All American: Best pocket Knives Made in USA
You’ve seen John Rambo, didn’t you? Guess the secret of his win against his enemies. His skills and tools.
Now we know, you’re not going to Green Beret anytime soon, neither will you fight your enemies. But then again, a pocket knife always comes handy, especially when you’re on an adventure.
The blunt ones won’t do you any good, you can count our words on that. You’re an American sir. And you should use the best pocket knives made in the USA.
Our Findings
On our quest, we found that a handful number of manufacturers make the best kind of knives. Some are well known to the mass, whereas some are not so popular but still you can bank on their products. So, we’re going to name our top recommended products below in the chart.
Nonetheless, you’ll get to know them in more details by scrolling down a little under the chart.
Recommendations: Going Deeper
Now, we’re going to dive into the details of each product. We examined each of them, did some practical tests to find out the glows and dark sides. Overall, all our picks survived to attain the ‘best’ title in their separate field of work.
Best Everyday Carry Pocket Knife: Buck Knives 112 Ranger Folding Knife
An everyday carry pocket knife can save your day, whether it's for opening a package or for self-defense. So, if you're planning to have such one, then try out the 112 Ranger Folding Knife from Buck Knives.
It may not be the best EDC knife but it surely is one of the bests. This knife’s 3-inch blade is made of 420HC steel and comes with awesome edge retention. Thus, this clip blade can prevent corrosion to a large extent and offers great durability to back you up for a long time.
Weighing only 5.6 ounces, this knife boasts a lock-back mechanism. So, whether you’re piercing or slicing something it's going to stay open to ensure safety while providing strength.
Plus, the 112 Ranger has a wood grain Macassar ebony handle to offer you a good grip. In the meantime, a brass bolster is attached to it so that you can have a good balance.
Besides, you’ll be provided with a genuine leather sheath to store and transport this knife all along. The cover is going to save you from unwanted painful cuts.
Pros
- 420HC steel to ensure durability
- Lightweight owing to the 5.6-ounce weight
- Offers good grip by the ebony handle
- Ensures safety by a genuine leather sheath
Cons
- A bit heavy to carry it around
Another honorable mention for everyday carry knife: Benchmade - Bugout 535 EDC
Best Hunting Pocket Knife: Gerber Gator Folding Knife
Whether you’re a hunter or an outdoorsman, you must carry a hunting knife. That’s why we bring to you the folding knife from Gerber Gator. Durability and sharpness, this one has got the best of both.
This knife boasts a clip point blade with a hollow ground that is made of 420HC or ‘high carbon’ steel. Though it’s a bit soft element, its corrosion-resistant capability is remarkable. So, you can take this knife on hunting and use it for a long time.
The knife indeed lacks thumb studs. However, opening it with your two hands will be a breeze. The unique part it comes with is its bulky and rubbery handle made of GFN (glass-filled nylon).
This USA made knife also has an alligator-skin texture. As a result, if your hand is wet somehow, you’ll still get a congenial and secure grip on it.
Plus, it has a lock-back function that’ll hold the knife open even if you’re perforating through the cartilages of a deer. Such a strong lock system will give you good balance and strength during slicing.
Besides, you’ll get a ballistic nylon sheath with this hunting knife from Gerber Gator. The sheath will help you to keep this knife with you throughout your wild adventure.
Pros
- Enduring blade because of 420HC steel
- Easy to open using two hands
- Ergonomic handle for a comfortable grip
- Strong lock to provide stability
- Effortless to carry using ballistic nylon sheath
Cons
- Reportedly not so good quality sheath
Another honorable mention for EDC Hunting knife: Zero Tolerance Pocket Knife
Best Heavy Duty Pocket Knife: Buck CSAR-T Tactical Folding Knife
Looking for a heavy-duty folding knife that is made in America? Try out the CSAR-T Tactical Folding Knife from Buck.
The modified tanto blade of this knife is made from 154CM steel. Plus, the 3 ½-inch blade lengths come with Zirblast finish. Thus, it has got brilliant edge retention to help you to pierce, pry, or scrap hard materials.
Who doesn’t love a quickie, right? This champ can give you that luxury. It comes with thumb studs so that you can open the blade within a blink of an eye using your one hand.
As it stands, the CSAR-T from Buck is going to sweep off your feet with its versatility. Whether you need to bend a wire or work with the nuts and bolts, it incorporates a notch and hex tool to let you do all the assorted works.
Most importantly, its sports G-10 destruction proof handle along with finger grooves. You, therefore, will have a firm grip on this knife to deal with heavy-duty work at ease.
You’ll need to take your knife with you at several places. To help you in that context, this one includes a heavy-duty polyester sheath that is MOLLE compatible.
Also, this little boy integrated a lanyard hole along with a reversible tip-up carry clip. So, if you somehow lose the sheath, still you can carry it in your pocket.
Pros
- 154CM steel to ensure rigidness
- Thumb studs to open the blade quickly
- Hex tool and notch to deliver versatility
- Offers sure grip by G-10 handle
- MOLLE compatible sheath for carrying convenience
Cons
- Reportedly too big to carry in pants
Another honorable mention for Heavy Duty knife: Buck Knives 830
Best Easy Open Pocket Knife: Kershaw Blur Folding Knife
As humans, we all want easy-going things in our life. Now if you're looking for a knife that gives ease of opening, try out the Blur Folding Knife from Kershaw.
This knife comes with a SpeedSafe assisted opening by which you can expose it pretty fast. Simply push the thumb stud located at the base of the blade and you’ll have it, ready to slice anything. No wonder it’s considered too as one of the best assisted opening knives.
When you open the knife, you’ll see that it has a 3.4-inches of a blade made of 14C28N steel. The blade is covered with DLC coating to prevent scratches as well as corrosion. As a result, your knife will have a dazzling look and sharpness for eons.
Besides, the blade weighs only 3.9-ounce, thereby making it a lightweight pocket knife. It also boasts an inset liner lock so that you can get the safety and strength.
At the time of using this folding knife from Kershaw, you’ll get quality and secure grip, thanks to the Trac-Tec tape. It’ll give you a firm grip on whether you take it to messy skinning, snow, marine, and freshwater. So, you can do multitasking by using this knife.
Plus, you can keep this knife in your pocket as it has a reversible pocket clip. It’s going to sit so deeply and discreetly in the pocket that you won’t even feel like you’re carrying something.
Pros
- Easy to open by the Speed Safe assisted opening
- DLC coating to prevent scratches and corrosion
- Effortless to carry due to lightweight
- Offers secure grip by the Trac-Tec tape
Cons
- Not suitable for everyday carry
Another honorable mention for Easy Open knife: SOG Knife
Pocket Knife with the Best Grip: Benchmade Griptilian 551
If you want to get your hands on the best pocket knife with the best grip, check out the Griptilian 551 from Benchmade.
Wondering how it's going to deliver you with the finest grip? The handle is made of GFN or glass-filled nylon. As a result, it looks enthralling and makes it suitable to use however you want.
But the look doesn’t make it any less weak. The blade of this drop-point style knife is built from 154CM stainless steel. Thus, it’s a hell of tough knife that will hold up its edge well by resisting rust.
Besides, the Griptilian 551 boasts AXIS lock that is not only ambidextrous but also seriously strong. Thus, you can use either of your hand to open this knife just like that.
It also offers reversible pocket clips so that you can carry the knife in the pocket pretty easily. Nonetheless, it has got a lot of functionality so that you can use it for doing outdoor activities, tactical applications, and everyday use.
Pros
- GFN handle to deliver a comfortable grip
- Doesn’t rust due to 154CM stainless steel
- Easy to open by a single hand
- Reversible pocket clips to carry effortlessly
Cons
- A bit pricy
Another honorable mention for Grip knife: Western Active knife
Best Compact Pocket Knife: Spyderco Para Military 2 Signature Folding Knife
Still looking for the best folding knife? Lay your hands on the Para Military 2 Signature from Spyderco. It has got a 3.4-inches blade with 3-inches cutting edge.
A hard type of steel named S30V is used to create the blade of it. As a result, it has got good edge retention quality to deliver you fine cuts whenever needed.
Plus, this compact Para Military 2 knife from Spyderco boasts a Compression lock. This is a powerful locking mechanism that uses the stainless-steel liners nested in the handle, the stop pin as well as a ramp facing-upward on the blade’s tang.
Besides, the G-10 handle of this clip point style blade has been narrowed at the end to enhance its ergonomic style. As a result, it won’t slip from your hand, rather will give you a strong grip.
Along with that, it integrates Pivot Bushing System so that whenever you open and close the blade, it feels smooth and stable. And when it’s closed, you won’t feel any sort of discomfort, thanks to the makers for removing the angles from the blade and the handle.
Additionally, this knife has a 4-way positioning pocket clip to let you carry it easily. The clip will make this knife sit deeper into your pocket in a kind of stealth mode.
Pros
- S30V steel for resisting corrosion and rust
- Compression lock to ensure the strong locking mechanism
- Doesn’t slip due to G-10 ergonomic handle
- Pivot Bushing System for smooth closing and opening
- 4-way positioning pocket clip to carry easily
Cons
- It’s on the expensive side
Another honorable mention for Compact knife: Gerber US1 Pocket Knife
Best Multi-Blade Pocket Knife: Case Amber Bone Medium Stockman Knife
What if you can do multiple tasks by using a single knife? Sounds great, right? Well, it’s possible if you own a multi-blade pocket knife like the Amber Bone Medium from Case.
It incorporates three types of blades within and they are clip blade, sheep foot blade, and spey blade. You can use clip blade specifically for detailing work, sheep foot blade to deal with outdoor or house projects as well as spey blade to do everyday work pretty easily. See, one knife that offers so much versatility.
Plus, all the blades are made of high-quality Case Tru-Sharp stainless steel to ensure durability as well as keeping the corrosion at bay. As a result, you can use this knife regardless of the task you want to do for a prolonged time.
In addition to providing durability, this knife comes with a handle made of peach seed jig amber bone. Thus, it looks pretty enchanting and will give you a comfortable grip.
Since it’s a multiple blade knife there’s neither any locking mechanism nor any thumb stud. You therefore will have to manually open and close the blades which are quite convenient.
Pros
- Three blades to do multiple tasks
- Enduring due to Case Tru-Sharp stainless steel
- Amber bone finish for making an attractive handle
- Easy to open the blades by using hands
Cons
- Reportedly loose bolster
Another honorable mention for Multi blade knife: Buck Stockman Three Blade Knife
Factors We Considered for Best Pocket Knife
Till now we’ve covered the details of the knives among the top knife brands. Though you’ve gained a handful of knowledge on knives, still there are some factors you have to consider to get the best one. So, we’re going to discuss those factors underneath.
Quality of the Blade
The most important factor of the knives is the quality of the blade. If the blade is of poor quality, then it’s going to crack. Though most of the manufacturers use high-quality stainless steel for making the knives, still check and assure that your preferred knife has quality blades.
Opening
You don’t want to stick with a knife that takes hours to open, do you? Your pocket knife should provide you the ease of opening. Well, to put things in other words, pick a knife that you can open by using a single hand.
Though there’s no offense using both hands, a knife with thumb stud opens up pretty quickly and easily by using only one hand.
Grip
Like the axe without proper grip, you can’t work comfortably. Regardless of the knife you choose, it should provide you good and secure grip whether your hand is wet or dry.
Separate manufacturers use different materials to provide you with fine grips such as G-10, GFN, Stainless steel, etc. They all give exceptional grip.
Safety
Safety is another most important and crucial factor. Most of the accident occurs by opening the blades inside of the pocket. And some users even got severe cuts because of such inconvenience.
That’s why we gave it a full priority during placing the best pocket knives for you. To make sure that you stay safe, we looked into the locking mechanism of each knife that is reliable as well as prevent sudden opening of the knives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Pocket Knife Brands are Made in The USA?
There are a few brands of pocket knives that are made in the USA. One is Schrade, which was founded in 1904 and has been making knives ever since.
They have a wide range of knives, from hunting knives to kitchen cutlery. Another is Taylor Brands, who have been making pocket knives since 1887. They have a wide range of products, from Swiss Army Knives to multi-tools.
Are Benchmade Knives Made in The USA?
Benchmade knives are made in the USA. They are made in Oregon, California, and Washington.
Can You Use Pocket Knives as Kitchen Knife?
Pocket knives can be used as kitchen knives, but they're not the best choice. Pocket knives are great for slicing and dicing smaller food items like fruits and vegetables, but they're not ideal for cutting larger things like meats or tough vegetables. For those tasks, a usa made kitchen knife is a better option.
Are Smith and Wesson Knives Made in The USA?
Smith and Wesson knives are often erroneously perceived to be made in America. Smith and Wesson knives are not made in America. The company's headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts, but the knives are manufactured in China.
Why should I buy USA Made Pocket Knives?
There are many reasons why you should buy USA made pocket knives. One of the most important is that they are made with quality materials and will last longer than other pocket knives. US made pocket knives can be used for many purposes, such as hunting, fishing, camping, and cooking.
Wrapping Up!
Always keep your knife sharp. As you’ve heard a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one. We believe that we’ve accomplished to present you with the best pocket knives made in the USA.
Depending on our hard and honest efforts, we can say that if you choose any of our recommended knives, you won’t be disheartened.