What knives would you include on an all-time landmark/watershed knife list?

  • Victorinox Explorer (or pick your flavor in 91 mm)
  • Victorinox Rambler
  • Victorinox One Hand Trekker, plain edge
  • Benchmade 940 "Osborne"
  • Benchmade Griptilian 550-1
  • Benchmade 62 Balisong
  • Cold Steel Voyager Large, clip, plain
  • R2D2
  • Kershaw Leek
  • Spydiechef
  • Spyderco UKPK
  • Leatherman Surge
  • Morakniv Companion
  • Mercator Cat, stainless
  • Microtech Ultratec
  • Case Peanut, TruSharp
 
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A 1219C2 Ka-Bar knife.

A Marble's Woodcraft.

A Buck 110.

The Randall should be a #3 or #1. The 3-6 was Bo Randall's favorite, and closest to the Scagel-esque design that started the company. The 1-7 or 1-8 is the iconic military knife.

The Lile 1st blood knife. It kicked off the hollow handle explosion among the general public, even though there were other older designs.

An M-43 WWII Kukri.

The Cold Steel Master Tanto.

A Spyderco Police Model. It wasn't the first model, but it was the one that put them on the map.

A Fairbairn Sykes Dagger.

A Pacific or Benchmade custom butterfly.

A Loveless drop point.

An Italian bayonet style switchblade.

The Onion Kershaw Speed Safe.

These are what I think are iconic designs, not only to knife people, but also bridging the gap to the general public in the 20th century.
 
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When you asked “of all time” I wondered, how did it begin?
View attachment 1457213
Stone core and flake from Lokalalei, Kenya, about 2.3 million years old
Image Credit: Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution
https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/behavior/stone-tools/early-stone-age-tools

I think about this a lot. We get obsessed over the last 200 years of knife history, and granted a lot has happened.

The first metal knife is 4000 years old! Flint knapped goes back way farther.

we are so self centered we think we matter so much when we are barely a blip on the time line.
 
https://www.knifeplanet.net/iconic-knives-in-europe/

I'm not affiliated to knifeplanet in any way shape or form, but this link does provide a few dozens knives, mostly from European countries. Most you might have heard of and have some significance to the cutlery history or development.

I agree with some of the previously posted:
Victorinox, since they are the largest maker in the world, 10 mil per year.
Mora
Opinel
etc.

I would at least add in the Navaja from Spain, since it has such an influence on the modern 'Bowie' knife.
 
Interesting to see the CS Tanto mentioned a few times. How about the Trail Master?

I think it's iconic to Cold Steel collectors, and to many knife people, but I think the Tanto had more of an impact across the board. Many gun people even if they hate them remember the Tanto ads Lynn ran. Lots know it from action books, movies, etc.... For instance, every once and a while, I'll talk to someone that doesn't know knives from a hole in the ground, but they'll mention a "Ninja", "kung fu", etc.... knife they owned or saw as a kid, and 80% of the time if it's a fixed blade, it will be a Cold Steel Master Tanto, or more likely a copy.

It's the cross over appeal.

Edit, the Cold Steel "hand" ad -

cold-steel-ad-small.jpg
.
 
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Medford Praetorian
Cold Steel American Lawman

I think Greg Medford and Andrew Demko are two of the most influential, and contentious knifemakers/designers of the last 10 years.

The 110/Kabar/etc. have been "all-time knives" since I got into this hobby 20 years ago. I'm not saying they aren't good, but they were somewhat stale at the turn of the century and they're positively mummified now. What's more interesting is the new designs that grab the market and push it into a different direction. I think the Medford and Cold Steel qualify. I'd wager they've both generated more discussion, sales, and competitive development during their first 10 years of production than many other knives that would make the list.
 
guessing the usual modern folders
that run from the Buck 110 right
thru to the CR Sebenza.
through its not termed as a knife per say
i would still like to add the knife bayonet
to this list of landmark knives
most notably the soviet AKM type 1
for having pioneered a design infuence
with two notable utility features
namely a saw and an insulated wire cutter.
 
Victorinox Tinker and Classic
Buck 110 (frankly never really liked the Buck much, and preferred Schrade)
Case Trapper
"The Barlow"
Spyderco Native
Benchmade Griptilian
Benchmade 350 (even though I don't own one)
"A Kephart"
Randall Model 1
 
Medford Praetorian
Cold Steel American Lawman

I think Greg Medford and Andrew Demko are two of the most influential, and contentious knifemakers/designers of the last 10 years.

The 110/Kabar/etc. have been "all-time knives" since I got into this hobby 20 years ago. I'm not saying they aren't good, but they were somewhat stale at the turn of the century and they're positively mummified now. What's more interesting is the new designs that grab the market and push it into a different direction. I think the Medford and Cold Steel qualify. I'd wager they've both generated more discussion, sales, and competitive development during their first 10 years of production than many other knives that would make the list.

"...they were somewhat stale at the turn of the century and they're positively mummified now..."

Both are without question landmark/watershed knives, which is the subject of this thread.
 
guessing the usual modern folders
that run from the Buck 110 right
thru to the CR Sebenza.
through its not termed as a knife per say
i would still like to add the knife bayonet
to this list of landmark knives
most notably the soviet AKM type 1
for having pioneered a design infuence
with two notable utility features
namely a saw and an insulated wire cutter.
Mauser had a sawback 'pioneer' bayonet, the S98/05 S, used from 1898.
 
  • Victorinox Explorer (or pick your flavor in 91 mm)
  • Victorinox Rambler
  • Victorinox One Hand Trekker, plain edge
  • Benchmade 940 "Osborne"
  • Benchmade Griptilian 550-1
  • Benchmade 62 Balisong
  • Cold Steel Voyager Large, clip, plain
  • R2D2
  • Kershaw Leek
  • Spydiechef
  • Spyderco UKPK
  • Leatherman Surge
  • Morakniv Companion
  • Mercator Cat, stainless
  • Microtech Ultratec
  • Case Peanut, TruSharp

Why a specific Griptilian?
 
Rather than specific knives, I'd be more interested in the significant FIRSTS.

In other words, sure the Griptilian and PM2 are big sellers...but what knife was the first with an Axis lock? The first with a Spider hole?

Extend that to the first frame lock or liner lock, first thumb stud, first titanium knife, etc. Those things were game changers more than the best selling, or best known knives they evolved into....
 
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