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You’re not really supposed to give a knife as a gift. According to folklore (and an ex-girlfriend), a knife brings the gift giver and gift receiver bad luck as it symbolically cuts the relationship. In the case of my ex and I, she may have been right. We broke up soon after I gave her a scary-sharp Benchmade folder. But there are two fixes for this in case you believe in such nonsense.
You can either ask the person for a penny in return for the knife—turning the donation into a transaction. Or you can do what I do and give knives to people you don’t want to have relations with anymore. Either way, you should find a nice knife for the occasion.
What I dislike about the whole knives-can’t-be-gifts thing is that knives make great gifts. They’re the kind of objects people cherish. Most tend to cheap out on knives when buying one for themselves, and a gift is a great way to get someone a truly good knife. Below, I’ve found some real beauties. Each would be the pride of any hunter’s kit, any angler’s vest pocket, or any mom or dad’s EDC lineup. Just remember to ask for a penny in return.
Benchmade Autocrat
Unless the person on your Christmas list is a spy, assassin, or riverboat gambler, an out-the-front switchblade will have little practical use. A double-edged out-the-front switchblade is even less practical. In a lot of ways, knives like this are similar to machine guns. They don’t offer much to everyday, average people, but I’ve never seen someone not smile while operating one. Flick the switch forward, and the blade shoots into action. Flick it back, and it retracts like it was never there. Need I say more?
Montana Knife Company Jackstone
You’ve probably seen a lot of ink over the past two years about master bladesmith Josh Smith and his brand, Montana Knife Company. Some of their blades have even won Best-of-the-Year awards from F&S. In case you’re wondering, the hype around Montana Knives is real. They are some of the most practical hunting knives I’ve put my paws on. Every blade I’ve tested cuts like a laser beam and stays sharp no matter what. (And if it gets dull, you can send it back to the company for sharpening.) There are several field and chef knives from Montana Knife Co. that all make great gifts. The latest Jackstone pattern is one of my favorites. It’s a modern take on a classic Canadian belt skinner that works well for breaking big animals down into manageable pieces.
Spyderco Pacific Salt 2
If the outdoors person you’re shopping for lives on the water, they need a Spyderco Salt knife. The Pacific Salt 2 here is made with nitrogen-based H2 steel, which makes it just about impervious to rust. The large hole in the blade makes it easy to open with one cold, wet hand either underwater or on deck. And like other Spyderco folders, it’s bombproof in construction and quality. This Pacific Salt 2 will go from springtime ice-out fishing to summertime offshore and back to the duck blind all winter long for any task on the water.
Helle Eggen
There are two Helles on this list, and it would have been easy to write a story called The Best Helle Knives to Give as Gifts. Helle makes exceptional knives in Norway. The Eggen is one of them. Its curly maple grip feels like it was made for your hand, and its leather sheath is top quality. The Scandi grind is easy to maintain and has a tacky sharpness that other grinds just don’t have. Its mirror polish makes this knife easy on the eyes, yet you can do some serious work with it in the woods. It’s the right choice for a bushcrafter, mountain man, or anyone who likes to knock around in the timber.
Helle Arv
The second Helle here takes things up a notch. The Arv is a bit smaller than the Eggen, but it has reindeer antler sandwiched in the grip. I’d also put it in the bushcraft category with its scandi grind, but it could be used to field-dress a buck or open up a brook trout. The Arv has an heirloom quality feel, and it's the kind of EDC knife for people who’s every day is more rural than most. With a knife like the Arv, your recipient will be well prepared to take on any task with style to boot.
GiantMouse Ace Jagt
Fairly new on the scene, Giantmouse has been sourcing top-notch folding and fixed blades from Italy to all of our benefit here in the U.S. I’ve packed a Giantmouse ACE Jagt for about a year now after receiving an early pre-release sample. During one test, I cut 1-inch sisal rope with it until my hands hurt. Since then, I’ve used it to gut a few deer, cut the ends off of cigars, scrape mud from my boots in Africa, pop the caps of off beer bottles, and whittle sticks down by the river. When I’m bored, I sit at my desk and flick it open and closed. All in, I’ve probably tested the folding mechanism and blade of this knife 1,000 times. Recently, I put it on a rock and took a picture of it for this story. It still looks as new as the day it arrived. In my book, that’s a good knife.
CRKT Homefront Compact Liner Lock
There’s something about a slick, little knock-around folder that screams gift. The Ken Onion designed Homefront is just that kind of EDC blade. It has the lines and attitude of a WWII Ka-Bar, but it’s small enough to slip into a front pocket. The S35VN steel drop-point blade would work well for field dressing tasks, and the rugged G10 scales are easy to hang onto with wet hands. Out of all the knives I tested this year, the Homefront was the most fun to play with. The folding mechanism is bowling alley floor smooth, and it locks open with authority.
Fallkniven HK6L Hunter’s Knife
Last season, I was at a deer camp in Alabama that had a hunt master. This gentleman was the wisest and oldest member of camp, and everyone treated him with reverence. He was the keeper of camp stories, a teacher and mentor, and the final word on when the backstrap comes off the grill. I don’t know what kind of knife that man carried, but the Fallkniven HK6L is the kind of knife a huntmaster should have. Like other Fallkniven blades, the HK6L is finished to a T. It has a bit of heft with its .17-inch-thick blade stock, but it's the kind of weight that exudes quality. If there’s someone important in your hunting life, someone who has left an impression on you, buy them this knife.
Randall Knives
A Randall knife should sit in a category of its own. It’s not because the knives are handmade to perfection—they are. And it’s not because Randall makes the coolest patterns—they do. It’s rather the stories surrounding Randall knives that make them something of a legend. Hunters have carried them to far-away adventures, and soldiers have fought world wars with Randalls. They are the quintessential American knife.
They’re also hard to get, which probably adds to the mystique. Ordering one new from the factory takes about six years. But you can work through an authorized dealer to buy a new Randall immediately, or go to a website like randallknifeguys.com for a used model. If I were giving a Randall to someone, I’d do it on a special occasion, like an anniversary, graduation, or ahead of a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. As is usually the case, that person will likely carry it for the rest of their life.
Fallkniven GPey Gentleman's Pocket Knife
As with Helle, if you’re looking for gift knives, just go on Fallkniven’s website, close your eyes, and keep clicking until your cart is full. This is the third Fallkniven blade I tested this year, and it’s damn near perfect. Fallkniven makes the Gentleman’s pocket knife with several kinds of handles, from ironwood and Juma to the “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Ivory” Elforyn Super Tusk I checked out. Whichever you choose, neither you nor your loved one will be disappointed. Do not give this knife lightly. It’s the kind of blade that should be reserved for best friends, best men, maids of honor, best dads ever, employees of the year, scions of industry, or intrepid explorers.
Wolf Valley Forge Nessmuk Double-Bit Hatchet
OK, this isn’t a knife, but it was too damn beautiful not to include. Wolf Valley Forge has done an excellent job of recreating one of the most important belt axes in American woodslore. In his first book, George Washington “Nessmuk” Sears described his double-bit belt axe as the ideal tool for building shelters, bucking up firewood, and “smoothing it” as opposed to roughing it (whatever that means). Wolf Valley’s Nessmuk axe is a quality example of this tool made for real-world use. But its golden patina and old-world vibe make you feel like Nessmuk gave it to you himself. The riveted leather belt sheath is also outstanding.
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