Greatest/Most Influential knives (Help me build a list)

Becker BK2
Ontario pilot’s survival knife
Classic KA-BAR
Case XX WWII pilot survival machete
Springfield Armory 1904 Hospital Corps machete
CRK Sebenza
SAK
Benchmade Griptilian
Kephart knife
Smatchet
 
One way to look at it is by brands/genre in different countries worldwide(if it can be owned legally):
Case/Traditional slip joint (US)
Buck/Clip point (US)
Opinel (France)
Laguiole (France)
Higonokami (Japan)
Stiletto (Italy)
Victorinox (Switzerland)
Puukko (Norway)
Mora (Sweden)
Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife (UK)
Boker (Germany)
Zvord (New Zealand)
Enzo/Martinni (Finland)
 
I agree with some previous posts...

Buck 110 and 112...pure iconic Americana.

Victorinox Swiss Army Knives...over 100 years of production...must be doing something right.

Opinel...it's simple, it's smart, and it works!



And another that I will add to the list...

The original Leatherman Tool!

It started a whole new genre of pliers based knife-tools.
 
^William Wales Scagel was on my mind for inclusion. A beauty from the James Gang BTW. Bought my bro a Scagel inspired pocket from BMK two years ago for X-Mas. I think you have to also include Bo Randall and the #1 Fighter to the mix. Great choices everyone!
 
Not just any Victorinox, it has to be a Pattern 61 Soldier model.

I guess you could use an early Pioneer but, my vote is for a Soldier.
 
In no particular order (OK, alphabetical) there are certain knives that stand out for various reasons, specific, noteworthy or even difficult to define reasons - but they stand out nonetheless.

Becker BK2, BK4
Buck 110/112, of course.
Camillus SS military pocket knife
Cold Steel Trail Master
CRK Sebenza
Emerson CQC-6
KaBar Mk 1
KA-BAR military/USMC
Kephart knife
Leatherman PST and its progeny
Ontario pilot’s survival knife
SAKs, in almost any variety
Sodbuster
Spyderco Endura along with it's nephews and cousins
 
View attachment 1265794 Randall model 1
KA-BAR USMC or other ww2 variant
Pal RH35, USN KNIFE.
Buck 110
Buck 119
Opinel
Mercator black cat
Any Bowie. (Buck 124 is my choice)
Any Kephart
All US issued knives including
MLK demo knife and TL-29 electricians
The original Leatherman for iconic status
Leatherman wave for the pinnacle model

This last one may surprise everyone:
STANLEY model 199 fixed blade utility knife. In my opinion this is the ultimate iconic American tradesman utility knife.
 
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Randall Model 1.
Sebenza folder.
Loveless fixed blade.
classic carbon steel slipjoint.
Benchmade 42 balisong.
USMC Ka-Bar.
Spyderco Military.
Emerson CQC-7.
Moran fixed blade.
Scagel fixed blade.
 
some production knife firsts...
victorinox officer's knife - permanent exhibit nyc museum of modern art
gerber lst - one-piece synthetic handle folder
buck 110 - back lock
ag russell cia letter opener - defensive plastic
cold steel fixed blade tanto - door piercing
timberline emerson-neeley SPECWAR - 1995 blade magazine american made knife of the year; also exhibited at the nyc metropolitan museum of modern art..
benchmade emerson 970/975 - tactical folding chisel tanto
crkt kit carson m16 - sandbox folder choice
kershaw ken onion 1510 - speedsafe assisted opening knife
 
The "white arm" -- a.k.a. the sword -- is probably the most influential cutting tool. Richard F. Burton's wonderful The Book of the Sword (1884) traces its evolution of the sword from wood, bone and horn to the Iron Age.
 
Victorinox Alox Soldier.

Victorinox Spartan (the modern version of the Swiss Officer’s Knife).

Victorinox Classic.

Buck 110.

Ka-Bar USMC.

SS Spyderco Rescue, which ‘birthed’ the idea for the Police model, which in turn ‘birthed’ the idea for Benchmade’s AFCK as well as Spyderco’s Military model and indirectly, its offshoots (PM2, Para3).

Chris Reeve Sebenza.

Gerber LST (the first lightweight, linerless, Zytel/FRN-handled pocketknife.

Jim
 
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