There are tons of great options for EDC knives from the classic Victorinox Swiss knife to more varied offerings from other brands. But the whole point of having an EDC knife is rendered moot if you often forget to bring it with you.
That’s where belt knives come in. These knives are portable daily gear that fits in your hand and clips onto your belt or belt loops, ensuring that you never leave home without them because you’d have to forget your belt first.
While most knives that come with belt clips are foldable pocket knives, you’ll be surprised to find that there are actually fixed blade knives out there that can do that as well as other, even smaller knives so you don’t feel like you’re carrying a tool belt on your waist.
TOP CHOICES
Best Multipurpose Knife
Gerber Gear 31-002521N
- 1.75-inch fixed blade.
- Rust resistant metal.
- Doubles as a money clip.
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Best Fixed Blade Knife
Kershaw Secret Agent
- Reinforced polymer grip.
- Corrosion resistant black oxide coating.
- Can be clipped onto either belt, UWB carry, or leg straps.
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Best for Discrete Carry
Schrade SCHCC1
- 3.6-inch full tang blade.
- Doubles as a money and card clip.
- Made of high carbon stainless steel.
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1Gerber Gear 31-002521N
Best Multipurpose Knife
The Gerber Gear 31-002521N is one of the smallest knives you can find online that’s still functional, making this a great lightweight knife for carrying around on your belt.
This tiny blade measures only 1.75 inches and has a fine, plain edge for slicing through objects. That said, the knife is just long enough to let you peel an apple, but not long enough to make it easy to cut it into slices.
The knife comes with a money clip for you to sheath it in. Once sheathed, the knife disappears into the clip with only the green ring on its handle showing so you can still pull the knife out with ease.
PROS
- 1.75-inch fixed blade.
- Rust resistant metal.
- Doubles as a money clip.
CONS
- Blade is too short to be effective for certain tasks.
2Kershaw Secret Agent
Best Fixed Blade Knife
The Kershaw Secret Agent is a fixed blade knife made of high carbon stainless steel. This special material gives it distinctly increased durability and hardness compared to your average stainless steel knife.
This knife is designed for taking abuse that would have most other knives needing maintenance, such as cutting through rope, fiberglass, and aluminum, and still keep its edge.
It comes with a multipurpose sheath with a belt clip attached to the back. The clip is large enough to allow you to clip your knife to your belt, bootstrap, or UWB carry so you can choose whichever you’re more comfortable with.
PROS
- Reinforced polymer grip.
- Corrosion resistant black oxide coating.
- Can be clipped onto either belt, UWB carry, or leg straps.
CONS
- Larger fixed blade may make it uncomfortable to wear for some users.
3Schrade SCHCC1
Best for Discrete Carry
Most pocket knives are already small and discrete, hence the “pocket” in the name, but the Schrade SCHCC1 has a leg up because of its low profile design and full tang fixed blade.
This knife is designed to be an EDC knife, hence a more functional 3.6-inch stainless steel blade that you can use for basic survival tasks like cutting through rope, branches, and similar material, albeit with a straight edge.
The knife fits neatly into a money clip sheath. Unlike the Gerber Gear 31-002521N, the handle lies flat inside the upper part of the money clip and is in a plain steel color than bright green, making it almost imperceptible unless you know it’s there.
PROS
- 3.6-inch full tang blade.
- Doubles as a money and card clip.
- Made of high carbon stainless steel.
CONS
- No grip or handle aside from the hole at the end of the blade.
4Kizer Gemini Mini
The Kizer Gemini mini is a 6.42-inch pocket knife that weighs a little under 3 oz. It uses a liner lock that gives you a snappy, satisfying sound every time the knife unfolds and keeps the blade shut in the handle when not in use.
The blade makes a fantastic EDC knife because of its 2.79-inch blade that’s made of durable N690 stainless steel. It’s low maintenance and good as an all-around blade.
It has an aluminum handle with a smooth, matte finish that fits nicely in the palm of your hand and provides a firm grip. There’s a small hole at the handle for attaching it to a lanyard and a clip at the back side of the knife for clipping it onto your belt.
PROS
- N690 stainless steel blade.
- Belt clip for built into the handle.
- Uses a liner lock.
CONS
- Smooth, untextured handle.
5Kizer Mini Bay Pocket Knife
The Kizer Mini Bay Pocket Knife is a tiny knife designed for use as a survival tool. It features a red and white handle that comes with a belt clip so you can easily attach it to your belt or the inner part of your pants’ waistband.
This knife has a S35VN sheep foot blade that’s relatively low maintenance and allows for great control, making it easy to use for your usual outdoor tasks.
However, the knife is non-locking which means you have to hold the blade tail in place yourself. This can be an unnecessary risk for some users who are young, inexperienced, or neurodivergent.
PROS
- Unfolds smoothly.
- Lightweight design.
- Belt clip screwed onto the back of the handle.
CONS
- Non-locking knife.
6CIVIVI Folding Pocket Knife Baklash
The CIVIVI Folding Pocket Knife Baklash is a water-resistant, foldable pocket knife with a drop point blade.
The knife is made of rust-resistant stainless steel with black stonewash that helps hide any imperfections the knife will gain over time as it gets used. It uses ball bearings to allow for smooth deployment every time you need the knife.
As for its handle, the CIVIVI Folding Pocket Knife Baklash uses a textured G-10 handle that feels very secure in the hand and doesn’t slip as you perform tasks with the knife. The belt clip is attached to the handle and allows you to clip it onto your waistband and pocket.
PROS
- Comes with lifetime guarantee.
- Uses ball bearings in the pivot for smooth unfolding.
- Slip resistant textured grip.
CONS
- Black stonewash finish is harder to maintain.
7CIVIVI Bullmastiff Folding Pocket Knife
The CIVIVI Bullmastiff Folding Pocket Knife is a cleaver-style blade that’s perfect for cooking outdoors when you don’t have a real kitchen knife on you.
The blade uses a linear lock that lets you flip it in and out of the handle smoothly using the ball bearings in its pivot. Unlike non-locked blades, this allows for seamless deployment without the risk of losing control of the blade.
The blade is made of high carbon stainless steel and is designed for rough use as an EDC and survival knife.
Its handle features coarse G-1o scales so you get a comfortable, slip-free grip with a belt clip attached.
PROS
- Unique cleaver style blade.
- G10 textured handle.
- Reversible carry clip
CONS
- Slightly heavier than pocket knives with slimmer blades.
