I got into pocket knives at the start of the pandemic because I can't carry a knife at my job and had more remote work options when the pandemic hit. I was very disappointed in my first knife purchase but since then I began following your videos and doing research. I emailed you about the knife I was disappointed in and you got back to me right away. I have since purchased 14 knives for myself, 4 more for the wife , another 2 as gifts, and been happy with them all. thanks for your content and happy new year.

Nick, I’m new to the knife community in the last year and I very much appreciate your skill as a reviewer. I’m certain I’ve acquired a dozen knives this year as a direct result of your opinion. So, thank you! I also strongly believe that adding the Drift as the co- champion for 2021 was a very shrewd and wise move. We’ll done and for what little it is worth, I agree.

Many thanks to you and may your 2022 be even greater!!

Great choices! I still love overbuilt knives and feel I need to get a less dressy 247 someday. Just got an MP-1 in the mail yesterday as a matter of fact. Planning to carry it tomorrow evening to bring in the new year with my new Ion Slim flashlight from Laulima. Thanks for another wonderful year of great reviews Nick!

Excellent retrospective! Loved it! Thank you. Value your reviews tons, although you've yet to argue the PM2 out of my pocket.

Nicolás, really great video. It's interesting how some tastes evolve and how the industry changes year by year, something I'm very attentive of. Feliz Año Nuevo mi buen amigo 😊🙏👍

Merry new year, Nick.

Thanks, Nick, you've made me think more about what to look at in knives. As a retired English teacher, I enjoy your language, too.

you can only judge a knife by it's own era, a lot like sports

I have similar taste… my current favorites in my collection are the NEWtron, QC drift and Olamic Whippersnapper. Happy new year Nick. Thanks for the great content.

Thank you for this Dream Match version of knife of the year!

On the contrary, I'd very much like to hear your take on how the knife industry has changed. You may not have enough experience, but you have enough understanding and instinct to do a video as interesting as any "expert".

I continue to struggle to see the extreme appeal of the Malibu. I think your opinion of it, honestly, is what keeps the hype alive. It was definitely one of the knives that stood out for me upon receipt, because there was so much hype surrounding it that I think it couldn't have possibly lived up to my expectations. For me, it feels like a 8/10. Very good, but really didn't do anything that blew my mind compared to other pieces in my collection. But the beauty of gear and knives is that a lot of it is subjective / taste, and we can all have different opinions and all be right and wrong at the same time. Haha.

Interesting video, thanks Nick. The Olamic has a proprietary pivot? I need to wear a welding helmet to even look at the Olamics! They both have the aesthetics of LSD disco fishing lures!

Great vid, as always. I’ve been thinking since your latest “best of” that it might benefit from categories like “beater,” “user,” and “art knife” instead of grouping by price. I realize the results may be similar, but I think it’s maybe a little more of a real-world way to frame it. Thanks for your service!

Great subject. Thank you. You often talk about the importance of iterative progress in knife design, and that’s on the table with how you discuss Olamic, TRM, and the Drift, but then BOOM the Bexar comes out of nowhere - nothing iterative there! That you can see iteration as both critical and irrelevant as an index of quality speaks to a restlessness that won’t settle into formulaic thinking. That’s a tough thing to do and even tougher to sustain, and is why Nick Shabazz is my KZfaqr of the year 2021!

I recently got a Spyderco lil’ Native, in m4 with Flytanium scales. I like that thing so much (something sexy about a small pointy, flicky knife in titanium)… it’s saving me from so many purchases that I just know won’t be as nice. It’s letting me focus on other gear, like multitools (planning to do some SAK modding!).

Thank you Sir I bought the 10 wt nano oil really makes my stuff smooth thx again

I appreciate the knowledge of a lot of these knives. Also, nice 💪 with the collection. With an exception of the bexar, these are all above average versions of each knife.

Finally got on the TRM hype train and managed to score an Atom on my first drop attempt. Hardly anything else has graced my pocket sense. It's just so danged good in every way. Melts into the pocket and hand!

Great video, I bought both olamics from your recommendation your 247 is beautiful mine also in timascus but with a damasteel blade but yours is so much nicer is that an ice finish on scales

The Olamic 247 is amazing except for WEIGHT, which led to me sending mine downstream in 2020.

This was a very interesting video and it needed to be made. My favourite Nick Shabazz videos are the collection videos where we get to see the entire collection. Now a review about the changes in the collection would be far more revealing about the Shabazz journey and evolution. I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that I kind of preferred the collection a few years ago. It was more varied and quirky. I feel you've moved increasingly upmarket to shinier Magpie sort of titaniummy coloured pieces which are nice to see but aren't my cup of tea. I actually go back and watch the collection videos from time to time. Yes, you probably know much more now but maybe your enthusiasm is curving. Maybe you could have an award every year for a knife that can actually be bought in Europe. I love the TRM knives, well up my alley, especially the smaller one, but I can't find one over here. On that point, why not get into more knives from around the world. I live in Spain and they have great knives that your fans might like to see. I am Irish myself and a Shillelagh does me for sorting out most of my problems. I also love the girlfriend/wife videos and I admire her nonchalant attitude to your gear. Her take on your watches highly amused me. My wife has no interest in any of my stuff either. I think you lady is more tolerant than my Andalusian mujer. I did think you might have been subliminally influenced by her taste in nail polish. Don't get me wrong, her nails are beautiful but a couple of those knives on the table are over anodised and way too busy on the colour mix. Anyway, happy new year and I remain a big (over opiniated) fan. Keep on cutting!

Hard to argue with any of them, especially when considering their respective years. I am a tad surprised though to see the Olamic for ‘16 and ‘17.

Nick what the hell man, I remember that busker win, didn't realize it's been that long 😂😅

Hey, Nick, have you seen the Dawn and the Raiden (TW Price and Null Knives, respectively)?

Nice video. Maybe you should've worked in some of your pre-2016 classics for discussion? To my memory, the early days of Nick Shabazz was all about the Norseman, Slysz Bowie, Delica, and Graham Razel. Do they hold up as masterpieces? Maybe that would've made the video too long, but seems odd to leave those knives out of a retrospective!

I heard one of the owners of Olamic knives state the name of the 247 knife as “24-7,” i.e. as in “24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” I therefore think the correct pronunciation of “247” is “24-7.”

It also seems a bit unfair to give the KotY award to the Neutron 2 with Ti scales when they're basically un-gettable. Thanks for the video, I was actually just thinking about this exact question.

Whoever says knives are just tools needs to see this video! great job Nick

Nice! Which scales are on your atom?

Nick sorry but the logic of sidelong the neutron with new scales while elevating the bugout because of new scales escapes me. Your reviews are gems, sorry the bugout thing got to me.

If I ever order another Olamic I'm gonna ask for a hollow grind. I know they can do it because a few years ago they did a limited run of 247's with a hg.

I do like the trend of less "full send" aesthetic knives and more "want titanium? here's a slab of it" kind of knives. While designing a full bougie knife is interesting, I find that a designer that can take a slab of titanium and create an unseen design is just more interesting. I also think it says a lot about what knife enthusiasts are looking for. Maybe is a new found interest in minimalism, or maybe people want to use their knives. Either way, the more knives that are designed like the Sebenza and Bowie the better

The conclusion is, this is a good time to be.

Sounds like the neutron 2 is the current favorite

Considering that MY favorite daily carries are the Malibu, Neutron II, and Ferrum Forge Stinger...I can't complain about your process or conclusions. (Ok...The Stinger got left by the wayside, but I do recall being pointed in that direction by your channel, so there isn't a failure there). Thing is, for me, I've kind of stopped buying knives. While the Drift is a compelling knife, I feel that I don't NEED another knife with those 3 mentioned items on hand. Guess I'm not really a "collector" in the classic sense. I just want a good knife, or 6, and I'm good. Maybe something new, better, amazing will come along forcing me to jump back in....but it will have to be sufficiently different to make me buy it.

I love the Bexar and want to buy one, but my left arm is paralyzed and slip-joints aren't one hand friendly 😭

I really never got the hype of the Malibu, its super thick behind the edge with a steel that doesent make sense for that grind. It has the thickness of a Hinderer but it doesent have the characterictics of a heavy use knife. It has very good fit and finish, its fun to play with, but thats about it, it kind of sucks as a cutting tool.

Nick just needs to design the perfect pocket knife.

NO ONE has done it yet.."State & Union OSF Folder s35vn" It's Kabar's first high end folder and its a spin off of their MK98 folder (5cr15mov) I really want to see what it's about. Thank you

I’m also glad if we are out of the “tactical zone.” For me, the tactical part refers directly to knives’ potential for violence, and that’s a bad thing. It is responsible for most of the laws restricting carrying and even ownership of many knives, and of course it sometimes leads to issues with carrying a knife, regardless of the law, i.e. people can be frightened by them, much like a gun (though not nearly as potentially dangerous). I would like to be able to declare, when a need arises, that “I have a knife,” without scaring everybody in the room! I have no desire to use my knives in a violent way, ever, unless, perhaps, I am attacked… In that case, a knife should be a LEGAL weapon (and I THINK it would be, in most places, under that circumstance).

Man I wish I could buy a TRM... or a Malibu... man I hope the supply chain does clear up this year and those knives get available.

personally i think timascus and dama steel is very very gawdy, ive grown out of it and lean more towards simplicity with great machining,

Still think the olamics are kind of ugly. IM SORRY! It's just the shapes. I'm sure they're fantastic knives

Im surprised a Morakniv wasnt on here

A manix 2 can out cut every one of them.

Buck 110 is still the best pocket knife on the market. It has the best handle. Imo. Those knives you are showing have handles that are too thin and not functional in real world use. Your hand will start cramping trying to hold it after a period of time. Good review though.

FFS, Nick, no one other than You Tubers can get a TRM Neutron.