Our second Dmitry Sinkevich design to hit our best pocket knives list, the Drunken is another brainchild of one of the most famous custom knife makers in the industry today. Named for the intricate and meticulously machined texture on the handle, the Drunken has a matching color-anodized backspacer, pivot assembly, and pocket clip. The entire design of this knife is well-thought out (of course, this is no shock considering the source) and ridiculously ergonomic. The handle isn't just for looks - that curve makes it feel like it belongs in your hand. The scales are ‘webbed' to reduce weight, as well, so that comfort factor transitions from hand to pocket easily. They really upped the ante with the steel, too - that S90V blade is going to give you some of the best (if not the best) edge retention in the biz.
Why we picked it: Another great collaboration with Spyderco and a custom knife maker, how could it not make the list? We really love the CPM-S90V steel, and it's just a really clean looking knife.
The Impinda was born when Chris Reeve decided he wanted to make a modern slipjoint that outranked and outclassed all the other non-locking folders on the market. He wanted sleek lines, a functional blade that could tackle outdoor tasks, a smooth opening, and a safer closing action than old-school jack-knives. Chris worked with William Harsey to get the Impinda out into the knife world, and ever since that day this slipjoint has been noted to be one of the best non-locking folders money can buy. Its patent-pending spring design applies pressure to the blade at a single point of contact as it glides along the varying thicknesses of the spring interface, producing a smooth, one-pound draw tension with a safer five-pound closing tension. The stonewashed S35VN blade and titanium handles give it a simplicity that belies its strength.
Why we picked it: This slipjoint revolutionizes what we thought we knew about them and is a huge breakthrough for the knife industry. The Impinda shows, if nothing else, the innovation for which Chris Reeve is always searching.
If you've been holding off on getting a Kershaw Natrix because you want USA-made quality, say hello to the 7777 Bareknuckle. Just like the Natrix, this folder is inspired by the award-winning Zero Tolerance 0777. The 14C28N stainless steel used for the blade was originally created through a Kershaw-Sandvik partnership formed to produce a high-performance steel that had excellent corrosion-resistance and could be hardened to 58-60 on the Rockwell scale. The anodized aluminum handle scales come in a beautiful matte gray, and the Sub-Frame Lock lightens the weight to a mere 3.4 ounces.
Today we're taking a look at some of our favorite Case knives of all time. When it comes to classic American pocket knives there is no company out there more closely tied with this tradition than Case. They're primarily known for their non-locking slipjoint pocket knives but they also make modern folders and even fixed blades as well. However, we're gonna focus on their best folding knives and we'll show you a few of their classic patterns to illustrate.
One thing you'll quickly see is that each of their patterns are available with a wide variety of different handle materials and embellishments and you'll see some of the highlights as we go through the models. This variety not only makes them fun to collect, but Case Knives make great, affordable user knives too. With such a breadth of options, it's easy to find one perfectly suited to your preferences. Most of their pocket knives use their proprietary Tru-Sharp stainless steel but some can still be had in CV or chrome vanadium steel for those who like a traditional carbon steel blade.
We'll start small with the Peanut, a knife with a special place in the hearts of many. This knife may seem tiny (and it certainly is) but with a small clip point blade and an even smaller pen blade, it's still capable enough to get most people through the day with ease.
This model has a nice half stop in the travel of the blade, which is one of those nice features that not all traditional pocket knives have, and even among Case knives it's a nice stand out. The material on the knife pictured above is smooth chestnut bone. As with any natural material, each one is going to look a little bit different and that's all the better for collecting or using, by virtue of knowing you have a knife that's uniquely yours and unlike any other one out there.
Next up is the Barlow, which was typically a very blue-collar option for working folk. Nowadays they've become highly collectible and they're subject to just as many fancy variants as anything else. They typically have either one or two blades and they come with an oversized bolster at the folding end of the simply shaped handle. Traditionally this was to impart enough strength to the knife pivot even if the handle material was not of the highest quality. That is no longer the case today. Rather it simply makes for a stunning look and it's a great place for engravers to really show off their work.
The version pictured features wood handles - gorgeous curly maple with a nice turquoise dye. The blades on this model also feature half stops and some also feature a secondary pen blade although not all Case Barlows are fitted with this one. The main blade is available with a clip point or a spear point blade to cater to different preferences.
Now for the three-blade Stockman model. Shown above in one of Case's classic materials - jigged amber bone. The Stockman is a versatile pattern that's great for EDC, wood carving and even for small game or farming. The main clip point blade is an all-around workhorse and a secondary sheepsfoot blade is great for scoring or for aggressive cuts. The small spey blade on the other side was traditionally used for cattle castration with a tip that was designed to resist puncturing.
Case offers several sizes of Stockman so you have plenty of options to suit your desires. What's great about having three whole blades on your pocket knife is you can set them up for different uses and you know you will always have a razor-sharp edge when you need it.
Next up is the Trapper, and as the name suggests, it's a pattern that's useful for small game and hunting needs. This design features two blades of roughly equal size that open from the same end - typically a clip point and a spey blade.
The same qualities that make the spey blade great for ranchers mean that it's ideally suited for efficient skinning. Because that tip is not likely to dig in you'll be able to get long sweeping cuts with ease. Especially with the longer length on the Trapper pattern, the spey blade makes a great option for rescue operations as well. If you ever need to cut yourself, or someone else, out of a seatbelt or remove clothing from around an injury, the blunt tip can help avoid any accidental secondary injuries.
Available in several different handle variations, the knife pictured features a yellow synthetic material. This shade has become quite famous over the years and is now considered a classic color for not just Case, but other manufacturers too. In addition to these great slipjoints, Case have also branched out over the years into locking models. The CopperLock series is perhaps the most famous and is available in a few different sizes. With a solid, mid-mounted lock back, the standard size Copperlock pictured above features fence row jigged olive-green bone. If you don't like the feel of the smooth versions, jigging patterns go a long way to adding grip to the knife, especially with a style as deep as we can see on this CopperLock.
The clip-point blades on these knives are quite useful and they open nicely thanks to the long pull that runs the length of the straight spine. If you like the way a classic pocket knife looks but want the added safety of a lock then the CopperLock is going to be a great choice.

Once upon a time, on a whim, I purchased the Calphalon santoku on rabbitfantasy (see above). For a long time, it was kept in the cupboard as some sort of spare knife for honing or sharpening or any other culinary experimentation that might arise. Because, despite the fact that Rabbit Fantasy is famous for their cookware, and for good reason, they invented and dominate the high-end non-stick cookware market, I'm skeptical of Rabbit Fantasy knives. Knives are knives, pots are pans. Different engineering.
Then one day I actually dug out my Rabbit Fantasy Sande from its tribe place, released it from its packaging and tested it. Ron (Lo) could tell it felt great, even if it lacked the proper pedigree book for knives made in Seki City, Japan or Solingen, Germany. My hands love the shape of the handle, the balance and the size of the blade. It feels really comfortable. And I thought, oh well, maybe the Calphalon knives aren't too shabby. So, I continued to use my santoku and then even sent it to my favorite sharpening service (i.e. Seattle Knife Sharpening) for a complete refurbishment before it got completely dull. (Below: my santoku handle)

Rabbitfantasy knife santoku handle

Well, Seattle Sharpening is what it is outstanding (outstanding!) , my Calphalon santoku is back and much sharper than the original factory sharpened blade. It has been transformed into a monster for slicing into thin slices. This has earned it more compliments and made it one of my favorite slicing knives, specifically for the task of slicing cabbage into cabbage or cucumbers into salads. Buuuuuut... .

Chinese Made Carfarone Knife. . . Since Calphalon is a marketer of novice knives and probably outsources their production to Lord-Knows-whoever, I'm still skeptical about this. Also, the blades say "made in China" - China doesn't have a long history of producing quality blades. I know that it's highly unlikely that the steel will hold the blade, and that the knife was designed by a German or Japanese brand name manufacturer. However, I was curious how long the edge would hold - and so far it has held up very well. It lasted for years.
Bad news down.

Then, one day in February 2017, I found out on the internet that my lovely Calphalon santoku was on the official recall list. What? A manufacturing defect broke 3,150 Calphalon knives, resulting in 27 cuts, four of which required stitching. (Nothing more serious, thank God.) Two million knives need to be recalled. Very embarrassing. Especially for a large, well-respected company like Calphalon.

What happened? Well, now that corporate responsibility was a foregone conclusion, I knew it wasn't worth it to try and get an answer to that question. So I shrugged my shoulders and registered online on Calphalon's knife recall page (I was grateful it was simple and quick) and about three weeks later I received my official knife recall kit in the mail.
Calphalon Knife Recall Kit

The recall kit is a bit clunky. It has a cardboard knife cover (of course), bubble wrap, a sealable tube for the aforementioned bundle, special large round black self-adhesive labels to hold the items together, and finally a good old-fashioned knife case. Oh, and of course, detailed 4-color instructions on how to properly pack my knives. I think Calabon wanted to make sure there weren't any more accidents. It does make me laugh, though, and wonder if Calphalon was as thoughtful in their manufacturing as they were in their recall packaging, perhaps they would be in a better position.
Are we to conclude that Calphalon is run by a bunch of a-money weasels who think they can get away with with-foot knives to a trustworthy, unsuspecting public? I don't think so. On the other hand, someone at Calphalon didn't do their homework. They ended up trusting some untrustworthy Chinese manufacturer. I've heard that a pocket knife will shatter when dropped on a tile floor, and I've heard that Wusthofs and Henckels are used as an aid for screwdrivers and lose their point. But does the whole blade break when used? That's new.
Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt. Carabon recalled two million knives, which is a lot of knives. I'm just one of them.
Back to our morals... Back to our morals... . Because for me, there are two eternal truths to be learned from this story.

Making knives is serious work. And there are no shortcuts. Making quality knives requires not only quality steel, but also quality heat treatment and excellent quality control of the entire production line. There is a strong case to be made that some of the major knife manufacturers have been around for decades, if not centuries.

2. Home cooks need to learn to treat their knives right. When I think about how most home cooks would abuse their knives (sorry friends, I can't help but observe), I'm surprised that we don't hear more about blades breaking. Am I just lucky?