Max Knives MKH04 IKE — screwless integral titanium folder, CPM154

Overview

The IKE is an integral titanium folder drawn by Jérôme Hovaere under the Torpen name. Its one-piece body in a stone wash finish shows no screw anywhere. Open, the knife measures 208 mm, with a 92 mm blade in CPM154 steel that is 4.3 mm thick, the thickest of the collaboration. It opens on a flipper, locks with a frame lock, and carries a pocket clip. The first run is limited to 120 numbered pieces, the shortest run of the series.

No screws, and a tool-free takedown

Two rare decisions carry the whole knife. The first: a screwless design. The titanium body is integral and nothing interrupts its surface, no screw head, no added liner. The second follows from it: the IKE comes apart and goes back together without tools. No Torx driver to hunt for at the back of a drawer, no small hardware to keep track of in order to reach the inside of the handle, clean it thoroughly and put it back in working order. On a knife carried every day, that ease of maintenance shows quickly.

Technical specifications

The IKE blade is CPM154 steel, 92 mm long and 4.3 mm thick. It deploys on a flipper and locks with a frame lock, the lock being taken directly out of the one-piece titanium handle, which measures 112 mm closed. Open, the knife measures 208 mm. The titanium finish is a natural-colour stone wash. A pocket clip is fitted. The first run stops at 120 pieces, each one numbered.

Care

This is where the tool-free takedown earns its place: take the knife apart by hand, clean the inside of the handle, put it back together, with nothing but your fingers. Beyond that, titanium is happy with clear water and a cloth, and the stone wash finish carries the marks of use well. Wipe the CPM154 blade after each use and store it dry. A drop of fine oil on the pivot, a pass on a fine-grit stone at the original angle, and the IKE is ready for another round.