Knives

A good knife is the most-used tool most people will ever own. Impact Guns carries the full spectrum — folding EDC knives, fixed-blade hunting and tactical knives, automatic and OTF knives, machetes, axes, throwing knives, and the sharpeners that keep them all working — from Benchmade, Cold Steel, CRKT, Kershaw, SOG, Case, and other leading makers.

Read our full Knives Buying Guide ↓

Folding vs. Fixed Blade: The Core Decision

Folding knives win on portability — they clip in a pocket and disappear until needed, which is why they dominate everyday carry. Fixed blades win on strength and simplicity: no pivot to fail, no lock to maintain, full-tang construction that tolerates batoning and prying that would destroy a folder. The practical answer for most people is one of each — a quality folder for daily tasks and a fixed blade for hunting, camping, and hard use. See folding knives and fixed blade knives.

Blade Steel: What Actually Matters

Steel choice drives edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance — and they trade against each other. Budget steels (8Cr13MoV, AUS-8) sharpen easily but dull faster. Mid-tier workhorses (D2, 154CM, S35VN) hold an edge through real work and represent the value sweet spot. Premium steels (S90V, M390, MagnaCut) hold edges remarkably but cost more and demand better sharpening gear. For a first quality knife, mid-tier steel from a reputable maker beats premium steel from an unknown one.

Automatic and OTF Knives

Automatic knives — side-opening switchblades and out-the-front (OTF) designs — deploy at the press of a button. Federal law has loosened and most states now permit ownership, though carry laws vary. Microtech and Kershaw lead the OTF segment. See our automatic knives page for the legal overview and full selection.

Knives for Hunters

Field dressing rewards specialized blades: drop-point skinning knives with deep bellies for cleaning game without puncturing organs, gut hooks for opening hide, and replaceable-blade systems (Outdoor Edge, Havalon) that trade resharpening for scalpel-fresh edges. A dedicated game knife outperforms a general-purpose blade the first time you process an animal in the field.

Axes, Machetes, and Big Blades

Beyond knives, Impact Guns carries axes and hatchets for camp and tactical use, machetes for clearing work, and throwing axes and throwing knives for the fastest-growing blade sport in the country.

Keeping an Edge

A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one — it demands force, and force slips. Pull-through sharpeners handle quick touch-ups; guided systems (Work Sharp, Lansky) produce consistent professional edges; ceramic rods and strops maintain edges between sharpenings. See sharpeners and accessories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What knife should I buy first?
A quality folding knife with a 3–3.5” blade in a mid-tier steel like D2 or 154CM covers the widest range of daily tasks. Kershaw, CRKT, and Cold Steel all make excellent first knives at accessible prices. Add a fixed blade later if you hunt or camp.

Are knives legal to ship to my state?
Most knives ship without restriction, but automatic knives, OTF knives, and certain blade types face state-specific limits on ownership, blade length, or carry. The product page notes restrictions where they apply — verify your state and local laws before ordering automatics.

What is the best knife brand?
There is no single answer — Benchmade and Microtech lead the premium tier, Cold Steel and SOG dominate hard-use value, Kershaw and CRKT own the budget EDC space, and Case is the standard for traditional patterns. Buy the brand whose strengths match your use, not the name alone.