If your last Google search was anywhere near “Best Folding Knife“, then you’re definitely at the right place. We have the speciality in folding knives, and we have used various pocket knives for our daily life tasks.
For the everyday carry category, folding knives play a crucial role and come in handy for different kinds of tasks. We focus on having a quality EDC folding knives such as excellent ergonomics, particular action on a folder’s blade, tight tolerances between liner and handle, along with the appropriate carbon content in the blade’s steel for either edge holding or corrosion resistance.
Here we have compiled the list of Best Folding Pocket Knives. Remember, these knives are not intended to be the ‘master-of-all-trades.’ Anyhow there’s always a better knife for specialized tasks like slicing tomatoes, carving tent pegs from a fallen branch or skinning a deer but most of us want a single “do-everything” knife that stays with us throughout the day.
There are hundreds of folding knives on the market and finding a best folding knife for you or your beloved once could be a tough job if you don’t any experience regarding knives. Fortunately, The folding knives we have mentioned below are definitely one of the best folding knives available on the market.
Contents
- List of 7 Best Folding Knife Reviews – Pocket Knife Recommendations
- 1. Kershaw Cryo Folding Knife
- 2. Spyderco Tenacious Plain Edge Folding Knife
- 3. CRKT Ripple EDC Folding Pocket Knife
- 4. Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife
- 5. Kershaw Blur Black (1670BLK) Everyday Carry Pocketknife
- 6. Buck Knives 0095BKSTP TOPS/Buck CSAR-T Tactical Folding Knife
- 7. Zero Tolerance 0350Ts Unisex Tiger Stripe Knife
- Additional Information If You’re Buying Folding Knife
List of 7 Best Folding Knife Reviews – Pocket Knife Recommendations
1. Kershaw Cryo Folding Knife
Kershaw Cryo is among the best folding knives. We have listed them in top folding pocket knife brands. Kershaw knives are affordable and engaging with the vast collection of styles. This knife is excellent for everyday carry (EDC) and classy enough for formal occasions.
Either you are hiking, camping, backpacking, or just going to a friend’s wedding, Kershaw knives will serve you well so does Kershaw Cryo.
General Dimension & Blade: The Kershaw Cryo has an overall length of 6.5 inches. It weighs 4.1 pretty light oz. The knife uses a frame lock mechanism to lock the blade; it has a tight lock up with about 40% of the blade thickness hitting the lock bar.
The steel used in the blade is 8Cr13MoV which is stainless steel. But, the module holds a decent edge. However, cryo is a little soft for our taste. The Kershaw “Speed Assist” makes the blade fly out with the small effort. The module opens extremely fast and without any resistance. The blade is quite decent if you consider the price tag.
Handle & Ergonomics: The handle of the knife is pretty reliable & constructed of titanium coated stainless steel. The handle is comfortable to grip, and we think that only those with the bigger hands will have any negative issues with the grip.
A portion of the handle (the knife frame) moves behind the blade to lock it into position during the use. This is a safety feature of the knife. The knife comes with a clip so you can keep in your pocket using the clip.
Overall Rating
It is an affordable, short, excellent looking design, reliable construction, a well-assisted opening knife for EDC.
It is a very average budget knife with a few insufficiencies. It deserves a look at it if you have a small budget. Its slick design and lightning fast opening mechanism makes it a best automatic folding knife under 30$. And, a knife with a clip always makes it an excellent choice for EDC.
2. Spyderco Tenacious Plain Edge Folding Knife
Spyderco is one of the best brands out there in knives’ industry. They have been making extremely useful knives fo their customers since the beginning.
Spyderco Tenacious is a good automatic opening knife in the range of 40$. It has a good length that makes it a good EDC knife. Spyderco Tenacious is definitely a good folding knife model.
General Dimension & Blade: Spyderco Tenacious plan edge is made in the USA. The length of knife is 197 mm (7.8 inches) when completely open and 113 mm (4.5 inches) when closed. The blade is constructed with 8CR13MOV steel which is stainless steel.
Though this steel is not excellent but still it is a medium range steel and holds the edge very strongly. It’s sufficient blade thickness along the flat grind and wide chord design give this blade added durability. The jimping on this blade is best, and thumb sits perfectly on the ramp, and it holds your finger in place.
Handle & Ergonomics: The handle is constructed of top quality material G-10 that makes it best ever handle to grab in the palm. Since the handle is constructed of the G-10 material, you can’t complain about the grip at all.
It sticks to the hand that helps you to complete your tasks without any trouble. The knife has a smooth, rough texture that won’t dig up your skin or chew up your pants when you put it in your pocket, and honestly, it feels very “amazing.”
Overall Rating
The knife is made in the USA. Furthermore, handle and ergonomics are simply amazing. Also, the design of the knife is dope. The handle comes in two colors as you can see in the picture. Kudos to this edc folding knife.
High-quality knife, great price, and wonderful customer service. Spyderco Tenacious just did an outstanding job to make a best folding knife.
3. CRKT Ripple EDC Folding Pocket Knife
The Ripple is remarkable for its exceptional manufacturing quality, additionally an almost unbelievable silky smooth and fast opening action.
Ken Onion designed the stainless steel clip, so it tucks away nicely in your pocket for everyday carry and easy access. And, the holes in the clip makes the knife ambidextrous.
Blade: The blade is constructed from 8Cr14MoV (ever so slightly more Chromium, or corrosion resistance than 8Cr13MoV). The drop point blade design is absolutely gorgeous and comes shaving sharp from the factory. On the blade, there is a name of the model itself.
The blade is sharp right out of the box with even grind throughout. The blade also lines up perfectly centered in the handle when closed 7 lock-up of blade is very strong.
Handle & Ergonomics: The handle of the Ripple is made of aluminum (the liner lock version). The handle has been rounded, and the flipper helps define the choil. Additionally, there is accurate jimping on both the thumb ramp and handle. This provides plenty of friction and makes this a very easy knife to use for general tasks.
This provides plenty of friction and makes this a very easy knife to use for general tasks. The jimping on the handle makes it pleasant to hold and it holds the edge excellently.
Overall Rating
All things considered, the CRKT does a great job with the Ripple. We would prefer if they re-worked on the pocket clip so that it was ambidextrous, and a little less ominous, but surpassing that you get a lot of nice knife for the money. This is best folding knife under 40$.
4. Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife
The Kershaw Leek is one of the best-selling pocket knives of all time, like said before. Many of you are already be aware of Kershaw, which has fast become one of the powerhouses in US pocket knife production.
Kershaw literally has all kind of knives and all of them are best. The Kershaw leek model is one of the elegant looking pocket knives.
Blade: The Blade is constructed with 14C28N Steel. Sandvik 14C28N is a stainless steel sits firmly in the upper mid-range category. The edge performance of this steel is quite remarkable; it sustains a high level of hardness and resistance to corrosion.
The blade is razor sharp from the top however if you drop the knife the chances are that top part of a blade might get broken other that that it’s an excellent knife.
Handle & Ergonomics: The handle on the Kershaw Leek is constructed from 410 stainless steel with a bead-blasted finish. But, the handle is so slippery, and it’s little difficult to maintain a safe grip on the knife. A division of the handle moves behind the blade to lock it into position during use Thumb Stud adds Pocket Grip Clip.
This knife glides in and out of the pocket, but the clip is substantial enough that it won’t flop out. The knife is also super thin, adding to its vanishing powers.
Overall Rating
The Kershaw Leek is a good EDC knife. It is elegant yet robust-feeling; the blade is sharp and expertly shaped; the handle is comfortable yet compact. On top of all that, the knife is made in the USA.
And if you’re looking for a best folding knife in the range between 40 to 50$, then this automatic pocket knife stands out.
5. Kershaw Blur Black (1670BLK) Everyday Carry Pocketknife
Ken onion knife is the best assistance knife. The best about ken models is their opening mechanism which makes their knives fit in many categories.
Either you are hiking, camping, backpacking, or just going to a friend’s wedding, Ken model’s knives will serve you well.
General Dimension & Balde: The overall length of blade is 7.88 inches. It weighs 3.9 oz that means it pretty light. The blade of this knife is constructed of Sandvik 14C28N Steel with Tungsten DLC black coating.
It’s built quality is outstanding, opens quickly and easily, and quality of the steel is adequate, the blade shape is very attractive. Blade strength is excellent. It Arrives sharp, stays sharp, and cuts with comfort.
It has speed safe opening mechanism which makes it outstanding. The spring-assist opener has an astonishing deployment speed, flipping the blade open in a fraction of a second with comfort.
Handle & Ergonomics: The handle is construed of 6061-T6 anodized aluminum with Trac-Tec inserts. If you look at the handle, you’ll see the roughness design in added to the handle to make it rough that eventually makes it grippy in the handle.
And, if you’re knife lover you know it always feels pleasant & comfortable to hold knives with such ergonomics. The handle is available in a variety of colors too, including the olive drab model as well as desert sand, red, and black. So, if you want a sexy design, then you should definitely look forward to it. A good EDC knife under 60$.
Overall Rating
If we look, other knives with same features and opening speed, including automatics like Microtech and ProTech, will cost three times as much. Hence, this knife is a good choice and definitely makes it to the best folding knife under 60$.
But, the clip is little tighter than we thought, so you’ve to careful while tucking the knife with clip & while tucking it off.
6. Buck Knives 0095BKSTP TOPS/Buck CSAR-T Tactical Folding Knife
As a collaboration between Idaho companies Buck Knives and TOPS Knives, the CSAR-T is a heavy duty folding knife that uses an ATS-34, stainless-steel, Tanto-style blade measuring 3.8 inches long and 0.175 inches thick with a Zirblast Finish for extra corrosion resistance that’s heat treated to a Rockwell hardness (Rc) of 59-61.
A best folding pocket knife for survival and hunting purposes.
Blade: The blade is constructed of modified Tanto 154CM Steel Blade with the Zirblast finish. It comes under the category of hunting knives, so if you’re looking for a best automatic knife for hunting and survival purpose, then this knife is for you, definitely.
The construction of this knife is amazingly solid, and the knife blade locks up like Alcatraz. The liner lock is surprisingly thick and the sound this knife makes when it locks is incredibly hard.
Handle & Ergonomics: It’s handle’s quality is pretty amazing. The handle is constructed with Stainless Steel Frame Handle with Rocky Mountain Tread G10 Overlays. It maintains an excellent grip no matter if wet or oily. The “Rocky Mountain” scales that Top’s carves into this G10 handle really do afford an excellent grip
The “Rocky Mountain” scales that Top’s carves into this G10 handle really do afford an excellent grip. There is a great jimping (on top and the bottom) that provides great security with zero slippage.
Overall Rating
This is a tough use tool/knife equipped to take punishment and is perfect for camping or going into combat and meant to be used for hard work.
If you are looking for a great automatic pocket knife that you can give to your son who will give it to your grandchild, then look no further. This is an excellent & best folding knife under 100$.
7. Zero Tolerance 0350Ts Unisex Tiger Stripe Knife
Zero tolerance is one of the popular editions is the knife industry. The 0350 is fully furnished with SpeedSafe for one-handed assisted opening. Even in combat gloves, you can easily deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud or blade protrusion.
Note: The owner of Kershaw Knives, Kai USA Ltd. is headquartered in Oregon and also owns Shun Knives and Zero Tolerance Knives. And, Zero tolerance is one the best knives in the world right now. In fact, this model also made it to the best assisted opening knives.
Blade: The blade is constructed with S30V stainless-steel. Like said before, even in combat gloves, you can easily deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud or blade protrusion. The blade and cutting performance are amazing. In simple words, the blade is quite Sharp and tough, and among the best blades, we have used.
Handle & Ergonomics: Knife fits into the hand very well, the blade protrusion & grippy g10 handles make this knife very convenient to hold, feels very familiar in your hand, even with gloves on. This knife completely denies to let go of from the hand.
There is no better knife we have ever handled regarding grip than this knife. The G10, the jimping, and the flipper/blade guard work quite well.
The spring clip is tight but for a reason, holds well to thin nylon jacket pockets and has good clamping force. It Includes a quad mounting system for tip-up, tip-down, left- or right-handed clip carry.
Overall Rating
If you are looking for a super durable EDC (every day carry) blade with the knife and don’t mind the weight then this knife is a good choice.
And also, if you want an excellent heavy duty knife this is a great choice. This is an exceptional all around knife, and whereas it is overbuilt, it is not so large as to be difficult to carry.
It’s a super-comfortable cutting knife and its S30V blade keeps on going like an Energizer Bunny. It’s worth your money & #1 in the list of best folding pocket knives & automatic pocket knife. If you’ve budget, then it is worth buying this folding knife.
Additional Information If You’re Buying Folding Knife
We’ve mentioned steel type while reviewing folding knives. In case, you don’t know the difference, read the guide.
Carbon: Okay so first of all, it’s a lot cheaper, and it’s rugged so it gets additional durability, as it’s a basic kind it’s also easy to sharpen, the only downside is, it’s pronto rusting, as it’s not stainless, so it does rust over time, and so it might not be a good option in the long run.
Stainless: Well it’s the “advanced” version of the Carbon knives, the upgrade is that it doesn’t rust, obviously. Also, it doesn’t need as much maintenance, the one downside they’ve got is they need a bit more work on the “sharpening” process.
Carbon Stainless: These are the best types, and so naturally the most expensive. The upside is that it almost never rusts, if you keep it oiled, or work out on the more “modern” way of keeping it silicon waxed, but the downside definitely is the price. But it’s still your call.
The following list comprises of the best folding knives blade manufacturing materials
154Cm: The first benefit of this is that it’s high carbon-stainless steel material. So you know it won’t rust, and it’s easy to maintain. Additionally , it has added hardness which doesn’t let its edges corrode over time, if your blade is a small one, then this is the perfect blend for it.
S30V: It’s extremely high profile kind of material, made with high-vanadium steel . It provides exceptionally well resistance against wearing out and rusting, not only that; it combines extreme toughness along with it too.
VG-10: It’s like the advanced version of the 154 cm, advanced in the sense that it has superior corrosion resistance and retains the edge longer than the 154cm .