Knives have been a part our culture since the beginning of time, here we have a list of two of the most popular knives and their descriptions as to why they are so popular and how they have developed over the years to become the knives that they are today.

 

• We’re starting off the list with one of the most iconic knives around the world.

With its vibrant red scales and recognizable symbol, Victorinox Swiss Army knives established a new genre of knives with a versatile design that’s been acknowledged as one of the best ever. We could have easily picked any of Victorinox’s Swiss Army knives, but the Classic SD rightfully earns its place on the list for being the most popular model around the world.

The Classic SD is the epitome of the Swiss army knife with a compact and useful design that’s light and portable. Despite weighing less than an ounce, the Classic SD features seven tools: a pen blade, nail file, screwdriver, key ring, toothpick, tweezers, and scissors. Introduced in 1935, the Classic SD is by no means the oldest Swiss Army knife, but it did help influence countless other knives.

 

• Like the Swiss Army knife, pretty much any Case Knife could have made it onto this list, but we went with the Trapper. By no means did Case invent the pocket knife, but it can be argued that Case (along with the Trapper) helped make pocket knives a thing.

Introduced by Case in the 1920s, the Trapper remains Case’s most popular model. The Trapper has a basic trapping and skinning blade (a clip and spey blade) that was directly inspired by the jack-knife. This is the knife of choice for those looking for versatility.

Having been produced for nearly 100 years, it’s no surprise the Trapper is not only among Case’s most collected pattern but also one of the most iconic.

 

The Kershaw Leeks one of the newest knives to make the list, but its inclusion is no accident. Designed by legendary knifemaker Ken Onion, the Leek transformed the factory knife market by sparking the assisted opening craze still present in folders.

To be clear, the Leek was not the first assisted opening knife, but through a perfect storm of design choices, the Leek set the standard of what the perfect EDC should strive to be.

The original Leek features a perfectly sized 3-inch bead-blasted blade made of Sandvik 14C28N steel. The handle itself is bead-blasted 410 stainless steel, making it durable but surprisingly natural in the hand. It has a nice slim design for anyone who wants a truly portable knife that can handle nearly anything.

Of course, one of the best features on the knife is Ken Onion’s Speed-Safe assisted opening system, which uses a revolutionary torsion bar to allow quick and reliable deployment with one finger.

Since the knife’s release, it’s been produced in many differant blade types and colors from the composite leek to the 2005 Knife of the Year Rainbow leek