Category: Crowdfunding (page 1 of 2)

WESN Launches the ‘Allman’ on Kickstarter

March 1, 2019 / Tim / 6 Comments

In 2018, the up-and-coming brand WESN (pronounced wesson and stands for West East South North) won the Best Factory EDC Knife at Blade Show West for its Microblade.

The WESN Microblade initially launched on Kickstarter back in late 2017, and the brand is back for more with its next Kickstarter release called the WESN Allman.

Check it out:

The Allman is a compact EDC knife (not as compact as the tiny Microblade but pretty darn small) with a 2.75-inch S35VN steel blade that opens with a flipper tab. You can get the knife in either titanium handles with a frame lock or G-10 handle scales with a liner lock.

Here are the specs:

Blade Length: 2.8” (7.2cm)
Closed Length: 3.8” (9.7cm)
Open Length: 6.65″ (16.9cm)
Handle Material: Grade 5 Titanium Scales or G10 Scales
Blade Steel: S35vn
Hardware: Stainless steel Frame-lock or Liner lock
Pocket Clip
Lanyard Hole
Lifetime Warranty

The design itself is a bit bland. The blade profile is a sort of drop point design but with a less piercing point and a swedge. The blade also seems a bit stubby and relies on the wider handle to fit the whole thing.

There is something about the sleekness and simplicity that makes this knife appealing though. It removes the bells and whistles and sticks with a stripped-down design. They removed the unnecessary thumb stud for just the flipper.

Behold the Ultimatedge Knife on Kickstarter

September 25, 2018 / Tim / 0 Comments

Brace yourself. You’re about to see the first major advancement in knife-making technology (in this category) in over 100 years!

Behold, the Ultimatedge Bushcraft & Survival Knife!

A company called Ultimatedge Knives (sometimes referred to as Ultimate Edge) has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a fixed blade knife that uses “patented metal alloy matrix developed by NASA and Cal-Tech then combined with tungsten to produce a cutting edge second to none.”

I am a marketer so I understand the need for hyperbole when promoting knives but the writing on this Kickstarter project oozes of exaggeration and infomercial nonsense. Here’s a sampling of the claims:

So we began our search for a way to move knife-making forward into the 21st century. Our search led us to a patented metal alloy matrix that was developed by Cal-Tech and tested by NASA. We acquired the rights to use this material in the world of bushcraft and survival knives – and our Ultimatedge Knife is the result.

and

The patent-pending edge bonding process is part of what sets the Ultimatedge Knife apart and makes it possible for it to become the new Gold Standard of excellence in the bushcraft and survival knife field.

We believe the combination of the metal alloy matrix and this bonding process will revolutionize the knife-making industry. YOU can be one of the first consumers to experience this Ultimatedge Knife.

and

You can have a bushcraft and survival knife that is ultra sharp (and proven so by testing and analysis) – and lasts 10 times longer than ordinary knives. This is what is truly different about our knife – and is what makes it different and better than anything else you have ever owned or used.

OK. So I’ve had my fun pointing out the absolutely bonkers claims. But let’s actually dive into the knife and whether it can possibly live up to a fraction of the hype.

Edge of Belgravia Launches Shiroi Hana Knives on Kickstarter

August 28, 2018 / Tim / 2 Comments

Kickstarter is a tough place. Out of every three projects launched, only one will get funded.

That’s why when a company successfully makes two big hits, it’s a pretty good sign that they’re doing something right. That’s where Edge of Belgravia comes in.

The kitchen cutlery company has launched yet another crowdfunding project for kitchen knives only a year after creating the most successful knife project in Kickstarter’s history.

Edge of Belgravia’s latest line of knives is called Shiroi Hana. It already has more than 1,000 backers who pledged more than $350,000 with just 10 days to go until the funding period ends. That’s pretty impressive (though admittedly not as impressive as the over $2 million pledged for the first Kuroi Hana project).

The Shiroi Hana Collection

The Shiroi Hana Collection is essentially a more refined version of the previous Kuroi Knives with a few minor improvements. Edge of Belgravia sent me a sample to look at (I’ll explain why a little later).

The knives themselves are high-end kitchen knives with a unique design from London designer Christian Bird (who appropriates some of the elements of Japanese knives).

‘Everyday Blade’ Utility EDC Knife Launches on Kickstarter

August 8, 2018 / Tim / 5 Comments

Utility knives — those knives with replaceable blades — are nothing new. Workplace utility knives have been around for decades and are often found on job sites. But, more designers are starting to focus on making everyday carry versions of the utility knife.

A few weeks back I covered the Maker Knife utility knife launched on Kickstarter and this week it’s the Everyday Blade by Korcraft.

Shane Korthuis, founder and designer of Korcraft, contacted me when the project first launched on Kickstarter on June 24 with a press release.

He touts the Everyday Blade as the “world’s smallest folding utility knife that fits 12 types of blades.” While that qualifier may be true, this is hardly the first EDC utility knife. But does it hold its own against some of the others? Let’s take a look.

Everyday Blade Specs

The Everyday Blade is seriously tiny. It weighs less than an ounce and is about two inches long when closed. The whole thing is about the size of a house key but is decidedly thicker at 0.82 inches.

Morphing Coin-Shaped EDC ‘Eclipse’ Launches on Kickstarter

July 8, 2018 / Tim / 10 Comments

How many knives do you already have on your keychain? Well, you may want to make more room for the Eclipse.

Launched on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter July 1, the Eclipse is a unique coin-shaped everyday carry knife that morphs into a functional knife.

Take a look:

Despite being Fulcrum Knives’ first ever campaign, the Eclipse has already shot past its goal of $20,000. The Eclipse actually reminds me of another highly successful knife Kickstarter campaign — the Morphing Karambit from Caswell Knives. Similarly, the small coin-shaped Eclipse transforms into a knife with a locking blade.

The ‘Maker Knife’ Launches on Kickstarter

June 14, 2018 / Tim / 10 Comments

There is a time and place for utility knives — those knives that use replaceable box cutter blades.

They’re cheap, easy to use, replaceable, and work well on simple tasks like cutting open boxes. The only problem is that the containers for most utility knives are pretty bad.

Enter the Maker Knife.

The Maker Knife is an everyday carry tool made for utility knives that’s designed to be carried and used almost like any ordinary pocket knife. The design was launched on crowdfunding site Kickstarter on June 9 with a goal of about $11,000 (translated from euros). Not only did it reach its goal on the first day, but it is currently funded at more than $105,000 by more than 1,400 backers.

That’s impressive.

The Maker Knife started brewing about two years ago when Giacomo Di Muro — known for his awesome YouTube channel Giaco Whatever — got a utility knife. He used it every day, but its design was bulky and not meant for EDC. One day he was visiting with designer David Windestål. After talking about the lack of good utility knives, the two decided to make their own.

See Quiet Carry’s Kickstarter Campaign for the Chase Folder

April 24, 2018 / Tim / 1 Comment

Every so often I take a gander through Kickstarter to see what sort of intriguing designs or contraptions people are asking the masses to back.

One active campaign that really captured my eye is the Chase by Quiet Carry.

The Chase is an everyday carry pocket knife with an emphasis on utility and convenience. The creator says that the inspiration for the knife was a fixed blade, though I don’t necessarily get that impression upon first glance. It does look like a clean and refined EDC folder, however.

Check Out the Caswell ‘Morphing Karambit’ (MKV2) on Kickstarter

March 27, 2018 / Tim / 7 Comments

We proved long ago that innovation in the knife world isn’t dead, thanks to genius knifemakers like the Hawks. But, for those who need even more evidence that knife creativity is alive and thriving, there’s the Joe Caswell “Morphing Karambit” Version 2 (MKV2).

The MKV2 by Caswell Knives boasts a design like few others. It uses a manual morphing action to activate the blade quickly and smoothly.

Watch the introduction to the knife.

Caswell posted the knife on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter about a week ago with a modest goal of $23,000. As of publication, the project has raised more than $200,000 from nearly 400 backers, making it the top trending project at Kickstarter. It was likely the first time a knife project ever claimed that spot. It still has nearly two weeks to go.

Urban Kukri Pocket Knife Review

November 21, 2017 / Tim / 1 Comment

Much like the urban sombrero, people have been trying to make city or mainstream versions of typically niche things. While they often fail spectacularly, some of these items break through and prove worthwhile.

Designer Konstantin Shaporenko decided to take the versatile kukri — a machete-like tool usually found in the jungles of Nepal — and make it into a pocket knife. He launched the product on Kickstarter for some help getting things off the ground.

Shaporenko isn’t the first person to make a pocket-sized kukri folder. Cold Steel makes a very solid kukri folder in the Rajah series, and Magnum by Boker has the inexpensive Pocket Kukri as well. What makes the Urban Kukri a little different is its focus on being not only legal in most locales around the world but also being a piece of art.

They sent me one to look at. You’ll find my honest opinion below.

Background of the Urban Kukri

The Urban Kukri campaign launched on Kickstarter around November 7 with the modest goal of $12,00 for funding. As of publication, the campaign was fully funded by more than 290 backers who pledged over $21,000.

This means the project will move forward no matter what. There are still about two weeks to go before the project closes though.

Here’s a video released by the team:

I couldn’t find much else about Shaporenko, so I asked for some background on the artist/designer. He’s from Ukraine and likes working with metal. Here’s more of his backstory they sent me:

My ancestors were soldiers, Zaporozhye Cossacks. I have always been fond of knives since childhood, but I came to their creation not so long ago. The occasion was not the best, in my country the war began and all the people who wanted peace began to help the soldiers of Ukraine.

The army needed everything, and my comrades and I began to make knives and tools for soldiers. In the process, I learned the important elements of working with serious materials. For three years of constant practice, I have mastered certain skills and knowledge about knives.

Becoming literate technically, I began to create no longer simple knives, but all sorts of interesting products that can hardly be called a knife. This project is suitable for all urban residents, regardless of gender. This is a pocket knife for the city and travel.

He has a pretty cool backstory that’s admirable. But what about the knife itself?

Urban Kukri Specifications

The Urban Kukri comes in three different-sized blades — 100 mm, 50 mm, and 30 mm. That translates to 3.93 inches, 1.96 inches, and 1.18 inches.

Firefly: The Swiss Army Knife Add-On You Never Knew You Needed

October 3, 2017 / Tim / 1 Comment

Sometimes the best ideas are those that make you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” and “It’s so obvious.”

Those were exactly the phrases that came to mind when I saw the Firefly.

The Firefly is a custom sparking-steel fire starting tool that’s designed to fit into the toothpick slot of a Swiss Army Knife. This small tool is an aftermarket accessory made by a company called Tortoise Gear and is not affiliated with Victorinox.

The project launched on the crowdfunding service Kickstarter on September 26 with the goal of $28,000 by November 7. As of this writing, the team is already at about $25,000 just a few days into the campaign, so things are looking pretty good.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot