Cult knives

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supergnat

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Jun 27, 2015
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In the months that I've hung around here, I've seen several threads that indicate that certain knives (or knife patterns) have a wide and loyal following. Examples include the Peanut, Victorinox Classic, Leatherman Micra, and Buck 110.

My sense of things is that these are knives that aren't just popular now, but have had an enduring popularity that has lasted for many years, maybe decades.

I'm not a collector, but I do appreciate designs that have outlived the novelty of their introduction and still remain highly regarded by people who actually use them.

What other knives should I know about?
 
Spyderco endura/delica, spyderco paramilitary 2, ka-bar Classic, mora, opinel.
 
supergnat said:
In the months that I've hung around here, I've seen several threads that indicate that certain knives (or knife patterns) have a wide and loyal following. Examples include the Peanut, Victorinox Classic, Leatherman Micra, and Buck 110.

My sense of things is that these are knives that aren't just popular now, but have had an enduring popularity that has lasted for many years, maybe decades.

I'm not a collector, but I do appreciate designs that have outlived the novelty of their introduction and still remain highly regarded by people who actually use them.

What other knives should I know about?
Click to expand...
decades. or longer. got you covered right here:
Stockman
Whittler
Trapper
Barlow
 
Victorinox Alox Farmer and of course the Sebenza, (any version of the Sebenza will do:) ).
 
Fairbairn Sykes knife.....design has not changed in 50+ years, and doesn't need to....still brutally effective at preforming its designated task.

Sharpfinger....another blade shape that has withstood the test of time...

and dare we forget the Nessmuk and Hudson Bay patterns....
 
The Opinel. It's a recognised design masterpiece, is very simple and has been around for over a century.
 
Saks in general have a sort of cult following. For good reason. Mora's and Opinel's have a pretty loyal fan base. The stockman is probably king with the traditional crowd. Another i think of as having a cult following is the Spyderco Military. I am a fan of all that i have mentioned.

Jim
 
There are lots of companies that have cult like followings. Chris Reeve knives, Busse definitely has a cult following, Rick Hinderer knives, Burnley, Krein. The list goes on.

Actual designs that have stood the test of time.... Swiss army knives, Stockman, kabar, buck 110, Mora
 
How big must the cult be to qualify? There are makers with a cult following of ten but they are willing to die for the maker. LOL!

Oh yes and then there is o-cult following where the followers believe the making of the blade steel includes magic.
 
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Busse Battle Mistress
Chris Reeve Sebenza 21
Chris Reeve Green Beret
Opinel #8
Victorinox Swiss Champ
Victorinox Alox Cadet/Soldier/Pioneer/Farmer
Strider SMF/SNG
Hinderer XM
Buck 110
Buck 119
Applegate-Fairbairn combat dagger
Fairbairn-Sykes combat dagger
Kabar Mark 1
Kabar USMC
Ontario Airforce Survival Knife
Glock Field Knife 81
Randall Made Model 1
Gerber Mark II
Okapi
Spyderco PM2
Case Trapper
Emerson CQC 7
Fällkniven F1
Joseph Rodgers pocket knife
Any Bob Loveless design.
 
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I wanna try one of these. They predate opinels.
 
Most followings for the below have been going on for several decades now.

For specific slip joints:
Victorinox Farmer
Victorinox Cadet
Case Peanut
Case Sodbuster/Sodbuster Jr.

For general slip joint patterns:
Peanut
Stockman
Barlow
SAKs of all flavors
4-blade scout/camper
Sodbuster
Laguiole

For lock backs: Buck 110

For friction folders:
Opinel, particularly the No. 8
Svord

For fixed blades:
Mora, particularly the #1
Puukkot of all flavors
USMC 1219C2 Knife, Fighting Utility/USN Mark 2 Utility Knife --- today, the KA-BAR 1217
 
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I've always felt that something described as "cult" was something popular among a small group. Like a movie that has a small but hardcore following. As opposed to a "blockbuster" which is popular among a large group and whose popularity crosses over many demographics.

I think that many of the knives mentioned in this thread are more "blockbuster" than "cult".

I remember when the Buck 110 was the KING of folders. This was a reign that lasted a few decades. The 110 was a BIG seller, and it was popular across a wide variety of people. It's popularity was such that the term "Buck knife" became synonymous with "a quality knife".

Of course, no one stays on top forever. And there are probably a lot of people today who like knives but would never think of buying a 110 because it's not the latest, greatest, fastest, most tactical knife on the market. Perhaps the 110 could be described as a "blockbuster" that eventually became a "cult classic".
 
It's more general but:

kukuri
Katana/traditional tanto
Karambit
Various schools of machete (bolo, nata, parang etc...)

I think anything that has a classical association with it and carries an air or mystique to it attract cult followings.

Kukuri and katanas are a good example of that I think.
 
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