I returned to SHOT Present in 2023 after a protracted hiatus. There have been numerous new merchandise on show there, however I went with a deal with discovering probably the most attention-grabbing knives from the views of the knife producers themselves. I spoke with sixteen totally different knife makers and requested every to establish their most attention-grabbing knife of 2023 and to inform me what makes it so.
A number of producers couldn’t restrict themselves to only one knife, so I allow them to squeeze in one other. This text is a written model of these interviews with buy hyperlinks to every knife (if the knives have been launched). If you wish to watch the video and listen to from the designers themselves and see the knives in motion, simply hit play on the embedded YouTube video beneath.
Bear & Son – Widow Butterfly Knives
Bear & Son is a principally US-made firm out of Alabama, in operation since 1991. They make totally different variations of conventional, butterflies, and computerized knives. Probably the most attention-grabbing knife they recognized is of their Widow collection of butterfly/balisong knives. It has a spiderweb on a crimson blade, one thing totally different they got here up with to attract consideration.
Not but accessible.
Their butterfly knives have at all times had a zinc deal with, however this yr they transformed them to have stainless-steel handles with bronze phosphorous washers, and so they’re now screwed collectively as a substitute of riveted.
Benchmade – Shootout, 290 Immunity, and Narrows
Benchmade is a US knife producer situated in Oregon. They recognized a number of attention-grabbing knives for 2023, increasing on a number of outdated favorites. These knives embody an growth on the Shootout franchise, one in every of their hottest class of knives. In addition they have a brand new knife known as the Narrows, and so they added one other knife added to the Immunity household.
Shootout
The Shootout was initially developed for the regulation enforcement group. It had a glass breaker with an out-the-front blade. What they acknowledged is that it’s a improbable EDC knife. The out-the-front blade lets you make a reduce after which retract it with out having to vary your grip, permitting an financial system of movement. They added a blue colour choice, providing all the Shootout options with out it wanting overly tactical.
Purchase the Shootout at Blade HQ or at Optics Planet.
290 Immunity
The 290 Immunity (handbook) has been a very talked-about knife for them, that includes lots of their higher-end supplies. It’s a troublesome knife regardless of its diminutive measurement. It options CPM4 metal for the blade, tremendous robust with excessive edge retention and cobalt black ceracote end, full aluminum handles with a satin texture in order that it carries effectively with slacks, not simply denims. It’s a small knife, however the lanyard acts as a deal with extension for the fourth finger.
Purchase the 290 Immunity at Blade HQ.
The blade lets you choke up on it to get reducing efficiency out of the tip. It’s straightforward to hold in a non-permissive surroundings the place you may’t carry a bigger knife however you want one thing that may carry out a wide range of duties.
The Narrows
The Narrows was impressed by ultralight backpackers. There’s a variety of titanium gear in that house, so the problem Benchmade gave themselves was the best way to make the lightest knife attainable with out compromising energy or efficiency. The Narrows has a 3D-milled 6AL titanium deal with. It’s not simply ornamental mill for grip and aesthetics, however additionally they cored out the internals.
I actually favored this knife, however the value on it’s robust to justify.
Purchase the Narrows at Blade HQ.
Being titanium it retains its rigidity. The axis lock was upgraded for this mannequin, capable of remove the omega springs and skinny out the knife, which additionally allowed them to chop weight with out compromising efficiency. It additionally has bearings for the divots. It’s an especially easy, full-size knife, with M390 blade metal, however in a light-weight, compact product with a wonderful aesthetic.
Bestech – Mothus
Bestech highlighted the primary launch of 2023, a brand new variant of the Mothus line. A premium-line knife with droppoint blade, M390 metal, and titanium with a variety of particulars and milling work.
Not accessible but, however store Bestech knives at Blade HQ.
It additionally has reversible pocket clip for lefties. It’s fidget-friendly that has simply hit the market with seven totally different finishes and colours.
BnB – Tac Hunter
BnB is a 3rd technology knife firm that began within the 1960 and relies in Pakistan. They’ve 60 forgers, and concentrate on Damascus metal. The knife they highlighted was one which they introduced out final yr however is one in every of their prime 5 sellers, the Tac Hunter.
This was one in every of my favourite knives from the present.
Purchase the BnB Tac Hunter at Optics Planet.
The Tac Hunter is 4oz and 6.75″ in size with a 2.5″ blade manufactured from D2 metal with a titanium wash. It has a G10 deal with and a Kydex sheath that comes with it, which has a locking mechanism that appeals to many, permitting the person to maneuver it from backpacks to belts, shifting from vertical to scout to 45-degree carry. It’s a flexible knife that’s sufficiently small to make use of as an EDC, nice for skinning, and it’s additionally utilized by fishermen. It’s an amazing, compact, all-purpose knife.
Buck – Alpha Hunter, 838 Blackout, and Paradigm
Buck is a family-owned firm that’s been operating since 1902. The Buck relations nonetheless present up on the workplace to work side-by-side with workers to provide American-made merchandise in Publish Falls, Idaho.
Alpha Hunter
From their searching line, they highlighted the Alpha Hunter, a fixed-blade knife with a sweeping blade produced from S35VN metal with jimping in the correct locations and a thumb relaxation for processing sport. It’s offered with an American-made leather-based sheath. It additionally has somewhat brother, the identical knife in a smaller profile.
Purchase the Buck Alpha Hunter at Blade HQ.
838 Blackout
In addition they highlighted the brand new 838 Deploy Blackout, an auto knife that’s fully blacked out. It has the S35VN metal for wonderful edge retention, robust blade with a superb security.
Purchase the Buck 838 Blackout at Blade HQ.
Paradigm
The most attention-grabbing is their Paradigm, which has an attention-grabbing locking mechanism. You must slide the bolster over after which hit the button and a raindrop Damascus blade metal pops up, matched with a tuxedo look, white ivory G-10 deal with. It’s a knife that will get a variety of compliments.
Purchase the Buck Paradigm at Blade HQ.
Camillus – Swedge
Camillus is a maker of instruments for tenting, searching, and around-the-house use. Their most attention-grabbing knife highlighted is the Swedge. They described it as “a hard and fast blade on steroids.”
The Camillus Swedge is out there at Wal-Mart and Residence Depot.
It has a large backbone, thick blade, aggressive jimping on the again, and a chisel tip. It’s an all-purpose knife for bushcraft, used for tenting, or something round the home or storage. The perfect function of this knife? It’s beneath $20 {dollars}!
CRKT – Provoke
CRKT works with among the finest designers on the planet, taking their designs and turning them into inexpensive knives that anybody can purchase. The Provoke EDC is the knife they selected to focus on, one which was launched a number of years in the past. It makes use of kinematic arms that pull the blade out the again and solves the shortcomings of the karambit.
They wished to make one thing extra conducive to carrying within the pocket, making it thinner and a blade extra appropriate for on a regular basis reducing duties, and a less complicated locking mechanism. The pocket clip lays flush and the blade rises rather a lot deeper than the normal karambit.
ESEE – Pinhoti Friction Folder
ESEE began as a coaching firm within the early Nineteen Nineties with Randall’s Journey Coaching. The founders of the corporate couldn’t discover instruments they favored in order that they designed their very own and backed into the business that method. They conduct common analysis and growth by educating courses and being within the subject, and are proud to face behind their knives.
Their single most attention-grabbing knife on the present was the Pinhoti friction folder. All the time enamored with friction folders, the designer got down to construct a friction folder that might really work and be snug within the hand. It’s a blade which you could work and use.
Lots of people are apprehensive about it from a security standpoint, however the designer feels you’d must be doing one thing foolish to injure your self with it. It has a 90-degree backbone so you may scrape a ferro rode or tinder with the knife closed. The sheath holds the knife in 4 totally different instructions. They solely made 300 of them within the first run.
Ka-Bar – Not But Named
Ka-Bar has been round for a very long time. That is their a hundred and twenty fifth anniversary. They make all types of issues, however are most well-known for the USMC knife, the traditional, American icon knife. Ka-Bar has an amazing, wealthy historical past.
The knife they highlighted doesn’t have a reputation but. It was solely the 2nd prototype, and it’s a knife that you simply would possibly see in a number of years. It’s an evolution of the Turok, a Ka-Bar bestseller. It’s a much more severe knife than the opposite Ka-Bar fusion knife, the Ka-Bar Tanto.
Not but accessible.
It’s a military-style knife, only a huge combating knife that you simply don’t see a lot of lately. It has traditional attributes like a comfortable deal with and a tapered tang, the latter being a function that in all probability gained’t within the manufacturing model. There’ll doubtless be others adjustments to it because it goes by growth.
Mcusta – Sport Sequence
Mcusta is a Japanese knife-making firm. All knives are made in Seki, Japan. “Mcusta” is a mix of “machine” and “customized.” They begin out with the machine course of and are then enhanced with customized work.
Not but accessible, however store Mcusta knives at Blade HQ.
Usually, Mcusta does folding knives and kitchen cutlery, however they’re branching out to the searching sectors. The Sport 100, 200, and 300 are probably the most attention-grabbing knives featured at their SHOT Present 2023 sales space. The designer wasn’t capable of make them for a number of years, so he’s pleased to have Mcusta deliver them again to the market. It has a BG10 Core Damascus blade with a hammered end. The totally different variations have slight variations in design, however the identical blade and end.
Microtech – MSI
Microtech Knives has been round since 1994. They satisfaction themselves on making high-end knives with US supplies. Most of their merchandise are made in-house. They highlighted their new Microtech MSI, which stands for Microtech Commonplace Subject. They’d many requests for a handbook folding knife, so that’s how the MSI got here into being.
Coming quickly at Blade HQ.
What’s most original about is its patent-pending Ramlock locking mechanism. The great thing about the MSI is the MSRP. It is going to checklist for round $250, nevertheless it might go decrease in the event that they do an injection-molded deal with.
Morakniv – Garberg
Mora Knives are all made in Morakniv, Sweden. They’ve been making knives since 1891, producing among the highest high quality knives in the marketplace, every thing from entry stage knives to the one highlighted on the present, the Mora Garberg with survival package.
Morakniv Garberg Sandvik Stainless Metal Full-Tang Mounted-Blade Survival Knife With Sheath, 4.3 Inch
- Full-Tang Knife: Constructed from high-quality, rugged supplies, this fixed-blade knife is probably the most sturdy mannequin we provide and makes a really perfect bushcraft knife, backpacking knife, tenting knife, and mountain climbing knife
- Premium Blade: Stays sharp for a very long time and incorporates a semi-matte end; 0.13 inch thick knife blade incorporates a square-edged floor backbone that can be utilized as a striker with hearth metal
The Garberg has been out for a number of years. It has a high-quality stainless-steel blade and full tank with polymer grip. What makes this one totally different is that it comes with a ferro rod and knife sharpener on the polymer sheath with leather-based belt loop.
OCASO – Solstice
OCASO is out of Southern California, launched simply 4 months in the past. The concept behind the model is to create an executive-style, mild, slick-looking knives which you could carry in a swimsuit or costume pant. They’re working with some nice knife designers.
Solely accessible (to date) at OCASO.
The hero product within the proprietor’s view is the Solstice. It’s a slick, pen-like model knife made in collaboration with Andrew Dempko. They’ve some popping out of Taiwan and a model of popping out of Italy. It has a high-grade titanium framelock, Damascus metal, and their signature diamond-like pivot pin.
Spartan Blades
Spartan Blades was began in 2008 exterior of Fort Bragg. The founders had been within the Military collectively and favored working collectively a lot that they began an organization, Spartan Blades, as a fight knife firm. They began with three fashions and over time the corporate continued to develop. In 2019, they teamed up with Ka-Bar knives.
Their most attention-grabbing knife is a brand new one for 2023, a collaboration between Spartan and designer William Harsey. He goes by the moniker “knife maker to the Inexperienced Berets.” They wished to do one thing with Ka-Bar, in order that they wished one thing iconically Ka-Bar but in addition simply acknowledged as one thing Spartan Blades has completed previously.
Not but accessible.
They created a knife paying homage to the Ka-Bar combating knife however with a contoured deal with. That grew to become the Spartan Harsey Fighter.
Spartan was an organization that made high-end, costly knives and did very effectively with that, however if you’re making fight knives for troopers, it’s a must to make some which are inexpensive for youthful infantry guys. It’s made out of 1099 Crovan and value beneath $200. They’re as happy with the sheath as they’re the knife. It’s form-fitted, quiet, has secondary retention, and has a detachable strap on the again.
Spyderco
Spyderco is finest often called the developer of the Clipit knives. When you return to 1981, previous to that point there have been no knives that had pocket clips. The corporate founder pioneered the idea.
The Para Army 2 is the 2nd technology mannequin of their Army mannequin. The unique goes again to the mid-Nineteen Nineties. The second technology model has a lot of important adjustments. The brand new knife is a four-position clip with Spyderco’s compression lock. It has a a lot stronger lock that’s positioned on the backbone of the deal with so you may open it with one hand and shut it with out your fingers getting in the best way of the sting. In addition they refined the ergonomics of the knife.
TOPS
TOPS was based in 1998 by a Vietnam veteran. He wished to make knives that had been overbuilt, robust, reliable, and sturdy. Ever since then they’ve stored the identical mission, however now they do far more than simply tactical knives.
Their most attention-grabbing knife in 2023 is the El Pionero, designed by Ed Calderon.
Coming quickly at Blade HQ.
Calderon runs a coaching regiment, and is a former police officer in Mexico. After that he got here to the US to coach regulation enforcement, army, and authorities workers. The El Pionaro is a play on an outdated paring knife.
Missed Most Attention-grabbing Knives?
There have been different knife producers at SHOT Present who I’m certain had attention-grabbing knives, however there was restricted time to hit all of them, and never all wished to be on digicam for the video.
What’s lacking? What’s your favourite or most attention-grabbing knife? Do you see any failures or oversights within the knives talked about by these corporations? Let me know within the feedback part.
Lastly, there are far fewer authorized restrictions on knives than there are firearms, however at all times know the knife legal guidelines in your state simply in case.
