6 Best Folding Grafting Knives For Cherries Old Farmers Swear By

You’re standing in front of a young cherry rootstock, scion wood in one hand and a knife in the other. A clean, perfect cut is the difference between a graft that takes and one that withers away. The right tool isn’t just a preference; it’s a critical component for success, ensuring maximum cambium contact for a healthy union. Choosing a grafting knife is about matching the tool to the task and your own habits.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

Victorinox Budding Knife: A Classic Swiss Choice

The Victorinox is the trusty multitool of the grafting world. Its stainless steel blade means you can leave it in a damp pocket overnight and not find a spot of rust in the morning. This is a huge advantage for those of us who aren’t always diligent about wiping down our tools immediately after use.

It features a single-bevel grind, which is essential for making flat, precise cuts that lay flush against the rootstock. The little brass bark lifter on the spine is more useful than it looks, especially for T-budding, where you need to gently peel the bark back without tearing it. It’s a reliable, no-fuss tool that will serve you well for years.

While stainless steel is convenient, it doesn’t hold a razor edge quite as long as high-carbon steel. You’ll find yourself touching it up on a sharpening stone more frequently, especially during a long day of grafting. But for its price and reliability, it’s a fantastic starting point and a dependable backup for any orchardist.

Felco 3.90 20: Precision for Delicate Scions

Felco is a name synonymous with quality pruning shears, and their grafting knives carry that same reputation. The 3.90 20 is all about precision. The blade is thin, sharp, and slightly curved, making it perfect for intricate work like whip-and-tongue grafts on slender cherry scions.

The red nylon handle is comfortable and easy to spot if you set it down in the grass—a small but significant feature. This knife feels like a surgical instrument. It gives you the confidence to make those delicate, sweeping cuts needed for a perfect match between scion and rootstock.

This isn’t a brute-force tool. It’s designed for finesse. If you’re primarily doing T-budding or working with very young, thin wood, the Felco offers a level of control that heavier knives can’t match. It’s a specialist’s tool for a specific, delicate job.

Tina 605: Top-Tier Hand-Forged German Steel

A Tina knife is an investment, plain and simple. This is the tool you buy once and hand down to your grandkids. Forged from high-carbon steel in Germany, it arrives sharper than any other knife out of the box and holds that edge through an incredible number of cuts.

The "605" model is a classic budding and grafting knife, featuring a straight blade for general-purpose grafting and a separate bark lifter. The carbon steel blade provides unparalleled sharpness, allowing it to glide through wood with minimal effort. This clean cut reduces damage to the plant cells and significantly increases the chances of a successful graft.

The major tradeoff is maintenance. High-carbon steel will rust if you look at it wrong. You must clean and oil this knife after every single use. For some, this ritual is part of the craft; for others, it’s a chore. If you are willing to care for it, no other knife will reward you with better performance.

Opinel No.08 Pruning Knife for Chip Budding

Sometimes the best tool is one you already have. The classic Opinel, with its simple wooden handle and Virobloc safety ring, makes a surprisingly good knife for chip budding. Its thin carbon steel blade can be honed to a wicked edge, perfect for scooping out the small chip from the rootstock and slicing a matching bud from the scion.

While not a dedicated grafting knife—it lacks the single-bevel grind—its spear-point shape is highly effective for the specific cuts required in chip budding. It’s also incredibly affordable and versatile. You can use it for grafting in the spring, harvesting vegetables in the summer, and cutting twine all year long.

This is the perfect example of using a good-enough tool that you’re comfortable with. If you’re just dipping your toes into grafting or focusing solely on chip budding cherries, an Opinel is a practical and economical choice. Just be sure to keep that carbon blade sharp and lightly oiled.

A.M. Leonard Folding Knife: A Durable Workhorse

This knife is the definition of a field tool. It’s built for work, not for show. The A.M. Leonard folding grafter has a high-carbon steel blade that holds a good edge, and its handle is made of a tough, durable composite that can handle being dropped, kicked, and left in the back of a truck.

It features a classic grafting blade profile and a handy bark lifter, making it suitable for a wide range of techniques. It feels substantial in the hand—not delicate like a Felco, but solid and dependable. This is the knife you grab when you have 50 rootstocks to get through before lunch.

It strikes a great balance between the performance of carbon steel and the ruggedness needed for daily farm life. It may not have the refined elegance of a Tina, but it’s a reliable workhorse that will never let you down. It’s built for function over form, and it excels at its job.

Zenport ZJ67 Budding Knife: An Affordable Option

If you’re on a tight budget or just aren’t sure how committed you are to grafting, the Zenport is your entry point. It mimics the design of more expensive knives, offering a functional single-bevel blade and a bark lifter at a fraction of the cost. It’s sharp enough out of the package to get the job done.

Let’s be realistic: you are not getting the same quality of steel or finish as a premium brand. The edge retention won’t compare to a Tina, and the overall feel is less refined. You will need to sharpen it more often to maintain a clean cutting edge.

However, a sharp budget knife is infinitely better than a dull expensive one. For someone doing a handful of grafts each year, the Zenport is a perfectly adequate tool. It proves that you don’t need to spend a fortune to successfully graft your own cherry trees.

Maintaining a Razor Edge with a Lansky Sharpener

Even the most expensive German steel is useless when it’s dull. A successful graft depends on a cut so clean it looks polished, and that requires a razor-sharp edge. A simple, effective tool like a Lansky Turn Box Crock Stick Sharpener is perfect for maintaining that edge in the field or on the workbench.

The system uses ceramic rods set at predefined angles (usually 20 or 25 degrees), taking the guesswork out of sharpening. You simply hold the blade vertically and draw it down and across the rods. Start with the medium-grit rods to establish the edge, then move to the fine-grit rods to hone it to surgical sharpness.

Consistency is everything. A few strokes on the fine rods before you start grafting, and a few more every dozen cuts or so, will keep your blade in peak condition. This small bit of maintenance takes less than a minute but makes a world of difference in the quality of your cuts and the success of your grafts.

Tina vs. Victorinox: Carbon vs. Stainless Steel

Choosing between a Tina (carbon) and a Victorinox (stainless) is the fundamental question every grafter faces. It’s a classic tradeoff between ultimate performance and ultimate convenience. There is no single right answer; it depends entirely on your personality and work habits.

• Carbon Steel (Tina): Gets surgically sharp and holds its edge longer. The blade is often harder, allowing for a finer, more durable edge. Its weakness is corrosion; it must be cleaned and oiled after use to prevent rust.
• Stainless Steel (Victorinox): Highly resistant to rust and requires minimal care. It’s the worry-free option. However, it will never get quite as sharp as carbon steel and needs to be touched up more frequently.

Think of it this way: if you are the kind of person who meticulously cleans and puts away your tools after every job, the superior edge of a carbon steel Tina will reward your diligence. If you’re more likely to leave a tool in your pocket or on the potting bench, the forgiving nature of a stainless Victorinox is the smarter, more practical choice.

Ultimately, the best grafting knife is the one that’s sharp, feels good in your hand, and fits your budget. Whether it’s a top-tier Tina or a humble Opinel, a clean cut from a sharp blade is what the tree cares about. Pick your tool, keep it sharp, and enjoy the unique satisfaction of creating a new tree with your own two hands.