Max Knives FPNANO — Nano, titanium frame lock folder, Fred Perrin design

Overview

The Nano is the pocket format of the collaboration between Fred Perrin and Max Knives: 122 mm once open, only 74 mm once folded, around a 54 mm stainless 440C blade 3 mm thick at the spine. That blade takes a straight edge, with no pronounced belly, a drawing that gives an even cutting line from heel to tip. The handle is titanium and carries the lock within itself. A belt clip completes the piece, which is announced as being 100% French.

Frame lock, where the handle is the spring

Most folders house their lock in a separate leaf fitted inside the handle. A frame lock removes that middleman: one side of the handle itself is cut to form a movable tongue. As the blade opens, that titanium tongue, held under tension towards the inside, slides behind the tang and bears against it, so the blade can no longer swing back. To close, you push the tongue aside with your thumb and clear the way. Titanium is the right material here because it combines lasting springiness with resistance to wear; and because it plays both roles at once, the knife loses parts and gains compactness.

Technical specifications

Stainless 440C steel blade, plain edge, straight-edged shape, 54 mm long and 3 mm thick. Titanium handle, 74 mm, which is also the folded footprint of the knife. Overall open length: 122 mm. Frame lock. Belt clip fitted. The Nano is the smallest of the folding formats Fred Perrin has drawn for the brand.

Care

Titanium does not rust and settles for a pass of a cloth, damp if needed; fingerprints come away with soapy water. The joint deserves a little follow-up: one drop of fine oil on the pivot, then a few openings to spread it, is enough to keep the action crisp. Rinse and dry if dust or sand has worked its way into the slot of the handle. The 440C blade should be dried after every contact with water and given a veil of oil before a long spell in storage.

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.