A6 Middi Premium with Mammoth Ivory and Damasteel (Ceramic IKBS)

Product Description for A6 Middi Premium with Mammoth Ivory and Damasteel (Ceramic IKBS)

Maker: Van Heerden & Thorburn (collaboration) (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 101357
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 3.10 in.
Cutting edge length: 3.10 in.
Total length: 7.25 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.17 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.11 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.10 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.04 in.
Item weight: 4.20 oz.
Shipment weight: 5.8 oz.
Blade: Stainless damascus forged by Damasteel
Bolster: Damasteel
Handle: Premium mammoth ivory bark
Sheath: Stingray leather padded zipper pouch
Style: Linerlock flipper with ceramic IKBS bearing pivot
Description: South African knifemakers André Thorburn and André van Heerden create exceptional folders. When they work together, they create A2 knives. A2 collaborated on this knife with French designer Tashi Bharucha! Tashi's bold, modernistic curves are readily apparent, and combined with A2's acute attention to detail, the results are a precision made piece with artful execution! The A6 Middi Premium is a midsize version of the standard A6! It is a nice compromise of feeling great in the hand and easy to carry in the pocket! Natural materials -- particularly mammoth ivory -- is very rare to see on A2 knives.
The blade is perfectly centered with silky smooth action -- easily opened with one hand using the discreet and ambidextrous flipper toggle. It runs on an IKBS (Ikoma Korth Bearing System) pivot. This mechanism, which was originally designed to fit balisong knives, uses ball bearings to create exceptional action with no blade play. Thorburn and van Heerden created this special A6 Middi with ceramic ball bearings. Generally IKBS bearings are made either from tool steel or from stainless steel. Stainless steel can wear away, resulting in uneven action over time. Tool steel bearings can oxidize making the action rough. Ceramic bearings are the best of all worlds. Extremely hard and wear resistant, they are also inert and will not oxidize.
The blade is made from damascus forged by Damasteel in Sweden. This high performing stainless damascus steel is created using powder metallurgical manufacturing to provide excellent edge retention and unmatched beauty. The high contrast pattern is revealed in the grinds. The flats are polished, nearly hiding the pattern. The blade is hollow ground for an easy to maintain edge.
Handle scales are formed from beautiful ancient wooly mammoth bark set with red fiber spacers. The ivory, which combines rare blue and black as well as caramel tones is tremendous. The colors in the ivory develop as minerals in surrounding soil move into the ivory across thousands of years. The ancient ivory scales are fit perfectly to stainless Damasteel bolsters. Titanium liners have been anodized light blue. The custom pivot, backspacer, and right-handed pocket clip are also made from Damasteel.
A stingray padded pouch is included to protect the knife during storage.
Exceptional work throughout!


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