Did a Surprising American Brand Make the Best MagnaCut EDC Knife Yet?

An outfit better known for premium culinary cutlery and fixed blades flexes its pocket knife prowess with this robust yet refined folder.

New West KnifeWorks

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published October 16, 2025

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Updated 8 hours ago

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Scroll the homepage for New West KnifeWorks and you’d be forgiven for thinking its best stuff is reserved for the kitchen.

After all, some of its top thumbnails are dedicated to such categories as “steak knives” and “knife blocks & magnets.”

Folding knife with a stonewashed blade and a wooden handle featuring carved oval grooves. — Thanks to premium materials and quality craftsmanship, this knife should endure for generations.

Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll see the Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based brand makes some pretty formidable hunting knives, camp knives, axes, tomahawks and even cleavers.

Recently, they dropped a product that you don’t have to spend over a cutting board or deep in the backcountry to appreciate. Behold the EDC masterpiece that is the Saddleback MagnaCut Glory Folder.

Real steel

MagnaCut has been having a moment for a while now, but it’s justifiable, as metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas hit upon one potent blend of toughness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

While some would posit (often correctly) that super steels are more than most people need, NWKW has good reasons for incorporating the material into some of its premium offerings.

Two closed folding knives with textured handles, one blue and purple and the other wood grain, resting on dark fabric and an antler. — The range of attractive handle treatments includes Huckleberry (left) and Ironwood & Black Liner – Fluted (right).

Examining such products as the 9″ Chef MagnaCut and the Outfitter 2.0, it’s apparent these are not merely knives for life, they are knives for lives — ones that can endure and be passed down through the generations.

Viewed through that lens, investing in this admittedly pricey steel as part of a sturdy and stunning American-made knife suddenly makes a bit more sense.

Finest folder

Now, what do you get with the Saddleback MagnaCut Glory Folder?

A better successor to the original Saddleback Glory (an S35VN-bladed beauty that itself took seven years to develop), for one thing.

Folding knife with a wooden handle and a partially open stainless steel blade resting on a fishing rod handle on a rock surface. — Indentations in each knife’s handle improve grip, shed weight and boost aesthetic interest.

The follow-up features a 2.75-inch modified drop-point blade made of MagnaCut (of course), which in four years of existence has yet to be out-supered.

The blade deploys with one hand thanks to a rear flipper, emerging from a tough titanium frame outfitted with your choice of G10, carbon fiber and desert ironwood scales. A reliable liner lock holds it in place.

Hand holding a small knife with a blue and purple handle above a wooden cutting board with a lime and mint leaves. — The premium blade is equally effective at slicing limes and tackling tougher outdoor tasks.

When deployed, the 3-ounce knife measures 7.25 inches, meaning the uniquely ergonomic handle can easily accommodate all four fingers for a firm, reliable grip.

It’s worth noting that the craftsmanship involved is second to none.

Folding pocket knife with wooden handle and metal clip tucked into a dark denim pocket. — A sturdy titanium clip keeps the knife safe and secure in your pocket, ready to deploy when you need it.

Each knife is individually crafted in the New West KnifeWorks factory in Victor, Idaho, taking roughly four hours of hands-on work to complete.

The finishing touch is a titanium pocket clip, because Lord knows you’ll want to have this future heirloom in easy reach at all times.

Availability and pricing

The New West KnifeWorks Saddleback MagnaCut Glory Folder is available in 10 variants starting at $505.

Fixed-blade knife with a stonewashed steel blade and black textured handle with finger grooves.

New West KnifeWorks Saddleback MagnaCut Glory Folder

Starts at $505

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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