By the early 1900s, they were already a well-known name for their simple, utilitarian fixed blades whose style was reflexive of their no-nonsense purpose. Similarly, a high price is not a necessity when it comes to iconic folders, either. The knife is equipped with a 3.25 inch blade, open length 7.5 inches. So, we’re bending the rules a bit on this pick. Later, sometime in the 1600s, these folding blades would see their first evolution into slipjoint knives — non-locking blades that were a bit easier to use and more secure than the friction folders that came before them. As simple as it is, however, the douk-douk still has a flourish all its own in the form of stylistic engravings on the blade, handle, or both. The Opinel folding knife has been adopted worldwide and is recognized as a design icon Patented Virobloc System: A hallmark of Opinel everyday carry knives since it’s invention in 1955, the Virobloc ring offers a unique, thoughtful, and easy to use safety mechanism for locking the blade during use, during transport, and during storage If there are two brands most responsible for making pocket knives what they are today, they are Victorinox and Opinel. To this day, they’re still constructed in the same manner by the successors of the craftsmen who originally built them. While the likes of Victorinox and Opinel are century-old brands that hail from Europe, there is also an American brand that has been around nearly as long. Such is the case with the French Laguiole folding knife. Others, however, opted to begin crafting these small, concealable friction folding knives. There are a lot of everyday carry knives presently available. It’s difficult to discern exactly when the first folding blade was invented, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest that, at the very least, they existed to a discernible degree during the time of the Roman Empire. Think of them like chart-topping hits. Case in point: a simple Amazon search for the phrase elicits over 4,000 results. In fact, they still make most of their knives in their Bradford, PA headquarters. With nothing more than a handle, a blade, a simple bail attachment, and a pivot, the douk-douk will go down in history as one of the most significant and iconic folding knives ever. For instance, although their catalog of blades is full of designs of all shapes and sizes, they are almost always recognizable as Spyderco knives. A follow-up to the original Paramilitary knife, the second version does everything right and then some. In spite of (or perhaps because of) its seemingly endless number of permutations, this Benchmade knife certainly deserves consideration as one of the most iconic pocket knives ever. Similar to the traditional Finnish Pukko, Morakniv’s blades still feature the same silhouette as they did when the brand was first formed. First carried by farmers and used as a simple utility tool, this blade made its way from the fields into the factories following the Industrial Revolution. While it’s certainly a bit of a stretch to say that any fixed blade fits into the category of “pocket knives,” the significance of Morakniv is too great to ignore. These types of knives wouldn’t see their greatest and quickest evolution, however, until the late 1800s. However, every single one is built to the same exacting standards and fits squarely at the junction between eye-catching good looks and remarkable utility. Originating in Japan with a history that dates back further than 1896, the Higonokami is a knife born out of a necessity to adapt to a rapidly changing world. These are the 12 most iconic pocket knives of all time. It remains essential and popular for DIY, camping or picnics in the countryside. In any case, this knife has remained virtually unchanged for nearly 100 years. The higonokami also often features an extended blade tang with a rounded lever at the end which would allow both for quick deployment and serve as a safety feature — keeping the blade extended, so long as the user kept a sturdy grip on the handle. Opinel No 6 Knife (10 out of a 10) The Opinel No 6 has been a long time favorite knife of mine and I honestly cannot believe it’s taken me this long to put a review up of it. And its simple construction — a carbon steel blade and folded steel handle — makes it still just as useful to this day. It would be impossible to distill the significance of every pocket knife into a single article, but there are a few that stand out from the crowd for their staying power, iconic design, and overall impact on the knife industry. That’s probably because this seemingly-modern invention — a folding blade one can carry around in their pocket — actually dates back thousands of years into human history. Over time, the Opinel folding knife has been adopted in the entire world and is now recognised as a design icon. Both smart and simple, the Opinel folding knife is composed of 5 elements: the blade, the wooden handle, the fixed ferrule, the rivet and the rotating VIROBLOC locking ring which was added in 1955 to sizes No.06 and above. And they apparently functioned well enough to hold up over time, as archaeologists from across the ancient world found other, similar examples of friction folders used later by farmers, Vikings, craftsmen, etc. It’s durable, reliable, gorgeous, and has been in production since 2010. One of the major reasons the Oregon-based brand has had so much staying power is their Griptilian family of folding knives. Hoyt Buck, an apprentice blacksmith out of Kansas, first made a name for himself by developing a new way to temper steel so as to hold an edge longer. There are a few different sizes and finishes of this particular knife, but we’re partial to the original — which has an 8Cr13MoV steel blade that measures up at just 2.75″ in length, making it a perfect compact pocket knife. A versatile long-sleeve made from technical poly blend material.