CKF Teams Up with Peter Rassenti for Production Satori

Custom Knife Factory is making the first production version of Peter Rassenti’s Satori model. The small batch production knife brings signature Rassenti elements to a more accessible platform.

The CKF Satori is a big, imposing integral knife. It brings a 3.94-inch blade to bear, made from high performance M390 steel. The grind combines elements of a drop point with a stylized tanto tip. The integral handle tops the list of features, but flipper deployment, steel lockbar insert, and sculpted titanium clip neatly round out the package in premium style. The Satori’s overall open length is 9.21 inches and it weighs 7.31 oz.

CKF Founder Mike Kulygin tells us that his company’s Satori differs in some ways from its custom inspiration. The first Satori debuted with a unique prehistoric look achieved through meticulous hand sculpting. Obviously such detail couldn’t be recreated in a production knife, but elsewhere Kulygin believes Rassenti and his CKF team made some positive tweaks to the design. “We think we have several slight improvements, including minor changes to the shape of the curves so they could match the blade grind and the lockbar insert.”

Peter Rassenti is one of the biggest proponents of integral knife design. Bringing that famous construction method to the production world creates a slew of complications. This is the second integral CKF has made, the last being 2016’s Tegral, an Anton Malyshev design. Kulygin tells us that even with that experience under their belt perfecting the Satori was no easy process. “Integrals are hard to make, take too much material, are more expensive and it’s harder to make them with the bearings.”

In other words, the CKF Satori was most definitely a passion project. Kulygin personally counts himself among Rassenti’s admirers. “As a fan it was not a hard choice to collaborate with him,” Kulygin says. “I like what Peter does and have several custom SNAFUs and Satoris directly from him. The best thing here is that Peter agreed to work with us, it’s an honor for me.”

Given his personal passion for the product and the positive reception of the CKF Satori, Kulygin says that he would love to work with Rassenti’s designs again. “Our beloved clients have asked for a smaller version of the Satori plus a SNAFU in 2019. Why not? It’s up to Peter.


Knife featured in image: CKF/Rassenti Satori