Tactical knives are blades designed for military and defensive use. Tactical knives as we know them today are relatively new to the scene, but people have been carrying “tactical knives” since the dawn of mankind. Today tactical knives are collected and carried by all kinds of knife enthusiasts. As you can see below, I have reviewed a number tactical knives. I especially like folding tacticals because they are often legal and easy to carry.
Tactical Knife Reviews
SOG SEAL XR Review
For some, getting right up to the point of “too much” is exactly the point. I’d read once that Chevrolet didn’t see any need to put a stronger engine in the Corvette in the sixth and seventh generations because without a mid-engine chassis, adding more power would just spin the tires. Sensible enough. Meanwhile, Dodge ...
Spyderco Matriarch II Review
The Spyderco Matriarch’s predecessor, the Civilian, carries a somewhat curious warning. As the company writes on the knife’s product webpage, “Because of its distinctly specialized features it is not intended or designed for general utility or everyday use.” Reading this and knowing nothing about the Civilian, the layperson might wonder why a consumer might spend ...
Shirogorov Ne0n Review
I spend a lot of time imagining what it must be like to create a masterpiece. Putting the final brushstroke on Monet’s Water Lilies or for John Frusciante to idly strum the opening chords to Can’t Stop for the very first time. What must be to be involved in the creation of something truly great. ...
Ka-Bar TDI Shark Bite Review
I have a real thing for discrete weapons. It might be a focus I have on concealed carry, but it’s extended to more melee type weapons as well. Part of this love of discrete weapons leads to weapons made from nontraditional materials, like carbon fiber, G-10, and all variance of polymers. These weapons are typically ...
Gerber 06 Auto Review
The Gerber 06 Auto has always struck me as a stand out piece for Gerber. A well worn trope in knife reviewing is to bag on Gerber for their decline from an American standard to a mass market, Wal-Mart oriented, overseas produced stuffed shirt of a brand. Buy the Gerber 06 Auto at BladeHQ The poster ...
Microtech Dirac Review
Buy the Microtech Dirac at BladeHQ “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” (Arthur C. Clarke, 1962) Every time I use my Microtech Dirac, I feel like I’m doing a magic trick. The Dirac is an out-the-front (OTF) switchblade, and its 2 7/8” (74 mm) blade snaps out and back in so fast that my eye ...
CRKT Provoke Review
Where to begin with the CRKT Provoke? This is a knife that defies convention, and it hardly relates to any other knife that has crossed my desk. Buy the CRK Provoke at BladeHQ If I were to draw a comparison to a knife in my collection, the Provoke most reminds me of the HALO VI. Not ...
We Knife Co. Mini Buster Review
Snecx! If you haven’t heard of him yet, Snecx Tan is a Malaysian knife and tool maker who is, in my opinion, currently the most mechanically innovative knife designer in the world. His Instagram profile says “Just a hobbyist working on knives. Not a knifemaker.” That’s a bit of an understatement for someone who recently ...
Bestech Marukka Review
Kombou is on fire lately! In the last few years, Bestech Knives has released 8 knives that he’s designed, including the Marukka reviewed here. I bought the Marukka the day it was released, and as I write this review 60 days later, two more Bestech/Kombou knives are starting to hit stores: the Wibra and the ...
Zero Tolerance 0308 Review
I got a little silly with my knife purchases in the last few years. If it wasn’t an automatic knife, my purse strings got tight. I’m not saying I’m a cheapskate, but I was ignoring some great knives in the premium market if they didn’t have a button to flip them into action. A friend ...
Benchmade Infidel Review
To be completely honest, my first association with the Infidel is nutnfancy. I recall his video review from years back. He may have replaced it with this one. The Infidel struck me as a cool knife, but a total novelty piece. At the time I watched his videos, buying a $400 automatic out the front ...
Emerson La Griffe Review
The La Griffe, which apparently means ‘the claw’ in French, is designed by Fred Perrin and produced by Emerson. Fred Perrin is a French SpecOps veteran and martial arts practitioner who also designs knives on the side. Most of his designs are more or less designed to be weapons and his designs come from a ...
Cold Steel Hide Out Review
You can’t not love Cold Steel. They make some odd, but often innovative knives, as well as super fun and cheesy videos. I never needed a Gladius machete but damn do I want one. Today we are going small, super small, and looking at Cold Steel’s Hide Out. The Hide Out is an ultra small ...
Benchmade Bailout Review
There has been something interesting going on at Benchmade Knife Co. I’ve said it a few times in recent reviews, but it’s worth highlighting here. They used to be the dusty old gun-shop knife brand. That’s not to say the old mini Griptillians were terrible, but just that I don’t think many people would have ...
Bestech Fanga Review
I love me a big knife. I particularly love a big, well designed knife. I recently acquired two similar big folding knives, and I’m going to do a full review of one and complain about the other one. Buy the Bestech Fanga at BladeHQ The Bestech Knives Fanga is the newest design from Polish knife designer Grzegorz ...
Emerson Mini Commander Review
The Mini-Commander is my third Emerson folder and third in the line of CQC knives. I guess I’m an Emerson collector. I initially purchased a CQC-7BW during my Marine Corps days, then I purchased a Mini CQC-15 that I thought combined a cool tanto edge and a good belly to replace the 7. Now I ...
Bestech Knives Malware Review
Over the years, I’ve noticed that in polite society when I whip out a folding knife to open a box or cut a loose thread, most people’s reactions are some variation of “Oh God, why do you have/need/carry that?” My usual reply is that a knife is the most useful tool in the world, but ...
Emerson Mini CQC-15 Review
The Emerson CQC line of folding tactical knives are downright legendary. Mr. Emerson’s knives were the first folding tactical knives and are common to see among the armed forces, with police, and of course average Joes like me. CQC stands for ‘close quarters combat,’ and these knives are designed to be used as weapons as ...
Cold Steel Golden Eye Review
One visitor to the site commented that we are “a little biased towards Spyderco”. It’s probably because we have reviewed a lot of Spyderco knives over the years. More than any other brand. I like Spydercos and so does Ben, Grayson, Josh, and pretty much everyone who has written for the site. We all like ...
Viper Rhino Review
The Rhino is a large folder from Tecnocut’s Viper brand. Honoring its namesake, it features an oversized frame, robust build and armored appearance. Created by long time collaborator and custom knife maker Fabrizio Silvestrelli, it has flowing considered lines and a distinct appearance. Buy the Viper Rhino at BladeHQ General Dimensions and Blade ...
Spyderco Hundred Pacer Review
At first, nothing about the Spyderco Hundred Pacer appealed to me. For someone intent on wringing maximum utility from every inch, every ounce, and every dollar’s worth of blade, the Hundred Pacer seems absurd: too big, too heavy, and too expensive. It’s also… weird. Impressively weird, even for Spyderco, whose catalog is persistently peppered with ...
Fantoni HB-01 Review
The Fantoni HB-01 is a collaborative design with William Harsey Junior. Harsey is a well known American designer and custom knife maker. He’s notably popular for producing several knives for, and with the collaboration of divisions in the U.S. Special forces. This design has its production roots in a discontinued iteration put out ...
Benchmade Proxy Review
Last Updated: September 7, 2019 Warren Osborne is one of the most recognized names in knife making. While he was an extremely talented custom maker, a large part of his renown is due to a series of high profile collaborations with Benchmade. The 940 is one of the most notable collabs, but Warren Osborne is also ...
Gerber StrongArm Review
One thing I have always had is a healthy respect for is a good fixed blade knife. As a young infantryman I fell victim to some clever marketing from Gerber and purchased the Gerber LMF II Infantry. It had infantry in the name so I couldn’t go wrong right? While I may have been a ...
Manly Peak Review
I have a couple Manly knives for you today. That’s not a typo. Manly is a Bulgarian knife manufacturer. More recently they have started distributing knives in the USA through their aptly named Manly USA distributor. A couple articles on Nemo Knives Review put their products on the map for me, and I quickly became ...
Emerson PUK Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 Emerson is well known for producing a wide variety of knives, but they are most famous for producing a tactical folding knife known as the CQC 7. The CQC 7 is popular among spec ops troops around the world. The CQC 7 is what caused Ernest Emerson to turn the company ...
Spyderco Bradley Folder 2 Review
I’ve set some odd goals throughout my life. Goals that are a personal measure of my own success. One of those goals was to carry a Spyderco as an EDC knife. I always associated Spyderco with expensive and high quality. Why? I’m not exactly sure. Realizing that knives from companies like Microtech can cost 5 ...
Microtech Sigil MK6 Review
There is depth to the knife industry. So much depth that a reviewer can review knives for 5 years, hire on 3 other writers to review knives, amass a catalog of over 300 knife reviews, and still not review knives from all the major manufacturers. That’s case with this website and Microtech at least. ...
Spyderco P’Kal Review
The word pikal (also spelled pakal) is a Visayan dialect word that literally means “to rip.” In the Filipino martial arts, the name is generally used to describe the method of holding a knife in a reverse grip (aka ice pick grip), but more specifically denotes a reverse grip with the edge inverted, facing ...
Zero Tolerance 0055 Review
Continuing on with my recent interest in reviewing unusual knives, the Zero Tolerance 0055 caught my eye for obvious reasons. This is an unusual looking knife. Designed by acclaimed Brazilian custom knifemaker Gustavo Cecchini of GTC Knives, the 0055 is a collaboration fusing the practical with the fantastical. Buy the ZT 0055 at BladeHQ I think ...
Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Left Handed C81GLE2 Review
Last Updated: August 7, 2019 In 2009 my house was broken into while I was living in West Nashville. This caused me to do two things in quick succession. First, I adopted a huge Irish Wolfhound mix named “Apple,” and secondly, I bought a handgun. Now, since I tend to dive headfirst into anything that I ...
Spartan Blade Works Pallas Review
Last Updated: August 8, 2019 Most of us who have been following Spartan Blades know the company started with high end fixed blade knives. A few years ago they launched the Akribis, a carbon fiber clad titanium framelock folder. I always appreciated the lines of the Akribis, but never got around to acquiring one. Although some ...
Spartan Blades Horkos Review
Spartan Blades has a reputation of producing a premium product geared towards military applications. Founded by a duo of retired Special Forces operatives, I always considered Spartan Blades to have a unique position in the market. Their approach is simple: manufacture high end fixed blade combat knives in the USA out of premium materials. Buy ...
Cold Steel Broken Skull Review
I try not to read too much into the name of a knife. After all, the name has no impact on the performance. But sometimes good knives can have bad names. Even after learning that this knife was designed by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and named after his Broken Skull Ranch, I still thought the ...
Rosarms Kisten Overview
Last Updated: August 20, 2019 In the course of reviewing hundreds of knives, occasionally something comes so far from out field that you feel compelled to examine it. If anything, for posterity. I felt that way when Vlad Kovalov of RussianKnives.com approached me about the Rosarms Kisten. This is a Russian fighting knife designed by Alexander ...
Emerson Sheepdog Review
Last Updated: July 30, 2019 Having reviewed many Emerson knives over the years, and reaching largely the same conclusions, you would think I am a glutton for punishment in selecting the Emerson Sheep Dog for review. However, the Sheepdog brings something new to the table. This is the first Emerson flipper I have reviewed, and it ...
Kizer Ki3480 Dirk Pinkerton Rogue Review
The Kizer Ki3480 Rogue is a series of firsts for me. It’s the first Dirk Pinkerton design I have ever reviewed, it’s my first review of a mid-tier Kizer knife, and it’s the first wharncliffe I have reviewed in a while. The designer, Dirk Pinkerton, is an interesting guy. He is a custom knifemaker from Huntersville, ...
Okapi 907 Review
A while back, I did a review of the Cold Steel Kudu, Lynn Thompson’s modern take on the South African Okapi 907. Within that article, I made some statements concerning the quality and reliability of the traditional Okapi which were based on personal research and input from South African friends experienced with the Okapi. ...
Emerson Gentleman Jim Review
Last Updated: September 9, 2019 When I think of Emerson Knives, I think of purpose built tactical knives. Models like the CQC-7, the Commander, and the CQC-15. These stout utility/”tactical” knives epitomize the company. But Emerson has released a few designs over the years that have strayed off the beaten path and caught my eye. The ...
Hinderer MP-1 Review
It seems like every time I write a review of a Hinderer knife I can’t help but open with a commentary on the state of the Hinderer market. Maybe it’s the finance degree talking. At any rate, a few years ago a Hinderer XM-18 would sell for well north of retail. Some were selling for ...
DPx Gear HEFT 4 Assault Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 Robert Young Pelton is a journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker with a reputation as an adventurer with an uncanny ability to enter into violent and deadly areas of the world return with a stunning story. Pelton’s experiences led him to create his own brand of knives after much frustration with ...
Benchmade 530 / 531 Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 Shopping on Amazon for knives is a dangerous endeavor. Not only can you find a nearly endless variety of blades, but your account also has a nasty habit of learning your interests. You might not notice it at first. A simple suggestion, “I noticed you like Spyderco. Have you heard of ...
Pohl Force Mike One Review
Last Updated: July 31, 2019 I have lusted after the Pohl Force Mike One for years. I wanted one for years. For the uninitiated, Pohl Force is a tactical knife company owned by Dietmar Pohl, a long time knife collector, knife designer, knife enthusiast, and author of books on knives. I have met with Dietmar, and ...
Cold Steel Kudu Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 There is a knife in South Africa known as the Okapi. Originally produced in Germany in the early 1900s for export to the German colonies in Africa, the trademark and tooling was purchased by All Round Tooling (aka Okapi South Africa) in 1988 and all production moved to South Africa. Made ...
Shirogorov F3 Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2019 The Shirogorov 95t is arguably the nicest knife I have reviewed to date. It is a beautiful piece embodying all the characteristics one would seek out in a high end titanium framelock flipper: top shelf materials, amazing action, a beautiful design, plenty of details, and an otherwordly level of machining, fit, ...
Gerber Applegate Fairbairn Covert Review
The first knife I ever owned, even before my Swiss Army knife, was a Gerber that my Dad gave me. It awed me then and awes me now, and is being passed down within my family; hopefully for generations to come. When a couple of military buddies mentioned the Gerber Applegate Fairbair Covert ...
Spyderco C149G Vallotton Sub-Hilt Folder Review
I purchased my very first tactical folder during my Freshman year of college in 1992. That knife was a Spyderco Edura. Since that time, I have always been a fan of Spyderco knives. They were pioneers in that they were the first to incorporate a pocket clip into a knife design, deeply ...
Cold Steel Code 4 Review
I have slowly worked my way through most of Cold Steel’s standard folders. I have reviewed the Voyager series, the Recon 1s, the American Lawman (probably my favorite), and even some of their more colorful offerings like the Spartan and Rajah III. Buy the Cold Steel Code 4 at BladeHQ For some reason it has taken ...
Emerson Mini CQC-7 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 As Dan wrote in his review of the full-size model, the CQC-7 is one of the very first and most influential tactical knives in the world. Ernie Emerson’s influence on the perception and use of folding knives for self-defense is incalculable. I had wanted an Emerson knife for a long ...
Zero Tolerance 0452CF Review
When it comes to folding knives, I am extremely selective in what I choose to carry, especially if it is a blade that I am going to carry for self-protection. It has to be light, reliable, sharp, and geometrically efficient. These are just a few of the qualities I look for in a ...
Cold Steel Large Espada Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 Although knife collecting, like any hobby, is a mild form of mania, I like to think that within this gentle madness I am a reasonable man. My uses for my tools are reasonable. My knife preferences are reasonable: I prefer simple handles, simple blades, and I generally like those ...
Southard Knives Tolk Review
Midtechs. If there was a single thread that bound Blade Show 2015 together for me, that thread would be midtechs. Specifically, midtechs offered directly from custom knife makers. Midtechs are nothing new, and have been in the knife enthusiast’s vernacular for several years now, although it is admittedly a fuzzy term to define. But at ...
Shirogorov 95t Review
I have had folks occasionally confess that they live vicariously through my reviews of high end pocket knives. I have handled some nice stuff over the years, but for the most part my wallet and I have been able to resist the renaissance of mid tech and custom knives. This is despite the deluge of ...
Zero Tolerance 0620CF Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 I have given Zero Tolerance over the past year. So I actually had to pause and think when my pre-order for the 0620CF popped into my inbox. I try to feature a variety of knives from different manufacturers. Would I purchase and review this knife? I slept on it for a ...
Al Mar Mini SERE 2000 Review
Last Updated: August 9, 2019 The SERE 2000 is one of the more iconic folding tactical knives of our time. The knife was originally designed in the 80s by Al Mar and Colonel Nick Rowe for the Army’s SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) school. The fact that you can even still buy the knife is a ...
Cold Steel Rajah III Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 I almost entitled this review “confessions of a mall ninja”. Yup, your buddy Dan has something of a dirty secret: I’m a fan of ridiculous knives from Cold Steel. You may have guessed as much after reading reviews of the Spartan and XL Voyager. I just didn’t talk openly about it. ...
Spyderco Tuff Review
Ed Schempp’s designs are something of an acquired taste. The man isn’t afraid to try new things, and his “function over form” design philosophy aligns nicely with Spyderco’s credo. He has worked on a series of ethnic folders with Spyderco which have intrigued me, although never to the point of acquisition. I have always found ...
Buck Marksman Review
Last Updated: December 2, 2019 You may have noticed a lack of reviews of Buck knives. I have nothing against Buck. I reviewed the Vantage a couple years back, and haven’t gotten around to reviewing anything else because nothing else in their lineup interested me that much. That is, until I saw the Marksman. Buy the ...
Rick Hinderer Knives XM-18 3.5 Review
Last Updated: June 23, 2019 In the past I have compared knife collecting to mountain climbing. Certainly there isn’t the element of physical accomplishment, as the only thing that really gets a workout is your wallet, but there is that spirit of pursuit and of course the ascent up a pile of incrementally more expensive knives. ...
Cold Steel American Lawman Review
Last Updated: March 9, 2018 When I hear the words “hard use folder” it’s often accompanied by a mental image of dollar signs. For whatever reason, we have equated hard working blades with titanium, super steel, and triple digit price tags. Those knives are cool, and I am sure some are capable of getting work done, ...
Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 25 Review
How do you improve on perfection? That may have been a question asked by the engineers at Chris Reeve when they approached the Sebenza 25. I wasn’t in the room, so I really have no idea. The Sebenza has received incremental improvements over the years, but for it’s 25th anniversary CRK really wanted to up ...
Emerson Roadhouse Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 I’ve mentioned a couple times before that every now and then I get the urge to pick up an Emerson, and make it my EDC. I know the knife is going to be too large for me to comfortably carry, and way overboard when I stop to consider my actual needs ...
Zero Tolerance 0801 Review
Last Updated: August 7, 2019 Titanium framelock flippers. Are we sick of them yet? No? Great, because I’ve got another titanium framelock flipper review for you today. Given the rapid influx of titanium framelock flippers on the market, I initially thought that I would pass on the Zero Tolerance 0801. The wide shape, chunky build, and ...
Fantoni CUT Flipper Review
Last Updated: August 30, 2019 We are in the midst of another Italian Renaissance. This time around it’s not a blossoming of politics and art, but of steel and titanium. The Italians are making some absolutely beautiful knives, and I can think of few examples that typify this as much as as the Fantoni CUT Flipper. ...
Zero Tolerance 0454 Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2018 Every so often as a knife collector I have had my expectations taken up a notch. For purposes of this introduction I’ll call them “game changing blades.” Making the jump from a $25 knife to a $65 knife was one such moment – my move from a CRKT M16 to a ...
Kershaw 1870 Knockout Review
I have always been a huge fan of user knives. Blades like the Benchmade 710, Spyderco Gayle Bradley, and Cold Steel American Lawman have always resonated with me as great knives because they are great tools. As a collector I am still enthused by the latest and greatest in materials and technology, but I will ...
Boker Plus 01BO188 Titan Drop Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 Have you ever bought a knife while drinking? I’m not sure if this is a common thing or not, but I was putting back a few beers one night while recording yet another morally suspect episode of GearGeeksLive when I decided to pick up this Boker Titan. Buy the Boker Plus ...
CRKT Obake Review
Long time readers know that I have always had a soft spot for pocketable fixed blade knives, and CRKT has proven on a number of occasions that they know how to make them. So the announcement of the Obake, a compact fixed blade collaboration with CRKT and custom knifemaker Lucas Burnley, definitely caught my attention. Buy ...
Zero Tolerance 0566 Review
Last Updated: July 13, 2019 I have recently been making regular appearances on the GearGeeksLive podcast with Tony and Andrew. Tony and I recently had Thomas Welk from KAI (Kershaw/Zero Tolerance) on the air for an episode about KAI. I found it fascinating to get inside the head of a prominent representative of a major cutlery ...
Viper Start Review
Last Updated: September 9, 2019 I got my first introduction to Viper at the 2013 Blade Show in Atlanta this past summer. A couple of my favorite reviewers, the EdgeObserver and Stefan Schmalhaus, have sampled Viper’s offerings quite extensively. It has taken me a little while longer to warm up to this interesting Italian brand. Buy ...
Benchmade Volli Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2019 I’m not sure how to put this delicately, so I’ll just come out and say it: Benchmade hasn’t done a whole lot of exciting stuff in 2013, and it has resulted in a lack of reviews on new Benchmade knives. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the lack of cool ...
Hogue EX04 Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 It’s fun covering the latest knife trends. Case in point, the whole titanium flipper framelock schtick has has been an absolute blast. That said, I love it when a knife company completely bucks the trend and comes out with something that is bold, inventive and well executed. Buy the EX-04 at ...
Emerson Horseman Mini CQC-8 Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 I have bought a number of Emerson knives under the guise that they were going to be my next EDC. Ernest’s blades have an American bravado to them that I really enjoy, and on several occasions I’ve found myself say, “Oh yeah, I’m going to EDC the heck out of this ...
Spyderco Southard Flipper C156GBN Review
Last Updated: July 30, 2019 If you have been following the production knife scene the past couple years, then you know that titanium framelock flippers have gotten extremely hot. This has a lot to do with custom and mid-tech makers that often set the trends, which eventually trickle down into production knives. Larger companies have finally ...
Strider SnG Review
Last Updated: February 13, 2018 For many knife collectors the Strider SnG is a holy grail of sorts. Much like the Chris Reeve Sebenza, the Strider SnG represents the top of the line for production grade folders. Toss in a Hinderer XM, and you have what many knife collectors like to call “the holy trinity” of ...
Blackwater Grizzly 6 Review
The Blackwater Grizzly 6 is another knife in a new line up by California-based cutlery company Blackwater Knives. The Grizzly 6 is designed by Robert Young Pelton and Tom Novak, and is manufactured for Blackwater by LionSteel in Maniago, Italy. The end result is a sleek Italian fighter packed with rugged features. Buy the Blackwater ...
Blackwater Ursa 6 Review
Blackwater Knives has recently released a cadre of new tools that caught my eye – both visually, and from a specification standpoint. The Ursa 6 is one of those tools, with an uncompromising design geared towards high speed professionals. Buy the Blackwater Ursa 6 at BladeHQ The Ursa 6 was designed by Robert Young Pelton, the ...
TOPS HIT-5 Review
Last Updated: August 23, 2019 The TOPS Helo Insertion Team 5 (“HIT 5”) is a new fixed blade design by Chad Los Banos and manufactured by TOPS Knives. Chad is a Hawaii based designer who has made a name for himself with popular small folding designs like the Boker Subcom and Spyderco Lava. A corrections officer ...
Brous Blades Silent Soldier Flipper Review
Last Updated: August 10, 2019 Ah, it seems like only yesterday I was sitting down with up and coming knifemaker Jason Brous. Jason is a maker that caught my eye early on – his wild designs and youthful ambition told me this would be someone to watch. Lo and behold a year later he has sold ...
Hogue EX01 Review
Last Updated: March 9, 2019 Hogue, a company best known for their gun grips and rifle stocks, has recently entered the realm of high end production knives. This is a pretty bold move for any company. After all, to quote Borormir in the the Lord of the Rings, “one does not simply start manufacturing knives” …or ...
CRKT Eraser Review
The Eraser is a relatively new offering from CRKT and is arguably their most ambitious knife yet. Designed by Liong Mah, this large tactical folder is his first knife collaboration with CRKT although Mah has collaborated with numerous custom makers in the past. Mah’s designs typically blend old styles with modern materials, and he maintains ...
Emerson CQC-13 Review
Last Updated: August 10, 2019 Emerson is one of the most American knife companies I can think of. Their blades are 100% made in the USA with American made materials, and when you thumb through one of their catalogs (or the pages of their website) you really get the feeling that these knives are distinctly American. ...
Zero Tolerance 0560 Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2019 Finally! A Zero Tolerance 0560 review. It feels like forever ago since the 560 was first announced at the 2011 BLADE Show. Buy the ZT 0560 at BladeHQ Since then I have heard the rumors, ogled the pre-production photos, and even caught a glimpse or two of the knife in some 2012 ...
Benchmade 275 Adamas Review
Last Updated: February 21, 2019 Designed as a tool for law enforcement and military personnel, the 275 Adamas could be the epitome of a hard use folder. The 275 shares the classic lines of many “normal” folding tactical knives, but is massively overbuilt in every direction. Designed by custom maker Shane Sibert, a man who strives ...
Benchmade 581 Barrage Review
Benchmade has always struck me as a company that both innovates and inspires. They can take a functional object, refine it’s performance, and give it a slight twist to elevate a knife something beyond mere G10 and steel. That is a rare accomplishment in the world of production knives, and this handsome 581 Barrage a ...
Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 The Cold Steel Ti-Lite is a knife that I received in a trade. As a collector I find myself often buying and selling knives, and I routinely get it hit up with trade propositions. I must confess, the decision to acquire a Ti-Lite was really a product of impulsiveness rather than ...
Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Review
Last Updated: July 13, 2019 Poll any knife reviewer, knife YouTube Channel, or knife forum, asking what the best Every Day Carry (EDC) knife is, and the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 is going to come up time and time again. It’s a rock star in the EDC world, and for good reason. It’s a form follows function ...
Zero Tolerance 0350 Review
Last Updated: April 5, 2020 My Zero Tolerance 0300 got a lot of looks when I carried it around. At over 9″ long and with a weight of 8.6 ounces, it definitely raised some eyebrows. The excellent S30V blade was a force to be reckoned with, and I really enjoyed the loud “thwack” of the assisted ...
SOG Visionary II Review
Last Updated: August 23, 2019 To many, SOG is known for their more inexpensive knives. As far as folders go, when you say “SOG Knives” people often have images of the Aegis, Trident and Flash in their head. Perhaps a SEAL Pup fixed blade might be on the back of their mind as well when they ...
Cold Steel Voyager Review
Last Updated: February 25, 2018 New in 2011, the updated Cold Steel Voyagers took the knife world by storm. There was a lot to like about the original CS Voyagers, but as technologies advance old classics need updating. And I gotta say, the new version really packs some nice improvements. Lighter, faster, with better locks and ...
Chris Reeve Knives Umnumzaan Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 The ink had barely dried on my Small Sebenza review. I was sitting peaceably at my desk and distinctly remember saying how it would be a good while before I got my hands on another Chris Reeve knife. Shockingly enough it was only a couple weeks before the sweet Siren that ...
Emerson Super Commander Review
Last Updated: March 4, 2018 Fans of Emerson Knives are no stranger to the Commander. It’s one of Emerson’s original designs and is among their most popular models to this day. So it would seem like a no-brainer to take this classic knife and come out with a mini version, and the Super Commander shown here. ...
CRKT Shenanigan Review
Last Updated: September 6, 2019 I find myself typing this review as I usually do, in the wee hours of the morning. Dregs from a once cold beer are drying on the side of the glass at my desk, and knives scattered across the room are glinting faintly under lamp light. I had trouble with the ...
Benchmade 890 Torrent Review
Last Updated: August 7, 2019 It has been decided – I am a total sucker for a cool “gentleman’s tactical folder.” I remember first drooling over the 890 Torrent when it came out in 2009. Flash forward a couple years, and today I am the proud owner of my very own Torrent, a sleek Steigerwalt design ...
SOG Ops Review
Last Updated: September 6, 2019 For those in need of a sleek fixed blade tactical knife with a proven pedigree, the SOG Ops may be just the ticket. Buy the SOG Ops at BladeHQ SOG describes the Ops as an evolution of their very popular SEAL Pup line of fixed blade knives. I wrote a SEAL Pup ...
Cold Steel Hold Out II Review
Last Updated: August 23, 2019 Cold Steel has really been making a statement in 2011 with their new and improved lines of lightweight and ultra strong folders. Their updated series of Cold Steel Voyagers has really built up some buzz, and rightfully so. But keep in mind that the Cold Steel 2011 roster runs much deeper ...
Combative Edge SALUS Review
Last Updated: September 18, 2019 I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, one of my favorite parts of running this website is the excuse to check out sweet knives. I can try to do this under the pretense that I am offering the reader some noble service, and perhaps even some entertainment, but lets ...
Boker Plus S2 Review
Last Updated: August 30, 2019 I’ve been drooling over Sniper Bladeworks custom knives for a long time now. For the uninitiated, Sniper Bladeworks is the brainchild of Lance Abernathy and Jody Muller. Jody handles fabrication and Lance comes up with the designs. The result has been a number of award winning tactical knife designs and superbly ...
Cold Steel Spartan Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 Tired of reading reviews on wussy EDC knives? Need something capable of holding off an army of blood thirsty Persians? Consider the Cold Steel Spartan. Yeah, I enjoy reviewing EDC blades just as much as the next guy, but sometimes I need a little more. Thankfully, Cold Steel is around to ...
SOG Aegis Review
Last Updated: August 26, 2019 The term “aegis” has ancient roots. Commonly used in Greek mythology, aegis means “protector” and has been often symbolized in the form of a shield. In many ways the ]SOG Aegis is emblematic of a protector as well. Buy the SOG Aegis at BladeHQ If ever needed the Aegis could certainly offer ...
Spyderco Bob Lum Tanto Review
Last Updated: August 26, 2019 I recently acquired a Spyderco Bob Lum Tanto. This is a sprint run (limited edition) knife limited to around 700 pieces. It’s a pretty unique offering designed by custom maker Bob Lum. Buy the Spyderco Lum Tanto at BladeHQ As you probably know, Bob recently passed away (RIP) and so this ...
SOG SEAL Pup Review
SOG got their start with one fixed blade combat knife. It’s hard for me to imagine a knife company’s future balancing on the edge of one blade, but that’s how it went. Thankfully that knife was popular so we now have many SOG knives to enjoy today. One of those knives is the SOG SEAL ...
Cold Steel Recon 1 Review
Last Updated: July 15, 2019 I love it when knife companies refine their existing designs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for new and exciting models, but I’m almost more excited when a “good” knife turns into a “great” one. Cold Steel did just that with their latest version of the Cold Steel Recon 1. The ...
SOG Flash II Review
Last Updated: July 29, 2019 SOG is a company that has always intrigued me. They have eschewed the more mainstream model of production knife design, which typically involves a team of in-house designers and a deep roster of freelancers, instead favoring a one man approach. All of SOG’s knives are designed by president and founder Spencer ...
Ontario RAT 1 Review
Last Updated: July 13, 2019 These days, if you want a high value EDC knife, then there are plenty of options. Kershaw and Spyderco make some great knives in the $30 and under category that are easy choices for EDC. But if you want something that is both hard use and high value, it gets a ...
Spyderco Sage 1 Review
Last Updated: July 20, 2019 A while back I took a look at the Spyderco Sage 2. The Sage 2 is an absolutely fantastic knife and with it’s eye catching titanium handle, I find that the Sage 1 often plays second fiddle. Buy the Sage 1 at BladeHQ That is a shame, because I think that ...
Kershaw Blur Review
Last Updated: February 20, 2019 While I enjoy reviewing all kinds of knives, it’s the mid size edc “working man’s” knives that I especially enjoy reviewing because these mid size EDC’s are what spend the most time in my pockets and in my hands. The Kershaw Blur is such a quintessential mid size EDC knife that ...
Spyderco Manix 2 Review
Last Updated: July 31, 2019 The Spyderco Manix 2 is one of those knives that I have been meaning to review pretty much since the start of this website. I’ve examined a lot of blades since then and now I finally have my thoughts on the Manix 2 together and can write on this fantastic heavy ...
Kershaw Junkyard Dog II Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 To the average person the pocket knife has remained virtually unchanged over the years. But as collectors and enthusiasts know, this industry is full of innovation. In fact, I argue that there has been more innovation in knife design over the past 20 years than in the previous 200 years. ...
Mcusta Tactility Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 I recently reviewed a Mcusta MC-1 and I was impressed by this relatively little-known Japanese knife manufacturer. Based out of Seki, Japan, Mcusta is part of the city’s proud cutlery making tradition that began hundreds of years ago. If you haven’t checked out my MC-1 review yet, I loved the high ...
Emerson CQC-7 Review
Last Updated: October 3, 2016 Tactical knives are trendy, and it’s easy to get swept up in the latest trends. While I have seen a lot of great new knives come out recently, I’m still drawn to the classics… and you can’t talk about classic folding tactical knives without mentioning Emerson Knives. Buy the CQC-7 ...
Benchmade 710 Review
Last Updated: December 29, 2018 I recently reviewed the Benchmade Griptilian, a model I consider to be a classic Benchmade knife. The Benchmade 710 is another one of those classic Benchmade knives. The 710 was designed by knife makers Bill McHenry and Jason Williams. This is a father and stepson team that invented the Axis lock. ...
Spyderco Endura Review
Last Updated: July 14, 2019 The Spyderco Endura is a knife that you won’t fully appreciate until you hold it in your hand. I remember when I first saw this blade at a local gun show. I had heard a lot about the Endura from friends and on various knife communities but it didn’t click until ...
Benchmade Griptilian 551 Review
Last Updated: November 30, 2019 The Benchmade Griptilian is a household name in the knife world. It is one of Benchmade’s most popular designs and it appears in countless variations. Buy the Benchmade Griptilian at BladeHQ For many, this will be their first “real knife”. A gateway blade into the world of high end pocket knives. ...
Spyderco Gayle Bradley C134CF Review
Last Updated: August 26, 2019 The Spyderco Gayle Bradley (C134CF) is one of those knives that was built for use and abuse, but is so nice I wasn’t sure if I could bring myself to really scuff it up. I guess the only reasonable answer is to buy two of these, one for carry and the ...
Zero Tolerance 0550 and 0551 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 Today I am taking a look at the Zero Tolerance 0550, a special collaboration between ZT and Rick Hinderer of Hinderer Knives. Rick has been making knives and self defense weapons for over 20 years. He started out specializing in Damascus and art knives, but over the past decade has ...
Benchmade Nimravus 140BK Review
Last Updated: July 26, 2019 The Benchmade Nimravus is one of Benchmade’s original fixed blade designs. It has stood the test of time and remains popular to this day. A “Nimravus” is an ancient cat with large teeth. I’d say that’s fitting when you consider this blade’s profile. Buy the Benchmade Nimravus at BladeHQ Benchmade has ...
Cold Steel AK-47 Review
Last Updated: February 22, 2018 The AK-47 rifle was designed by Russian Gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1946. These guns were designed to be simple and rugged, and for these reasons the AK-47 design has enjoyed much popularity for over 60 years. The Cold Steel AK-47 was designed with similar intentions. The original Cold Steel AKs ...
ESEE-3 Review
Last Updated: July 14, 2019 ESEE Knives specializes in outdoor fixed blade knives designed to take a beating and perform in a number of environments. Something special about ESEE knives is their no questions asked warranty that covers everything but rust. If anything happens to your knife through use or misuse, ESEE will replace it – ...
Zero Tolerance 0300 Review
When Zero Tolerance first came on the scene the 0300 is one of their knives that really caught my eye. The graceful curves reminded me of some deep sea mammal while the construction reminded me of a semi truck. So I wasn’t surprised to learn that the 0300 was a collaboration between Ken Onion and ...
SOG Pentagon S14-N Review
Last Updated: August 9, 2019 The SOG Pentagon is an interesting little knife. What other knife solves the age old dilemma of carrying a plain edge or a serrated edge so effortlessly? Buy the SOG Pentagon at BladeHQ Purpose Make no mistake, the Pentagon is a full out tactical knife. It’s relatively light weight and slim design make it ...
Benchmade 860 Bedlam Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 The original Benchmade Bedlam 8600 is an automatic knife released in early 2010. The knife received rave reviews across the community and this large, middle eastern inspired knife was quickly deemed to be a new Benchmade classic. However, the knife was only available as an automatic, which is totally sweet, ...
Spyderco Military Review
Last updated: February 14, 2019 Those in the military, law enforcement and contract defense firms require high quality gear designed to meet the rigorous demands of these types of positions. The Spyderco Military was designed to meet these demands as either a large utility knife or a full on tactical blade. In addition to law enforcement ...
Benchmade 741 Onslaught Review
Last Updated: August 21, 2019 Once in a while you run into a knife that really blows you away. The Benchmade 741 Onslaught is certainly one of those breathtaking knives for me. Designed by the late Bob Lum, the Onslaught is a large and elegant folding tactical knife that speaks to me on a lot ...
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 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 ...
Selecting the right Tactical Knife
I’m now going to provide some general thoughts on selecting the right tactical knife.
Fixed Blade vs. Folding
The first decision you will have to make is whether you want a fixed blade or folding tactical knife. If you are in the military, law enforcement or are some sort of contract defense personnel,you are probably going to want a fixed blade knife as your primary blade. If you are selecting a back up blade, or plan on carrying the knife regularly in a civilian role (as say, an emergency defensive weapon) a folding knife could be a good option.
If you decide on a folding tactical knife, it’s going to be critical to select something with fast deployment and a strong lock. As far as locks go, I would be more likely to go with a frame lock, axis lock or lock back, although a sturdy liner lock could work if it is built properly. You do not want this knife closing on you while defending yourself.
Deployment is critical. A fixed blade knife is going to have the fastest deployment, and it will be the ideal type of knife for defensive situations. However, sometimes a fixed blade isn’t conceivable, or you want a folding secondary knife. If you are set on a folder, consider something that is extremely fast and easy to deploy. Spyderco and Benchmade are known for their smooth and fast deploying knives although it really depends on the individual knife. I would look at assisted and automatic knives, although some manual folding knives are so fast that an automatic knife isn’t necessary. Zero Tolerance makes some great assisted opening tactical knives, as well as Emerson Knives with their wave deployments.
Blade Shape and Length
For tactical knives, generally speaking, the bigger the blade the better. Reach is so important when fighting close quarters with knives. An extra inch of reach on your opponent could make a huge difference in the final outcome of a confrontation. For that reason, I would advise getting as long of a blade as you can reasonably carry given factors like weight, blade shape, ergonomics, etc. Length will arguably be the most critical blade characteristic when selecting your tactical knife.
Blade shape is another important factor to consider. Since you will most likely be engaged in various thrusting or piercing movements with the knife, a sharp and reinforced tip will be critical. Select a knife that doesn’t have a super fine tip. You want to do this because fine tips can break, be it on bone or some other surface while fighting. If you snap your tip off on a concrete wall while trying to defend yourself, it could make a huge difference.
Also, consider something that has 2 edges, like a dagger or a knife with a sharpened swedge. This not only makes piercing attacks more effective, but it allows you to use both sides of the knife when performing sweeping attacks. Again, it’s little things like this, that can make a big difference if you had to use the knife defensively.
Handle Characteristics
Now, I might argue that the handle is going to be more important than the blade. Now obviously, you need both for a good tactical knife, but without a large handle, the knife will be worthless. This is because you need the handle to be able to grip the knife comfortably, in a variety of grips. The handle has to be comfortable at least for forward and reverse grips, and ideally it should feel good for many more types of grips.
Also, I would advise buying a knife with a big handle. This not only gives your hand plenty of real estate, but it allows you to gain a little extra length on the overall size of the knife by holding the knife back on the handle (by the pommel). That extra reach could be just want you need.
Tactical Knives: Final Thoughts
These were just some basic ideas to consider when purchasing a tactical knife. These are my personal opinions. I honestly hope you never have to use your knife defensively, because it is a nasty and incredibly dangerous form of combat, but I know that sometimes you don’t have a choice. To read my individual reviews of tactical knives click here.
WE ALL HAVE OUR FAVORITES & ARE ENTITLED TO VOICE OUR PERSONAL OPINIONS. THE FOLLOWING CHOICES ARE BASED ON 50+ YEARS OF DAILY KNIFE CARRY—MY FAVORITE DAILY CARRY FOLDERS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
***COLD STEEL VOYAGER, 4″ GUNSITE TANTO
***CRKT, CRAWFORD/KASPER
Nice choices Michael! I haven’t handled a Crawford/Kasper yet but the Voyager is just an awesome knife. Thanks for providing some thoughts and sharing your experience!
Dan
Great list man. Thanks!
My pleasure, Ben! Thank you!
As a former Special Ops Soldier and currently a Police Officer for 15 years (7 years SWAT), I have extensive experience in tactical knife carry and use. I rarely see knife reviews that aren’t superficial at best. I want to thank you for the wonderful detailed knife reviews. It was pure pleasure reading each knife review. I am always looking for my next purchase. Just an FYI – I have many knives, but always find myself going back to my Spyderco Military. Thank you, and I have bookmarked your site.
Hi Dave,
Thank you very much for the extremely kind comment! I am so happy to hear you enjoy the reviews. It is a pleasure to put them together and an honor to have them so well received. The Military is definitely a classic tactical knife. The light weight, big handle, and of course, well designed blade make it a very practical choice.
Regardless of the knife you decide on next, I hope you carry it in good health. Thanks again for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment.
Best,
Dan
New to Tactical Knives. What do you think of the SOG TF-7 Trident? I’ve read reviews both ways Pro & Con. This would be my EDC for self defense. Thanks for the input.
Robert – I think it’s merely an ok knife for the money. Odds are it will have some blade play in it. I’d probably look for something better like the knives in my “recommended tactical knives” section.
My nephew has a Zero Tolerance 610ST from what I can find it’s been discontinued. Does ZT offer a comparable replacement with the tanto style blade?
Honestly Robert, I am not sure. You may want to check directly with Zero Tolerance.
Terrific discussion… I especially like that you recommend selecting as large a knife as is comfortable to carry. This is not a popular view but it’s the truth. Although it should be obvious that a large knife is always superior to a small one, everything else being equal, it seems many guys foolishly believe that a large knife is too clumsy to be a serious fighter. But there are a lot of large knives that are very good for self defense. Some that should have been included in your list are the Cold Steel Black Bear Classic and OSS/OSI. The Laredo Bowie can easily be conceal carried in waist band and is probably the best factory made self defense knife available today. The Natchez Bowie is probably too big to carry around for most guys but it’s excellent for home defense. I know a lot of soldiers like carrying the Recon Scout, which is about 7.5 inches. Ontario also makes large knives that are suitable for combat but more affordable than CS. I’d recommend the Nightstalker or Ranger series, which are available up to about 9 inches blade length. Kabar makes the Zombie War Sword, which if you overlook the silly name is a very good self defense blade over 9 inches. Additionally, many of the Ontario and Kabar knives are made in USA, something I know a lot of us want more of.
Thank you, Richard!
Spyderco is my choice. G10 is great.
I recieved my Hoffman Richter tacital folding knife and I love it. The weight and balance are perfect for me. Thank you so much. I’ll enjoy this knife a long time. I’m looking forward to what ever is next. I also received the multi tools. They are really cool too. Thanks again.