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A Surprise New Release from Steel Will Arrives

November 16, 2020

Even after wrapping up the release schedule they debuted at SHOT Show 2020, Steel Will surprised us with a brand new knife release last week. The F24-10 Nutcracker blends hard use, culinary, and EDC characteristics into a single package.

The Nutcracker’s 3.4-inch modified Wharncliffe blade is right in line with modern production knife design trends. Its quirky but practical shape, broad flat grind, and ergonomic concave spine all speak to the stylish EDC use category. But according to Steel Will, one of the driving inspirations for the Nutcracker’s design is, indeed, in the idea of a knife that can crack open nuts. Its thicker than average blade stock (.16″) give it the muscle necessary for that task, and make the Nutcracker rugged enough to accomplish some hard use chores that may be beyond its more slender stablemates.

For this hybrid knife, Steel Will is using N690Co, a European stainless that earns strong marks in the key categories of toughness, edge retention, and ease of sharpening. This marks the first time we’ve seen N690Co on a Steel Will folder since the release of the Druid; since then it has been relegated to their fixed blades only. We might associate D2 with modern Steel Will releases, but the original Gekko folder, which helped Steel Will establish itself years ago, also came out in an N690 version.

If the blade shape left you in any doubt as to the Nutcracker’s hard use capabilities, the handle should put those doubts to bed. It is a spacious, oversized profile, with ergonomic curves and a generous finger groove that locks the hand in place and provides easy access to the liner lock for disengagement. G-10 scales are laid over the stainless steel liners and available in multiple colors; a sculpted titanium clip is a final, premium touch on this otherwise mid-range knife design. The Nutcracker weighs 4.59 ounces.

Steel Will showed off a slew of new for 2020 designs in January, at SHOW Show. They’ve been steadily releasing those previewed knives throughout the year, and wrapped up in August with the Barghest. The Nutcracker, an unexpected, unpreviewed knife, was first teased at the beginning of last week before its official reveal.

It is available now.

Knife in Featured Image: Steel Will Nutcracker

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