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I went to the SHOT (Shooting Hunting Outdoors Trade) Show 2020 and the Las Vegas Custom Knife Show 2020 and saw literally thousands of knives. Because of the internet in general (and Instagram in particular) most of them looked familiar, but I had never seen 99% of them in person. I buy pretty much everything except fresh vegetables online, so I never really know how big knives are or how they feel until they arrive in my mailbox, so it was really neat to be able to see everything in person and ask questions.

If you missed it, here is a link to part one of our SHOT Show 2020 Coverage. My mission with these two SHOT articles is to not only give my fellow knife nerds a heads up on what’s in store for us in 2020, but since I actually got my hands on them, I’ll do my best to describe how they feel. I apologize for my bad photography- I’m going to do a much better job next year!

MEDFORD KNIFE & TOOL

Nosferatu OTS Auto and Flipper

Pretty much every Medford Knife is in permanent beast mode, and the Nosferatu series of knives are no exception. When I slid off the safety and pressed the lock/go! button, a long, asymmetrical dagger with a false top edge swung out with a nice thwack sound. The flipper version with its sheepsfoot blade was nice and all, but it’s docile looking in comparison to the auto. Both knives use a round plunge lock button near the pivot to unlock and manually close the blade. The flipper’s blade swings freely when the lock button is depressed, so if you want to wrist flick a $650 knife, you can. The auto is $25 more at an MSRP of $675, and both are due out in April 2020.

On paper, their specs sound fairly normal: 3.5” S35VN blade, overall length of 8.4”, and .19” blade and handle thickness. Did the thickness number sound a little high? To put it in perspective, I have an old DPX Gear HEST-F, which has a comically thick blade- it’s .19” like the Nosferatu. Every knife person in the world (other than me) seems to have a heavy duty Spyderco Paramilitary 2 or 3, and their blade thickness is only .15”. Even the legendarily beefy old ZT 0300 series (commonly remembered as the NCIS Jethro Gibbs knife) maxed out at .16”.

My point is these things are THICK. And heavy. I really dug the simple linear design, the coffin-shaped pocket clips (Nosferatu means vampire in Romanian folklore) and the sharp-looking but round-feeling chamfering of the handles. I had never held a Medford knife before visiting their booth, and after putting down the Nosferatu and trying out some other Medford knives, it became very clear to me that the Nosferatu knives are the only ones with corners that are chamfered for your pleasure. The signature Medford style is big square-edged chunks of titanium and steel, and my soft, city-boy hands much preferred the slightly rounded feel of the Nosferatu.

Praetorian Slim Folder

Another new for 2020 knife, the Praetorian slim’s 3.25” blade is made from shockingly thin .125” blade stock but still has that square, slightly uncomfortable Medford feel. Two unique features of the Praetorian Slim are its thin, straight, kind of un-Medford-ey pocket clip (not pictured) and its glassbreaker (detail picture above). The full-size Praetorian knives have a hardened D2 steel glass breaker pommel, but the Slim has a little glassbreaker pyramid machined into the base of the blade. The MSRP is $525.

MICROTECH

Dirac OTF auto

Microtech had a table at the Las Vegas Custom Knife Show, and that’s where I found my newest purchase, the Dirac, soon to be reviewed on this website. My Microtech Dirac has a 2.875” blade of M390 steel and a 4” handle, not counting the length of the glassbreaker.

The Dirac and its larger version, the Dirac Delta, are different from any previous Microtech switchblades in that the sliding switch is on the flat side of the handle, not the spine. The switch placement gives the Dirac a couple of advantages. First, it allows the knife to be vertically symmetrical, which looks good. Second, it allows the switch to be noticeably wider and less tall top-to-bottom than spine-mounted Microtech switches. This gives my thumb much more surface area to apply pressure on the spring loaded switch, which feels good.

Iconic Karambit OTS auto

Here is a Link to the Iconic Karambit so you can check it out. I was so busy trying to figure out the little tiny safety switch on the spine of this new for 2020 auto karambit that I didn’t get a picture. I would ordinarily ask Microtech for a picture for this write-up, but I’m kinda talking smack about this one so I’m not going to ask.

At Microtech’s Las Vegas Custom Knife Show booth, I watched three people besides myself unsuccessfully try to close the Iconic, and just put it back on the table with the blade out for the Microtech reps to close. I’m sure it’s just a matter of practice, but for the first time ever I found a Microtech I don’t like.

PRO-TECH

Malibu Flipper

Pro-Tech’s newest knife is the Malibu, and although its smooth aluminum handles and hardware components have a standard Pro-Tech out-the-side auto look about them, Pro-Tech has swerved a little out of its lane with the Malibu. As far as I know, the Malibu is only the second flipper that they’ve made, and it’s their first knife with this blade shape. Pro-Tech calls it a reverse tanto blade. The Malibu will also be available with Pro-Tech’s first sheepsfoot blade (not pictured.) According to Pro-Tech’s Instagram page, the Malibu is going to further depart from the Pro-Tech norm by having CPM 20CV blade steel instead of their usual 154CM.

The Malibu’s 3.25” blade was on ball bearings and flipped open smoothly. To close the knife, I pressed the appropriately-recessed button lock, which had what I feel to be an appropriate amount of spring pressure to keep the button from being unintentionally pressed during appropriate use. I would characterize this knife as a light-to-medium duty tool. The blade is .11” thick and the shape is designed for utility rather than stabbing. I personally do very little stabbing in my day-to-day knife usage, and I prefer blade shapes like these that don’t require much wrist-bending to get the tip of the blade onto the packing tape of a box. I didn’t find the looks of this knife particularly exciting- its kind of average in length, width, and pocket clip, but Pro-Tech’s big thing is making lots of interesting cosmetic variations of their knives, and I expect the Malibu to be no exception.

REATE

T3000 and T3500 Flippers

The final two knives in designer Tashi Bharucha’s four knife “T” series are on their way to a 2020 release. BladeReviews has already reviewed the first two releases- Dan did the T2500 review in April of 2019, and I reviewed the T4000 in October. Their names are based on blade length, and the 3” T3000 ($330 MSRP) and the 3.5” T3500 ($360 for the micarta handle inlay version (pictured) and $370 for carbon fiber) should be released between April and June 2020. All four knives have titanium handles and M390 blades, and the T3000 and T3500 samples I handled had the excellent fit and finish I’ve come to take for granted from Reate. Their flipper action was on ball bearings and the big blades locked firmly into place. None of the knives in the series are particularly thick, but the tall handles filled my hand enough to get a solid grip.

I’m a huge fan of Tashi Bharucha’s work. I’ve got a Tashi Bharucha Heatseeker flipper (made by Reate, sold exclusively by drop.com) in my pocket right now. The Heatseeker, like the entire T series, is an elegant, aggressive knife that prioritizes style over user comfort. All that means in practice is that the T3000 and T3500 had a couple of hotspots in the form of somewhat sharp flipper tabs and pokey pocket clips. These are not manufacturing mistakes, they’re design choices, and I didn’t mind at all because the knives are so cool looking.

SOG

Ultra XR Folder

First of all, I learned that SOG is an acronym for Studies and Observations Group, which makes no sense to me as the name of a knife company (I think spotting scopes or notepads or ghillie suits would be more sensible products from the Studies and Observations Group) but SOG is owning it by engraving “STUDIES AND OBSERVATIONS GROUP” on every new knife blade I saw. Nonetheless, they had some interesting new knives at SHOT, starting with the Ultra XR. It was absolutely remarkable how thin and light this knife was. The clip is thicker than the blade and handles combined. The specs: 2.8” blade, S35VN steel colored gold with a titanium nitride finish, carbon fiber handles, titanium pocket clip, and an XR (slidey-button) lock. The Ultra XR weighs 1.2 oz., which is less than half the weight of a Spyderco Delica, which also has a 2.8” blade.

My hands-on studies and observations of the Ultra XR revealed that opening the blade with the long oval thumb hole was pretty much effortless. The SOG rep thought that it was running on bearings instead of washers, and it certainly felt like it, although it’s so thin I don’t know how they fit bearings in there. Regarding its sturdiness, I didn’t try to crush it in my hand or spine whack it with the 4.6 oz WE Knife Co. Scoppio I had in my pocket, but the Ultra XR felt relatively sturdy for something so thin and light. MSRP is $139, and its release should be before fall 2020.

Aegis AT Folder

The Aegis isn’t new- Dan reviewed the SOG Aegis for BladeReviews in 2011. I bought an Aegis Mini in 2012, and we both have nothing but praise for them. 2020 brings a few updates, some of which I like. I like the upgrade to D2 blade steel, I like that the pocket clip no longer has the “SOG” acronym stamped into it (the full company name is on the blade like all the other 2020 SOG’s), and I like the jaunty new color combos. My dislikes can be summed up with this quote from The Graduate: “I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics.” The new lanyard loop is plastic. The new spine-mounted safety lock is plastic. The AT-XR (slidey-button) lock button is now plastic- the part you must apply pressure to every time you close the knife is plastic, instead of aluminum like on the older version.

I opened and closed the Aegis maybe ten times and its assisted-opening 3.7” blade snapped open very quickly and locked open just fine. However the spine mounted safety felt somewhat vague and flimsy, and the plastic lock button didn’t feel like it would immediately break or deform, but my brief studies and observations of the SOG Aegis left me with the impression that it’s a great looking knife that I wouldn’t trust without a lot of hands-on testing.

SPYDERCO

Bombshell Folder – Flash Batch

Spyderco let me handle the not-yet released Bombshell folder, but wouldn’t let me photograph it. Instead they gave me a web catalog jpeg of it with no background, so I layered it over a picture of my kitten, Buttercup. Knife/cat size is not to scale.

The Spyderco Bombshell is the production version of designer Michael Burch’s custom Bombshell. It felt heavier than your average Spyderco, and very well made. The thick G10 handles had far more of a 3-D rounded feel than most Spyderco knives, and despite its short (4.04”) handle length, it filled my hand nicely. Its tall 2.98” CPM 20CV blade reminds me of designer Jens Anso’s work, and the pocket clip looks similar to the clip on Michael Burch’s now-discontinued Spyderco Chubby. It’s a Spyderco “Flash Batch” limited limited to 1,200 pieces. I don’t have a release date, but I do know the street price should be $280.

2020 Spyderco Sprint Run Knives

I also got a look at some of the 2020 Spyderco Sprint run knives, which all have CPM REX45 steel blades and burnt orange colored handles. Pictured from top to bottom are the Native Chef (without the upcoming orange scales), the Manix 2, and the Shaman, which were the only three of eight upcoming Sprint Run knives Spyderco had on hand at SHOT Show. Collectors love the Sprint Run because by definition it’s a one-time limited run in a non-standard steel/color combo. I don’t go bananas for Spyderco like many, many people do, but they all seemed very nice.

STRIDER KNIVES

DB-L Fixed Blade

The Strider Knives DB-L isn’t new- it’s at least 10 years old, but it was new to me when I got to check one out at the Las Vegas Custom Knife Show. The DB-L has a 3.9” blade of PSF 27 steel (similar to D2 steel) with a thickness of .19, just like the manly Medford blades mentioned earlier in this article. The handle length is just over 4”, which would ordinarily be long enough for most people to get all their fingers around the grip, but there’s a pretty big finger choil and the G10 grips don’t go far enough forward to allow a four finger grip.

The reason I’m mentioning this in an article focused on new knives is that ever since I handled the CRKT Minimalist Cleaver on the first day of SHOT Show (see the Most Interesting Knives of SHOT Show 2020 Part One). I’ve been fascinated with how knife designers can give the user a solid grip with a handle only long enough for a three finger grip. CRKT’s solution was to make the handle so thin and contoured that it squeezed into the space between the bottom of my fingers and my palm.

When I picked up the Strider DB-L, I understood Strider used a different strategy: a rather thick handle. The shape and diameter of the DB-L’s handle permitted a three finger death grip on the knife in both a normal and reverse grip. The extremely aggressive texture of the G10 “Gunner Grip” handles made by VZ Grips also helped. After relaxing my three-finger death grip, my hands retained the pressed-in Gunner grip texture for a minute or so. As an owner of some VZ handgun grips, I can tell you from personal experience that the grips would rather take some skin with them than slip out of your hand.

After taking a look at VZgrips.com just now, I’m filled with regret that I didn’t think to visit the VZ Grips booth at the SHOT Show- in addition to making grips for Strider Knives, VZ makes a line of absolutely insane G10 daggers. And not just non-metallic (non-metal detector triggering) daggers- they make sharpened cylindrical G10 stabbers disguised as No. 2 pencils and something called the Punch Ripper that’s too horrible to describe. I’m going to kick my COVID stay-at-home blues by getting one of those stabbin’ pencils!

VIPER KNIVES

Katla Folder

The Katla is a thumbstud-opening folder designed by Jesper Voxnaes. The blade is 3.23” of Bohler M390 steel and it will come in several handle and blade finish variations- pictured above are the carbon fiber version and the micarta version, which will have MSRP’s of $208 and $174. There are also some versions (not pictured) that have an interesting organic melty looking machined texture near the pivot and lanyard hole.

The action on the two prototypes I was able to handle was very smooth, and the lockup was solid. I was unable to determine if the knives were pivoting on washers or bearings. The Viper rep made a point of telling me that the pivot collars and backspacers were bronze, but to me they looked very copper-y. Later I did a little research and discovered that the bronze looked like copper because bronze is mostly copper- who knew? Blacksmiths since 3500 BC knew, and now we all do.

WE KNIFE CO.

Gava Flipper

The WE Knife Co. Gava is a scaled-down production version of the custom Gava framelock by BRR Knives of Legnica, Poland. The WE Gava has a 3.25” CPM 20CV blade (1/2 inch shorter than the custom version), titanium handles, and a bearing-driven flipper action.

In the hand, the Gava was typical WE Knife Co quality, which is high. It felt light and tight and flipped briskly. Judging by photos I’ve found online, the WE Gava I handled at SHOT appears to be a pretty faithful rendition of the custom Gava. For me, the major enjoyment of this knife would be in the long contemplation of its thousand neat little machined details. A BRR custom Gava (if you can find one) costs no less than $1,000 USD. I often find it difficult to understand the reason for the high prices of many custom knives, but I’ve done a bit of research on this one, and have definitely figured out the reason for the high price of custom BRR Knives: supply and demand.

People in BRR Knives home town of Legnica, Poland, have been panic buying edged weapons ever since the Mongol invasion of Legnica in 1241 AD. It’s obviously panic buying in case the descendants of Genghis Khan try it again. The WE Knife Gava has a very reasonable MSRP of $275.

Mini Buster Flipper

I had a nerd-gasm when I saw the Mini Buster on the WE Knife table. I’m a huge fan of the Mini Buster’s creator Snecx Tan. I find his design language to be simple and elegant, and the Mini Buster is my most anticipated knife release of 2020. Until now, Snecx has only personally made a handful of knives in his small workshop in Indonesia, and only released two of his designs to be produced by other companies: the Terra folder, produced by Custom Knife Factory, and the (full size) Buster, produced by Jake Hoback Knives. The WE Mini Buster is a framelock design with a 3.43” blade of CPM-20CV steel (vs the 4” M390-bladed JHK Buster), and titanium handles in either a light or dark stonewashed finish. The WE Mini Buster is less overbuilt than the Hoback version and is visually way more Snecx-y.

Handling the Mini Buster, my prevailing thought was that there are a lot of titanium framelock flipper knives out there, but the weight, balance, flipping action, and overall vibe of the Mini Buster have taken it to the top of the framelock flipper genre. Snecx said on his Instagram page that his goal is to make a folding knife as timeless as the Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza. The Mini Buster is not quite that, but it’s clearly a step in the process. He documents that process pretty thoroughly on Instagram, where I’ve been watching the evolution of Snecx’s next knife, the Vision. Snecx has invented an entirely new locking mechanism for the Vision, and that knife definitely has the potential to stand toe to toe with the Sebenza. The release date of the Vision is unknown, but the WE Mini Buster (MSRP of $340) is slated for an April 2020 release. I’m going to buy a Mini Buster tout suite and review it here on BladeReviews.com.

And as an extra treat, here’s a picture of the legendary Arsenal RS-1 knife/gun.

It’s a Rambo knife attached to a six shot revolver chambered in the not-at-all-powerful caliber 22 Short. It’s made by Arsenal Firearms of Russia, it’s $2,500 USD, its target demographic is Russian mob bosses, and it wins Most Interesting Knife of SHOT Show 2020. Thank you for reading!

I went to the SHOT Show (Shooting Hunting Outdoors Trade) 2020 and the Las Vegas Custom Knife Show 2020 and saw literally thousands of knives. Because of the internet in general (and Instagram in particular) most of them looked familiar, but I had never seen 99% of them in person. I buy pretty much everything except fresh vegetables online, so I never really know how big knives are or how they feel until they arrive in my mailbox, so it was really neat to be able to see everything in person and ask questions. My mission with these two SHOT articles is to not only give my fellow knife nerds a heads up on what’s in store for us in 2020, but since I actually got my hands on them, I’ll do my best to describe how they feel.

There were way too many new knives for me to cover them all, so I’m just reporting on the ones that I found most interesting. A well known gun writer, Col. Townsend Whelen, said “only accurate rifles are interesting.” I don’t want to come off as a snob, but I generally agree with the concept. I don’t find knives made with cheap blade steel like AUS8 or 8Cr13MoV particularly interesting, even if they’re superb designs like TJ Schwarz’s Overland or Thero knives, both produced by CRKT. I love that there are so many unique, well made, low-cost folding knife options out there that we knife lovers can take a chance on without breaking the bank, but I personally gravitate towards higher-end stuff. Here we go, and I apologize in advance for my bad photography, I’ll do better next year!

ARCANE DESIGN

Necronaut flipper

This is a prototype of Arcane Design’s first folder, the Necronaut. It’s Kickstarter campaign launches February 10, 2020. It’s a framelock flipper with a 3.5” M390 blade, a titanium handle with red aluminum pivot collars, and it’s going to cost $350-$375, depending on blade and handle finishes. It’s going to be manufactured by Reate, and based on my past experiences with Reate-made knives, the quality of the production knives is likely to be top notch.

The Necronaut felt substantial and aggressive, and the flipping action was brisk with a solid lockup. It’s got a 4 mm thick blade and raised red pivot collars that give it more style and heft. The handle shape is surprisingly comfortable for being so angular, and I didn’t notice the pocket clip when I gave it a few test flips, so it seems to be doing a good job of not creating any hotspots in my very limited time with this mean-looking knife.

ARTISAN CUTLERY

Archaeo non-locking flipper

The locking version of the Archaeo flipper has been Artisan’s top seller lately, with large (3.86” blade) and small (3” blade) versions ranging in price from $57 to $250, depending on materials. Artisan has decided to ride the 2019/2020 industry-wide wave of non-locking knives by producing an Archaeo non-locking flipper. Price, size, and materials are all being decided at the moment. The expected release is sometime in March or April 2020.

The Archaeo felt very thin and light. The flipper action was snappy and the handle materials (G10 in this case) felt grippy and reasonably well-finished. Whether locking or non-locking, the Archaeo variants on display didn’t feel substantial enough for heavy-duty cutting, but that’s obviously not what they’re made for.

Unnamed Prototype Top Lock Folder

This is a prototype of a new locking system that Artisan has been working on for a few years. To open or close the knife, you place your thumb on top of, or on the side of, the spring-tensioned lock mechanism (circled) on the top front of the handle and slide it towards the rear. Artisan doesn’t have a name, release date, or even a final design yet- I think they’re just showing it to people to get feedback.

This felt unlike any other lock I’ve ever used. It’s an interesting design that doesn’t require you to put your thumb in the path of the blade to close it, but you can also close the blade on your fingers if you’re holding it too far back for the flipper tab to bump into your index finger as it swings closed. It’s a prototype, so the edges were somewhat sharp and the spring tension in the lock mechanism was a bit light from a safety standpoint, but it felt pretty neat, and I look forward to handling a finished product someday.

BENCHMADE

Autocrat OTF

Apparently the only new-for-2020 feature of the Benchmade Autocrat is a black DLC coated blade, but I mention it in this article partly because I was pleasantly surprised by it, and partly because BladeReviews.com’s Editor In-Chief Dan recently did a review of the Benchmade Infidel, and I had a very serious question for the Benchmade rep who was showing me around Benchmade’s display.

Dan mentioned in his review that the end of the fuller running down the center of the Infidel’s blade looked like a set of dog testicles (you really should look at the first image in Dan’s review linked above) and I politely inquired about the purpose of that particular shape at the aft end of the Infidel’s fuller. “It’s a blood groove.” said the rep. I then remarked about how fullers are usually for structural rigidity and aesthetics and not for actual blood channeling, and that it looks like a pair of balls. He didn’t like that at all and told me the Infidel is a serious knife for military personnel and first responders, so “It’s literally a blood groove.” Mystery solved, I guess. The Autocrat OTF, pictured above is smaller, lighter, and less hardcore than the Infidel, and therefore does not require the special blood groove shape.

Both sides of the Autocrat’s handle are made of textured G10, and they felt grippy but not abrasive. The knife is also surprisingly light for it’s size. The blade is 3.7” of S30V steel, which is a bit longer than the 3.46” blade of the Autocrat’s main competition, the Microtech Ultratech, but the Autocrat felt much lighter to me than an aluminum bodied Ultratech, and the spine-mounted switch was easier to activate. The pocket clip has a tasteful little Benchmade butterfly logo on it, as opposed to the blood groove havin’ Benchmade Infidel’s clip which says “THE INFIDEL” in large white letters. All in all, I quite like the Autocrat.

Tengu flipper

The Tengu is a classy little (2.77” blade) liner lock named after a Japanese demon. I find it interesting mainly because it’s design blends the look of an old-timey lockback with 21st century features such as flipper opening, a liner lock, an attractive striped G10 backspacer and handles, modern CPM-20CV steel, and overall cool lines. Designer Jared Oeser’s shield logo and smooth-faced handle screws on the show side make this a real standout for Benchmade. It’s slated for release in February, at a MSRP of $220.

This knife felt solid, heavy, and well made. Since there’s no pocket clip, it comes with a nice little soft leather pouch. I’ve handled a couple of William Henry knives, which are the pinnacle of modern + old-timey blended knives, and they’re handmade gems that radiate quality craftsmanship. The Tengu ain’t that, but it’s quite nice.

BESTECH

Kamoza flipper

The Kamoza, by prolific Bestech knife designer Kombou, is a medium-large (3.62” blade) flipper with a futuristic JRR Tolkein elf kind of vibe. The handle is titanium and the blade is M390 steel. As of February 2020, the Kamoza comes in three handle color/blade finish options, and is starting to appear in stores with a street price of around $255.

It felt light and tight with a snappy flipping action. The back end of the handle on the Kamoza has a curved cutout that fits the shape of the tanto blade, and felt quite good in my hand. This knife has a ton of fascinating design details, including a band of fine lines across the handle, which looks like it’s becoming a design motif for Kombou, as his next knife, the Kasta (below) has them too.

Kasta Flipper

This is another new model designed by Kombou, featuring stripes of finely milled lines on the handle and pivot screw. I was told that the Kasta blade shape was inspired by a historical Chinese infantry weapon, the Pudao, which was essentially a short sword on a pole. I was also told it would become available shortly after Chinese New Year and is slated to be the most expensive Bestech to date, with an MSRP of $400. It’s got a blade made of M390 steel, a titanium and carbon fiber handle, and other color/material combos will be forthcoming.

The Kasta felt big and meaty- the tall, heavy blade thwacked open with authority, and the handle allowed me a solid four finger grip. The belly of the blade is slightly lower than the flipper tab, so it could have some kitchen utility if that’s your thing. I would characterize this knife as “not office friendly.”

Tulip front flipper

Permission to use this pic was given to me by the photographer, Grzegorz Grabarski (Kombou)

The Tulip is a little angular front flipping piece of art by designer Ostap Hel. It has a 1.34” blade of M390 steel, and fit easily into the little coin pocket of my jeans. It was a December 2019 release.

The Tulip is cute but felt waaaay too small to do any serious cutting. It was so small I had a hard time opening it using the front flipper, but I’m sure I’d get the hang of it with practice. I get the appeal of such tiny knives, but I also got to handle the Bestech Imp (not pictured), which is about 50% bigger, and in my opinion the Imp is far more usable due to it’s index finger-sized blade choil.

BOKER PLUS

Aphex Flipper

The Boker representative I spoke with described the Aphex as a limited edition “Boker 2020 collector knife.” Designed by Lucas Burnley, it’s got all the right ingredients for a 2020-style tactical knife: M390 steel, titanium frame with carbon fiber inlays, and a super-manly vibe. It’s slated to become available in February or March of 2020 with an MSRP of $549.

The Aphex has a 4” blade, and felt like a serious tool. It’s big, heavy, and aggressive. Holding the Aphex made me want to use it to use it to whittle a boar-hunting spear out of a tree trunk.

CULTROTECH

Comrade flipper

Permission to use this pic was given to me by Cultrotech via Instagram

The Comrade is limited to 100 remarkably detailed pieces from Cultrotech Knives in Russia. It’s blade is 3.77” of Elmax steel in a titanium framelock handle. I met the designer at the Las Vegas Custom Knife show, but since I don’t speak Russian I wasn’t able to get many details, other than it will cost 48,000 Rubles ($740 USD.)

It felt crazy lightweight, and had a crazy smooth action. I’ve handled a couple of Shirogorov knives, which are known to be among the most well-crafted production folders in the world, and the Comrade was their equal in smoothness and build quality.

CRKT

Minimalist Cleaver

Other than the CRKT Provoke folding karambit, which to me is unquestionably super-cool, the only CRKT knife I want to single out from their huge catalog is the Minimalist Cleaver, along with it’s bowie, drop point, wharncliffe, and tanto variants. They all have blades around 2 inches long, made from not-so-good 5Cr15MoV or 8Cr13MoV blade steel, and come with cute little rigid nylon sheaths. They range in price from $17 to $25.

I thought the entire CRKT Minimalist series with these distinctive handles were kind of dumb gimmicks until I felt one, and then I was totally sold on the concept of these tiny fixed blade knives. They feel great in the hand because of the finger grooves, which provide a surprisingly solid grip despite the fact that the handle is quite thin. The cleaver style (pictured above) would probably work very well as a boxcutter or utility knife. I would actually buy this knife if I didn’t live in California, a state that says no! to fixed blade knives if they’re carried concealed. The only way to stay legal would be to openly carry it in a sheath, but people already think I’m weird enough without wearing a fixed blade on my belt like a mountain man.

FOX KNIVES

Radius folder

I don’t know what to call the opening mechanism, but here’s how it works: press the thumbstud (which is also a button) in to unlock the 2.95” blade, then walk it around it’s little round track with your thumb until it’s open, at which point the spring detent in the button pops it back up to lock the blade open. Reverse the process to close it. There are several blade steel, blade coating, and handle material variations coming out sometime in early 2020, with street prices starting at around $412.

The feel of the Radius was unique, and I liked it. I tend to have some small metal object in my hand (usually a knife or flashlight) when watching TV, but idly playing with flipper or assisted opening knives (and I barely saw any assisted opening knives at SHOT Show 2020 except for CRKT and SOG knives) makes noise and annoys my wife. But the Radius’ one handed opening is silent and addictive. I couldn’t stop opening and closing it the entire time I was speaking with the Fox Knives rep. It’s not a very long knife, with a blade under 3”, perhaps to make it legal in more places in America, and the thumb pivot mechanism takes up quite a bit of space in the handle. Because of that, there was no space on the handle for my pinky finger, which is really the only thing I didn’t like about this knife. The carbon fiber handle scales are unusually thick, which felt great in the hand but bulky in the pocket. I can’t remember if the titanium versions were as thick as the carbon fiber ones, and I also didn’t remember to ask if they’re making a left handed or ambidextrous version for the 10% of the world that’s not right handed.

599 Folding Karambit

The Fox 599 Folding Karambit isn’t particularly new, but I found this knife interesting because of it’s deployment method. It has the Emerson Wave feature, which is the hook on the back of the blade. On any normal Emerson Wave or DPX Gear Emerson-ish opening hook, you pull the knife towards the back of your pocket while drawing it upward, and the hook catches the fabric at the back of your pocket, making the blade snap open. But because karambit knives are designed to be used in a reverse grip with the index finger in the ring and the blade facing out, instead of facing in like a traditional knife, the Wave hook is reversed as well. The 599’s Wave hook works by grabbing the fabric on the front (forward facing) side of your pocket, not the back.

I tried to make this backwards opening feature work several times, and I finally got it but it felt very awkward. I would ordinarily recommend a lot of practice to anyone carrying this knife, but if you’re the kind of person who carries a karambit, you’re already going to practice that move until you destroy 10 pairs of pants.

GERBER

Doubledown Folding Machete

Do you love machetes but are always losing those pesky scabbards? Do you love butterfly knives but wish it was so big you could cut down a tree with it? I’m envisioning the “Has this ever happened to you?” part of the infomercial where it turns black & white and freeze frames on the actor looking into the camera in frustrated horror… Even the Gerber rep at the SHOT Show had a hard time being serious about this butterfly knife machete. It’s got a 6.75” blade, and is 15” open. The Gerber Doubledown is due to be released in August with a MSRP of $130.

I just had to play with this and was disappointed that it didn’t flip all the way open like a butterfly knife, but has a half-stop with safety release buttons (the thin silver bars near the pivot on each handle) that are only there to keep that big heavy blade from chopping your hand off when you try to open this awkward contraption. It’s due to be released in August 2020, which seemed strange to me since spring is gardening season, but perhaps they wanted their big, dangerous, folding machete release date to steer way clear of April, which is National Limb Loss Awareness Month.

KIZER CUTLERY

Clutch flipper

There were lots of thin, light, smallish, elegant new knives at SHOT 2020, and Kizer’s booth had a metric F-ton of them. The Clutch has a 3.39” S35VN blade and it’s titanium frame lock handle comes with either carbon fiber or micarta (pictured) inlays. The thing that made this particular knife interesting to me was it’s micarta inlays.

The extremely grippy inlays looked and felt like rigid corduroy (if you’re under 40 years old, ask your parents what corduroy is) and it’s obvious from the two different textures on the lock side that Kizer machined that line texture into the micarta, which is something I’ve never seen before. The Clutch should be available in May 2020.

Apus Front Flipper

The Apus is another thin, light, smallish, new Kizer knife, and is very 2020-style with it’s small size, front flipper, and different color variations. It’s 3” blade is S35VN steel with titanium, titanium/carbon fiber, or titanium/copper handles. It’s expected to be in stores around May.

I know it’s a subjective thing, but when I had this gorgeous little knife in my hand, I wished it would either be a little bigger or a little smaller, since I was able to get a 3 1/2 finger grip on it with my medium/large hands. I feel like it’s an in-between size at 6.9” overall, but that’s my only complaint. I find this knife’s open profile to be very aesthetically pleasing, especially with the copper handle scale.

Noble Flipper

This lightweight new flipper is designed by Sebastian Irawan from Indonesia, and is one of three of his Kizer-produced knives coming out in 2020. It’s got a 3.5” S35VN blade with a titanium framelock handle. Available in June 2020.

When I picked up the Noble and flipped open the blade (good, quick action by the way) I was immediately aware of how much the handle’s holes and off-center football-shaped scallops reduce the weight of the knife. The Noble’s handle is not particularly thin, but it’s got a lot of material removed from the inside of the handle as well, so it’s pretty much hollow without feeling fragile. The handle’s machining also provides a lot of grip, and the lock side of the knife has even more neat machining on the handle and pocket clip. This is one of those knives that feels better than it looks like it would, if that makes sense.

KERSHAW

Launch 11 OTS auto

Kershaw’s Launch series of Out The Side auto knives just got a little classier with the Launch 11. I think it’s much better looking than any of the previous ten Launch models. It has a 2.75” sheepsfoot blade made of CPM 154 steel in an aluminum handle.

It felt small and light- a gentleman’s switchblade. I felt the opening button was recessed enough to avoid accidental firing, which is important in a switchblade with no manual safety. The spring strength and blade weight felt well balanced, meaning that the spring pushing the blade open didn’t try to throw the knife out of my hand like most OTS automatic knives do.

LIONSTEEL

I think they had some new knives, but their SHOT booth was manned by two guys speaking to each other in Italian who never once acknowledged my presence, so I have nothing to report.

MAGPUL

Rigger flipper prototype

If you’ve read this SHOT Show 2020 article all the way down to this point, you’ll know that I’m not an actual journalist, but I faked it very convincingly at the Magpul booth. The third person I asked about this knife got a fourth person to go into the back and find the prototype pictured above, and they told me a lot of inside info on the story of the Magpul Rigger.

I’d seen pictures of the Rigger from last year’s show, and really liked it’s purposeful, clean aesthetic. In the hand, it’s big, tall and heavy, and the 3.4” S35VN blade flips open with a satisfying snap. The secondary locking mechanism (the switch that’s securing the framelock, pointing at the pocket clip in the second picture) was designed to feel like a 1911 pistol’s thumb safety. I have a 1911 and while this doesn’t look like a 1911’s safety, it does indeed have that crisp metal-on-metal snap when it locks into place.

Magpul released a serialized 200 piece mid-tech version of the Rigger with a black blade and handle in 2019, and it sold out immediately. I asked why the much-anticipated production run of the knife hadn’t happened yet, and was told that they were still trying to figure out how to make them at their Cheyenne, Wyoming factory in a cost-effective manner. Each pocket clip, for example, currently takes 4 hours of machining time due to it’s 2 degree angle. Magpul makes all their products in house, in America, and they’re going to figure out the puzzle of how to make the Rigger by themselves.

According to one of the Magpul reps I spoke with, they’re planning on releasing another limited run of 200 pieces, this time with the brown canvas micarta handle (pictured above) sometime in 2020, priced at around $425. I told him that I’m definitely going to buy one from their website when they drop, and then he told me about the other problem with getting the Rigger out there: the moment the first batch became available at magpul.com, demand was so high that the website immediately crashed. Hopefully they get that fixed soon so I can snag one for BladeReviews.

Part II…

Coming up in part two of the Most Interesting Knives of SHOT Show 2020: Medford, Microtech, Protech, Reate, Rike Knife, SOG, Spyderco, Strider, Viper, and WE Knife, featuring my most anticipated knife of 2020, the Snecx-designed WE Mini Buster.

Here’s a link to our 2020 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Knife Deals.

Friends and internet strangers, it is that time of year. Time to round up the various Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on knives and gear and to share them with you.

As always, please feel free to leave a comment or email me if I miss anything and I’ll add the deal.

BladeHQ

BladeHQ has all sorts of stuff on sale for their 2019 Black Friday deals.

The usual suspects, including some deeply discounted Boker and Kershaw autos, are for sale. They have a blacked out Benchmade Bugout for $99. Great price on that knife.

They also have some great deals on discontinued Spydercos. They have some pretty epic deals, especially the bundles, and I picked up an Atlantic and Lil Temperance 3 for $145. I also snagged the Q-Ball and Delica 4 combo for $119. It’s rare for me to bite on these Black Friday offers, but holy shit these bundles are difficult to resist. They have some other great ones as well.

They also appear to be running some flash sales. The sale will likely update as we count down to Friday.

Something for everyone and an all-around compelling sale. Check out the deals here.

Amazon

As usual, online retail giant Amazon has their deals going on for black Friday. You will likely find some decent deals on budget knives and flashlights. If you are looking to score big on a higher end knife this probably isn’t the place for that. They seem to do flash sales, and limited offerings. I am guessing there will be lots of time sensitive deals on more budget oriented knives, so here is a direct link to their outdoor gear deals.

The deals will keep changing / updating.

GP Knives

GP Knives has a bunch of stuff on offer. I see everything from stuff by Buck, TOPS, Gerber, MKM, Kershaw, Steel Will, and Zero Tolerance.

There is a little something for everyone, and they seem to be throwing in a lot of freebies with their deals.

You can check out all their Black Friday deals here.

KnivesShipFree

KnivesShipFree’s Black Friday deals are finally live. I think the best deal is on their Todd Begg Steelcraft Folders – they are 55% off! I snagged a 3/4 Kwaiken. Always liked the Steelcraft series so it looks like I’ll be reviewing the Kwaiken in 2020.

They have some other nice deals on Zero Tolerance, Bark River, and some kitchen knives. Worth checking out, but the Steelcraft stuff is what sent me over the edge.

KnifeDepot

This year KnifeDepot reached out to let me know they had a Black Friday and Cyber Monday event planned. Here’s a direct link to their deals page. Here is what they have:

Weekend Long Specials:

• Spend $100 on any engraved knife and get a free oops knife
• Spend $150 and get a free BOGO engraving – free engraved assisted opening knife with an engraving of your choice when you spend over $150 on any engraved purchase
• Spend $250 and get a free engraved knife + engraved gift tin

Black Friday ONLY:

• 10% off all engraved quickship knives with code: KNIFE-ENGRAVING-19

Small Business Saturday ONLY:

• You can purchase a raffle ticket and every purchase on Saturday earns you a raffle ticket to win one of the following items.
• Take 10% off Damascus knife purchases over $200

Cyber Monday ONLY:

• Spend over $100 you spend, and get a $10 gift card for your next order
• Take 10% off Chef knife purchases over $100

In addition they are going to have random flash sales and some deep discounts on select knives.

Smoky Mountain Knife Works

SMKW has a Black Friday promotion on their home page, and they are also running some Flash Sales this year. Apparently these are daily deals, so keep checking back and see what they have.

KnifeCenter

Here is a link to KnifeCenter’s Black Friday deals this year. So far they have some kitchen knives, and other odds and ends.

They also have a number of other holiday sales going on. Hogue, Spyderco, Cold Steel, Gerber, Buck and more.

National Knives

National Knives has a black Friday sale starting on Thanksgiving. They have deeply discounted their Zero Tolerance knives, and will be discounting additional knives throughout the sale.

Spyderco

Spyderco is running a Black Friday sale. I don’t know if they do this every year, but this year they have some select close out items on sale. Pretty good deals, but the Spyderco deals on BladeHQ are even better. Still, interesting and worth looking at.

Emerson

Emerson is running an interesting Black Friday sale this year. Buy one knife, and get a 2nd one for 40% off. They have a couple bundles to choose from. Worth looking at.

Pohl Force

Pohl Force also has some sort of Black Friday promotion. The website is is German, and the prices are in Euros, but they are offering 30% off a lot of knives. I’ve enjoyed Pohl Force knives. They are expensive, but cool. Check out their deal here.

Southern Grind

Southern Grind is offering a pre-Black Friday deal where if you buy a knife they will throw in a Lansky Sharpening system for free with coupon code LANSKY. For Black Friday they are offering 15% off all their knives.

Prometheus Lights / Foursevens

I always enjoyed the Foursevens Black Friday deals. They would put up a new deal each day, and over the years I snagged a couple lights that way including my old Preon 2, and Quark AA Tactical.

As you may know, Prometheus Lights bought Foursevens, so things have changed, but they are still running a deal: 15% off all Foursevens lights with code HOLIDAYME15 at checkout. I’m not a big flashlight guy, but use one every day, and lately I have been enjoying my 4 Sevens Mini MLR2 and my Streamlight Microstream.

I decided to upgrade with a new Preon P1 MKIII and Mini Turbo MKIII with the headlamp kit. It’s a bit of a splurge, but I’m looking forward to the new lights.

JomaShop

If you are into watches JomaShop has a Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale going on. All sorts of stuff, from $100 watches to $10,000 watches with deals on Hamilton and Breitling. Check it out here.

2019 Black Friday Knife Deals – That’s All For Now…

That’s it for now, but I am publishing this post Monday night. The deals will continue and update throughout the week. Drop me a line if you see anything cool, and retailers are welcome to reach out if they want me to include their deal on this page. Thanks and Happy Holidays.

The name SHOT Show makes many think the show is just about firearms and firearms accessories. Sure, SHOT is an acronym for Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade, but I’ve never actually heard someone call it anything but SHOT. If you’ve never been, you may be surprised to see the number of knives at the show. SHOT is typically the place where guns make their big debuts, but a few new knives make an appearance at SHOT too.

As I scoured the show for the latest and greatest, as well as those free candy bars, I kept my eyes opened for knives that spoke to me. Some are new, some were announced recently, and one is already on the market. These aren’t reviews or endorsements, but a quick rundown on what caught my eye at SHOT Show 2019. Also excuse the photos, SHOT doesn’t exactly provide the best light in the world.

Magpul Rigger

The Magpul Rigger is Magpul’s first knife. The Knife’s official name is Magpul Limited Edition Frame Lock – Rigger. Let’s call it the Rigger for short. Magpul is a company known for making tons of different firearm’s accessories, including magazines, stocks, foregrips, bipods and more. It’s a big deal when they go well outside of the norm.

The Rigger is a cool knife, and it will be highly collectible. The initial run will be short, and the knives will be individually serialized. The blade is made from S35Vn, so it does use premium steel in its construction. The blade is a modified Wharncliffe with a tapered dual bevel grind and a stonewash finish. The blade is 3.4 inches long, and the entire knife will weigh 4 ounces.

The knife uses a manual flipper and as the name implies a frame lock is present in the design. The frame lock isn’t the only lock though. Right behind the frame lock is a secondary locking system that clicks into action. The secondary locking feature is put in play with the thumb and is very easy to use. It clicks into place like a 1911’s safety. It’s both tactile and audible in an enjoyable way. The idea is with the secondary lock in play there is no way the frame lock can fail.

The pocket clip is titanium and is reversible for ambidextrous use. The frame is also titanium. Some knives will have titanium scales, and others will use G10 grips. The Rigger will even come with a custom dedicated polymer case. The Rigger doesn’t have a set release date or price, but it likely won’t be cheap or easy to get.

The Spyderco Efficient

The main thing that caught my eye about the Spyderco Efficient was the price tag. Spyderco seems to keep finding ways to make outstanding knives at a killer price. The MSRP for the efficient is 68 bucks, with retail around $40. The knife blade is a short, and stubby 2.98 inches. The blade is made from 8Cr13MoV and uses a full flat grind.

Editor: Also pictured is the interesting and not-quite-yet released Spyderco Smock.

The blade is made for everyday carry, and the knife overall weighs only 4.1 ounces. The handles are made from G-10 material with a nice aggressive texture to it. The blade will come with either a straight blade or a serrated one. The clip position itself can be swapped to either side.

The Spyderco Efficient is a sweet little knife. It feels very comfortable, and the angle of both the blade and the grip makes it an ergonomic knife for slicing and dicing. The angle seems like it would allow you to push the blade through thicker materials with ease.

The Spyderco Efficient has a liner lock, lanyard hole, and an efficient little opening hole. The Spyderco Efficient lives up to its name in both design and price.

The Gerber Key Note

I could choose a million different knives from Gerber. They seemed to have hundreds at their booth, and plenty of them are new. The one that caught my eye the hardest was the little Key Note. This little guy is adorable. Unfortunately its hard to find any details on the knife regarding materials, and features. The blade hasn’t made it to the internet just yet, and it wasn’t in the catalog.

From what I could see and handle with the Key Note I can tell you it’s tiny, super lightweight knife that is keychain sized. The Key Note is a folding knife with a frame lock. It comes with a keychain ring and is available in both black and FDE. The grips are metal, and I’m assuming aluminum. The knife is deployed via a small thumbnail slot on the top of the blade.

The blade is shaped almost like a chisel. It’s a square edge with a small point that’s great for slicing. It’s an EDC knife for those who want an ultra lightweight option that can be carried and forgotten. It does have a pocket clip that does appear to be a right hand only carry. Also, the MSRP is a mere 23 bucks.

The SOG SEAL XR

If you have ever had the desire to take a SOG Seal Pup and convert it to a folding knife, then SOG has you covered. According to SOG, the SEAL XR was derived from speaking with operators and professional users who wanted the Seal Pup in a more compact package. The SEAL XR is utilizing the XR lock system. This is a solid lock that is proven on the Terminus XR series of knives.

The SOG SEAL XR is a big knife and its made from a premium grade S35VN steel. The blade is huge, and overall the knife is also massive. The design is still pocketable and easy enough to carry. The SEAL XR has a heavily textured handle and a reverse pocket clip. Overall the knife is very beefy and feels like its quite strong.

The blade and lock design allow you to open the knife with a flipper that is ultra smooth and sends the blade flying out of the handle. The lock is easy to defeat, but will not come loose when the knife is being handled and used. The blade itself incorporates a small handguard to keep your hand from slipping into the blade. SOG hasn’t placed the knife on their website just yet, and the model at SHOT is a late model prototype that is the closest to representing the final product. The knife itself is coming to the market in July 2019. Keep a lookout if you need a big boy folding knife.

Knives of SHOT Show 2019 – Final Thoughts

SHOT show displayed tons of knives, and I could have filled this list with a dozen different models. I chose these four for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is these are all knives I want to own. Did you fine folks see any knives at SHOT Show 2019? Let us know below.

Editor: I hope you enjoyed this little bit of knife coverage from Travis. I have yet to attend SHOT so it’s nice to live vicariously through him a little. As always you can support the site by buying knives at BladeHQ and Amazon through our links at no additional cost to you. We greatly appreciate any support.

Looking for the latest deals and steals? Our 2019 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Knife Deals page is live. Go forth and save.

Once again, it is that time of year. Time to round up the various Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on knives and gear. I’m by my computer this year, so I figured I’d round up some links for 2018. Feel free to leave a comment or email me if I miss anything and I’ll add the deal.

I’m starting this post a little early this year, but I’ll update the article as the deals roll in.

Amazon

As usual, Amazon has their deals going on for black Friday. You will likely find some decent deals on budget knives and flashlights. If you are looking to score big on a higher end knife this probably isn’t the place for that. They seem to do flash sales, and limited offerings. I am guessing there will be lots of time sensitive deals on more budget oriented knives, so here is a direct link to their outdoor gear deals.

The deals will keep changing / updating.

BladeHQ

For Cyber Monday BladeHQ keeps the hits rolling. Their deals include the following:

• Boker Kalashnikov Auto with CTS-XHP Blade Steel – $54.99
• Benchmade Jungle – $89.99
• Kershaw Cryo in D2 – $34.99
• Spyderco Polestart + Rescue 3 – $89.99
• Boker Urban Trapper Petite in Cocobolo – $64.99
• Hogue EX02 in G-Mascus – $139.99
• Boker Strike – $36.99
• CRKT Folding Razel – $21.99
• Protech Rockeye – $139.99
• Kershaw Launch Series – All on Sale
• CRKT Squid – $19.99
• Kizer – All on Sale
• Kershaw – Special Sale on Kershaw
• Microtech – Special Sale on Microtech
• Kershaw Shuffle – $9.99
• CRKT – big sale on all models
• And much much more…

Check the deals out here.

BladeHQ has all sorts of stuff on sale for their Black Friday deals.

The usual suspects, including a deeply discounted Boker AK-74, are for sale, but they are also offering a free Blue Box Kit with each Benchmade knife (~$20.00 value), plenty of discounts on Protech Autos, Kershaw Autos, and Microtech autos. I also see sales for Kizer, Discontinued ZTs, Spydercos, and WE Knives.

Something for everyone and an all-around compelling sale. Check out the deals here.

GP Knives

GP Knives has a bunch of stuff on offer. I see everything from stuff by Buck, Lionsteel, CRKT, Kershaw, to ESEE knives, and leather goods. Once again, there is a little something for everyone. You can check out all their Black Friday deals here.

KnivesShipFree

KnivesShipFree is offering up some Cyber Monday deals this year. They can all be found on their 2018 Cyber Monday deals page. Here are the highlights:

• Free KSF Bottle Opener with Any Order
• 20% off Northwoods Haiwatha
• 20% off BRK Dan Tope Series
• Ken Onion Tsukiji for $99 – a KSF exclusive filet knife made by Ken Onion Knifeworks

KnivesShipFree is offering up some Black Friday deals this year. They can all be found on their 2018 Black Friday deals page. Here are the highlights:

• Free Benchmade Blue Box Kit with any Benchmade Knife
• $30 off all Bark River Bravo 1 Models with code “BRAVO18”
• 20% off entire Todd Begg Steelcraft Series
• Ken Onion Skinner for $99

All in all, not bad. Especially if you are in the market for a new Bravo 1.

KnifeArt

KnifeArt is running a Cyber Monday promotion. Frankly it’s hard for me to tell what exactly it is. I received an email from them this morning and it just links to their Home Page. So check it out and see if anything catches your eye.

Southern Grind

Southern Grind is offering a cool promotion where if you spend $200 they will give yo ua Jackal Pup (utility fixed blade knife) for free. Use code “GRINDBF” to get this. Offer is valid through 11/26/2018 so it doubles as their Cyber Monday deal too.

DPx Gear

DPx Gear is offering 15% off their entire store with the code Black Friday 2018 at checkout. This is good through 11/26/2018 so it covers Cyber Monday.

Smoky Mountain Knife Works

SMKW has a Black Friday promotion on their home page, and they are also running some Flash Sales this year. Apparently these are daily deals, so keep checking back and see what they have.

Brous Blades

Brous Blades is having a strong Black Friday sale. Deep discounts on many knives (as much as 50%). Here is a link to their sale page.

CRKT

The CRKT Outlet has some deals for you on a handful of their close out knives. I’ll continue to monitor this to see if it changes.

KnifeWorks

KnifeWorks has a sale going on. The deals include a $12.95 Kershaw Shuffle, a $135 Manix 2 in 52100 Carbon Steel, a $200 Paramilitary 2 in Carbon Fiber, some bundle deals, and 5% off select brands. Like last year their site is janky and the deals page is poorly done, but here’s a link to it. Also, here is a link to their “Closeouts” section that has some stuff on sale.

Cabela’s

This large retailer has some stuff on offer for Black Friday. Nothing crazy so far, but here is a link to their sales page for now.

KnifeCenter

Here is a link to KnifeCenter’s Black Friday deal this year. They have a couple Zero Tolerance knives on deep discount this year. They have some Todd Begg Steelcraft stuff on a slight discount, some kitchen knives and razor blades. Looks like they will also have a Victorinox sale, along with Reate and WE Knives. Here is a link to their Holiday Sales Page where you can check out all the deals.

Russian Knives

RussianKnives.com is running a cool deal where you name your own price. You pick out the make and model you want, and fill out a form with your offer. They will accept it or counter it, and you could end up with a pretty sweet deal on a Russian blade. Very cool.

Manly Knives

Manly Knives is running a Black Friday Sale that you can check out on the homepage of their website. Knives are up to 20% off, which isn’t bad but it’s nothing crazy either. But that black and read WASP looks nice…

DLT Trading

DLT Trading appears to have some stuff on sale. Here is a link to their 2018 Black Friday Deal’s page. I see some Benchmade, Buck, Spyderco, Kershaw, Zero Tolerance and more.

Notable deals to me include the Spyderco Mantra for $150, $100 for the Spyderco Lil Lum G10, and $140 for the Bark River Bravo 1 in Canvas Micarta.

Chicago Knife Works

Chicago Knife Works has a black Friday sale going on. All sorts of deals, plus it looks like they are offering 10% off site wide. Cool!

Gear

This section is for miscellaneous gear (packs, multi-tools, anything else).

JomaShop

If you are into watches JomaShop has a Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale going on. All sorts of stuff, from $100 watches to $10,000 watches. They even have some Rolexes discounted by 3%. Check it out here.

HuckBerry

Botique online retailer Huckberry has some Black Friday offerings. I’ve never been able to get into into HuckBerry, but they have all sorts of gear on sale, everything including clothing, knives, camping gear, and watches. So check it out if you are in the market.

That’s All the 2018 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Knife Deals For Now…

I’ll keep trolling the internets to see if anything else noteworthy pops up on my radar. Again, feel free to reach out if I missed anything for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Thanks and Happy Holidays.