There are so many great knives on the market, such as the folding knife, the boning knife, the chef knife, and the paring knife. However, if you’re looking for a high-quality knife that works not only as an everyday carry knife but also a whole lot more than a pocket butcher knife is what you want to look at. These knives use a slip joint, which gives you the benefits of a quick open knife without the single-handed open capability.

Pocket Butcher Knives: A Buying Guide

Having just the right pocket knife is extremely important for anyone. Whether you need to cut open packages, cut small twigs and branches or even just cut strings on your clothes, you’re going to want something available at all times. That’s why this type of knife is a great choice.

What’s really great about this knife is that it’s legal in many of the states that otherwise have restrictions on different types of pocket knives. Because of the style, it’s definitely unique and it’s going to give you versatility, so take a few minutes to look over our buying guide and then take a look at the different options that we’ve found for these knives. You’ll definitely be glad that you did.

Some of the most important features when it comes to a pocket butcher knife are going to be the ones that make it work for whatever you need. Your needs are different from anyone else, so make sure that you’re at least considering you different options and needs before you make a specific choice, you’ll be glad that you did.

We’ll take a look at overall size, blade material, blade size, blade type, handle finish, blade finish and blade grind.  All the same things we find important for just about any knife we’d choose to have in the kitchen.

Once you get a chance to look at each of these features we’ll take a look at some of what we think are the top options. That way, you’ll get an idea of what you should be looking at first and just how to make your own choices when it comes down to it.

Overall Size

You’re looking for a pocket knife as a butcher, which means you don’t want to have something so large you can’t comfortably carry it with you. You want it to fold up and fit in your pocket (or attach to a relatively small clip and hook to the outside of your belt). That means each of the components needs to be small, but you don’t want it so small that it’s not going to be of any use to you.

The size of the blade is the first thing to look at. Consider what you’re going to be cutting with the knife (or might be cutting) and go from there. If you’re just looking for something small to keep in your pocket for minor tasks a smaller knife may be just fine. If you want something that can accomplish larger tasks (every once in a while that is) you may want something larger. A knife that is around 3” will be able to take care of most minor chores while something larger can take care of additional chores.

When it comes to the size of the handle you’re likely going to have about the same amount as you have for the blade. Most folding knives have a blade and handle that is the same size, making them easier to fold and more compact at the same time. The size of the handle needs to be comfortable for you to hold (even though you likely won’t be holding the knife for an extended period) and that refers to the length of the handle and the width around it.

Materials

Your knife blade should be made with some type of stainless steel or a harder form of steel. This ensures that the blade is well-balanced and also that it’s less prone to rusting or other types of damage. You also want a handle that’s made of a sturdy and durable material such as a resin or heavy plastic composite. These will stand up to more abuse over time.

Blade

Finally, there are some other things that you want to take a look at when it comes to the blade. You want to make sure that you have a good finish and that you’re getting a good grind as well. The finish may be satin, mirror, polish, stonewash, bead blast or coated.

Satin: This type is the most common, one of the least expensive and it has less risk of corrosion. It’s also less shiny than some of the other options (which may be a benefit or a drawback for you). This type of knife can be a great option for just about any of your needs and especially for those who may need a more versatile blade that won’t wear as easily.

Mirror: This is going to be one of the most expensive types of finish and it’s used less for practical knives and more for custom ones. It has a high level of polish and is very smooth, creating a low level of resistance. It’s also the least likely to corrode but it will show scratches. It’s definitely going to look nice and the lack of corrosion is great, but if you’re not careful it wears quickly.

Polish: These knives can be expensive but have a slightly lower amount of polish than a mirror finish. They’re very good against corrosion but they can show scratches easily (though not quite as much as a mirror style). These will wear more quickly because of the scratches but they do have some other features that definitely make them still a contender.

Stonewash: The steel in these knives is actually rolled with stones and then it’s smoothed out. It’s able to hide scratches and it may even look like satin. It also can hide most fingerprints and doesn’t need polishing as frequently as other options. They’ll be great for long-term use and they’re going to continue to work well for an extended time but may not look as sleek.

Bead Blast: These knives are non-reflective and they are very dull. They’re most susceptible to corrosion but the fact that they’re blasted with plastic beads to the correct finish means that they won’t show scratches in most cases. It is rougher in texture. These won’t look as sleek but they’re going to stay in good shape longer than many of the other options.

Coated: These knives have a special coating that provides enhanced corrosion resistance but you might find that they scratch off quickly, depending on the specific type of coating you get. They are not very shiny, but they do work well and come in black, powder coating or titanium nitride most commonly. These will look any of a number of different ways because you can choose between different colors and styles but they could wear out more quickly.

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Pocket Butcher Knife Reviews

As a butcher, you know that a meat cleaver isn’t your only friend.  There’s plenty of times that you’ll need something that fits in your pocket for trimming and cutting in smaller places.  The pocket knives we’ve listed below are all excellent choices for any circumstance you might need a smaller knife in a pinch.

Let’s look at our top five favorites and break each one of them down in slightly more detail.  Overall, every single one of these knives is extremely sharp, right out of the box, and you won’t go wrong with any of them.

Let’s jump in.

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Spyderco Bug Knife

If you’re looking for something lightweight and small this is the knife for you. It’s inexpensive but made with high-quality stainless steel for the blade and satin-finished stainless steel in the handle. It’s the smallest knife that the company makes, but it’s definitely something you’ll want to have with you. It’s easy to use for more minor tasks and it holds itself open for extended use without the need for any type of locking mechanism. You just flip it open when you’re ready to use it and slide it closed when you’re done and it does the rest.

The knife features a small, smooth handle with finger grooves that make it easier to hold onto. It also has a small blade and attaches easily onto a lanyard with the hole in the handle. It’s a knife that you’ll easily be able to keep with you either in your pocket, your bag or on your favorite lanyard.

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Douk-Douk Knives Slip Joint Knife

Made with blackened carbon steel, this knife has a silver finish handle that folds down to make it easy to carry. The sleek look and style definitely make this a knife you’ll want to carry with you and show off and its price is something that most can easily afford. You’ll see the tiki art on the front of the handle, which is designed with a slightly ergonomic bend so you can easily hold it for more extended tasks. Even more, the handle is narrow enough that it will easily fit into the palm of your hand.

The blade itself has a unique shape that makes it easy to cut through just about anything and the overall size is just enough for anything you need. It can be a little stiff to open the first few times but it loosens up so you’ll easily be able to open it up when you need it.

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Lansky Madrock Knife

This knife is a little bigger and bulkier but is designed more as a hunting knife, with more features and capabilities. It has a thicker handle that’s made with a slip-resistant grip so you can easily hold on no matter what you’re doing, especially with the molded finger grips for the front. The knife itself is great for just about any purpose, including cutting through harder materials. You’ll be able to use it as an everyday carry knife or as a specific work knife because of the sharp and hooked design of the blade.

It’s designed to fit easily in your pocket and to fold small enough that you’ll barely know it’s there (because it’s also very lightweight). It opens somewhat stiffly and stays open under its own power rather than using any type of lock. The black and orange design of the knife also makes it something you’ll love carrying with you.

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Boker Plus Knife

Getting back into the big and bulky options (though not too much), this knife has a large handle that’s narrow enough for you to hold comfortably but still large enough that you’re definitely not going to misplace it when you put it in your pocket. It has a finger groove that makes it easier to hold and the rough pattern over the handle also helps with that. When you’re ready to use it the blade slides out easily and then it can be slid right back when you’re done.

You’ll get a slightly smaller blade to this knife but it’s still going to be strong enough and large enough that it takes care of most tasks, especially since it’s built to be heavy duty. If you need an extra way to carry it you can slide a lanyard through the hole in the end or you can use the pocket clip to keep it right on your belt.

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Nieto Navaja Fold Knife

Finally, we have this knife, which is sleek and thin, making it a little bit longer than some of the other options we’ve mentioned. It actually has a cow horn handle, which gives it a more rustic but still stylish look. It’s also a very smooth handle, so it’s easy to hold and a little more rounded than some of the others, making it fit better into the palm of your hand. The slide ridge at the front makes it easy to keep your grip while you work as well.

The steel blade is about an average size for a knife this size and slides out easily when you need it. The hollow grind of the blade creates a thin edge, which will help you cut through just about anything with absolutely no problem. It also has a perfect amount of polish that keeps everything smooth instead of rough where some other types of pocket knives could be.

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Conclusion

All-in-all, you’re going to get a whole lot of different features out of your knives and you’ll definitely be able to accomplish plenty of the different tasks you need. A high-quality pocket knife could mean something different to each person, but you’ll find that its uses never seem to end. If you like one of these knives then make sure you check out more information and pick one up for yourself. If you’re not so sure about the ones that we’ve found use the information from the buying guide above and pick out your own favorite slip-jointed knife.