Kansept Knives has quietly added a new designer piece to its catalog: the Loki, model K1058B8, a compact frame lock folder built around a 2.99-inch blackwashed Elmax blade and a hybrid titanium-and-copper handle. Designed by Steven Dunnuck, a California custom maker, the Loki began as a fixed blade concept and was later re-engineered as an everyday carry folder. The knife is listed at $189.89 and is currently marked as coming soon, with availability expected through the Kansept web store.
From Custom Fixed Blade to Pocket Folder
According to Kansept's product materials, the story of the Loki started as a custom fixed blade engineered around progressive, forward-looking ergonomics. Rather than shelving the concept, the brand translated it into a folding format optimized for daily carry, keeping the sculpted handle geometry that defined the original while adding a frame lock and a thumb hole for one-handed opening.
The result is a knife with a distinctive, slightly futuristic silhouette. The handle form is deliberately angular and contoured at the same time, and the surface treatments are meant to harmonize with that sculpted shape. Kansept notes that all edges and corners of the handle are fully chamfered and polished, a detail that eliminates sharp hotspots during hard grip work and makes long cutting sessions noticeably more comfortable.
The K1058B8 variant pairs blackwash titanium scale sections with copper bones set into the frame. The black and bronze palette gives the knife a warm, understated look that should patina well over time, since both the blackwash coating and bare copper respond visibly to use.
Key Specifications
Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
Blade steel | Elmax |
Handle material | Blackwash titanium + copper bones |
Overall length | 6.88" / 174.7 mm |
Blade length | 2.99" / 76 mm |
Blade thickness | 0.126" / 3.2 mm |
Weight | 3.42 oz / 97 g |
Lock type | Frame lock |
Opening | Thumb hole |
Blade style | Drop point, flat grind, blackwash finish |
Blade hardness | 58-60 HRC |
Designer | Steven Dunnuck |
Price (MSRP) | $189.89 |
Status | Coming soon |
Why Elmax Works Here
Elmax has become a staple of the mid-priced titanium folder segment for good reason. The Bohler powder metallurgy steel balances high wear resistance with impressive toughness and solid corrosion resistance, a combination that cheaper powdered steels often struggle to deliver all at once. In practical terms, a 2.99-inch Elmax blade at 58-60 HRC will hold a working edge through weeks of cardboard, package tape and food prep, and it will still sharpen back to a push-cutting edge without much fuss. The blackwash finish adds a layer of scuff resistance and hides the micro-scratches that accumulate during daily use.
The handle construction is the more interesting material story. Titanium provides the structural frame and the lock interface, keeping weight at a reasonable 97 grams, while the copper bones add density and warmth exactly where the fingers land. Copper grips tend to feel secure in cold or wet conditions, and over months of carry they develop a patina unique to the owner. It is a pairing more common on custom knives than production ones, which reinforces the Loki's origin story.
Market Position
At $189.89, the Loki sits squarely in the competitive territory where Kansept, CIVIVI and Kizer trade blows with titanium frame locks. Buyers comparing it against CIVIVI's titanium Elmax or S35VN offerings will find similar materials, though the copper inlays and Dunnuck's sculpted handle give the Loki a more custom-flavored appearance than most catalog pieces. Against Kansept's own recent releases, it lands near the middle of the price range, below the premium DLC and Damascus variants the brand has been pushing.
The Verdict
The Loki K1058B8 is an easy knife to like on paper: proven steel, a lock and handle format with a track record, and a designer backstory that actually means something. Whether it earns a place in the rotation will come down to how the sculpted handle feels in hand, but the chamfered geometry and compact footprint suggest Kansept did its homework. The knife is listed as coming soon at $189.89 on the Kansept Knives website, and EDC watchers who want something warmer than another all-black titanium folder should keep an eye on the drop.