Max Knives P14B — Traditional 440C folding knife with bone handle

Overview

The P14B is a small pocket folder of traditional build: a 47 mm plain edge blade in 440C stainless steel, a 90 mm bone handle and a liner lock that holds the blade once it is open. Closed, it disappears into a jacket pocket; open, it measures 128 mm. At 55 grams it is forgotten in a trouser pocket, a satchel or a glovebox until the moment it is wanted. This is the knife you reach for to open a parcel, trim a cork, put a snack together on a bench or cut a length of twine in the garden.

How a liner lock works

Open the P14B blade to its stop and a steel leaf housed inside the handle, held under tension, springs across and settles behind the heel of the open blade, where it holds it. As long as it sits there, the blade cannot fold back onto the fingers. To close the knife, the thumb pushes that leaf sideways and clears the way, leaving the other hand free. Opening and closing therefore both happen with one hand, which is why this mechanism has stayed on pocket folders for so long.

Technical specifications

The blade is 440C stainless steel, plain edged along its whole length, and measures 47 mm. The bone-covered handle is 90 mm long, which is also the length of the knife once it is folded; open, the knife measures 128 mm. It is 22 mm wide and 14 mm thick, dimensions that explain why it makes no bulge in a pocket. The complete knife weighs 55 grams. The blade is held by a liner lock, worked with a single hand.

Care

Bone is a natural material: wash it by hand in warm water and dry it straight away rather than letting it soak. A soft cloth and, two or three times a year, a trace of petroleum jelly or colourless wax are enough to keep its patina. On the mechanical side, wipe the 440C blade after use, especially after cutting fruit or anything salty or greasy. A drop of light oil on the pivot and on the liner lock leaf keeps the movement smooth, and the knife always goes away with a dry blade.

Legal notice. Carrying a knife in public without a legitimate reason is an offence in France and in most European countries. Check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.