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Whether you are looking for a piece of history, a new toy, or a means of adding some class to your collection, slip joint knives are a great way to do it. You have options available from nearly any price bracket and tons of modern renditions of old traditional knife patterns. The knives on this list are what your grandpa would have carried, just taken into the modern age with super steels and the whole get-up you’d expect from these new age knife brands.
Key Takeaways
- The Best Overall Slip Joint Knife is the Benchmade Weekender.
- The Best Budget Slip Joint Knife is the Rough Ryder Heavy Forge Stockman.
- The Jack Wolf Knives Venom Jack is the Best Premium Slip Joint Knife.
- The Best Multitool Slip Joint Knife is The James Brand The Ellis.
- The Best Small Slip Joint Knife is The James Brand The Elko.
Top Picks
- Best Overall: Benchmade Weekender Burgundy Micarta S90V
- Best Budget: Rough Ryder Heavy Forge Stockman Knife
- Best Premium: Jack Wolf Knives Venom Jack 02
- Best Multitool: The James Brand The Ellis Knife + Scissors
- Best Small: The James Brand The Elko
Best Overall: Benchmade Weekender Burgundy Micarta S90V
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The Weekender has been one of my favorite knives overall since its release in 2022. It takes a lot of design cues from its sibling the Benchmade Proper but also adds an additional blade and bottle opener to its repertoire. Now admittedly, it is not the best slip joint knife out there. The half stop and lockup are pretty squishy feeling instead of snappy and rigid, like many other knives on this list. But because you get two S90V blades, a bottle opener, Micarta scales, and the famous Benchmade warranty, all for a crazy steal of a price at $199, it has to go on top of the list for me. I personally own this variant of the Weekender, and I can comfortably say that it is worth the money for sure. And I do not plan on selling it off any time soon, or ever for that matter.
Best Budget: Rough Ryder Heavy Forge Stockman Knife
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Rough Ryder has been making waves out there in the traditional pocket knives niche. They make fantastic knives for crazy low prices. The Heavy Forge Stockman is a standout option to me for a few reasons. The fact that you get a well made knife with three blades for less than $12 is kind of unbelievable to me. Now don’t expect an ultra premium knife, not at all. The Rough Ryder knives are very well made considering the price. They do not stand up very well against the competition if you value high-end materials. But if you are just looking for a decent traditional knife to add to the collection, these are the way to go. You could get one of everything in the Rough Ryder catalog for the price of one of the more premium knives. There is some real value here. If price is a concern, then the Rough Ryder Stockman is the answer.
Best Premium: Jack Wolf Knives Venom Jack 02
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If you are looking for a true “Modern Traditional” slip joint knife, then Jack Wolf is where you should look first. They make some of the most premium, well made traditional knives in the world. They also get centuries-old knife patterns and take them up a few dozen notches by adding modern materials and machining to the already great footprints of old. The Venom Jack is one of the few Jack Wolf designs that is still easily attainable right now. However, they are prone to selling out very quickly because of the amount of hype that has been built online the last few years. So if it’s something you like, then pull the trigger while you still can. The action on Jack Wolf Knives is something to behold. The half-stop and full lockup on the blade are stiff and secure. I know this because I nearly lost the tip of my pinky finger one day during a photoshoot gone bad. So be warned, these knives are no joke and do require a good amount of experience to handle safely, just like any slip joint. But these are on a whole other level. They close with a serious “SNAP.”
Best Multitool: The James Brand The Ellis Knife + Scissors
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The James Brand makes some very premium knives that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional. The Ellis is no different here. Although, it certainly isn’t as premium as some other options in terms of material. It feels premium because of the level of attention to detail that the designers at TJB put into the design of the knife. There were a lot of other slip joint knives out there that have multiple blades and tools with better materials, but I chose The Ellis as the best multitool slip joint because it cut out all the lesser used tools and opted for a slimmer, more minimal approach. They give you only two options: a standard 12C27 blade and scissors. Those are the two most highly used tools on any pocket multitool, anyway. And they decided to take it up a notch and throw a wire pocket clip on there, topped off with a small prybar/flat head screwdriver. Because of the minimal design and pocket clip, I’m always inclined to take mine with me when I’m looking for a more casual and minimal EDC setup. I find myself using the scissors all the time and actually think they are the most useful thing about The Ellis. The blade is perfectly acceptable to me, and the blade steel is good enough for me. Overall, The Ellis is one of my favorite James Brand knives to date and definitely my favorite slip joint they make.
Best Small: The James Brand The Elko
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The Elko is exactly what you want if you are looking for a tiny knife to keep on a keychain or anywhere else you can imagine keeping a super small backup knife. My wife and I both carry one on our keychains every single day. And The Elko is one of our most used knives, especially for opening envelopes or Amazon packages. The blade steel is nothing to lose your mind about. It gets the job done and is significantly better than the steel you’d find on a run-of-the-mill Swiss Army knife. Because it is so small and lightweight, there had to be some sacrifices made. It does not include any additional tools like a Swiss Army knife does. However, it trades the extra utility for boosted aesthetic appeal and ease of use. I think The Elko is king of the hill in my personal opinion for small knives and definitely the Best Small Slip Joint Knife.
How To Choose The Best Slip Joint Knife
Choosing the best slip joint knife can be a little confusing. They all appear to be pretty good online, but a huge appeal to slip joints that many will talk about is how they feel to hold and operate. The so-called “Walk-and-talk” is a big deciding factor for seasoned slip joint knife collectors. As mentioned in this article, the best of this list is the Jack Wolf Knives Venom Jack. It has that premium feel that collectors are looking for. But if you don’t care so much about those things, there are plenty of other fantastic options across different categories for you to pick from in this article.
Why Trust Us
I’ve had the opportunity to work behind the scenes for many EDC knife brands and distributors during the past four years. I’ve carried, tested, handled, and purchased many knives from basically every brand on the market. I have extensive experience with pocket knives, especially, since that is what I carry mainly on a day-to-day basis. I’ve distilled my personal experience and preferences into a solid list of many great slip joint knives that I would trust day in and day out. I will never recommend any knife that I haven't either personally carried or have some form of hands-on experience with.
Final Thoughts
My personal preferences may vary from yours, but I do believe that this list of the best slip join knives is a great starting point for anyone in the market for a slip joint knife. The important thing to remember is that buying a great slip joint knife can be confusing, but it really doesn't need to be. Just find a knife that fits in your budget range and appeals to you and your lifestyle and try it out. It really is hard to buy a bad knife in today’s market. There are so many good options out there, from so many great knife makers.
FAQ’s
Question: What is a slip joint knife?
Answer: A slip joint knife is a type of pocket knife that does not lock open or closed. They use a back spring that flexes and tensions the blade into place as it is folded open. Because of this, all you need to do to close the blade is push down on the spine of the knife and it will gradually snap closed under the spring tension.
Question: How does a slip joint knife work?
Answer: Slip joints use a back spring that flexes and tensions the blade into place as it is folded open. Because of this, all you need to do to close the blade is push down on the spine of the knife and it will gradually snap closed under the spring tension. Some slip joints have what is called a “half stop,” which is a flat spot on the pivot of the blade that hits the back spring and stops the blade from closing all the way. However, it is not a guarantee, and if you close the blade hard enough it can bypass the half stop and close with some serious force.
Question: Why use a slip joint knife?
Answer: Slip joint knives are often allowed in areas that have pocket knife restrictions. They are generally considered “safe,” although not so much towards the user sometimes, and are not as threatening to use in public.
Question: Is a Swiss Army knife a slip joint?
Answer: Yes, most if not all of the Swiss Army Knives are slip joint knives.
