For this project, Richard Kappeller and his team fulfilled a special customer request, overcoming new challenges and employing techniques typically found only in fixed-blade knives with an integral construction. The final result is a highly intricate “liner lock” folding knife featuring a frame construction.

Project Scope:

The core objective of this project was to redesign an existing knife (see Fig. 1: Original) and construct it as a folding knife variant (see Fig. 2: Folding Knife) without losing the main characteristics of the original design.

In addition, the opening mechanism was significantly modified to make the folding knife easier to operate. To achieve this, the recess in the handle scale was enlarged, and the folding knife’s “Linerlock” was designed to be more user-friendly.  

Technology:

The plates of the “liner lock” mechanism are made of titanium, while the frame is made of hardened N690 Böhler steel. The deep black handle scales made from jet are fitted into the frame at a 60° angle. The blade itself is made of CPM 420V powder metallurgical steel, which is characterized by its excellent edge retention and high wear resistance.

Craftsmanship:

Throughout the various stages of the piece’s creation, the knife was repeatedly assembled, tested for functionality, and engraved. This was followed by the hardening process, and upon its completion, the removal of scale and fine polishing.

The knife was embellished with gold (a flower with gold inlay on the blade and golden hands at the tip of the knife made of 24-karat fine gold) and silver inlays (knife handles featuring an engraved “Thinker” sculpture made of fine silver) and given a three-dimensional finish. Thanks to precise cutouts on the plates and frame (five individual parts), the golden hands fixed to the wedge fit perfectly into this special knife end. This elaborately designed folding knife with a frame construction can be completely disassembled into its individual parts.

My entire team and I would like to sincerely thank our customer for this challenging and exciting project. We thoroughly enjoyed bringing this special commission to life, from the modeling phase to the finished piece.

We hope you enjoy the “RHODIN THE THINKER” pocket knife!

Your knife maker

Richard Kappeller