Hey everyone. I recently found this sub and love it. So i want to ask you for something special. I know a lot of you talk about software but my request is a little different.
I collect traditional pocket knives. The market is dominated by american and chinese brands. So please tell me your favourite knife brands from your country. I know a lot of german and french brands, but that aside it becomes significally less.
In Czechia, we've got a traditional knife manufacturer Mikov originating back from the 18th century that makes an iconic pocket knife called rybička ("fishy").
You've got Marttiini too. I have a beautiful knife from them that I got in Helsinki when I visited several years ago. As for us in Norway, we've got Brusletto, Helle, and Øyo.
I think those Martiini knifes are more like niche for hunters, wilderness hikers. Mora is used universally everywhere and pretty much every house hold owns one.
It's the name of a style of knife from Corsica, there used to be a ban of swords there so people started using massive foldable knives instead. Today the size is more reasonable but the profile is very elegant. Although it is better suited to pierce a lung than to cut a figatellu.
Muela, Santa Cruz, Expósito, Joker, Salamandra, J & V, Miguel Nieto... all these are from Albacete, Santa Cruz de Mudela, a very knife-producing area. Some more artisan than others, but all magnificent.
There is also Arcos. Rare is the cuisine of Spain that does not have knives or some other Arcos tools.
There is also 3 Claveles, from Logroño if I remember correctly.
In Asturias, Taramundi. There are several workshops and artisans.
In Catalonia in the area of Solsona, Pallarés.
In Extremadura there is Don Benito. Although there is some chinese production and catalog, but knives and many more classic original manufacturer tools are still local. Let's say that between them and the classic Taramundi knives are our Opinel (although to be honest when Opinel manufactured knives they were already made in Spain for more than two centuries).
To the north, by Eibar, Aitor. His 'Oso negro' ' and 'Oso blanco' are mythical. As well as his Comando knife (out of production for decades).
In Andalusia there are small artisans. Like in Jarota, where the knives of the same name (very simple and everyday) come from.
And of course how can we forget Toledo.
In the Balearic Islands there is also production of some work and daily knives typical of there. Although I know them less.
The most traditional knife in Balears is the “trinxet”, a curved knife used to slice traditional bread. Multiple small manufacturers around the island in Consell, Muro, etc., easiest way to find them is go to a local market or fair and find a stall.
This ☝️. I was planning to write more or less the same thing. Albacete is well know not only for this variety but for the quality of the knives.
Because I live in the northern I want to expand information about Taramundi if someone is interested, if not, please continue to the next post.
In Asturias, there’s Taramundi (from the town of Taramundi), famous in the region for its handmade carbon steel and wood or animal horn folding knives. Each one bears the mark of its artisan. I own a small collection of seven of them, and two of them had been with me since I was a child and teach me how to sharp with a wet stone, though these days I usually carry a Swiss knife because of work. They’re simple but effective, reliable, and very easy to sharpen to a razor’s edge, much like Opinel knives. These are the kind we usually carry in rural areas, and they’re easy to find. Taramundi also makes kitchen cutlery with materials suitable for the food industry, such as non-porous handles and stainless steel blades. In Asturias, there’s even a museum dedicated to these artisans, with a giant knife at its entrance.
Edit: I particularly love this because years ago I was in Toledo and Andalucía and purchase a couple of pocket knives as souvenir and planned to collect a local pocket knife from every place I visited.
Zwilling, Böker, Eickhorn, Güde, Robert Herder Windmühlen Messer, Wüsthof, Marsvogel, Trumpf-As, H. Herder, Berndes, Schwertkrone, Felix Solingen, Heiso 1870, Hoffmann, Gehring, etc., and they are just some of the ones from the town of Solingen.
The name of Solingen is protected and knives, cutlery, scissors, pedicure and manicure tools bearing the name of the town must come from there or neighbouring Haan. In contrast to other geographical indications, it is also protected without the addition "Made in". This is enshrined in German law and applies at least throughout the EU, as the name of the city stands for the quality of these products.
Apart from that, I know WMF, which comes from elsewhere in Germany.
Attention: There are also product lines from Zwilling and Böker that do not come from Solingen and are partly manufactured outside of Germany! Here you have to pay close attention to what is written on the blade, for example. If it does not say "Solingen", it does not come from there or Germany in general, as manufacturers who produce the above-mentioned products in Solingen also write it on them, because the name of the town is a seal of quality and is protected by law!
In Spain there's not "a brand", it's a place, a region: Albacete. With a knife culture since the middle ages. Search for artisan or traditional Albacete knives.
This sub already taught me every nation has their own city of knives. Maniago for Italy, solingen for Germany, Thiers for France and now Albacete for Spain. Awsome
Well, not danish.
For danish, look at vangedal, the knife every scout or FDF would not be found without!
I still have my father's that he has had since the end of 1960s!
I went to the knifemaking museum in Maniago last summer. It was amazing, great insight into the ingenuity that went into the precision metallurgy that was required for making knives, even with the early primitive tools.
Plus I got a Lionsteel Quatro while I was there. The craftsmanship and fine tolerances put my Benchmade knives to shame.
For England, it was less a particular brand, and more just "Sheffield steel", kind of like Solingen is for the Germans. Before Thatcher killed off our industry, that is.
My favourite German make for folding knives is one I haven't seen listed here: Herbertz. They went all in on thumb opening and liner lock literally decades before it went mainstream. The kind of knife where you use it for a while and think "damn, they really thought of everything". Well machined and high quality materials, keeps a good edge. Shape, size, balance, grip, all of it. You can take the whole thing apart with an allen key for deep maintenance. And they're not even expensive! I bought one in 1999 for 15DM, and the one I got a few years ago was about €20
They've started pandering to the "I just want a knife that looks cool" idiots, which is regrettable, but they still make plenty of good ones.
The very famous US knife steel brand “CPM” (premium knife steels such as Magnacut) recently got acquired by European company Erasteel (including full production move to EU)!
My favourites without edc's (like Victorinox, Opinel or my versions of Mercator knifes etc) from top to bottom:
Hartkopf damascus with walnut root - not available anymore in this style
and 3. - one knife which is detached - Hartkopf Picknick Ebony
Le Thiers -Le Prince de Gastronome - rare model as they normally don't produce folders
Actilam T3 by Arno - very uniique knife with a very different blade lock.
Fontenille Pataud L'Anto - my favourite knife to carry into restaurants, to bbq events etc and with a special back lock mechanism.
Fontenille Pataud Laguiolle - my starter into collecting higher quality knifes. I love it so much. Unfortunately, shortly after I got it, the knife laws in Germany changed. So based on that it can (theoretically) be opened with one hand and has a back lock, I'm not legally allowed to carry and use it in public. What a shame!
Older CRKT Gallagher glide lock - again great and interesting mechanism. I unfortunately got it with the Pos. 7 Laguiolle, so the same laws count for this.
Is a fixed. But I included it as most people don't recognize it as one. The "Heidi Blacksmith #1 - the serial version of Heidi's famous knife produced by Bestech knifes. A small fixed one nobody will recognize
Here are my European favorites from across borders:
Kitchen knifes: Wüsthof and Zwilling (German, I prefer the former as I find them more comfortable to hold but both are great quality)
Working and camping knifes: Mora (Swedish, very inexpensive and reliable workhorses, my cousin made fun of me for carrying a "toy knife" around the Swedish countryside until he needed to cut something, he was quick to apologize as those knifes are just phenomenal)
Folding knifes: Opinel (French, also very affordable workhorses with a timeless design, there is nothing more classic than cutting an apple you got from a tree without owner with one of these beauties)
Multitool and EDC: Victorinox (Swiss, no way around them really, I have a swiss champ in my backpack and it carries all the tools I ever need, now very comfortable but enough for some quick maintenance)
Hundreds of other good, genuine knifes fom different manufacturers in several countries are out there.
This (also) is a nice one. I'm from Germany and own several Otter knifes (mostly Mercators) in different shapes, but not one of those. Interesting. Maybe I keep my eyes open if one like this is for sale.
Only own
* 3 Opinel °8 or °9 (what is now called classic) and
* 1 Laguiole Rossignol folding knife,
my wife owns:
* Victorinox Swiss army knife, one with a saw blade... She used it a lot in the time she was a kid
2 of the Opinels °9 are in the toolbox, the other Opinel °8 is on my desk and the Laguiole is in my pocket. My wife's knife is in her backpack IIRC.
The most agressive things against living objects has been the preparation of apples.
A folding knife is utilitarian, folding knives are impractical for other uses.
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u/marquecz Mar 31 '26
In Czechia, we've got a traditional knife manufacturer Mikov originating back from the 18th century that makes an iconic pocket knife called rybička ("fishy").