The Hottest New Knives From the 2024 SHOT Show

Every outdoorsman carries a knife. The only unwritten rule about what knife you carry is that it must be sharp. Beyond that absolute, the type of knife you carry and the blade style you choose mostly depend on personal preference and what you plan to be cutting. This year’s crop of new knives features an array of fixed blades, folders, and automatics tailored toward a variety of pursuits and tasks in the woods and on the water.

We found species-specific hunting knives, compact EDC options, fillet knives, and much more. Many of the new models are from some of the most trusted brands in the knife world, like Benchmade, Buck, Montana Knife Co., and Giant Mouse, to mention a few. Some of the most common upgrades we found were improved steel quality, decreased weight, corrosion-resistant materials, and pursuit-specific options—all of which are sharp enough to split a hair. Here are the latest models.

5.11 Braddock DP Full

When you think of 5.11 gear, you probably think of clothing, bags, and tactical accessories. But they also make knives, and the new 5.11 Braddock DP Full is a winner. Designed for everyday carry, this new folder features a 2.7 mm thick, 3.5-inch drop point blade made of D2 steel. It has a liner lock and, when opened, measures 8.12 inches from handle to tip. The blade has an ambidextrous thumb stud, and the deep carry pocket clip is reversible for tip-up carry. There’s also a lanyard loop positioned at the rear of the G10 handle. For only $50, the Braddock DP Full is one of the more adorable new knives released this year at SHOT.

Benchmade Water Line Fixed Blades

You’re looking at Benchmade’s first-ever series of filet knives—the 7-inch and 9-inch Fishcrafter. Like all the knives in Benchmade’s new water line, these feature a CPM MagnaCut steel blade that’s super strong but also offers excellent edge retention and corrosion resistance. The long and slender blades on these Fishcrafter knives have a medium flex for precise cuts, and the santoprene handles provide a great grip in wet conditions. Both come with a molded sheath.

Benchmade also released a smaller, general-purpose fixed blade knife named the Intersect. It utilizes the same rugged water line steel for its 2.75-inch blade. The Intersect also comes with a lanyard and a molded sheath. It is the perfect all-around knife that will do just as well living on a boat as it would in an angler’s pocket.

Benchmade Water Line Folders

The two folding knives in the new Benchmade water line series are the Adira and Mini Adira. These folders have a drop point blade, aggressive jimping, and textured G10 handles to aid with your hold on the knife. The grip is also large enough for compatibility with gloved hands. A highly visible, eye-catching orange thumb stud and lanyard are practical and stand out, and both knives are fitted with a deep carry, reversible, tip-up pocket clip. The Adira has a 3.6-inch blade, and the Mini Adira has a scaled-down 3.0-inch blade. Both knives are fully corrosion-resistant and ideal for those who live a wet life.

Buck’s Alpha Scout, Guide, and Hunter

There are three new knives from Buck that have some Goldilock influence; they’re sized just right from baby bear to momma bear to pappa bear. All three feature Magnacut steel, drop points, and flat ground blades with jimping. The 662 Alpha Scout Elite ($260) has a 2.875-inch blade and would make a handy everyday carry knife. The 664 Alpha Hunter Elite ($300) has a 3.75-inch blade with a deeper belly to aid with skinning. And the 663 Alpha Guide Elite ($300) has a 4.73-inch blade configured more as a general-purpose type camp knife.

All three knives come with textured black G10 scales, a lanyard hole, and Buck’s forever warranty. They also have a very nice Kydex sheath that’s easy to put on and off without removing your belt. If you cannot decide which one is best for you, just get all three.

Case Sasquatch Bowie and Carbon Fiber Westline

The new Case Sasquatch Bowie is the knife you want in case you have to rough it out in the wilderness. It weighs 14.5 ounces and features a 7.63-inch carbon steel blade and a natural Micarta handle. This fixed blade is suitable for cutting down small trees or for peeling the hide off of a mastodon. Plus, it comes with a nice leather sheath, so you can look the part. The Sasquatch Bowie retails for $219.

Of course, for dealing with lesser creatures or for trimming your toenails, Case has you covered there too. Their Carbon Fiber Westline is a liner lock folder with a 3.23-inch stone-washed drop point S35VBN blade. It comes with a tip-up right-side pocket clip, weighs 4.5 ounces, and has a closed length of 4.63 inches. You don’t have to be a Big Foot warrior or survivalist to appreciate this knife, and at $213, it’ll go just fine with a suit and tie.

CRKT Padawan

This is one of, if not my favorite, new knife of 2024 for a couple of reasons: it is ideal for skinning game because of the drop point design with a deep belly, it is compact and lightweight, and it was designed with the help of noted knife maker Pedro Buzetti. The Padawan measures 7.13 inches when open and weighs only 3.1 ounces. That, combined with its three-inch 14C28N Sandvik steel blade, makes it ideal for working in tight areas. This assisted folder also features an IKBS ball bearing pivot, a frame lock, and a right-side tip-up pocket clip. The handle is stainless steel with a micarta inlay. The suggested retail price is $75.

Diamond Blade Surge

Specifically designed with a large cutting radius for the big game hunter, this knife features a full tang design with a 16 to 18-degree beveled four-inch blade. The Surge is made of friction-forged D2 steel with an RC hardness of between 65 and 68. It has an overall length of 9.25 inches and weighs 4.5 ounces. There are several handle materials available, including santoprene ($299), G10 ($425), desert ironwood ($499), and elk antler ($525).

Each model has a lanyard loop, and the scales are attached with mosaic pins. There is also a 440C finger guard between the handle and blade, and each knife comes with a Kydex-lined leather sheath. This is an elegant hunting knife, but with its 0.12-inch thick blade, it is tough and rugged enough for bushcraft work, too.

Giant Mouse ACE Biblio XL

The Giant Mouse Biblio is the brainchild of two Danish and one American knife maker, and oddly enough, it has an origin in a Brooklyn bar. In hand, the ACE Biblio XL is even more impressive than the great name it was given. The knife features a stonewashed, Elmax–powdered carbon-steel 3.2-inch blade that comes with a reversible, tip-up wire pocket clip, green canvas micarta scales, and a liner lock. The overall length is 7.56 inches, and it weighs 3.9 ounces. Made in Maniago, Italy, the excellent craftsmanship is obvious as soon as you pull it out of the box. I guarantee you’ll get some envious looks around the campfire with this on your belt. One can be had for $285.

Knives of Alaska Strike Force

I really like assisted opening, especially automatic knives—though not legal in all jurisdictions—for everyday carry. With a closed length of 4.65 inches, some might find the Strike Force a tad large for EDC, but at 3.1 ounces and with a scapple-sharp 3-inch D2 steel drop point blade, you’ll find it hard to leave this knife at home. The smooth or serrated blade springs into action with the push of a button, locking solidly in place, and that same button unlocks the blade to store safely when done using. There’s also a sliding thumb lock on the left side. The black or green handles are made of G10, and there’s a long, stiff clip on the right side for tip-up pocket carry. The Strike Force Auto retails for $199.

Montana Knife Company Speedgoat 2.0 and Whitetail

Some of my favorite knives of any type and price come from the Montana Knife Company, and they have two new blades for 2024. The first is an update of their popular Speedboat design. The Speedgoat 2.0 ($225) has a slightly different handle design and a finger guard on the blade, which is made of 52100 ball bearing steel with a Parkerized finish. Amazingly, this 7.75-inch knife weighs only 1.7 ounces.

MKC’s other new knife is the Whitetail ($315), which has a Magnacut stainless steel drop point blade with a bit of belly for optimum gutting, skinning, and boning work on America’s number one big game animal. This is a full tang knife with G-10 scales that measures 8.62 inches long with a 4-inch blade. And, like all MKC knives, it comes with a Kydex belt sheath and the “Generations” promise of free cleaning, sharpening, and repair for life and beyond.

Outdoor Edge Razor VX

The easiest thing to do with a knife is to cut something, and the hardest thing to do with a knife is to sharpen it. That’s why knives with replaceable razor-like blades have become so popular. Historically, many of these replaceable blade knives look a bit sci-fi-like and do not lend themselves to an everyday carry lifestyle. The new Outdoor Edge Razor VX changes that. It looks like your everyday pocketknife, with a thumb stud-activated assisted opening and a 3-inch long blade. But the Razor VX features replaceable blades at an affordable price. They come in a variety of handle styles and materials ranging from $44 to $69. Replacement drop point blade six-packs, made from Japanese 420J2 stainless steel, are available for $12.95. The knife also has a reversible tip-up pocket clip.

Old Timer Switch-It Hunting Kit

This knife kit from Old Timer includes everything you need to skin, gut, and process a big game animal. It includes one handle and four blades that interchange and lock into place. These include a 6-inch bone saw, a 5.25-inch boning blade, a 4-inch sharp-finger/general-purpose blade, and a 3.75-inch gut hook. You can switch the blades—hence the name of the kit—in about three seconds, and everything is contained in a neat and compact hard-sided carry case that has a blade sharpener built into the outside. It’s suggested retail price is $99.