Manufacturer:- www.wilkins-knives.com
Dealer:- www.wilkins-knives.com
Purchase Price :- Varies on spec. Knife shown €435
Blade Length:- 60mm
Blade Thickness :- 3.9mm (S90V is thicker than standard)
Blade Material:- CPM S90V Stainless with 9% Vanadium
Blade Hardness:- 58-60 HRC
Handle Thickness:- 9mm
Handle Width Open:- 21.6mm
Handle Width Closed:- 36.5mm
Overall Length:- 153mm
Closed Length:- 91mm
Blade Finish :- Brushed
Edge :- Plain Edge
Handle:- 2mm Titanium
Handle Finish :- Hand Rubbed powder matt finish
Weight :- 86g
Lock:- Framelock
Accessories :- Stainless Steel Pocket Clip. Tip up carry

I have seen Kevin's works on the various forums for a little while now. I loved the style of his designs and decided that at some point I must commission one for myself.

So here we are. I like smaller knives (Generally) and thought his Leafstorm fitted the bill. I placed my order with the deposit and settled in for the substantial wait as Kevin is a very busy individual. But I don't mind waiting, it's part of the fun.

I ignored Kevin's helpful advice on the blade steel as I really wanted the CPM S90V steel. Only because it will be my very first knife to use it. As a result the knife uses the thicker 3.9mm blade material. The standard S30V one is 3.2mm which does make for a lighter knife. But this knife is still not very heavy at 86g and it will most probably not go very far anyway.

The knife is designed as a super compact folder with a very solid frame lock and the spyderco one hole opening device. The side frames are made from Titanium and help to keep the weight down. They are 2mm thick which is more than enough for this size of blade. The attention to detail on the machining of these is fantastic. There is a sculpted cutout that allows access to the blade opening hole. But this doubles as a way of giving your fingers a good grip on the handle when open. The edge of the side frames is machined with a shallow groove that runs the whole way round. This also allows Kevin to show off his flame anodised edges to good effect. The colours range from purple to blue an are very subtle.

The flat sides are finished with a powder matt finish. This as Kevin has explained to me is quote 'A random pattern of tiny scratches much like mezzotint in etchings. That way when the grip gets another few scratches, they won't show up. It is not an applied finish like a coating.'
It shines in the light as you turn it and should hopefully be a lot more durable than a fully polished handle would be.

The frames are supported with two titanium spacers the third spacer is also the backstop for the blade and is made from what looks to be stainless steel. I assume this is because it resists wear better than the titanium. All the fixings are countersunk Torx screws. These are quite large and look to be designed to last. The pivot is a bronze bushed bearing with two bronze washers and has a blued pivot screw. These sit proud of the frames due to the 2mm thickness. This works well the knife opens very smoothly. It has a very nice loud click when the lock engages. It opens easily with either hand. As they are hand built you can have a proper lefty if required. There is no blade play at all when open or closed. But you expect this on a €435 knife.

A full length stainless steel clip is fitted to the knife to allow for tip up carry. This allows the knife to be drawn and opened without changing your hand position. If you carry it with the blade at the rear of your pocket you also reduce the risk of the blade sneaking open and biting you.

The blade on this folder is the most striking feature. It really is a monster lump of CPM S90V on such a small knife. It works well though, the blade is hollow ground and finished to a very high standard. I know the steel is hard to work with as Kevin has mentioned it before. One of its major qualities is its incredible wear resistance. The blade is a drop point with a slight non sharpened swedge on the top front of the blade. The rear of the sharpened edge is finished with a milled cutout which seems to be a feature on all of Kevin's knives. I really like this as it enables you to sharpen right to the edge. The Wilkins 'W' logo is not just etched onto the blade. It is milled into it. A nice touch and it means it will never wear off. The blade is hand rubbed and polished. In different directions to the ground part. This again gives it a good contrast and makes it pleasing to the eye.

An amazing compact knife from one of my favourite designers at the moment. I look forward to the time that I can afford to order another one. :-)

Manufacturer:- www.wilkins-knives.com

More info this and other knives here

www.britishblades.com