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How to Buy a Good Pocketknife or Multitool

Opinel's No.07 My First Opinel Folding Knife

Opinel’s No.07 My First Opinel Folding Knife ($17, opinel-usa.com) is sharp but without a point. The 3.5-inch blade is made from Sandvik stainless steel, and it holds an edge. The outdoors version ($26, scoutshop.org) also has a built-in whistle to call for help in an emergency.

With proper training, many Scouts can use a knife — a valuable tool for camping or working on a whittling project. A multitool provides multiple blades and other tools. Examples are saws, drivers and even forks and spoons.

A knife is not a toy. If you’re a Bear, Webelos or Arrow of Light Cub Scout, earn your Whittling Chip. If you’re in Scouts BSA, earn your Totin’ Chip. Then you will know how to safely carry and use one of these tools.

CRKT Minimalist Drop Point knife

The CRKT Minimalist Drop Point ($36, crkt.com) has a 2-inch fixed blade with a tough handle that’s comfortable to hold. The carbon-steel blade sharpens quickly, and the half-ounce durable thermoplastic sheath has multiple mounting options.

KNIFE BASICS

There are several types of knives.

All-purpose folding pocketknives are common in Scouting. Most come with tools such as a can opener, screwdriver, tweezers and, of course, knife blades — all in one compact package. Though they can be extremely handy, a downside is the knife blade doesn’t lock into place, so it may fold up on your hand while you’re using it.

Lockbacks are simple folding knives with a single blade that can be locked. So you get the benefits of a sturdy fixed blade-style knife but in a convenient pocket-size package that can be folded open with just one hand.

Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman knife

Scouts have been using Victorinox Swiss Army knives for a long time. The Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman ($50, victorinox.com), a multitool with first-aid functions, has a suite of transitional tools, including a can opener, scissors and tweezers — plus large and small blades, saw, awl, leather punch and more. It pretty much has everything you need.

Fixed blades, are no-nonsense knives with a beefy handle and stationary blade. If you need a knife to accomplish the everyday tasks you come across in the outdoors, from whittling on things and cutting materials to spreading peanut butter on your sandwiches, a short, no more than four-inch-long, fixed-blade knife will accomplish all of that. Avoid large sheath knives; they are heavy and awkward to carry.

You’ll also find specialty knives such as river rescue knives with serrated blades for slicing rope, whittling knives designed for carving wood, and multitools, which are compact, handheld tool boxes. Most are built around a pair of folding pliers.

Leatherman Sidekick

The Leatherman Sidekick ($70, leatherman.com) is a stainless-steel toolbox on your belt. The 7-ounce Sidekick has spring-action needle-nose and standard pliers, wire cutters and stripper, knife and serrated knife, saw, ruler, can and bottle openers, wood and metal file and three screwdrivers.

FOLDING OR FIXED KNIFE? KNOW THE POLICY

Knife policies vary among packs, troops, councils and camps when it comes to what blade types and lengths are allowed. Learn your unit’s policy before buying a blade of any kind. When it comes to types of knives, the Guide to Safe Scouting recommends “choosing the right equipment for the job at hand.”

BLADES

Most blades are made from strong and durable stainless steel. Blades are available in straight edge, serrated (jagged like a saw) or both. Bigger is not always better. A small, sharp four-inch-or-smaller blade can cut just as well as bigger knives but is much safer to handle and easier to maneuver in tight spots.

Stansport's Folding Knife, Fork, Spoon Multitool

Stansport’s Folding Knife, Fork, Spoon Multitool ($15, stansport.com) has more than eating utensils. The tool, which separates into wo so you can use fork and spoon together, also has a can opener, corkscrew and chisel all in a belt-ready nylon carrying pouch.

PRICE AND QUALITY

You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality tool. Often, an inexpensive knife will do everything you want it to do. As prices go up, you’ll see small improvements in the quality and size of the blade.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Knives and multitools can last your whole life if you care for them. Wipe your pocketknife with a damp cloth to clean it, and add a drop of food-safe oil at pivot points to keep it at its best. Use a sharpener to keep your blade sharp.

“A sharp knife will work for you, while a dull one works against you,” says Kyle Owens of Work Sharp, a company that makes sharpeners.

Work Sharp's Pocket Knife Sharpener

A great knife deserves an equally great sharpener. Work Sharp’s Pocket Knife Sharpener ($15, worksharptools.com) is small enough to stash in your pack, with a diamond sharpening plate and ceramic honing rod that have built-in angle guides so you can get a perfect edge on your pocketknife.

CARRY IT SAFELY

The smartest, safest place to stash your knife is in an easy-access spot in your backpack. You’re asking for trouble by wearing a fixed-blade knife on your belt. If you fall, the knife could rotate inward and you could land right on the blade.

Gerber's Armbar Trade

At only 3.1 ounces, Gerber’s Armbar Trade ($50, gerbergear.com) has eight essential tools, including a knife, saw, awl, driver, pry bar, hammer and bottle opener, packed into a surprisingly small and effective pocket clip tool.

TREAT YOUR KNIFE WITH RESPECT

Treating pocket knives with respect not only ensures your safety, but also keeps others safe. Here are a few major no-no’s:

  • Throwing a knife
  • Using a dull or dirty blade
  • Handing a knife to someone blade first
  • Cutting while others are within your “safety circle” (arm’s length)
  • Carving into something that doesn’t belong to you
  • Cutting toward your body

Using a knife requires responsibility. Bear Scouts can start carrying a pocketknife after completing the Whittling Chip requirements. Members of Scouts BSA must earn their Totin’ Chip, which also gives them the right to carry and use axes and saws.

119 Comments on How to Buy a Good Pocketknife or Multitool

  1. letherman is what it is all about

  2. i like multitools but they get dirty to fast

  3. GET A MAGLITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. my Gerber Evo Jr has a flipper in the back just push your finger down on it witch is connected directly to the blade and it opens it is a lot safer and is not mechanical so i can control how fast it opens i its A WHOLE BETTER

  5. i have crkt (clubia river knives and tools) its awesmone

  6. master chief // October 27, 2010 at 7:11 pm // Reply

    i got a clean cut blade and a saw blade

  7. get gerber diesel multitool its great

  8. i say that boys should have there own knife for free

  9. i need a good knife

  10. i have a brook hunter mo-tool axe, great tool but awkward,and big

  11. Where can I get a kabar?

  12. I have 6 knives some of them are a sog seal pup,butterfly knife, and a spyderco.

  13. hippiescout151 // September 25, 2010 at 9:13 am // Reply

    Where can I get a good old fashioned boy scout knife?

    • A Lonely Potato // November 13, 2010 at 10:16 pm // Reply

      Some people might say Case knives.. but theyre losing quality. and theyre expensive.. I would say get a victorinox swiss army knife. The swiss army farmer pocketknife is a good knife but it isnt considered a boy scout knife, but it will last a lifetime. I carry a Great eastern cutlery stockman pocketknife (a lot of birthday money)

    • Ok it may be exspensive but get a swis champ model. it has 33 attachments including a ballpoint pen and a small spatula. lokin for smaler? cant help ya there 🙁

    • you could buy a imperial kamp king they are nice (i have one) and they are cheap on e bay the official boy scout knife is based on it or you can buy old fashioned scout knives at almost any scout shop

  14. i have 10

  15. Switchblades are completly legal and BSA doesn’t like them because they don’t trust younger scouts to not be instinctive and start fighting with them. So to those of u such as hippiescout115 and replyer befor u start spouting off, u should do ur research. In the case of sheath knives, they are completely safe if kept in their sheath when not being used

  16. i want a swichblade

    • if you want a fast draw knife get the kershaw volt you press the flipper and opens really fast and the steel is really hard its Rockwell hardness is 58-60 its reliable and practically a switchblade buts perfectly legal blade stay sharp for a long time and its shavein sharp

  17. Survivor Man // August 12, 2010 at 5:45 pm // Reply

    i have a 7 inchblack hawk survivil knife it does its good and good
    but it was 125 dollorsbut it relay is worth it. unbevlible sharpness.
    -Survivor Expert

  18. the knives that i like are Gerber, they are very reliable and i have kept my 2.5 inch Gerber and it still works very well. As long as u sharpen it after every other campout it will last you forever.

  19. does anyone remember that article that was written about a waterproof, no-slip knife? I think it was called the ladybug or something

    • The 100% rustproof (scientifically proven) knife is made with H-1 Japanese steel. Spyderco is the only manufacturer that I can find that makes knives with H-1. They are pricy about 100 bucks, so if anyone knows of a cheaper alternative that would be great.

    • hippiescout151 // September 25, 2010 at 9:08 am // Reply

      firefly

    • ya its a spyderco i think they are high quality but actualy a pretty long blade ( my dad has one for work) the main thing is they are all serrated good for some things but bad for whittling

  20. The Esee Izula is a great knife, I use it for everything. It is a fixed blade knife, so it is much sturdier that the average pocket knife. The knife is meant to be worn around the neck (with sheath) for fast access. It is great for jobs more commonly associated with scouting, such as cutting rope, being used with fire starting tools, etc., and also is good for hunting and fishing.

  21. HippieScout151 // July 27, 2010 at 8:51 am // Reply

    My knife just has one 3-inch blade and it works great. I love it!!

  22. If you are looking for a really good swiss army knife, try the cybertool lite. It has 20 tools on it.

  23. go with a spring assisted knife they r better

    • HippieScout151 // July 27, 2010 at 8:56 am // Reply

      and…NO

      • Skinny Willy // July 31, 2010 at 5:54 pm //

        I am with you HippieScout151 spring assisted knifes are dangerous & the spring’s could break or the spring is too powerful & if your whittling it could break the wood & cut Your fingers & retract back in & not come out, or the spring’s is not strong enough & opens up while it is in your pocket & could cut you.

      • i disagree the kershaw volt is very reliable and does not open in your pocket it is quick draw and is easy to open it holds a edge for a long time and is perfectly legal it has a nice design and is an overall nice knife

      • in the kershaw volt the spring pushes against the part of the blade that pivots so it actually keeps it closed until its opens to about 20 degrees it is a very nice knife 27$ i reccoend it

  24. joe schmoe

    try a traditional pocket knife

  25. i am looking for a swichblade were would i find one?

  26. cutco knives are the best they never rust and they are used in the millitary. also known as ka-bar

  27. I use a Cutco Pocket Knife, not only does it not rust, but it’s way cheaper than the suggested knife in the July issue, (Spyderco Salt 1) the best part is it’s made here in the United States, and guarenteed forever. I typically call my local cutco office and they send it back and have it sharpened every year, although I must admit it doesn’t ever need sharpened.

    • Hey Sweet,
      does Cutco make multi-tool pocket knives? My Swiss army knife has a saw,scissors,tweezers,and even a magnifying glass!If your camping its really nice to have a multi-tool knife.Oh and how much do Cutco knife cost?Just wondering what the cost was because I collect knifes and might look into buying one 🙂

  28. CRAZY for OATMEAL // June 27, 2010 at 3:41 pm // Reply

    I got a small pocket knife from selling popcorn at boy scouts. It is not a high quality knife, but it does not have to be a high quality, all i use it for is a camp out once in a great while. SO, don’t buy an expensive pocket knife if you don’t use a O.K. pocket knife once in a great while

  29. Swiss army knives are very reliable and they do not rust easily.They are so convenient with the tooth pick and tweezers that I wear(a small one)on a necklace.I have always been very pleased with every Swiss army knife that i have ever bought!

  30. i bought a 3-set of mossberg knives and they r awesome

  31. I am looking for a knife since my old one is really worn out. I need a medium, sharp, lockout blade and not a lot of tools on it besides the knife. Any suggestions?

    Thanks in advance

    • the Gerber metolius. big always sharp blade looks awesome and is extremely sturdy. most sturdy folder there is

  32. I wish BSA had regulations on fixed blade knoves because I have a really nice fixed blade knofe that is a lot better than my folding knofe but I can never use it.

  33. i have alot of knives but i use my buck lock blade, redhead 3 blade, and a swiss, i recently ordered a redhead 2 blade from bass pro

  34. Joe Schmoe // May 29, 2010 at 9:28 am // Reply

    I need a knife thats sharp not to big and cheap does any body know one [please help me]

    • you should get the spyderco tenacious. its around 30 dollars and has a wickedly sharp edge on it that is easy to sharpen.

    • at Cabelas you can get a multitool pocket knife with needle nose pliers, a LED flashlight, a philips screw driver, a serrated knife, a regular knife and a flathead screw driver/can opener. its my favorite multitool knife.

    • how about a Garber curve Gander Mount.

    • gerber paraframe 1 or 2 1 is the bigger of the two

  35. Edgedweapons // May 12, 2010 at 2:33 pm // Reply

    multi tools pocket knives make great everyday carrys. very useful tools

  36. i have a swiss army knife and it has a scissors, a can opener, two blades, a bottle opener and a nail file/ fish pliers

  37. cups and magnets // April 28, 2010 at 5:28 pm // Reply

    a good pocketknife is the letherman micra.it’s small folds to be about 2.5 inches long has 9 uses and costs about 19.99

  38. I have a bsa blue pocket knife that is so good and you can buy it at your local scouting store

  39. I have a yellow, victorinox, BSA, glow in the dark, climbers, swiss army knife. It has large and small blades, a bottle opener/wire stripper/wire bender/screwdriver, a can opener, scissors, a hole punch, a hook, a corkscrew, a toothpick,tweezers, and a clip to clip it on to your belt. On the front there is a BSA symbol and a vitorinox symbol. it’s a sick knife!

  40. isaacgoldensun // April 14, 2010 at 4:21 pm // Reply

    hey, I have a $10, single, locking blade knife. It’s really better in some ways then those $50 multi-tools you buy at the huge camping outlets. You really only need a inexpensive locking blade. really.

  41. could someone QUOTE the regulation that states ” Fixed blade knives are not allowed in scouting”. Which manual, and passage please!

  42. get up and go // April 3, 2010 at 1:11 pm // Reply

    I use a Sharper Image knife. Now, I know that their known for making
    lights, and fans, but this is a good knife!
    Hammer-head attachment with nail remover, star-head screw-driver, flat-head, saw, file, pliers, wire cutters, and the classic knife
    blade.
    And get this, I found it on a back-packing trip when I was playing
    capture-the-flag!

  43. i use a victorinox huntsman it is a great pocketknife for me because it has everything i need in it as well as other tools that will come in handy sometime soon.

    • sam the slamer // March 27, 2010 at 6:58 am // Reply

      thanks that helps alot and it all is true i just bought a knife off your guide and now i have a great knife(along with my other 14 knifes

  44. Lycanthrope // March 12, 2010 at 5:48 am // Reply

    Where I lived previously, in *censored*, the blade length limit was 4 inches. I moved to *censored* and bought a knife that was 3.5in. but it turns out the limit here was 3 inches. Just a warning- check with your troop before buying a knife. By the way this is the knife I use (not in scouting, exceeds limit) Ozark Trail lockback knife. I bought it at Wal-Mart for $15

  45. I use a 1957 black wenger scout that is the best knife i’ve ever used (except fixed blade, but those aren’t allowed in scouting.)

    • OADude,

      Fixed blade knives are allowed in Scouts however a blade above 4 inches in not a wise choice. Heck I wish I bought a regular scout knife instead of the LMF II. Sure it’s a good knife but it’s a hassle to carry around.

  46. I use a Buck 750 Red-Point, it is one of the toughest knives I’ve ever used. I would usually use a fixed-blade knife instead (I hunt& fish a lot), but you know, scouting doesn’t allow fixed-blades. But anyway, the 750 Red-Point, one of the best scouting knives ever. I’ve had it for a good 2 years, and have never had to sharpen it. And its lock is very safe for scouting stuff.

  47. Fountain of Knowledge // February 19, 2010 at 2:31 pm // Reply

    I own an assisted opening knife (no they are not illegal) just the totally assisted blades are… Gerber is a good brand and Smith and Wesson sell cheap/good ones at Big 5 soooo…

  48. assisted opening knives are also illegal in some states unless you are a first responder or police officer.

    • most assisted opening knives that I have seen have some sort of safety. I own one that has a little switch on the side that’s a safety

    • Knife Xpert 157 (aka Chad 101) // November 23, 2011 at 1:14 pm // Reply

      FOR THE LAST TIME ASSISTED OPENING KNIFES AND AUTO KNIFES ARE LEGAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  49. I have a small swiss army knife and i’d like better one for around 15$. What brand should I choose.

    • if you want a good knife cheap, raise your budget a few bucks and get the Gerber Paraframe 1 for $25. It’s coated carbon-steel, so it won’t rust easily. And it’s super light, plus it’s one-handed opening/closing.

  50. Try this:
    Victorinox Swiss Army One-Hand Trekker Lockblade Pocket Knife (Black)

    It can be found at Amzaon for $31.00

    BE Warned the scout knives re flimsy steer clear.
    Also fixed blade knives are illelgal at almost all scouting events.
    Also 2: A assisted opening knife is cool but Unless you have a knife pocket in your pants or a pouch it could pop open on you.

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