The 20 Best Knives You Ever Owned

This one's almost impossible, because I've owned way, way too many knives and have loved 90% of them. But here goes:

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Row 1: Walter Wells, Chuck Gedraitis, Bob Dozier, Anza, J.D. Clay, Frank Centofante.

Row 2: David Sharp, GEC, Les George, Alex Steingraber, Chris Crawford, Billy Mace Imel, Ray Laconico, Canal Street Cutlery.

Row 3: Spyderco (Militaries), Spyderco (Manix), Spyderco (Baby Horn), Chris Reeve Knives.
 
ferider said:
A few representative photos .....

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You have great taste in blades my friend. That Behemoth a Dog Solider are my favorites of the bunch.
 
Huntsman Knife Co. said:
Title says it, list the 20 best knives you've ever owned. There is no criteria except #1 has to be your absolute favorite/best knife of all time. Pictures are recommended.

Your 20 can be comprised of any knife, from a huge chopper to a slipjoint.

To rephrase the question, if you had to keep a collection of 20 knives from everything you've ever owned, what would that list be?
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The OP asks two distinct questions:
1) What are the 20 best knives you've ever owned?
2) If you could only keep 20 knives out of all you've ever owned, what would they be?

For example, the knife I use the most is a Spyderco Byrd Meadowlark. It is certainly the best knife I have ever owned for the very specific task of cutting the strings that tie up bales of highly-compressed alfalfa hay, but that is only because it has the pointiest point of all the fully-serrated blades I have ever had. It is a cheap knife with mediocre materials and mediocre construction. I have taken it apart 4 times to try to get it to flick open properly and it is still not very good. I wish I could get a better fully-serrated hawkbill. The Meadowlark might barely make the list of the 20 best Spydercos I have ever had, but no way is it one of the 20 best knives in general that I have ever had. On the other hand, it would be near the top of the list of the 20 knives I would keep.

I have a Large Sebenza 31 Unique Graphic that is undoubtedly an excellent knife. It might be one of the 20 best knives I have ever owned. But I never use it. If I could only keep 20 knives, the Sebenza would not be one of them.

#1 in either list would be the Benchmade Rukus II with S30V, which is nearly perfect except for being black--I prefer bright colors. I will need to ruminate on the other 38.
 
Birchbark Lauri I did years ago, and still use when I build canoes
Leatherman Charge, because if I could only have one...
Farmer X
Benchmade Grip (aftermarket scales a must)
Kommer 2-shot folder, I absolutely love that knife
Mora Kansbol - the best of the Moras for applying peanut butter and one of the few with an ambidextrous sheath
Opinel n. 9
Manly Peak 2
The Stilwell Brokeback Seax I still regret selling (see profile pic)
Gossman UNK
Sargent M3 (wish I could have gotten a compact) - because 'apocalypse knife' shouldn't mean 'really big knife'
Matt Paul K-tip, the gorgeous-est workhorse in all the kitchen
J. Pearce Nessie I got recently, love that knife
Rokka Korpisoturi
Helle Leuku - I hate Helle handles, but that one checks all the boxes
Fiddleback 16" machete
AG Russell featherlight - best trout knife I've found
 
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These would probably be the best, although I'd change 3-4 of them if you asked me on a different day:

1. Zero Tolerance ZT 0640 Emerson
2. Zero Tolerance ZT 0308BLKTS
3. Hinderer Knives XM-18 Skinny Generation 6
4. Lion Steel M5
5. Benchmade Altitude
6. Benchmade Hunt Crooked River
7. Benchmade Sibert Bushcrafter
8. Spyderco Caribbean
9. Spyderco Para Military 2
10. Jesse Hemphill Point Rock
11. Fallkniven F1
12. Casstrom Swedish Forest Knife No. 10
13. Bark River Bravo 1
14. Buck 401 Kalinga 2021 Legacy Collection
15. Cold Steel Magnum Tanto XII
16. Cold Steel Demko AD-10
17. GiantMouse ACE Biblio
18. MKM Maniago Root
19. Kizer Gemini
20. WE Miscreant 3.0
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Of all the knives I've owned and own, these would be the ones I'd keep based on use and value to me, but not necessarily my most valuable or "best":

1. Zero Tolerance ZT 0640 Emerson
2. Benchmade Griptilion
3. Benchmade Hunt Crooked River
4. Benchmade Triage
5. Benchmade Bugout
6. Benchmade Hunt Saddle Mountain Skinner
7. Terava Jaakaripuukko 110
8. Spyderco Caribbean
9. Spyderco Police 4
10. Morakniv Kansbol
11. Fallkniven F1
12. Casstrom Swedish Forest Knife No. 10
13. Boker Plus Roundhouse
14. Opinel Traditional #15 Slim
15. Cold Steel American Lawman
16. Cold Steel Demko AD-10
17. GiantMouse ACE Biblio
18. Ontario Knife RAT Model 1
19. Kizer Gemini
20. Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog
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1. Tom Mayo Dr. Death in Damasteel
2. Shirogorov Russian Overkill
3. Shirogorov Arctic Russian Dr. Death
4. Jerry Hossom Au Eli in Crosscut Mammoth
5. Peter Rassenti Nirvana in Mokuti (traded)
6. Chaves 229 Liberation Silver Bullet
7. Begg Bodega 2.0 Prototype (sold)
8. Hinderer Card Series Project X (sold)
9. CKF FIF20 Framelock
10. Varga VBR Mk III in Dark Matter CF
11. Spyderco Slysz Bowie
12. Spyderco Franken-Native 5 in Magnacut and Fluted Ti
13. Spyderco Native 5 in S90V and Fluted CF
14. Spyderco Shaman in S90V and CF
15. Spyderco Yojumbo in S90V and CF
16. Spyderco PITS
17. The James Brand Barnes
18. North Arm Skaha II
19. Giantmouse GM9
20. Quiet Carry The Nine

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1. Case trapper in Bermuda green
2. Buck 119 special pro
3. Griptillian sheepsfoot HGOD
4. Gerber Gator clip non serrated
5. CS Trailmaster in San Mai
6. Bark River Bravo 1.25 3V ironwood
7. Case stockman in Bermuda green
8. Spyderco Gayle Bradley 2 in burlap
9. Hinderer xm-18 3.5 in jade green
10. SAK farmer
11. SAK explorer
12. GEC bull moose in amber jigged bone
13. GEC calf roper in tortoise shell
14. GEC improved trapper in tiger eye
15. Helle special edition sig
16. Cold steel gunsite folder
17. CR Sebenza 21 in ebony
18. CR small sebenza in spalted beech
19. CR small sebanza pj sheepsfoot
20. Emerson mini commander serrated
 
Les George:
1) Talos
2) mk3
3-5) 3 vecps
6) wc eagle
7-9) 3 esv’s

Hinderers
10) xm 18 3.5”
11) xm 18 3”

CRK
12) crk large 31

Emerson
13-20) all of my emersons

Honorable mention:
Pm2
Pm3
 
SAK Outrider, Benchmade Ritter Griptillian, Leatherman Rebar, Skookum Bush tool, Gossman Deer Creek, Bark River Bravo1 rampless, Bark River North Country EDC 2,
Woodbear knives Karhu, Falkniven H1, WC knives Saner Scout, Falkniven Scout, Terava Skrama 240, Rokka Korpisoturi, Spyderco Atlantic salt, CPK Dek1, SAK Huntsman, Gossman mini Deer Creek, an old Eka scandi blade folder, WC knives Woodsman’s Bowie, old Svord machete.
I think that’s 20! In no particular order, the favorite one varies….
That’s too many knives for sure, but I can honestly say that I use them all at least occasionally!
 
1) Victorinox Explorer Plus - Perfect EDC tool set, if a bit thick for pocket carry
2) Victorinox Super Tinker - Gives up some tools, but good for pocket carry
3) Victorinox One-handed Trekker, plain edge - a SAK with a larger, one-handed blade and liner lock screwdriver too!
4) Spyderco Native 5 Lightweight in Maxamet - Super ergos, right size, holds the edge FOREVER
5) Benchmade 550-1 Griptilian (link) - Great action, great in the hand. A bit heavy & thick though. Spendy.
6) Benchmade 535 Bugout - The hype is justified, IMO. Great design. Should've been named "EDC" though, not Bugout.
7) Spyderco Centofante 3 (VG-10) - Addresses any concerns about the Delica and Endura. Got to be the classiest FRN knife ever made. Love the thinner, hollow ground blade.
8) Cold Steel Large Voyager (AUS-10A) - Too big for my daily use, but is a perfect hard service larger knife. It's my choice instead of a fixed blade in a camp situation, for example.
9) Spyderco Leaf Jumper in K390 - Dumb name, great knife. More sensible choils than a Delica, not ridiculously large like an Endura. Great steel. It's an instant classic, IMO.
10) Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite (4116) - MAN what a good little utility knife this is, esp. for the money. Little tiny Wharncliffe that's hollow ground.
12) Mercator cat - Best inexpensive knife available, I think. Fun history, too.
13-20) (... I'll have to come back later and finish this list; I can't get them all in front of me at the moment to remind me.)
 
Maybe I miscounted but is an SAK (in some configuration or other) the most often mentioned, followed by some flavor of Benchmade Griptillian?
 
Very difficult because "favorite" can mean several things. I will break it into four categories of "top five" of what I own/have owned.

Fidget Factor:
Alan Davis Custom
Biryukov # 7
Biryukov #12
Cheburkov large Strizh
Demko AD20.5

Ergonomics and Heavy use (not hard use/abuse, but knives I can comfortably cut with for long periods of time and am not afraid to mess up):

Spyderco Gayle Bradley 1
Spyderco Manix 2 CTS-XHP
Spyderco PM2
ZT 0095 BLK S90V
Spyderco Domino and Demko AD20.5

Spyderco Yojimbo 2 would get an honorable mention and would have made the list but for the S30V CONSTANTLY chipping.
Heretic Manticore-E gets an honorable mentioned as I've used the crap out of it, but it is not exactly ergonomic

Aesthetically pleasing:
Alan Davis Custom
Biryukov # 7
Biryukov # 12
Matt Bailey model 2 Geek Edition
(Hasn't arrived yet) Seamus custom in blue giraffe bone

Best combination of the 3 above categories:

ZT 0095 BLK S90V
Cheburkov small Strizh
Spyderco Manix 2 CTS-XHP with Ironwood scales
ZT 0470
Biryukov #12


I only own 2 fixed blades (gasp) but my Warpath Strategies Camp Chef would be my favorite.
 
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