Best Knife For Self Defense To Carry (2026 Updated)

Very light, tight blade, fairly attractive in appearance, relatively low price. Very sharp out of box. Overall good deal. Seems almost unnoticeable while in pocket.

Fits nice in pocket, good spring, quality blade. Good price for a case but still a little more than it should be with the composite handle.

I use it for fruits and it fits the bill. I like that it’s rubber so I just wash it under a faucet.

The top part of the pen slips and did so almost immediately andt the blade isn’t very sharp. I sharpened the blade and put a piece of scotch tape on bottom part of the connection. Seems to be ok, the actually writes really well but for obvious reasons it has a small ink tube.

I’m going to try and find refills.

Very impressive. I bought several. One for the car one for my purse and one for my best friend.

IšverstiShow in original languageThis LMF II makes 3 for me. I finally got it on 6 Aug, 2026 instead of 24 Jul, 2026 because of COVID 19. Just goes to show you that you can never keep a great tactical knife down.

I love these LMF knives because of how tough they are and they are made to do several tasks you may need to do. Also since these knives were made for the Military personnel needs in mind. I keep one in my leave the house bag incase something happens I know I am prepared.

I keep one by the bed, and now I have my edc knife. They work great on outside tasks like hammering, cutting heavy thick material, and also a punch to help you get drill bits started. Heck I just look for stuff to do to see if the LMF can tackle it.

That is why I love the LMF II because it can do things other fixed blade knives can’t. That is what makes this such a great knife it is an indoor and outdoor tool that can handle whatever you throw at it.

Gerber hit a home run with the LMF II.

IšverstiShow in original languageGreat Knife, the sheath is surprisingly very well made. The Knife is not only extremely sharp, as well the blade/ handle can be utilized with different grips/ applications ie.

adapted for spear use. or other combat/usage applications. A great product with service and usability incorporated.

IšverstiShow in original languageThis is my third Gerber LMF 2. They are great all around survival knives. I generally keep one of these in my car or my pack. If I’m going out on a major adventure, I keep one of these as my backup.

The sheaths in these are very very nice, arguably one of the best sheaths out there from a production knife company. If you can snag one of these for under $65, it’s a steal. P. S. This last one was razor sharp.

Oh and if you are going to do some hardcore batoning then I’d probably choose another knife for that purpose. This is a great all around knife and while it can’t do light batoning I’d probably steer away from doing heavy stuff with it.

I’ve never had one fail but this knife really wasn’t designed solely for that purpose in mind. There are positives and negatives to any knife. Weight them carefully and choose accordingly. Highly recommend these knives.

I could tell how nice the quality of this knife was the moment I opened it up. The steel is gorgeous quality and finish. The handle is light and the wood used makes it look like a rolling fire. Very nice balance to it.

Even the sheath is top quality. It holds the knife snug. No chance it’s slipping out. Been using this daily since I bought it. Buy one. You know you want to.

Helle’s new Ulven (wolf in Norwegian) knife is an excellent piece. I love the feel of the handle in my hand. It is fuller than most other Helle knives and is even fuller at the end of the handle which just feels great.

The blade is shaving sharp, a Helle trademark and holds its edge very well. The sheath has a wolf cutout on it to match the name of the knife I suppose. It has a “dangler” strap which makes it more comfortable to wear, especially when you have to bend over or sit down.

I do wish the sheath were just a little bit deeper. I have worn it on several trail runs and you don’t even know it is there until you need it to cut something and then it performs great. One little note; when I run I sweat big time and the handle does not seem to like the salty sweat, so you need to keep it waxed with Sno-Seal or some other such product to protect the curly birch wood.

This is a fine piece. Simple, plain and dependable. I am proud to own it.

Many people who live in rural Scandinavia have a version of this knife. It is a timeless utilitarian tool. This particular design is made for larger hands and hard work. You can use this knife all day long and not get hot spots in your hands.

The handle is superb. The knife is well made and holds a fine edge. The sheath is well made and holds the knife well. I have been using this knife for tasks around the homestead and woodlot, as well as bushcrafting projects, for a few years, and it has exceeded my expectations.

Despite having a rat tail tang, this knife batons small pieces of wood well, and has held up to strenuous work. This is the best all-around knife that I own. If I was only going to have one knife, this would be it.

I’ve been wanting an Opinel forever just never got around to it. This knife is amazingly sharp with the quality carbon blade and i do admire the simplicity of the lightweight wooden handle. It’s as simple as they get.

Unfortunately, that simplified design causes the wood to swell and contract with fluctuations in temperature, more to the point dewpoint and humidity. This can make opening and closing the knife a PIA.

Also, as these French blades, even though cheaply priced are sorely sought after, it would have been awesome to see an option for a case or some sheath holder to protect the knife and wooden handle when not in use.

Overall I expected more from the Company who has been bumping out blades for over 100 years. Oh the other knife was so insignificantly tiny i couldn’t process it as a real blade. IT reminded me of one of those little derringer screwdrivers that comes with the hardware set on a piece of new furniture.

Like it was made for the people of Lilliput. SO i just gave that to my father who uses it on his 1800s ship modeling project.

Brilliant pocket knife. Simple, solid mechanism, nice wood handle that’s well shaped and well finished. Dropped a star because the edge was a bit rolled. Didn’t take long to get perfect with emery paper, now it has a really sharp edge that lasts well.

I think the edge is slightly convex rather than 100% flat and better for it. I’ve been making shims tricky bits of shuttering to repair a roof. Therese were only from pine wood but very seasoned and it slices through without much effort.

Can’t open one-handed, but very easy to close and lock one handed – handy working at height and holding on with other hand.

When I use camping equipment, I really use camping equipment. I have done this with the Opinel Carbone No. 7, and despite its delicate look and reviews from others here, it has managed to survive with only a few visible wounds.

When I first got the knife, it was sharpened to a hair-splitting incisiveness. Whittling? Cheese? Fabric? Paper? Bag of moose meat? Ropes to tow gliders? Awkward silences? It cut them with ease and joy.

With little care other than occasional “oiling” from greasy food, it retained that youthful gleam. That is, until I used it to open a tuna can. It opened the can really well — but the edge bent. The knife was actually still quite sharp, just kind of 1mm was sideways.

After about a year in this functional yet downgraded condition, I found someone to sharpen the wee beastie and give it the TLC it so-very-much desired and needed. It looks a little chippy now, but it is still sharper than any of my other knives (which isn’t that hard to be).

This past summer, the knife and I went on about a dozen backcountry paddling trips. It’s my primary knife — it thrived in wet conditions being driven into wood, sand and food. It lost the ring for its locking mechanism (hence the loss of one star), but it still seems to stay closed or open, whichever I prefer at that moment.

All in all, this is my most solid knife that still hasn’t been confiscated at an airport. It was a steal at the price for which I purchased it (which I can’t state because of the terms and conditions of reviewing here, but it was regular price circa 2017).

I highly recommend that you buy a Case XX Sodbuster with surgical stainless steel carbon blade. It’s razor sharp and holds a great edge. I tested it out by shaving the hair off my leg. Case XX Sodbuster Carbon blade black handle was all my dad ever carried.

He carried his in his pocket for 30 years and told me that if I ever found one to buy it, because Case stopped making them in the Carbon blades. Also the Case XX Sodbuster Carbon blades stay sharper and hold a edge alot longer than a stainless steel blade.

Service from Academy was stellar. Quick turnaround and shipping. The knife is good quality, but it doesn’t possess that definable “click” on open/close. Good, just not “great”.

This is very much a “you get what you pay for” kind of knife. I very much wanted a sodbuster style knife, and this is one of the best. Sodbusters are meant to be cheap and rugged. This absolutely fits that description and out of the box it was razor sharp.

Good little back up knife. I like that it small, and that it is molle compatible. It lives on the webbing on my pack, very secure when mounted to Molle not a great knife not a bad knife, it’s affordable and you get what you pay for.

I wouldn’t recommend it as your primary knife, spend more and get more, Look at Mora or Helle which will outlast you. But the little Buri kinda grows on you.

Would have given it more stars, but the handle is a little small and slippery. On a positive note, the knife locks into the sheath securely, so very little chance of losing it. So far so good.

I was specifically looking for a knife that would fit on my pack around should height that I could access quickly and easily. The Buri is perfect!! Attaches to the built webbing on my Osprey pack and doesn’t fall out (I have it mounted upside down for a more fuctional/ergonomic set up)!.

This knife is made pretty well. The blade holds a nice edge and I like the sheepsfoot style because it’s easier to sharpen than the hawkbill. I wish the blade had better flip action but skins wire just fine.

It has a larger spine on the knife and it tapers down to a nice edge so you can get this knife very sharp and with even a little rough use still holds a nice edge if sharpened properly.

I like the solid construction and the drop point. Very thin in the pocket of your pants. Sharpens easily and stays sharp

It took me ten years of everyday use to wear it out, now I’ve retired old faithful and got a replacement. I didn’t shop around, just bought another one. Helluva blade!

This is a nice, very inexpensive pocket knife that you can add to your Keychain without adding a lot of bulk. It isn’t big, it isn’t a Swiss army knife. But it is sharp and always handy when you need to cut some twine while you’re in the garden, cut line when you’re fishing, or when you needed to trim a dangling thread and can’t find scissors.

that sort of thing. I’ve used it to cut flowers from my garden. For the price you can lose it and not fret about it. Do know that places that inspect your bags will still be able to tell its a pocket knife and may need to confiscate it.

Again. for the price it won’t be a big deal.

The knife is well made, sharp, and fits my medium size female hand well. The leather sheaf doesn’t work well. a “lump” of leather is in the way which diverted the knife tip causing me to cut my finger.

Be extra careful with the sheaf (not sure if this is a problem for other cases or the one I received. Love the knife. great for fishing and everyday chores like cutting cardboard and wooden sticks. but will be looking for another belt sheaf for it.

Bradford knives are some of the finest knives made! N690 steel made only in one place! Excellent steel! Comfortable grip even for its diminutive size. Easy to work and control and stays sharp! Great working knife or even a Bushcraft knife, itll handle either but a four inch blade would be better.

Sheath is very stout leather and very well made! Get one!.

Well made knife of high carbon steel, (not stainless) so keep it oiled. Leather sheath fits it securely. Sheath fits on belt horizontally. micarta scales are attractive and functional. Knife is small enough to be an EDC, yet I’d say it performs above it’s weight.

Sharp out of the box but a couple swipes on my old steel really tuned it up.

awesome knife super sharp and compact for everyday carrying

I saw a bad review about this where the writer said that you have to hold your thumb in a poor manner to keep the blade out while cutting. Clearly this amateur has never been trained on the proper use of this style of knife, and might be cutting strange materials.

These types of knives are all over the warehousing, wholesale club and big-box retail world for box-cuts and tray-cuts into cardboard. This Milwaukee offering is a step up in quality of both materials and design.

Here’s the training: Put the blade out, start making your cut and when the blade is embedded in the cardboard, release the button and you can make whatever “professional” (i. e. “comfy”) grip on the knife that you’d prefer.

The cardboard makes enough friction to hold the blade out while you make your cut. When your cut is completed through the material, the blade will auto-retract back into the handle. EASY. As for the cheap shot about rounded-tip blades? Go buy what you want and use those instead, Milwaukee and many other brands offer various blade styles for different work needs.

Milwaukee generally makes great tools for the trades and the homeowner based on great research and innovation and stands by “almost” all of them in a warranty situation.

I used my retractor every day. It’s by far the best design I have found. The tooless blade change is awesome. It fits in my hand perfectly, the aluminum body is nice and lightweight. Now for the down side, the blade carrier needs a redesign.

The blades have too much play , I was using Milwaukee blades also. The blade carrier needs to be either hardened or use a different material. The blades actually wore a trough in the carrier!! It’s so bad that now in order to use the knife I need to turn it upside down so the blade will not hit the body when I use it.

This knife should be marketed to children; it’s terrible. There isn’t a locking mechanism that keeps the blade out, which forces an awkward hand position when used in a professional manner (thumb must hold blade/button out = no leverage).

Seriously, if a person needs this much “safety”, they have no business using a knife in the first place. I’m glad it was on sale, and only cost me $5. Also, rounded blade tips? Really?.

This is my 2nd Garberg, I lost the first one stupidly while fishing. I ordered another one without questioning If there was another knife out there. I wasn’t interested. All I wanted was my cherished Garberg.

Solid, sharp, pure function no frills.

I have always owned a slimline trapper all the way back when I was a kid. I love the sleek design and quality medal, always have always will.

This knife is top quality USA made , slim and light weight to carry in your pocket. Highly recommend it .

Lighter than same knife w/o nickel bolster on both sides of knife,sits better in pocket w/o weight.

I have been carrying Opinels around on hikes for decades, in various sizes and steel types. The No. 7 is small and light but still functional. Go for the No 8 if you want a handier food prep knife. I also prefer the carbon steel to the stainless version: easier to sharpen.

I deduct one star because the wood handle tends to eventually swell / contract, so the lock ring does not always stay tight (or the blade is rather difficult to open). Can’t remember this happening to the same extent on previous / older versions.

I’ve been eyeing Opinel knives for 30 plus years, but have always been a Victorinox multinational knife fan. For fixed blades, I have a Morakniv carbon scout. The Opi #7 is the perfect compromise in blade size.

I couldn’t believe how light this knife is, perfect for my new ultralight ventures. Out of the box, it’s super sharp, and being carbon, easy to resharpen. I’ve been oiling the handle and blade, as recommended after each use.

Looking forward to many mushroom forays and camping adventures.

Feels pretty solid for the price and came decently sharp. Compared to the more expensive one I bought from here aswell it’s dull. But you get what you pay for and it’s a great sword for the price.

Very solid, well-crafted knife. Just got it and I love it. Came very sharp and will definitely be buying again. It’s definitely worth the money and will appear to last a long time.

Looks great and feels great, I love it It has a nice weight to it and it feels great in the hand

I am a whitewater kayak instructor and recently added this knife to my rescue vest. It’s very easy to open and a bit tougher to close. Thing is, when the knife is needed it’s easy to get at and deploy.

And although it is harder to close and needs both hands to do so, in theory by the time I need to put it away it has done it’s job. It’s a great knife and I like the shape and the serrated edge which expands its usefulness in an emergency situation.

Beautiful knife. I gave this as a gift along with the same design in the Texas toothpick and the recipient absolutely loves them. I want to get one of my own. Cuts beautifully. Perfect size for the pocket.

Highly recommend a Case knife.

the knife I received looked nothing like the picture. that said, it was a handsome knife. It has everything that Case is known and loved for: attractive design; interesting handle materials; very tight fit and finish; useful & remarkable blade styles; knives you can own & use; knives to collect and show and finally, it’s American.

! I was surprised to see that they contracted with Frost to fit the handles. Nothing wrong with that, they do a good job.

I enjoy collecting Case knives and for the most part they are finely made. This 1/500 Rainforest model didn’t make the grade. Makes me wonder about the other 499. The plastic poured Corelon was uneven and the silver/nickle shields were grossly misshapen, one side being much larger than the other.

It bothered me for days, so I took a small file to it and reshaped ends, then various fine grits of sandpaper to 1,000 then metal polish. The two hours I spent gave me some appreciation into the details of finishing one of these.

It’s now worthy of display with any other. Bottom line, I don’t need another Corelon Case knife.