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Krudo Knives DAO LTE Spearheads Busy Fall Release Schedule

June 14, 2021

Krudo Knives is pursuing some ambitious projects for the rest of 2021. The company has five new models inbound, led by a redesign of its DAO folder, dubbed the DAO LTE.

The DAO is the second knife to get an LTE release, after the KARSINO10. Company founder and sole designer Louis Krudo explained just what the “LTE” designation means. “[It] is a redesign of choice folders, while maintaining the build quality. Due to the challenges and changes we all have been experiencing during 2020 and beyond, I’ve re-centered my designs to continue to embody long life, tough attitude and excellence all around, but with a lower price point.”

With the DAO, the LTE redesign gave him the leeway to make sensible tweaks beyond financially-oriented ones, including repositioning the thumb wedge, thinning the blade stock, and refining the handle profile. “One may find that the feel, when holding the DAO LTE folder, is more grippy than before,” Krudo notes. “By placing the Thumb Wedge further back on the blade spine and closer to the frame, one will notice a fuller grip feel.” A new copper spacer adds a bit of that visual flair that is core to Krudo products. “I have used copper in my designs before and I like the way it will patina in time, giving it a weather worn look,” Krudo adds.

The DAO LTE is just the beginning, however. After it lands later this year, Krudo will start rolling out a series of knives based on his SNAGbit karambit design. “In 2020 I decided that it was time to go from handcrafting the SNAGBit to production,” he says. Getting the SNAGBit production ready gave Krudo ideas for three other karambit-inspired knives. “This brought new design ideas to create folding knives with rings, such as the redesigned SNAG and the new designs IKONIK and inKorrigible,” he says. “The ring does allow for a secure grip, quicker deployment and can add a cool factor to smaller folding knives. I am looking forward to all four.”

  • IKONIK
  • inKorrigible
  • SNAGBit
  • SNAGNSS

In addition to his knife company, Krudo began handcrafting pieces of jewelry. This project allows Krudo to create beautiful objects free from the utility-driven restrictions of knife design. “With jewelry, I am not bound by the lines and functionality of building a folder,” he tells us. But Krudo confirms that he has no plans to abandon blades for baubles; he’ll just divide his time between the two disciplines. “While I enjoy designing knives and will continue to do so, the jewelry adds a new layer of creative direction for me.”

The DAO LTE is available for preorder now, and expected to arrive in September or October.

Knife in Featured Image: Krudo Knives DAO LTE

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