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Pros: Blade Material, Blade Sharpness, Ease of Opening, Handle Feel, Handle Material, Lock Ease of Use, Lock Type, Overall Quality, Pocket Clip, Weight
Cons: None
A beautifully made jewel of a knife
IGNIO has the same root as “ignition”, which makes sense as when held vertically, its blade resembles a flickering flame. Now, poetics aside, this is one of the most stunning designs and beautifully made medium sized knives. In hand, it literally feels like a faceted jewel – the very complex composite-ground blade that remains effective for various types of cuts despite its flashy look, the blade deployment is flawless, and the handle design a masterpiece in itself – a “clam” construction, forgoing backspacer and open-stud stays, it looks almost an integral, except for the almost invisible joint between the two parts, all held together by a pivot and one screw that also holds the clip from its underside! The handle is beautifully contoured, very thin but paradoxically very comfortable even for my XL hands! I bought the “dressiest” version which IMO fits this knife the best: - loving the “classic” color scheme of blackened matte titanium handle with its shiny bronze hardware and a timascus clip strikingly contrasting with the mirror-polished damasteel blade. The whole knife is a visual and tactile delight, a true gentleman folder that is way cooler than an “average” gentleman folder, and way more sophisticated than any mid-sized tactical knife that can look crude in comparison. Lastly, the quality of my knife is just immaculate, effectively flawless, better than some of the more expensive knives that I own. I could make excuses for my other knives by observing the evident advancement in technology embodied in this knife as I sincerely doubt this knife was possible as recently as ten years ago! I admit I bought this knife because of its curious design, but it unexpectedly joined the shortlist of the very best knives I own. So, it gets my highest recommendation for collectors, but it will probably not suit everyone – it is not for wannabe Rambos, neither it is for hardcore hikers dreaming about carving their own tent stakes or prying mineral crystals out of bedrock, or wrestling with bears... For the rest (who can afford a not-particularly-cheap half-a-thousand-dollar knife), it could become a wonderful addition to an already sophisticated collection! Cheers!