Best Dagger OTF Knives: Double-Edge Profile Out-the-Front Knives Ranked

By Best OTF Knives Editors. Updated September 12, 2026. Every pick was in stock at the listed price when this was updated.

The dagger is the OTF blade: 118 of the 285 knives in stock carry it. A symmetrical profile tracks perfectly straight through the front opening, which is why factories default to it, and it is the shape people picture when they think of an out-the-front knife. Note that on most budget OTFs only one edge is sharpened; the second edge is a ground false edge. This ranks the daggers by orders and says what the shape is for. Browse the OTF knives collection.

Quick comparison

How we ranked these

Every product on bestotfknives.com carries a 30-day order score recalculated daily from real orders across our store network. The picks below are the in-stock items with the highest score on the day of the last update, in that order, and each one is checked against its listed specifications. This is not a hands-on torture test and nothing here is sponsored; it is what buyers chose with their own money, explained.

The best dagger OTF knives

1. Kitty Pop California-Legal Mini OTF Knife - Pink

The best-selling knife on the site: a sub-2-inch mini dagger.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

At 2-inch blade, 5.25 inches overall it sits in the mini class, which makes it a keychain or coin-pocket knife with a utility edge, not a work blade.

The Hello Kitty finish is a handle graphic; the knife underneath is the same as the plain model in this size, so nothing is given up for the look.

Best for: keychain and gift buyers, a first purchase or a spare.

See current price and stock

2. Kawaii Skull Front-Switch OTF Dagger - Pink Handle

A 7.5-inch front-switch dagger, single action, about $37.

Single-action mechanism, which means a stronger deployment and a manual reset. Grip the blade by the spine and flat, never the edge, and pull it straight back; angling it is what makes single actions bind.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

The handle is ABS plastic, which is how a full-size knife reaches this price. Plastic flexes, and flex is where misfires start, so keep the screws tight and treat it as a light-duty knife.

At 3-inch blade, 7.5 inches overall, 2.75 ounces it sits in the mid-size class, which makes it the everyday-carry class: enough blade to cut, small enough to forget in a pocket.

Best for: everyday carry with a clip.

See current price and stock

3. Shadow Vector Compact OTF Dagger - Carbon Fiber Black

The best-selling double action: 7.25-inch dagger, carbon fiber, about $35.

The mechanism is double action, so the blade returns on the same slide that fires it. For a knife that gets opened many times a day this is the convenient choice, at the cost of a marginally softer deployment than a single action.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

The carbon fiber handle is the light option and shows texture under a clear coat; it does not change the mechanism, only the weight and grip.

At 3-inch blade, 7.25 inches overall it sits in the mid-size class, which makes it the everyday-carry class: enough blade to cut, small enough to forget in a pocket.

Best for: everyday carry with a clip, anyone who opens the knife often.

See current price and stock

4. Cupcake Strike Front-Switch OTF Knife - Sprinkle Pink

A 7.25-inch front-switch dagger, about $43.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

At 3-inch blade, 7.25 inches overall, 2.85 ounces it sits in the mid-size class, which makes it the everyday-carry class: enough blade to cut, small enough to forget in a pocket.

The Cupcake finish is a handle graphic; the knife underneath is the same as the plain model in this size, so nothing is given up for the look.

Best for: everyday carry with a clip.

See current price and stock

5. Vector Forge Micro OTF Knife - Green Carbon Fiber

A 7.25-inch dagger in forged carbon fiber, about $35.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

The carbon fiber handle is the light option and shows texture under a clear coat; it does not change the mechanism, only the weight and grip.

At 3-inch blade, 7.25 inches overall it sits in the mid-size class, which makes it the everyday-carry class: enough blade to cut, small enough to forget in a pocket.

Best for: everyday carry with a clip.

See current price and stock

6. Shadow Breach Double-Action OTF Knife - Black Alloy

An 8.75-inch 440C double-action dagger, about $33. The value full-size.

The mechanism is double action, so the blade returns on the same slide that fires it. For a knife that gets opened many times a day this is the convenient choice, at the cost of a marginally softer deployment than a single action.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

Zinc alloy is the heavy, solid cast handle used across the $30 to $45 range. It adds weight in the hand and takes textured finishes well.

At 3.25-inch blade, 8.75 inches overall it sits in the full-size class, which makes it the full-grip class: a bag or belt knife rather than a pocket knife.

Best for: bag or belt carry and hard use, anyone who opens the knife often.

See current price and stock

7. Shadowline Stealth-Ready Double-Action OTF Knife - Midnight Black

A 9.75-inch double-action dagger in zinc alloy, about $35.

The mechanism is double action, so the blade returns on the same slide that fires it. For a knife that gets opened many times a day this is the convenient choice, at the cost of a marginally softer deployment than a single action.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

Zinc alloy is the heavy, solid cast handle used across the $30 to $45 range. It adds weight in the hand and takes textured finishes well.

At 4-inch blade, 9.75 inches overall it sits in the full-size class, which makes it the full-grip class: a bag or belt knife rather than a pocket knife.

Best for: bag or belt carry and hard use, anyone who opens the knife often.

See current price and stock

8. Ring Sentinel Tactical OTF Knife - Midnight Black

A 9-inch dagger with a rear ring, about $35.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

Zinc alloy is the heavy, solid cast handle used across the $30 to $45 range. It adds weight in the hand and takes textured finishes well.

At 3.5-inch blade, 9 inches overall it sits in the full-size class, which makes it the full-grip class: a bag or belt knife rather than a pocket knife.

Best for: bag or belt carry and hard use.

See current price and stock

9. Stealth Grid Rapid-Deploy OTF Dagger - Matte Black

A 9-inch rubberized double-action dagger, about $37.

The mechanism is double action, so the blade returns on the same slide that fires it. For a knife that gets opened many times a day this is the convenient choice, at the cost of a marginally softer deployment than a single action.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

The rubberized handle gives grip texture the alloy models do not have, at a small cost in weight. Buyers who use the knife with gloves or wet hands pick these.

At 3.25-inch blade, 9 inches overall it sits in the full-size class, which makes it the full-grip class: a bag or belt knife rather than a pocket knife.

Best for: bag or belt carry and hard use, anyone who opens the knife often.

See current price and stock

10. Stars & Stripes Double-Action OTF Knife - Green Flag

A 9-inch 440C serrated dagger, green flag, about $40.

The mechanism is double action, so the blade returns on the same slide that fires it. For a knife that gets opened many times a day this is the convenient choice, at the cost of a marginally softer deployment than a single action.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

Zinc alloy is the heavy, solid cast handle used across the $30 to $45 range. It adds weight in the hand and takes textured finishes well.

At 3.75-inch blade, 9 inches overall, 8.52 ounces it sits in the full-size class, which makes it the full-grip class: a bag or belt knife rather than a pocket knife.

Best for: bag or belt carry and hard use, anyone who opens the knife often.

See current price and stock

11. Shadowline Two-Tone Dagger OTF Knife - Matte Black

A two-tone executive dagger, about $37.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

See current price and stock

12. Skullguard Street-Trench OTF Knife - Matte Black

A 9.375-inch trench-style dagger with a knuckle guard, about $58.

It is single action: the switch fires the blade, and you reset it by pulling the blade back into the handle until it clicks. The trade for that two-handed reset is a stiffer spring and a harder, louder deployment.

The dagger profile is symmetrical, which is why it is the most common OTF blade: it tracks straight through the front opening. It is a push-cutting and point-work shape rather than a slicer.

At 3.25-inch blade, 9.375 inches overall, 8.6 ounces it sits in the full-size class, which makes it the full-grip class: a bag or belt knife rather than a pocket knife.

The Punisher Skull finish is a handle graphic; the knife underneath is the same as the plain model in this size, so nothing is given up for the look.

Best for: bag or belt carry and hard use.

See current price and stock

What a dagger OTF is for

Point work and push cuts: opening packages, piercing plastic, cutting cord against a surface. The narrow symmetrical tip is the strongest-deploying shape but the weakest tip, and the straight tapering edges do not slice well. If cutting is the job, a spear point or drop point does it better; see best spear point OTF knives and best drop point and clip point OTF knives.

Single edge or double edge

Most daggers here are sharpened on one edge with a ground false edge on the other; a few are sharpened on both. Double-edged blades are treated differently under some rules and are harder to sharpen; check the product page and your local rules. This page is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best dagger OTF knife?

The Shadow Vector Compact for carry, by orders; the Shadow Breach for a full-size knife at $33.

Are dagger OTF knives double-edged?

Most in this range have one sharpened edge and a false edge; some are sharpened on both. The product page says which.

Why are most OTF knives daggers?

A symmetrical blade tracks straight through the front opening, which makes the mechanism reliable and cheap to build.

Prices are the bestotfknives.com prices at the time of writing and change with stock. Automatic-knife rules differ by jurisdiction; before ordering, read the state-by-state automatic knife guide and check your local rules.