The 2026 BLADE Magazine Knife of the Year® Awards proved tougher—and tighter—than ever.
As the years go on the BLADE Magazine Knife Of The Year® Awards only get sharper. The 2026 chapter, held during the June 5-7 BLADE Show at the Cobb Convention Center, is a case in point. Hosting another massive field in the factory knife competition, the contest drew roughly the same number of entries as last year (350-400), with hundreds of blades vying for the title of “Best” in their respective categories. Add in the fact that production knives are reaching an unimaginable height in both design and manufacturing quality, and the event was as tight as ever. The winners were selected by a panel of four judges, experts drawn from different backgrounds in the knife industry. Below are their selections of knives that are more than worthy of being called Knife Of The Year®.
BLADE Magazine Overall Knife Of The Year® & PVK Best Automatic Of The Year
Hawk Knives Talon Auto
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American Fixed Blade Of The Year
Microtech Knives Akris
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American Folding Knives Of The Year
Zero Tolerance 0020
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Most Innovative American Design
Scabbard Knives Alpha Configuration 1
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Imported Fixed Blade Of The Year
WE Notchline
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Imported Folding Knife Of The Year
Anso of Denmark Aros 2.0
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Most Innovative Imported Design
Winterblade Mythic
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Slip Joint Of The Year
Lionsteel Barlow
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Knife Collaboration Of The Year
Grimsmo/Chipped Metal Rask
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Best Buy Of The Year
Kizer Drop Bear
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Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year
Spyderco Native 5 50th Anniversary Amber Bone
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Kitchen Knife Of The Year
Shun Tomi
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Manufacturing Quality Award
Shirogorov Knives
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Best Of The Rest
Nottingham Tactical TB360 Dark Ti Parker
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Knife Accessory Of The Year
Lionsteel Eggie Aluminum
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