When it comes to pocket knives, we know all too well that there are a lot of options on the market. Do you go with a folder? Do you go with a serrated blade? Well-known brand or upstart? What kind of blade? When you want to slice, dice and even chop, there’s no better option than a cleaver pocket knife. Whether you’re talking fat blades with points, options that look like straight razors or ones that look like the cleaver you’d use in the kitchen, these are the best cleaver pocket knives out there.
Kershaw Pub Black Knife
Kershaw’s Pub Black Knife is as much a cleaver knife as it is a multi-tool. It chops, slices and dices like any great knife, but it also has a screwdriver, pry bar, key chain and bottle opener that really separates it from the pack. As if all that isn’t enough, Kershaw’s cleaver option can also go on your keys or on a lanyard because of the way it’s built. $17
Böker Magnum Knife
For about the same amount of money as you’d spend on a good six-pack of beer you can get a quality cleaver knife from Böker that will slice, dice and chop anything you put underneath it. Much like their tactical pens, Barlow knives and everything else that bears their name, the Böker Magnum is designed and built to last. With an almost five-inch long blade made of 440 stainless, a Rosewood handle, liner lock mechanism and limited lifetime warranty, this is a knife you’ll pass on to your grandkids. $19
Gerber Flatiron Knife
Despite the fact that Gerber’s Flatiron Cleaver Knife was only just recently unveiled at SHOT Show and is only available for pre-order right now, it still appears on all the best lists. This is for good reason. Gerber produces some of the best multi-tools, knives, and tools on the market. It’s a brand you can stand behind, and that’s never been more clear than it is with with Gerber Flatiron cleaver knife. 3.8″ 7CR17MOV stainless blade. G-10 handle. Gerber build quality. The only thing not to love is the fact you can’t put it in your pocket right now. $40
CRKT Ripsnort Knife
Straight up, CRKT is one of the best pocket knife brands out there. No list of great pocket knives, cleaver or otherwise, would be complete without an option from Columbia River Knife and Tool, aka CRKT. Designed by Philip Booth in Ithaca, Michigan, the CRKT Ripsnort is the perfect example of what we’re talking about. It’s a cleaver-style blade built with the traditional locking liner and flipper opening mechanism you’d expect from a traditional pocket folder. This time around though, CRKT made a knife with “a big a** blade modeled after a cleaver” that’s anything but delicate. $60
Ontario Knife OKC Carter Prime Knife
The last time we talked about Ontario Knife Company—OKC as it’s known—we were discussing the ON8848-BRK Rat-1, one of our best folding pocket knives you can buy on Amazon. The Ontario Knife OKC Carter Prime Knife is built with the same attention to detail and quality that we called the brand out for last time, but the Carter Prime is built like a cleaver mated with a Wharncliffe blade that’s ready to tackle anything you could throw at it. $80
Spyderco Roc Knife
In all honesty, with their thumb-hole opening mechanism and traditionally fat blades, you could probably consider just about any Spyderco knife a cleaver, but we’re partial to the Spydero Roc G-10 knife because it blends all those unique Spyderco features with what we expect from a traditional, folding cleaver. Liner lock mechanism with easy thumb blade deployment. Deep-pocket wire clip. Saber-ground blade with bead-blasted finish. Ukranian design from renowned maker Serge Panchenko. The Roc is Spyderco at its finest. $162
Kizer Sheepdog Knife
There are few things that the Internet in general can agree on, but the general consensus is that Kizer’s collaborative project with Sheepdog Knives is a damned fine cleaver knife. With a 3.3″ blade made with premium S35VN steel, fast-draw mechanism and an ergonomic handle, we’re inclined to agree that the Kizer Sheepdog Knife is one of the best portable cleavers on the market. It doesn’t hurt that the team chose to outfit the knife with a deep blue anodized finish, gold hardware, custom pivot with collar and a replaceable steel insert, either. $194
JHO Blanka Knife
JHO has been producing simple, clean and functional pocket knives for as long as we can remember. When it comes to cleaver pocket knives, you won’t find better than the JHO Knives Blanka Pocket Knife if you’re more concerned about slicing and dicing than you are about your knife folding into itself for transportation purposes. But on that note, with an overall length of just over 5″ and a total package that includes a full leather sheath, it’s easy to carry even if it doesn’t fold. Plus, you know, JHO quality. $205
