From the pioneer and frontier eras of our nation’s history to the shops of custom makers that have become factory laboratories and centers of research, development and innovation, American style and panache have joined across the years to bring innovation to the knife industry with patterns that stand the test of time.
While many commonly known knife styles originated outside the factory environment in America, it must be acknowledged that their mass production has placed these styles in the hands of many. At the same time, sources outside the factory itself have provided the inventive, creative energy that fostered the wave of American patterns that we see today. In no particular order, among the most iconic and influential styles popularized in the United States are the flipper folder; switchblade/automatic; lockback folding hunter; assisted-opening folder; hole-in-the-blade folder with pocket clip; drop-point hunter; multi-tool; tactical folder; and bowie.
It’s an overwhelming scope and perspective that brings these American classics to mind, and veteran observers in the knife industry are excited to weigh in on their origins and influence—the
