TYPES OF KNIVES

With all the different types of knives today, it can be easy to get lost in the seemingly endless information. Lucky for you, this knife type guide will walk you through the basics!

The five basic types of knives are:

Manual Folding Knives - Blade folds inside the handle with no assisted mechanism.

Spring Assisted Knives - Blade is assisted open with a spring or bar.

Automatic Knives or Switchblades - Blade automatically opens with the push of a button or pull of a lever. The two styles are Out The Front (OTF) and side opening.

Fixed Blade Knives - Blade is fixed to the handle and does not pivot.

Butterfly or Balisong Knives - Two handles rotate around a blade.

Knife Styles that Fit Multiple Types

Now, let's dive into the different types of pocket knives:

MANUAL FOLDING KNIVES

Manual folding knives have a blade that folds inside the handle, covering the cutting edge. Many of these types of knives have a locking mechanism that keeps the blade in the open position. All manual knives feature a mechanism to keep the blade closed and safe in your pocket.

SPRING ASSISTED KNIVES

Spring assisted knives are a type of folding knife that flips open with a little assistance from the user. These knives have a spring or bar inside that puts tension on the blade, so when the user opens the blade to about 30 degrees, the blade then flips the rest of the way open. They often open with a flipper or thumb stud.

AUTOMATIC KNIVES OR SWITCHBLADES

Automatic knives, or switchblades, have blades that flip open with the push of a button. There are also variations that open via a lever or switch on the handle. The two basic styles of automatic knives are side opening and Out The Front (OTF).

Side Opening

Side opening automatics have a blade that comes out of the side of the handle when a firing button is pressed. This snappy action makes the blade accessible quickly.

Side Opening Uses

Side opening automatic knives are designed primarily for the military and first responders like police and firefighters. What do all these have in common, you ask? Emergency situations happen all the time and when someone is trapped in a sinking vehicle, seconds count. Automatic knives are designed to open speedy fast for people with speedy needs.

Because of their rich history in Hollywood’s portrayal of urban street violence in the 1950’s, automatic knives face many harsh restrictions around the US. Consult your local laws before purchasing an automatic knife.

OTF KNIVES

OTF, or Out the Front, knives have a blade that exits out the front of the knife. We know: hard to believe from the name. OTF knives are a style of automatic knife because they use a button to activate a spring to automatically open the blade.

Two types of OTF knives:

Single Action – Extend with the push of a button or slide, but then require a manual retraction.

Double Action – Extend with the push of a button or slide, and then retract with the same type of function.

OTF Uses

OTF knives are great for lighter use and normal EDC. OTF blades come in different shapes, but many people are drawn to the dagger blade style (blades that are sharp on both sides).

Just remember, because OTF knives and switchblades are often misunderstood, it’s important to consult your local laws before purchasing one of your own.

	Side Opening	OTF
Pros	Rapid Blade Deployment Fun to use Easy one handed opening Great for emergency situations	Rapid blade deployment Fun to use Easy one handed opening Often have glass-breaking pommel Slim, rectangular design
Cons	Many law restrictions Usually can't use when parts break Possibility of opening in a pocket (extremely rare) Parts may wear out or break easier	Many law restrictions Blade can come off track if it hits anything when deploying Not as strong as other types More internal parts that can break or wear out

Explore OTF Knives Here

FIXED BLADE KNIVES

Fixed blade knives are just that; the blades on these knives are attached to the handle and cannot be folded.

BUTTERFLY/BALISONG KNIVES

Butterfly knife - BRS Alpha Beast Infinity

Butterfly knives, or balisong knives, have two handles that pivot around a blade. These knives are very popular for flipping and recreational use.

KNIFE STYLES THAT FIT MULTIPLE TYPES

Let’s preface this section by saying it’s going to get a little confusing, and that’s okay. We’ve gone over knife types, which are the manual, spring assisted, automatic, fixed, and butterfly. Now we’ll go more into knife styles.

A style of knife is like a category, such as hunting knives, OTF, throwing knives, etc. Some styles are made as multiple types, which leads us to this section. Let’s dig in, shall we?

Karambits are the ultimate self-defense tool. They are available in fixed blades, folding, and even butterfly knives.

Neck knives are usually compact knives that come in fixed blade and manual folding.

Hunting knives come in fixed blade, manual, and automatic, and are made to cater to a hunter’s needs. Most of these knives are fixed blade and have a mild curve, fit into a sheath, and are made to be sturdy. Specialty types like skinning knives are made for skinning animals.

Fishing knives come in fixed blade and manual folding, and are made for everything from cutting a line to prepping a fish for a nice feast.

Bowie knives are a style of knife that usually has a double edge at the point of the blade. They are a very popular style and come in every type of knife.

Multi-tools usually contain several blades along with other tools, such as pliers. A common example of a multi-tool is a Leatherman.

Dive knives are made specifically for scuba divers and usually contain materials that will not rust. They come in fixed blade and manual, and cater to every situation a diver may face.

Fillet knives can be fixed blade or manual, and have long, skinny, flexible blades that are used to fillet fish.

Throwing knives, axes and stars are designed for the sport of throwing. Many people use these recreationally, but just know that professional knife throwing is a thing.

Pros of Folding Knives	Cons of Folding Knives
Compact/convenient	Moving parts can get grimy/sandy/peanut-buttery
Very dependable	More moving parts = higher probability to fail
Protected cutting edge	Smaller blades with less real estate
Legal in many places	Pivot requires more maintenance

Pros of Spring Assisted Knives	Cons of Spring Assisted Knives
Not considered switchblades or autos	More moving parts that can wear out/break
Laws generally coincide with manual folding knives	Pivot requires more maintenance
Easy one handed opening	Possibility of opening in a pocket (extremely rare)
Open faster than manual knives

Pros of Fixed Blade Knives	Cons of Fixed Blade Knives
Easy maintenance	Harder to conceal and carry
High strength	Have to use with a sheath
Many variations

Pros of Butterfly Knives	Cons of Butterfly Knives
Fun to flip	Not as practical as other knives
Can be used as a functional knife	Many law restrictions across the country