Max Knives FPPBB — 440C drop point blade, kydex handle, Fred Perrin design

Overview

The FPPBB carries the dimensions of the series Fred Perrin drew for Max Knives: a 77 mm 440C steel blade, a 98 mm handle, 175 mm once open and 3 mm of spine thickness. Two details set it apart within that series. Its blade is a drop point, a profile whose tip stays high and in line with the spine. Its handle is kydex, a material normally met on the sheath side of a knife rather than under the fingers. The stone wash finish runs in two tones here, silver and black, and the kydex sheath comes mounted on paracord.

Kydex, from sheath to handle

Kydex is a thermoplastic that is heated and then formed over a shape: it is the sheath material of choice because it holds exactly the geometry given to it and never drifts from it afterwards. Seeing it used for a handle is unusual, and that is the whole point of this model. The plate keeps its stiffness, its surface stays crisp under the fingers, and it fears neither water nor swings in temperature. Fred Perrin, the French maker and designer whose drawings have been circulating since the early 1990s, built this series around handles of differing materials, and kydex is its most unexpected entry.

Technical specifications

440C steel blade, plain edge, drop point shape, 77 mm long and 3 mm thick at the spine. Stone washed finish in two tones, silver and black. Kydex handle, 98 mm. Overall open length: 175 mm. The supplied sheath is thermoformed kydex and comes with its paracord. The FPPBS shares these exact dimensions and the same handle, swapping the drop point for a clip point blade: together they are the two kydex versions of the series.

Care

440C is a stainless steel, which does not excuse it from a wipe: a dry cloth over the blade after each use, especially after contact with water or acidic food, then a film of knife oil before any long spell in storage. The stone wash finish takes small marks of use well, blending them into its grain rather than showing them off. Handle and sheath, both kydex, rinse under clear water and dry in open air without ever taking on moisture. The paracord washes the same way.

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.