Queen Cutlery is one of the oldest knife manufacturers in the US and is perhaps the only American-based company that has continually produced knives in the same manner as when they first opened their doors.
Founded in 1902, Queen Cutlery has a long-standing dedication both to traditional methods and to innovation. In fact, Queen Cutlery was the first US knife manufacturer to begin using stainless steel rather than carbon steel for their knife steel.
In this review, we’ll be taking a look at a number of Queen pocket knives with different blade and handle styles. Our choice for the best Queen steel pocket knife is the Small Toothpick Pocket Knife with Abalone Shell Handle but you’ll have to read through to the last review to see if you agree with our choice.
An Overview of Queen Steel Pocket Knife Store
Winner -Small Toothpick Pocket Knife With Abalone Shell Handle
This Queen pocket knife is a real beauty. And it’s also made of some high-performing materials so that you can take pride in getting to pass this baby onto one of your grandchildren.
It has a folded length of 3 ⅛ inches and a blade length of 2 ¼. While that may not be very large, it’s a great size for an everyday knife or even a convenient backup knife to have in your pocket. But don’t let that size fool you!
This Small Toothpick Pocket Knife is more than able to outperform larger knives—and will be able to do so for many more years. Thanks to that tradition-minded all-American quality.
Like all toothpick knives, it has a single narrow clipped point blade made of heavy duty D2 steel. This type of steel has a hardness of about 59-60 and contains slightly greater quantities of chromium. This makes for a hard steel with excellent wear and corrosion resistance, as well as edge retention. Naturally, it also means that this blade will take a bit more effort and time to sharpen, but you will need to sharpen it considerably less often than you would a knife of lesser quality.
The handle features genuine abalone shell scales and nickel silver bolsters on both ends. The rear bolster is tapered and dropped, in true toothpick style. This unique shape makes for a stunning knife that would be great for whittling or any household tasks where you find yourself suddenly needing a knife.
Mini Trapper Folding Pocket Knife With Stag Bone Handles
This Trapper Knife has a folded length of 3 ½ inches and weighs just over 3 ounces. The handle is made of genuine Stag bone in aged honey amber color. The bone features a Winterbottom jigged pattern which is a Queen steel pocket knife favorite. Nickel silver bolsters along both ends of the handle complement the high sheen of the twin blades of the knife.
As it is a trapper knife, it features a clipped blade and a spey blade. This a great combination for those who enjoy the unique challenges that small game hunting brings. These blades allow you to swiftly make the few cuts necessary for skinning rabbit or squirrel, for example, but without risking punching holes in the internal organs.
Both blades are made of D2 steel which is occasionally referred to as a “semi-stainless steel” due to the higher chromium content. That slightly higher amount of chromium and air hardening make for a blade that can be honed to an exceptionally sharp edge. It has great corrosion resistance and edge retention. But that also means that this knife steel takes a bit more skill and effort to sharpen.
So, while this may not be the best choice knife for that young squirrel hunter in your life, this knife is a great choice for the seasoned small game hunter who appreciates a quality knife.
Reverse Two-blade Peanut Knife With Mother of Pearl Handles
The Reverse Peanut is a popular style of Queen pocket knives. It features two blades on the same end: a clipped point and a drop point. This blade combination makes the peanut great as an everyday knife as you’re more than prepared for any cutting, slicing, or piercing tasks.
Folded, this knife measures 2 ¾ inches in length, which is also a great size if you like to have a knife on you for those odd tasks but don’t need anything large enough to tackle the great outdoors with. The handle has presentation quality genuine mother of pearl handle scales with nickel silver bolsters on each end. The result is a real pretty knife that you’d be tempted to place in a display box on the mantel.
The blades are made of 420HC stainless steel—which is like having the best qualities of high carbon steel and high chromium stainless steel all rolled together. What you’ve got is a good hard steel with excellent wear resistance and edge retention, both of which serve to greatly increase the life expectancy of the blades. Of course, that does naturally give you a blade that is harder to sharpen.
Whittler Pocket Knife With Wood Handle
If you’re looking for a great quality whittling knife, you would do well to consider this Queen steel pocket knife. This Whittler Pocket Knife measures 3 ½ inches when folded and has a handle with scales made of curly zebra African hardwood. This wood has very distinctive patterning, with a rich brown base and darker lines and thin whorls throughout. Nickel silver bolsters and inlay shield with the Queen Cutlery logo on the mark side contrast nicely against this hardwood.
It has three blades: a clipped point with a fingernail groove for easier opening and engraved with the Queen Cutlery logo, a pen blade with a fingernail groove, and a smooth coping blade. This blade combination will let you easily scoop, shave, cut, and accomplish fine-detail work without ever needing to change tools.
Best of all, these three blades are made of D2 steel: an air hardened steel with higher chromium amounts than other stainless steel. This affords it the extra strength needed to withstand the torque and twisting that a whittling knife must endure. Plus, this steel also has great edge retention so you won’t need to stop halfway through working just to sharpen it.
Want to see more great whittling pocket knives? Check out our reviewed list of the Best Pocket Knives for Whittling.
Final Thoughts on Best Queen Steel Pocket Knife Reviews 2024
There’s no question about it: Queen Cutlery has a great thing going with a longstanding history of making high-quality knives in the traditional way while not being afraid to try new materials and designs. The results only work out in your favor, as these Queen pocket knives clearly show, as you’re sure to get a great-looking knife that can handle whatever abuse you dare put it through.
Our favorite out of these knives is the Small Toothpick with Abalone Shell Handle. What can we say? This knife is a one-part beauty queen and one part heavyweight boxer. It’s made of materials that allow it to keep on going -and without needing to be sharpened- long after other knives have gone dull, gotten dinged up, or simply broke. Yet it is a fine looking knife that you’ll want to show off and that just begs to be turned over in the hand.
Our only complaint is that it is a small toothpick; we’d like to see the same knife in a slightly larger size just so we don’t feel like it’s going to slip out of our pocket unnoticed.
Reference and Resources
- Queen Cutlery, Official Brand Website.
- How to Choose a Hunting Knife, How Stuff Works.
- All 18 Pocket Knife Blade Shapes Explained, The Coo List.
- Does Hunting Help or Hurt the Environment?, Scientific American.