At one point in human history, a pocket knife was an essential. Every morning, your grandfather likely grabbed his wallet, his keys, and his trusty folder before heading out to his truck and driving on down to the plant/mine/factory/office/market/dock. Pocket knives were extremely useful for completing his daily tasks.
Today, things are a little different. The need for a blade simply isn’t what it used to be, what with punching away at a keyboard 24/7 and all. Still, every industry is different, and people who work with their hands—everyone from mechanics, welders, and law enforcement officers, to bakers, painters, and electricians—all have specialized tools. Someone like that might now rely on a very specific pocket knife to accomplish tasks. Here are eight unique examples.
Opinel Mushroom Knife
The Opinel pocket knife has been a staple since 1890, and their rounded wooden handles have become synonymous with French quality and culture. The Opinel Mushroom Knife features a 4.4-inch curved blade with a toothed back to make it easy to cut mushrooms, as well as an authentic wild boar hair brush to help remove soil from each mushroom. You could, of course, just use it for its tough as hell looking claw-shaped blade. You know, if you were into that sort of thing. Either way, it’s a beautiful, time-tested knife that looks great as part of any EDC. $29
Zen Garden Grafting and Budding Knife
There’s something about these classic hawkbill blades we love on a pocketknife, but this dual-blade setup from Zen Garden actually serves an important purpose for any serious gardener or casual green thumb. The hawkbill blade exists so that you can make cuts away from you without risking bodily injury, and the razor sharp straight edge is engineered to be able to make downward cuts and veneer cuts when necessary. Grafting and budding require very sharp, precise blades in order to be done properly (it’s like gardening Frankenstein work, for those unaware), and not only will these two blades get the job done, but they’ll also make for a great everyday carry item. The handle is made from real rosewood, and the 4CR13MoV steel blades are 2.5 inches each, making them perfect for the garden and just fine to carry around in most states. $19
Victorinox Baker’s Knife
This 2.5-inch Victorinox folder is exactly what we think of when we think about bakers’ knives. The high carbon stainless steel blade comes incredibly sharp right out of the box, and will make light work of any loaf of bread you throw at it. And the gentle hook of the blade, which comes to a fine point, makes for a perfect scoring tool. It’s an excellent razor-sharp knife for all occasions, but if you need a real baker’s knife, this is one you need to own. $25
Laguiole Oyster Knife
Real-deal oyster farmers love Laguiole’s Oyster Knife because it’s a tried and true classic fixed blade oyster knife. While it’s not technically a folder, it makes our list because even at full length, it’s just slightly over six inches long. It featurs a subby wooden handle to ensure a firm grip, and the skinny blade fits in between even the most stubborn oyster or clam shell. But it also features a sharp point that can “take care of business,” in case any of those oysters start getting any funny ideas. You can technically sharpen the 420 stainless blade to an edge, but keep in mind that an oyster knife isn’t supposed to be able to cut your steak for you. Either way, this is one of our favorite purpose-built knives because aside from being functional and high quality, it’s also classically handsome in the traditional Laguiole sense of the word. $19
Case Yellow Fishing Pocket Knife
A good pocket knife is essential to prepping the day’s catch for most fishermen, but for most of the rod slingers we know, the “good pocket knife” is usually just a standard blade they can manipulate into doing the job. It wastes time, takes too much effort, risks damaging the blade, and all told, it’s FUBAR. The Yellow Fishing Pocket Knife from Case is specifically designed for fishermen and features two blades—a long fileting blade and a task-specific scaler with hook disgorger—as well as a designated hook sharpening stone. The yellow synthetic handle makes the knife easy to grip and see in low light, and it’s just over four inches when closed. It’s also made right here in the USA, and also comes with Case’s limited lifetime warranty. $40
Case Amber Bone Equestrian Pocket Knife
If you spend any amount of time on or around horses, you know a lot of effort goes into maintaining their shoes. Not only do they step in heaps of mud and other debris, but they’re also constantly stepping on stones, wood chips, and other pointy things that can hurt them, or worse, get infected if not handled properly. The Equestirian Pocket Knife from Case features a standard Tru-Sharp clip blade that’s great for all-purpose use, but also a designated hoof pick to help keep your horse’s hoof clean and healthy. The best part is that the knife folds up into a tiny package that’s just a little over four inches when closed, which means you can take this knife damn near anywhere. It’s also made in the USA and features Case’s popular limited lifetime warranty. $47
Victorinox Swiss Army Golftool Pocket Knife
Whether you’re Arnold fucking Palmer or a weekend warrior on the front nine, the Swiss Army Golftool Pocket Knife is so much more than a simple cut-and-dry blade. It features a one-hand divot repair tool, a ball marker, and tee punch with groove cleaner—oh, and a bottle opener, for good measure. It also includes the standard nail file, tweezers, scissors, and toothpick you’ll find on every other authentic Victorinox Swiss Army knife. $42
Old Timer Premium Trapper Folding Knife
Hunting is one of those hobbies that requires far more tools than most people generally consider. The Old Timer trapper folder from Schrade helps lighten the load. It features an out-of-the-box sharp blade for all-purpose use, but also features a guthook and bone saw. It’s an easy and convenient tool that’s small enough to go anywhere you do, and tough enough to get the job done anywhere. And it looks great, too. $18
