A button lock at $29.40 is the headline, and the Gryphon backs it up with a blade worth carrying. Overall length is 8.17 inches, the blade is 3.46 inches of 9Cr18MoV at 0.11 inch stock, and the shape is what Kizer calls a Persian-style tanto — a raised, sweeping spine that drops into a reinforced point.
Kizer's reasoning for the button lock is refreshingly blunt: it is easier to operate than a liner lock for people who are new to folding knives, and it lets you close the blade without putting a thumb in the path. The handle is G10, chosen for weight and for staying usable when it is wet or cold. Opening is via flipper. The 8.17-inch overall length surprises people. That is longer than some 3.5-inch-blade folders from premium makers, and it comes from a generous handle rather than from the blade. Hand size, not blade preference, should drive the decision here: if your hands are large, the Gryphon will feel better than the shorter Amicus.
Against the rest of Kizer's budget tier, the Gryphon is the most aggressive shape for the least money. The Swedge costs $1.20 less and gives you a conventional drop point. The Amicus costs $2.10 less and gives you a 2.95-inch Nitro-V blade in a 2.32-ounce package — half an inch less edge and a full ounce less weight. The Chili Pepper, at $64.80, is the button-lock knife with 3V and an aluminum handle, and it is more than double the price.
The tanto profile is the caveat. A reinforced point is excellent for piercing and scraping, and a straight secondary edge is poor at rocking through anything. This is a knife for opening packaging and cutting straps, not for food prep. At $29.40, that is a fair trade to make.
Kizer lists the Gryphon with current pricing and color options.
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