Start Here
Three guides cover most of what a new owner needs to know. Read them in this order and the rest of the series will make sense.
- Folding Knife Anatomy. Blade, pivot, handle and lock, with a labelled diagram, and what each choice means when you buy.
- OTF Knives Explained. How the out-the-front mechanism works, single and double action, and how an OTF differs from a side-opening switchblade.
- Automatic vs Folding Knives. The trade-offs between a spring and a thumb, and who should carry which.
Mechanisms and Types
- Types of Switchblades. Side-opening, OTF, single action, double action, gravity knives and assisted openers, sorted by how they open.
- Folding Knives vs Fixed Blades. Strength, carry, maintenance, speed and the law, with a knife-to-task table.
- The Smallest Switchblade. How small an automatic can get and still be a knife.
Blade Shapes and Edges
- Knife Blade Shapes. Drop point, tanto, reverse tanto, spear point, double edge and straight back, and what each is for.
- What Is a Tanto Blade. The shape, the trade-offs and when you want one.
- Clip Point vs Drop Point. One curve on the spine and everything that follows from it.
- Serrated vs Plain Edge. How each cuts, how each is sharpened, and which to choose.
Steel and Finish
- Knife Blade Steel Guide. Edge retention, toughness, corrosion resistance and sharpening, and how D2, S35VN and MagnaCut trade them off.
- D2 Steel Explained. The tool steel in most TEKTO folders and why it is coated.
- MagnaCut Steel Guide. The 2021 powder steel in the X1 Atlas and what makes it different.
- Finishes and Coatings. Titanium coating, stonewash, satin and black, and what each does for the blade.
Care
- How to Sharpen a Pocket Knife. The 20-degree angle, stones and guided systems, the stroke and the tools to avoid.
- How to Clean and Oil an OTF. The monthly blowout, the right oil, and what causes misfires.
- How to Reset an OTF. The one-handed fix for a blade that has come off its track.
- Folding Knife Maintenance. Cleaning, oil, edge and storage for a folder.
- Common Knife Ailments. Blade play, a sticky lock, a loose clip, rust spots, and what to do about each.
- How to Store Your Knives. Dry, closed and away from children.
Safety, Skills and Carry
- Knife Handling Safety. Grip, cutting direction, opening and closing, OTFs, fixed blades, passing a knife and first aid.
- Teaching Children Knife Safety. Readiness, the first knife, the ten rules and the first lessons.
- Mistakes Beginners Make. The habits that ruin edges, locks and fingers.
- The Best Way to Carry a Knife. Clip, pocket, sheath and lanyard, and what the law says about each.
History
- Knife History. 2.6 million years from the first stone flake to powder steel.
- The History of Switchblades. From clock springs to the 1958 federal act and the repeals since.
- A Brief History of the Folding Knife. From Hallstatt to the pocket clip.
The law has its own section: the 50-state knife law guide and a page for every state.
The Knives in These Guides
A liner-lock flipper, the everyday OTF, the MagnaCut fixed blade and the best-selling Badger.
People Are Asking
Where should a new knife owner start?
With the three guides under Start Here: folding knife anatomy, how an OTF works, and automatic vs folding. Then the blade shapes guide and the sharpening guide.
What steel are TEKTO knives made of?
Titanium-coated D2 in most folders and the A2 Badger and A3 Delta, CPM S35VN in the A5 Spry, Spry Mini and F4 Echo, and CPM MagnaCut in the X1 Atlas and the Spry Bronze Edition. The blade steel guide compares them.
How do I sharpen a TEKTO knife?
At about 20 degrees per side on a bench stone or a guided system, with a ceramic rod for touch-ups. The sharpening guide walks through it.
Why does my OTF blade stop halfway?
It met resistance and came off its track, which is a safety feature. Pull it fully out by hand until it clicks. The reset guide shows it.
Are these guides about TEKTO knives only?
No. They explain knives in general, with TEKTO knives as the examples where one fits. The law pages name any knife by its statute, not its brand.
