By Knives Illustrated Staff
Photography by Larry Atil
Emergencies come in many forms. From being locked in an overturned vehicle, to a family trapped in a burning building, to facing a crazed attacker, a tactical knife fills the position of “first responder” for numerous and varied crises.
Designed to utilize both a razor-sharp edge that will make short work of seat belts, straps and cordage, and a durable handle that can shatter car window glass, this tactical tool can mean the difference between life and possible death.
To see each one of these blades close up, click on it. Use the arrows to scroll through the whole library.
- Tops Knives Quickie; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 5 inches; Blade Length: 1.63 inches; Blade Material: 1095 RC 56-58; Blade Thickness: 0.13 inches; Handle Material: Skeletonized; Weight: 1.2 ounces; MSRP: $90; TopsKnives.com
- ESEE Imlay Rescue Knife Category: Tactical Overall Length: 5.90 inches Blade Length: 2.25 inches Blade Material: 440C Stainless Steel Blade Thickness: .156 inches Handle Material: Stainless Steel Weight: 3.10 ounces MSRP: $129.00 ESEEKnives.com
- Camillus Knives Thin Blue Line Category: Tactical Overall Length: 7.50 inches Blade Length: 3.25 inches Blade Material: 440 Blade Thickness: 0.106 inches Handle Material: TPR Weight: 4.00 ounces MSRP: $22.99 CamillusKnives.com
- Wilson Combat Superfly Tactical Butterfly Knife Category: Tactical Overall Length: 6 1/8 inches Blade Length: 4 3/8 inches Blade Material: RC 60 CTS-XHP Blade Thickness: 0.160 inch Handle Material: Titanium Weight: 5.9 ounces MSRP: $574.95 WilsonCombat.com
- Benchmade Mini SOCP; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 6.25 inches; Blade Length: 2.22 inches; Blade Material: 440C ; Blade Thickness: 0.175 inches; Handle Material: 440C; Weight: 3 ounces; MSRP: $110; Benchmade.com
- Tops Knives Scalpel 2.0; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 7 inches; Blade Length: 3.13 inches; Blade Material: 1095 RC 56-58; Blade Thickness: 0.19 inches; Handle Material: Black Canvas Micarta; Weight: 3.1 ounces; MSRP: $130; TopsKnives.com
- Half Face Blades Sally Skellington; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 7 inches; Blade Length: 3 inches; Blade Material: CPM 20CV; Blade Thickness: 0.14 inches; Handle Material: Skeletonized/Cerakote; Weight: 4 ounces; MSRP: $250; HalfFaceBlades.com
- Half Face Blades Jack Skellington; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 7.25 inches; Blade Length: 3 inches; Blade Material: CPM 20CV; Blade Thickness: 0.14 inches; Handle Material: Skeletonized/Cerakote; Weight: 4 ounces; MSRP: $250; HalfFaceBlades.com
- Tops Knives Devil’s Claw 2 Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 7.38 inches; Blade Length: 3.13 inches; Blade Material: 1095 RC 56-58; Blade Thickness: 0.19 inches; Handle Material: Black/Blue G10; Weight: 5.6 ounces; MSRP: $150; TopsKnives.com
- Half Face Blades Pneumo Spike; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 7.5 inches; Blade Length: 3.5 inches; Blade Material: CPM 20CV; Blade Thickness: 0.18 inches; Handle Material: Paracord Wrapped/Cerakote; Weight: 3 ounces; MSRP: $130; HalfFaceBlades.com
- Benchmade Mini Vallation; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 7.67 inches; Blade Length: 3.20 inches; Blade Material: CPM-S30V 58-60 ; Blade Thickness: 0.114 inches; Handle Material: 6061-T6 Billet Aluminum; Weight: 4.58 ounces; MSRP: $245; Benchmade.com
- Benchmade Bailout; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 8.07 inches; Blade Length: 3.38 inches; Blade Material: CPM-3V; Blade Thickness: 0.09 inches; Handle Material: Black Textured Grivory; Weight: 2.05 ounces; MSRP: $170; Benchmade.com
- Gripknife Patriot; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 8.1 inches; Blade Length: 4 inches; Blade Material: M2 (54-56 HRC) ; Blade Thickness: 0.187 inches Handle Material: Zytel Weight: 7.8 ounces; MSRP: $595; GripKnife.com
- Benchmade Outlast; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 8.41 inches; Blade Length: 3.59 inches; Blade Material: CPM-S30V 58-60; Blade Thickness: 0.09 inches; Handle Material: G10; Weight: 5.96 ounces; MSRP: $300; Benchmade.com
- Steel Will Apostate 1150/1152/1157/1159 Category: Tactical Overall Length: 8.50 inches Blade Length: 3.70 inches Blade Material: S35VN Blade Thickness: 0.160 inches Handle Material: G10 Weight: 4.76 ounces MSRP: $169.99 SteelWillKnives.com
- Benchmade Turret; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 8.6 inches; Blade Length: 3.70 inches; Blade Material: CPM-S30V 58-60; Blade Thickness: 0.124 inches; Handle Material: G10; Weight: 5.81 ounces; MSRP: $220; Benchmade.com
- Tops Knives Rapid Strike; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 8.63 inches; Blade Length: 4.13 inches; Blade Material: 154CM RC 58-60; Blade Thickness: 0.13 inches; Handle Material: Black G10; Weight: 3.1 ounces; MSRP: $180; TopsKnives.com
- Benchmade Autocrat; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 8.75 inches; Blade Length: 3.71 inches; Blade Material: CPM-S30V 58-60; Blade Thickness: 0.105 inches; Handle Material: G10; Weight: 3.93 ounces; MSRP: $480; Benchmade.com
- Demko Knives MG AD15 Category: Tactical Overall Length: 8.75 inches Blade Length: 3.5 inches Blade Material: CPM 20CV Blade Thickness: .180 inches Handle Material: Titanium Liners with Micarta Scales, Titanium Lock Bar Weight: 6.4 ounces MSRP: $675.00 DemkoKnives.com
- Half Face Blades Red Cloud Category: Tactical Overall Length: 8.75 inches Blade Length: 4.0 inches Blade Material: CPM 20CV Blade Thickness: 0.140 inches Handle Material: Lightning Carbon Fiber Weight: 8.50 ounces MSRP: $450.00 HalfFaceBlades.com
- Tops Knives Viking Tactics Crusader; Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 9 inches; Blade Length: 3.63 inches; Blade Material: 1095 RC 56-58; Blade Thickness: 0.19 inches; Handle Material: Canvas Micarta; Weight: 7.2 ounces; MSRP: $210; TopsKnives.com
- CRKT Clever Girl Folder Category: Tactical Overall Length: 9.50 inches Blade Length: 4.08 inches Blade Material: D2 Blade Thickness: 0.15 inches Handle Material: G10 Weight: 6.90 ounces MSRP: $160.00 CRKT.com
- Medford Knife and Tool USMC Fighter Flipper Category: Tactical; Overall Length: 9.5 inches; Blade Length: 4.25 inches; Blade Material: S35VN; Blade Thickness: 0.19 inches; Handle Material: Titanium; Weight: 9.6 ounces; MSRP: $750; MedfordKnife.com
Index of Tactical Buyer’s Guide 2020 Manufacturers
- TopsKnives.com
- Benchmade.com
- WilsonCombat.com
- ESEEKnives.com
- CamillusKnives.com
- SteelWillKnives.com
- CRKT.com
- GripKnife.com
- DemkoKnives.com
- HalfFaceBlades.com
- MedfordKnife.com