Best OTF Knife: Out The Front Is Back

Written by Mike Searson & David Lane

If there was ever a knife design that captivates the minds of knife aficionados and casual knife users alike, it is the OTF (out the front) automatic. Alternately and somewhat incorrectly referred to as stilettos or even push-knives, OTFs have been hyped a lot by their use in fiction from pulp novels and spy films of the 1960s to more-modern video games and TV shows like 24.

OTF knives represent a relatively small section of the automatic knife market. Most of this has to do with the poorly made imports that were popular at gun shows, flea markets, and gas stations for over three decades. That all changed when a talented young machinist for a major firearm manufacturer began producing high-end OTF knives of his own, with quality materials and manufacturing methods back in the early 1990s. This changed the rules on how automatic knives were made and they were brought from the trash heap to the top of the heap.

One of the myths of the OTF is that it can penetrate someone’s flesh in a killing strike by putting the closed knife to someone’s body and stabbing them to death by the press of a button. These rumors were populated by people who read too many comics or heard too many sea stories from someone’s older brother who “had one in Germany.” Depending on how many beers the storyteller had downed, it might also penetrate a car body or slam closed an open door on contact. 

These kinds of rumors have led to the knives being demonized and criminalized in some jurisdictions. Before picking one up, check the knife laws in your area. We looked at a lot of different OTFs over the past few months and found a few unusual suspects you might want to keep your eyes peeled for if you are in search of a new edged fidget spinner.

BEST OUT THE FRONT KNIVES

Heretic Knives Roc

Heretic Knives makes some of the toughest working automatic knives out there. The Roc is no exception, and it’s fitted with a MagnaCut blade.

Named for a mythical giant bird of prey, the Roc lives up to its name with its curved blade, reminiscent of the talons or beak of its mythological namesake.

Blade is a finely ground hawkbill style with a sharp piercing tip. Execution is a testament to Anthony Marfione Jr.’s ability as an engineer, as this is not an easy design to master.

Heretic Knives ROC D/A OTF Automatic Knife

$490.00

Benchmade Shootout CF Elite

Benchmade’s CF Elite is a testament to how the company is always refining their automatic knife designs. If you’re looking for an ultra-lightweight OTF, this would be a good candidate.

The auto mechanism was fast and consistent every time. The CF Elite G10 was from a limited run but the knife is now available with different tactical-colored G10 scales.

Used in a several week stretch of daily chores and tackling cardboard boxes, the edge started to dull but was quickly resurrected by a few swipes on a ceramic sharpener back to its shaving sharp edge. This knife is equally at home in a tactical loadout as in a pocket in dress slacks for a boardroom presentation.

Benchmade Shootout D/A OTF Automatic Knife CF-Elite 5370FE

$269.99

Bear Ops Double Clutch V

The Double Clutch V is from Bear & Sons under their Bear Ops brand of automatic knives. It sports a 4.5-inch American tanto blade made of D2 tool steel.

You get a full-sized handle with a good-sized blade in this one. The scales are textured aluminum with a decent-sized lanyard hole at the butt end of the knife. The simple design exudes nothing but elegance.

The knife performed well in making short work of cardboard boxes, dicing tomatoes for salsa, cutting paracord, and whittling on blackthorn sticks.

Bear Ops Bear Son Double Clutch IV OTF Knife OTF-400-ALBK-S

$222.95

Tekto Knives A5 Spry

Tekto is a relatively new U.S.-based tactical knife company with a nice selection of OTF knives. The A5 Spry is one of their most tactical designs.

The A5 Spry has a richly textured aluminum handle with a quick firing button that snaps with authority. The blade is S35 VN with a black DLC coating. The butt of the handle features a reversible pocket clip capped off with a glass breaking point.

The contours make for a very comfortable and assertive grip.

Tekto Knives A5 Spry Knife

$250.00

Normandy Knives Shogun

Normandy Knives is a Utah-based company that offers a variety of low-cost OTF type knives, many of which have a nice artistic flair to them.

The Shogun pays homage to the Japanese Katana, the fabled long sword of the Samurai.

Its handle is patterned on a traditional Tsuka with the aluminum milled to resemble the wrapped ray skin we’re all so familiar with as fans of Japanese-style knives. Even the stainless Damascus blade is an excellent touch

SOG Pentagon OTF

SOG Knives has been a major player in the tactical knife realm for decades. Noted for their amazing military-style fixed blades of the 1980s and their innovative multi-tools and folding knives in the ’90s and oughts, they recently ventured into the world of automatic knives. The Pentagon OTF may very well be their new flagship model.

This double-edged design probably has the most complex inner working of any production OTF that’s out there due to SOG’s Dynamic Locking Mechanism. It makes for a heavier knife than a typical OTF, but it is one of the most solid types you will ever encounter.

Blackhawk Knives Send It! OTF

Blackhawk Knives is a blast from the tactical past as the company’s designs have changed hands numerous times over the years, but they seem to have found a home under the banner of Bear & Sons Cutlery.

The Send It is a full-sized OTF knife with a DLC-coated D2 blade. The push-button mechanism is solid and easy to manipulate even while wearing gloves.

The aluminum handle is grooved and shaped very well for easy handling in most situations. This knife screams “Doorkicker.”

Bear & Sons has a few surprises like this as of 2024. They’re not just another Butterfly knife manufacturer that turns out a few autos. The Blackhawk line and some we’ve seen from the old MOD brand (Masters of Defense) show a lot of versatility in their catalog this time out.

Blackhawk! Blackhawk Send It! Tanto OTF Automatic Knife

$230.95

Kershaw Livewire MagnaCut 

For an OTF that is more unassuming than most, the Livewire gets the job done without being loud about it. None of the aspects of the Livewire really stand out in a dramatic way, but it’s a solid knife that is dependable and doesn’t let you down. 

MagnaCut steel holds an edge longer than you thought was possible, making the Livewire MagnaCut extremely low-maintenance as well. The push button is grippy enough, but barely. The detents are firm without being too strong, and the handle is contoured well enough. 

Everything about the Kershaw Livewire is good enough, but none of it really blows us away. It’s a safe pick, maybe even a Goldilocks pick, but it also feels a little uninteresting. But the same could be said about a Toyota Camry or Glock 19.

Kershaw Livewire MagnaCut Tanto OTF Automatic Knife Al/CF

$369.95

Microtech Ultratech Gen IV 

Widely recognized as the GOAT in the OTF world, Microtech has a long brand history of making incredible, durable, highly dependable workhorse knives. For an OTF that will outlast your truck, your relationship, and your everyday carry gun, Microtech is hard to beat. And it’s not just words; they’ve got the proven track record to back it up.

That said, it’s not our favorite. 

In the hand, the Ultratech just doesn’t feel nice. It’s kind of blocky; it’s a little slippery, and the button to actuate the blade is loose enough to rattle, giving a poor connection from your thumb to the blade. Large pocket clip is nice, and a glass breaker pommel is a feature we’ll probably never use, but it’s nice to have. 

For being on the high side of price for a production knife, it doesn’t feel premium. But that’s just our subjective opinion. What isn’t subjective is that Mictrotech is probably the most durable OTF on the market, and that counts for a lot. 

Microtech Ultratech IV D/E OTF Knife Orange

$326.00

EDITOR’S PICK: Axial Shift V3 

One of the newer options on the OTF market, Axial has quickly gained a following for producing an outstanding knife at a pretty respectable price. Punching way above its price in feel, the Shift V3 is the best Axial has to offer (so far). 

Clean lines, grippy texture, deep carry pocket clip, great button texture that has a shorter-than-average throw giving a crisp, responsive feel, the Axial Shift V3 does just about everything right and does it well. To top it off, it was made in the USA and it just looks damn good.

After testing, the Axial Shift V3 earned a place in my EDC knife pocket.

Axial Shift V3 D/A Dagger OTF Automatic Knife Arc

$279.00

Guardian Tactical GTX-025 

We’ve been big fans of Guardian Tactical for a long time, and the GTX-025 only adds another chapter. Premium feel, short button throw, grippy body without getting in the way, glass breaker pommel, and a deep carry clip. All of this made in the USA. 

The GTX-025 is one of the smaller OTFs Guardian Tactical makes, but this is a really underrated size. While a normal full-size 3.5”-ish blade OTF is a great EDC size, sometimes smaller is a little better. With a 2.5” blade, the GTX-025 cuts 2” off the overall length, making for a very handy knife that feels more like a classic utility pocket knife.

The smaller blade also means a spring that requires less force and results in an easier-to-actuate button. Less force required just feels a little nicer in your hand. Side note, while the GTX-025 is a little small in my men’s XL hands, it’s the perfect size for my wife’s women’s medium hands. Combined with the easier-to-use OTF action makes it even better.

Guardian Tactical GTX-025 OTF Knife Reese Weiland

$365.00

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