Stéphane Espi

Stéphane Espi, knifemaker in Vendres

Stéphane Espi is a French knifemaker based in Vendres, in the Hérault department in the south of France. Self-taught, he made his first knives in 1998 and has worked as a professional knifemaker since 2009.

His workshop produces fixed blades and folders, with or without a lock, but it is his folding knives that built his reputation: liner locks, titanium frame locks and front flippers, with a constant focus on mechanical quality as much as on line. That standard earned him two awards at the SICAC show in Paris, including best flipper knife in 2020.

His documented custom pieces include the Fructis, the Viking, the Cyrus and the Scylla, in RWL34 steel among others, with handles in carbon fibre, stabilised wood or titanium, often finished with the file work that signs his knives.

From the workshop to a production run

The Ulys brings this workshop experience into a production collaboration.

The model was entirely designed and developed by the knifemaker before the first MaxKnives series. The division of roles is the same as for the other collaborations: designed by Stéphane Espi, released by MaxKnives, as a limited and numbered First Run edition.

Moving to a production run did not lower the specification: the Ulys keeps a powder-metallurgy steel, a proven mechanism and a micarta handle machined from solid.

Ulys: a liner-lock folder designed for the hand

The Ulys is a folder measuring 189 mm open and weighing 106 grams, with a 110 mm handle that gives the closed length.

Its 80 mm drop-point blade, 3 mm thick, combines a lowered point with a generous belly: the all-round geometry par excellence. It opens with a flipper on ball bearings, one-handed; the lock is a liner lock, an internal plate that moves behind the tang of the blade in the open position. The pocket clip and the backspacer are made of titanium.

The design carries Stéphane Espi's signature: a positive opening motion, direct access to the lock and a handle shaped for the grip.

CPM-20CV: a powder-metallurgy steel

The CPM-20CV of the Ulys is the highest-grade steel in the MaxKnives catalogue.

This stainless steel, very rich in chromium and vanadium, is produced by powder metallurgy: the steel is atomised into fine particles and then hot-compacted, which distributes the carbides evenly throughout the mass instead of letting them gather in clusters. The result is a long-lasting edge, above what the catalogue's usual steels — 440C, 12C27, N690 or D2 — can offer.

The trade-off is well known: a steel this rich in carbides calls for suitable sharpening abrasives, diamond or ceramic stones, and a little more patience than a conventional stainless steel.

Three micartas, a light or a black blade

Micarta is a laminate of cloth or paper impregnated with resin, pressed and then machined from solid. It does not move with humidity, remains pleasant to the touch in cold weather and offers more grip when the hand is wet.

The Ulys comes in three handle colours: light blue (MKES1BL), black (MKES1N) and terracotta brown (MKES1M). The blue and brown versions carry a light satin blade; the black version is the only one whose blade receives a dark finish, for an all-black knife.

Same dimensions, same steel, same mechanism: only the dress changes. The Ulys is offered as a numbered First Run edition of 300 pieces.

An identity built around the mechanism

Looking at the Ulys alongside Stéphane Espi's custom pieces reveals several recurring ideas.

The first is the care given to the mechanism. For him, a knife is not just a silhouette: the relationship between blade and handle, the opening motion and the access to the lock are as much a part of the design as the blade profile.

The second is balance in the hand. The handle is drawn for the grip as much as for the line, and the Ulys carries that logic into a 189 mm pocket format.

Finally, the choice of materials always follows use: a steel chosen for edge retention, a handle chosen for grip, with no decoration that serves no purpose.

Which Ulys x MaxKnives should you choose?

The three versions share the same architecture; the choice comes down to looks.

Ulys light blue micarta (MKES1BL)
The brightest version, with a light satin blade on a light blue handle.

Ulys black micarta (MKES1N)
An all-dark knife: black handle and black-finished blade, the only one of the three.

Ulys brown micarta (MKES1M)
A warm, earthy tone that sets off the light satin blade.

Caring for a Ulys x MaxKnives

CPM-20CV is a highly alloyed stainless steel: wipe the blade after use, particularly after contact with acidic food or salty moisture, and store the knife dry. On the black version, cleanliness remains the best way to preserve the dark finish.

For sharpening, use a diamond or ceramic stone, able to bite into the vanadium carbides, and keep the original edge angle; a conventional stone will struggle with this steel.

Micarta can be washed in warm water with a little mild soap and dried with a cloth: nothing to wax, nothing to feed. Avoid solvents.

A drop of light oil on the pivot and behind the liner-lock plate keeps the action smooth; wipe off the excess so that dust does not stick to it. Do not disassemble the knife: contact us before any work on the mechanism.

See our knife cleaning, maintenance and sharpening guides for more information.

Purchase, possession, carry and transport

The rules that apply to a knife do not depend solely on its size or appearance.

Being legally able to buy and own a product does not automatically mean that it can be carried or transported without restriction.

Before travelling with a knife, please consult our guide to knife purchase, possession, carry and transport in France, and check the rules applicable in your destination country.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Stéphane Espi?
A French knifemaker based in Vendres, in the south of France, self-taught, working professionally since 2009, known for his titanium frame-lock folders and front flippers, and an award winner at the SICAC show in Paris.

What does "liner lock" mean?
An internal plate, bent to act as a spring, moves behind the tang of the blade when the knife is open and prevents it from closing. To close the knife, push the plate aside with your thumb and fold the blade. No lock replaces careful use.

What is the difference between the three Ulys?
None in dimensions, steel or mechanism. The light blue and the brown carry a light satin blade; the black is the only one with a black-finished blade.

What does "First Run" mean?
It is the first numbered series of the model: 300 pieces, each carrying its number.