When we decide to buy a pocket knife we generally have a good idea of why we want one, whether it be for everyday use, hunting or maybe even survival purposes. But sometimes as a collector a knife just catches your eye and you have to have it. It may not be a knife you would carry all the time, but it’s just awesome looking. Let’s be honest here, I mean who doesn’t like cool pocket knives.
A lot of the times these so called “cool pocket knives” have no practical uses, (aside from having a sharp blade) they are just for novelty purposes. For example some have crazy radical designs, or are too big and uncomfortable to carry in your pocket.
Of course, this isn’t always the case and some of the coolest pocket knives I own are in fact EDC knives. I wanted to find the absolute most bad-ass cool pocket knives out there, but would also be practical as everyday carry knives. So, let’s get to it!
Our top picks for cool pocket knives
We’ve scoured the earth to find these cool pocket knives, hope you enjoy our selections!
Benchmade 940-1 Osborne
The 940-1 from Benchmade is one cool pocket knife! Warren Osborne definitely didn’t disappoint when he designed this beauty. The reverse tanto blade is made from CPM-S90V steel which is a premium blade steel.
The edge retention on the 940-1 is awesome, but will be tougher to sharpen when needed. I wouldn’t let that scare you away though, once this blade is sharp it’ll stay that way for a long time with just general use.
Coupled with an appealing reverse tanto blade design and beautiful carbon fiber handle scales, the 940-1 is definitely one of the coolest pocket knives available today.
Kizer Gemini
Yet another beautifully designed pocket knife is the Kizer Gemini. The Gemini sports an S35VN blade steel that is top notch in terms of performance and quality.
This steel is an enhanced version of the ever popular S30V steel, adding elements to enhance toughness and ease of sharpening. The drop point blade design is simple and elegant, with a full flat grind making it the ultimate slicer.
The stonewashed titanium handle is a gunmetal gray color with anodized blue pivot and torx screws. The gray and blue colors combined make for a fantastic color scheme on this cool pocket knife. The handle is also somewhat simple looking, but handles nicely with well thought out ergonomics and design qualities.
Zero Tolerance 0350BW
This pocket knife from Zero Tolerance looks beastly, and cool of course. The 0350BW has tank like qualities, its stout, rugged and can take on anything you throw at it.
The S30V blade has a blackwash finish and the drop point style is my favorite blade shape. The blade is nice and thick, a good quality for being able to pry on things, not something you would want to do with a thin pointed blade.
S30V is a popular blade steel for good reason, it has great edge retention, resists corrosion nicely and it’s moderately easy to sharpen. All nice qualities for cool pocket knives. The handle scales are made from G10 and have good texture for a nice and secure grip.
Together with the finger coil and top side gimping there will be no worries of your fingers slipping on to the blade at all. The quad mounted pocket clip lets you carry tip up or down and left or right.
CRKT Outrage
This knife is designed by Ken Onion, I’m sure you’ve heard of that guy, right? If not he’s world renowned and has designed a ton of cool pocket knives.
While the Outrage may not be the most popular pocket knife on the block, it sure is a cool looking knife. The sleek drop point blade style and the textured designs on the aluminum handle has an intriguing look to it.
The blade steel is 8Cr13MoV, which on paper isn’t that great of a steel, but it does resist corrosion well and is super easy to sharpen. Not to mention if you’re on a budget, but still want to be one of the cool kids, this blade steel is a good option for you. For an edc knife under $50, the CRKT Outrage is a pretty cool pocket knife.
Kershaw Knockout
With a name like Knockout how couldn’t this be a cool knife. This pocket knife is incredibly popular for many reasons. It’s a Kershaw, it has Speedsafe assisted opening with a flipper and it’s super cool looking.
What you will really like about this particular knife is the color scheme, the black DLC coated blade and olive handle are sure nice to look at. It comes with Sandvik 14C28N blade steel, which is a budget steel so this knife isn’t as expensive as some of the others above.
The handle is aluminum anodized olive with a sub frame lock. The ergonomics of the handle are superb, the finger coil protects your fingers from slipping forward and the handle fits snugly in your palm. For the price, the Kershaw Knockout is definitely a contender in the cool knife contest.
Boker Plus Subcom Titan
It’s a Titan, no wait, it’s just a cool “little” knife. Don’t confuse the name titan for large in size, its just a play on words, short for titanium. This knife well, it’s a stubby little fella, but still awesome nonetheless.
The blade is a mere 1.875” and open length is just 4.5”, so a good choice for states or cities with restrictive knife laws. Meh, who cares about all that though. The handle is titanium with a frame lock and the blade is made from VG-10 steel.
The blade is short, but has a nice belly with surprisingly a lot of cutting surface for it’s size, plenty I would say to get most small jobs done. A few versions of this knife exist, and some much cheaper than this Titanium version. If you like this knife as much as I do, but don’t want to spend the money on the more expensive version, check out the Subcom F.
Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite
The Outdoor Edge Razor-Lite is a hunters dream, the blade on this folding knife is scalpel sharp. But what makes it a cool pocket knife, you can quickly and easily replace the blades when needed.
For skinning game, this is very convenient. If you’ve ever tried to skin an animal with a dull knife then you know the trouble it causes. Not only is it difficult, but it’s also a safety issue. Having a sharp knife while skinning just makes the job much easier.
This knife comes with 6 blades total and you can buy extra blades at local hardware stores. The handle is made from Grivory and had a rubber insert for texture, even if you get the handle wet you’ll still have a secure grip.
You have a choice of colors as well, blue, gray and hunter orange. I prefer orange because it stands out if I ever drop it in the woods, I can easily see it in the leaves or tall grass. It has a pocket clip for tip up carry, it’s super lightweight at 2.8 ounces with a 3.5 inch blade.
If you’re in need of a good skinning knife, I would highly recommend you check out the Razor-Lite.
Buck Knives 0346RWS Vantage Avid
The Vantage line of pocket knives from Buck are all cool pocket knives, however I really like this particular version. The Rosewood inlays are beautiful, and the drop point blade is sexy.
The 420HC is Buck’s standard steel and is excellent, it has great edge retention and resists corrosion well with it’s high carbon count (hence the HC). The blade is hardened to 58 on Rockwell scale so it’s still easy to sharpen.
The handle is injected molded with the Rosewood inlays, as I said earlier, it looks sharp. Stainless steel liners with liner lock ensure a secure lock up when deployed. With a reversible pocket clip you can choose which side you like to carry with tip up.
The deep carry pocket clip allows you to discreetly carry the Vantage in your pocket for ultimate concealment. The Vantage is made in the USA and of course carries Bucks Forever Lifetime Warranty.
Sanrenmu Knives 7010
If you’ve never heard of these knives you’re in for a treat. They are the ultimate budget pocket knives. They closely resemble some of the more popular and cool pocket knives, but for a fraction of the cost.
Yes, you can call them knock offs, but that doesn’t mean they’re not awesome. The Sanrenmu 7010 is a clone of the Chris Reeve Sebenza. The Sebenza is very expensive, around $400 expensive. The 7010 on the other hand, well it’s less that $15.
Of course the materials used to make these 2 blades are night and day different, and the craftsmanship of a Chris Reeve Sebenza is second to none. If you like the design of the Sebenza, but just can’t afford that price tag, the Sanrenmu 7010 is a budget friendly option.
The Kershaw Cryo is also insanely popular, and Sanrenmu has a knock off version of it as well, the 7056. While the price gap isn’t that of the Sebenza, the 7056 can be had for around $15, while the Cryo is a around $30. So if you like these styles but still want to save a few bucks, Sanrenmu knives are good options.
Spyderco ParaMilitary 2
Last but certainly not least on my list of cool pocket knives is the Spyderco ParaMilitary 2. I love the PM2 for many reasons. It’s ergonomically sound, the leaf shape blade is simple and practical, and it just looks awesome.
There are tons of satisfied owners that rave about the PM2. I happen to be one of them and you can read my full review here.
To summarize, it’s one of the coolest pocket knives you’ll find. The blade is made from CPM-S30V steel, which is premium blade steel and is commonly used in high end knives. It has good edge retention is a moderately easy to sharpen.
The handle is made from G10 scales and is contoured to fit in your hand securely with excellent texture for grip. The opening action is nice and smooth with the new bushing pivot system.
The 14mm spydie hole is easy to handle with gloved hands, which is nice for cold days. The compression lock provides incredible strength but is still easy to use.
The 4 way pocket clip gives you your choice of carry, a convenient option for those who like to modify pocket knives to your liking.
Wrapping it Up!
There you have it, all that’s left to do it make a choice. Some of these knives are quite expensive, and while I would love to buy all the cool pocket knives I run across, it just isn’t in the cards for me.
Money doesn’t grow on trees as they say, but I have had the great fortune to own or handle all of these listed at some point and I can tell you they are all really cool pocket knives.
If I picked one on the list it would most definitely be the Spyderco ParaMilitary 2, as I said I love this knife and I think it perfect in every way!
I hope I have given you some great options to look at in various price ranges to fit your budget. After all, everybody should own at least one cool pocket knife.
