Anton Tkachenko Designs Limited Edition Makani for We Knife Co.

There’s a new limited release knife on the way from We Knife Co., the Makani. This is the first time the company has worked with Anton Tekachenko, a Russian custom maker who has also been an innovator in the production knife world.

Tkachenko’s custom work is hyper clean, elevated by an eye for strong lines and a sense of focus rather than showy materials or flashy mechanics. You can see that philosophy carried through to this production collaboration, beginning with the 3.61-inch blade. We call it a drop point, but wouldn’t quibble with those who’d say ‘modified wharnie;’ either way, it’s a largeish blade, calibrated for medium to large everyday carry chores. Opened with a flipper (which is nearly occulded by the finger guard in the open position), it is made from CPM-20V and, in all variations other than the black-coated model, sports a hand rubbed satin finish.

There are three scallops on the underside of the Makani’s handle, each designed to lock in a portion of the user’s hand during use. That’s about as complicated as the ergonomic profile gets; topside we see a spine that gently drops from the guard to the butt end, where it terminates in a waspish point. Unsurprisingly, the scales are full titanium, which means that WE has implemented their standard steel-capped frame lock bar. The Makani weighs 4.48 oz. and comes with a non-reversible clip made from flamed titanium.

There are five different variations of the Makani on the way, each limited to between 200-300 pieces. None of these variants make any changes to the actual design, but merely offer different inlay options and colorations. Two of the inlay flavors are carbon fiber: copper or aluminum foil-infused. There’s a model with a titanium inlay, which has been flamed to have a blue-purple coloration and a pattern that looks like waves collapsing on a shore. Finally, there are two inlay-less versions, one with black-coated handle and blade, and another with a satin blade and stonewashed scales.

You might recognize the several collaborations Tkachenko did with Steel Will, including the the Tasso and the company’s Ant-Lock mechanism. Tkachenko was also behind the Warbot, the very last new model that Steel Will released.

Knife in Featured Image: We Knife Co. Makani

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