Shipping Paused Until 9/20/25 during move to new warehouse (will ship sooner if possible).
This Batoning Knife Is a Family Affair
Our founder made the prototype for the AK 8 large bushcraft knife with his son in 2021. Since then, the AK 8 has taken its place in our lineup of made-in-the-USA custom cutlery. With a skeletonized tang, your AK 8 is lightweight, with the heft of the blade concentrated downstream of the handle in its cutting edge.
Offering a pleasant chopping experience for light to medium tasks, the drop point tip allows for piercing actions for finer tasks in the field. With a stout 3/16th” blade, your AK 8 is ready for anything you can throw at it. This blade was made for bushcraft!
Build Your Ideal Batoning Knife
With our Knife BUILDERS feature, you can “try on” different knife components like handle scales, getting a visual of your ideal companion knife. When you build your blade with the custom cutlery experts at Architect Knives, you get your blade your way. No compromises. Just superior customization from Architect Knives, offering you a premium purchasing experience. With us, you’ll create a large custom bushcraft knife you feel in sync with, conforming to your vision.
Architect Knives – The Best in Custom Knives
Architect Knives offers the best in custom fixed-blade knives, made right here in the USA. We also have plenty of sheaths and attachments to provide a total customization experience and all the required components. Our customization experience gets you the blade you came for, from tip to grip.
With free US shipping and the trustworthy service of a family-owned company, Architect Knives brings you the best of custom cutlery. We 100% guarantee your satisfaction! Come build your blade with us!
Walter Thomson (verified owner) –
Solid knife. Great feel and control for big handed people. GREAT CHOPPER! great steel striker notch. Winner!
Jon Bauman (verified owner) –
This knife in 1095 is holding up great to everything I’ve put it up to. Makes nice feather sticks and has split plenty of seasoned oak. Edge is holding up nicely. Definitely worth the investment!
Wayne Henderson (verified owner) –
Everything about the knife is amazing! Fit, finish, the g 10 handles the kydex sheath perfectly done 👍
Chris Tenney (verified owner) –
Fit and finish is excellent. Build quality is fantastic, heavy duty blade. Good size handle, fills your hand, plenty of purchase when using. I will buy other versions, when they eventually come back in stock…
Anthony Neak –
This is a one size fit all tool. It’s big enough for light to medium chopping and small enough for bush craft work. The owner is easy going and responsive.
JoeStuffSays (verified owner) –
While I have not yet had the chance to take the AK 8, or the AK 4.5 which I also purchased, out for a field test, I have been wearing them both and handling them around the house in preparation and I love them. The grip is very much an extension of the hand, and the dangler sheaths are very comfortable to wear while bending, walking, lifting and sitting. I am very much looking forward to my camping trips later this fall and winter. Thank you for making such a wonderful product, and making it affordable.
JP Maynard (verified owner) –
Great quality and I really love how the website let’s you build your own and see it before you buy. I’ve bought the AK8 and AK5.5 and love them both.
Mark Emerson (verified owner) –
Definitely a well made knife. I “built” it myself and everything was complet and fits as it should. The blade is spotless, razor sharp and numbered (that makes it feel a little bit more special) It will be my main camp knife and I haven’t been camping yet but Im sure it will perform flawlessly. I have ordered a smaller knife to mount on the sheath as a companion.
W Scott Haumesser (verified owner) –
The knife grind was perfect. Fitting of the scales and screws was spot on. Kydex sheath was formed perfectly to the knife. The belt loop attachment rode at a very good height on my belt. All in all, a great knife at a credible price. Oh, and Magnacut RHC at 62 is excellent. The light weight yet durable steel and geometry made the big blade a pleasure to use in the mountains.
Mark (verified owner) –
I own lot of knifes. This knife is very comparable to the 9 Survive knives I own. What could be improved is the jimping it is too course, I would prefer the knife without jimping. Also if you are going to sell sheaths with Ferrocerium Rods and holders, the knifes should have a 90-degree spine, seems like an oversight. If these 2 issues get corrected, I will be buying many more Architect Knives
Jason Davis (verified owner) –
Excellent quality! Feels great in the hand! Highly recommended.
Michael Tzomakas (verified owner) –
I was in the market for a nice Magnacut knife for the last three years. Most of that time waiting for an order I placed at Survive knives… after they closed the door and my money was gone, I was hesitant to order something instead of just buying it in a shop. But I saw the Architect knives (and read about the experiences) and decided to go for it. Well at first only in Theory as neither the AK8 nor AK6.5 were available in Magnacut.
I received the email, that they are available and ordered right away. The knife got shipped a few days after my order and arrived in Germany exactly a week after it got shipped.
The knives, the grip (scales) as well as the sheath are as expected and I can’t find a thing I don’t like. Now it only has to last for the rest of my life and I am happy 🙂
Thanks a lot from Germany for the great product and very trustworthy way of doing business.
James Thornburgh (verified owner) –
Was able to get out for a weekend camping trip and we put the Architact AK8 to work and it performed perfectly no matter the tasks. The MagnaCut maintained it’s edge just as expected perfectly,It’s everything we had hoped for while using it in a multi role camp knife . Thank you so much for such an excellent tool
Sean Taylor (verified owner) –
Super nice bushcraft knife.
Mojave Ted (verified owner) –
Hey Architect, very nice knife. I put the grips on and striker. However I live in the Mojave Desert which has no real wood. Likely headed up in the Sierra Nevada this coming weekend and will do some tree work with it.
The blade shape and style is perfect for my intended use. I would carry this around camp, or messing around and about camp. It would not be a trail hiker. The blade is 0.20″ thick, so a bit light for heavy use. 0.25″ for serious trail work.
The length is perfect. This is going to be a great small to medium branch whacker. Basically feels like it will be a great camp prep knife. Light enough to use in camp post-prep.
Great sheath. Hope to get the ESEE molle backing.
If you would prefer to wait until I actually use, I am cool with that. Also, if you offer me a good deal / discount on an ESEE molle backing for the sheath, I will gladly accept. I don’t care what color.
Price –
It is an 8 inch bladed medium/large survival knife. Only thing I would improve is having a clipped point version.
William Lacy (verified owner) –
Ak8 absolutely the best blade I purchased in 2024. Fit and finish is outstanding, kydex sheath is excellent.I will be grabbing the AK 4.5 here really soon. I highly recommend the ak8 you won’t be disappointed!!
Jim (verified owner) –
I love this site. I’ll be buying more. I bought two so far.
Marc H. (verified owner) –
The AK8 is one of the best large knives that I’ve used. It’s incredibly comfy in hand, the craftsmanship is amazing, and it can process firewood for my backyard campfires with no issues.
Timothy Dean (verified owner) –
Architect Knives AK8 are stunning tools for you, and for your generations to come!
Sven Vajda (verified owner) –
Superbly crafted, functional design, without unnecessary frills. I’ve only been using it for a few days now, but I’m convinced that the AK 8 will be my new all-purpose knife. It is light enough to stay on my belt all day long, but nevertheless large enough to perform all tasks that do not require a machete.
The sheath is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Especially of those that come with a knife. Nevertheless, I have a small point of criticism. It would be great if there was a carry attachmet that doesn’t make the top milling unusable. At least without much fuss.
All in all, a great overall package. I don’t know of any better at the moment.
Peter Matthews (verified owner) –
Added to my 3 examples of the 6.5 (three different steels), and 2 examples of the 5.5, this nicely rounds out my collection. Aussie woods are generally not suitable for batoning, iron bark and most other eucalypt species would destroy any knife in no time, but the AK8 would be awesome for delimbing small saplings used for tripods and the like.
Austin Hegdahl (verified owner) –
Beautiful survival knife, all made in the USA so happy with it can’t wait to get a 5.5 in v3
Anthony (verified owner) –
Very pleased with the quality and edge retention of the S35VN definitely worth the investment
raydarfun (verified owner) –
Review Title Great Knives and Superior Customer Service
I already owned two Architect Knives: an AR 5.5 and AR 6.5 in Magnacut. I order an AK 8 in Magnacut. The knives are excellent. I don’t think you could get a better knife for the money. The customer service is the first class. I had a minor situation with the sheath.. I contacted Ethan, the owner, and he cleared up the situation quickly. I highly recommend these knives, and encourage people to support such an outstanding small business.