Your Guide to Italian Knife Brands
Posted by HH on 22nd Jul 2022
There’s a proud tradition of Italian knife makers going back generations. Known for their high levels of craftsmanship and often their forged style rather than simpler stamped manufacture, Italy offers some incredible heritage brands as well as modern, contemporary blades.
Here’s a dip into some of the best Italian knife brands we stock. Considering an Italian knife brand? Have a closer look at these options:
Fox Knives - The best combination for knife experts
From Maniago, the Italian home of knife making, Fox creates pocket knives and more serious tools renowned for their quality, ingenuity and design. A knife to fit every situation and every budget, while being highly reliable.
This stylish and affordable knife showcases what’s exciting about Italian manufacturers. Sleek, compact and with a handle that feels both esoteric and traditional at the same time, it’s a non-locking version that is legal for UK carry. With a razor sharp reverse tanto blade shape, it also looks fantastic. Put together by designer Jesper Voxnæs, this is an extremely versatile and strong blade.
Positively oozing with quality, this is a folding knife that showcases the sometimes daring design that Italian brands are famous for. With a short, sharp blade it is meant to be more of a convenience blade rather than felling great trunks, but has unsurpassed control thanks to the O ring that gives you a grip that instils confidence. It also comes in a variety of bright, arresting colours.
If Fox are famous for nothing else, it is their daring design choices. From the mind of knife craftsman Denis Simonutti, this opens and closes in a way we’ve not seen employed with such style before. Click it open and rotate the blade out, to close, simply click again and turn it in the opposite direction. This gives it a satisfying action.
All housed in a leather pouch, the Radius is a mix of unmatched stainless steel and solid titanium. It’s no surprise that this knife won the prestigious “Best Overall Knife” at the 2019 Blade Show in Atlanta. By no means indestructible, but there when you need it, this knife won’t let you down.
LionSteel - Quality knives at an affordable price
LionSteel produces a huge range of quality knives for more than affordable prices with a sense of manufacturing excellence that is so typical of Italian craft.
Weighty, stylish and one for all manner of jobs, the Thrill from Lion Steel is a serious knife. With a beautiful, ergonomic handle and UK carry safe thanks to a non-locking blade under three inches, it’s one that can accompany you through forests, over hills and beyond. Need something that feels pro at a promising price? This might be your perfect choice.
With a solid handle crafted by Molletta and Chad Nichols from a single piece of titanium, this knife screams quality from first glance. With a blade that has that familiar scrambled Damascus sheen and pattern too, this is a real looker. Slipjoint knives always look the part, this one goes above and beyond.
Tactile is a word we only reserve for the most impressive knives. The Lion Steel Opera is a folding knife characterised by a classical shape. Designed by MAX (Massimo Salice Sanna), its olive wooden handle offers something that can’t be described, such is the satisfaction when you hold it in your hands. Featuring a stainless steel blade with a razor’s edge, it’s an all-rounder that will feature more and more in your kit bag if you add it to your collection.
MKM - Leading the Italian Knife Manufacturer Charge
MKM is the trading style of knives from Italy’s spiritual home of knife making – Maniago. The Consorzio Coltellinai Maniago (Maniago Knifemakers’ Consortium) has been in operation since 1960, bringing together knifemakers from the Maniago region and promoting them around the world.
The Clap is a folding knife of outstanding quality and design innovation. Conceived by Bob Terzuola it bears all the hallmarks of a classic folding knife.
The blade is satin finished Bohler M390 "microclean" stainless steel which has a clinical, precision feel to it. Its carbon fibre finish also gives a satisfying grip. All in all a subtle, but impressive tool.
MKM Isonzo Heinnie® Edition G10 Clip
Designed by Jesper Voxnæs, the MKM Isonzo is incredibly versatile and popular due to its contemporary style. Sleek, smooth and with a rugged handle finish, this is a folder that will see you through some of the most difficult terrains and scrub you can find. At home for mundane tasks or accompanying you on longer journeys, this is one of the most all-round Italian knives you’ll find.
Jens Anso’s amazing slip joint, non-locking design with a sub three inch blade means that the Root is legal to carry in the UK. It's a traditional set-up but bang up to date in its aesthetics and materials. Subtle but utilitarian, it has a Forces look with a contemporary feel. That quality is sometimes hard to capture, but only an Italian brand could.
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