Traditional USA-made production in 2022

Tyson A Wright

Tyson A Wright

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I thought I'd try to compile a list of every company making production traditional knives in the United States in 2022.
  • Production - this doesn't include custom knifemakers
  • Traditional - using the definitions for this forum
  • Made in America - not just a US company, but the knife is made here

Please let me know any corrections, additions, deletions for this list. Thanks!

  • Albers Cutlery Co - traditional folders and fixed blades
  • Anza Knives - traditional fixed blades
  • Bark river knife and tool - traditional fixed blades
  • Bear and Son - traditional pocket knives, fixed blades (also make non-traditional knives)
  • Benchmade - mostly non-traditional, but do have a few traditional folders and fixed blades
  • Bluegrass Cutlery - traditional folders and fixed, using Winchester and John Primble brands
  • Buck - traditional folders, fixed blades (and non-traditional knives)
  • Case - traditional folders, fixed blades (and a few non-traditional knives)
  • Christy Knife Company - classic traditional pocket knife
  • Colonial Cutlery Company - traditional folders and fixed blades (also make modern knives, and many of their knives are not USA made)
  • Cooper Cutlery - traditional slipjoints under Weed Co. and Schatt & Morgan brands
  • Daniels Family Knife Brands - traditional slipjoints under a variety of brands (Tuna Valley, Excelsior, etc.)
  • Dexter Russel - traditional fixed blades (many of their traditionals are under the Green River name), also make non-traditional knives
  • Dozier Knives - traditional fixed blades
  • ESEE Knives - traditional fixed blades (also make modern fixed blades)
  • GEC - folders, traditional fixed blades, under a variety of brand names (Tidioute, Northfield, Farm & Field, etc.)
  • Gerber - mostly non-traditional, but do have a few traditional folders and fixed blades
  • Horsewright - traditional fixed blades (and lots of other non-knife products)
  • KA-BAR- traditional fixed blades (and some modern knives)
  • Kershaw - mostly non-traditional, but do have at least one traditional folder made in the USA
  • LT Wright - traditional fixed blades
  • Ontario Knife Company - traditional fixed and folders (many under the Old Hickory name), also make non-traditional knives
  • Randall Made - traditional fixed blades
  • Rapid River Knifeworks - traditional folding and fixed (plus some modern knives)
  • R. Murphy Knives - traditional fixed blades (also make non-traditional knives)
  • Ruana Knife Works - traditional fixed blades and hatchets
  • Tactile Knife Co. - at least one traditional slipjoint, but mostly make titanium pens
  • Tops - traditional fixed blades.
  • Utica - traditional folders, sold as Kutmaster and Utica
  • White River Knives - traditional fixed blades
 
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Gerber - still makes a couple models of LST and Gator here in the US and I would generally consider those traditional.

Bluegrass cutlery - Winchester and John Primble knives

Randall made - traditional fixed blades

Bark river knife and tool - traditional fixed blades

Christy knife company - the iconic " Christy knife "


Colonial cutlery company - they offer a USN MK1 made here.

KA-BAR- traditional stacked leather and rubber handled fixed blades.

Tops - they have a number of traditional enough fixed blades.

Esee - also a number of fixed blades that are traditional enough to pass here.




I personally would exclude Tactile knife co because I do think that slipjoint they make is traditional, but if you're compiling the list it's up to you.
 
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Hickory n steel said:
I personally would exclude Tactile knife co because I do think that slipjoint they make is traditional, but if you're compiling the list it's up to you.
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I thought about that, but it meets the requirements of this forum, and that's the standard I'm using for this list. Thanks for your suggestions!
 
Treeman Knives and Bering Made call themselves custom maker, but are not any different in that regard than Randall Made Knives.

Also, what about Ruana Knife Works?
 
Hickory n steel said:
Gerber - still makes a couple models of LST and Gator here in the US and I would generally consider those traditional.

Bluegrass cutlery - Winchester and John Primble knives

Randall made - traditional fixed blades

Bark river knife and tool - traditional fixed blades

Christy knife company - the iconic " Christy knife "


Colonial cutlery company - they offer a USN MK1 made here.

KA-BAR- traditional stacked leather and rubber handled fixed blades.

Tops - they have a number of traditional enough fixed blades.

Esee - also a number of fixed blades that are traditional enough to pass here.




I personally would exclude Tactile knife co because I do think that slipjoint they make is traditional, but if you're compiling the list it's up to you.
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Old Hunter said:
Randall Knife Co. Traditional fixed blade made in Florida. Not cheap (priced like custom knives) but each is a production item In the catalog.
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PoleMonkey13 said:
Daniels Family Knife Brands
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Dadpool said:
Cooper Cutlery, who purchased Queen's old machines and the Schatt & Morgan name, fits the bill.
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BrotherJim said:
RUANA ... Bonner, Montana. Fixed Blades

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Thanks, everybody. I think I got all of these added to the list.
 
BrotherJim said:
Horsewright Horsewright Knives. Fixed Blade
ea42 ea42 Albers Cutlery Company. Folded and Fixed
Neither are large production but totally U.S.A. none the less
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I'm adding Albers to the list, but I'm not sure sure if Horsewright Horsewright meets the 'production' requirement for this list. My impression is that he is more on the custom-made side. This isn't a judgement call about his work, by the way - I'd love to own a Horsewright knife someday! I'm just not sure it fits on this particular list.
 
coolhand68 said:
Spyderco makes a few fixed blades and a slipjoint.

LT Wright makes production fixed blades.
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I added LT Wright - thanks! I left Spyderco off because I don't know of anything they make that meets the 'traditional' requirements - their slipjoints still have spydie holes and clips, for example.
 
.577NE said:
Treeman Knives and Bering Made call themselves custom maker, but are not any different in that regard than Randall Made Knives.

Also, what about Ruana Knife Works?
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I left Treeman and Behring off, because when I checked out their websites, they seem custom, not production. Ruana added - thanks!
 
Tyson A Wright said:
I'm adding Albers to the list, but I'm not sure sure if Horsewright Horsewright meets the 'production' requirement for this list. My impression is that he is more on the custom-made side. This isn't a judgement call about his work, by the way - I'd love to own a Horsewright knife someday! I'm just not sure it fits on this particular list.
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I'd say I was more of a "tweener." Somewhere between production and full custom. I take very few custom orders these days but do work in batches in a production type method in that I do each step to each knife and then do the next step to each knife and so on. Tough call for sure my friend. Probably handmade or handcrafted would be the best term for my knives. Definitely USA though. When you are ready for one, I'll be around.
 
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