Folding Knives

Recent Folding Knife Reviews

Benchmade B535BK-4 BUGOUT

Relatively lightweight, strong, beautiful.             Knives and camping are two things in my mind that are simply intertwined. I carry a knife wherever I go. There are so many to choose from and over the years I have ended up with a collection. This 535BK-4 BUGOUT though is the one I always carry now. I can depend on it to be sharp and do exactly what I need.  I have not sharpened the blade since I got it about 2 years ago now. It's not surgical razor sharp any longer but sharp enough… Full review

Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

Everything you need in a folding pocketknife. I have had a size 6 Opinel pocketknife for just about ever which lived in my backpack waist belt pocket until leaving Hobart, Tasmania, airport. An extremely zealous security lady took exception to its presence and confiscated it along with my wife's nailfile. On return to New Zealand I purchased a new one. For backpacking, day walks, fishing, or biking this little knife does everything one could ask for; everything from gutting a fish to opening a ready… Full review

Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife

Pretty hard to beat for backpacking. These are famous for a reason. Sharp, cheap, very light, locks well, long enough to get to the bottom of a peanut butter jar. Just let it darken but scrape off any obvious rust.  Note: this is not some Finnish survival fixed blade. It's a lightweight backpacker's knife. Doesn't mean you can't skin a deer with it, but be realistic. Full review

Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

Lightweight with a well designed blade shape for camp kitchen preparing food. My first Opinel knife I acquired I think was a number 7 from from REI in 1975. It had a pear wood handle and was a great tool. I lost it some 10 years later...  Last year my wife signed me up with Bespoke and in one of the boxes showed up a number 8. A good knife too for the same uses. Full review

Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

I was introduced to Opinel knives in 1991, and I have been using them ever since—on three continents. Great addition to the pack—alongside my Swiss Army knife of course. Great addition to a well-equipped backpack. Full review

Opinel No. 6 Folding Knife

Light, small, tough, and available. The blade you may find you need, at a price you definitely can afford. A simple design—one sharp, thin (1mm), pointy blade, which folds into a thinly finished beech handle. A chromed, spring steel lock ring, at the riveted pivot point, is a wonderful low-tech way to keep the knife open-or closed—until you change your mind. Available in many lengths; the seven centimetre blade works, for me. It weighs a negligible 27 grammes . If your daily life involves building… Full review

Opinel No. 9 Folding Knife

Size matters. A hand-sized handle with a longer blade to retain its edge with usage. Been using a #8 stainless steel and a #7 carbon for well on 40 years. I purchased the #9 carbon because I wanted the bigger handle and the better edge holding of the carbon. The extra length in the handle and blade makes this a field knife, and I do not need to carry another knife backpacking. Full review

Buck 112 Ranger

The smaller version of the classic, 110 Hunter. Shorter blade, same quality and reputation. Brass bolsters, Ebony scales, 420HC stainless steel. If you like a relatively meaty, clip pointed lock knife and plan on leaving it to a relative, in your will, this one should be under consideration. This size suits me better, than the larger, Hunter model. The handle fits my size-nine hand snugly and a three-inch blade works very well, for the stuff I do with a knife. I can strip bark from my next walking… Full review

Lansky Small Lockback Pocket Knife

A low cost EDC folding pocket knife of outstanding quality for the price. This wee gem replaced a knife confiscated by airport security last year and though very cheap proved to be a very good buy. Having had it for a year it has done all the things one would use a pocket knife for both on and off trail: cutting cordage, tape, opening packets and meal bags, sharpening tent pegs, making tinder, general camp chores etc. and so far it has not had to be sharpened. The blade is 2.25 inches, overall 5.5… Full review