Which Williams Knife Type Is Best for Me?
As most outdoors enthusiasts are well aware, having a quality knife on hand is more than a luxury — it’s often essential. In fact, a good knife can mean the difference between getting things accomplished with ease and struggling to get much of anything done, whether the task at hand involves opening packages, administering first aid, starting a fire, skinning game, preparing the day’s fresh catch for dinner or performing a range of other critical tasks. And of course, a trustworthy knife can sometimes even be key to survival.
How to Choose the Right Knife
The best way to determine which knife is right for you is to consider how you’ll primarily use it. Knives are simply tools, with some designed to do a specific thing very well, and many designed to do multiple things sufficiently, but not necessarily perfectly. If you’re dressing five types of game every fall or filleting a day’s catch on a cleaning table for your clients, you’ll want a specialized hunting or fishing knife. But if you might harvest a couple of trout every summer and mostly need a sharp blade for cutting cord on the job site or boxes from your deliveries, a multi-purpose pocket knife is likely the right knife for your needs. Below, we’ll review all of the current knife options from Williams Knife Co. and highlight the jobs they’re designed to make easier.
In many cases, just about any sharp blade can get the job done. But often, a particular type of knife is clearly a better tool for the job than others — which makes choosing the right knife important. To help you determine how to choose a good knife and the best Williams Knife type for your needs, consider these five Williams Knife categories, along with some of their distinguishing features and ideal use cases:
The Best Pocket Knife: Everyday Carry
Everyday Carry knives are the most versatile of the Williams Knife types, making them the best pocket knives for daily use. aThey’re highly portable, with blade lengths varying from 2.75 inches to 3.25 inches, and with unfolded fill lengths ranging from 6.5 inches to 8.25 inches.
All of Williams’ Everyday Carry knives feature steel blades and plain blade edges (as opposed to serrated or partially serrated edges). Widely considered the best option for performing push cuts, plain blade edges offer users high levels of cut control and accuracy, and they typically result in cleaner cuts than their serrated counterparts. Additionally, plain blade edges are much easier for the average user to sharpen than serrated edges.
The Williams Knife Everyday Carry options and some of their distinct offerings include:
- The RX Flipper: With a razor-sharp, drop point CPM154 steel blade that will retain its edge, a textured G-10 handle, a lanyard loop & clip, and an extended oval for easy, one-hand opening, the RX Flipper offers all the qualities of the perfect everyday carry companion. Sporting a full unfolded length of 8”, this knife is available in Blackout and Tan/Stainless Steel color options.
- The Glide Folder 6.5”: Featuring a 2.75” blade made with tough M390 steel, a subtle drop point and an unyielding G-10 frame, the Glide Folder 6.5” offers clean design features, premium materials and a die-hard construction that combine to place it among the best folding knives on the market. The knife’s gliding lock mechanism delivers maximum safety as well as seamless opening and closing action, and its interchangeable clip and lanyard attachments let users carry it in any way they prefer. With a full unfolded length of 6.5”, this knife is available in Black, Dark Gray and Orange.
- The Glide Folder 7.75”: This knife offers all the advantages of the Glide Folder 6.5” with a slightly longer 3.25” blade, bringing its full unfolded length up to 7.75”. It’s also available in Black, Dark Gray and Orange.
- The LiteCarry - Raptor: Featuring a 3.25” blade made with ATS-34 steel, along with an injection-molded plastic handle designed with a finger groove and texturing for a firm grip, the all-new LiteCarry Folder delivers a new level of weightlessness to the Williams Everyday Carry lineup. With a full unfolded length of 8.25”, it’s available in Stainless and Blackout.
The Best Oyster Shucking Knife: Edisto
Made specifically for shucking oysters — and offering a legendary level of craftsmanship that earned it an “Overall Made in the South Winner” title from Garden & Gun magazine in 2011 — the Williams Edisto features a more pointed, thicker and more robust blade than a standard oyster knife. This makes the Edisto the best oyster knife for prying into the backs of an oyster’s clumps and digging into its small hinges. Crafted with CM154 steel and a durable G-10 handle, this knife is also more beautiful than its rivals on the market — which also makes it a conversation starter, a memory maker and a treasured tool that will be passed down in the family for generations.
Boosting its oyster-shucking functionality, the Edisto Oyster Knife V2 features a 2.25” CM154 steel blade, a G-10 handle and a full length of 7”. It’s available in Black, Evterra Camo, Dark Gray and White.
The Best Knives for Bird & Deer Hunters: Williams Hunting Collection
Built to clean birds, deer and other game animals after a successful hunt, Williams Hunting knives offer heavy-duty, plain-edge steel blades that come in lengths ranging from 2.75” to 3.75”.
The Williams Knife Hunting options and some of their distinct offerings include:
- The Bird Knife: The Williams Bird Knife boasts a surgical-size, 2.75” blade with a subtle teardrop point, boosting users’ precision when dressing-out small game. Its M390 super steel blade and sturdy, slightly oversized G-10 handle make this knife a durable, easy-to-use workhorse for everyday cutting tasks, too. With a full length of 6.75”, this knife is available in Black, Blue, Dark Gray, Orange, Sand and Tan.
- The Whitetail Skinner: Designed to feel hefty enough for the game-cleaning task at hand yet surgically precise, the Whitetail Skinner offers a 3.75” blade made with the latest super steel, M390 — which offers the perfect blend of edge retention, sharpening ease and corrosion resistance. This knife, perfect for ventures into the wilderness, is designed to deliver maximum performance while requiring minimal maintenance over its lifetime. With a G-10 handle and a full length of 8”, this knife is available in Black, Blue, Gray, Orange, Sand and Tan.
- The Paracord Knife: Designed to be so lightweight that it’s hardly noticed when carried into the wild on foot — yet fully capable of tackling all the essential tasks that treks into Mother Nature often require — the Williams Paracord Knife is strong, durable and light as a feather. Made with M390 steel, the knife’s 3.5” blade features both a drop point and a false edge spine for reduced weight. And its comfortable hollowed handle, which reduces weight without sacrificing strength, delivers the ideal thickness with its super-lightweight paracord wrap. This included wrap also offers a woven texture for maximum knife control in harsh conditions. With a full length of 8.5”, this knife is available in Black, Gray, Orange and Tan.
The Best Fish Fillet Knife: Williams Inshore Fillet Knife
The Williams Inshore Fillet Knife offers all the essentials required of a highly functional fillet knife — including a razor-sharp, S30v stainless steel 7” blade built to retain its sharp edge. It also includes a sturdy, finger-grooved G-10 handle that positions the blade for a perfect trailing motion behind the hand, along with extreme corrosion resistance for the rigors of the harshest maritime environments. Ready for generations of on- and off-the-water adventures, the Inshore Fillet also comes with a molded protective sheath. With a full length of 12.5”, this knife is available in Black, Blue, Gray, Orange, Sand and Tan.
The Best Heirloom Craftsman Knives: Legacy Collection
Williams also offers a lineup of Legacy Knives Legacy Knives crafted with a mix of premium materials and unrivaled craftsmanship that make them perfectly suitable as family heirlooms ready to be passed down from generation to generation — and of course capable of being put to use when the tough tasks arise.
These showpiece-quality knives include:
- Edisto Oyster Knives in Rose Myrtle Burl, Mahogany & Amboyna Burl, Cocobolo and Ram’s Horn, Claro Walnut & Afzelia Burl, Hammered with Cocobolo Rosewood, Damascus with Cocobolo Rosewood & Curly Koa and more
- Kiawah Chef’s Knives in Curly Wandoo & Afzelia Burl, Cocobolo & Ramon Fig, Hammered with Brown Curly Maple & Ebony, Hammered with Pheasant Wood & Thuya Burl, Hammered with Cocobolo Rosewood & Wenge and more
- Chechessee Fillet Knives in Birdseye Maple & Cocobolo, Pheasant Wood & Amboyna Burl, Cocobolo Rosewood & Spalted Fig and more
- May Skinner Knives in Desert Ironwood & Koa, Amber Stag Antler, Yellow Dyed Buckeye Pearl and more
- The Hobcaw Chopper in Curly Koa
- The Savannah Hunting Knife in Blue Buckeye Burl & Koa
- The Keowee Hunting Knife in Curly Koa, Hammered with Pheasant Wood & Sycamore Burl and more
- The Capers Hunting Knife in Curly Koa Sapwood & Desert Ironwood
… and many more.
Whatever the task at hand or the style of knife you’re seeking, Williams Knife delivers high-quality, long-lasting options that are both beautiful and functional. Find the perfect knife for your needs and budget at williamsknife.com today.
About Williams Knife
Originating in Charleston[EL2] , South Carolina, Williams Knife is the project and passion of avid outdoorsman and longtime knife-maker Chris Williams. Each handmade from blade to sheath using steel and natural materials, the custom hunting and fishing knives in the Williams Knife Co. lineup blend functionality and beauty to create useful works of art that can also serve as long-treasured heirlooms. To explore the full collection, visit williamsknife.com.