The Best Tactical Folding Knives

A good tactical folding knife can be worth its weight in gold in the right situation. I use mine on a near-daily basis, whether it’s for cutting open boxes, cutting rope and when the situation arises for the use of a knife. If you’re a serious outdoorsman, hunter, operator or law enforcement, you need the best in quality and durability in a tactical folding knife.

best tactical folding knife

We asked our knife experts to find and review the best tactical folding knives on the market. What we ended up with is the list of outstanding tactical folding knives listed below.

Let’s get started with our list of the best tactical folding knives below.

MTech USA Ballistic MT-A845 Series Spring Assist Folding Knife

If you are looking for a spring-assisted folding knife that comes with a seatbelt cutter on a budget, then this offering from MTech might be just the knife you are looking for. Five inches closed, and holding a 3.75 inch blade, the scales are black aluminum, typical of knives like this.

A glass-breaker is bolted onto the back of the handle, and it deploys easily with a thumb stud. Comes with a metal pocket clip and the handle is a cut-out design. Both the scales and the blade feature holes bored through them for various purposes. The blade spring is heavy duty and functions well, but the locking mechanism isn’t the sturdiest setup in the world. It seems to work fine, but it would be prudent to keep your fingers clear when stabbing or point-carving hard surfaces. Overall, for a gas-station price range, it’s hard to find a knife of this quality anywhere.

Kershaw Ken Onion Blur Folding Knife with Speed Safe

This tactical knife from Kershaw is designed by Ken Onion. The blade is 14C28N, and the handle is crafted from aircraft aluminum, scaled with Trac-Tec inserts. The blade measures 3.4 inches long, and the overall closed length is 4.5 inches. It doesn’t come with any fancy extras like a seatbelt cutter or glass breaking mechanism, but it also won’t constantly stab you in the leg when you pocket carry.

A lanyard hole adorns the end of the handle. Made in the USA, the knife weighs in at 3.9 ounces and has an overall length of 7.9 inches when open.

The liner lock is one of my favorite types, clicking into place behind the tang very securely. The blade has a slight curve on most models, but you have the option of partial serration, and even a tanto-style offering. Great quality from Kershaw for less than 50 bucks, a great knife for the field or the street, and a trusted name.

Kershaw 1990 Brawler Speedsafe Tactical Folding Knife

This knife is a less expensive offering from Kershaw for everyday carry. The clip is short but deep, perfect for pocket carry but won’t work as well on a belt. The blade is crafted from 8Cr13MoV steel and coated in black oxide. Three inch blade, 7.1 inches overall, and 4.1 inches closed. Easy opening with thumb-stud assistance.

Features a liner lock and extended tang for opening assistance. The clip can be adjusted for left or right-handed carry, and the opening mechanism is spring-assisted. It’s a whole lot of knife for the money.

Boker Subcom F Tactical Folding Knife

Sometimes you want to go small, and nobody does small folders quite like Boker. Open overall length of 4.5 inches, with a stubby 1.875 inch blade length. When closed, this knife is slightly larger than a Zippo, making it a great carry choice for living in the city, but it’s far from being a pen knife. The scales are a fiberglass reinforced nylon material.

The blade is partially serrated, crafted from AUS-8 steel, so it will hold up well for years to come. The over-sized reversible pocket clip can double as a money clip, and the shape of the closed knife shouldn’t draw much attention when used as such. Small, light, and discrete. Oh and it’s also pretty affordable too.