This is the place to find answers to all of your knife-related questions. We add to this page periodically, by the way, and you can help -- if you have a question that isn't listed here, send it to us via the Contact Us form and we'll add it to our to-do list.
Let's start with the questions we get most often:
- Is there really a difference between a $20 knife and a $200 knife?
- Are custom knives worth the money?
- How do I go about choosing a good EDC knife?
- What's the best survival knife?
- What's the best knife for a 'Bug-Out Bag'?
- What's the best knife for self-defense?
- My new knife isn't perfect -- why not?
- How long is the break-in period on a new folding knife?
- I let my pocketknife get gunked-up and rusty -- is there a way to clean it?
- Is it ok to clean my hunting knife in a dishwasher?
- Which knife brands sold by KnivesShipFree are made in the USA?
- What's the proper pronunciation of Fällkniven?
- What's the proper pronunciation of Shun?
- May I use any of those cool knife pictures on KnivesShipFree.com?
- Where can I find a directory of knife manufacturers' websites?
- Does KnivesShipFree have a Facebook page?
- Can you suggest some knife pages to 'Like' on Facebook?
- Does KnivesShipFree have a retail showroom?
KnivesShipFree ordering
- Do you inspect every knife before shipping?
- Is the knife I see on the website in stock?
- If I add an item to my KnivesShipFree shopping cart, does that put a 'hold' on it?
- How do I use a store credit at KnivesShipFree?
- If I put an item on my KnivesShipFree 'Wish List,' does that reserve it for me?
- Why does KnivesShipFree charge a restocking fee?
- There's a number or letter on the website listing for a knife -- what does that mean?
- Do you have a sheath that'll fit my knife?
- How can I keep up with sales and other news from KnivesShipFree?
KnivesShipFree shipping
- Do accessories ship free, too?
- I paid for 'overnight' shipping -- will I receive my order the next day?
- My shipment doesn't show any updates on the tracking information -- what's up?
Knife steel
- What is a 'tool steel'?
- What is 'stainless steel'?
- What is Damascus?
- What's the best way to keep my knife from rusting?
- Can stainless steel rust?
- What does 'CPM' stand for?
- How do I take care of carbon-steel knives?
- What does 'RC' or 'HRC' mean in a knife's specifications? What's 'Rockwell hardness'?
- What's the best blade steel?
- For details about specific steels, see our 'Quick-reference guide: Know your knife steels.'
Knife blades
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of different grinds?
- What's the perfect number of blades for a traditional slipjoint pocketknife?
- What are the advantages of multiple blades on a pocketknife?
- Will the black coating on my knife wear off?
- Which is better -- a plain edge or a serrated edge?
- What are the advantages of a 'recurve' edge?
- Which is better -- a folding knife or a fixed blade?
- What's the strongest lock available on a folding knife?
- What's a 'swedge'?
- My job (or local or state law) only lets me carry a small knife -- what are my options?
- I see that some knives are 'spring-assisted' -- is that the same thing as a switchblade?
- Are spring-assist mechanisms reliable?
Knife handles
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of different handle materials?
- Is it possible to order knives with handles that match?
- What's Micarta? What's G-10? Which is stronger?
- What's the difference between canvas Micarta and linen Micarta? How do they compare to G-10?
- What's C-Tek?
- What is Kirinite?
- What's 'burl' wood? How does it differ from other wood?
- What's 'spalted' wood?
- Is a smooth handle slippery?
- What's the difference between a 'matte' handle finish and a standard finish?
- Do wood knife handles shrink?
- Are wood knife handles durable?
- If a knife's description says 'bone,' what kind of 'bone' is it?
- Does 'camel bone' have any advantages over conventional (cattle) bone?
- What is FRN?
- What's a 'tang'?
- The handle of my knife has a lanyard hole -- do you recommend using a lanyard?
- My folding knife has a pocket clip, but I don't use it. Can I remove it?
- Can I change the position of the pocket clip on my folding knife?
Knife sharpening
- Why should I learn to sharpen my own knives?
- How difficult is sharpening? Is it hard to learn?
- How do I choose the right sharpening tools?
- Can I sharpen my knives on a bench grinder or an electric knife sharpener?
- My knife has a V-bevel -- what are my sharpening options?
- My knife has a convex grind -- how do I sharpen it?
- Is there an easy way to tell that my knife is sharp?
- Is there a secret to knife sharpening?
- Can I sharpen a V-bevel knife on a leather hone or strop?
- At what angle should I sharpen my kitchen knives?
- What's a 'working edge'?
- I left my sharpening kit at home, & my knife is getting dull -- what can I do?
Sheaths & leather
- Do you have a sheath that'll fit my knife?
- What's the best way to 'wet fit' a sheath?
- Why should I wet-fit a sheath to my knife?
- My sheath has a firesteel loop -- what size firesteel will fit?
- Can I exchange my new knife's right-handed sheath for one that's left-handed?
- How do I choose a good leather sheath?
- How should I care for a leather sheath?
- What's the best way to clean a leather sheath?
Kids & knives
- How old should my kids be before they get their first knife?
- Shouldn't I be worried that my kids will cut themselves?
- Which is better for kids -- a fixed-blade knife or a folder?
- When should I give my kids their first expensive knife?
- What's a better knife for a kid -- traditional or modern?
- What are some good knife-safety rules for kids?
- What's the best knife for a Boy Scout?
Bark River Knives
- How does the Bark River warranty work?
- Do Bark River Knives have a micro-bevel?
- Why is the strap on my Bark River Bravo sheath too short?
- Which firesteels fit the loop on Bark River sheaths?
- Are the sheaths supplied with Bark River knives right-handed or left-handed?
- What's the difference between Micarta and G-10?
- Bark River handles look smooth -- will they be slippery?
- What are the differences between the 'matte" and standard finishes on Micarta and G-10 handles?
- The handle on my Bark River knife is too glossy -- is there a way to change it?
- Does Bark River offer rubberized handles on its knives?
- Do wood knife handles shrink?
- Can I really use a knife that has a wood handle, or do I need to baby it?
- Do Bark River knives come with a sheath?
- Do Bark River knives come with a firesteel?
- Will Bark River's A2 tool steel rust?
- What's the benefit of the 'swedge' on some Bark River knives?
- What's the purpose of the 'thumb ramp' on Bark River's Bravo-series knives?
- Why are some Bark River knives made with a thumb ramp, and others are 'rampless'?
- What's this I hear about the 'Bark River Spa'?
- Why do some Bark River Knives have 'skeletonized' handle tangs?
- Where are Bark River Knives made?
Benchmade Knives
- How strong is Benchmade's AXIS locking mechanism?
- What should I use to lubricate the pivot of my Benchmade knife?
- Can I change the position of the pocket clip on my Benchmade knife?
- How do I adjust the pivot on my Benchmade knife?
- What's the best way to change the handle scales on my Benchmade Griptilian?
- Where are Benchmade knives made?
Chris Reeve Knives
- Are Chris Reeve Knives worth the money?
- How do I tie that cool lanyard knot found on Chris Reeve Knives?
- What's the purpose of the 'extra' hole on the handle of a Chris Reeve Sebenza?
- Where are Chris Reeve Knives made?
Great Eastern Cutlery
- Why does Great Eastern Cutlery use the name "Tidioute" or "Northfield UN-X-LD" on their knives?
- What's the best way to sharpen my Great Eastern Cutlery knife?
- I'm having a hard time opening my Great Eastern Cutlery pocketknife -- any tips?
- My Great Eastern Cutlery knife got really gummed-up -- what's the best way to clean it?
- Why did the blade of my brand-new Great Eastern Cutlery knife turn gray the first time I used it?
- How do I keep my Great Eastern Cutlery knife from getting scratched-up in my pocket?
- What does that six-digit number mean on the blade of my Great Eastern Cutlery knife?
- Where are Great Eastern Cutlery knives made?
Kitchen knives
- I'm new to kitchen cutlery -- where should I start?
- Which are the better kitchen knives -- German or Japanese?
- What's the best way to store my kitchen knives?
- Is it ok to clean my kitchen knives in a dishwasher?
- What's the purpose of a 'sharpening steel'? How often should I use it?
- At what angle should I sharpen my kitchen knives?
- Why do my kitchen knives get dull so fast?
Knife collecting
- Is a knife labeled 'collectible' too fragile to be used?
- What makes a knife 'collectible'?
- Are knives a good investment?
- Why isn't my new knife perfect?
- How can I be sure that a knife I buy from KnivesShipFree isn't counterfeit?
Skills
- What kinds of things should I avoid doing with my knife?
- Can I use my knife for batoning?
- Is it ok to chop wood with my knife?
- What's 'fatwood'? Where can I find it?
- Can I use my knife to strike a firesteel?
- What's paracord used for?
- How do I lash my knife to a pole to make a spear? Y'know, for survival...
- The photos on KnivesShipFree are great -- any tips?
Seriously?
We get a lot of questions that make us smile (or scratch our heads). Here are some.
- Doesn't Gibbs have a rule about always carrying a knife?
- I'd like to order two knives with matching burl handles.
- What knife would you recommend for the Zombie Apocalypse?
- What if I don't like the smell of my knife?
- Would you be willing to say a blessing over my knife before you ship it?
- My knife makes a whoosh! sound -- is it possible to get one that makes a thwaaaat! sound?
- Can you look over all 50 of the Buck 110 knives you have in stock? I want one with a gentle spirit.