Why a high-quality outdoor knife is essential for hunters, survival experts, and outdoor enthusiasts
Imagine you're deep in the wilderness: The fire is crackling, the sun is slowly setting, and the shadows are lengthening. It's precisely in moments like these that a reliable outdoor knife becomes your best friend. Whether you're carving tinder for the campfire, preparing a meal outdoors, or building a makeshift shelter – a high-quality, handcrafted outdoor knife is the tool you need to rely on in every situation.
Whether you're an avid bushcrafter, experienced hunter, passionate survival expert, ambitious trekking fan, or simply a tool lover – without a good knife, you're taking unnecessary risks. But quality makes all the difference: A first-class outdoor knife stays sharp even under the toughest conditions, won't break unexpectedly, and will accompany you on all your adventures for years to come. It's far more than just a piece of steel and wood – it's a loyal companion that will give you security when it matters most.
Craftsmanship & unique quality: The philosophy of Iconic Tools
When it comes to reliable outdoor knives, we rely on uncompromising craftsmanship and sophisticated quality. Each of our knives is lovingly handcrafted. This care and dedication is evident in every movement: You're not holding a mass-produced product, but a unique piece, crafted with passion and the commitment to providing you with the best possible tool.
Our brand philosophy is clear: craftsmanship and durability are paramount. At Iconic Tools, we believe that a knife should be a lifetime companion. That's why we choose materials and manufacturing methods carefully. Cutting-edge high-performance steels meet traditional blacksmithing—bringing together the best of both worlds. Every Iconic Tools knife tells a story: from the vision of our designers to the meticulous craftsmanship of our blacksmiths to your own experiences outdoors. We create knives that are not only functionally impressive, but also have a soul.
Material science: High-quality steels for our survival knives
A survival knife can only be as good as the materials it's made from. That's why we use some of the world's finest blade steels and combine them with select handle materials that maximize durability and comfort.
Blade steels: We use only premium steels with outstanding properties for our blades. We primarily use three types, each with its own special advantages:
- Böhler M390:A powder-metallurgical high-performance steel from Austria, known for its exceptional edge retention and corrosion resistance. M390 retains its sharpness for an exceptionally long time – even when you subject your knife to intensive use when chopping wood, butchering game, or in everyday work. At the same time, this steel is rustproof, so wind and weather have little effect on it. For you, this means less resharpening and a knife you can rely on even after many uses.
- Uddeholm Vanadis 4 Extra:A special alloyed tool steel from Sweden, manufactured using the powder metallurgy process. Vanadis 4 Extra (also known as "SuperClean") impresses with its extreme toughness and wear resistance. This steel is primarily used where the knife is subjected to heavy loads—such as chopping wood, levering, or other survival tasks. It forgives hard blows and stress without chipping or breaking. While the slightly lower chromium content compared to M390 requires some maintenance to prevent rust (a drop of oil now and then is sufficient), the robustness of this steel makes it a favorite for anyone who relies on their tools in extreme wilderness.
- Böhler N690:This stainless blade steel from Böhler is considered an excellent all-rounder for outdoor knives. Thanks to its balanced chemical composition (including chromium, molybdenum, and a small amount of vanadium), N690 offers high edge stability while also being easy to resharpen. In practice, this means: A blade made of N690 stays reliably sharp for all your common outdoor activities—from carving a marshmallow stick to breaking open fish or cutting rope—and can still be resharpened in the field with comparatively little effort. N690 is also highly corrosion-resistant, so rain, snow, or forest moisture won't harm the steel. Reliability and ease of care characterize this steel, making it the ideal choice for versatile utility knives.
Depending on the steel, we harden our knives to approximately 60 HRC Rockwell. This hardness gives the blades their long service life (hardness) and, at the same time, enough toughness to withstand even the most demanding conditions without chipping. Through precise heat treatment, we extract the optimum from each steel – so you have maximum performance in your hand at the crucial moment.
Handle materials of our knives
Just as important as the steel is the material the handle is made of. A good grip ensures secure handling, high comfort, and contributes to the overall durability of the knife. At Iconic Tools, we use both traditional woods and modern high-tech materials, depending on the model and intended use:
- Fine and stabilized hardwoods:Our knife handles are made from hand-selected woods such as stabilized bog oak, Mediterranean olive wood, cocobolo, or European yew. Each wood tells its own story: Bog oak, for example, comes from centuries-old oak trees preserved in bogs. Stabilization with resin makes this high-quality wood extremely durable without losing its beautiful grain and characteristics. Olive wood from the Mediterranean region impresses with its warm color play and natural oil content, making it resistant to moisture. Cocobolo is a tropical rosewood, which stands for exceptional strength and a magnificent reddish-brown pattern. Yew wood was once indispensable for legendary archers and lends the knife a classic, rustic touch while remaining highly durable. All of these woods are stabilized or refined in a complex process to prevent cracking and increase their natural slip resistance. The result is handles that fit securely in the hand even in wet conditions and retain their shape for years.
- Micarta:For truly tough applications and users who challenge their knives in all weather conditions, we incorporate Micarta handles into select models. This material consists of resin-soaked layers of linen, cotton, or other fibers that are pressed together under high pressure. The result is a virtually indestructible handle that provides a firm grip even underwater. Micarta doesn't swell or shrink, and is resistant to heat, cold, and chemicals—ideal for survival knives that have to withstand a lot. At the same time, thanks to its slightly textured surface, Micarta feels comfortable to hold without causing hand fatigue.
Regardless of the material, we ensure that every handle is ergonomically designed. Ultimately, your outdoor knife should fit comfortably in your hand and remain precisely controllable, even after extended use. Gently rounded edges, a thickened handle shape, and partially integrated finger grooves ensure that you won't feel any pressure points, even when gripping forcefully. Every detail has a purpose: from the mosaic-decorated pin that connects the blade and handle of the Animus model and emphasizes the craftsmanship, to the eyelet at the end of the handle where you can attach a lanyard – we've thought of everything so you can rely completely on your knife.
