The Best Pocket Knife Designs for Every Man

Do you spend your days at work fantasizing about how you would take down that terrorist who decided for some reason that H&R Block stands against everything he believes in? Do you watch Bear Grylls struggle to build a raft out of driftwood and feel like you could do it better? Then you need a good pocket knife. Here’s what you need to know about pocket knife designs.

The Multi-tool: Great if You Actually Go Outside

Multi-tools are equipped with pliers and any number of additional tools. As they are marketed for their versatility, they often feature all kinds of miniature fold-out devices, including scissors, knives, or tweezers.

Multi-tools are essentially the Bowflexes of the pocket knife world. They do everything, but they aren’t the best for anything. If you rarely leave the house, you probably won’t find much use for one. If you take your knife camping, hiking, boating, fishing, larping, or whatever else you do far from judging eyes, however, you won’t find a more useful item. 

The Swiss Army Knife: The Most Practical of Pocket Knife Designs

Although the term “Swiss Army Knife” technically refers to a specific type of knife sold by the company Victorinox, men use the term to refer to a relatively wide variety of knife styles. These include:

• Canoe knives
• Pen knives
• Trapper knives
• Peanut knives
• One-sided multi-tools

While they come in many forms, Swiss-Army-style knives are generally compact and feature blades or tools that fold from either one or two sides of the knife. They are usually too small to skin big game, but they are perfectly usable for skinning small game or fish. Realistically, though, you are probably going to use yours for everyday tasks far more often than manly outdoor ones, and they are great for these purposes as well.

The Folding Knife: The Most Tacticool Knife

Unlike other pocket knives, folding knives consist of a single device: a knife. As a knife is often the most useful item in any pocket knife, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you are a serious hunter looking for a sturdy knife to dress a deer, a folding knife can be a good alternative to a fixed blade. 

Many folding knives have serration or other features that create a “tactical” look. Be wary of companies who go overboard with this, though. Only a little serration at the base of the blade is necessary for most practical scenarios. Even if you are a serviceman looking to use a knife downrange, serration should still be minimal.

Choosing the Right Pocket Knife Designs for You

When shopping for a pocket knife, try to make an honest assessment of what you need your knife for. While it can feel cool to have a multi-tool at the office, carrying that weight and bulk in your pocket can quickly grow old. Research companies that make the pocket knife designs you want. In the world of utility knives, you get what you pay for. 

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