It鈥檚 the season we celebrate dads and grads鈥攖wo groups who have plenty of fans. Two groups who can benefit from a gift that allows them to be self-sufficient, able to solve problems, and ready for adventures of all sorts. A high-quality, durable multi-tool will do that for years to come.

Tim Leatherman had the idea for the first-ever multi-tool鈥攅quipped with needle-nose pliers鈥攚hen he and his wife were traveling around Europe as young twentysomethings on a budget. They often found themselves needing to fix leaky plumbing and the fussy Fiat 600 they bought in the Netherlands.

For the past four decades, Leatherman has pioneered the design of ever better and more capable tools, enabling people to tackle everything from minor repairs to saving their own lives (). The storied brand continues to design and manufacture knives and multi-tools in Portland, Oregon, and every Leatherman comes with a 25-year limited warranty. What better gift to give the dads in your life and the grads heading off on their next adventures, whatever they may be?

For Father鈥檚 Day

Enable Dad to tackle DIY jobs and outdoor adventures by putting fix-it options in the palm of his hand

($250): The most premium tool on the market, the ARC puts 20 tools at your fingertips and is one-hand operable. From a knife blade made of MagnaCut steel, which maintains its sharp edge and resists corrosion, to a suite of features including a bit driver, awl, wire cutter, and needle-nose pliers, the ARC sets the standard as the top-of-the-line tool.

($120): The bestselling multi-tool of all time features 18 tools, many of which鈥攊ncluding scissors, screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and a wire stripper鈥攃an be accessed with the tool in its folded and closed position. Open it up, and the Wave+ equips Dad with tools like a saw, knife, and diamond-coated wood/metal file.

($90): Perfect for the DIY dad who wants a tool that鈥檚 full-featured but a little more compact, the Rebar packs 17 tools鈥攊ncluding two kinds of pliers, an electrical crimper, and wire stripper鈥攊nto a four-inch frame. All 17 tools lock into position and won鈥檛 fold under pressure. A range of color options allows for personalization.

($140): The Signal is ideal for dads who camp, fish, and backpack. Measuring 4.5 inches, this multi-tool features 19 tools, including a fire-starting ferro rod, safety whistle, and built-in hammer that comes in handy for anchoring tent stakes. Bonus: Find just the right look for every dad with a new-for-summer range of color options.

For Graduation

Nothing says 鈥渞eady for the next adventure鈥� like graduation鈥攅quip new grads for the journey with a high-performance multi-tool

($50): Since when did 50 bucks put so many functional items in the palm of your hand? The ten-tool Leatherman packs down to a mere 2.5 inches and can clip to a keychain. Tools like tweezers, a nail file, and spring-action scissors make this a no-brainer gift for any grad.

($70): At just 5.8 ounces and with a contoured, ergonomic design for comfort, the Bond is a great choice for grads who appreciate sleek style and easy carrying. But there鈥檚 no compromise on function: The Bond is packed with 14 tools and comes with a matching carrying sheath.

($90): This tool somehow manages to be both minimalist and totally capable, with a 2.6-inch knife blade, a large bit driver, and five other tools. A nice touch most grads (and probably dads) will appreciate: The carabiner loop doubles as a bottle opener. The Skeletool CX is available in an array of colors.

($70): The Wingman packs 14 tools into a 3.8-inch package and includes a combo straight-edge and serrated knife that enhances versatility. Designed with everything a grad may need for jobs around the house, apartment, condo, or campsite, it鈥檚 the perfect wingman.

Founded in 1983 by Tim Leatherman, Oregon-based Leatherman Tool Group is the world鈥檚 largest manufacturer of high-quality multipurpose products. Built upon three principles鈥攗nwavering perseverance, ingenious design, and the ability to save the day鈥擫eatherman has empowered people around the world to solve problems big and small. Leatherman is proudly based and manufactured in Portland, Oregon, where the brand鈥檚 factory is located in the same building as the company headquarters. Learn more at .

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A sharp knife is a safe knife. But knives also dull incrementally every time you use them. So, if you want to use a knife safely, you need know how to sharpen it. Here鈥檚 a look at all the major tools and techniques available to sharpen knives, so you can pick the one that will work best for you.

Before we dive in, let me give you the single most effective piece of knife sharpening advice out there: It is much easier to keep a knife sharp than it is to make it sharp. Maintaining a knife鈥檚 edge with frequent honing involves much less work than starting over from a dull edge. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important to find a sharpening tool听you like鈥攗sing it every time, or every few times a knife gets used is the best way to take care of that knife.

To begin, you’ll need to learn one key piece of information about your knife: the angle of its edge. Many outdoor blades use 20 degree edges; many kitchen knives are 15 degrees. But there is no hard and fast rule here. Also of note: attempting to sharpen a knife using the wrong angle between it and an abrasive medium will dull its blade听and may result in permanent damage.听 Look up any knife鈥檚 edge angle before attempting to sharpen it.

There are many devices and techniques out there to sharpen a knife, and each one has its pros and cons. We dove into each method to help you find the best one to suit your needs.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.听Learn more.

Whetstones

Affordable but They Have a Steep Learning Curve

A whetstone is just a flat, abrasive rock or synthetic stone. It’s as basic as a sharpener gets.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Cheap
鈯� Will last through generations of use
鈯� Small, robust, and easy to transport
鈯� No angle guide
鈯� Risk of cutting yourself
鈯� Not effective enough to work on very durable steel

You鈥檒l find sharpening stones made from actual stone, ceramic, or synthetic materials. Ones that feel porous require water or oil to carry away material left behind by the听action. With proper technique, a sharpening stone can be extraordinarily effective, but used incorrectly, one can also exacerbate blade wear, and alter the angle of the edge grind.

To use one, you simply push the knife along the stone, towards the edge, as if you鈥檙e trying to carve into the stone. Care must be taken to maintain a precise angle as you push the knife along the stone. And just to make things harder, most sharpening stones won鈥檛 be broad enough to span a blade鈥檚 entire length, so you must also push or pull a knife sideways as you move it forwards, again while using your hands to try and maintain that angle.

Sandpaper

Cheap but Requires Fine Motor Skills

A good substitute听if you don鈥檛 have a dedicated sharpener on hand, sandpaper also allows you to choose and change the level of abrasion.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Cheap
鈯� Using different grits will deliver custom results
鈯� No angle guide
鈯� Wears out quickly
鈯� Requires precise technique

Wrap a block of some kind with sandpaper, then use it identically to that whetstone. Changing from a coarse to a fine grit as you go can help you achieve razor-like sharpness, even on very hard steels.

Honing Rods

Good for Everyday Touchups but Can’t Sharpen a Dull Blade

When you use or sharpen a knife, you actually roll the very thin edge to one side slightly. This is called a micro-burr, and a honing rod can get rid of the burr without removing more material.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Helps edges and blades last longer
鈯� Quick and easy to use
鈯� Little potential for error
鈯� Can鈥檛 actually remove material from edge

Softer steels sharpened at a fine angle (think: cheap kitchen knives) have a tendency to roll their edges to one side. A few swipes on a each side along a honing rod can correct this. The same thing happens to all knives when you sharpen them. This is why you try and do an equal amount of strokes along each side of the blade, but variables like pressure and duration are difficult to account for when sharpening by hand, so employing a rod at the end of any sharpening session can help ensure the edge is aligned.

Strops

They Deliver an Ultrafine Edge鈥攂ut Only After Prior Sharpening

Look at the edge of a knife under a microscope and it will appear jagged, or even serrated. Polishing that edge after sharpening can remove some of those imperfections.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Makes sharp knives sharper
鈯� Feels really satisfying
鈯� Returns diminish quickly. A quality sharpener used correctly should produce similar results.

Apply a polishing compound to a piece of leather, and run the knife along it like it鈥檚 a stone. This polishes out microscopic imperfections to create truly razor sharp edges capable of cleanly slicing without tearing.

Pull-Through Sharpeners

Dead Simple but They Can Damage Your Knives

A style of sharpener commonly found in kitchens, these employ two abrasive rods set at a fixed angle inside a guide.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Cheap
鈯� Easy to use
鈯� Versions without hand guards can prove dangerous
鈯� Fixed angle isn鈥檛 compatible with many knives
鈯� Can pinch, roll, and otherwise damage edges

This is probably the kind of sharpener your grandparents kept in their kitchen. A housing holds two abrasive rods in a V shape, and can be rested on or mounted to a counter or other work surface. To use one, you just pull a knife through the V, repeating until you achieve your desired results. These things are cheap for a reason鈥攖hey won’t get your knives razor sharp and could damage the blade in the process.

Electric Belt Sanders

They Work Quickly. Use with Great Care.

Basically just a power sander. You can actually use one of those, but dedicated sharpeners will have angle guides and other safety features.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Extremely effective
鈯� Big results in little time
鈯� Can easily damage or destroy knives if used incorrectly
鈯� Requires a power source

This is how knives are sharpened at the factory鈥攂elt sanders are the tools professional knife sharpeners employ. Some models are simple, and use belts of a single grit. Others may be more elaborate, featuring precise, alterable angle guides, hand guards, interchangeable belts, and other features.

Just be careful to read any relevant instructions, watch some video tutorials, and practice first on a knife you don鈥檛 care about. These things work well enough that you can quickly round a blade鈥檚 tip, destroy a steel鈥檚 heat treatment, or cause undue wear鈥攅ven in just a few seconds of carelessness.

Ceramic Rods

Safe and Easy to Use but They Require Patience

Set into holes in a stable base, ceramic rod sharpeners help maintain a consistent angle while protecting your hands.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Consistent results
鈯� Easy to use
鈯� Safe
鈯� Results can be limited on harder steels
鈯� Ceramic rods break when dropped

Addressing the major issues inherent in whetstones, ceramic rod sharpeners work on similar principles, but are far听easier to use. Simply pull a knife down the guided rods, and repeat until the edge is sharp.

Guided Angles

Expensive and Time-Consuming, but You Can鈥檛 Argue with the Results

These things combine precise angle control while the gentle nature of manual sharpening.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easy on your blade
鈯� Extremely effective
鈯� Can be expensive
鈯� Time consuming to set up
鈯� Results require patience

To use a guided angle sharpener, just clamp it to the edge of a counter or workbench, install the correct angle guide, clamp in your knife, then manually sweep ceramic abrasives in swappable听grits across your edge. These are a great option for expensive knives because the angle between blade and abrasive is precisely controlled, and you can be as gentle as you need, or really bear down on the handle to bring a dull knife back from the dead. I struggle to find the patience to set mine up and take it down, so even while this is likely the most effective option, it鈥檚 also one it takes commitment to employ regularly.

Rolling Stones

Foolproof, but Can Only Get Your Knives So Sharp

Also combining precise angle control with manual operation (and few or no moving parts), these promise to work as well as a Guided Angle sharpener, with no setup or takedown.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Dead simple
鈯� Gentle on your blades
鈯� Precise angle control
鈯� Limited effectiveness
鈯� Incompatible with some blade designs

These burst into social media prominence听out of nowhere in the last couple of years. I bought one on the promise that it鈥檇 be as foolproof as a guided angle sharpener without all the hassle, but was immediately disappointed when the angle guide (a magnetic block you place on your counter, then push the blade against) refused to hold a saber-ground knife securely at the 20 degrees I needed.

To use one, you just use that guide to hold your knife inverted, then roll the sharpener back and forth while pushing your hands together to create pressure. Swapping wheels to different grits can achieve progressively finer results.

The post The 9 Best Ways to Sharpen Any Knife appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you go shopping for a premium knife right now, you鈥檒l find a new word plastered across online retailers and local shops: MagnaCut, a new type of blade steel that鈥檚 dominating the market all of a sudden. Now, MagnaCut is being used to justify some astonishing prices. So I set out to learn what it is, how it performs, and whether or not it鈥檚 worth the premium. And because I鈥檓 just a casual knife enthusiast rather than an engineer or craftsman, I set out to do that in terms us normal people could understand.

鈥淢agnaCut has generated quite the buzz due to its toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance,鈥� explained Morgan Keenan, who produces handmade knives in Bozeman, Montana for his brand . 鈥淭ypically it is very difficult for a steel to excel in all three of those categories. One that is very hard, and able to hold an edge very well, tends to be more brittle. A steel that can bend and take a beating tends to be softer. Stainless steel that can do all that without corroding? It鈥檚 just a game changer for the knife world.鈥�

鈥淎 user will experience a steel that resists rusting, holds an edge well between sharpening, and is resistant to edge rolling and chipping,鈥� Larrin Thomas, the metallurgist who invented MagnaCut, told 国产吃瓜黑料.

鈥淕enerally speaking, you can maximize two of those things, but not the third,鈥� said Peter Parker, lead design engineer for Leatherman. That brand just released a new flagship multitool called the Arc, which justifies its $80 premium over similar tools thanks to the incorporation of a MagnaCut blade. 鈥淚f you make a knife that doesn鈥檛 corrode, then it doesn鈥檛 hold an edge. Stainless is not as great as carbon steel at holding an edge. But then carbon steel corrodes. With smart and clever metallurgy [Thomas has] found a sweet spot in the chemical composition that hasn鈥檛 been done before.鈥�

MagnaCut is produced by Crucible Industries, a New York-based steel manufacturer. The company鈥檚 specialty is a powder metallurgy process鈥攌nown as 鈥攚hich Thomas explains allows for fine control of a steel鈥檚 molecular properties.

“The liquid steel passes through a nozzle which is sprayed with nitrogen gas to instantly solidify the steel into fine particles,鈥� Thomas describes. This gives steels, 鈥渁 much finer microstructure for more consistent properties.鈥�

It also allows metallurgists like Thomas to tinker with precise ratios of different compounds in a steel alloy, and how they interact with each other.

鈥淪tainless steels have high chromium, forming chromium carbide with the high carbon necessary for high-hardness knife steels,鈥� explains Thomas. 鈥淭he best non-stainless powder metallurgy tool steels only have the hardest carbide types, typically vanadium carbide. The powder metallurgy keeps the carbides small for good toughness, while the very high hardness of the vanadium carbides provides wear resistance. Chromium carbides are smaller and so do not provide as much wear resistance, while being similarly detrimental for toughness. More carbide means more wear resistance but lower toughness because they are hard, brittle particles. A harder carbide provides a better combination of wear resistance and toughness. Therefore, the combination of wear resistance and toughness was better for the non-stainless steels.鈥�

鈥淢agnaCut uses a unique approach where the chromium content was reduced and the other alloying elements balanced so that chromium carbides are avoided and it has the same properties as non-stainless steels,鈥� the metallurgist continues. 鈥淩emoving chromium carbide from the microstructure also improved corrosion resistance versus other stainless steels. Stainless steels get their corrosion resistance from a chromium oxide passive film at the surface. If the chromium has already formed a bond with carbon, it is not available to form the chromium oxide. MagnaCut avoids this issue, so it has both better corrosion resistance and a better wear resistance-toughness balance than prior stainless knife steels.鈥�

I asked Keenan to put all that in plain English. 鈥淲hat makes stainless steel 鈥榮tainless’ is the amount of chromium in the mix,鈥� he explains. 鈥淏ut this chromium can bond with carbon creating carbides and negating the corrosion resistance and 鈥榮tainless’ property. 鈥淭he beauty of MagnaCut is in the mix, there is just the right amount of carbon to keep all of the other elements of the mix in carbides, and the chromium is able to maintain the stainless properties of the steel.鈥�

Before developing MagnaCut, Thomas worked on automotive alloys, while writing about his passion鈥攖his history of knife steel metallurgy鈥攐n his blog: . One brand that was heavily inspirational in his work used to put the word 鈥渃ut鈥� after the name of its unique alloys, so Thomas wanted to pay homage to that naming convention with his first knife steel.

鈥淚 named the steel MagnaCut, Magna being the Latin word for great or awesome,鈥� he says.

Leatherman鈥檚 Parker notes that MagnaCut does have a downside. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of expensive, that鈥檚 the tradeoff,鈥� he explains. 鈥淎ll this awesome stuff doesn鈥檛 come for free.鈥�

Parker says that the powder atomization process and heat treatment for MagnaCut cost about the same as any other premium steel, but that there鈥檚 more costs on the manufacturing side.

鈥淥nce we have it in the factory, it鈥檚 really hard to grind and process it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 wear out when the consumer is using it, but it also puts up a fight when we try and make these to the Leatherman quality standard. It鈥檚 hard to make it uniform from side to side. You tend to get one side that looks different from the other because you have to push on it so hard to grind the material. That means the tooling has to essentially be pushing harder to the metal which makes things flex. You鈥檙e battling the material.鈥�

Still, 鈥渢his is a massive step in the knife world,鈥� says Keenan.

The Best MagnaCut Knives

For The Kitchen: Sitka x James Brand Anzick ($499)

My wife and I have been using one of these regularly since May, supplanting all other knives in our kitchen. We cook almost all our meals, and this sucker is still sharp. It鈥檚 also sturdy enough that it鈥檚 on the packing list for both a three-week holiday trip to our cabin and a three-month camping trip to Baja Sur and back next year.

For Your Pocket: ($225)

Legendary knife designer Ken Onion鈥檚 take on an Old West boot dagger, this thing is more fun to fidget with than it is practical, but it is still a very pocketable blade that you can flick open and cut stuff with. It also feels like it costs a lot more money than it does thanks to the sturdy stainless steel and G10 handle.

For The Outdoors: ($225)

Small, slim, and lightweight, this thing is my constant companion in the backcountry. That鈥檚 due as much to the excellent sheath as it is to the blade itself. Much less bulky than similar sheaths from other companies, this one allows you to mount the knife tip-up to a pack strap, horizontally to a belt, or in the traditional tip-down belt hang. Across two weeks spent in a skiff on the Prince William Sound, the knife didn鈥檛 develop a single spec of corrosion.

For Fixing Stuff: ($230)

Easily the sexiest multitool ever made, this thing is also immensely practical thanks to two bit holders, a redesigned awl, a diamond-like coating on the file, and of course that strong, sharp, easily accessible MagnaCut blade.

The post This Super Steel Is Revolutionizing Knives. Is It Worth the Price? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Handy people know the multitool conundrum: Do you carry one in lieu of a quality pocketknife? If you forgo the knife, you’ll sacrifice good ergonomics, rapid access, and durable blades. But in exchange you’ll receive a more diverse array of tools.

That鈥檚 the problem Leatherman is trying to solve with the new Arc ($230). The multitool comes complete with a 2 3/4-inch knife blade made from 鈥攖he latest, greatest, and trendiest steel on the market. Complete with a generous thumb stud, deep carry pocket clip, and an ideal tip-up, right-hand carry configuration, it attempts to combine a full-size multitool with a very good knife. But can it do so without compromise?

The Arc is an evolution of Leatherman鈥檚 Free P4 platform鈥攆irst released in 2019. That tool uses magnets and redesigned tool access that make the thing operable one-handed, while also packing more tools than other models into a slimmer footprint. All that works exceptionally well. Reviewing that tool, we called it, 鈥渢he only series of multitools you should consider.鈥�

On top of the Free P4, the Arc adds a black-anodized body to give it a more upscale look, and has revised the tool selection based on customer feedback to add more utility. A听new bit holder replaces the Free P4鈥檚 fixed flat and Phillips-head screwdrivers. Combined with an 20-tool bit selection housed in the included nylon sheath, this adds a diverse array of new capabilities.

鈥淚t made sense to put all of our best features and all of our best tools into into product,鈥� explains Leatherman Senior Product Manager Jeremy Rodriguez.

From left to right: Pry bar, medium flathead and bottle opener; mini-bit driver; awl and wire stripper; scissors; wood/metal file, diamond-coated file, edge file; needlenose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, electrical crimper, striking surface; CPM Magnacut knife blade; saw; bit driver; can opener. (Photo: Leatherman)

I find the inclusion of the T10 Torx driver in that toolset particularly useful, allowing me to check tightness on the small screws that mount my Trijicon red dot sight to my handgun. Those are prone to coming loose if the gun gets knocked around outdoors, which switches the sight off. Being able to simply grab the Arc from my pocket, re-torque the screw, and bring the sight back to life saves a lot of headaches, and here in grizzly country, might even save my life.

There鈥檚 also a mini-bit driver which holds a double-ended eyeglass screwdriver, with both flat and Phillips heads. Housing such small tools inside a large, easily portably, one-hand accessible device means I have the ability to cinch up the arms on my Randolphs, and run less of a chance of losing one of the two tiny little screws that holds them together.

That mini-bit driver is adapted from the one first prototyped on Leatherman鈥檚 limited-edition Mr. Crunch tool, which was released as part of the company鈥檚 new Garage program last year. The purpose of Garage is to give the company a means to test new solutions and designs across a large numbers of users (500 Mr. Crunch鈥檚 were made), then gather user feedback to develop better tools. It鈥檚 nice to see that program bearing fruit so soon, and promises more user-centric innovation in the future.

But ultimately, the point of Arc is the blade. 鈥淐PM Magnacut maximizes edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance,鈥� explains Leatherman Lead Design Engineer Peter Parker, on what makes that steel such an upgrade. Previously, knife steels have been able to optimize for one or two of those features, but not all three.

Other brands are rapidly adopting Magnacut for everything from large fixed-blade bushcraft knives to high-end pocket folders and chef鈥檚 knives. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of expensive, that’s the tradeoff,鈥� says Parker, going on to explain that it brings layers of new challenges to Leatherman鈥檚 manufacturing process, which explains the Arc鈥檚 price. Where the regular Free P4 retails for $150, the Arc adds $80 to that, mostly just to include the Magnacut blade.

I鈥檝e been carrying the Arc for a few weeks, and have tried to use the knife on it as often as possible for everything from food preparation, to wild game processing, and cutting up cardboard boxes鈥攁 task which rapidly dulls most blades. And while I can report that it remains shaving sharp, that鈥檚 nothing new for Magnacut. Other blades in my connection made from that material have held up to months of daily use before going dull. Which leads us to another downside of Magnacut: It鈥檚 difficult to sharpen.

Where previous blades on Leatherman tools have been made from 420鈥攁 very basic stainless steel鈥攁nd are terrible at edge retention as a result, they are at least simple to sharpen. I鈥檝e failed at all attempts to return any Magnacut knife to anything approaching usefulness myself, and have been forced to seek the help of a professional.

Other than its use of Magnacut, the only remarkable thing about the Arc鈥檚 blade is the big thumb stud, which makes deploying the knife easy. The drop point and hollow grind are similar to the blade on the Free P4, as is the 2 3/4-inch length.

And, like any other multitool, the Arc remains less than ideal when considered purely as a pocketknife. While the clip is a good one, the handle is just too large and too awkward to provide much comfort or security, and even with the thumb stud, deploying the blade isn鈥檛 anywhere as slick as the mechanism achieved by by pretty much any quality folder.

If you鈥檙e used to carrying a real knife in you front pocket everywhere you go, the Arc probably isn鈥檛 going to replace that. Whether or not the presence of a Magnacut blade justifies the $80 premium is going to likely going to come down to your desire for owning the latest, greatest gadget, versus either your patience for relying on a professional sharpening service, or your skill performing that job.

The Arc represents a solid effort at refining the Free P4 platform, achieving the impressive trick of packing even more usefulness into a tool of the exact same size. But it still asks users to compromise ergonomics and convenience if they want to carry one in place of their pocketknife. Mine lives in my backpack, in the exact same pocket every multitool I’ve carried before has.

The post Can the New Leatherman Arc Replace Your Trusty Pocketknife? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A good pocketknife creates a foundation of preparedness: with one, you can respond to everything from small, everyday tasks鈥攕licing open boxes, cutting a tag鈥攖o big emergencies鈥攔escuing yourself or someone else from a car accident. I鈥檝e researched and tested pocketknives for over 30 years, across six continents, and on tasks ranging from the mundane to the genuinely lifesaving. All of my research and testing has led me to the very best pocketknives鈥攁nd everything you need to know to find the perfect one for you.听

Part of the fun here is using different knives, and developing your tastes and preferences over time. When I was ten, I thought Swiss Army Knives were the pinnacle of sophistication. At 41, I鈥檝e learned I prefer a high quality folder. Your journey will be different, because it鈥檚 your own.

Benchmade Tagged Out ($200)

The Best Pocketknife

The most important quality of any blade is its sharpness. It鈥檚 the primary determining factor in a knife鈥檚 performance and what makes a knife safe to use.听A sharp knife requires less force, and therefore reduces the odds of your hand slipping down the handle, onto the sharp edge or accidentally pushing or pulling it through whatever substance you鈥檙e cutting.听

Pretty much any knife that isn鈥檛 the result of an impulse purchase at a gas station is going to arrive in your pocket with an adequately sharp blade. But every time you use your knife, you鈥檒l incrementally dull its edge. So factors to keep in mind are how long a knife is able to retain its edge and how much work it鈥檚 going to take to keep that knife sharp.听

The absolute sharpest blade I鈥檝e ever tried, and the one that stayed sharp for the longest time, comes from . Look at the edge on most knives under a microscope and you鈥檒l see a jagged line, not a straight one. Those bumps and grooves introduce weakness, which allows wear. Select Edge controls the placement of individual carbide molecules in its steel, eliminating that microscopic jaggedness. Benchmade is then able to take advantage of that added strength to offer a finer edge angle. The only folding pocketknife currently available with Select Edge is the .听

My only complaint: Select Edge鈥檚 unique angle and extraordinary hardness makes it difficult to sharpen the knife yourself. You鈥檒l need to ship your Select Edge knife to Benchmade to bring it back from dull.

Work Sharp Combo ($50)

The Best Knife Sharpener

The easiest way to keep a pocketknife sharp is to buy one made from steel you can sharpen yourself. And the most convenient knife sharpener I鈥檝e ever found is the . Like any powered belt sharpener, you鈥檒l need to be careful not to round a blade鈥檚 tip or overheat its steel, but once you鈥檝e read the instructions, this thing is just downright easy to use. Give your knife a few swipes on each side regularly, and it will never go dull.听

Milwaukee Fastback ($15)

Best Replaceable Blade Knife

Another way to ensure you always have a sharp blade handy is to go with a replaceable blade knife. This may be the best option for people using their knives for daily work, as pausing to sharpen a blade multiple times throughout a day is anything but efficient. The downsides are that thin, replaceable blades break easily if bent or twisted, and that carrying plenty of replacement blades can get annoying. If you go this route, fans love the for its ease of opening, well-placed pocket clip, and its ability to store up to five extra blades inside its handle.听

CRKT LCK+ ($44)

Best to Carry

The second most important quality for a knife to have is to be easy to carry. Blade size, handle shape, and pocket clip arrangement are all determining factors of how well a knife carries.听

The longer a knife blade, the larger objects it can cut. Blades that are thicker may be stronger, and ones that are broader may offer better slicing performance. But a lot of blade shape and size comes down to looks and feel. Some knife users simply prefer a the sturdy looks and heft provided by longer, fatter, broader blade.听

The tradeoff to size is, well, size. A good compromise between utility and pocketability comes with a blade length of about three to four inches.听

While the dimensions of a pocketknife鈥檚 handle are largely determined by the blade that pivots into it, the shape of its edges and its thickness are also determined by its design. A handle with smooth, rounded edges, which is as slim as possible, will more easily fit into more pockets. But you also want a handle that is comfortable to hold. The size of your hand, and the amount of work you intend to perform with your knife will inform what size and shape of handle is right for you.听

A clip ensures pocketknives ride securely. While this might seem like a simple feature, slight variances in clip location can actually make a huge difference. The best clips are those that conceal the entire body of the knife under the lip of your pocket鈥攏ot for the purpose of stealthiness, but simply for security. A knife handle that protrudes above the level of your pocket may catch on things, press into your hip when you sit down, and provide less security. If your knife catches on something, and falls out of your pocket, or if you have to take your knife out of your pocket to find comfort, then that knife may not be with you when you need it.

The is around the size of a Sharpie, and it provides a perfect deep-carry pocket clip that orients the blade tip up, and to the rear of a right-hand pocket. While the handle is slim, it鈥檚 long enough to fill my size-11 hands, and provides ample traction.

Opinel No. 8 ($18)

Best Budget Pocketknife

Compared to a fixed blade鈥攚here the blade and handle are one unit鈥攆olding knives add a potential point of failure. This is what makes them easy to carry, since they fit into a pocket, typically without the need for a sheath, but it also introduces an element of danger. Should a pocketknife鈥檚 blade fold onto your hand or fingers during use, it鈥檒l hurt. To prevent accidents, virtually all folding pocketknives include some sort of blade retention feature.听

The simplest form of blade retention comes from friction. The prototypical example here is the Swiss Army Knife, which simply pinches its blade tightly inside its frame, making it hard to move in either direction. The benefit there is the low price, the downside is it doesn鈥檛 do much to keep your blade open.听

A better choice is some sort of mechanical device that physically prevents the blade from opening. The simplest, easiest one is the rotating collar on an Opinel. By rotating over the channel the blade folds into, it prevents that knife鈥檚 blade from closing on your hand. But deploying the Opinel鈥檚 blade requires two additional steps鈥攆irst twisting the collar closed when you open the blade, then doing the same in reverse before you can close it.听

The best retention mechanisms deploy automatically, any time the blade is opened, and also work to keep the blade safely inside the handle as the knife rides in your pocket. Different brands achieve this in many different ways. Some are complicated, requiring buttons, springs, and other small parts that might easily fail. A stronger, simpler, but more expensive method is to separate a portion of the knife鈥檚 frame, then bend that inwards so it wants to spring behind the blade as it opens. This can be done using either a metal liner that rides inside some other handle material, or with the entire, unified frame of the knife.听

Sebenza 31 ($450)

Best Splurge Pocketknife

South African knife designer Chris Reeve invented the frame lock in the late-1980s. His continues to be one of the strongest, highest quality pocketknives out there. The Sebenza鈥檚 handles are simply two slabs of titanium bolted together. Half of one side is separated and tensioned, so it folds to block the entire width of the blade when open.听

Flaws But Not Deal Breakers

If a knife is sharp, easy to carry, and features a secure, convenient locking mechanism, it鈥檒l be a good knife. But beyond those factors, there are a bunch of other variables to consider.

Blade Shape and Grind

A knife blade has a length, thickness, width, and both two and three-dimensional shapes. A lot of this is simply aesthetic in nature, which is to say: pick one you think looks cool. There are some performance variables鈥攁 slim knife with a high grind will slice better鈥攂ut the differences are very small. When in doubt, simply look for a shape that’s not too zany, and a blade that’s not too thick, which offers a high or totally flat grind. That鈥檒l be good at everything.

Opening Mechanisms

The nail knick on a Swiss Army Knife or old pen knife generally takes two hands to open, and a good fingernail. A thumb stud might provide more purchase and allow the use of a single hand, but it can snag on pocket linings. A spring-operated assisted opening feature can make a blade fast to deploy, but it adds complication and potential for failure. A lever built into the back of the blade might make a knife easy to flip open and form a finger guard when deployed, but it can also snag. There are pluses and minuses to everything; try out new knives to see what you like.

Steels

As you move up in price with knives, you鈥檒l see the types of steel used to construct their blades listed as selling points. There are far too many varieties of steel to mention here. Understand that any claim like 鈥渟urgical steel鈥� is total bullshit, and instead look for brand and alphanumerical name, like CPM S35V or B枚hler M390. Google will then direct you to descriptions of that steel鈥檚 merits. In addition to the type of steel, some knife makers and steel producers also apply unique heat treatments that can add additional performance to blades.

What About Multitools?

While many multitools incorporate a knife blade into their toolset, the blade is typically of bargain basement quality and can be complicated to access. While a multitool may technically be pocketable, and may even include a pocket clip, they鈥檙e almost always much bulkier, which makes them less convenient to carry and less comfortable to use. If it鈥檚 not with you, you won鈥檛 be able to use it.听

But a good multitool does make a good accompaniment to a good pocketknife, if you can carry both. If not, stick with the knife, which you鈥檒l use more often.听

What鈥檚 in My Pocket?

When I got home from the airport late last night, the first thing I did was grab a knife out of my knife drawer and stick it in my pocket. That happened to be a with a CPM CruWear blade and brown micarta handle.听

With a 3.5-inch flat-ground, drop-point blade, the Paramilitary 2 is just the right size for pocket carry in a typical pair of jeans. It features a strong liner lock design that inserts a portion of the frame between the back of the blade and one of the bolts that holds the thing together, so there鈥檚 no way the blade could ever accidentally close.听

This particular version is made special by both its blade steel, and the handle material. is an exceptionally hard-wearing tool steel that鈥檚 capable of holding an edge for a long time, but nevertheless requires a little special attention due to its high carbon content. I don鈥檛 mind rubbing a little on the blade every time I clean it, but it would easily tarnish and develop surface corrosion without that care. On top of the steel frame liners, Spyderco has fitted a handle made from . That material sets fibers into a resin, producing a comfortable surface that鈥檚 almost soft to the touch, and which remains tractive when wet. Both that steel and the handle will develop a unique patina over time.听

I don鈥檛 like Spyderco鈥檚 pocket clips, so I will replace this one with a deeper carry option in the near future.听

Accompanying the blade, I also carry a small on my keychain. It鈥檚 TSA compliant, so it travels with me and provides some capabilities the knife cannot. I use it less than the knife, so choosing a multitool that鈥檚 as small as possible makes sense for my needs.听

On Sunday, I used the knife to field dress a deer. Two nights ago, while staying in a hotel, I used the tweezers in the multitool to remove a splinter. I was prepared for that and more, all thanks to the content of a single pants pocket. You can be too.

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I鈥檓 carrying a in my pocket right now. That鈥檚 only around one-tenth the price of the knife I normally carry, but it still gets the job done.

When it comes to pocket knives, I鈥檓 guilty of having expensive taste. The blade I had been carrying for the last couple of years was a DPx Aculus Flipper, which retails for $450.听

I justify that price partly because my friends and I like to give each other knives as gifts. That Aculus came from my buddy , who also happened to design it. I gave a similar one to my friend Griff a few years back. Spending that money on other people feels better than spending it on myself.听

And because my friends like to give each other knives, I鈥檝e got plenty to choose from right now, even though I lost the Aculus in a COVID-induced brain fog. But rather than grabbing something else fancy out of the drawer in my nightstand, I鈥檝e instead been reaching for this $44 CRKT. It鈥檚 one of those products that鈥檚 just right, even though it鈥檚 relatively cheap.听

There are a couple of things I want any pocket knife to do. The LCK + excels at all of them. Since pocket knives spend most of the day riding inside my front right pocket, I need them to carry well. This knife does that thanks to a deep carry pocket clip that positions the entire body of the knife below the level of of the pocket鈥檚 brim. It鈥檚 incredibly slim dimensions听are approximate to a large Sharpie, which makes it barely noticeable. Because I鈥檓 right handed, I like a knife with the blade tip-up, facing rearwards in that front right pocket. That way when I grab it, it鈥檚 ready to open, without any shuffling.

And thanks to that fancy Aculus, I鈥檝e also become a fan of flippers. A flipping mechanism places a small lever at the base of the blade. When closed, the lever protrudes from the back of the knife and provides the leverage necessary to quickly flick the blade open. Once open, that lever serves as a solid finger guard, preventing your hand from sliding forward onto the sharp edge.听

The LCK + backs up that lever with a spring-loaded assisted opening mechanism. Flick the lever, and after it travels a few millimeters, a spring hidden inside the handle takes over and forces the blade open. I鈥檝e never been a huge fan of assisted openers because they usually require a little play to be left in the pivot鈥攕o friction doesn鈥檛 interfere鈥攂ut the ball bearing inside this CRKT feels rock solid.听

By forcing the blade open, that action also deploys the liner lock. The strongest way to safely lock a folding knife鈥檚 blade open is with a frame lock. That design sees a portion of the monolithic frame twisted so that it will move inwards when the blade pivots out of the handle, preventing the knife from closing on the user鈥檚 hand. But making a big chunk of metal move is expensive, as evidenced on the Aculus. A cheaper way to achieve a similar effect is to make the handle from one material鈥攊n the case of the CRKT, glass-filled nylon鈥攖hen reinforce that with a thin steel liner, complete with one torsion section. And that鈥檚 what鈥檚 done here. The indicator of the quality execution of a frame or liner lock is听cut in how far that locking bar moves across the blade. And the LCK + achieves perfection, with a locking bar that reliably connects with the blade precisely in the middle, every time.听

In addition to how helpful it is to have a knife on hand for opening packages, helping with food prep and consumption, and various tasks as I work on my trucks, house, and yard, a lot of the satisfaction I derive from knives comes simply from how they look. And while the LCK +鈥檚 handle is a total non-event, the satin-finished blade is seriously eye pleasing. Slim and hollow-ground, it feels more like a French steak knife than it does a brute force implement. Sure, it鈥檚 made from 8Cr13MoV steel, which is an elaborate acronym for cheap, but that鈥檚 another big reason听for that $44 price tag.

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I鈥檓 not a survivalist, but that鈥檚 not to say I don鈥檛 end up over my head in the woods. It happens quite a bit, but I鈥檝e never been in a situation where I needed to catch a fish to survive or start a fire to stave off hypothermia. Usually, I just need an extra bike tube or another beer. Yet I鈥檝e always been obsessed with the classic Rambo survival knife.

If you鈥檙e not familiar with particular piece of gear, imagine an uncomfortably long fixed blade with a hollow handle that stores a compass, fishing hooks, fishing line, and matches. It was like a Bowie knife had a baby with a multi-tool, and I was in awe of it when I was a kid. The movie First Blood came out in 1982 when I was six and trying to figure out what kind of a man I would become. Rambo seemed like a solid role model at the time because A) he had a badass knife, and B) he fashioned that knife into a spear to take on bad guys.

I only knew this from seeing the previews and movie posters because my parents wouldn鈥檛 let me see the movie. But somehow, they let me have the knife. Actually, it was a knock-off version purchased at a dusty flea market鈥攖he official Rambo knife was too expensive. But all of the key elements were there. I loved unscrewing the cap, laying out the various survival tools and imagining different scenarios where I鈥檇 need to use them.

My original Rambo knife is long gone, which is fine because I no longer have those survival fantasies. I鈥檝e spent enough time in the wilderness to know that I would be pretty useless in a survival situation even if I had Rambo鈥檚 magical knife. I can鈥檛 catch a fish using high quality gear and bait designed in a lab; it鈥檚 definitely not happening with just a bare hook and line. I don鈥檛 remember Rambo ever bothering to fish in his movies but he does use the line and hook to sew up a gash in his arm. I鈥檓 not doing that either. I might duct tape a wound shut, or use super glue, but I鈥檓 not stitching it myself.

But I鈥檓 still attracted to the concept of a survival knife, and some very respectable knife-makers still produce blades that are akin to that original Rambo tool. They鈥檙e a little more refined and realistic, and they鈥檙e not so overtly aggressive as Rambo鈥檚 fixed blade. Would they do me any good in a survival situation? Probably not. As Wes Siler says, the ticket to survival isn鈥檛 a tool; it鈥檚 a set of skills.

Still, a boy can dream. Here are my four favorite survival knives that actually might come in handy if shit hits the fan.

Gerber Ultimate Survival ($50)

At one point, Gerber partnered with Bear Grylls to make a fully-featured survival knife. The 4.75-inch is the evolution of that partnership and features a stainless-steel pommel that can be used for hammering, a whistle for emergencies, and a ferro rod for starting fires. The handle is rubberized too, to provide better grip when your hands are sweaty or wet.听 It’s also a full-tang knife, which means the steel runs all the way through the handle making it harder to break, so you can use it for heavier duties like splitting kindling.

CRKT Parascale ($113)

Fun fact about that Rambo knife鈥攖he handle was wrapped in green thread that you could untie and use to sew a wound shut. CRKT takes a similar but less gruesome tack with , a folding knife with a handle wrapped in paracord. Unravel it and you have four feet of cord to build a shelter or brace a limb. While other folding knives have a weak point at the joint, the 3.2-inch Parascale is built with interlocking steel bolts at the hinge to create a stronger connection point for chopping wood.

Opinel No.12 Explore Outdoor Folding Knife ($55)

Opinel makes really pretty folding knives that are often used as picnic knives. But is designed for outdoors scenarios with two survival-specific features: a flint fire starter and a tick remover. Starting fires is handy, but I really like the idea of adding a tick remover to your knife since I live on the East Coast where they鈥檙e common. The No.12 also has a whistle and a cutting hook, along with Opinel鈥檚 simple and classic locking ring. The whole package is ten inches long with the four-inch blade out.

Leatherman Signal ($130)

Multitools are mostly useless in a survival situation because they鈥檙e loaded with tools more suited for light office duty than wilderness scenarios. The 7.5-ounce is the exception with a suite of tools designed to help you out when things go south. It has the normal trappings of a multi-tool鈥攑liers, Phillips head screwdriver鈥攂ut also a ferro rod so you can start a fire and a whistle so you can call for help. There鈥檚 a small saw for cutting duties and a 2.7-inch 420 stainless steel blade.

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A good knife goes a long way. From pocket-sized blades to larger slicers, we’ve got you covered.

James Brand Hells Canyon ($295)

Weighing just under four ounces, the Hells Canyon is a backcountry foodie鈥檚 dream. The 5.4-inch chef-style blade is an ideal length for camp-kitchen tasks, and holds an edge flawlessly courtesy of premium steel that resists corrosion. It鈥檚 also tough as nails.

WESN Microblade 2.0 ($70)

Don鈥檛 be fooled by its size: this 1.5-incher is constructed from high-carbon tool-grade steel that鈥檚 up for any chore, from opening packaging to cutting paracord and guylines. Closed, it鈥檚 just over two inches long and fits on a key chain. Ceramic roller bearings and a flipper create a smooth, one-handed opening action.

CRKT Biwa ($50)

At 1.6 ounces, the Biwa is the lightest hunting and angling knife we鈥檝e seen, but it still holds up to tougher jobs like cleaning fish. The three-inch full-tang blade resists corrosion, and the slim G10 fiberglass-laminate handle is maneuverable for paring.

Benchmade 535-3 Bugout ($300)

Benchmade keeps upping the ante on ultralight everyday carry. The newest addition to the brand鈥檚 popular Bugout line has a 3.2-inch drop-point blade made of wear-resistant steel and a carbon-fiber handle, which brings the 535-3 in at just over two ounces. Tech and durability aside, it also looks good, with stylish blue highlights on the thumb stud and lanyard hole.

Zippo SureFire ($20)

The SureFire has everything you need to start a blaze in one neat package. A saw cuts small branches for kindling, a tinder grater and fire paracord create fuel, and a flint wheel sets the spark. A penknife, a flathead screwdriver, and a bottle opener round out this multitool.

CRKT Bona Fide ($125)

The newly updated Bona Fide makes cleaning and disassembling even easier than before鈥攋ust slide the button on the handle to separate the knife into three pieces. During all our tests it never came apart accidentally, and the supremely smooth bearing system made it an absolute joy to use.

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Gerber Armbar Cork ($39)

This eight-tool, 3.1-ounce device is a solid base-camp assistant, with scissors, a hammer, and a 2.5-inch blade for an array of chores. Bottle, can, and wine openers keep food and drink flowing, and the stonewashed finish adds class.

The James Brand Carter ($159)

This sleek 颅everyday carry is as beautiful as it is functional. The de-sign is compact enough for small pockets and features a secure reversible clip. The 2.75-inch VG-10 blade is up to any task, and the ambidextrous slide lock makes it easy to access on the fly.

CRKT Parascale ($130)

The Parascale is up to the toughest backcountry tasks. The lock was the easiest and safest we tested. The burly 3.1-inch blade tucks away with the press of a large button at the hinge, and steel bolts keep it securely in place. The handle is wrapped in paracord鈥攁 first for a folder.

Spyderco ClipiTool Rescue ($62)

With a flathead screwdriver, a knife, and a rope cutter, this tool is a smart addition to your first aid kit. The 3.6-inch serrated blade can saw through small branches, while the rope cutter is sharp on the inside for quickly removing cloth颅ing or 颅severing tangled lines. All three tools are single-hand accessible, thanks to Spyderco鈥檚 thumb-cutout design, and liner locks keep the two sharp ones in place.

Benchmade 533 Mini Bugout ($140)

The lightest tool in our test, this folding model is a backpacker鈥檚 dream. It fits in an Altoids tin and weighs just 1.5 ounces. The 2.8-inch drop-point blade is great for slicing and stows in the handle with a slide lock. A reversible tip-up clip and tether loop keep it where you need it.

Coalatree Haswell ($135)

The Haswell looks and feels like a func颅tional heirloom. This second edition is just as skillfully crafted as the limited-run version released four years ago. The full-tang, high-颅carbon steel blade is able to harvest vegetables and break down kindling with ease, and the walnut handle and beltable leather sheath look better with age.

听

Editor鈥檚 Note: (5/20/20) In the print edition of the 2020 Summer Buyer鈥檚 Guide,听国产吃瓜黑料听listed the price of CRKT Parascale as $150. We鈥檝e updated this page to reflect the current price.

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With all due respect to the makers of real and useful multitools, and with no constraints of what would actually fit in a product,听I designed the perfect multitool. I believe we have to dream big. (But I also believe it is quite probably impossible to stow a pizza cutter inside the handle of any multitool.)

Brendan Leonard鈥檚 new book, Bears Don鈥檛 Care About Your Problems: More Funny Shit in the Woods from , is .

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