Whichever way you slice it, Ken Onion has earned his place amongst the best of the best. Knife Brands . Mr. Walker is responsible for the creation, refinement, and popularization of the Linerlock – which he trademarked in 1990. A beautiful black-and-gold 20 ATM diver fit for spec-ops soldiers. Knowing that the likes of Sal Glesser worked alongside Mr. Southard to produce a knife under his own brand should speak monuments to the quality of Brad’s designs and workmanship and absolutely ranks him amongst the upper echelon of knife designers.
And with designs like Spyderco’s Paramilitary, Grasshopper, Delica, and Ladybug and a number of knife design patents, it’s no wonder he is so hugely respected in the industry. ©2020 Hiconsumption LLC. Masters Collection MC – A030 Series Spring Assist Folding Knife – Famous knife makers; 1.4 4. Handmade, Tactical, Survival, Combat Utility knives, built to withstand extreme conditions. Learn more. Knives. Though he started out crafting art knives, Hinderer shifted his style to more functional and tactical designs that would be useful for first responders – as he worked as both an EMT and Fire Fighter. Having passed in September of 2014, Kit Carson may no longer be with us, but his contributions to the knife making world still live on today. Bob Terzuola’s original designs are still referenced by modern knife makers and he’s still active as an authority in the industry. We would be remiss in our duty if we did not include Michael Walker on this list, as one of his creations helped shape the knife and everyday carry world as we know it. The tactical knife world may seem to have become overly-crowded in the past few decades. His specialty was in creating tactical style folding knives, the most popular of which (the M16 series) is still sold by the Columbia River Knife & Tool company today. Custom Right Hand Cross Draw Leather Knife – Best custom hunting knives; 1.5 5. And that’s just one of his many contributions to the knife making world. Setting the bar for versatility, A.G. Russell likely has the most varied catalog of offerings of any other knife maker on this list. Chris Reeve Knives; Winkler Knives; Hinderer Knives; Spartan Blades ; Zero Tolerance Knives; RMJ Tactical; William Henry Knives; Benchmade … In fact, that very series was named one of the “Top 10 Factory Tactical Folders of the Decade” by Blade magazine. And that’s a stigma we, as active members of the everyday carry community, actively disagree with. Though he will continue to be missed, Kit Carson and his designs will not be forgotten. These elite knifemakers have spent so much painstaking time fine-tuning their designs that an unparalleled array of knives combining excellent artisanship with superb craft and great construction has been the ultimate result. In fact, that very series was named one of the “Top 10 Factory Tactical Folders of the Decade” by Blade magazine. All in all, Anso’s designs are straightforward and clean without being simplistic or boring. All rights reserved, Leading Edge: 18 Best EDC Knife Designers. Savvy knife collectors will thrill to the folding knives that run the gamut from high-end showpieces to ruggedly functional field knives.
And he has collaborated with a number of top industry names, such as Jens Anso (the pair have a knife produced by Spyderco and they also run GiantMouse together), Lucas Burnley, and Mike Bond. And while you may be familiar with his work with both Kershaw – for whom he designed the exceptional Leek pocket folder – or Columbia River Knife & Tool – for whom he designed a proprietary “tool-less field-strippable” pocket folder amongst a slew of other worthwhile designs – you may not know that he also has a line of sharpeners and award-winning kitchen knives. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Terzuola started making knives in 1979 – just two years before an endorsement from Bob Loveless garnered his entry into the Knifemakers’ Guild. Working primarily out of a small shop in Denmark, Jens Anso is a knife maker and industrial designer behind a number of impressive everyday carry tools. While you may not know him by name, if you’re active in the world of EDC, you’re familiar with his brand. While he has a number of excellent options under his own brand, he is also responsible for collaborating with Kershaw knives on several designs, including the much lauded Cryo series. Custom fixed and folding knife inventory includes tactical fixed and folding knives, presentation fixed and folding knives, Bowies, hunters and skinners, and a large selection of handmade forged blades. But it isn’t just his contractual work that makes Mr. Osborne a contender, as he also makes beautiful high-end custom knives built with the inclusion of rare and precious materials. Not only is Nighthawk Custom a dealer, but we work closely with Mr. Murr to design knives exclusive to us. And each and every one of them are worth carrying.
While you’d be hard-pressed to get your hands on any of his knives, as the ones already out there are so highly coveted and he’s not presently taking new orders, count yourself as extremely lucky if you do. Working out of Waialua, Hawaii, Tom Mayo has been making knives since 1981 – now specializing in advanced materials like Crucible’s line of CPM steels – and has been featured in several of the top industry publications.