A retirement gift has one job: to mark thirty or forty years in a way a gift card cannot. Engraved steel does that better than most things, because it carries a date, it lasts longer than the career did, and it ends up somewhere visible rather than in a cupboard with the clock and the plaque.
Choosing retirement or service awards for a company? The corporate knife gift guide covers engraving and volume orders.
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BLACK MAMBA KNIVES Eastern Racer Pocket Knife 7 in Long 3 in Blade 5 Ounce Damascus Pocket Knife Folding Knife with Wenge Wood Handle Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-418
Original price was: $119.00.$95.00Current price is: $95.00. -
BLACK MAMBA KNIVES Fallen 3 Inches Blade Damascus Folding Pocket Knife Hunting Tool USA Made | BMK-120
Original price was: $112.00.$90.00Current price is: $90.00. -
Tsetse Fly 3.5″ Long 1.5″ Blade” 2oz Damascus Neck Knives Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife with Mammoth Tooth Handle Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-415
Original price was: $146.00.$117.00Current price is: $117.00. -
Golden Tree Snake Damascus Knife 10 Inches Long 5 Inches Blade 10 Ounce Damascus Steel Fixed Blade Hunting Knife Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-155
Original price was: $186.00.$149.00Current price is: $149.00. -
Pandinus 6″ Long 2.5″ Blade” 5oz Damascus Pocket Clip Knives Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-401
Original price was: $119.00.$95.00Current price is: $95.00. -
Bumble Bee Titanium Pocket Knife 7 in Long 3 in Blade 4.5 Ounce Damascus Pocket Knife Tanto Folding Knife with Titanium Handle Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-424
Original price was: $136.00.$109.00Current price is: $109.00. -
PERSIAN YUMA BLACK Knife 9″ Long 4.5″ Blade” 10.5 Oz Damascus Fixed Blade Hunting Knife Real Stag Handle Knife Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-111-B
Original price was: $325.00.$260.00Current price is: $260.00. -
Black Mamba Knives Hephaestus 7.5 Long Damascus Pocket Knives Titanium Handle with Paddock Wood and a Grade Green Ruby, Diamond | BMK-1013
Original price was: $593.00.$474.00Current price is: $474.00. -
Black Mamba Knives Aphrodite 3.5 Inches Closed Damascus Pocket Knives Mokume Bolsters, Antique Animal Tooth Stone, Green Ruby, Diamond Folding Knife USA Made | BMK-1012
Original price was: $726.00.$581.00Current price is: $581.00. -
Colubrid 5″ Closed Damascus Pocket Knife Damascus Hunting Knife G10 Handle Pocket Clip Knife with Leather Sheath | BMK-443
Original price was: $138.00.$110.00Current price is: $110.00. -
Tantilla 5 Inches Closed Folding Blade Knife Vg10 Super Steel Folding Knife, Pocket Knife Pocket Clip Knife | BMK-VG6
Original price was: $170.00.$136.00Current price is: $136.00. -
Black Sonata 4.75 Inches Damascus Laguiole Knife Handmade Damascus Pocket Knives French Knife Steak Knife USA Made | BMK-506
Original price was: $152.00.$122.00Current price is: $122.00. -
C PERSIAN YUMA Knife 9″ Long 4.5″ Blade” 10.5 Oz Damascus Steel Fixed Blade Hunting Knife Brown Calcite Spacers Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-111-B
Original price was: $325.00.$260.00Current price is: $260.00. -
Pink Tsetse Fly 3.5″ Long 1.5″ Blade” 2oz Damascus Neck Knives Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife with Mammoth Tooth Handle Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-415-PK
Original price was: $146.00.$117.00Current price is: $117.00. -
Dart Fog 6″ Long 2.5″ Blade” 4.5oz Damascus Pocket Knife Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-409
Original price was: $119.00.$95.00Current price is: $95.00. -
African Elephant 5.5 Long 2.5 Blade 4oz Full Damascus Pocket Folding Knife Black Mamba Knives | BMK-413
Original price was: $125.00.$100.00Current price is: $100.00. -
BLACK MAMBA KNIVES Rufous Beaked Snake 8 Long 4 Blade 7 Ounce Damascus Pocket Folding Knife with Bone Handle Hand Made World Class Knives | BMK-421
Original price was: $119.00.$95.00Current price is: $95.00. -
Brown Raccoon 6.5 Long 2.5 Blade 3.5 Ounce Damascus Pocket Knife Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife with Leather Cover Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-426
Original price was: $119.00.$95.00Current price is: $95.00. -
Clubber 8.3″ Inches Closed Damascus Pocket Knife Damascus Steel Hunting Knife G10 Handle Black Mamba Knives Handmade World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-442
Original price was: $138.00.$110.00Current price is: $110.00. -
Zeus 6.5 Long High End Damascus Pocket Knives Mokume Bolsters, Antique Animal Tooth, Red Ruby, Pure White Diamond USA Made | BMK-1008
Original price was: $724.00.$579.00Current price is: $579.00. -
Komodo Dragon 7″ Long 3″ Blade” 5oz Damascus Pocket Knife Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives | BMK-410
Original price was: $128.00.$102.00Current price is: $102.00. -
Copperhead Snake 13″ Long 8″ Blade 12oz Damascus Steel Hunting Bowie Handmade Knife with Stabilized Wood Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives LIMITED LUXURY EDITION | BMK-1003-LQ
Original price was: $542.00.$434.00Current price is: $434.00. -
Viper 7″ Long 3″ Blade” 5.6oz Damascus Pocket Knives Handmade Damascus Folding Knife Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-403
Original price was: $126.00.$101.00Current price is: $101.00. -
Black Rat Snake 12″ Long 7″ Blade 11oz Damascus Steel Hunting Fixed Blade Bowie Handmade Knife Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives LIMITED LUXURY EDITION | BMK-1002-LQ
Original price was: $434.00.$347.00Current price is: $347.00. -
MH RED DRAGON SLAYER Knife 17.5″ Long 11″ Blade 22.9 Oz Damascus Fixed Blade Hunting Bowie Knife WITH Mammoth Handle Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-1005-LQ
Original price was: $1,143.00.$914.00Current price is: $914.00. -
Corn Snake 3″ Long 3.5″ Blade” 4oz Damascus Pocket Clip Knives Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife Hand Made World Class Knives | BMK-633
Original price was: $125.00.$100.00Current price is: $100.00. -
Indian Red Scorpion 7″ Long 3 ″Blade” 6oz Damascus TANTO Pocket Knives Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Snake Wood Knife Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-414
Original price was: $135.00.$108.00Current price is: $108.00. -
Black Panther Damascus Chef Cleaver Blade Knife World Class Knives | BMK-708-DS
Original price was: $468.00.$374.00Current price is: $374.00. -
Woolly Tusk Handmade Damascus Steel Bowie Knife Hunting Knife 17 Inches Blade Made in USA Fifteen Thousand Year Old Fossil Handle Gift | BMK-130
Original price was: $751.00.$601.00Current price is: $601.00. -
Laticauda 7 Long 3 Blade 5.5oz Damascus Pocket Knife Handmade Folding Clip Knives Damascus Blade USA | BMK-632
Original price was: $129.00.$103.00Current price is: $103.00. -
Bmk-UL-10 Brown Bear High End Handmade Forged Steel Bowie Knife Hunting Knife 14 Inches Blade Made in USA
Original price was: $1,088.00.$870.00Current price is: $870.00. -
Bmk-UL-04 Cobra High End Handmade Forged Steel Bowie Knife Hunting Knife 14 Inches Blade Made in USA
Original price was: $1,196.00.$957.00Current price is: $957.00. -
Green Tsetse Fly 3.5″ Long 1.5″ Blade” 2oz Damascus Neck Knives Handmade Damascus Pocket Folding Knife with Mammoth Tooth Handle Black Mamba Hand Made World Class Knives USA Made | BMK-415-GR
Original price was: $146.00.$117.00Current price is: $117.00.
What to give, by what they retired from
| Retiring from | Gift | What to engrave |
|---|---|---|
| Military service | Fixed blade or ceremonial sword | Rank, unit, and years of service |
| Police, fire or EMS | Damascus folding knife | Badge number and dates |
| Trades and engineering | Heavy fixed blade or bushcraft knife | Name and the years worked |
| Office or management | Premium limited edition folder | Name and the retirement date |
| A kitchen or restaurant | Damascus chef knife | Name and the restaurant |
| A long career anywhere | Engraved display sword | Two dates, start and finish |
Group gifts
Most retirement pieces we make are paid for by a department rather than one person, which usually means a bigger budget than an individual gift and a shorter deadline than anyone planned for. Tell us the date early. If the whole team is signing a card, the engraving is better kept to a name and two dates; a list of signatures does not read on a blade.
Questions
Is a knife a good retirement gift? It is one of the few that gets kept and displayed. Engraved with dates and a role it becomes a record of the career rather than an object.
What should be engraved on a retirement gift? A name and two dates. Rank or role if it applies. Up to 20 characters, and restraint reads better than a full sentence.
Can a department order one and split the cost? Yes, one order, one delivery. Ask us before ordering if the piece needs to arrive by a fixed date.
Do you do military retirement pieces? Yes, and they are among our most common engraved orders. Rank, unit and years of service all fit.
Does it arrive presentation ready? Presentation box as standard, hand-stitched leather sheath with every fixed blade, and a certificate with the premium pieces.
How much notice do you need? Two weeks for an engraved piece. Longer if it is a sword. Give us the date and we will be straight with you.
More reading
See the premium limited edition knives, the handmade swords, the personalized gifts or the military and veteran knives.
Why a blade is the right retirement gift
Retirement gifts have a hard job. They have to mark forty years without being a clock, and they have to be used rather than displayed, because the person receiving it has just acquired a great deal of time and very little to fill it with. A knife does both. It gets carried, it gets used, and it carries the dates on it permanently.
| The retiree | The gift |
|---|---|
| Trade, engineering, hands-on career | A stout D2 folder or a fixed blade. Something he would have wanted at work. |
| Office career, now taking up hobbies | A Damascus chef knife or a Laguiole folder |
| Fishing, hunting, camping plans | A drop point fixed blade with a leather sheath, or a fillet knife |
| From a whole department | A larger piece, engraved with the years of service. This is where a sword or a premium fixed blade earns its place. |
| Military or service career | A fixed blade in the pattern associated with the branch |
What to engrave on a retirement gift
Twenty characters, and the strongest version is almost always the years. "1985 - 2026" says the whole thing in eleven characters and needs no explanation in thirty years' time, which a nickname or an in-joke will. A name and a date is the other reliable choice. If it is from a team, put the department rather than a list of names, because names get small and stop being readable.
Group orders
From four pieces upward we quote the set rather than the individual knives, and we can engrave each one differently within the same order. Retirement collections from a whole office are one of the more common bulk orders we run, and the timeline is the thing to get right: tell us the date first and we will work backwards from it.
Is a knife a good retirement gift? It is one of the few retirement gifts that gets used rather than displayed, and it takes an engraving that still makes sense decades later. Years of service on the blade beats almost anything a plaque can say.
What should I engrave on a retirement knife? The years, in the form "1985 - 2026". Eleven characters, no explanation needed, and it still reads correctly in thirty years. A name and a date is the other safe choice.
Can we order several engraved differently? Yes. From four pieces upward we quote the set rather than the individual knives and each one can carry different text within the same order.
How long does a group retirement order take? It depends on the size, and we would rather tell you honestly than guess. Send us the date and the quantity first and we will work backwards from the date.
What is a good retirement gift for someone taking up fishing? A fillet knife in 440C, because it will be used around water and salt, and stainless is the only sensible choice there.
More reading
See also knife gifts for dad, gifts for grandpa, personalised gifts, bulk and corporate orders, or the full gift guide. Please check the recipient's local law before ordering.
