The Ten Best Knives 2020
State of the Union
So far 2020 has been a bit less limited edition and sprint run obsessed, which is a very, very good thing. Spyderco is still jamming this part of the market and as of May 8th Kershaw dropped in too, but the amount of limited editions seems to have slowed. Either that or we have become used to it.
The trend of smaller knives continues and the result is a market chocked full of good stuff. There are basically 13 folders I can recommend for EDC that have no real flaws. They are, in no particular order:
Spyderco Dragonfly II in ZDP-189
Spyderco Native 5 (any variant that is not VG-10)
Benchmade Mini Bugout (in Orange, no coated blades…)
Pena X Series Zulu Spear
Sharp by Design Micro Evo
Chris Reeve Sebenza 31
Triple Aught Design/Hinderer Compact Dauntless
ZT0470
There are also a bunch nearly perfect knives that would be on this list with slight tweak. The Mini Ritter would be up there if it had a sturdier clip and no offensive texture under the clip. Its a Mini Grip, Slicey Edition. If there weren’t known fit and finish issues, the Gerber Fastball would be on this list. The Strider PT would be on this list too if it were a) more readily available; and b) reasonably priced. A solid Ti S30V folder for $500 isn’t competitive anymore (if it ever was). Similarly I’d recommend the Al Mar Ti Hawk but for its crippling combination of D2 and a $100+ price tag. I’d recommend the Mnandi to anyone that listened, but I strongly prefer the out-of-production nail nick. I’d also happily recommend the Emerson Mini A-100, but for its chisel ground cutting bevel. If we were including MTs the Victorinox Cadet and Pioneer X would be on the list as would the criminally underrated Leatherman Skeletool CX. The Spyderco Brouwer would DEFINITELY be on this list, but for the clip atrocity. There is a bunch of really good EDC stuff out there right now.
Its wonderful to see this and it is equally good to see that the trend of enormous folders is all but over. Medford makes a reasonable sized knife now. Heck even ZT made a tiny folder AND a slipjoint. The did follow up with a positively massive folder in the ZT0308 and then capped it off with the ZT0357, a big folder that also has the community scapegoat Speedsafe deployment method. But these are anamolies. Most knives this year had less than 3.5 inch blades, some semblance of weight-conscious design and not a bit of assist.
SOG’s full rebrand is intriguing in that it ups the game on their blades and, in theory, pulls them out of the Big Box knife malaise. These new knives are overly complicated, but they look nice and handle well even with weird ratios. Some of the higher end stuff got S35VN and it looks great (thanks for the Terminus XR steel bump…). The Flash’s redo is so extensive it is basically a new knife and a decent one. They upgraded from AUS-8 to D2 on their mainstream blades which portends their widespread implementation of S30V some time in the 23rd century.
The Sebenza 31 came out or leaked out in dribs and drabs and people seem to all agree that it is a good knife, but not a necessary one. Nick Shabazz put it best when he asked viewers to watch his review of the 21 and mentally dub in “31” each time he said the knife’s name. It would have been nice to see Chris Reeve Knives really push the Sebenza but we basically got a 21 with the Inoski lock interface and the removal of the machine indexing hole. We didn’t even get a new steel despite the announcement of S45VN. None of this would be worrying in a vacuum but with the release of the Micro Evo Gen 2 and the Zulu Spear, its clear that Reate has finally learned how to grind knives. The two machining titans are set to do battle for years to come, but as of May 2020, the clear winner for me is Reate, or, at least, Reate when aided by skillful collaborators like Brian Nadeau and Enrique Pena.
Steel has become, if possible, even more important thanks in large part to the work of Larrin Thomas (KnifeSteelNerds) and Spyderco dipping very deep into the catalogs of Crucible and Carpenter for nutty sprint runs. Spyderco has something of a coup on its hands if the steel is good—Spy27 is exclusively theirs. I can see this happening a lot in the future. Kershaw had a timed exclusive for the American market on 14C28N and INFI is only found on Busses, but the importance of steel and the need to set one’s self apart in a crowded market makes me think it is only a matter of time before companies secure their own secret sauce.
Finally, the trend of high quality Chinese made knives continues. Some of these knives are the very best available and their OEM work is also outstanding. Additionally there are a whole group of new brands, Kansept Knives, for instance, that are emerging and making nice stuff. Reate, WE, and Kizer welcomed other brands last year to the fold and this trend continues. I know a lot of people dislike overseas made knives, but I have come to peace with it. Here is my three-part position on overseas gear:
I prefer USA Made gear;
I am willing to pay a premium, usually of about 50%, to get a USA Made gear; but
An overseas made gear will not get penalized or overlooked because of its country of origin.
This seems to be the most sensible approach, but I am willing to listen to other opinions. Drop them in the comments if you have them.
The custom market seems pretty depressed and that was BEFORE Covid-19. With the rising tide of production knives and a huge economic crunch, I imagine that all but the topmost echeleon of makers will struggle over the next year or two. Fortunately for everyone concern, including, mostly, the Covid-19 virus, Blade Show was not cancelled but merely delayed until August. I will go out on a limb and say attendance will be down and sales will be down.
I have no solution for high end production and custom makers. Olamic’s “virtual table” is an interesting idea, but nothing replaces (or better spread Covid-19) than face to face meetings. If there was a single focused media outlet for knives a virtual show might work, but alas Blade Magazine is a print publication and frankly has diminishing circulation, and no one else has the bandwidth or visibility. I don’t think the custom market will die, but I do think a lot of the Tier 3 (Tier 1: Michael Walker, Ron Lake…; Tier 2: Todd Rexford, Tom Mayo….) makers will struggle and the Tier 4 makers (some of whom recently quite full time employment to pursue knifemaking) will probably get wiped out. If you have the ability to do so, now is a good time to support your favorite new maker.
Ten Best
Best EDC Knife for Most People: Spyderco Dragonfly II in ZDP-189 (here with aftermarket scales by IG user wanolte03)
Even if they don’t know it, this is the best knife for most people. In thinking about it more and more I come back to the Dragonfly II. I like it better than the Mini Grip because it is smaller and lighter with very little penalty in terms of blade length and its more than $100 less. I like it better than the Chaparral for the same reason. I’d opt for it over the MBO for price and steel reasons. Honestly, the fact that this knife is still under $100 is nutty. Thankfully Spyderco’s MAP stuff has been more focused on adding about $100 to the MSRP for the Shaman in the past year and ignoring the Dragonfly. Some will say it is small, and it is, but it is a true four finger knife in the hand. Unless you are the star of the Big Show Show (which is as dreadful as you would think it would be, BTW), then this knife is just the right size.
Runner Up: Benchmade Mini Grip 555-1: Yep, still great even with all sorts of competition for within Benchmade and from other companies.
Best High End EDC: Sharp by Design Micro Evo v2:
Brian Nadeau’s machining prowess is on display in every custom he makes, but he is also quite adept as inventor and designer as evidenced by the ramp detent. If you have not had a knife with a ramp detent, its like having not driven a car with power steering. The ramp detent is a game changer and supremely addictive. The Micro Evo is Brian’s most EDC friendly knife (he tends to go all in on massive pocket swords) and so getting the ramp detent on a fantastic EDC knife makes for a perfect combination. This knife is very much the heir to the throne for best high end EDC left vacant by the Small Sebenza and its stagnant development over the past ten years.
Runner Up: Reserved; I wanted to wait to release this list until the TiCoon Atom came out, but with Covid-19 interrupting all sorts of plans I couldn’t wait. But if TRM’s prior work is any indication, this one will be good. I also want to get a Sebenza 31 in for review. I know its good, but it has been awhile since I had a Sebenza in hand and with “all” of the “big” “changes” I feel like it might be time.
Best “One Ring” Knife: Kabar Becker BK16
Its taken me a while to get a BK16 and the second I held it in my hand I regretted waiting all this time. It is an extraordinarily well-designed product and easily my favorite “camp” knife, which is the Knife World equivalent of the No. 5 Jack Plane in woodworking. I love my Bark River Bravo 1, but the BK16 is even better in the hand. Why Kabar has not released a high end version of this knife is utterly mystifying. A 3V version with a good kydex or leather sheath and green micarta handles could easily sell for $200 and be hard to keep in stock. If it were it were a living thing that was evolutionarily programmed to do nothing but cut things, it would not feel better in the hand. Many of Becker’s designs are mold breakers, but the BK16 is is magnum opus.
Combine this with the fact that I am convinced that no folder can really be a “do everything” knife and the winner here is sort of a logical deduction. I love folders, I really do. The represent the vast majority of my collection. But they simply lack the ability to do certain things, even if you lard them up with extra locks and additional bulk. Get a fixed blade, carry it and use it. You will love it. And so, if I could keep only one knife for the rest of my life, it would be the BK16.
Runner Up: Bark River Bravo 1 LT in 3V: See above but swap out BK16 with “Bravo 1 LT in 3V.” I like the handle on the BK16 better than the Bravo 1’s handle, but I like the steel on the Bravo 1 better. As you can see, handles are more important than steel, especially in a fixed blade.
Best “One Ring” Folder: Spyderco Spydiechef
There are two kinds of people in the world: those that love the Spydiechef and dumb people. I absolutely love this knife and I have been carrying it quite a bit more since Covid-19 as I have no fear of soaking it in hand sanitizer after extensive use. The steel is basically rustproof 154CM and I really like 154CM. The handle is weird, but a good weird like mid-aughts CW show with no name actors, snappy dialog, and an impossibly quaint New England town (can I publicly admit loving Gilmore Girls? Who doesn’t have a crush on Lauren Graham). But the grind is the real star here. With an enormously tall blade and relatively thin stock, the Spydiechef is a slicing machine. Its robust, big enough to tackle a lot of tasks, and a pleasure to use—this is a One Ring Folder if I have ever seen one.
Runner Up: Spyderco Native 5 in LC200N: See above with smaller blade.
Best Knife to Show Membership in the IKC: Pena Knives X Series Zulu Trapper
If any knife were the equivalent of a 1945 Romanee-Conti Burgandy this is it. Its not because I think these knives will skyrocket in price, but because I think these knives represent exactly what the market wants circa 2020. Like this vintage of wine there are bunch of factors that combine to make this knife stand out from the crowded field of high end production blades. Enrique Pena is about as hot a custom maker as they get right now. Reate is the hottest production house. When you combine the two you get this knife. But, and this is a big deal, the Zulu Spear pattern is also mega hot. So too with the front flipper design (much to KnifeCritique’s chagrin). All of this makes this knife the perfect membership card for the Knife Intelligensia circa 2020. The fact that it is also a damn fine knife is just the cherry on top.
Runner Up: Hinderer/TAD Compact Dauntless: If you still love the smell of napalm in the morning and like your knives more tactical than grandpa, then Hinderer is a good place to start and this is the best knife Hinderer has made. Its really, really good.
Best Budget Knife: CRKT Drifter
The Reign of the King continues. If you have less than $30 you will have a hard time finding a better all around knife than this budget gem from CRKT. The action is good. The G10 version is light. And the blade is a great size. I wish it didn’t have a very slight recurve, but it is still my favorite knife to recommend to first timers or people that need a beater.
Runner Up: Leatherman KB: Slightly smaller and much weirder than the Drifter, this knife is still an excellent budget blade and it is even CHEAPER than the Drifter. Leatherman tools are wonderful, no matter the budget.
Best Carry: TRM Nerd
With a light build and a perfectly sculpted form, the TRM Nerd carries like a dream. TRM is consistently making some of the best knives on the planet in 2020 and the Nerd has all sorts of TRM goodness in a Dragonfly-sized package. There is not a single pinch point or pokey edge on this knife anywhere other than the cutting edge. Even the deep carry clip is great. I love this knife a lot and the fact that it disappears in a pocket is amazing.
Runner Up: Tie: Al Mar Hawk Ultralight Titanium Framelock Flipper: Not as posh, but even lighter, the Ti Hawk is great.
Best Design-First Knife: Urban EDC Supply Baby Barlow:
How to you update a classic pattern like a Barlow? Ask Justin Lundquist to reimagine it. The Baby Barlow may be the greatest new knife design in ten years. I just wish it had been made by someone other than Fox. A Baby Barlow from WE, Reate, or Millitt would have be sweet. Still, on paper, and in the pocket the amazing design trumps the gappy finish.
Runner Up: The James Brand Chapter Knife: As design-centric as the Baby Barlow, with a bit less homage and a bit more “good knife.”
Best Gent’s Knife: Chris Reeve Mnandi
There is no better gent’s knife, church knife, suit knife, dress knife, or any other niche use knife knuts discuss as ways of rationalizing the purchase of exceptionally expensive small knives than the Chris Reeve Mnandi. Yes, I like the old nail nick much, much better (shown above: old nail nick Mnandi with box elder burl), but even the current version is still quite beautiful and handy.
Runner Up: Meh…nothing really, but the Arno Bernard Rinkhal looks interesting. It is a slightly larger Mnandi with RWL34 steel and no lock. Heck even the nail nick is the same shape. Classy looking knife though.
Best Knife not otherwise Mentioned: Benchmade Mini Bugout (in Orange):
Clearly the best Benchmade Axis lock ever and a great, pocketable design. The MBO is so good that even Amazon can’t keep it in stock. Its as if they are selling them with bags of flour, TP, or yeast included for free. This is a simple, no-brainer recommendation that just didn’t fit anywhere else in this Top 10, but it was so good I couldn’t exclude it.
Runner Up: Boos Blades Mini Smoke: This is a glorious blade with a skeletal appearance, amazing specs, and a snappy front flipping action.
Amazon Links
Some of the gear mentioned in this article in available on Amazon. If you want to support the blog and are interested in the gear mentioned here, follow the links below and purchase items—the proceeds help buy new review samples to keep the blog running and 100% independent:
Spyderco Dragonfly II in ZDP-189
Spyderco Native (any variant that is not VG-10)