Poltergeist Works Bets Big on First-Ever Production Folders

Poland-based Poltergeist Works is prepping three new production collaborations with Real Steel Knives. These knives mark the first time folders from Poltergeist Works Founder Jakub Wieczorkiewicz will be available in a widespread format.

Wieczorkiewicz has been gaining ground in Europe and abroad for his unique style that combines disparate influences. “The love for horror and science fiction comes into play – this is where the name, and the raw, tactical, stealthy nature of the blades comes from,” he says. Working by hand without CNC, Wieczorkiewicz’s output has been necessarily limited in scope. He has already designed two fixed blades for RSK, the Connector and the Banshee. But he hopes this burst of production models will establish a precedent for the future. “Collaboration with Real Steel is a big step in my knifemaking career as it brings my designs to a broader audience. I am sure this is only a beginning of a great relationship and I would love to bring more designs to the market.”

3001 Precision
The Precision strives to be an all-purpose EDC, priced and sized for anybody. It is a robust but relatively lightweight stainless steel frame lock, equipped with a  2.87-inch blade, large enough to be useful but small enough to be widely legal. “[This] is a special design for me as it is currently the smallest knife in my regular lineup,” says Wieczorkiewicz of the folder’s custom inspiration, also called the 3001. “It has been a very popular design over the years.”

3001 Precision

Obvious material differences occurred in moving the custom 3001 to budget-friendly production level. Specifically, the frame lock is steel rather than titanium, and the blade steel is humble but work-ready 14C28N. But Wieczorkiewicz’s signature touches remain, including the chain bolt hardware an uncommon-looking thumb stud. An angled, sloping G-10 ramp replaces the usual pointed stud for deployment. “Everyone has different size hands and different length thumbs,” Wieczorkiewicz explains. “With a wide thumb stud like this, there is more area your thumb can rest on. I find it’s especially beneficial in small folders with short handles.”

3605F Control
Last month RSK promised that it would continue to push high-end knives alongside its well-known budget offerings. In conjunction with Wieczorkiewicz they’ve delivered on that promise with the Control (see feature image). “Because I don’t limit myself with a price point, sometimes it makes the knives hard to mass produce,” the maker tells us. “What Real Steel has done is really amazing – recreating one of my designs in production form, keeping most of the features and the high attention to detail.”

The Control’s show side scale is a piece of marbled carbon fiber, complemented by a stonewashed titanium locking side. Its blade straddles the line between a drop point and tanto, and is made from S35VN steel. Wieczorkiewicz’s attention to deployment method continues here, with both a regular thumb stud and a flipper tab implemented.

3606F Element
Wieczorkiewicz’s third RSK release is a further development of the Control design, playing to an adjusted set of uses. “The handle is slightly sleeker in the back and it also features a finger groove for slightly improved control,” Wieczorkiewicz says. In a unique twist, the Element design will debut as a production knife first, before any custom versions exist. “It was in the design stage for quite some time, I am yet to make a custom version of it.”

3606F Element

While the Precision was an exploration of smaller knives, the Element sees Wieczorkiewicz working once again in the mid-to-large category. Strictly a flipper, it strives to balance its bigger size with a thin build. “If you like a larger knife, this will be a great EDC because even though it seems big, I design all my knives to be slim. It also should do very well as a tactical blade,” Wieczorkiewicz says.

All three Poltergeist Works collaborations will be available soon.

Knife featured in image: Real Steel Knives 3605F Control