In 2016, a bunch of outdoor enthusiasts went on an outdoor excursion in the backwoods of Maine, only to be disappointed by how incapable their EDC was. “Even some of the most reputable names in the knife space had failed in the harsh northeastern environment,” they said “The cold and brutal conditions left our knives chipped, dull, and unreliable.” The group of people returned from their excursion with an idea – to develop some of the most capable EDC knives out there for real-world situations. Tekto’s knives sit at a unique cross-section of being beautiful enough to appeal to collectors and enthusiasts, but hard-built and rugged enough to be a top pick for law enforcement, military personnel, and first responders looking for a knife that just gets the job done.
Although known for popularizing OTF (out-the-front) switchblade-style knives, Tekto also has some incredible folders under their belt. We’ve been fans of Tekto’s portable knives for over a year now – they ranked an impressive 7th on our list of major EDC brands, outshining bigger brands like Gerber, Kershaw, and SOG. Tekto’s knives have always impressed with their no-nonsense edgy designs, rugged builds, and reliable performance. All of Tekto’s knives are proudly built in the USA and come backed by a limited lifetime warranty. Here are 5 of our favorite Tekto Folders and OTF knives, designed for virtually anything life throws at you.
F1 Alpha
Tekto flaunts the F1 Alpha as the ultimate tactical knife for “military personnel, first responders, and anyone who demands unwavering reliability in the most challenging environments.” The slick, lightweight knife boasts a razor-sharp titanium-treated D2 blade with a drop-point edge, complemented by lightweight and durable G10 and Carbon Fiber handles. Built into the handle also lies the F1 Alpha’s built-in glass-breaker, which lets you easily overcome emergency situations by breaking through even toughened glass. A state-of-the-art ceramic ball bearing mechanism helps you easily deploy and close the F1 Alpha’s blade with ease, while a cleverly engineered liner lock keeps the blade open while the knife is in use. You can choose between a G10 or a Carbon Fiber handle for your knife, and threaded holes on either side of the handle let you attach the F1 Alpha’s reversible pocket clip on the right or the left, giving you a highly capable ambidextrous blade. We like calling the F1 Alpha the “Napoleon of knives – small, but superior enough to conquer just about anything.”
Click Here to Buy Now: $139.99
F2 Bravo
Tekto’s sophomore folder is a nimble, elegantly designed beast. The F2 Bravo is like the Slender Man of knives – tall, slim, well-dressed, and seriously wicked. Embodying sheer simplicity and timelessness, the knife comes with a sleek design that EDC enthusiasts will appreciate, complete with a 3.10-inch titanium-coated D2 steel drop-point straight-back blade sitting within a handle that’s made either of G10 composite or carbon fiber. A ceramic ball bearing mechanism ensures your blade deploys as smoothly as you’d expect from this suave EDC, and at 2.4 ounces (68 grams), the F2 Bravo is the lightest of Tekto’s flippers, making it a perfect collector’s item. That doesn’t necessarily take away from the F2 Bravo’s capabilities, because it still means business. The fine-edge titanium-coated blade feels extremely high-end but does rather well in scenarios where you’d need a knife. Although built for modernity, the F2 Bravo braves the outdoors equally well, cutting and slicing through tough materials without making a fuss.
Click Here to Buy Now: $149.99
F3 Charlie
The burliest of the bunch, the Tekto F3 Charlie isn’t your average pocket flipper. It’s significantly larger than your average knife and comes armed with a whopping 3.8-inch blade that’s directly inspired by hunting and skinning knives, and comes made from the same D2 steel with a titanium coating as Tekto’s other folders. Measuring 9 inches when open, the F3 Charlie’s broad G10 handle offers a supreme, reliable grip, with a grooved design for a firm grasp, and jimping on the top of the blade to rest your thumb on while you work the knife. For its size, the F3 Charlie clocks in at a pretty lightweight 4.5 ounces (127 grams) with most of the weight lying in the blade itself. This effectively lets the knife do the work for you, letting you easily perform outdoor actions like piercing or stabbing, scraping, slicing, skinning, and more. Deploying the blade is easy too, with a finger-flipper that lets you rely on the blade’s weight and momentum to smoothly glide open. To shut the F3 Charlie, a button lock lets you release the blade, which then obediently folds back into its handle. A deep pocket clip lets you then slide your EDC into your shirt or pant pocket, and a lanyard hole built into the handle’s end also lets you easily attach it anywhere.
Click Here to Buy Now: $129.99
A3 Delta
With the folding knives behind us, the A3 Delta gives us a taste of what Tekto’s really good at – automatic knives. Designed to deploy with a simple flick of a switch, the A3 Delta is a folding automatic powerhouse that’s inspired by the swift, stealthy, tactical spirit of the US military. There’s nothing the A3 Delta says no to, with an ambidextrous design that boasts of an ergonomic G10 grip and a 3.6-inch titanium-coated D2 steel blade that’s just as capable and hardy as any of the blades seen on Tekto’s other knives. What truly sets the A3 Delta apart, however, is its switch-activated choreography that borders on being just about as enjoyable as a fidget toy… except this fidget toy “emanates dominance, firmly establishing authority on any battlefield,” as the folks at Tekto rightfully mention. Once the A3 Delta’s done for the day, a button lock lets the blade retreat right back into its handle.
Click Here to Buy Now: $159.99
A4 Humvee
The A4 Humvee gets its moniker from the eponymously named legendary vehicle of the Gulf War, the M998 HMMWV Humvee. The Humvee was designed as a replacement for Jeeps and touted as a highly versatile, durable, and capable vehicle, tasked with transporting troops and cargo in uncertain conditions and terrain. Tekto’s homage to the Humvee comes in the form of a tactical-ready OTF knife that’s designed to intimidate. The knife’s blade pops out the front, unlike any of the past flippers, and deploys instantly as you hit the switch on the handle, eliciting a ‘wow’ from whoever’s watching. This unique opening mechanism also informs the A4 Humvee’s blade design, which comes with a double-edge spear-point tip and a serrated base to help you pierce, slice, or even saw away at objects. The Titanium-coated D2 steel is almost symbolic of Tekto’s knives and the A4 Humvee isn’t different, barring the handle which now comes made from 6061-T6 Aluminum, inspired by the rugged metallic build of the Humvee. In keeping with its tactical automotive inspiration, the knife’s handle also comes with a glass-breaker located on its bottom end, giving you an all-round EDC that’s built to survive even the most demanding conditions.
Click Here to Buy Now: $219.99