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Burnside Knives Set to Return in 2021

January 18, 2021

After an extended absence from the knife game, Burnside Knives is back with the Cabrillo 2.0, a total revision of their flagship folder. The Cabrillo 2.0 showcases upgrades from tip to tail, and the company says it points the direction for a fresh new Burnside in 2021 and beyond.

Rick Maderis, owner and founder of Burnside Knives, is frank about his label’s notable silence these last few years. A new addition to his family and a job working with Nike took up most of his time. Burnside was a passion project from the beginning, and Maderis found himself pulling crazy hours just to keep the company above water. “During that time I was designing Burnside after hours and fulfilling orders before and after work,” he says. “No smoke about it, I had too much on my plate and took a break to focus on Nike. It was a lot to keep up with and I wanted to make sure my daughter came first.”

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic complicated things even further, but Maderis says he is ready for Burnside’s return this year. “The restart and future of Burnside Knives is to take every win, learning, and idea, and push it further, faster, and with more intent,” he tells us. “Form, function and style is our why.”

The Cabrillo 2.0 is the first manifestation of this intent. Even at a glance, it’s easy to see that much has been changed from the knife’s first iteration. The unusual, multifaceted, recurved blade shape returns, albeit shrunk by an inch (to 3″) with a major steel upgrade: S35VN instead of AUS-8. It now opens with a flipper and uses a ball-bearing pivot. The original Cabrillo was a bit of a pocket hog with a weight of 6.5 oz.; the 2.0 takes more than two full ounces off, bringing the weight to 4 oz. even.

The Cabrillo may be the most recognizable Burnside knife, but it wasn’t the only one. Before its hiatus the company rolled out others, including the Carmen and the Blazer. We asked Maderis if renovations for those knives were a possibility as well. “1000%,” he confirms. “We learned how to crawl, walk, and now we are going to sprint…We have a few ideas cooking and keeping our cards close but will make sure to use the megaphone when those products are ready.”

The Cabrillo 2.0 is seeking funding through Kickstarter right now. Its goal of $12,000 has already been surpassed, and the project is open through January 27th. The knife is expected to ship in March.

Knife in Featured Image: Burnside Knives Cabrillo 2.0

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