TOP KNIFE BRANDS THAT ‘STICK‘ IN THE MINDS OF KNIFE PEOPLE
Brought to you by BladeHQ
Rank | Brand Name | % Able to Recall | % Top of Mind | Awareness Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 98.3% | 68.6% | 243.2 | |
2 | 94.3% | 63.0% | 229 | |
3 | Kershaw | 94.9% | 47.6% | 215.8 |
4 | CRKT | 62.9% | 22.7% | 124.5 |
5 | Zero Tolerance | 58.9% | 31.1% | 120.8 |
6 | Gerber | 57.1% | 19.0% | 110.4 |
7 | Cold Steel | 52.6% | 16.3% | 100.4 |
8 | Buck | 48.0% | 14.3% | 90.6 |
9 | Böker | 46.9% | 18.3% | 90.4 |
10 | KA-BAR | 42.3% | 13.5% | 79.9 |
11 | SOG | 40.0% | 7.1% | 72.6 |
12 | Victorinox | 34.9% | 11.5% | 65.1 |
13 | ESEE | 33.7% | 5.1% | 60.8 |
14 | Chris Reeve Knives | 31.4% | 12.7% | 59.3 |
15 | Emerson | 28.0% | 22.4% | 55.4 |
16 | Ontario | 28.6% | 6.0% | 51.8 |
17 | Opinel | 23.4% | 7.3% | 42.5 |
18 | Microtech | 24.0% | 2.4% | 42.5 |
19 | Leatherman | 22.3% | 7.7% | 40.5 |
20 | Case | 18.3% | 0.0% | 32.0 |
21 | Morakniv | 17.7% | 3.2% | 31.8 |
22 | Schrade | 16.0% | 10.7% | 30.3 |
23 | Kizer | 13.7% | 4.2% | 24.5 |
24 | LionSteel | 12.6% | 4.5% | 22.5 |
25 | Pro-Tech | 11.4% | 5.0% | 20.5 |
ABOUT KERSHAW Â Want a Kershaw? Get it now at BladeHQ!
Pete Kershaw started Kershaw Knives in 1974, when he left Gerber to manufacture knives of his own design. Today, Kershaw is a subsidiary of KAI, a respected Japanese cutlery company that also owns Zero Tolerance and Shun Knives. Kershaw offers tremendous value to knife users – they are known for being dependable, affordable, and well-designed. Many of their knives feature Ken Onion’s innovative “speedsafe” opening, an assisted-opening mechanism found on popular pocket knives like the Leek, Blur, and Rick Hinderer designed Cryo. Kershaw knives are either imported or made in their Oregon, USA facility. With well over 90% brand recall in our survey, they are the first of 3 pervasive brands that stick in the minds of production knife enthusiasts.
We surveyed involved production knife enthusiasts and asked them to list as many production knife brands as they could remember to gauge brand awareness. 166 out of 175 respondents were able to recall Kershaw and of the 166, 79 did so within their first 3 responses. The average survey respondent was able to recall 12 knife brands and in total 167 brands were recalled.
Research indicates that there is a relationship between brand recall and market share, because in most buying situations a brand must be prominent in the mind of a buyer in order for them to consider purchasing it.
The survey, which was also the basis for our Infographic, did not measure brand esteem or brand identity and has nothing to do with what knife people think about the brands. Instead, it provides an indication of how widely the brand is known and if it has a strong place in the minds of involved production knife enthusiasts.
Visit KnifeNews Sunday to find out which brand is #2 on our list of the Top Knife Brands that Stick in the Minds of Knife People.
August 21, 2015 #4 CRKT
August 20, 2015 #5 Zero Tolerance
August 19, 2015 #6 Gerber
August 18, 2015 #7 Cold Steel
August 17, 2015 #8 Buck
August 16, 2015 #9 Böker
August 15, 2015 #10 KA-BAR
August 14, 2015 #11 SOG
August 13, 2015 #12 Victorinox
August 12, 2015 #13 ESEE
August 11, 2015 #14 Chris Reeve Knives
August 10, 2015 #15 Emerson
August 9, 2015 #16 Ontario
August 8, 2015 #17 Opinel
August 7, 2015 #18 Microtech
August 6, 2015 #19 Leatherman
August 5, 2015 #20 Case
August 4, 2015 #21 Morakniv
August 3, 2015, #22 Schrade
August 2, 2015 #23 Kizer
August 1, 2015 #24 LionSteel
July 31, 2015 #25 Pro-Tech
Darren Rich
August 28, 2015 at 10:48 pm
How did cold steel rank above kabar and crkt and Kershaw rank above zt?
Johnny Rodriguez
August 28, 2015 at 10:57 pm
Its not by rank or price,is just by how people remembers the name,and the percentage says Kershaw is number #3 in people’s mind,not in mine…Darren Rich
Johnny Rodriguez
August 28, 2015 at 11:03 pm
I bet that if they do a survey on asking knive makers what knife sticks in their mind other than their own knife,they would pick kershaw….
Jamey Thomas McIntyre
August 28, 2015 at 11:14 pm
Yes!!!!!
Darren Rich
August 28, 2015 at 11:17 pm
So popularity rather than quality
Darren Rich
August 28, 2015 at 11:21 pm
It probably does although spyderco is better quality
Darren Rich
August 28, 2015 at 11:22 pm
One of the few (only that I’ve found ) that uses cpm s90v.
Johnny Rodriguez
August 28, 2015 at 11:28 pm
Something like that,but all this knifes are quality and most life time warranty and guaranteed. .its just a big family knive thing at one point they all worked together and they all whent they own separate ways…
Jeff Goyer
August 28, 2015 at 11:34 pm
Zt
Darren Rich
August 28, 2015 at 11:46 pm
Im not a fan of cold steels aus-8. Really i haven’t been happy with them at all. Kershaw and sog, all that I’ve had the tips snapped off pretty easily. I have a zero tolerance made from m390 and i have to say it has blown my expectations away.
Donold Townsend
August 28, 2015 at 11:46 pm
Kershaw is the best knife I have ever owned.
Johnny Rodriguez
August 28, 2015 at 11:55 pm
Well just like everything,u buy a Lexus i buy a toyota same company different luxury, performance, etc,etc..over all KAI is very good….well in my eyes so far,yet to buy a benchmade..
Darren Rich
August 28, 2015 at 11:55 pm
That’s just been my experience, although kershaw and benchmade id be willing to see how their higher end knives hold up.
Johnny Rodriguez
August 28, 2015 at 11:58 pm
Yup,by the way how did the tips snapped?? Oh and EMERSON KNIVES are good too,theres Kershaw /emerson combine,hoping to get one tomorrow. .
Darren Rich
August 29, 2015 at 12:04 am
Lucky bastard lol i was just in Colorado though, i came back to Texas on the 12th. Its beautiful there. I like the cpm steels as well m390. Im curious to try out elmax and see what it can do
Nick Carrasquillo
August 29, 2015 at 12:38 am
I’m hoping that the shear number of different models that Spyderco has will make them number 1. My fingers are all crossed 🙂
Michael Waki
August 29, 2015 at 12:47 am
I thought Kershaw would be 1st because their more affordable knives appeal to a wider range of people.
Rory Gallagher
August 29, 2015 at 1:03 am
Yea, c seemed logical because you can find a Kershaw everywhere, Walmart, big five, heck I’ve seen a Kershaw sold at auto zone… I bet there are more Kershaw knives being carried than benchmade or spyderco.
Dale Outlaw
August 29, 2015 at 1:05 am
Kershaws are badass knives!!!
Robert Lee
August 29, 2015 at 1:20 am
Yea it all depends on what you want to spend but some of those prices are pretty up there
Matthew Gaither
August 29, 2015 at 1:20 am
I picked benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw on the logic of price, too. Looking forward to future lists and stats!
Robert Lee
August 29, 2015 at 1:29 am
For the price of benchmade they better be made here with Damn good steel
Max Obstfeld
August 29, 2015 at 1:40 am
dddaaaammmmnnnn it!
Rory Gallagher
August 29, 2015 at 1:44 am
The question was which knife brand is more recognisable, not which brand offers the most quality. Spyderco makes a lot of knives in China and Taiwan, some of their Taiwan knives are really high quality too like the domino or tuff.
Robert Lee
August 29, 2015 at 1:50 am
I like the domino
Tobin Michel
August 29, 2015 at 2:12 am
Sweet I’m still in it.
Jared Hulse
August 29, 2015 at 2:32 am
Buy your kids a Kershaw. Buy yourself a TOPS and it will be the last you ever buy
Mark Meyers
August 29, 2015 at 2:34 am
I’m out. I didn’t pick Benchmade to be #1 since this is based on name recognition; but I hope to hell it comes in at #1 now. It’s only appropriate since, eel, you know…
Jamey Thomas McIntyre
August 29, 2015 at 3:01 am
Still have my specbump its 5yrs old and still has the original factory edge!
Dave Rule
August 29, 2015 at 3:02 am
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet ! I’m in the running 🙂
Donold Townsend
August 29, 2015 at 3:06 am
I have had my Kershaw 27 years.
Donold Townsend
August 29, 2015 at 3:07 am
Just wanted you guy’s to know I have had my Kershaw 27 years.
Jake Yontz
August 29, 2015 at 3:11 am
Arrrrrrggggh. I should have known better. I really love my Kershaws. Should have went with my gut Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw
Dustin Allen Miner
August 29, 2015 at 4:44 am
I know i have this, really wanna win
Scott Yi
August 29, 2015 at 5:16 am
wait there was a B it wasn’t on the options until somebody mentioned it
Tommy Belcher
August 29, 2015 at 5:36 am
Hell yeah, still alive
Nathan Wilmoth
August 29, 2015 at 1:35 pm
I have a Buck 110 that was my moms. 30 something years, I thought it would be closer to the top.
Mike Blumers
August 29, 2015 at 4:28 pm
Can I have one even if I don’t win???
Victor Gross
August 29, 2015 at 5:47 pm
Spyderco and benchmade must be 1 and 2
Victor Gross
August 29, 2015 at 5:49 pm
I’ve had 2 Kershaw cryos that both shit the bed in under a month.. normal use. I loved the cryo but it doesn’t hold up
Dan Bouchard
August 29, 2015 at 8:07 pm
How is it any company beat CRKT? Their products are second to none!