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Is This Underdog EDC Knife Beating Benchmade At Its Own Game?

Blending the tactical and practical, urban and utilitarian into one sleek package is no easy task, but Toor Knives has managed just that.

Two folding knives with black blades and textured handles, one with a tan handle and the other with a black handle, placed on a textured black surface.Toor Knives

By Sean Tirman

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With the thousands upon thousands of models on the market, you might think that making a great EDC knife is a pretty simple prospect. Well, it isn’t. That’s why the brands that are consistently at the top of the pile are so impactful and rare.

Benchmade is a perfect example of a brand that always offers a spectacular blend of style and utility across its catalog. Still, competition is fierce and constant, and other outfits are always champing at the bit to get a bigger piece of the pie.

With its brand-new EDC knife model, the Draper, Toor Knives is proving to be one such threat. This might be one of those rare instances where a brand outdoes Benchmade at its own game.

Two folding knives are placed on a tan tactical pouch with MOLLE webbing. One knife is open, featuring a black blade and a tan handle, while the other is closed with a black handle. A small lined notebook is partially visible underneath the knives.
The Toor Knives Draper comes in SOCOM Black and OD Green, although the latter looks more like Coyote Brown.
Toor Knives

Formidable blend

If there’s a Benchmade knife this one is closest to, it’s probably somewhere between the brand’s Taggedout and the PSK. It has a blade shape more like the former, materials similar to the latter and some other overarching elements.

For instance, it has a crossbar lock — a signature mechanism of Benchmade (which the brand calls the AXIS) that was formerly proprietary before the patent ran out. The handle is also G10, a stable, strong, lightweight material common in knifemaking that Benchmade also often utilizes (including for the PSK and Taggedout).

A black folding knife with a partially open blade resting on a spiral-bound notebook. The knife has a sleek, matte finish with silver screws and a thumb stud for opening. The background includes tactical gear and a black hard case.
The SOCOM Black Draper is particularly sleek and striking, especially with its silver hardware.
Toor Knives

Even the blade material, MagnaCut super steel, is shared between the Draper and the PSK. Yet again, that’s not something exclusive to Benchmade — MagnaCut is among the most popular steels in knifemaking today.

Like the PSK, the Draper’s blade also boasts thumb studs for deployment and a lanyard attachment point at the base of the handle. Despite their commonalities, however, Toor’s Draper is also distinct from its better-known competition, both in style and function.

Two folding knives with pocket clips are placed side by side on a textured black surface. One knife has a black handle, and the other has a tan handle. Both knives have visible screws and thumb studs for opening. The background includes parts of other objects, such as a coiled black cord and a tan fabric item.
The Draper’s precision design and engineering are apparent, even at a glance.
Toor Knives

Distinguished gentleman

The Draper measures 8.3 inches total, which is pretty sizable for an EDC knife, but on the average-to-small side for a tactical folder. Seeing as how this knife takes inspiration from both worlds, that sizing is appropriate. It’s not too big to use bare-handed and not too small with gloved hands.

[The Draper is] a little sleeker and more understated, somehow more minimalist and aggressive, without losing its everyday utility.

That versatility extends to its blade shape. Measuring 3.5 inches, the MagnaCut blade sports a drop point with a steady edge and gently curving belly, and comes to a nice piercing tip. That makes it both adept at long cuts and piercing tasks.

Like the blade, the handle also has a gentle curve, alongside a finger cutout toward the pivot for comfortable ergonomics. However, it also has some jimping on the spine to help grant extra leverage when needed — a nice tactical touch. It also has a reversible pocket clip.

A hand holding a closed black folding knife with a pocket clip, set against a background of camouflage and tactical gear.
The Draper is big, but not too big.
Toor Knives

Critically, despite its large size, the knife weighs just 3.9 ounces — right in the middle of the EDC knife range. That’s not necessarily lightweight, but considering its formidability and material makeup, it’s nice that it won’t overload your pockets.

As I said, while similar to some of Benchmade’s offerings, the Draper is unique. It’s a little sleeker and more understated, somehow more minimalist and aggressive, without losing its everyday utility. It’s a fitting alternative and, perhaps more importantly, more of a diamond in the rough.

Two folding knives with partially open blades are displayed on a textured black surface. The top knife has a black handle and a black blade with a thumb stud and a pocket clip. The bottom knife has a tan handle with a black blade, also featuring a thumb stud and a pocket clip. Both knives have a sleek, modern design with visible screws and metal accents.Toor Knives

Now available

The Toor Knives Draper is dropping today, September 24, for $325 in both colorways.

About the Author: Sean Tirman is an associate editor at Gear Patrol who specializes in EDC, cannabis and outdoor gear.

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