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The term “tactical” has become somewhat nebulous in recent years. In practice, most people use the term to refer to gear designed for military or law enforcement personnel. Although some products intend to have “tacti-cool” looks for only a specific audience, other companies produce high-quality gear. Much of this gear is legitimate for survival, bushcraft, hunting, and EDC purposes.
Considering the varying definitions of “tactical,” we set out to find the best fixed-blade tactical knife available today. After all, this style of knife makes for an incredibly practical and helpful tool. If it looks cool while doing it, that’s the icing on the cake.
Key Considerations
Before going any further, we don’t recommend buying a fixed-blade tactical knife for defense. Most soldiers, law enforcement, and self-defense experts will agree that knives are a poor tool for defense. Any sort of knife combat is dangerous for both parties involved. Subsequently, even the best fixed blade combat knife should be a tool of last resort when all other options have failed. That’s not to say that the knives we recommend today aren’t good enough for defense. However, we wanted to recommend knives that had some real practicality.
That is why we had some rather specific criteria for the best tactical fixed-blade knife. We wanted knives that could excel in slicing many materials, including cardboard, foam, plastic, cloth, wood, and fiber. Ideally, the features that could do that include:
- Tang: With any tactical knife, we are looking for strength. That is why we considered only knives with a full tang in the handle. This strengthens the entire knife and allows it to perform demanding tasks that would break other knives.
- Edge Type: We looked mainly for knives with a plain, flat ground edge. This edge is usually the most versatile. Although we considered knives with serrations, these weren’t necessary to make our list. Most survivalists prefer knives without serrations simply because they are not super practical. (More on that below.)
- Blade Style: We looked mainly for three distinct blade shapes for fixed-blade tactical knives: drop points, clip points, and Tanto blades. These are the three more practical blade shapes currently in production. Tanto knives are usually used for defense because they excel at piercing. We slightly preferred clip points and drop points because of their EDC practicality.
Handles: Tactical knives can be used for everything from EDC to survival to self-defense. Accordingly, they need a solid, multi-purpose grip that delivers on ergonomics. We looked mainly for knives with an aggressive texture that was easy to grip, even in cold or wet weather.
Top Picks
- Best Overall: Montana Knife Company Battle Goat
- Best Budget: Gerber Ultimate
- Most Concealable: CRKT Lerch Shrill
- Most Versatile: Ka-Bar John EK Commando
- Best Camping: Gerber Strongarm Camp
- Best Large: 5.11 Tactical CFK7 Peacemaker
- Best Small: Esee Izula
Best Overall: Montana Knife Company Battle Goat
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Montana Knife Company keeps producing incredible knives, and the Battlegoat is no exception. The company used MagnaCut steel for this fixed blade tactical knife, and the factory edge of the blade that I tested was terrific. It effortlessly sliced every material that I tested, including cardboard, paracord, foam, plastic, and wood. I haven’t had to sharpen it yet. The ergonomics of this knife are excellent. It has a very simple diagonal texture on the G-10 handle, but I found that it provides a solid grip. I also just like the shape of the handle. It feels like a natural extension of my hand. Like all MKC knives, this blade is expertly balanced.
MagnaCut steel and American construction drive this knife’s price tag over the $300 level. However, few tactical knives offer the corrosion resistance qualities of MKC’s steel choice here. They also gave it a Cerakote coating, making this an excellent option for anyone wanting a small tactical blade that can withstand the elements.
Best Budget: Gerber Ultimate
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The Ultimate is a simple full-tang knife functional for EDC and bushcraft. It’s not a typical tactical knife but has excellent survival capabilities. This knife most impressed me with its fire-starting abilities. The included ferro rod produces a massive spark off a cut-out portion of the 90-degree spine. I also subjected this knife to a wood-splitting test, which it passed. This knife’s handle has solid ergonomics. The rubberized handle has a nice, tacky feel that imparts excellent control to the knife. Sometimes, a simpler design is better. I found that the serrations on the blade were quite sharp and effective.
However, the regular blade edge needs some work. Mine came pretty dull and was likely dulled further by my wood-splitting test. However, it sharpened quickly with some quick work on my honing rod. Once I had an edge on it, the blade fared much better. If users know that going in, I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker, especially given the extra value of the sheath, fire starter, and survival whistle in the sheath.
Most Concealable: CRKT Lerch Shrill
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The Lerch Shrill has an incredible cool factor thanks to its double-edge, dagger-style design. We love the looks of the gray Micarta handles. During my testing, I found the knife to be exceptional at piercing. Despite being made of lower-grade steel, it handles cardboard, foam, plastic, and other abrasive materials well. The edge was easy to touch up with a simple honing rod. This knife was designed primarily as a boot knife with a slim profile that’s quite comfortable to conceal. This knife is a good choice for anyone who wants a robust and simple backup knife.
The Shrill’s double edge means that the knife has some limited practicality beyond defense. Carrying in some states won’t be legal because of that double edge. However, I love the price point and the ease of maintenance. This knife has the looks that most people picture when they hear “tactical knife.”
Most Versatile: Ka-Bar John EK Commando
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Ka-Bar has long been known for its combat knife options. I’m going a little outside the box with the John EK Commando. It’s not their most popular fixed-blade option, but I have been impressed with it in the year that I’ve owned it. I’ve subjected this knife to much abuse, including wood splitting. However, maintenance has been minimal thanks to the 1095 steel’s excellent edge retention. The clip-point blade has been great for wood carving and notching chores. Although the sheath isn’t my favorite style, it has excellent retention.
Ergonomics are the only thing holding this knife back from greater things. I recommend replacing the stock scaling with something less slick. I also think that the handle feels about a half-inch undersized, which could be an issue for users with larger hands. However, this knife is of excellent value. The MSRP is around $150, but it’s usually available in the $100 range, which is fair for this blade style.
Best Camping: Gerber Strongarm Camp
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I love the feel of the Gerber Strongarm Camp’s handle. Its slightly rubberized texture makes it easy to hold with wet hands. This knife passed all my cutting tests with flying colors. I even subjected it to a wood-splitting test via the baton method. There was no issue, although this knife is slightly undersized for that task. The drop point blade does an excellent job of carving and notching, making it a solid choice for bushcraft enthusiasts. I also found the retention of the included sheath to be perfect straight from the box.
This knife would rank even higher for me if not for one problem: It needs some jimping on the spine. My thumb wanted to slip on the slick plastic at the top of the handle. It’s not a significant flaw, but I do think that the knife would control better were it there. Otherwise, this is a solid, mid-tier bushcraft knife that can perform various EDC tasks.
Best Large: 5.11 Tactical CFK7 Peacemaker
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Rambo and Crocodile Dundee would probably look at the Peacemaker and think that this knife is overkill. Seriously, at 13 inches long, this knife is a beefy beast of a tool. I knew that I had to split wood with this knife from the moment I took it from the box. There are no worries about using the baton method with this knife. It can take all the punishment from this heavy bushcraft task and more. It accomplished this task without leaving a single mark on the finish. Wood splitting did nothing to harm the factory edge, either. It was still razor-sharp after the test. This knife quickly popped hair off my arm. It’s somewhat surprising, given the unconventional SCM 435 steel.
The downside of this knife is that its size limits its practicality. It’s not an EDC knife and best suits users taking on hardcore bushcraft tasks like shelter construction. The Peacemaker is also extremely heavy, which makes it difficult to carry. However, this is the one to consider for anyone wanting a big, intimidating knife for SHTF scenarios.
Best Small: Esee Izula
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I’ve sung the praises of the Esee Izula many times because this is such a cool, versatile knife. The slim profile of the knife and sheath makes it easy to carry concealed without printing. I’ve found that the 1095 steel blade holds an excellent edge. Minor touch-ups are my only maintenance since I got the knife. Esee has designed a superb sheath for this knife, making it easy to adjust to different carry positions. It was an easy pick for the best overall horizontal carry knife earlier this year. The single-piece construction also lends the knife great strength despite the handle being skeletonized.
The only thing I dislike about the knife is its smaller size. Its handle feels a little short for users with larger hands. However, given the excellent price point, this is a very functional EDC option. We also like the customization options. This is a good choice for anyone who wants to make a paracord handle. After-market scaling options are also common and affordable.
How To Choose The Best Fixed-Blade Tactical Knife
Avoid buying a fixed-blade tactical knife solely because it looks cool. Many tactical knives are designed for looks rather than function. The approach to buying a tactical knife should be the same as purchasing any fixed-blade knife. Knives built for strength from quality components will have better longevity. In my experience, price points and knife quality usually go hand in hand. It’s typically worth it to splurge a little bit.
Steel Quality
Knives that don’t state the steel type or use terms like “high carbon” are usually made of low-grade steels, like Chinese-made 8CrMoV13. Use caution with knives made of cheaper steel. Although 8CrMoV13 can be practical when forged and heat-treated correctly, it also finds its way into many junk knives. One solid, mid-priced steel choice is D2. We’re also big fans of 1095 and MagnaCut steel on the higher end. Steels like S30V or S90V will offer the best edge retention. However, they require high-quality sharpeners to maintain them properly.
Ergonomics
Since a tactical knife can be used for defense, bushcraft, and EDC tasks, buying one for ergonomics is not a bad idea. Consider knives with extra jimping on the spine and scaling with a texture or rubberized handle for extra grip. Try to avoid knives with slick handles that slip easily in wet conditions. Finger grooves are another nice feature, although they won’t always fit every hand size.
Blade Grind
Flat grinds are the most commonly found on fixed-blade tactical knives. This grind is an excellent all-purpose grind that will handle most EDC tasks. Consider a Scandi grind if planning to do lots of bushcraft. For users who want strength, the convex grind is a great choice. However, this grind is much harder to find since few knife manufacturers build them.
Serrations
Many cheap tactical knives come with serrations as a standard, probably because many people equate them with that cool factor we’ve discussed. However, outside of the intimidation factor, serrations are limited in practicality. They are best for users who regularly slice through cloth and fiber materials. Remember that serrations are notoriously difficult to sharpen, which doesn’t make them an excellent choice for anyone wanting to limit maintenance.
Why Trust Us
We’ve tested a ton of fixed-blade knives this year. These knives were subjected to rigorous cutting tests, including splitting, wood batoning, and notching. I also spent a lot of time testing blades on foam, cardboard, plastic, paracord, and various fishing lines. In short, we put these knives through the wringer to find the best options today. I also leaned on ten years of experience writing about knives professionally to find the best tactical fixed-blade knife options.
Final Thoughts
We went a bit unconventional with our picks for the best fixed-blade tactical knife. We wanted to offer practical knife options rather than gimmick blades. Montana Knife Company continues to impress us with its super-sharp blades and commitment to quality. The Battlegoat is another excellent entry to their impressive line of tactical blades. Our runner-up is 5.11 Tactical’s massive CFK7 Peacemaker knife for its incredible strength and edge retention qualities.
FAQs
Q: What fixed-blade tactical knives are good for the outdoors?
A: Almost any knife built for tactical purposes will double as an outdoor knife. Blades with full tangs have excellent strength for bushcraft tasks like notching, wood splitting, and more. The typical blade grinds of tactical knives are often quite handy for hunting, camping, and fishing activities.
Q: Are fixed-blade tactical knives good for self-defense?
A: Most branches of the military used fixed-blade knives for self-defense, which makes tactical knives a solid choice for defense. However, we must note that knife fighting is extremely dangerous and requires much training to become proficient. It is not ideal to use a knife for defense in any scenario.
