Below is a link to Field and Streams’ 2008 article on the 20 Best Knives Ever Made:

Field and Streams The 20 Best Knives Ever Made.

Although I agree with some of the knives on the list, I don’t know how some got on the list and I think many were left off.  I agree with the D.E. Henry Bowie above.  It is a beautiful knife.  I completely agree with the Buck 110.  That knife changed the industry.  I completely agree with the Bob Loveless drop point hunter.  Any best list will will contain this knife.  I completely agree with the Ron Lake folder.  A beautiful folder with tremendous fit and finish.  I completely agree with the Randall Made Knife making the list.  The Randall Made Knives as well as the Ka-Bar Marine Fighting Knives are the gold standards for fighters.  Some of the other ones I can see the merit in them, but don’t know if they make the elite 20.  I have no idea had how the Busse knife, the two knives from the Knives of Alaska, and the Lone Wolf T3 ever made the top 20 knives ever made.  Don’t get me wrong, these are excellent knives.  I have no complaints about the knives, but the best 20 ever made?  That is a pretty bold statement.  Now we come to some that could have been on the list.  How can you leave Bill Moran off the list? He is credited with reviving the damascus steel revolution.

There’s always Michael Price and his California Bowies and Boot Knives.

What about the legacy series from Buster Warenski.

Then there’s the Daniel Searles’ Bowie, which resides in the Alamo Museum today.

In folding knives, there’s the Ron Paul folders.

Michael Walker’s Linerlocks.

Chris Reeve Sebenzas.

The Ken Onion Designed Kershaw Speed Safe Original 1510 Random Task Knife.  This knife started the assisted opening craze.

The Ernest Emerson Commander.

What about the Puma White Hunter?  It is an awesome knife.

I could go on and on.  To name the 20 greatest knives ever made is a tough and very subjective list to make.  Field and Stream did well on some and completely missed the boat on others, in my opinion.  The list could be made from many different perspectives, for example: greatest impact on the public, greatest effect on the industry, most popular, historical significance, etc.  We have not mentioned the great Japanese swords and knives, the Scottish dirks and sgian dubhs, and other styles such as art knives (with the exception of Buster Warenski above).   I commend Field and Stream for trying to create a list of the 20 best knives ever made.  Every such compilation will be as varied as the person making the list.