Beefy overbuilt folders have their place, but sometimes you just want something that you can slip in your pocket and never notice it is there. The easier something is to carry, the more likely you will actually have it with you when you need to cut something, and thanks to modern manufacturing you can still get a lot of capability without a lot of weight. With many of these folders weighing less than 2.5 ounces - sometimes much less! - you've got no reason to never have a blade with you.
We'll start with the forefather of modern ultralight knives. There was nothing like it on the market when the Gerber LST was released. It may not have the most impressive materials by today's standards but this game-changing design is still worth your attention.
Two sizes are available. The standard version with a 2.6-inch blade is perfect for a compact pocketknife. It weighs a scant 1.2 ounces. They small version is even lighter at merely 0.6 ounces. With its 2-inch blade it makes a perfect keychain knife. The handles are made from linerless glass-filled nylon to keep things strong and lightweight. They house a 420HC blade with a pinned pivot and a traditional back lock for security.
Simplicity is key to the success of this knife, and the template they laid down has been picked up by other companies and is still going strong today
This brings us to Spyderco with their long history of making lightweight lockback models, with their Dragonfly 2 being perhaps their most highly regarded ultralight model, coming in at just 1.2 ounces for the FRN handles variants.
This is a small knife that can perform like a bigger knife when needed thanks to one of Spyderco's hallmark features - a full-size finger choil that gets rid of dead space around the pivot and makes room for your index finger. This lets you get a full grip on the knife so you can put the smaller 2.28-inch blade to work with confidence.
This model comes with easy one hand opening, mid-mounted lock with the David Boye dent which helps prevent accidental closure, and a wire pocket clip (on most models) that is reversible. In typical Spyderco fashion, there are plenty of options for handle material, blade steel, and even blade shape. Take your pick of FRN handles with bi-directional texturing for the most grip and least weight, or upgrade to G10 for a more premium texture with only a slight weight penalty. Even our KnifeCenter-Exclusive version with a laminated HAP40/SUS410 blade and Pakkawood handles is still less than 2 ounces. For a more affordable take on the modern ultralight lockback, we present KA-BAR's lineup of Bob Dozier-designed folders. This series features two sizes with a few different blades shapes, finishes, and colors to choose from, all a few bucks on either side of 20 bucks at the time of publishing. Even the largest of these knives only tips the scales at 2.2 ounces.
The Dozier folders are not only affordable, but they are also extremely useful across a range of applications. The lightweight Zytel handles feature a neutral shape that will fit pretty much any hand out there. They pair this with a spear point blade that is packed with versatility in mind, and it is made from AUS-8 stainless steel, a great choice in this price range with decent edge holding and easy maintenance.
The all-American Buck 112 Ranger is a bona-fide classic that has recently been reimagined as an ultralight lockback. Dubbed the 112 Ranger Slim Select it hits the top end of our weight ceiling - a full 2.5 ounces - and feels robust for its weight.
The classic 112 features brass bolsters and wood scales. The Slim Select ditches those in favor of colored GFN and adds dual-thumb studs and a deep carry pocket clip. The blade has also been tweaked to be a little more EDC friendly with a straight clip point profile, rather than more aggressive scoop of the original. They have also given it a stonewashed finish for rugged longevity.
The new shape is still paired with their same great 420HC steel, and with their Paul Bos heat treat protocol, many regard Buck Knives as having the best performance of this steel of anyone out there. Upgraded versions of this knife are available with S30V for more edge retention and Micarta or G10 handles for a more premium feel, but the weight does creep up a bit past our limit. They are still definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the design.
Representing the liner lock on this list is the excellent CEO from CRKT, weighing 2.1 ounces, a beautiful and slim gentleman's knife.
The blade is a bit over 3-inches long. Featuring an almost kwaiken style of blade, it is thin and elegant which gives it a lot of precision. Steel is 8Cr13MoV (similar to AUS-8) and the action is quite good. IKBS bearings in the pivot work together with a perfectly placed thumbstud that lets you pop this blade open with a very satisfying feel.
The handles are made with GRN to keep the cost down but it looks more premium. Thanks to a subtle pattern molded in the surface, you get a little extra traction and a vibe that suggests carbon fiber.
It will look just as classy in the pocket too. When folded, the blade completely disappears within the handle and a deep carry clip lets you carry it without taking up any more room in your pocket than a nice ink pen.
While a lot of frame locks usually carry a little extra weight, the Natrix XS gets around that with its patented Sub-Frame Lock. By anchoring a full-size lock bar to a back made from the same sculpted G10 as on the front of the knife, Kershaw keeps this knife to just 1.9 ounces while offering the locking strength you need without the weight penalty.
The blade design is very striking - essentially a modified Wharncliffe - and very usable for everyday carry with 2.75 inches of 8Cr13MoV steel and nice action thanks to KVT bearings in the pivot and a manual flipper. It is not as unobtrusive as the CEO but the sub-3-inch blade it is a great length for places where longer blades are frowned upon, and a reversible deep carry clip means it will stay out of the way until you need it.
This next framelock gets around the weight penalty by ditching the metal lockbar altogether. Top-end versions of Fox Knives‘ Italian-made Suru flipper, a Jesper Voxnaes design, use entirely carbon fiber for both sides of its handles. This includes the lockbar itself, with only a small steel insert at the end to provide the actual locking interface with the blade.
This innovation won them the BLADE Show 2018 Knife of the Year Award and lets them bring weight down to 2.1 ounces. Most of that is down to the broad 2.3” blade which they've kept a little thicker for extra durability. High-performance M390 steel, the go-to for performance on premium knives these days, helps complete the uniquely high-end experience of this design.
As for usability, the flipping action is quite good thanks to a ball-bearing equipped pivot, and in a nod to Spyderco, the full-sized choil allows for a four-fingered grip. The carbon fiber even feels special to the touch, with a peel-ply texture, and it is set off by a gorgeous pocket clip with a zirconium ball on the end.
Benchmade's release of the original Bugout made waves by offering a full-sized blade while only weighing 1.85 ounces. But even more than that knife, the new Mini Bugout is the perfect poster child for the modern ultralight pocket knife, with a blade just under 3 inches long and weighing 1.5 ounces.
Blade steel is S30V for solid edge retention and the drop point shape is not only versatile, but highly efficient at slicing thanks to a high flat grind and thin blade stock. Handles are Grivory and are slim and comfortable to hold. A mini deep carry pocket clip is reversible and holds the knife securely .
SOG also does a great ultralight crossbar locking knife with their Ultra XR, a recent upgrade to their Cash Card money clip knives. Weight on these is a mere 1.2 ounces, mostly achieved by speccing the materials as thin as possible The linerless carbon fiber handles are only millimeters thick, and the blade is also extremely thin in the cross-section to keeps the slicing performance up and weight down.
Steel is S35VN and it comes in just under the 3 inch mark so you won't have to worry about carrying it most places. Two titanium nitride coating options are available. Graphite has been the most popular but I personally like the gold even more.
The reversible clip is wide and deep enough to fit a few cards or bills, or you can just use it like a standard pocket clip, and not a money clip. You could even go a step further and remove the clip which would allow you to slip this knife virtually anywhere and it will really disappear until you need to cut!

Buying a quality knife is the first step towards becoming the Michelin Star chef you’ve always aspired to. Now that you’ve got great knives to work with, it’s time to focus on using and maintaining your steel. While we cover using your knives in other posts, maintaining your knife is equally important. Below are some easy to follow steps, from sharpening to cleaning to storage to traveling, that will help keep your knives and skills equally sharp.

While some knives should be sharpened more than others (and you should never use a standard sharpener with a serrated blade), this guide is primary for your workhorse: the chef knife.
Once you’ve used a truly sharp blade, everything else feels like a butter knife. Here’s what you need to know to keep your knives a cut above the rest.
How Often Should I Sharpen?

The frequency you should sharpen your knives depends on the type of blade, material, quality and how often you use it. If you are a frequent user, you should should plan to sharpen (or visit a professional) every few months. Not so frequent? Then you can space it out longer, up to a year or so. Ultimately, you can just go by feel. if using your knife goes from an easy, pleasurable task to an arduous chore, then it’s time to get back your edge.
Honing your edge will help align your blade, straightening its “teeth”. Some chefs compare it to flossing: an annoying task that you should do regularly (but probably don’t...shame shame). In order to hone your knife, you only need two things: a knife and a honing steel rod.

Start by holding your honing steel tip down against a cutting board. Then place the heel (back) of your blade’s edge against the steel at a 10-15 degree angle at the top of the rod.
Sweep the blade down the rod towards you, maintaining a steady pressure and consistent angle throughout. At the end of each stroke, the tip of your knife should be just above the cutting board. If it helps, imagine you’re slicing through a thick cut of meat and apply the same type of pressure.
Repeat this process 5-8 times on both sides of your blade (equal amounts each side), reducing pressure as you go to ensure both sides remain even.
Even if you have the most expensive knife on the market, it won’t matter if you fail to protect the blade. Here are some additional steps to ensure your blade remains protected in between uses:

Hand wash and towel dry your knife immediately when you are done using it. This will prevent rusting, buildup and other things that can damage a blade over time.
If you invested in your knife and store it in a drawer, spend a little more on a plastic or wood knife sheaths or blade guards. Anything you spend up front will save you much more in the long run.
While knife blocks are usually sufficient, a magnetic strip is the ideal way to store regularly used knives. Attach your knife spine-first to the strip and slowly roll the rest of the blade on when you’re finished using it.
Invest in an edge-grain cutting board (as opposed to an end-grain). It recovers better from use and helps protect your knives as well. Never use your knife directly on a granite countertop and try to avoid plastic when you can.
Never, ever EVER put your knife in the dishwasher! You just invested in a great knife. If you treat it like an everyday item, that’s exactly what it will become. A dishwasher will dull, nick and rust your knife. ALWAYS hand wash and towel dry your knives.
How to Sharpen
Even the sharpest knives can become dull over time. It’s one of the most difficult maintenance tasks in the kitchen and if you feel more comfortable letting a professional sharpen your blades, it’s probably best to let them do it. There are many services that you can send your knives to and receive perfectly sharpened blades a few days later. However, if you want to be a master of your craft, there are a few different ways you should go about sharpening your knives.

While your blade returns to alignment each time you hone it, you may notice that it doesn’t remain as sharp for as long each successive time you hone. At a certain point, it’s time to sharpen again.

Your high-quality knife will contain high-elasticity alloys and can easily be realigned with a standard honing steel. However, you should make sure you never use a diamond-coated or pull-through manual or electric sharpening device to hone your blade as it will destroy your turned edge. These devices are for sharpening only, not honing.

In order to sharpen a knife, you'll need that diamond-coated or ceramic sharpening steel, a whetstone or a modern handheld or electric sharpening device that fixes a constant angle to eliminate the guesswork. One thing to keep in mind is that the speed at which you move your blade against a steel or stone does not matter. What matters much more is the technique: the consistency of pressure, smoothness of your motion, angle of the blade and number of times you sharpen each side.
Using a Steel
While your honing steel is great for maintaining alignment, you need a diamond-coated or ceramic sharpening steel once honing no longer maintains your ideal edge. Ultimately there’s no substitute for a whetstone, but a good sharpening steel can give your edge a longer life.

Hold your steel the same way you did when you honed your edge. This time, place the knife blade against the tip of your sharpening steel at a 20 degree angle.
Pull the knife down and across the steel in a slight arc.
Alternate strokes on each side of the blade and repeat 5 to 10 times.
Note: It’s very important that you maintain the 20 degree angle and run the full length of the cutting edge along the steel from the hilt to the tip. Technique is far more important than speed!
Using a Stone

Using a whetstone is a difficult, labor-intensive and precise way to sharpen a knife. Ultimately, there's no better substitute than learning how to use a whetstone from an expert in person. Improper use of a whetstone can destroy your blade and if you’re a novice, we recommend using a modern handheld or electric sharpening device that maintains the ideal angle throughout.

While an expert can perfectly sharpen a knife with a single-faced stone, it’s more useful to use a three-way oil stone with fine, medium and coarse faces. Only use the stone when your edge does not re-align with a steel, meaning it has dulled from constant use or honing.

Use the video below as a visual guide and the steps listed as a reference, only after you’ve successfully sharpened a knife at least once with a stone.
You will need: a whetstone (or several stones of different grades), a sink, a medium-sized container and a piece of wood (or cutting board) large enough to bridge over your sink.

Fill a medium-sized container with water and thoroughly soak your whetstone (or stones). Keep the stones submerged until they stop bubbling. The water acts as a lubricant during the cutting process and the porous stones must be loaded up before you begin sharpening.
While your stones are soaking, inspect your blade with a light behind you, slowly angling it back and forth. Glints of light will reflect off any imperfections in your blade.
Prepare your workstation by securing your piece of wood (or cutting board, face-down) over your sink and place the whetstone on top.
Starting with the coarsest stone (or coarsest side of your three-way stone), run a continuous trickle of water over the sharpening area from your sink.
With your dominant hand, gently grip your knife by the handle and place it flat on the stone. Gently press the blade into the stone with your thumb and lifting the back of the knife to set your sharpening angle - 10-15 degrees for Japanese knives, 18-22 for European knives.
Keeping your dominant hand on the handle, place your non-dominant hand’s fingers on the tip-side of the blade. While applying even pressure and maintaining a consistent angle, drag the knife across the stone from the tip to heel in a smooth and controlled motion. An arc motion may help you maintain a smoother technique.
After 5 to 7 strokes, flip the knife and repeat on the opposite side. Be sure to match the angle and pressure.
Continue the process, reducing the number of strokes after each pass. The total number of passes on the coarse stone will depend on how hard the knife steel is, how coarse the stone is and how dull or damaged the knife is.
Be sure to check your progress by drying your blade and visually inspecting the areas that were dented and dinged. Gently press your dry thump against the blade and barely move it across the edge. Sharpened spots should feel like sandpaper while dull spots will be smoother.
When all dents and dings are gone and the blade is consistently sharp across its edge, repeat steps 4-9 with the next, finer stone. Make sure you use the same angle and pressure as before. After the coarse stone, fewer passes are necessary. Unlike the coarse stone, the finer stones do not require running water, so you can turn off your faucet for the last two.
Test the blade throughout sharpening. It should feel smoother than after the coarse stone but still pull gently.
Repeat steps 4-9 with the finest stone. Test the blade throughout the sharpening process. With extremely high grit stones, the edge can feel as smooth as glass once completely sharpened.
Strop your blade. While passing the blade (same angle/pressure) over leather or canvas is ideal, denim also works.
Finally, test your knife! Slice a vegetable, a piece of paper or even give your arm a quick shave!