Have you read our guide on everything you need to know about knives? If you haven’t, then I’ll urge to do so before continuing. If you did, maybe the decision is close at hand but you’re looking for inspiration to expand your research. Thus, without further ado, allow me to introduce you to 11 of the most popular plastic handle knife brands.
All brands on this list offer at least one knife with the following characteristics:
- Handle is made of a plastic material (e.g., carbon fiber, G10, Ultem).
- Predominantly folding blade models, but fixed blade knives may also be offered.
- May include other features such as pocket clip or lanyard hole.
A plastic handle is the perfect choice for a maximum degree of gripping, while keeping it light and durable. If look appeal on your knife is not a priority but rather usability, you can’t go wrong with any of these plastic handle knife brands.
| Brand | Carbon fiber | G10 | Ultem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acta Non Verba | ✔ | ||
| Auxiliary Manufacturing | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Benchmade | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Civivi | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Demko Knives | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Kansept | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Knafs | ✔ | ||
| Spyderco | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Terrain 365 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| The James Brand | ✔ | ✔ | |
| WESN | ✔ |
Acta Non Verba
- Origin: Czech Republic
- Handle materials: G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – Elmax, Sleipner
- Opening mechanisms: Fixed blade, flipper, nail nick
- Lock types: Liner lock, slip joint
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip, sheath
- Prices: €90 – €190 (EUR)
- Website: anvknives.com
Czech brand Acta Non Verba (Latin for “Actions not words”) was established in 2018 in Prague. As the name implies, their philosophy revolves around creating products that will transcend by inspiring you. ANV offers both fixed blade and folding blade knives made with two stainless steel grade, while utilizing G10 as handle material. Their folding knives use common opening mechanisms such as flipper and nail nick, while securing them with liner lock and slip joint mechanisms. Additional features found in ANV knives are lanyard hole and pocket clip for folding knives, and sheaths for their fixed blades.
Auxiliary Manufacturing
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: Carbon Fiber, G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – Aeb-L, MagnaCut
- Opening mechanisms: Fixed blade
- Lock types: Not applicable
- Additional features: Polymer sheath
- Prices: $240 – $350 (USD)
- Website: auxmfg.com
American brand Auxiliary Manufacturing was set up in 2016 in Reno, NV. Their products are handmade by a self taught, full time blade smith still honing his craft. Unlike other brands on our list, Auxiliary Manufacturing specializes in fixed blades exclusively, made of either of two stainless steel grades combined with G10 or carbon fiber handles. All of their knives come with a polymer sheath which includes a removable clip to facilitate ambidextrous access.
Benchmade
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: Carbon fiber, G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – M390, MagnaCut, N680, S30V, S90V
- Opening mechanisms: Fixed blade, thumb hole, thumb stud
- Lock types: Slide lock
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip
- Prices: $230 – $400 (USD)
- Website: benchmade.com
Established in 1980 and headquartered in Oregon City, OR, this American brand is the brainchild of a Filipino-American who wanted to make top-craftsmanship balisong (or butterfly) knives. Benchmade aims to provide products that will perform without compromise, however you need it to, for as long as you need it to. They produce knives with handle materials made of carbon fiber and G10, while the blades are made from various grades of stainless steel. Benchmade manufactures fixed blade knives, as well as folding ones with thumb hole and thumb stud opening mechanisms. Slide dock is the predominant lock type in these models, which come with a pocket clip or lanyard hole.
Civivi
- Origin: China
- Handle materials: Carbon fiber, G10, Ultem
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – D2, Damascus, MagnaCut, N690
- Opening mechanisms: Flipper, push button, thumb stud
- Lock types: Button lock, liner lock, slide lock, slip joint
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip
- Prices: $40 – $160 (USD)
- Website: civivi.com
Civivi was introduced as a sub-brand in 2018 by Chinese manufacturer WE Knife, operating out of Yangjiang. They specialize in producing functional, innovative, yet budget-friendly EDC knives. Civivi produces knives with stainless steel of various grades and finishes, with carbon fiber, G10, and Ultem options within the plastics category. They manufacture knives with flipper, push button, and thumb stud opening mechanisms, as well as button lock, liner lock, slide lock, and slip joint types. Typical additional features in Civivi knives include pocket clip and lanyard hole.
Demko Knives
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: Carbon fiber, G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – 20CV, S35VN
- Opening mechanisms: Thumb hole, thumb stud
- Lock types: Shark lock
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip
- Prices: $150 – $280 (USD)
- Website: demkoknives.com
American manufacturer Demko was established in 1988 in New Castle, PA. Demko patented a new locking mechanism called shark lock, which is situated on the spine of the knife and operated with a ramp-like fin. They produce only folding knives with either carbon fiber or G10 handles, while the blades are made of a couple stainless steel grades. Demko knives feature thumb hole and thumb stud as opening mechanisms. Additional features found in their knives include typical pocket clip and lanyard hole.
Kansept
- Origin: China
- Handle materials: Carbon fiber, G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – 14C28N, 154CM, 20CV, D2, Damascus, S35VN
- Opening mechanisms: Fixed blade, flipper, thumb disk, thumb stud
- Lock types: Liner lock
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip, sheath
- Prices: $50 – $190 (USD)
- Website: kanseptknives.com
Chinese brand Kansept (reformation of the word “concept”) was established in 2020 in Yangjiang. Their aim is to constantly absorb fresh and innovative elements to be put into their knife designs. Kansept offers both fixed blade and folding blade knives, made from various stainless steel grades combined with either carbon fiber or G10 handles. They employ opening mechanisms like thumb disk and thumb stud on their opening blades, which are secured with a liner lock. Additional features in their knives include lanyard hole and pocket clip, or sheath on their fixed blade products.
Knafs
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – D2, S35VN
- Opening mechanisms: Thumb stud
- Lock types: Liner lock, slide lock
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip
- Prices: $45 – $140 (USD)
- Website: knafs.com
American brand Knafs (southern slang pronunciation of knives) was established in 2018 in Clearfield, UT. Transitioning from a retailer to a manufacturer, this recent startup is constantly iterating to develop their own ideas into knives design. Knafs produces folding knives with G10 handles, while blades are made of a couple stainless steel grades. Their knives operate with a thumb stud opening mechanism and liner lock or slide lock securing mechanisms. Additional features in Knafs knives include pocket clip and lanyard hole.
Spyderco
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: Carbon fiber, G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – 8Cr13MoV, Damascus, S30V, S90V, ZDP189
- Opening mechanisms: Thumb hole
- Lock types: Compression lock
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip
- Prices: $75 – $580 (USD)
- Website: spyderco.com
American producer Spyderco was founded in 1976 in Golden, CO. Perhaps one of the most recognized knife manufacturers, their renown derives from designs and features that revolutionized the industry. Spyderco offers folding knives with blades produced with various stainless steel grades, along with carbon fiber and G10 in their handles. Their knives incorporate exclusively their patented opening mechanism (thumb hole), in combination with their securing mechanism dubbed compression lock. Per industry standards, most of Spyderco knives include a lanyard hole and/or pocket clip.
Terrain 365
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: Carbon fiber, G10, Ultem
- Blade materials: Terravantium – dendritic cobalt super-alloy
- Opening mechanisms: Flipper, nail nick, thumb stud
- Lock types: Frame lock, liner lock, slip joint
- Additional features: Pocket clip
- Prices: $230 – $390 (USD)
- Website: terrain365.com
American brand Terrain 365 was founded in 2018 in Visalia, CA. They design and craft high performance, technical edged tools and accessories aimed for outdoor and EDC use. Terrain 365 uses carbon fiber, G10, or Ultem as handle materials for their knives, whereas all blades are made from a proprietary rustproof cobalt alloy called Terravantium. Typical opening mechanisms found in their knives include flipper and thumb stud, while relying on frame/liner lock and slip joint securing mechanisms. Some Terrain 365 knives may include a pocket clip as an additional feature.
The James Brand
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: Carbon fiber, G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – 12C27, MagnaCut, S35VN, VG-10
- Opening mechanisms: Nail nick, thumb disk, thumb stud
- Lock types: Slide lock, slip joint
- Additional features: Pocket clip
- Prices: $65 – $450 (USD)
- Website: thejamesbrand.com
The James Brand was founded in 2012 in Portland, OR. They pride themselves in designing gear and tools aimed for people who like to live adventurously and pull up their sleeves. The James Brand produces folding knives with carbon fiber and G10 handles along with blades in various stainless steel grades. Their knives utilize nail nick, thumb disk, and thumb stud opening mechanisms, plus slide lock, and slip joint as securing mechanisms. The James Brand only includes a pocket clip in their knives as an additional feature.
WESN
- Origin: United States
- Handle materials: G10
- Blade materials: Stainless steel – 12C27, D2, S35VN
- Opening mechanisms: Fixed blade, flipper, nail nick, thumb stud
- Lock types: Frame lock, friction folder, slip joint
- Additional features: Lanyard hole, pocket clip
- Prices: $100 – $200 (USD)
- Website: wesn.com
WESN (which stands for West, East, South, North) is an American EDC producer established in 2017 in Detroit, MI. Their aim is to create goods that you can put your life on (metaphorically speaking, of course). WESN manufactures knives using various grades of stainless steel for the blades and G10 for the handles. Their knives employ common opening mechanisms such as flipper, nail nick, and thumb stud, as well as frame lock, friction folder, or slip joint to secure them open. Traditional additional features present in WESN knives include lanyard hole and pocket clip.
Key takeaways
In conclusion, here are some pros and cons of choosing a product from any of these popular plastic handle knife brands.
Pros of a plastic handle knife:
- Highest grip compared to fabric and metal materials
- Minimal maintenance and cleaning
- Generally cheaper than metal materials
Cons of a plastic handle knife:
- Scratches easily compared to fabric or metal materials
- Less appealing look and feel compared to fabric or metal materials
- More expensive than fabric materials