The Best New Knives and EDC of December 2019

Editor’s Note: Welcome to The Best New Knives and EDC, a monthly column surfacing the latest knives, tools and any other item worth carrying in your pocket.

The days are shorter, and the temperatures are dipping quickly. In some places, snowflakes are already flying, and ski mountains are already opening. While your favorite outdoor brands are at the ready with a new crop of recently launched down jackets and outerwear, knife companies maintain their slow roll of continuous releases that don’t necessarily align with the season.

Recently, Zero Tolerance made its first slip joint, Benchmade updated a classic design, Grovemade released the perfect desk knife and more.

Zero Tolerance 0230

It’s hard to believe that a veteran company like Zero Tolerance didn’t have a slip joint in its catalog until the 0230. With a carbon fiber weave handle, the knife has a slightly tactical look, but it maintains the old school appeal that the construction often imparts. Adding to that is a sheepsfoot blade that’s 2.6 inches long and made of CPM 20CV steel.

The James Brand Carter

Even at $139, the Carter is a bargain. Why? Because it comes with machined G10 or Micarta handle scales, a clip that seats the knife low in a pocket (or an included loop if you prefer a lanyard), and a drop-point blade made of VG-10 steel, which is known for its high degree of corrosion resistance. So no, it isn’t a $30 hardware store buy, but that’s because its ingredients are top-grade.

Alliance Designs Bangarang

Alliance Designs works with knife makers around the world to create production models of blades that would otherwise be custom (and also quite expensive). That makes some of the most premium blades more obtainable for collectors who are just starting, and who actually want to use the knives they buy.

One of its most recent releases is the Bangarang, a knife it worked with Matthew Christensen to create. The folding knife has a 3.1-inch blade with a curved edge and is available with handles made of a variety of materials from carbon fiber to Micarta.

Benchmade 535-1901 Bugout

The 535-1901 Bugout might be an otherwise ordinary EDC folding knife with a plain edge drop-point blade if it weren’t for its unique handle. Benchmade used G10, a common synthetic option for knife handles, but included a blue base that shows through the material’s hazy transparency. It makes for a totally different aesthetic than the black handle, steel blade we’re used to in a knife like this.

Grovemade Task Knife

If you needed a challenge to your conception of what a knife is, look to Grovemade’s Task Knife. You might call the Task Knife a fixed blade, but really it’s a solid-state tool made of a chunk of steel or brass. With a seamless transition from handle to blade, it has a sculptural appeal that makes it perfect for a desk. As such, Grovemade created the Task Knife for deskside jobs, like opening packages.

The Best New Knives and EDC of November 2019

Leatherman

Leatherman released a magnetic knife, SOG revealed a limited edition EDC folder, Tops mashed up two distinct styles and more. Read the Story

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