Max Knives FPPBC — Carbon fibre handle, 77 mm 440C drop point blade

Overview

Within the series Fred Perrin drew for Max Knives, the FPPBC holds its own corner: it is the one whose handle is carbon fibre. The dimensions do not shift by a millimetre from its siblings: 77 mm 440C steel blade, 98 mm handle, 175 mm once open, 3 mm at the spine. The blade is a drop point with a plain edge in a stone washed finish. A paracord comes with the piece. Carbon is the most demonstrative material in the family, the one you look at as much as you hold.

What the carbon weave shows

Carbon fibre is not cast, it is woven. Carbon threads are crossed in a plain or twill pattern, soaked in resin, then pressed and cured: the result is a sheet remarkably stiff for its mass, and above all a sheet whose pattern stays readable beneath the surface. Depending on how light strikes it, the checkerboard moves from deep black to silvery grey, then goes quiet again as you turn your hand. That pattern belongs to the material itself rather than being printed on top of it, so it neither wears through nor peels away. Across a 98 mm handle it gives the piece its visual signature.

Technical specifications

440C steel blade, plain edge, drop point shape, 77 mm long, 3 mm thick at the spine, stone washed finish. Carbon fibre handle, 98 mm. Overall open length: 175 mm. Paracord supplied. The other versions in the series repeat these same dimensions with handles in other materials, kydex or two-tone G10; carbon fibre is fitted to this reference alone.

Care

Carbon fibre neither rusts nor drinks water: a soft cloth, dampened with warm soapy water if needed, is enough to bring the shine back. What it should be spared is scouring powder and abrasive pads, which would dull the polished surface and blur the weave underneath. The 440C steel asks for the usual attention: wipe it after use, dry it thoroughly, then leave a film of knife oil on it before a long stretch without work. Paracord rinses under clear water and dries in open air.

Legal notice for international buyers. Carrying it in public without a legitimate reason is an offence in France and in most European countries. It is the buyer's responsibility to check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.