Kansept's Symetrix Is a S35VN Titanium Folder From a French Designer

Kansept has built its catalog around bringing custom makers' designs into production, and the Symetrix lands squarely in that pattern: a French knifemaker's compact folder executed in materials that usually command higher prices.

The name comes from the French word symetrie, with the distinctive -trix suffix added to make it a model name. That is not decoration — the entire knife is built around symmetry.

The design idea

Alain Andre shaped the blade and handle with echoing, mirrored lines so the closed knife reads as a single balanced silhouette rather than a blade wearing a handle. Kansept frames this as more than visual: uneven proportions create awkward hand balance during cutting, and a centered, symmetrical profile produces a grip that stays neutral in the hand.

The blade is 2.85 inches in CPM S35VN, a powder metallurgy stainless with a long track record for balanced toughness, edge retention and corrosion resistance. It is not the newest steel on the market, but it is one of the most predictable, and at this price point it is a genuine specification rather than a marketing label.

Four configurations

The Symetrix runs from $159.89 to $179.89. The entry is a Blackwash titanium frame at $162.89, followed by a Green anodized titanium version at $159.89. The top two, at $179.89, are the ones with the sculpted swirl pattern: Blue anodized titanium with gold swirl, and Blue-Purple anodized titanium with swirl.

Kansept notes that the flat titanium variant is the better base for customization, since it accepts anodizing, laser engraving and bespoke finishes without a pattern fighting the new work. That is a useful distinction — buyers who plan to modify should start with the plain frame.

Comparison

At $160 to $180 in a 2.85-inch S35VN titanium frame lock, the Symetrix sits above the standard Chinese titanium bracket and below the WE Knife and Reate tier. Against a Kizer or CIVIVI titanium folder at the same price, the difference is the designer attribution and the frame finish rather than the steel. Against a $250-plus production titanium folder, you are giving up blade size and exotic steel, not build quality.

Verdict

The Symetrix is the most interesting thing to come out of Kansept's store this month, and the swirl-pattern top configurations are the ones worth the $179.89 if you want a knife that looks like a custom without paying for one. If you plan to anodize it yourself, buy the $162.89 Blackwash and start clean.