Kansept's Tracer Puts Timascus on a S35VN Frame Lock

Geoff Blauvelt builds custom knives that sell for multiples of this, and the Tracer is his design language translated into a production frame lock. The top variant, K1115A4, runs a 3.46-inch brushed satin blade in CPM S35VN inside a titanium handle with timascus inlays for $345.89.

The handle construction is the interesting part. Kansept builds it as a frame-lock core with outer overlay slabs, which hides the lock bar and gives the knife a clean silhouette without the visible cut-out most frame locks have. The slabs are milled with strategic cutouts to cut weight without losing structure, and the whole perimeter is chamfered so there is no sharp edge anywhere your hand lands. A note on the timascus: it is a titanium laminate, so the inlay adds visual depth without meaningful weight, and it will not patina the way a copper or brass bolster would. Kansept finishes it to a high polish, which means fingerprints are the only maintenance item. Worth knowing too that the overlay construction means the lock bar is hidden under a slab, so check the action before you buy rather than assuming you can tune it through an open frame.

S35VN at 3.46 inches is a well-judged combination: enough wear resistance for daily cardboard, enough toughness for the odd pry, and far easier to maintain than the 20CV-and-M390 bracket. The flipper runs on a tuned pivot, and Kansept claims zero blade play when locked — a claim worth testing yourself before you trust it on a $346 knife.

The variant ladder explains the price spread. Two titanium versions with purple anodizing and natural blue-purple anodizing are $219.89, and the timascus version is $345.89. That $126 gap buys you a handle material and nothing that cuts better. Compare the Kansept Navaja at $179.89 with a 3.61-inch S35VN blade: more edge, less money, and a very different handle shape.

Current pricing and the full variant list are on the Kansept product page.