Smith and Wesson is synonymous with high quality firearms. What many people don’t know, is that Smith and Wesson (S&W) also makes knives. Well, that isn’t 100% true, Smith and Wesson Knives doesn’t make the knives themselves (more on that in the “history” section below), but they carry the Smith and Wesson name and are still part of the rich tradition of this quintessential American firearms company.
Here is a link to their Corporate Website. Here is a link to Smith & Wesson on Wikipedia.
Smith and Wesson Knife Reviews
Browse all the S&W knife reviews at BladeReviews.com:
Smith and Wesson SWBG2TS BORDER GUARD Rescue Knife
The Smith and Wesson SWBG2TS Border Guard Rescue Knife is one mean SOB. I’ve been wanting to review this knife for a while now, and now that I’ve carried it I can finally do a review. Basic Information This knife has a large 4.4″ blade of 440C stainless steel and an overall length of 10″. Combine ...
Smith & Wesson SWFRS First Response Knife
Last Updated: August 2, 2019 The Smith & Wesson SWFRS First Response Knife is an emergency knife designed for those situations that you hate to think about but have to consider like a car accident or natural disaster. Smith and Wesson has put together a solid knife that is inexpensive enough to dedicate to your car ...
Smith and Wesson Homeland Security Survival Knife
The Rothco Smith and Wesson Homeland Security Survival Knife is a large Urban Survival Knife from Smith and Wesson. As the “Urban” designation suggests, this knife is designed differently from a forest survival knife. The large tanto blade, urban camo paint job, and large non-functional serrations on the back of the blade add to ...
Smith and Wesson Knife History
Smith and Wesson began in the early 1850’s when friends Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson became partners marketing a lever action pistol. Their first endeavor wasn’t successful and they eventually had to sell the company, but that first company gave them the experience needed to launch their first big success, the Model 3 American, which was the world’s first caliber cartridge revolver. This was just a moment in the company’s long line of innovation. Smith and Wesson has continued to lead the industry for over 150 years.
Smith and Wesson first started manufacturing knives in 1974. As a company, Smith and Wesson is heavily focused on the safety and security business, and knives were an obvious step from their core activities. Smith and Wesson knives used to be manufactured in house, although for a period of time (1986-1993) Vermont Cutlery Co of West Rutland VT made knives for Smith and Wesson. Today Taylor Cutlery makes and sells Smith and Wesson knives.
Smith and Wesson Knives Today
A lot of the Smith and Wesson knives made today are manufactured overseas and cater to the police and military. S&W provides a lot of rescue, tactical, automatic and assisted open knives at affordable prices. These knives can double as good EDC options (where they are legal to carry) and S&W knives has developed a very loyal following despite receiving a lot of criticism as being cheap Chinese knives. Indeed a majority of the knives are made in Asia and I find the blade steels and manufacturing to be of decent quality. You have to realize that these are generally very inexpensive knives, so you get what you pay for.
Smith and Wesson’s Military and Police knives are some of the more popular S&W knives made today. These are large folding pocket knives outfitted with Multipurpose Assisted Generational Innovative Cutlery (MAGIC) technology, a proprietary technology developed by the engineers at Taylor Brands. These knives come in a variety of finishes including a flat black teflon coating, urban camo, or a kind of desert finish (a sand colored handle with a black or satin finished blade).
Anyhow, I’ve done reviews on a variety of S&W knives, from the edc folders to boot knives, to bayonets to survival knives – you will find all of that and more here.
If the knife I have is any indication of the others I would never buy this brand. The one I have is bent and has deformations from little trees I’m cutting. Should be able to hack into wood without damage. I agree with authentic you get what you pay for 😆
Shouldn’t* be able to hack into anything. You are purchasing a knife, with the purpose and design behind it to enable it to handle all CUTTING task. If you would like to chop down trees I would suggest an axe, hatchet, or saw. Don’t blame the tool for the operator not knowing the function of his own equipment.
Smartest thing I’ve heard to date
Trees no…save your blade for seat belts or flesh in self defence…they keep a sharp edge and will slice through any intruder. For 15$…worth the few dollars.
Both Smith and Wesson, and Winchester,two historic American firearms manufacturers, have taken to flooding the market with cheap, inexpensive Chinese knives of poor to middling quality. I purchased an Outback kukri inspired camp machete/ hatchet that I was quite impressed with at first…..I am knife maker and collected myself….but when that heavy, razor sharp blade snapped at its weakest point, while using a proper, forward chopping motion, and the large blade flipped backwards, cut and bruised my wrist, and missed my face just barely as I jerked out of the way…….here comes the lawsuit folks!! I WILL NEVER BUY THIS CHINESE GARBAGE AGAIN. Did I mention that lawsuit?
Friend has a knife, smith and wesson, says designed by Morgan A. Taylor, has swtac at base of blade, says Smith & Wesson special Trctichal he says it is a 1889, is it worth anything.
Jeanie, Does it say if it is made in the USA on it? If so it might be worth something. If it’s made in China it’s not worth anything.
Dan
I use my knife every day all day, usage varies from paper cutting to crow baring arrow heads out of wooden beams. With a little bit of caution all 3 of my S&W knives have never broken or bent.
What I like most about the S&W knives I have seen and owned is the ability to take them apart for maintenance.
Most of the people (who are not in the know about knives these days) see the branding on my S&W and think “Oh! That must have cost you an arm and a leg” so i just keep my mouth shut and ride that admiration train for as long as possible.
Think I got a little more than I paid for, just wish they had a better feeling locking mechanism because the foldy metal bit thinly is just yuck man.
Made in China junk.
Is the tactical knife found on Amazon American made? Thanks
Anthony, I’m not sure what knife exactly you mean, but if you want to post a link in another comment I’ll be happy to take a look.
Dan
Smith & Wesson SWA24S 7.1in Stainless Steel Folding Knife with 3.1in Clip Point Serrated Blade and Aluminum Handle for Outdoor Tactical Survival and Everyday Carry
Yes, I will get an axe for chopping; however, the least I expect of those 3 hex-screws is that they stay put!
When there is nearly no pressure or pull being applied. You get what you pay for but clip staying back on your belt and the knife falling off?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B0037F1B9E/R32NPE69T6MP36?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl
Just unacceptable from S&W who lend their name to Taylor Cutlery who use the exact same 3 hex-screw arrangement on their Schrade which I won’t buy, either!
The Schrade that, very temporarily, took my heart away!
https://m.ebay.com/itm/Schrade-Black-Serr-M-A-G-I-C-Assisted-Opening-Liner-Lock-Folding-Knife-SCHA11BS/321851063098
Really sad at this New and Cheap world,
Ra.
P.S. Time for a Benchmade?
I’ve owned the same exact knife for 2 yrs and I’ve only had one issue the lock isn’t that great and it tends to open while in the pocket but it cuts true every use and it’s also very durable awesome grip and the handle itself is one of the toughest I’ve ever owned and never had any issues with any of the screws coming loose
I have a first run smith and Wesson S.W.A.T that is one of the best knives Ive ever owned. Close to 20 years of daily EDC and use, and its still going strong. No blade plat, no loose screws, solid lockup. In addition I have a s&W border guard I use frequently that has held up well for 4 years so far. I like the brand and will continue to buy them, and if they DO break (or get lost) I’ll buy another for 15 bucks and keep going. Inexpensive doesn’t ALWAYS mean “bad”.
You get what you pay for. Taylor is made in China, of course.
BUT, for $15-$50, they are excellent knives.
I got the Smith & Wesson
ExtremeOps knife for Christmas
It’s really a awesome knife but the clip that you to secure it in your pocket is the worst design I have ever seen.
The end of the clip falls into a hole in the handle which makes it extremely hard to secure in pocket.
Just got their throwing knives. Seem pretty high quality. I would put them on “Hibben” level even and that’s saying a lot! Ordered a second set immediately.
Had a schrade folding hunter. Sharpens easily however dull as can be before you finish field dressing a 100 lb whitetail. The knife is currently at rest in our local land fill. Abysmal quality! Avoid!
Where can I order 1 clip for my SWAT MBS knife and a switch to open my SWAT TLS?
You get what you pay for with S&W knives. I have a M&P swmp13bs and it came sharp out of the box, but after cutting through a couple cardboard boxes, the blade dulled and there was a lot of blade play. It’s sturdy for my usage, but wouldn’t recommend for anything outside of cutting cardboard or thin twine. Also, the flipper assist isn’t that great. It either needs a ton of lube or a loosened pivot (which causes severe blade play). All in all, I think they could do better with the type of steel they use. AUS8, 8cr13mov, 4034, etc. aren’t great steels, but there are makers like spyderco who make some products in China and their use of 8cr13mov is far superior.
If you can’t spend over $50 for a knife, then go for S&W, but I’d throw in an extra couple bucks and get something immensely better.
2 years ago I bought two Smith folders one SWBG2TS and one SW609. The 609 has held up extremely well and has been used for everything from a makeshift tool/key to deterring burglars. The tip ended up breaking about a year ago but is still very effective. I also have to do very little maintenance or even sharpening on it. I’ve already recommended it to at least a dozen friends and would definitely buy another.
I have owned 3 S&W knives over the last few years and I’ve tried to break them on purpose…The only real damage I have ever been able inflict on them is by prying or using the tip as a screwdriver…Even the knives that I’ve broken the tips on, the damage was minimal so I simply reformed the tips on a bench grinder and the knives are 100% usable today….I purchased the Cutting Horse model two weeks ago and I’ve applied much down-force on the back of the blade and can lift my coffee table into the air,and I’ve never had a problem with the lock on any S&W knife….That being said, if the blade has a bunch of dried blood or fur or dirt in it, the lock might fail..Just treat these like a firearm and keep them clean…Every day before you stick this thing in your pocket, especially after you’ve dressed an animal the previous day, make sure that the knife’s cheeks are not fouled and the lock has a clear path to to the center of the blade…I’ve owned Buck knives in the past and they’ve needed cleaning because the locking mechanism would not keep the blade open…Last but not least, these new knives coming out of China have pretty good blades on them and by using a TORX bit, I can take the whole knife apart or control the amount of friction on the blade itself, making it easier to deploy in an emergency situation…..My friends have S&W knifes that they have broken them by prying on things and S&W accepted the broken knives back and under their warranty S&W replaced them without question…but these knives are selling for ten bucks on Ebay so it’s in their best interest to replace them and to maintain the customer base…I’ve purchased expensive knives in the past that can’t hold a candle to this Chinese built cheap Cuttin’ Horse model….In all actuality it would cost more time and money to send the knife back to the S&W company for repair or replacement…I know all of the comments are probably against me but that’s my two cents anyway…
I purchased the SW 609 model with the stone washed high carbon stainless. I have had a number of pocket knives in my life, some cheap and some not so cheap. They all had just stainless steel blades. Most of them, one in particular could not be sharpened no matter what. Just a couple of quick swipes on the hone out the box on this one has no problems staying sharp. I carry this with my SW M&P 2.0 compact 45 and enjoy it immensely.
A while back I added an sw609 to my small collection of CRKTs, Bucks, Kershaws, and assorted other brands. I didn’t expect much from this knife since I had read a lot of negative commentary about S&W knives. Honestly, I was very pleasantly surprised by how good the 609 is. Sturdy construction; an excellent pocket clip (one position only); perfectly centered, sharp 8Cr13MoV blade out of the box; smooth and quick deployment and great ergonomics make for a pretty dang good EDC for the average user. Of course, I don’t chop down trees with the knife or otherwise abuse it, but well, it has become one of my favorites in my EDC rotation, comparing favorably in all respects with my Kershaw 3860 Oblivion, a knife that costs over twice as much (the S&W is not spring assisted, however). Anyway, I obviously don’t agree with a lot of the reviewers. I can recommend this knife (for its intended purpose) with no reservations.
Agree 100%
In life, really good companies have the money to do “quality” quality control, i.e. Test one out of every batch of whatever widget they make. But even the famous Smith & Wesson hand gun line has put out some sub par items before the mistakes were caught. IMO if you carry that knife every day I would spend more than beer money for something that I know I can count on. (and that would be a full tang fixed blade).
I was gifted a S&W MP folding knife after losing my first one, and I just love it. Stays sharp, very dependable. My favorite!
Wow !
Heck of discussion….I don’t by $15 knives….but I’d bet a S&W is better than junk in a convenience store.
I own ALL the S&W Blackie Collins knives made in the 70s…all made in house….I know this because I worked at S&W back in 1978.
I challenge you to call them junk knives.
Buy one….it will cost much more than a $15 budget.
Likely most all $15 knives…including S&W and their choice of manufacturer now….will give you about your money’s worth.
Seems logical.
One comment made…will go to Benchmade now.
Amen !
Great knives !
Apples vs Oranges….completely different budget comparison.
I just bought an M&P MAGIC SWMP9BTS for $50….I was curious about the knife.
Received it yesterday.
Large and heavy.
I had difficulty opening it with the top slide.
A little patience working it in…a couple drops quality oil…cleaning up any debris from 1st openings rubbing or paint.
Smooth as silk !
A little heavy…but it was the uniqueness that I added it to my collection.
Outstanding knife for the money.
I recommend grabbing a vintage 70s S&W made in USA knife.
Most fixed blades.
Made their own leather sheaths too…right in Springfield.
There is one folder.
Can grab a nice vintage S&W Blackie Collins for about $150 if lucky.
You won’t be disappointed .
It’s OK to like and use inexpensive knives.
I’d be cautious using any $15 knife…including S&W.
Only MY opinion…thanks !
PS their guns are still high quality.
Their Performance Center sells some amazing guns.
Peace
I won a small S&W folding knife with SWAT on the blade and a black skeleton type grip.
It’s 6″ open, Hammer Forged Surgical China on the blade. I was skeptical at first since I like cheap knives that aren’t to depressing when you lose it but they never hold up or hold an edge but this one stays tight and holds a decent edge. To me it’s size is perfect.
Garbage—never again. I have a folding assisted open blade which I seldom used. After a couple of years, the blade barely opens without using two hands. There is no rust and storage was in a bedroom drawer. The warranty is only good for one year.
S&W—stick it.
I see good and bad tales for S&W knives. I have a good one, mostly. I bought a S&W folding knife for $15, and I didn’t expect much. It was sharp enough, it opened easily one-handed with only a little practice, locks tightly, and closes easily, although I’ve never been a fan of frame-locks.
After three years in my pocket, I can say that it has never failed mechanically, and it hasn’t required any repairs or unusual maintenance. The steel is okay, but not great. It doesn’t hold an edge terribly well, but it is pretty easy to put an edge on it.
In short, for a $15 knife, it does a great job. But don’t compare it to a $100 knife.
A good knife user know how to look after hes knifes and maintain it…dont blame the knife if you dont know how to work the pivot and screws….Me…im a huge S&W man…..stick that plastick flimsy bensh made and spifrco kniges.
O yes….and if you realy looking for bad ass solid knifes that actualy cheap,get yourself a Enlan brand knife….i have the Enlan bathawk….the Enlan velconet and the enlan steppe…best brand knifes ever….