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Item with Knife type: folding knife

Filter Folding Knives · Knife Shop · about 100 models

Folding Knives
Ruike, Gerber, Camillus & BCB

Folding outdoor and EDC knives with secure blade locking – Liner Lock, Frame Lock, Lockback and Slipjoint. Filtered at a glance from the entire Swiss knife range: Ruike as the focus with 14C28N Sandvik steel and Beta-Plus Lock, plus Gerber, Camillus and BCB. Stocked in Switzerland, with personal advice.

What defines a folding knife?

Folding blade with locking system – Liner Lock, Frame Lock, Lockback or classic Slipjoint
Pocket-friendly and compact, models from around 60 g
Blade lengths usually 6 to 10 cm – freely available under Swiss weapons law
Blade steels like 14C28N (Sandvik), 8Cr14MoV, D2 or 154CM for sharpness and corrosion resistance
Blade shapes from Drop Point (all-round) through Tanto (tactical) to Wharncliffe (controlled draw cut)
Opening mechanisms like thumb stud, thumb hole, flipper tab or wave opener for one-handed use

When does a folding knife fit?

A folding knife is the compact all-purpose solution for anyone who wants to carry a knife at all times without depending on a belt or holster. Equally usable in EDC (Every Day Carry), on day hikes, while camping, in the garden or in the toolbox. Typical tasks: opening packages, cutting cord and tape, whittling firewood for a campfire, cleaning mushrooms, cutting an apple, small repairs at camp. For light whittling and simple woodwork, a folding knife with a solid blade lock is also suitable.

For tasks involving sustained lateral load – such as batoning, heavy prying or bushcraft with pressure on the spine – a fixed-blade knife is the more robust choice. If you need several tools in one device (screwdriver, corkscrew, scissors), a classic Swiss Army Knife is the way to go. For coarse woodwork and dense growth, complement with machetes or carving tools. A folding knife is therefore not a universal replacement, but the mobile companion you carry every day.

Which folding knife concepts exist?

Folding knives differ above all in their locking mechanism, the system that fixes the blade in the open position:

Liner Lock – A spring-loaded inner liner snaps sideways behind the blade. One-handed use, lightweight, very widespread on modern EDC knives (Ruike P series, Gerber Remix).
Frame Lock – Like Liner Lock, but the entire handle scale serves as the lock. More stable under dynamic load, often on premium models.
Lockback (Back Lock) – Classic rocker mechanism on the back of the handle. Very secure, two-handed to open and close, traditional on hunting and outdoor folding knives.
Slipjoint – No real lock, the blade is held open only by spring tension (Swiss Army Knife principle). Inconspicuous legally and ideal for fine cutting tasks.
Beta-Plus Lock – Ruike’s in-house development: double protection against unintentional closure, characteristic of the Ruike P series.
Multifunctional – Folding knives with additional tools like glass breaker, seatbelt cutter or bottle opener for emergency and rescue use (Gerber Remix Tactical, Camillus CenterFire).

A second distinguishing feature is the opening mechanism: thumb stud (small pin on the blade), thumb hole (Spyderco style, larger hole in the blade) and flipper tab (lever on the back of the blade, operated with the index finger) are the three most common. All allow one-handed opening with a flick of the wrist combined with thumb or finger movement. Classic slipjoint knives without these aids require both hands – that’s by design, because they’re intended for fine cutting work.

Which blade shape do you need?

The blade shape determines what a folding knife is best suited for. The range covers six to seven main shapes:

Blade shape	Characteristic	Best for
Drop Point	Gently sloping spine, broad robust tip	All-purpose, outdoor, EDC
Clip Point	Curved spine, fine pointed tip	Hunting, fine piercing, classic look
Tanto	Straight main edge, angled secondary tip	Tactical, piercing tough materials
Wharncliffe	Completely straight edge, straight tip	Precise draw cut, whittling
Sheepsfoot	Straight edge, rounded spine without tip	Safe cutting, rescue, animal care
Spearpoint	Symmetrically tapered, central tip	Piercing, all-purpose with symmetry
Reverse Tanto	Straight edge, top angled to point	Modern EDC with extra precision

For the broadest range of use, Drop Point is the safest choice. Tanto blades specialise in tactical and piercing tasks. Wharncliffe and Sheepsfoot are the choice when you cut very controlled in a draw motion or want to work without piercing risk.

Blade steels compared

The steel determines three properties: edge retention (how long does the blade stay sharp?), corrosion resistance (how immune is it to moisture and salt?) and ease of resharpening (how easy is it to bring back to sharp?). The steels in our range cover the most important mid-range classes:

Steel	Hardness (HRC)	Properties	In our range
14C28N (Sandvik)	~58–60	Very balanced, high corrosion resistance, easy to resharpen	Ruike P series
D2	~58–62	Tool steel, harder, better edge retention, somewhat rust-prone	Selected models
8Cr14MoV	~57–58	Affordable all-rounder, easy to resharpen, medium edge retention	Entry-level
AUS-8	~58	Japanese classic, good corrosion resistance, balanced	Camillus, older models
154CM	~58–61	Premium tier, high edge retention, very good corrosion resistance	Selected Camillus

For everyday use, 14C28N is the gold standard in the mid price segment – not without reason has Ruike committed almost entirely to it. D2 is worthwhile if edge retention matters more to you than easy maintenance; in damp outdoor conditions you then need a bit more discipline (drying, light oiling). 8Cr14MoV is perfectly fine for a first knife or a backup in the toolbox.

What to look for when buying

Five factors decide which folding knife fits your use:

Blade length – For EDC, 7 to 8 cm is enough; for outdoor and hunting, 8 to 10 cm is preferable. Blades under 6 cm are elegant for EDC but often too short for robust tasks.
Blade steel – 14C28N is the balanced mid-range standard, D2 the more edge-retentive option, 8Cr14MoV the affordable entry point. Premium steels like M390 or S30V are not found at Ruike, Gerber, Camillus or BCB – those sit in a higher price tier.
Locking system – Frame Lock for maximum stability, Liner Lock for low weight, Lockback for tradition and two-handed use. Ruike’s Beta-Plus Lock is a sensible extension of the Frame Lock with added safety.
Handle material and ergonomics – G10 (glass-fibre laminate) and FRN are robust, light and grippy even when wet. Aluminium is light and elegant, but slipperier without texture. Stainless steel frames are heavy but particularly stable. Watch the grip length: your extended middle finger shouldn’t be able to touch the base of the thumb.
Pocket clip and carry comfort – A pocket clip makes the difference between “always with you” and “forgotten in the drawer”. Tip-up carry (blade up in the pocket) is standard, some models allow tip-down. Check whether the clip is reversible if you’re left-handed.

For a complete overview of all folding knives, see the main category Knives & Tools; for special types check hunting knives and one-handed knives.

Brands in our range

Ruike – the focus in the mid-range segment

Ruike (Chinese premium manufacturer, founded 2014) is the focus of our range for modern outdoor and EDC folding knives. Characteristic: 14C28N Sandvik steel across the entire range, Beta-Plus Lock as a hallmark, very clean workmanship and a fair price-to-performance ratio. The P series is the main line for EDC and outdoor (P108, P121 Hussar, P128, P135, P801, P841, P852), while the D series and LD series add compact slipjoint models for general-purpose tasks.

Gerber – American classic

Gerber Gear (USA, since 1939) is the established American brand for robust outdoor and tactical knives. Represented in our folding-knife range with the Remix series (compact EDC with thumb hole) and the US1 pocket knife. Trademarks: uncompromising functionality, ergonomic handles and affordable entry-level prices with solid quality.

Camillus – tradition with modern accents

Camillus (USA, founded 1876, one of the oldest knife makers in North America) blends tradition with modern materials. Our range includes the CenterFire 30-30 folding knife with multifunction (glass breaker, seatbelt cutter) for emergency and rescue. Blade steels range from AUS-8 to 154CM.

BCB – survival and emergency equipment

BCB International (UK, since 1854) specialises in survival and emergency equipment for outdoor and military use. In our folding-knife range with the compact Mighty One-Handed Mini Knife – a light keychain and emergency knife for EDC and first-aid kits.

Who is a folding knife made for?

✓ EDC carriers who keep their knife in the pocket every day
✓ Hikers, campers and outdoor users without a bulky fixed-blade knife
✓ Hunters as a compact addition to the fixed gutting knife
✓ Tradespeople and technicians as a reliable working knife
✓ First responders and rescue personnel using multifunction models
✓ Travellers and city dwellers with compact EDC needs
✓ Collectors of Ruike, Gerber and Camillus models with refined steel

Frequently asked questions – folding knives

Are folding knives freely available in Switzerland?

Yes. Folding knives – including one-hand folding knives – are freely available and may be carried without special restrictions under Article 4 of the Swiss Weapons Act. You don’t need a justified reason to carry one. Prohibited, however, are butterfly/balisong knives, gravity knives, automatic (switchblade) knives with blades over 5 cm and throwing knives. Source: fedpol.admin.ch.

What’s the difference between a folding knife and a one-hand knife?

Every one-hand knife is a folding knife, but not every folding knife is a one-hand knife. Folding knife is the umbrella term for all knives with a folding blade – from the classic slipjoint Swiss Army Knife to the modern tactical folder. One-hand knives are the subgroup that can be opened with just one hand (via thumb stud, thumb hole or flipper tab). The filter category One-Handed Knife lists exactly those models.

Which blade steel is recommended for folding knives?

14C28N from Sandvik is the balanced all-rounder – good hardness (58–60 HRC), high corrosion resistance, easy to resharpen. Ruike uses this steel across its entire P series. D2 is harder and offers better edge retention but is somewhat more rust-prone and harder to sharpen – ideal for outdoor and hunting if the blade isn’t constantly damp. 8Cr14MoV is solid for beginners and backup knives. AUS-8 is the Japanese classic with a balanced profile. 154CM reaches premium level in edge retention and corrosion resistance.

Which locking mechanism is the safest?

For normal EDC and outdoor tasks, all modern lock systems (Liner Lock, Frame Lock, Lockback) are sufficiently safe. Frame Lock is considered the most stable under lateral load, because the entire handle scale forms the lock. Lockback is structurally very robust and can be operated with both hands. Ruike’s Beta-Plus Lock extends the Frame Lock with a second safety against unintentional closure – a detail that makes Ruike models particularly safe in hand. Slipjoint folding knives without a lock are suitable for light cutting tasks, not for prying or piercing.

How do I look after a folding knife correctly?

Three points keep a folding knife working for years: First, regularly lubricate the pivot (the blade’s axis of rotation) with a drop of light oil (e.g. Ballistol or gun oil) – the blade then runs smoothly and the mechanism stays free of dust and sand. Second, after outdoor use, clean with a damp cloth, don’t submerge in dishwater (water seeps into the pivot and promotes rust). Third, sharpen regularly – a sharp knife is safer than a dull one, because you need less pressure and the blade doesn’t slip.

How do I sharpen a folding knife?

For home use, a water stone with grit 1’000 (sharpening) and 3’000 (polishing) is enough, or a guided sharpening system with a fixed angle (Lansky, Spyderco Sharpmaker). The blade angle on most folding knives in our range is between 18 and 22 degrees per side – if in doubt, follow the existing edge. Important: even pressure, slow movement, equal strokes on both sides. For travel, a compact diamond rod or ceramic rod for edge touch-ups is enough. A leather strop at the end adds extra sharpness.

Which blade length suits which purpose?

Blades under 7 cm are compact and inconspicuous – ideal as keychain knives and for fine tasks (opening letters, cutting fruit, swapping keyrings). 7 to 9 cm is the EDC sweet spot with full functionality at a wearable size, suitable for 90 % of all general-purpose tasks. 9 to 10 cm is the classic outdoor and hunting size for coarser woodwork, game processing and camp tasks. Above 10 cm, carry comfort starts to suffer – that’s where fixed-blade knives come into play.

Which folding knife is good for beginners?

For getting started we recommend a folding knife with Liner Lock or Frame Lock, blade length 7 to 8 cm, blade steel 14C28N and a thumb hole or flipper tab for one-handed opening. The Ruike P108 or P128 meet all criteria at a fair price and are robustly built. If you prefer the classic feel, the Ruike LD11 (slipjoint style) is a good fit. For an affordable first knife, the Gerber Remix FE is also worth considering. Important for beginners: first learn to open the knife cleanly and close it safely before moving on to large blades or special locks.

May I carry a folding knife in public?

In Switzerland, yes, without special preconditions. There are two limitations though: First, public nuisance – anyone who shows a knife demonstratively or uses it in escalating situations risks a charge of threat or intimidation, regardless of the knife type. Second, house rules and security zones: schools, concerts, sports stadiums, demonstrations, airports and courthouses often have their own bans. In everyday public space (city, public transport, forest), carrying a folding knife in your pocket is unproblematic.

What is a tactical folder?

Tactical folder refers to folding knives with a military-functional design: black coating, Tanto or Reverse Tanto blade, robust G10 or aluminium housing, Frame Lock, glass breaker and/or seatbelt cutter. Classic examples in our range: Gerber Remix Tactical, Camillus CenterFire 30-30 or the black Ruike P801-SB. The term is more stylistic than technical – a well-made EDC folder can often handle tactical tasks just as well. If you want a deliberately tactical knife, look for a Tanto blade, black coating (DLC or stonewash) and equipment with emergency tools.

May I take a folding knife on a plane?

In carry-on luggage, no. Folding knives of any blade length are prohibited in carry-on luggage worldwide and will be confiscated by security. In checked baggage, yes – folding knives are unproblematic there and may travel, provided they are securely stowed (preferably in separate packaging or a knife sheath). On cruises, train journeys and in the car there are no restrictions. So a folding knife isn’t suitable for travel without checked baggage – in that case it’s worth buying at the destination or picking up a model on the way home.

Does Swiss-Sale.ch ship from a Swiss warehouse?

Yes. All approximately 100 folding knives are available from our warehouse in Menzingen (ZG) – no waiting time, no customs fees. Free shipping within Switzerland and Liechtenstein from CHF 100. Personal advice in our showroom or by phone at 041 755 34 33. In case of dissatisfaction, our 30-day voluntary right of return applies.