Knife (RE4)

In Resident Evil 4, Leon Kennedy uses his knife quite frequently throughout the entire game. The knife is always present, does not take up any space in his inventory, and is mapped to a different button than Leon's currently equipped firearm. Through normal gameplay it is used against Los Ganados, as well as to break open boxes that may contain useful items (or snakes). The player can automatically use the knife by swinging the Wii remote, prepping it by holding the L button or holding down the L1 button. The knife is also used in major battles such as the El Gigante fights, the cutscene fight with Jack Krauser, and the final encounter with Osmund Saddler. After Ada Wong saves Leon from Krauser by shooting his (Krauser's) knife from his hand, Leon keeps it, and Krauser replaces it with an identical one. After finding Ada captured by Saddler, Leon uses Krauser's knife to cut Ada down.

When Leon is equipped with his Mobster Costume, Leon uses a silver switchblade with some jewels set in it. This knife is a double edge stiletto. Leon, Krauser and Ada are the only characters to use a knife in The Main Game, and The Mercenaries. In the Mercenaries, Krauser wields his knife differently, he holds the grip with the blade facing the opposite direction. His knife attack also has wide range, giving him advantage of hitting enemies around him.

Ada uses a folding knife. Ada's knife is some sort of rotational lock-in knife where the actual knife is tucked inside the grip itself, most notably via the model and in one cutscene where Ada grabs her knife, unlocks it and stabs Leon with it in self-defense.

Ada's knife is usable in Separate Ways only in the PS2/PC 2007 Port, and it's not available in the GameCube version due to the obvious lack of Separate Ways, however starting with the Wii and all later versions it is now usable through the whole game modes, including Assignment Ada and The Mercenaries.

A player could hit projectiles away that were thrown at them with just a knife swing (arrows and scythes). This has to be done in a perfect timing. When fighting Krauser in his mutated form in both the main game and Separate Ways, the knife does a very large amount of damage to him. It only takes a handful of hits to defeat him.