Everybody needs a good knife, but one man's garbage is another man's gold. So I collected an eclectic variety of knives, carried them, cut with them, boned up on their materials, and tested each component against their intended use. Whether you carry in your pocket or on your belt, or go tactical with a neck knife or drop it in a tackle box, I've got a piece you'll keep handy, whether on the boat, on the dock or in the back yard.
I found knives for hard workers for under $20 to “not-too-pricey” craftsman blades that make an admirable piece of art. Josh Smith is a master knife-maker who has been handcrafting knives in Montana for over 30 years. This blade is a downsized version of the company's most popular Speed Goat.
The 3-inch blade is legal in most states for open carry and is ideal for close work around the dock, while fishing, and for handling lines. The full tang blade features a paracorded handle for reliable grip and made for easy open carry. And it is easy to customize with the paracord color of your choice.
A concealed pocket-carry leather sheath is $65 or dress it up in gator leather for $130. This knife is so beautiful, I wouldn’t use mine for over a year. When I finally, reverently, lifted it from the shelf, I was sorry I’d been hoarding it.
It’s Magnacut stainless steel is designed to balance edge retention, flexibility and corrosion resistance—all mandatory properties of a reliable fillet knife. There’s only one hardness level above it that probably wouldn’t be practical for a blade that needs to flex. The heft and balance come from a properly sized grip of laminated fiberglass and epoxy.
To be a master, you have to present five knives to the judges that can cut a ½-inch rope in one pass, cut two two-by-fours in an unlimited number of chops or cuts and still be able to shave hair with it. Oh, and the temper must allow it to bend at 90 degrees without breaking. I haven’t filleted a fish with it yet, but I’ve dismembered a chicken for the pot, and it shaved just as nicely afterward as before.
The handle is easy to grip, and I agree with the master on the balance—it just feels great in the hand. com). The Tanto blade deploys single handed with a thumb bolt and locks in place.
Returning it to the fold is also one-handed, by depressing an internal blade lock with the thumb. The blade is of 3Cr13 steel, a metal that forges well and with 3 percent chromium alloy, and a titanium nitride coating, resists corrosion. This steel is known for taking an edge when re-sharpening becomes necessary.
The screwdriver blade locks at 90 degrees or straight out at 180 degrees to be used as a wrench or driver, respectively. 5 ounces, making it the ideal pocket knife. In a test of its edge-holding ability, I used it to open the tough plastic clamshell of another knife, first using the tool to slice paper, and found it sheared off paper equally well after the tough task of cutting hard plastic.
This little $23 multitool is quite a pleasant surprise for those looking for a reliable companion on their adventures.