Knives are part of people’s everyday carry because they help accomplish daily tasks. Depending on who you are, those tasks can be more demanding than opening shipping boxes, primarily if you work in the military, law enforcement, or security. You may also find yourself carrying a pocket knife for self-defense. We won’t get into the nitty-gritty of carrying a knife for that purpose, but having the right tool and the training to go along with it can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency. And when it comes down to it, tactical knives are the right tool for the job.
The best tactical knives for EDC are built to withstand rougher use than a regular utility knife. They feature quality blade steels that can keep and maintain a sharp edge in the worst cases. The best EDC tactical knives also have features well-suited for duty and defensive use when required.
Dedicated tactical EDC knives, as we know them, emerged from the needs of military and law enforcement users who began using hunting and camp knives during their service. As demand evolved, designers and military contractors began modifying existing hunting designs. They eventually started making dedicated tactical knives built for the purpose. In the 1980s and the 1990s, companies like Gerber, Benchmade, and Spyderco came into their own with innovative tactical folding knives. Over the years, these makers and additional newcomers have improved the original tactical knife concept. There are now a ton of great EDC tactical knives to choose from. This guide will review our six favorite tactical blades and explain why they deserve a place in your everyday carry.
Our Top Picks
The Best Overall Tactical Knife: Cold Steel AD-15 [Buy] / [Full Review]
The Best Tactical Knife on a Budget: KA-BAR #1213 [Buy]
The Most Premium Tactical Knife: Microtech Ultratech MagnaCut OTF [Buy]
The Toughest Tactical Knife: Benchmade Mini Adamas [Buy] / [Full Review]
The Most Compact Tactical Knife: Toor Knives Serpent Tanto [Buy]
Cold Steel AD-15 | KA-BAR #1213 | Microtech Ultratech MagnaCut OTF | Benchmade Mini Adamas | Toor Knives Serpent Tanto |
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| $$$ | $$ | $$$$ | $$$$ | $$$$ |
| Blade Length: 3.50″ | Blade Length: 7.00″ | Blade Length: 3.40″ | Blade Length: 3.25″ | Blade Length: 3.875″ |
| Blade Steel: S35VN | Blade Steel: 1095 Cro-Van | Blade Steel: MagnaCut | Blade Steel: CRU-WEAR | Blade Steel: 3V |
| Key Features: Ambidextrous operation | Key Features: Slip-resistant handle | Key Features: Double-edged dagger blade | Key Features: Ambidextrous AXIS lock | Key Features: Slip-resistant handle |
| Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
The Top Tactical Knives
The Best Overall Tactical Knife: Cold Steel AD-15
Purchase
The Best Tactical Knife on a Budget: KA-BAR #1213
Purchase
The Most Premium Tactical Knife: Microtech Ultratech MagnaCut OTF
Purchase
The Toughest Tactical Knife: Benchmade Mini Adamas
Purchase
The Most Compact Tactical Knife: Toor Knives Serpent Tanto
Purchase
SOG Seal XR Tactical Knife
PurchaseWhat Makes a Tactical Knife Tactical & Why You Should Carry One
Tactical knives are built to a different standard than a regular everyday carry pocket knife. They are made for rough defensive and duty use. They often find themselves in the EDC gear security professionals, law enforcement, and military personnel. The difference isn’t just a blacked-out design and aggressive looks. The best tactical EDC knives are built to help you accomplish potentially dangerous missions and get you back safely while performing at a high level throughout.
How to Pick the Best Tactical Knife
To help you find the best tactical knife for everyday carry, we’ll go over some of the features that you should look for when considering your next purchase.
Blade Length
Tactical knives tend to be longer than compact EDC folding knives, but that’s not a hard rule. You will want enough cutting-edge length to take on big tasks, cut through rough material, and get a defensive advantage. But if you go too big, the knife might be too big for EDC. A good rule of thumb is to keep your tactical knife at or below 5 inches in length.
Difficulty Opening
For a tactical knife, you’ll want quick and easy deployment of the knife, whether you choose a fixed-blade or folding knife. Fixed blades don’t have to be opened during a draw, but they need a quality sheath that securely holds your knife when you’re not using it. Spring-assisted openings and automatic opening folding knives are favored in the community for their lightning-quick blade deployment, usually only requiring one hand free to accomplish. There’s even a special line of Emerson Wave knives like the CQC-7 which have a feature that intentionally snags on your pants pocket to deploy the knife as you draw. You’ll still find thumbstuds on these knives in case you want a more considered and slow opening.
Locking mechanism
Tactical knives are meant to be used hard, so slipjoints and non-locking traditional blades are out of the question. A good lock like a sturdy frame lock, liner lock, compression lock, or lockback helps prevent accidental edge closure when you least expect it. Some manufacturers have their own locking systems, like Cold Steel’s Tri-Ad. It also means you can rely on the blade like a fixed-blade knife when things get tricky.
Materials
The best tactical knives are made of durable materials that withstand extreme use, hard impact, and corrosion. That’s why the best knives feature G-10 scales or Micarta handles. Even polymer materials and aluminum handles handle better than traditional wood inlays and brass.
Blade Shape
While you’ll find your share of drop-point and clip-point blades in the tactical space, you’ll also find more defensive shapes and profiles. For example, the tanto blade style is favored in the community because of its piercing qualities. Spear point blades with false edges are often seen, allowing manipulation into small spaces when needed. There are also even more aggressive shapes that eat into the practical utility of the knife beyond defensive use, like karambit styles and knives with full serrations. Getting the best functionality out of those kinds of high-quality knives will take some training to achieve. You won’t tend to see utility-oriented shapes like the wharncliffe, because they lack a well-defined point for defensive use.
Steel Type
Quality steel is an essential thing that sets a quality everyday carry tactical knife from a gas station special that looks like it came out of a video game. Looks aren’t everything, and without quality blade steel, you’ll have trouble cutting through a burrito, much less anything in a defensive capacity. The best EDC tactical knives feature high Rockwell hardness powdered stainless steels like S35VN, 3V, and CRU-WEAR. While you can get extreme hardness out of high carbon steel for a fighting knife, a big trade-off is rusting. If you’re on a budget, you can opt for a tactical knife with AUS-8 or 8Cr13MoV, but you will have to make sure to sharpen it because these budget steels have less edge retention and wear resistance for the lower price.
FAQ
What is the best tactical knife you can buy?
The best tactical knife you can buy depends on your needs, but we recommend the Cold Steel AD-15 overall. Look at other tactical knives made by Benchmade, CRKT, Spyderco, Boker, KA-BAR, and more if you need something else.
What tactical knife does the military use?
The military issues contract fixed blade knives made by multiple manufacturers, including Ontario Knife Company, as seen with US Navy SEALs. Soldiers often bring their own personal knives into the field. They carry various fixed-blade and folding knives, including knives made by Gerber, Kershaw Zero Tolerance, and Microtech.
What is the most popular combat knife?
One of the most popular combat knives is the USMC-issued KA-BAR bowie-style fixed-blade knife issued in WW2. Its venerable design has undergone several updates but is still available today because of its high-performance qualities and versatility.
What is the difference between a tactical knife and a survival knife?
Tactical knives focus on defensive and duty use for professionals and trained individuals. This demand leads to designs that can be less practical than the survival and bushcraft needs of a survival knife, as the outdoor survival nature of those knives dictates different design needs.
How We Picked
Decades of experience and deep connections in the everyday carry industry give us a unique viewpoint on the market to inform our product recommendations. We have the depth of information for thousands of products that have come before and an extensive eye on the market to see what’s new and trending for each piece of gear. The result is a buying guide that we feel is informative and useful for EDCers of every trade, industry, and budget.
What is Everyday Carry?
Everyday Carry is both the concept of what people carry in their pockets and the process of picking out gear that thoughtfully considers what one wants or needs in their daily life. It encompasses everything from style to preparedness to utility, meaning an entire industry full of valuable tools and essentials to choose from.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our team has decades of combined experience in all aspects of everyday men’s essentials, from wallets to pens to bags and everything in between, and we know where to find great gear ideas that you may not come across at your local stores or when shopping online. Our expertise in the industry and familiarity with design, materials, and usability help you make more informed choices when it comes to picking up your next piece of gear.
