Folding knives are really indispensable not only when hunting, but also in everyday life. With their help you can quickly cut the carcass of the killed animal, skin it, solve various household issues - chop branches, open cans. In this regard, the purchase of such a tool should be approached as responsibly as possible.
The Best Pocket Knives to Buy Right Now
Ganzo Firebird FH41 (under $30)
Designed for use in a variety of situations - hunting, fishing, hiking, as well as in everyday life. The knife is characterized by compact dimensions. The ergonomics of the handle is thoroughly thought out - the product does not slip even from wet hands, suitable for both large and small palms.
The blade is made of stainless steel of the original alloy, which includes manganese, chromium, and silicon. This has a positive effect on the strength of the blade, these elements also give it anti-corrosion characteristics. The knife remains sharp throughout its life, it can be used to work with a variety of materials. The manufacturer carefully sharpened it according to the original technology - a straight type sharpening was used, the surface of the blade was ground by satinization. The result is a semi-matte surface, the blade has a fine stroke pattern.
Check PriceCold Steel Luzon (under $35)
Quite a large model, characterized by its original design. This knife is ideal for everyday use, as well as during hunting trips, fishing, or other outdoor activities. The blade is made from high-quality steel, which does not show any supernatural characteristics but is quite capable of serving for quite a long time.
Steel is resistant to corrosive processes, its processing technology allows for decent wear resistance. The blade stays sharp for a long time, cuts well animal hides, wood, it can be used to cut even not too thick bones, but in some respects, the metal will still be inferior to more expensive alloys. The handle is made of the original GFN thermoplastic, which is highly resistant to shock loads.
Check PriceVictorinox Swiss Army Hunter Pro Alox (under $95)
This is one of the newest models, released by this manufacturer just a year ago. The product has received an interesting and original appearance - the handle is equipped with the very popular today aluminum Alox pads. Between the blade, spring, clip, overlays, and retainer you can see a subtle shimmer, which gives the design additional shades of innovation and elegance.
The attachment system features a clip, a lanyard hole is built into the spring, and a braided fabric pendant is also included. The silver clip is conveniently located on the handle of the product, due to which the knife will be securely attached to a belt or to a pocket. The blade is made of high-quality steel alloy, with the addition of chromium and manganese, which ensures the insensitivity of the material to corrosive processes. As a result, the developers got an original and very reliable design product, which, incidentally, is more suitable for hiking than for hunting.
Check PriceCold Steel Kudu (under $10)
This is a famous German brand that is shaped like traditional Spanish knives. The handle here is cast, it is additionally decorated with a wave-shaped stainless steel element. The axial assembly works on the basis of Torx screws.
The length of the blade is 108 mm - quite a decent figure for a folding design. It is made according to the "clip point" type: it is equipped with a bevel. Special steel 4116 Krupp is used as a material for its production, which is a stainless material developed by the manufacturer for the production of this particular knife. The handle rests securely in your hand and does not slip even in your wet palms. A flat spring can be found on top of it, which is also made of stainless steel.
Check PriceKershaw Oso Sweet (under $25)
Belongs to a group of pocket knives, but the product is optimal for fans of hiking and just long trips. This product will be an excellent supporting tool for the fisherman. It is easy to use, in addition, it has a long service life. The blade has a Drop point shape - its shank line decreases in the direction of the point of the tip.
It is made of BRD4116 steel, a stainless material, which gives a significant advantage when using it in natural conditions. However, keep in mind that this steel is not too hard, although it is quite resilient. Due to these characteristics, the material will quickly blunt - it must be sharpened regularly. To avoid such a mishap when you are away from civilization, you will need to take a pocket sharpener with you.
Check PriceHow to choose
Most folding knives are designed so that the blade does not protrude beyond the handle. In travel stores you can find knives with expanded functionality - they are equipped with a compass, corkscrew, sharpener, and other additional tools. The designers of such products often face a problem - the weight or stiffness of the blade. To ensure that the weight of the knife is insignificant, its blade is equipped with doles, which are longitudinal notches, but this has a negative impact on the stiffness. To compensate, ribs are made that are spaced at some distance from each other along the entire length of the lobes.
Dimensions of the blade vary - the thickness can range from 2 to 4.5 mm with a length ranging from 80 to 120 mm. Folding knives come in two types - single-subject knives are used exclusively for cutting, while multi-subject knives are allowed to be used for several purposes (opening cans, as a screwdriver, and so on).
The shape of the blade can be different - from straight to sharply rising to the top. The sharpening is either full or partially serrated. The handle is usually pressed, equipped with a clip for attaching to a belt. The standard knife is equipped with a permanent blade, but products with interchangeable blades can be found on sale. This solution helps greatly expand the functionality of the object - one blade will be used to skin the animal, the second is intended to be used as a stabbing weapon when hunting small game.
Folding knives are mostly compact, so they are very popular with tourists, fishermen, and hunters, in a holster or in a pocket they are almost invisible. It is desirable to give preference to blades made of hard steel. Such knives can cut not only tendons and cartilage but even bones. Even wood can be cut with such products.
You should not save on the purchase of such a knife, cheap designs have a flimsy mechanism that will fail quite quickly, manufactured from low-quality steel. It will regularly blunt. The appearance of the product is also important, but it has nothing to do with the functionality. An excessive amount of decorations can eventually severely damage even the design of the knife - decorative panels of wood will dry out, metal inserts will rust. A lot of decorative elements mean that the knife will need even more care.
