The Best New Knives and EDC of September 2020

It’s September, which means that gear makers are clearing their digital shelves of hybrid shorts and active tees to make room for down jackets and technical outerwear. Like the changing of the seasons, this transition is predictable. But not all industries operate in biannual starts and fits — the world of knives and EDC, for instance, moves on a never-ending roll.

Recently, Benchmade announced a new custom option for a famous folder, Leatherman made a limited-edition multi-tool, VSSL revealed an EDC-worthy coffee grinder and more.

Benchmade Bugout Custom

Benchmade

Benchmade added one of its fan favorites, the Bugout, to its limited line of custom options. That means that you can choose the materials and color of its handles and hardware, select what steel its blade is made of and add an etched pattern or text. Initially designed for backpacking and camping, the Bugout is a minimal folder with a 3.24-inch drop-point blade, and now there are 414,720 ways to make it unique.

VSSL Java

VSSL

There are very, very few coffee grinders that are worthy of an EDC, but VSSL’s makes that list. That’s partially because it’s six-by-two-inch size allows it to actually be carried, but more due to its high-grade construction. It’s made of aircraft-grade aluminum and uses burr blades to provide 30 grind settings for fine-tuning your perfect morning cup. When the brewing is over, its crank turns into a carabiner to attach to a backpack or elsewhere.

Leatherman Limited-Edition Raptor

Leatherman

“Multi-tool” doesn’t have to entail pliers and knives. Take Leatherman’s often-overlooked Raptor, which combines shears, a belt cutter, a ring cutter, a ruler, an oxygen tank wrench and a glass breaker. Now it’s available in a limited batch with bright gold and purple PVD-coated hardware and glow-in-the-dark handles.

Final FinalOrks

Final

Like plastic straws, single-use plastic cutlery is on its way out. Compostable and otherwise sustainable types often don’t stand up to real skewering and slicing, so Final engineered collapsible stainless steel forks and sporks that are keychain-ready, so you can always have one at hand.

CW&T Herring Blade

CW&T

As straightforward as utility knives are, many could use a good paring down. That’s what the design duo CW&T did with the Herring Blade. The design pairs a simple and elegant handle with custom disposable blades (it’s compatible with the hardware store variety, too). The Herring Blade is slim, operable with one hand, magnetic and available in titanium and aluminum for left and right-handers.

We Knife Co. Banter

WE Knife Co.

We’ll be the first to admit when we missed one, and back in June, we missed one. It’s called the Banter, and it’s the first design by Ben Petersen, an eight-year knife industry veteran who left his role at Blade HQ to contribute in a different way. The Banter includes a 2.875-inch spear point blade made of CPM-S35VN steel, G-10 handle scales and a deep carry pocket clip.

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