What Is A Honey Badger Knife (History, Materials & Verdict)

Don’t you just love it when knife makers get creative with their naming systems and designs at the same time?

For me, that is one of the reasons why I am even talking about the Honey Badger knife today. Just look at how the handle scales were made to look in the form of a honeycomb pattern – following the ‘honey in the name.’

If you are in a rush, a honey badger knife is a class of affordable and finely made EDC knives with a South African origin that are currently selling in the US. While the origin of the knife is in the SA, there are claims to support that some of these knives are made in China.

Before you cringe at that, though, I have reviewed some knives coming out of Asia that do great. So, you might want to read on to find out if this one is worth your time.

Where are Honey Badger knives made?

Honey Badger is located in Johannesburg, South Africa from where it serves resellers, wholesalers, and distributors from all around the world. However, the company does not confirm where it makes these knives that it sells.

For one, I can confirm that the knives are not made in the US. Even though they sell out in high quantities in all of the US, Australia, and New Zealand, among other markets, they are not made here.

Manufacturers and brands who have their production setup in the US are usually proud to announce it anyway, so I’m sure that is not the case here.

This lends credence to the statement that these knives are made out of China. The good news, however, is that they are not simply a reseller who puts their stamp on some cheap Chinese blades so that they can sell them at a higher premium themselves.

Big brands (even US companies) have some or all of their manufacturing setup in China due to the ease of sourcing raw materials locally and getting cheaper labor also. All that, in this case, contributes to helping Honey Badger stay true to its claim of affordability.

Since they make great knives to match the money, I wouldn’t fuss too much about where these knives came from.

What materials does Honey Badger use?

The Honey Badger company has been using the 8Cr13MoV stainless steel grade metal on their knives for a long time now, and they don’t seem to be letting go of that anytime soon.

This brand of stainless steel is great for being easy to maintain, resisting corrosion fairly well also. So, even if you don’t spend too much on your knife initially, that shouldn’t cause it to rust easily (learn how to remove rust from your knife here).

The knife steel might not hold a sharp edge for as long as premium metals (such as high carbon stainless steel knives) but it does compare averagely. When the sharpness starts to wear off, every 8Cr13MoV-grade stainless steel is fairly easy to sharpen too.

However, if you have spent some time with other premium knives, you will quickly observe that this one is not up there with them.

I don’t believe you should be looking for a premium knife at the price range of the Honey Badger models anyway. If that’s more of your thing, look at what you can get with these semi-assisted opening knives instead.


PS The Honey Badger company now makes some models with D2 steel (a form of high carbon stainless steel) but only as a limited edition, so you might not be able to get those.


How can you identify a Honey Badger knife?

Unlike a Ka-bar or kissing crane knife that might be tricky to identify or date, Honey Badger knives come with the company logo proudly etched on the scales. Some models also have the manufacturer information designed onto the blade.

Speaking of the scales, Honey Badger takes things a step further by imitating a honeycomb design on the knife handle. This is in line with their name, and I, for one, like that kind of design brilliance.

Most of the Honey Badger knives that I have seen have a hole in their blade. While that history can be traced back to Spyderco, this company has also made good use of that design element.

I have written a piece on why manufacturers put holes in knife blades if you were wondering what that design element might mean here.

Are Honey Badger knives any good?

That depends on what you are looking for.

If you are interested in a simple EDC knife for routine tasks, you should fit right at home with any of the models of these knives. They look well-made and properly built enough to serve as a gentleman’s knife too, but you’d have to choose the more discrete-looking scale designs to pull that off here.

For those who want a pocket knife that can do a lot of things, try a swiss army knife. Make sure to confirm if you’re better off with a swiss army knife or another sturdy pocket knife instead.

Yes, I said ‘sturdy.’ Cos, for all the good that these Honey Badgers bring to the table, they won’t be able to manage what you can get on, say, a set of Esee outdoor EDC knives.

So, in summary, the Honey Badger knife models are fine for city carry (check with your open and concealed carry laws first) and performing routine, everyday tasks. Once you need to step into core outdoor situations (such as hiking, camping, or hunting), you need a stronger kind of EDC knives.

What kinds of knives does Honey Badger carry?

Another thing that I love about the Honey Badger company is how they keep their knife lines simple, only varying the kind of blades that comes with the models.

If you’re not familiar with different blade kinds and knife points, I recommend that you spend a few minutes on these knife identification charts. That way, you know the best knife for you in this mix.

That said, here are the knives in the current Honey Badger line-up

Wharncleaver

A great knife for cutting, tearing, and most applicably, penetrations. Not so good for skinning operations, though.

Flipper

Developed with a drop point blade fits this knife with a heavy belly that makes slicing and piercing operations easier. Little wonder why this point makes it to the best hunting knives.

The hole in the blade makes it even easier to flip this well-made knife open with your thumb. One of the few models designed with D2 stainless steel in limited models.

Claw

The knife looks as menacing as it sounds. You can get the Claw in either plain or serrated edges, depending on what you need. While this looks like a great tactical piece, I would not advise this knife for self-defense anytime soon.

Hook

Maybe I’m just not great at using knives for an awful lot of things, but I am yet to find a practical application for this hook. It looks great, though, helping you to stand out with your knife amid other EDCs.

When it comes to the functionality of that hook, I’ll allow you to get creative with that hook in your own way.

Should you buy the Honey Badger knives

If you have made it this far, you should have your answer based on personal preferences already.

But, if you want my opinion, I would say that there is no harm in going for them.

The fact that they come at a very competitive price point makes them worth it for me. They can also be a gateway knife into better-made EDC knives for new and intermediate knife users.

Likewise, the Flipper model can be a great gentleman’s knife to accompany your dress outfits when you need to step out with a knife.

Once you are ready to start putting a better budget towards your EDCs, see what the Esee knives hold for you, and how you can get ahead with assisted opening knives also.

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