I have carried a knife almost every day of my life from the age of 7. 

In my generation’s scholastic times, it was not uncommon for a teacher to ask the class if anyone had a pocketknife when they were trying to open a box or for some other cutting use. 

That certainly is different today! 

My very first knife was a Camillus Cub Scout pocketknife that had a large blade, a small blade, and a combination flat screwdriver/bottle opener and a can opener. In addition to whittling away literally thousands of sticks and various pieces of wood, that knife served numerous other needs for the seven or eight years I carried it.  

For my 15th birthday, some friends that went on vacation to Switzerland brought me back what was then the Cadillac of all pocketknives — a Victorinox Swiss Army knife. It added numerous other features compared to the Cub Scout knife, such as a small magnifying glass, a fish scaler, a small pair of scissors, a Phillips screwdriver, and even a plastic toothpick and small pair of tweezers. That knife stayed with me every day throughout high school and college. Though I rarely carry it these days, it still holds a treasured place in my knife drawer. 

Today, I have a collection of more than 50 different knives, with many of them designed for specific uses. I am fortunate in that I can switch them up based on my need for the day. Some are specialized for work-related activities like opening boxes, cutting ropes, etc. Some are specialty knives for hunting that have blade shapes more tailored to rendering an animal from a dead carcass to hide and meat. 

Today’s carry cutlery comes in an almost unlimited array of materials, shapes, and functions. There are specialized knives for everything you can think of, from opening packages and letters to processing animals to, ultimately, effective self-defense. Many of them effectively serve multiple uses.

When selling knives, make sure to ask your customers what their main goal is in using it. Are they looking for something easily concealable? If so, where will they carry it? Would a sheath knife or a folding knife be more suitable for their needs? Will this be mostly a defensive weapon, or more of an all-purpose tool? You may also want to ask them where they live, as not all knife types are legal to carry (or even possess) in all states. 

Finally, make sure to ask about their budget. Knives today have in common with optics that you “get what you pay for,” however, there are some nice surprises at very reasonable price points that can ensure your customers will have many years of use from their everyday tool, and also have the benefit of not making them cry too hard if you happen to have to surrender them to TSA, as I have on more than one occasion!

Following are a wide array of knives and several knife accessories that your customers will not only want to buy, but will love because of their broad uses and everyday carry potential. 

These knives and multitools were run through daily use testing with three other avid knife users for period of over three months of everyday use. Although every single knife in this evaluation is an excellent choice for your customers, we chose the top three for each specialized use, along with some special mentions.

Best Overall 

Benchmade “Tagged Out” Carbon Fiber 

There are a lot of things to love about this knife, not the least of which is its ultralight weight. Made with a CPM – Magna Cut steel and a carbon fiber handle, this knife can be carried numerous different ways. I experimented with the knife tucked in my boot, my sock, inside the pants, and of course, in my pocket. Be careful where you put it, though, as it’s ultralight weight means you likely will forget it’s there while carrying it. Design specifically for hunting, it features a blaze orange-colored blade for easy spotting when you set it down. The fact that it is ultra lightweight, razor sharp, rapidly deployable with one hand and relatively large also makes it an ideal EDC/daily use knife. 

Specialized Blades

1st- CRKT Provoke Grivory. Testers loved this knife for its “cool factor” as well as its utility and easy one-handed opening. 

2nd- Diamond Blade Knives Commander Auto. This push-button automatic features Diamond Blade’s friction-forged technology. This process results in a steel grain structure that is 10 times finer than traditional knife edges. This process creates a thinner, harder, tougher and razor-sharp edge that Diamond Blade guarantees to outperform any other knife by 10X. 

3rd- TIE. Civivi Elementum and CRKT Minimalist. The Civivi Elementum is the most unique knife we tested. First, it is very small, a little over 2 inches when folded. The most interesting thing about this replaceable-blade knife is that it utilizes standard utility knife blades available at any hardware store. That means that not only do you have the choice of several different styles, but users can keep a lot of them on hand for not a lot of money and buy more easily without having to order them online. Also unique is that the knife utilizes the full length of the utility blade. The Minimalist is just that — a small knife worn around the neck. Don’t think that this knife is just for cutting ropes and opening packages, though. The innovative grip and razor sharp Bowie-sstyle blade can make this knife a wicked and nasty surprise when deployed defensively.

Gentlemen’s Everyday Carry

1st- Ocaso Knives Solstice Carbon Fiber. It’s no surprise that there are TWO Ocaso knives in this category, as they are sold as the “finest gentleman, executive, and everyday carry pocketknives.” The Solstice is super lightweight, extremely attractive, has a 3.5 inch blade length, and weighs only 1.7 ounces! 

2nd- Ocaso Strategy. If you are a fan of a beefier blade, then you want to carry the Ocaso Strategy Carbon Fiber. Though it weighs more than the weight of the solstice, it still only clocks in at 3.6 ounces. 

3rd- Demko AD20.5. This pivot-pin knife is up for any duty, carries well, and features an innovative “Shark Lock” mechanism on the back of the handle. One of the reviewers rated the knife down for the system. The rest of us loved it! 

Self Defense 

1st- Benchmade Claymore OTF. When it comes to speed of deployment, nothing beats an automatic knife. Add a dual-edged, dagger-style blade and you have the ultimate EDC defensive knife. Razor sharp with an almost 4-inch blade, the Claymore was unanimously the top pick. The downside is that there are still many states where double-edged and/or automatic knives are not legal to carry. 

2nd- Demko Armiger 4. Even faster than an automatic blade deployment is a fixed-blade sheath knife. The Demko Armiger is a nice blend of blade length, handle size, and easy concealability for rapid deployment. Carried inside the waistband or under a jacket on the belt, this knife is concealable and an excellent defensive weapon choice. 

3rd- Benchmade Shootout CF-Elite Tanto. Yes, it’s another automatic knife here, and two out of three for Benchmade, but for those who like a tango-style blade or cannot carry a two-edged knife as their EDC, this Shootout is an excellent choice. 

Low Cost, High Value

1st- Real Avid RAV Series. Depending on size and blade style, this series of knives from Real Avid run between $25 and $50. At that price, you can choose a few! 

2nd- Outdoor Edge Razor VX 3. For those who hate sharpening knives, Outdoor Edge has introduced an EDC line featuring scalpel-sharp, replaceable blades. These knives are “pivot-open” which gives them an advantage in some states where an assisted-opening knife might not be legal. 

3rd- Blackhawk Bunker Buster. This was the largest knife of the group, with a blade length of 4.25 inches coupled with a 5-inch handle. That’s a big folding knife. However, at a weight of only 2.1 ounces, this knife is not difficult to EDC. Manufactured by Bear and Sons cutlery, and with a real-world price of under $65, this is an excellent choice for those on a budget.  

Multi-Tools 

Sometimes, “EDC” doesn’t just mean a knife that’s used for self-defense and opening boxes. Multi-tools are exceptionally useful with their numerous options and attached tools. 

1st- Leatherman Wave. Touted as the originator of the multitool, the Leatherman Wave is Leatherman’s best-selling tool of all time. There are 18 different tools included in one compact, folding unit. Aside from the obvious pliers, knife and saw, there are scissors, a can opener, a multiple head screwdriver and much more.

2nd- Gerber Center-Drive Plus. Not far behind in the multitool marketplace is Gerber, with several very useful products for your customers. The Center Drive Plus opens inline like a regular screwdriver, which allows for maximum torque and rotation on tough or stuck screws. The knife blade has also been made 30% longer and the pliers can be opened with one hand — a huge advantage in many situations. The Plus also has one of the most utilized tools on any multitool: a pair of scissors.

3rd- Gerber Arm Bar Slim Drive. This minimalist multitool was designed to be easily carried, while helping with what you need the most — cutting, loosening or tightening screws, and, of course, opening that cold beverage at the end of the day. With a 2 ½-inch blade and multi-bit screwdriver, testers found themselves reaching in their pocket for this innovative tool many times throughout the day. 

Be SHARP

Dull knives are not only a lot less useful in performing the tasks they are designed for, they are downright dangerous. Two products that were evaluated to keep knives sharp performed that task exceptionally well, and they are reasonable in cost. These are an excellent upsell that you should recommend to every knife-buying customer.

Blade Knife Oil: Modern Spartan Systems has some of the most innovative lubricants and protectants in the marketplace today. Modern Spartan Systems’s “Blade” oil is specially formulated for maintaining knife blade edge metal. It creates a super slick surface on any sharpened metal by molecularly rearranging the metal from a microscopic sandpaper-like texture into a smooth, hard surface. This technology allows your knife to sharpen easier and remain sharper longer despite the difficulty of use that blade is put through. It also forms a molecular bond with the metal, protecting the blade, any metal components, and, of course, the edge, from rust and corrosion. 

Work Sharp Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener: Yes, you can still use an old-fashioned whetstone or steel to sharpen your knives — but with today’s technological advancements, why would you? The Professional Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener includes seven 1” x 6” sharpening abrasives, a ceramic rod for sharpening blade serrations, and both a fine ceramic polishing stone and a leather polishing strop. This system allows adjustable sharpening angles from 15 to 30 degrees measured by a digital angle indicator. No more guessing as to if you have the proper angle! Simply clamp your knife, select the angle you wish, choose your abrasive, and make your knife razor-sharp. This product works on every knife in your collection, including the ones in your kitchen. There is even a small knife table attachment that allows you to sharpen smaller carry knives all the way down to a 15-degree angle. The instructions are clear and make setting up the system extremely easy.

This is the ultimate knife sharpening kit for everything and anything with a blade, and is priced accordingly. MSRP $299.95.