Episodes

What makes a pocket knife truly great at everything? In Episode 676, Bob DeMarco builds a list of 10 great \"do everything\" pocket knives, and the ground rules are strict. The knife has to handle everyday cutting tasks without a second thought. It has to be a credible self-defense option with solid ergonomics and the right blade geometry. And it has to be something you would be glad you had if a short hike turned into an unplanned overnight in the woods. None of the usual suspects made the ...

What does a serious Spyderco collection look like? In Episode 675 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco walks through his complete lineup of Spyderco folders, from the iconic Military and Military 2 in CruCarta to the Native Chief Salt series in MagnaCut to the full Yojimbo family designed by Michael Janich. Bob shares the personal stories behind each knife, including a purple Delica 4 named Sleepy Bear by his daughter and a Police Model OG he first saw in a Philadelphia bike shop decad...

Episode 674 of The Knife Junkie Podcast is a deep look at daggers—one of the most discussed and most misunderstood blade categories in the knife community. Bob DeMarco brings out twelve daggers for a collection update that covers everything from a World War II-era KA-BAR/EK Commando Knife to a Microtech SBD trade pickup he had been hunting for years. The lineup includes the Randall Knives Model 2-7 Combat Stiletto, Cold Steel Peace Keeper II, Spartan Harsey Dagger, Spartan George Raider Dagger,...

Bob DeMarco welcomes Al Salvitti of Regiment Blades to Episode 673 of The Knife Junkie Podcast for one of the most grounded, experience-driven conversations the show has had in a long time. Salvitti brings 52 years of martial arts training, 15 years of real-world bouncing experience in Philadelphia and South Jersey, and a knife design built entirely around what actually works when fists are flying. This is not a conversation about what looks good in a video — it is a conversation about what kep...

What happens when one knife brand builds its entire identity around traditional American slip-joint patterns and then starts making locking, flipping versions of every single one? You get a collection that is hard to look away from. In Episode 672 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco puts the full lineup of locking Jack Wolf Knives folders on camera, showing each one beside the slip-joint sibling that inspired it. Designer Ben Belkin has been at this for a while now, and seeing the whol...

Lynn Thompson founded Cold Steel Knives in the early 1980s and ran it for about 40 years, building it into one of the most recognized tactical knife brands in the world. After selling to GSM Outdoors and honoring his non-compete through June 2025, Lynn is back with something new: Lynn Thompson Tactical Knives, available at NeverUnarmed.com. On Episode 671 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco sits down with Lynn for a wide-open conversation about where it all started and where it is goi...

Episode 670 of The Knife Junkie Podcast is all about great high-end knife carry combinations, and host Bob DeMarco brings seven of them to the table. Each pairing follows two simple rules: never carry two knives from the same company, and never carry two knives with the same blade shape. The result is a thoughtful and practical look at how to build a multi-knife carry that actually makes sense. Whether it is a heavy-duty folder paired with a slim fixed blade, a large clip point paired with a st...

What does it take to turn a 40-plus-year obsession with blades into a YouTube channel worth watching? Joe Steel of The Steel Mindset can answer that question. In Episode 669 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco sits down with Joe for a conversation that covers the origins of a lifelong passion, the craft and culture behind the katana, top production sword brands, and what it is like to build a knife and sword channel from the ground up while living in one of the least collector-friendl...

In Episode 668 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco tackles a subject that sits right at the intersection of utility and self-defense: folding knives with straight cutting edges. Bob walks through 12 folders that all share a flat or nearly flat edge profile, and he explains the geometry behind why these blades transfer more force to the tip on a slash or thrust than a curved edge does. Whether you carry a knife for everyday work or are interested in personal protection, this episode o...

On Episode 667 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco sits down with two of the most well-known brothers in the online knife community: Austin Culbertson, known on YouTube as Hissatsu5, and his brother Mathew Culbertson. The Culbertson brothers have been making knife videos for close to 20 years, starting with water bottle cut tests filmed on a bad camera, and building their channels into trusted resources for knife owners who want to know what their blades can actually do. One area of ...

Episode 666 of The Knife Junkie Podcast opens with a comment that cuts straight to the point. A viewer described surviving a serious rollover accident, trapped upside down and unable to free himself from a seatbelt, as smoke filled the car. That experience turned him into a lifelong knife carrier. Host Bob DeMarco uses the story to set up the entire episode: a pocketknife is not just a hobby. When things go wrong fast, what you carry and how fast you can open it can matter more than you expect. ...

On Episode 665 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco welcomes David Baker, the historic weapons recreation specialist, bladesmith, and longtime Forged in Fire judge who has spent decades building some of the most accurate weapon replicas on television. Before he ever touched a forge, Baker was dancing in Grease 2 and acting in Hollywood. A knee injury, a stage combat class, and a chance to watch the legendary Jody Samson at work eventually pointed him toward the craft that would define h...

In Episode 664 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco celebrates the clip-point blade shape with a showcase of 10 clip-point and bowie-style knives he added to his collection over the past year. From the updated Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowie in 3V to a custom Hogtooth Knives Fighting Bowie inspired by Bill Bagwell, Bob walks through each knife with the kind of detail and enthusiasm that only a true collector can deliver. You will hear about the history, the steel, the handle materials, and...

On Episode 663 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, Bob DeMarco sits down with Gary Creely of Creely Blades, a custom knife maker and pastor from Pennsylvania, who is building a high-performance knife company focused on top-tier steels, smart heat treatment, and blade geometry that cuts. Gary shares how he went from fishing the Schuylkill River with a cheap carbon-steel toothpick knife to running a growing operation with CNC grinding, a laser cutter, and a goal of producing 2,000 knives a year. He disc...

Bob DeMarco counts down 15 of his favorite nasty little knives built for self-defense and concealment on Episode 662 of The Knife Junkie Podcast. From the Shivworks Clinch Pick, born from real-world undercover encounters, to the Station IX No.4 SOE Lapel Dagger, inspired by World War II spy weapons, these are blades that stay hidden and stay ready. Bob shares the stories behind each knife, explains what makes them effective, and talks about why small fixed blades deserve a place in your carry ro...

Bob DeMarco shows off his growing Microtech knife collection in Episode 661 of The Knife Junkie podcast. Starting with the SOCOM Elite, which represents so many firsts in his knife life, Bob walks through the SOCOM Elite Auto, the SOCOM Bravo made by Rike Knives, the SOCOM Elite Ram-Lok, the LUDT Gen 3, the Ultratech and Troodon double-edged out-the-fronts, the Stitch (a Borka Blades collaboration), and the new Amphibian with a Ram-Lok. He even pulls out a clone of the Stitch to show the differe...

On Episode 660 of The Knife Junkie Podcast (www.theknifejunkie.com/660), Bob DeMarco is joined by Rikki Hernandez, also known as CaptRikki, a professional videographer turned knife content creator who is making a name for himself by telling the stories behind the blades. Rikki shares how he went from filming bodybuilders, wildlife, and music producers to building a YouTube channel and Instagram account dedicated to the knife world. His entry point was not knife collecting but photography, and t...

Bob DeMarco counts down 12 totally unique folding knife designs on this week\'s episode of The Knife Junkie Podcast. From the Civivi Vision FG and its innovative locking mechanism designed by Snecx to the Microtech Stitch with its Borka Blades-designed profile and Ram-Lok system, Bob walks through a dozen folders, each bringing something different to the knife world. Along the way, he shares what changed his mind about the Off-Grid Knives Raptor, why the Pinkerton Knives Feral Folder is built fo...

On Episode 658 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob \"The Knife Junkie\" DeMarco presents 15 of the best everyday defense blades — or EDD blades — available today. Unlike standard EDC knives, EDD blades are purpose-built for personal defense, with blade geometry, grip ergonomics, and sheath systems designed to enable fast, reliable deployment in real-world defensive situations. Bob covers 15 options that span the full range from affordable production knives to small-batch makers and custom-adj...

In Episode 657 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, host Bob DeMarco counts down his personal list of 10 great combat knives—real-world fixed blades built for fighting utility, not just show. From the IDF-inspired TKell Knives Outrider to the legendary USMC KA-BAR to a Bill Harsey-designed Spartan Blades Kukri, Bob walks through each knife with honest commentary on steel, design, ergonomics, and real carry experience. Whether you are a collector looking for your next fixed blade or just want to underst...

On this episode (656) of The Knife Junkie Podcast, Bob DeMarco speaks with Christopher Adelhardt of Pariah Knives, a maker who brings a unique background to the craft. Before Christopher ever ground his first blade, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and taught ceramics at the Erie Art Museum for more than five years. He also worked as a finish carpenter for nearly a decade, learning precision and craftsmanship from his father. This combination of artistic vision and hands-on building ski...

In Episode 655 of The Knife Junkie Podcast, Bob DeMarco shares his top 10 outdoor fixed blade knives, each tested through years of real-world use. From budget Moraknivs to the legendary Cold Steel Trailmaster he has carried for nearly three decades, this lineup represents knives that actually perform when you need them most. Bob walks through his current pocket check featuring the Emerson Zero Tolerance 0620, Jack Wolf Knives Timber Jack, TKell Nightstalker, and Cold Steel Desperado. The episo...

Welcome to The Knife Junkie Podcast, Episode 654. This week, Bob DeMarco sits down with John Curran of Curran Blades, a custom knife maker from Vero Beach, Florida, who builds bold, one-of-a-kind tactical folders and fixed blades. John began making knives about 20 years ago after he could not find a specific hunting knife in stores. That first rough blade, built with a torch and motor oil, sparked a passion that eventually became a full-time career. Three years ago, John caught what he calls 't...

Episode 653 of The Knife Junkie Podcast takes a deeply personal turn as host Bob DeMarco shares the knives that hold the most meaning in his collection. This episode goes beyond steel types and blade geometry to explore the emotional connections that make knife collecting a lifelong passion. From family heirlooms nearly 100 years old to custom collaborations that mark personal milestones, Bob presents thirteen blades that represent different chapters in his life and collecting journey. The epis...