WINNER
Utica Cutlery Company has been in the same location in Utica, NY since opening their doors in 1910. In the true American spirit of determination and problem solving, the company was formed as a solution to increase employment and economic balance to the area. Since then, Utica Cutlery has continued to design and produce pocket knives, cutlery, and even flatware in the very same building. Utica pocket knives are known for their quality, having achieved the Army-Navy “E” Award for their “Excellence in Production” of war equipment during WWII.
Utica pocket knives are part of their Kutmaster line of products, featuring a wide range of knives such as licensed CAT knives, Team Realtree, Lost Camo, Moonshine Camo, and many other the Utica pocket knives they’ve produced since 1910.
To give you an idea of the range of options that exist and the level of quality you can expect in a Utica pocket knife, we’ve put together a in-depth review of a number of their knives. Our top pick is the Coffin Pocket Knife with Catskill Handle, which we’ll go into detail about right away.
Winner – Utica Coffin Pocket Knife With Catskill Handle
The Coffin style pocket knives feature a uniquely shaped handle that is surprisingly ergonomic. The casket-like shape provides slight finger grooves along the sides of the handle that allow you to really get a good grip on this knife. The heel is wider than the rest of the handle and has the distinctive tapered shape of a casket.
This Coffin pocket knife is part of Utica’s Catskill family of knives, so it has richly brown colored bone scales that have been jigged to provide an even more comfortable hand-feel thanks to the resulting texturization. The bone scales are held in place with three brass pins and feature nickel silver bolsters at both ends.
There are two blades on this Coffin pocket knife, a clipped blade and a spey blade. Spey blades have a dulled point that make them well suited for tasks where you need a sharp cutting edge but don’t need the threat of a sharp knife point poking through what you’re cutting. As the name implies, a spey blade was originally designed for neutering animals—a delicate process that would be inhibited by a sharp pointed blade.
Both blades are made of 1095 stainless steel and polished to a mirror-like finish. Each of the blades also features a fingernail groove for easier deployment. The closed length of this knife is 3 7/8 inches.
Muskrat Pocket Knife With Big Pine Handle
The Muskrat pocket knives are designed for skinning small animals. They typically have two blades of the same style on opposite ends. This Muskrat Utica pocket knife is part of their Big Pine series, which features a variety of different styled pocket knives each with bold, deep green, bone handle scales.
The green bone scales give this series of Utica pocket knives a very distinctive look and they have been jigged to give the handle a slight texturization to improve grip and appearance. The handle has nickel silver bolsters on both ends that are highly polished to compliment the mirror finish of the two blades.
Many Muskrat knives have clipped blades and this knife follows suit with long, thin clipped blades that will easily perform the few cuts necessary for skinning small mammals. The blades have a clean cutting edge and fingernail groove to allow for easier opening.
They’re made of 1095 stainless steel, a plain carbon steel that is easy to sharpen to a razor sharp edge and has a hardness of about 57 on the Rockwell hardness scale. The Utica logo can be found along one blade and there is also a Utica shield logo inlay upon the handle.
The handle measures 3 7/8 inches long, making this a great Utica pocket knife for adults or as a gift for that young squirrel hunter in your life. The smaller size makes it easy to maneuver while the thin blade allows you to expertly cut the hide without the risk of damaging the meat or puncturing internal organs.
Stockman Pocket Knife With Catskill Handle
This is a medium-sized Stockman, measuring 3 7/8 inches when closed. This Utica pocket knife is part of their Catskill series, which features a number of different style pocket knives and even a letter open with rich brown toned bone handle scales. The bone scales have been jigged and hand polished to provide a comfortable grip and high luster. Each end of the handle has a nickel silver bolster that has been tempered for extra strength and polished to match the mirror finish of the three blades.
The blades of this Stockman are the typical clipped, sheepsfoot, and spey blades that make this style of pocket knife an old favorite. This combination of blades is useful for a variety of different cutting needs from skinning to whittling to general utility purposes. The blades are made of 1095 stainless steel, which is a popular choice in pocket knives as it is low cost and easy to sharpen.
A classic Utica shield logo is inlaid upon the handle scales, which are adhered with three brass pins. The clipped blade is stamped with a Utica logo while the spey blade and the sheepsfoot blade are unmarked.
Utica Traditional Hunting Knife
This Traditional hunting knife is made to perform season after season and has a rugged construction that can truly take a beating. Its handle features impregnated hardwood scales that are made to withstand wet conditions without warping or cracking. This makes it highly durable and a reliable knife you can enjoy using for years to come. The handle is 5 inches long and features solid brass bolsters on both ends. It also has a dropped heel that allows the handle of this hunting knife to better fit the natural shape of your hand, making for a more comfortable grip.
The blade has a clipped point with a slight upsweep that provides a slight belly that increases the functionality of this hunting knife. It measures 3 ¾ inches long and has a fingernail groove along the clipped edge of the spine. This is a lock back hunting knife that remains securely open while in use to provide you the confidence that comes with using a fixed blade knife. This also keeps the knife securely closed should you prefer to carry it in your pocket.
However, this Utica hunting knife does come with a rugged leather sheath with a belt loop and snap closure.
Body Lock Hunting Knife
To give you a better idea of the quality of Utica pocket knives, this Body Lock hunting knife stands out from the others we’ve looked at in this review. This hunting knife is part of Utica’s Team Realtree series and feature Realtree camouflage on the handle. The handle is contoured to provide a sure grip, with finger grooves, a dropped heel, and jimping just at the end of the handle for better control with detailed tasks. There are several pass-through holes along the handle that make it lightweight.
The blade is made of 420 stainless steel -a common steel that is easy to sharpen and has good edge retention. The blade is a drop point with swaged edge to produce a strong point. There is a slight upsweep to the blade to provide a longer cutting edge on this otherwise 3 ¾ inches long blade. There are dual thumb studs at the base of the blade that make this knife suitable for those who are right or left handed and allow it to be easily opened with one hand.
This Utica hunting knife has an overall length of 9 inches and weighs 8 ounces. It comes with a heavy-duty nylon sheath as well as a limited lifetime warranty.
Final Thoughts on Utica Pocket Knives Reviews 2024
As you can see from the reviews above, Utica Cutlery Company produces a wide variety of quality pocket knives that are surprisingly affordable. US-based from the time of their founding until now, Utica Cutlery continues to produce pocket knives that are aimed to benefit with their high functionality, while helping to improve the US economy by providing jobs and economic diversity in their hometown. The pocket knives that we looked at above are only a very small sampling of what you can expect from Utica. As noted, the Coffin pocket knife with the Catskill handle was our particular favorite, what with the highly uniquely shaped handle that provides a solid grip and great functionality. The combination of clipped blade with a spey blade mean that this pocket knife is also able to handle most any task that you encounter, whether you’re putzing about your homestead or tinkering in your basement or garage.
Sources and Official Brand Websites
- Utica Cutlery, Official Brand Website.
- A Beginner’s Guide to Whittling, Art of Manliness.
- Guide to the Best Knife Steel, Knife Informer.
- How to Choose a Hunting Knife, How Stuff Works.
- Health Benefits of Hunting, Michigan State University.