Tag Archives: Small Custom Folding Knife Spotlight

Jeremy Krammes Shortcut – Small Custom Folding Knife Spotlight

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The Jeremy Krammes Shortcut is another highly regarded small custom folding knife with numerous options. The Shortcut has four distinctive pinholes at the top of the blade following the spine. The blade is a simple drop-point with a spine swedge. Here are the general specificatons:

  • Overall Length(Open): 4 5/8″
  • Length Closed: 2 5/8″
  • Blade Length: 2″
  • Liners: Titanium
  • Handle: Carbon Fiber, G10, Titanium, ask
  • Opening Device: Thumbhole
  • Weight: ~2.3 oz.
  • Clip: Tip Up Carry
  • Linerlock

Here are some photos of the Shortcut from his website:

Visit http://jkknives-shortcut.blogspot.com for contact and ordering information for the Jeremy Krammes Shortcut.

Eric Ochs Otter Folder – Small Custom Folding Knife Spotlight

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The Eric Ochs Otter Folder fits right in the size range that we are looking at.  As you will see in the photos, the options are limitless, but here are the general specifications:

  • Blade Length: 2 5/8″
  • Blade Thickness: 5/32″
  • Blade Grind: Flat ground with swedge
  • Length While Closed: 3 7/8″
  • Overall Length(Open): 6 1/2″
  • Blade Steel: S30V
  • Handle: Green, G10, Wood, Titanium, Carbon Fiber
  • Weight: ~4.2 oz.
  • Opening Device: Spyderco Hole or Hinderer Lockbar Stabilizer
  • Clip: Tip Up Carry
  • Locking Mechanism: Liner or Framelock with all lock faces carbidized
So lets see what it looks like:

According to his webpage for the Eric Ochs Otter Folder, the base price is $385.
The following options are listed with instructions to call about other options:
  • Framelock $20 or Full TI $35
  •  Bolsters $35 & up
  •  Wood, bone or Carbon Fiber handles $20 & up
  •  Hand rub blade finish $20

Brad Southard Downing – Small Custom Folding Knife Spotlight

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Since the Brad Southard Downing is a custom knife, there are no real constraints for materials.  Here are some general specifications:

  • Blade Length: 2 1/8″
  • Clip: Tip Up Carry
  • Length while Closed: 3 1/8″
  • Handle: Titanium / G10 / Carbon Fiber
  • Overall Length (Open): 5 1/4″
  • Opening Device: Thumb Hole
  • Titanium Framelock
  • Weight: ~2 oz
  • Backspacer: Optional Glow in the Dark
  • Blade Steels: Cryo-treated CPM-154, CPM-S30V
  • Blade Finishes: Satin/Stonewash Combo, Bead-blasted, Hand-Rubbed
  • Blade Shapes:  Drop-Point, Hawkbill
Now, let’s get to everyone’s favorite part.  The photos:

According to Brad Southard’s page on the Arizona Custom Knives website:

“Since my grandfather first gave me a knife at the age of 8 I’ve been hooked. The love grew from there and I’ve constantly searched for and sought after the best. When my love of woodworking led me to make my own chisels and hand planes, the step to knives was an obvious choice.

While studying Industrial Design in college I learned to machine, and quickly learned all I could about metal working and tried my hand at knives. What started as a hobby and pastime quickly began to pay for my tuition, and before I knew it, it was my main source of income. I made knives part time for quite a while but in 2009 was forced to go full time. I say forced, but it was a welcome move, although a hard one.

Every day I go to my shop and spend a few minutes sketching and drawing, hoping to see if a great new design appears. For every couple hundred sketches I get one or two worth developing farther. My constant goal with design and knives is the age old adage “Form follows function”. The comfort and usability of the blade comes long before how the knife looks, but when a good design comes together you can end up with a beautiful knife that functions well, and you just cant put it down. That’s what I strive for.”

Brad Southard is a relatively new knife maker out of Tucson, Arizona who is building a stellar reputation in the custom knife community.  Brad’s order book is currently closed, but you can still find his work through custom knife dealers and collaboration projects(i.e. Triple Aught Design, Liong Mah, etc.)

Special Thanks for the photos to:

 

Small Custom Folding Knife Spotlight

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It seems like all the big, flashy custom knives get all the attention, but sometimes you need you need something light and small.  Sometimes you may wear dress pants that don’t like heavy knives.  Sometimes you need a small knife that won’t scare the sheeple.  Sometimes you may feel the need to go as small and light as possible.  Sometimes you just don’t want to carry a full size knife!

That doesn’t mean you want to abandon all semblance of style and panache.  Thankfully there are a number of custom knife makers with fantastic small custom folding knives that will fit your needs.  Over the next several weeks, we’ll look at a number of small custom folding knives.

When I compiled this list, I was looking for something similar in size to the Spyderco Dragonfly, a production knife that many would consider to be the standard in the small and light folding knife category:

Length overall 5.563 ” (141 mm) Blade length 2.25 ” (57 mm)
Length closed 3.313 ” (84 mm) Cutting edge 1.875 ” (48 mm)
Weight 1.2 oz. (34 g) Blade thickness .093 ” (2.5 mm)

 

I’ll be covering custom knives that are similar to these dimensions. I realize that “similar” is a very subjective word since every knife is different, but I think you will be happy with the selction.  Here are few of the knives we will be covering:

  • Warren Thomas Mini Model 2
  • Yuna EQ-2
  • Steve Kelly Kogia Folder
  • Brad Southard Downing
  • Curtiss Knives Nano
  • Jeremy Krammes Shortcut
  • Gerry McGinnis Prawn
  • and more…
Stay tuned…