The Knife Junkie Podcast

What makes a pocket knife truly great at everything? In Episode 676, Bob DeMarco builds a list of 10 great \"do everything\" pocket knives, and the ground rules are strict.

• The knife has to handle everyday cutting tasks without a second thought.
• It has to be a credible self-defense option with solid ergonomics and the right blade geometry.
• And it has to be something you would be glad you had if a short hike turned into an unplanned overnight in the woods.

None of the usual suspects made the list. No Griptilian, no Bugout, no PM2, no Military 1, and no Buck 110. Just 10 knives that Bob says deserve more credit in this category.

The 10 are the Spyderco Stretch 2XL, Cold Steel Karve, Microtech SOCOM Elite Ram-Lok, Ritter Hogue RSK Mk1, Manganas Steel Aurelia, Artisan Kami, Civivi Sentinel Strike 2, Kansept Deadite, Off-Grid Knives Stinger XL, and the North Mountain Blade BBMN. Bob walks through each one, covering blade geometry, handle ergonomics, lock strength, steel choice, and exactly why each knife earns a spot on the list.

Before the main segment, Bob runs through a pocket check featuring the Spyderco Military 2 in CruCarta, the Jack Wolf Knives Gateway Bison fixed EDC, the SOG SEAL Pup, and the Cold Steel Natchez Bowie.

He also shows off a generous box of fixed blades sent in by his friend Craig, known as Fishbag during Thursday Night Knives, including a Green River 4215, an Ontario Old Hickory 7026, a Cold Steel Leatherneck, an Ontario pilot knife, and a Case USMC fighting utility knife.

Knife Life News covers a GiantMouse Kickstarter collaboration with Jackass star Chris Pontius, a new modular EDC from Work Sharp called the Madrone, and expanded offerings from Pennsylvania maker Kestrel Knives.

The First Tool segment tells the story of the Gerber Mark II, a knife designed in 1966 by retired Army Captain Bud Holzman, drawing on the ancient Roman Mainz Gladius and the Fairbairn-Sykes dagger used by British commandos. It earned its name in Vietnam, appeared in The Road Warrior and Alien, and became one of the most recognizable combat knives of the 20th century.

Bob also shares the curious story of early canted-blade versions being returned by buyers who thought they were bent, making those originals among the most collectible today.

Whether you have a short list of go-to EDC folders or you are still building it, this episode gives you ten names worth considering and a clear set of reasons why each one belongs there.

Find the list of all the knives shown in the show and links to the Knife Life news stories at https://theknifejunkie.com/676.

Support the Knife Junkie channel with your next knife purchase. Find our affiliate links at https://theknifejunkie.com/knives. You can also support The Knife Junkie and get in on the perks of being a patron, including early access to the podcast and exclusive bonus content. Visit https://www.theknifejunkie.com/patreon for details.

Let us know what you thought about this episode and leave a rating and/or a review. Your feedback is appreciated. You can also email theknifejunkie@gmail.com with any comments, feedback, or suggestions.

To watch or listen to past episodes of the podcast, visit https://theknifejunkie.com/listen. And for professional podcast hosting, use our preferred platform: https://theknifejunkie.com/podhost.

What does a serious Spyderco collection look like? In Episode 675 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco walks through his complete lineup of Spyderco folders, from the iconic Military and Military 2 in CruCarta to the Native Chief Salt series in MagnaCut to the full Yojimbo family designed by Michael Janich.

Bob shares the personal stories behind each knife, including a purple Delica 4 named Sleepy Bear by his daughter and a Police Model OG he first saw in a Philadelphia bike shop decades ago. He also gives a short but solid history of Spyderco, from Sal and Joanne Glesser sharpening knives at swap meets to the company leading the industry in steel experimentation, grind quality, and constant design updates.

Before the Spyderco rundown, Bob covers the First Tool segment on the Pattada, a traditional Sardinian folding knife carried by shepherds and craftsmen for generations. He also reviews two new pieces in the State of the Collection: the Jack Wolf Knives Gateway Bison, the first fixed blade in the Gateway line, and a Cold Steel Kobun sent to Matthew Culbertson for his custom single-scoop serration treatment. The Kobun came back with the sharpest edge Bob has ever had on that knife.

The episode also includes Knife Life News with three stories worth knowing about: the Civivi Iron Tide collaboration with Pete McKinnon of Pete Pirate Life, the Zero Tolerance ZT 0020 20th anniversary knife using Vegas Forge Lytic Damascus at 700 dollars, and three new Kershaw releases heading into Blade Show.

The pocket check features the Emerson CQC-13, the Rosecraft Blades French Broad Jack, the Hogtooth Knives NoVA-2, and a Jed Hornbeak Necromance that Bob called one of the finest knives he owns.

Whether you have one Spyderco or 20, this episode will make you look at the lineup in a new way. Bob is clear that this is not the end of his Spyderco coverage—his fixed blades are still coming. If you are a fan of the brand or just want to hear what 20-plus years of knife collecting sounds like, this is the episode.

Find the list of all the knives shown in the show and links to the Knife Life news stories at https://theknifejunkie.com/675.

Support the Knife Junkie channel with your next knife purchase. Find our affiliate links at https://theknifejunkie.com/knives. You can also support The Knife Junkie and get in on the perks of being a patron, including early access to the podcast and exclusive bonus content. Visit https://www.theknifejunkie.com/patreon for details.

Let us know what you thought about this episode and leave a rating and/or a review. Your feedback is appreciated. You can also email theknifejunkie@gmail.com with any comments, feedback, or suggestions.

To watch or listen to past episodes of the podcast, visit https://theknifejunkie.com/listen. And for professional podcast hosting, use our preferred platform: https://theknifejunkie.com/podhost.

Episode 674 of The Knife Junkie Podcast is a deep look at daggers—one of the most discussed and most misunderstood blade categories in the knife community. Bob DeMarco brings out twelve daggers for a collection update that covers everything from a World War II-era KA-BAR/EK Commando Knife to a Microtech SBD trade pickup he had been hunting for years.

The lineup includes the Randall Knives Model 2-7 Combat Stiletto, Cold Steel Peace Keeper II, Spartan Harsey Dagger, Spartan George Raider Dagger, and the Cold Steel Tai Pan in San Mai, among others. Bob talks grip technique, blade geometry, what Cold Steel gets right about the slash, and why some daggers are better suited to thrusting while others handle both jobs well.

Before the dagger segment, Bob runs a pocket check from a real working day—assembling a shed in the backyard—featuring the Spyderco Manix 2 Lightweight in S110V, the Fisher Blades Harvey PK, the Edgy American Blades Junkie in CruWear, and a Cold Steel Laredo Bowie that was standing by just in case. The episode also features the First Tool segment on the Scottish Highland basket-hilt broadsword, covering its role in the Jacobite risings and its significance to Highland culture since the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

The State of the Collection segment features a custom seax from Matt Chase of Hogtooth Knives—pattern-welded from 1085, 15N20, and nickel, with elk antler and Micarta scales and a hand-engraved leather sheath—that Bob called his unofficial Blade Show purchase for 2026. Bob also shows off a six-knife Cordura carrying case and hand-thrown stoneware mug from Terzuola Design, sent by merch czar Ben Odi.

Knife Life News covers Spyderco Reveal 21 highlights, including a Mickey Yurco Gunting collaboration, the CRKT Squid II with M390 and wood handles, the Boker Overnighter by FP Knives, and the upcoming Civivi Almaris slipjoint.

Whether you are a longtime dagger collector or just starting to pay attention to double-edged blades, Episode 674 gives you a thorough and entertaining look at why this category deserves a place in any serious collection. Bob wraps up with plans to keep growing the dagger side of his collection, so this is not the last time the topic comes up.

Find the list of all the knives shown in the show and links to the Knife Life news stories at https://theknifejunkie.com/674.

Support the Knife Junkie channel with your next knife purchase. Find our affiliate links at https://theknifejunkie.com/knives. You can also support The Knife Junkie and get in on the perks of being a patron, including early access to the podcast and exclusive bonus content. Visit https://www.theknifejunkie.com/patreon for details.

Let us know what you thought about this episode and leave a rating and/or a review. Your feedback is appreciated. You can also email theknifejunkie@gmail.com with any comments, feedback, or suggestions.

To watch or listen to past episodes of the podcast, visit https://theknifejunkie.com/listen. And for professional podcast hosting, use our preferred platform: https://theknifejunkie.com/podhost.

Bob DeMarco welcomes Al Salvitti of Regiment Blades to Episode 673 of The Knife Junkie Podcast for one of the most grounded, experience-driven conversations the show has had in a long time.

Salvitti brings 52 years of martial arts training, 15 years of real-world bouncing experience in Philadelphia and South Jersey, and a knife design built entirely around what actually works when fists are flying. This is not a conversation about what looks good in a video — it is a conversation about what kept a small guy standing in packed bars where fights broke out five times a night.

Salvitti traces his path from taekwondo black belt to Philadelphia boxing gyms to Sayoc Kali under Tuhon Chris Sayoc, explaining how each layer of training changed his thinking about power, timing, and weapons. He developed a full-body power-striking system grounded in keeping both feet on the ground and using the skeletal frame instead of just the shoulder—a method that has been taught to Navy SEALs, Marine units at Camp Pendleton, and Border Patrol agents.

He also shares what those experiences taught him about why complicated techniques fail under real stress and why simplicity wins every time. His LowViz punch blade at regimentblades.com came directly out of those lessons: a blade that deploys in the same motion as a punch, grips like a pistol, and rides flat on the belt in a sheath that Salvitti engineered himself, because every other option on the market failed to meet his standards.

The big story of the episode is the connection between the Regiment Blade and bestselling thriller author Jack Carr. Salvitti sent Carr a custom LowViz and, months later, discovered that Carr had written the knife into his new novel, \"The Fourth Option,\" with full credit to Salvitti by name. The main character carries the Regiment Blade. A chapter of the book covers a knife fight in the dark using the weapon. Carr described it in print as \"designed to be an extension of your hand\"—words that Salvitti said captured exactly what he built it to be. Salvitti and maker John Gray produced 175 custom Fourth Option editions with acid-etched finishes and pinned wood handles for the book launch, and a production version of the Fourth Option LowViz is currently in progress.

The episode also covers Salvitti\'s approach to situational awareness and what he posts on the Regiment Blades Instagram: real street-violence footage, shared not for shock value but to show people what unscripted violence actually looks like. No flying kicks. No fancy blade work. Just speed, aggression, and whoever prepared better. His philosophy is direct: the wheel is always spinning, and training before it stops on you is the only option worth taking seriously.

For full show notes, past episodes, and more from The Knife Junkie, visit theknifejunkie.com. Find the Regiment Blades lineup, including the LowViz fixed blade, the folder, and news on the Fourth Option production run, at regimentblades.com. Training videos and real-world fight analysis are posted regularly on the Regiment Blades Instagram.

Be sure to support The Knife Junkie and get in on the perks of being a patron, including early access to the podcast and exclusive bonus content. Visit https://www.theknifejunkie.com/patreon for details. You can also support The Knife Junkie channel with your next knife purchase. Find our affiliate links at https://theknifejunkie.com/knives.

Let us know what you thought about this episode and leave a rating and/or a review. Your feedback is appreciated. You can also email theknifejunkie@gmail.com with any comments, feedback, or suggestions.

To watch or listen to past episodes of the podcast, visit https://theknifejunkie.com/listen. And for professional podcast hosting, use our preferred platform: https://theknifejunkie.com/podhost.

What happens when one knife brand builds its entire identity around traditional American slip-joint patterns and then starts making locking, flipping versions of every single one? You get a collection that is hard to look away from. In Episode 672 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco puts the full lineup of locking Jack Wolf Knives folders on camera, showing each one beside the slip-joint sibling that inspired it. Designer Ben Belkin has been at this for a while now, and seeing the whole collection together tells a story that no single knife can tell on its own.

Before getting to the main segment, Bob runs a pocket check featuring the Spyderco Military (the original, not the Military 2 he is thinking about buying), the Great Eastern Cutlery #15 Boy\'s Knife, the Brock Blades Magni XL in 3V steel, and the CRKT HZ6 (ESK) from designer James Williams.

Knife Life News covers four standout releases: the CRKT M16 nearly 30th anniversary edition at $48, the long-awaited TOPS Badger Creek at $300, the We Knife Notchline at $254, and the Civivi High Grass bird-and-trout fixed blade at $63. Bob also walks through the history of the Kephart knife in the show\'s \"First Tool\" segment, covering how Horace Kephart arrived at one of the most copied camp knife designs in history.

The State of the Collection introduces four recent additions: the Spyderco Native Chief in CPM-CruWear and Crucarta, the Spyderco Yojimbo 2 Breast Cancer Awareness Sprint Run in hot pink and black (exclusive at Knives Ship Free), the Fisher Blades Harvey PK compact fixed blade, and a preview of the brand new Jack Wolf Knives Feelbetter Jack, the knife that inspired the entire main segment and the May 2026 release from the brand.

The main segment walks through all seven locking Jack Wolf Knives models: the Gunslinger Jack (three runs), the Afterhours Jack, the Diamondback Jack (Bob\'s personal favorite in the whole lineup), the Primo Jack, the Bionic Jack, the Benny, and the Feelbetter Jack. Each locking folder appears alongside the slip-joint it came from, giving a rare look at how Belkin translated traditional patterns into modern locking folders without losing what made the originals worth building in the first place. Full-height hollow ground S90V blades, premium bolsters, and meticulous fit and finish across the board.

Whether you own a Jack Wolf Knives knife, have one on the wish list, or have just been hearing the name and wondering what the fuss is about, this episode will show you everything you need to know. Bob has carried and used these knives, not just collected them, and that comes through in every comparison on screen.

Find the list of all the knives shown in the show and links to the Knife Life News stories at https://theknifejunkie.com/672.

Support the Knife Junkie channel with your next knife purchase. Find our affiliate links at https://theknifejunkie.com/knives. You can also support The Knife Junkie and get in on the perks of being a patron, including early access to the podcast and exclusive bonus content. Visit https://www.theknifejunkie.com/patreon for details.

Let us know what you thought about this episode and leave a rating and/or a review. Your feedback is appreciated. You can also email theknifejunkie@gmail.com with any comments, feedback, or suggestions.

To watch or listen to past episodes of the podcast, visit https://theknifejunkie.com/listen. And for professional podcast hosting, use our preferred platform: https://theknifejunkie.com/podhost.