A folding knife is a versatile and compact knife that can be folded. It is often referred to as a pocket knife because it can be stored easily in pockets due to its portability. Folding knives come in handy for everyday use, survival, tactical, and self-defense situations.
From cutting vegetables to slicing open packages, trimming ropes to skinning animals, folding knives can be used for various tasks. Before purchasing folding knives, read this pocket knife guide to learn about the pros and cons of folding knives.
Advantages of Folding Knives vs Fixed Blade Knives
The main reason why folding knives are relatively popular is because of their potential advantages. Some of the primary benefits of folding knives are listed below.
Source: istock
Portable And Easy To Carry
One of the common features of folding knives is their portability. Because of its compact size, it is relatively easy to carry them anywhere. One can simply store the folding knife in their pocket. In addition, some compact folding knives often come with a hook so they can be attached to the belt loop or backpack, which allows easy carrying.
Multi-tools
There are numerous folding knives that are designed to have more than one tool, which greatly increases their functionality. For example, there are many folding knives that have additional tools like bottle openers, screwdrivers, torches, wrenches, mini saws, etc. This way, there is no need to carry individual tools.
Highly Safe
One of the major pros of folding knives is that they are very safe to carry and store. Many people often face safety issues when carrying other types of knives, such as accidentally touching the blade, leading to cuts, and many more. As the blades of the folding knives can be closed, there is no risk of accidentally touching the blade. Also, folding knives have safety blade locks that restrict the blade from accidental opening.
Easy To Use
Many folding knives have a one-handed operation feature, which means people can open, use, and close them with a single hand. Due to this, it is relatively convenient to use folding knives for a wide range of tasks. In addition to that, they come with quick deployment options, so one can use them readily in case of emergency situations.
Durability
The folding knives are usually made using highly durable stainless steel materials, so the blades are quite strong and the handles are very sturdy. They are designed to be used for both indoor and outdoor tasks. As a result, folding knives are highly robust and last for a long time.
Less Maintenance
It is very easy to maintain folding knives because they need less maintenance. There is no need to clean, sharpen, or lubricate the blade of the knife very often. These knives are designed to perform better for a long time without regular maintenance.
Corrosion Resistance
The blade of the folding knives can be closed, so the blade is not exposed to external elements all the time, which decreases the chances of corrosion. In addition to that, some folding knives come with black oxide surface coating, which makes them resistant to corrosion.
Various Blade Designs
Folding knives are available in a wide variety of blade types, so people can choose the knife that is suitable for their desired applications. For example, clip-point blades are good for slicing, piercing, etc. Serrated blades are the best choice for slicing steak, bread, etc. Drop-point knives work best for camping, hunting, survival situations, etc. Needle-point knives are good for self-defense, combat, etc.
Versatility
One of the main advantages of folding knives is their versatility. Below are some of the applications where these pocket knives are often used.
Self-defense
Even though the main purpose of folding knives is not for self-defense, they can be used to protect yourself from any danger, be it a human attacker or a predator animal.
Camping
When you are camping, folding knives can be used to set up the tent, trim the ropes, chop food, slice wood sticks, build fire, and many more.
Fishing
Folding knives can also be used for fishing. For example, you can hunt the fish by attaching a long stick to the knife and using it as a weapon. Also, you can use the knife to cut the fishing line, take out the hooks, remove the scales, and many more.
Slicing Open Objects
The pocket knives are a great choice for slicing open packages, letters, cardboard boxes, envelope seals, and many more. In addition to that, you can also open the caps of the canned goods, remove bottle caps, etc.
First Aid
Folding knives can be used for first aid, such as taking out thorns, cutting bandaid dressing, and many more.
Preparing Food
The folding knife can be used to peel fruits and vegetables. You can also slice and chop them into pieces and prepare food.
Cutting Wires
It is very easy to cut ropes and wires using folding knives. In addition to that, you can also trim and twine them.
Disadvantages of Folding Knives
A few buyers hesitate to buy folding knives and choose other types of knives due to their limitations. Some of the main disadvantages of folding knives are mentioned here.
Less Strength Of The Blade
In comparison to fixed blade knives that are very sturdy, the blades of folding knives are not that strong. The blade strength is not the same as fixed blade knives. Because of that, they can not be used for heavy-duty tasks.
Short Blade Length
The majority of folding knives have shorter blades in comparison to fixed blade knives. Due to that, they might not be suitable for heavy-duty tasks like chopping wood, etc.
Harder To Clean
Because of the folding design of these knives, it is relatively harder to clean them. It can be difficult to reach every corner of the folder.
Wear Out Over Time
Due to the average build quality of folding knives, they are highly likely to wear over time much faster than fixed blade knives. In some cases, folding knives may even break if they are used for heavy-duty tasks.
Mechanical Failure
There are plenty of moving components in a folding knife, so the chances of mechanical failure are very high. Even if one component is damaged, it will pose a great safety concern.
Folding vs. Fixed Blade
When buying a knife, many people often wonder if they should choose a folding knife or a fixed blade knife. Folding vs fixed blade knives have their own set of pros and cons and are suitable for different needs.
Folding knives are very compact and discreet and their portability makes them ideal for carrying in a pocket. The blades of the folding knives are strong enough for EDC. They are ideal for everyday tasks such as opening boxes, cutting food, or handling light repairs.
As for fixed blade knives, they are popular for their strength and durability. The blades are very strong and sharp compared to folding knives. Due to their sturdiness, they are suitable for outdoor activities like hunting, camping, chopping wood, etc.
Folding knives usually have a single hand opening mechanisms so that people can open and close them quickly, making them the best choice for emergency situations. The majority of fixed blade knives lack single-hand. opening mechanisms.
Some folding knives are equipped with more than one tool, such as an extra knife, bottle opener, screwdriver, wrench, etc. The fixed blade knives usually have only one knife blade. In addition to that, folding knives are very flexible and have a collapsible design in comparison to fixed blade knives.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Folding Knives
As there are thousands of pocket knife models in the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the best one. That is why we have listed all the vital factors one has to pay attention to while choosing folding knives.
Type Of Folding Knife
There are different types of folding knives available, so it is best to choose the one that aligns with your requirements. They include tactical folding knives, traditional pocket knives, assisted opening knives, multi-tools, and many more.
Blade Material
When buying a knife, the most vital factor to consider is the blade material as it determines the edge retention, sharpness, and resistance to corrosion of the knife. Most of the folding knives have blades that are made of stainless steel, high-carbon steel, and carbon steel.
Shape Of The Blade
Folding knives can have blades in different shapes. Some of the popular blade shapes include Drop point, tanto, clip point, sheepsfoot, spear point, straight back, serrated, gut hook, dagger point, and many more.
Handle Material
Make sure to buy a knife with a comfortable handle that offers a better grip. Some of the popular materials used for knife handles are wood, G10, FRN, rubber, bone, steel, etc. In addition to that, it is also vital to consider the durability of the knife handles as well.
Size and Weight
One must consider the size and weight of the knives in order to determine ease of use and portability. The majority of the folding knives are usually portable and light in weight. One can choose compact knives that are good for everyday use. For those who want folding knives for outdoor tasks, large knives are a better choice.
Opening and Locking Mechanisms
For the safety and functionality of the folding knives, it is essential to consider the opening and locking mechanisms. Folding knives come with various opening mechanisms such as spring-assisted opening, manual opening, and automatic opening. Also, there are plenty of locking mechanisms, including frame locks, liner locks, compression locks, axis locks, etc.
Best Folding Knives from China
Source: Volken
Key Specifications:
- Overall Length: 8.4 Inches
- Closed Length: 4.8 Inches
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Surface Finishing: Black Coating
- Weight: 0.46 Pounds
Volken’s folding knife is one of the best in the market that is known for its quality, durability, and affordability. This knife can be folded and measures only 4.8 inches when it is closed, which makes it very easy to carry and storage. It has a flexible foldable design with a good grip handle.
The blade is made of robust stainless steel with high hardness and it can be used to chop food, cut ropes, skin animals, and many more. The knife has a black oxide coating so it is very resistant to corrosion and lasts for a long time. This knife is not just durable, stylish, and compact, but also safe as it is equipped with a safety lock.
Volken is one of the top-tier manufacturers and suppliers of multi tools and knives based in China. This company has more than 40 years of experience in creating multi tools. They have an in-house R&D team and can develop custom designed tools in their 15000 m2 factory area.
At Volken, there are 200+ professionals responsible for ensuring the quick and seamless production of multi tools and knives. From making the tool molds to assembling the knife parts, everything is done in their production unit. All tools go through multiple inspections before they are delivered to the client. They have low MOQ and reasonable lead time for multi tools.
Wrapping Up
The compactness, affordability, and sturdiness of the folding knives make them a suitable tool for easily carrying in pockets. From cutting fruits to hunting animals and fishing, pocket knives are highly versatile and can be used for a wide variety of tasks.
Want to order custom folding knives with your business logo? Then, make sure to contact Volken in order to acquire high-quality and customized folding knives. They offer custom material, folding knife design, custom logos, and custom branding and packaging options.