With each new year we watch SHOT and Blade Show with anticipation of what companies have in store for us. Anticipation builds from announcement to launch, absorbing YouTube reviews and other media till it shows up in your mailbox or at your local dealer. One knife that has created such a response is the Kansept Loki. The Loki design is by Steven Dunnuck who's a mechanic by trade, and loves making things that are fast, sharp, or deadly. The Loki was originally designed as a custom fixed blade, the Loki has since evolved to an EDC knife. Let's take a look at this new knife and see how it edges up.
The Loki isn't a terribly large knife but packs alot in a small package. Coming in at 6.88" overall with a 2.99 inch blade. The sub 3" makes it great for a lot of jurisdictions that have length limits. On the surface the knife is nothing unique in the industry. Titanium, premium steel, bearings, etc. But visually it speaks, like calls to the user pick me up. First thing you notice is the curved thumb hole, very different than anything else I've come across. That two toned anodized handles really make this knife look classy, something that's home in jeans as well as a pair of slacks.
The handle is straight up brilliant and super comfortable. There's many knives out there that I feel fit like they were made for me, this is another one of those knives. The handle is higher than the blade so it feels like Loki is all blade. The unique finger choil gets you up close and personal with the blade and your other fingers lock right in. The handle is chamfered in in a way that it feels like a stone that's been worn by a river. The milled titanium clip doesn't feel uncomfortable when I really dig during hard use. And I appreciate the gentle sloping thumb ramp from the handles to the shallow notch on the blade. Disengaging the framelock is so smooth, there's just the right amount of tension. Overall really well done, I'm impressed.
The second part of this act is the awesome sheepsfoot blade in S35VN. This sheep's got a ton of belly and it has a gentle curve to it. Combined with the clipped point it gives this blade the best of both worlds. The whole blade shape is a blend of gentle curves and abrupt angles. Performance is awesome thanks to the flat grind and blade shape, very slicey indeed. The dropped tip makes it pretty acute and doesn't have the difficulty that can come with some sheeps. Crucible S35VN is not new, but it's not considered old yet. It's become affordable enough that a ton of people have started using it. It's got good corrosion resistance, holds an edge well, and relatively easy to sharpen. A higher end steel would be nice, but this is quite serviceable.
Now to talk about what everyone is wondering about, the curved thumb hole. Maybe it's a smile, or perhaps a frown, depends on how you look at it. For me its a frown and no matter how hard I try I can't turn it upsideown. This uniquely shaped thumb hole is shaped in a way that I have difficulty getting consistent launches. Doesn't matter if I use my thumb or middle finger, I can't get a good enough purchase to launch it. I can get it if I do kind of a wrist motion, or I press more flesh into the curve. It's quite striking visually and really adds to the overall package, but for me I would have much preferred a thumb stud. Does this mean it's a fail and you should think a good design is ruined by a poor decision? Absolutely not! Many, many people have reviewed this knife and loved the thumb hole. It's a me thing, and my opinion only.
The Loki is not only a great everyday carry knife but also the god of mischief. This guy performs amazing and cuts like a knife much larger than it's size. Premium materials and a futuristic design make the Loki a looker, while being very comfortable. There's a reason this knife was talked about at much at SHOT and easily one of the best Kansept releases for 2024.
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