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How We Test
How we get knives, what we test, what our scores mean and how we make money. Our goal is simple: recommend knives we’d carry ourselves.
Edited by Matt Davidson
What We Look At
Every hands-on review covers the same five areas, filmed so you can see the knife do the work.
Deployment & Action
Flipper, thumb stud, button or automatic: how smooth, fast and reliable it is.
Lock-Up & Build
Blade play, lock engagement, centering, fit and finish.
Blade & Steel
Geometry, grind, edge out of the box, and how the steel performs for the price.
Ergonomics & Carry
Grip in different holds, weight, pocket clip and how it rides.
Real Use
Everyday cutting for folders; batoning, carving and chopping for fixed blades.
Steel Data From Dr. Larrin Thomas
Our steel ratings use the published test data of metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds. When we say a steel holds an edge or resists chipping, his numbers are what we’re going on.
How Our Scores Work
Reviews from our original review team rate each knife out of 100 for Quality/Performance and Value for Money. The overall score is the average of the two, so a $35 knife can outscore a $400 one. We keep these scores as an archive; newer hands-on video reviews give a written verdict instead.
89 Overall for the Spyderco ParaMilitary 2
How We Choose Buying Guide Picks
Build a Shortlist
We start from our hands-on reviews, our review archive and the knives experienced users rate highly.
Browse Knife Reviews →Compare and Pick
Each pick earns a label like Best Overall, Best Budget or Best Value, based on where it beats the rest of the shortlist: price, steel, carry or toughness.
How Our Scores Work →Keep It Current
Discontinued or outclassed knives come out when we update the guide.
All Buying Guides →Meet the Team
Close-up EDC reviews on Wayne’s Sharp World; collaborated with Vosteed on the Thornton.
How We Make Money
We don’t sell knives. Knife Informer is supported in three ways:
Display Ads
Ads on our articles help pay for buying, testing and writing about knives.
Affiliate Commissions
When you buy through our links we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Knife Informer earns from qualifying purchases.
Sponsored Posts
Brands sometimes sponsor posts. They are always clearly labeled, and our picks are never for sale.
