Before this article, folding knife for self defense, turns out to be a controversial topic, let’s clear one thing right off the bat – We are not promoting any violence. However, if you’re a regular traveler or likely to visit to the places like like Red China, Iran, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, then you don’t have any choice.
Folding knives are not the best option for for self-defense as these knives are more prone to damage and takes fraction of seconds before you get into the action unlike straight knife, but they are good to protect yourself.
Any knife which is razor sharp can be used self defense, but there are many that are manufactured keeping only one thing in mind i.e., self defense knives. So, without any further ado let’s get right into our topic, i.e.,
Best Folding Knives For Self Defense
1. Kershaw Cryo G-10
The Kershaw Cryo is a champion. It won the Blade Magazine’s “Best Buy of The Year” award in 2012 and since then it has been a well-known and trusted product of Kershaw’s. It brings a simple and subtle approach to the defense knife.
The stonewashed finish on this knife is beautiful, and the G10 scale on the one side makes the knife a little more attractive to look at and lighter as well. The cut out for the frame-lock is more precise, the gap is very narrow and straight. At the corners it’s drilled out, meaning the lines meet at a specific hole.
The grip side feels durable and comfortable while the metal side has a worn look so even if it gets dinged up, it will fit right in. The G10 handle gives extra grip, and the bolster and gimping are all in the right place.
It’s balanced well and as a result, the weight only makes for better cutting action. Perfect for people who like having a bit of weight to their knives. However, the compromise is that it feels heavier in the pocket. Not by much, though.
2. Kershaw Leek Serrated
As soon as you take this knife out of the box you can tell that it is a well-designed knife made from quality materials. The Kershaw Leek is a total of 7 inches in length when opened and 4 inches when closed.
The blade is 3 inches and comes in smooth. It is described as a modified drop point blade, and the shape of the blade on the Leek will not impress everybody. The cutting edge is excellent, and this knife would be suitable for most general uses.
The pocket clip is solid and adjustable. The shape of the blade’s edge is a bit straighter than we used to, but we have never found it lacking.
Ken Onion did a remarkably good job on the Leek’s design. It is elegant yet robust-feeling; the blade is sharp and expertly shaped, and the handle is comfortable yet compact. On top of all that, the knife is made in the USA. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s extremely affordable at around $39.
3. Buck BU110
Buck 110 comes with Genuine Leather Sheath that makes it feel good in the end and gives extra grip. This knife is truly a classic and should be issued to every red-blooded American boy at birth since it has got the razor sharped edge. It’s damn strong too, able to carry out heavy routine tasks without succumbing to much wear-and-tear.
The long, sleek blade is keenly complemented by the dark wood slabs of the Macassar Ebony handle and accompanying brass bolsters. The knife is equipped with a nail-notch lock back design that opens easily and closes safely during any activity, ensuring that the knife never goes out of style.
The knife is Super-comfortable to use and cut with, but carry options are pretty much limited to belt sheath carry. There’s a reason Buck has sold millions of 110 Folding Hunters. They’re made in America, they’re elegant, they’re sharp, they go like stink, and they last for decades.
Because it just costs 27$ we can say it stands out and does pretty well job & go-to option if you’ve less budget.
4. Benchmade Griptilian
The overall length of the Benchmade Griptilian is 8 inches. The blade is a solid 3.45 inches of that. This knife packs a lot of cutting power. This modern marvel gives life to a cutting tool like you have never experienced before, especially in a lightweight folder.
The 154CM blade takes and holds a wicked hair shaving sharp edge, from the factory it comes hair popping sharp and stays that way with even relatively heavy use.
The handle is kind of unexpected, its’ a hard plastic, more smooth and easy on the hands yet it grips in your hand superbly, the jimping on the back of the blade and on the handle work well, it really grabs your thumb well.
The pocket clip is strong and the knife rides low in the pocket, a bit of the handle is left exposed but not enough to worry about. And it can be taken off and put on the opposite side of the handle for left handed/pocket carry.
If you’re looking for a great knife with a hard steel, spend the money and get this knife, you won’t regret it.
5. Spyderco Tenacious Plain Edge
This mid-sized Tenacious Plain Edge Knife by Spyderco has a black G-10 laminate handle, milled with prolonged fatigue-free cutting in mind. The blade is not only long, but it is fairly extensive (from edge to spine) at almost an 1.5″ inches. The 8Cr13Mov stainless blade is leaf-shaped and grounds flat from spine to cutting edge for cutting performance.
Though its design is traditional but still looks fine. It has a stainless steel liner lock that is rock solid and nicely implemented with jimping on the liner to ease disengagement. The lockup is smooth, liner locks tend to open faster and easier, and again, the full steel liners on both sides make the liner lock strong.
The liner lock is tight and thick, but smooth enough, so you’re not closing it with two hands. It deploys quick and smooth, with a beautiful snapping click. The entire grip and design of the knife fits very well. Overall, it’s a decent knife for protection.
6. Zero Tolerance ZT0350TS
What makes any knife great is the metal used in its blade, and the use of Crucible’s CPM S30V steel in the 0350’s blade is definitely one of the notable factors in the knife’s quality. S30V steel is a premium grade stainless steel and is at the top of its class with other high-quality steels such as ELMAX and M390 steels. It is designed and manufactured to stand up to heavy-duty use.
It opens quickly and easily and is razor sharp out of the box. The handle is very grippy, and flipper makes it easy to open. It is thin enough to fit comfortably in your pocket; the clamp is so tight it will not slip out.However, Weight, 5.8oz, this really shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but it is still worth mentioning.It also sharpens easier than a carbon steel blade.
The S30V stainless steel of the ZT0350TS is hardened through a sintering process that binds molecules closer, thereby strengthening the knife’s ability to cut through dense materials. Furthermore, it is well suited for continued work against resistant objects.
7. Smith & Wesson SWMP4LS M&P Linerlock
It holds an extreme edge, and feels great and very natural in my hand; the Assisted Open feature is awesome. The knife’s solid build gives it a very quality feel, which also means that unlike a lot of “rescue” knives you’ll actually feel confident in gripping the knife and using the included window punch tip located at its base.
The main blade came sharp from the factory, both on the straight edge and the serrations. We always prefer partially-serrated pocket knives if we have a choice, as it makes cutting rope and cord a much easier task. The Blades are really razor sharp; comes with4034 Stainless Steel that proves its quality.Blade jumps open smoothly and closes slightly clumsy.
Our favorite part is the ridged thumb piece on the back of the blade, provides a good thumb support, so you aren’t hurting it when pressing on the back of the blade. It comes pretty sharp, and overall feels really durable.
8. Victorinox Swiss Army
The Swiss Army knife is a compact set of tools for campers, hikers, and boy scouts. This knife has plenty of tools to defend yourself.
For versatility and simplicity, it’s hard to beat this item. Sure there are SAKs (swiss army knives) with more blades and tools, but the simple screwdriver/scissors combination is going to meet the vast majority of your needs.
It’s so light; you won’t even notice you’re carrying it with you.It is built with special Swiss stainless steel for function and durability with Lifetime warranty.
The only odd thing about the knife is that it was significantly greasy when we purchased.Nevertheless, look out its Amazon rating, got 4.7 stars & reviewed by 3,572 knife lovers.NOTICE: The Price is different for the different color.
The knife weighs in at just 3.1 ounces, and it includes SOG’s trademarked bayonet clip, which allows the folded knife to ride securely and unobtrusively in your pocket when not in use. This clip is reversible, which means it can be positioned on whichever side of the knife is most convenient for you. The SOG Aegis is no exception to that past and present quality.
10. Benchmade 940 Osborne
The is one of the finest mid-sized defense knives we have ever used. The blade on the 940 is made of S30V premium stainless steel, one of the best steels available. It sharpens relatively easily but holds an edge exceptionally well and after few weeks of dull usage, Benchmade 940 still sharps enough to cut with.
The blade looks perfect and is neither too tight to open quickly, nor so loose that it needed tightening. The tension on the Axis locking mechanism also seems to be perfect.
The handle is as small and thin as possible so you can clip it in your pocket and still use your pocket without it getting in the way, but it is also a completely usable size even with big hands. It weighs nothing practically and has perfect balance and feel.
Bulgaria? Really? It’s not as safe as other european countries but has less criminal rate than USA for example.