you need to.
The thumb stud that is dual sided enables you to release the blade easily and then put it back in the sheath with just a simple click of the button. This is a highly dependable folding knife that will make you believe in the power of Gerber knives. You will never want to venture out into the woods without this knife ever again.
Buck 110 Folding Hunter
Manufactured by Buck knives, this is one of the most iconic and popular folding knives with a history that dates back to the 1960s. It is a great knife for people who want to buy their first ever folding knife as well as for veterans who keep on collecting knives.
Why? Its 420HC stainless steel which is rust resistant is one of the best and can take an edge with ease. The blade is carefully constructed with a top class blade which does not play in any directions.
It’s a very heavy knife that can withstand heavy duties without a lot of wear and tear. At first glance, it is large- about 5 inches when closed and the blade 3.45 inches long, but this is what makes this knife. It’s also a very affordable knife that will not disappoint you when outdoors.
Spyderco Tenacious G-10 Handle Folding Plain Edge Knife
“Razor sharp out of the box and holds an edge well” – Reviewer
Spyderco is one of my other favorite knife brands; this knife is very sharp, durable, simple and efficient at slicing through just about anything.
You really can’t go wrong with this knife because of how well made it is. It’s crafted from 8CR13MOV steel which makes it very durable and holds it’s edge very nicely.
I always hated having a knife that I had to sharpen a lot because it was a pain to sharpen my knives.With this knife you won’t have to worry about sharpening it all of the time. A clean knife that is great for everyday usage thus giving you the a ton of bang for your buck.
Gerber 06 FAST Tanto Combo
This is not a fully automatic version of a folding knife. Its blade is great for thrusting, but without the Tanto edge, you can easily break the point off especially if you stab a really hard thing. This knife can be used for cleaning fish and skinning small animals while camping. Its serrated edges are really useful, especially when scaling fish. One can easily tilt the blade up and use the Tanto edge without going deeply in the body cavity of small animals. The blade should always be sharp so that you can do precision skinning on small game.
We like this folding knife because it has thumb studs on either of the sides so you can use one hand, either your left or right hand. Closing the knife is even much easier because you simply slide the button out of the piston, lock and fold the blade and this can all be done with just one hand. It’s a good survival knife because when one hand is engaged the other hand can manipulate a knife.This knife has a solid lock, and one should be careful to prevent the lock from closing upon their fingers.
Benchmade 940 Osborne
If you have some extra cash to spare, then this is the folding knife you should get. The Benchmade 940 Osborne is a fine mid-sized EDC knife with a 3.4-inch blade made from high-quality S30V stainless steel and weights 2.9 ounces.
It has a measurement of fewer than 4.5 inches when folded so we cannot consider it as a large knife. It’s a perfect knife for me regarding size.
It uses that solid AXIS lock mechanism which is the best in this line of business. The handle is made of anodized 6061-T6 aluminum which has excellent performance and can withstand many outdoor harsh conditions without the slightest sign of wear, and tear.
Its ergonomics and design are exceptional and it feels like the extension of your hand when you get used to it. The downside of this knife is the price, but if you can afford it and you are seriously into knives, it’s worth the amount and much more.
SOG Flash II
SOG is a leader in the knife manufacturing industry, and their folding knives have won the hearts of many knife enthusiast.
If you are looking for an excellent and affordable knife, then look no further. The SOG Flash II is that and much more. It is similar in appearance to Benchmade Griptilian and a good every day carry knife.
Its AUS-8 stainless blade is razor sharp and partially serrated and durable. It uses a spring assisted opening technology which ensures a smooth and fast opening. The handle is a glass reinforced nylon which creates a lightweight knife but a study design. For extra safety, the knife has a locking switch which ensures the blade does not open by accident.
It’s a solid multi-purpose knife which is built with top-notch technology and extremely sharp. For less than $50, you can get this knife. Certainly worth buying!
Chris Reeve Sebenza
Reeve is known for quality and innovation in the knife industry. The Chris Reeve Sebenza knife is one of the best folding knives that money can buy, and this list could not be complete without mentioning it. It’s built with a titanium frame lock design that is a combination of durability and simplicity.
It’s made from S35VN stainless steel that always retains its edge. The blade feels just like a fixed blade knife once it’s been opened and locked and it comfortably fits in hand. Its quality has no comparison, and it can even shave those thin hairs on your chin immediately it’s out of the box.
Spyderco Salt I
This is one miracle knife! It will easily cut shrimp from surf fishing, and it never rusts no matter how long it’s forgotten in your knife kit. It is made using H-1 steel, and its semi-blunt tip prevents waders from gashes. It also has an oversized thumb hole that lets you open the knife with gloves, and the metal fittings are treated to prevent rust. Its trim folding design enables it to fit in any pocket size.
Cold Steel Recon 1
This is a tactically designed knife that has AUS-8A Teflon coated blade to reduce friction, prevent glare and appear strong. It has a clip point making it a good knife for stabbing. The AUS-8A is Japanese steel that is high quality and more priced compared to other steels available in the market.
Its 4-inch blade offers you enough room for dicing, slicing an all other knife functions. It has an adjustable thumb stud that easily opens the knife, a sturdy and tough locking lever that makes the knife feel secure. The downside about this knife is that it sticks to the pocket because the handle is rough.
Benchmade 275BKSN
This is a high-end market knife manufactured in Oregon. The first thing you will notice immediately you hold this knife is that it is heavy. It weighs 12 ounces with a military design. It’s best suited for heavy duty uses and people in the military.
Its razor-sharp blade is made of D2 steel which is high quality and tough. The blade has a small blood groove and a properly positioned thumb stud.
The handle comprises of three holes that give the knife a good grip. The handle is made with G-10, a sturdy and light weight material. One can open the knife with just a single hand because the blade flips open very easily.
Aegis by SOG
This knife features a digital camo printed Zytel handle that looks like the army multi-cam uniform and its ACU uniform. The handle has a low riding clip that lets the knife to get low in your pockets. This is great especially when out in the outdoor where there are chances of losing a knife. The clip can be reversed for left-handed people. It is manufactured with AUS-8 steel that gives it an extra hardness and high resistance to rust. The blade is razor sharp and partially serrated at the edges which are great for cutting ropes and any other materials.
The knife uses assisted technology to enable the users to open it with ease, opening it with just one hand. This is a knife that can be used in self-defense situations when necessary. Its spring assisted features to help in preventing the knife from opening by accident.
The above knives will serve their intended purposes efficiently in any situation you are in. It’s important to bear in mind that the most valuable knife is the one that you are carrying when a need arises.
What is the best pocket knife in the world?
After our research we found Gerber Bear Grylls Folding Sheath and Buck 110 Folding Hunter best knives.
