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Liong Mah Overhauls Budget Knife Design for New Mid-Tech

April 21, 2017

Liong Mah just introduced the GSD into his line of high-end, Reate-produced knives. Most production knives are based on custom or mid-tech models. In the case of the GSD, Mah reversed the order to take the design to market in style.

Though a rare custom GSD exists, most will be familiar with the budget-friendly version recently discontinued by CRKT. “I got a lot of emails from customers who loved the CRKT version, but wanted to see a high-end GSD too. Once it was discontinued I thought, ‘Perfect timing.’”

Liong Mah GSD

But, Mah didn’t just upgrade the CRKT version with better materials. He made many changes, including a new inline flipper design. Instead of a tab sticking out from the back of the frame, Mah used the same style of flipper seen on his SDC, where part of the pivot area is cut away to reveal an unobtrusive, square flipper tab. “I realized the way a flipper comes out changes the whole look of a knife,” Mah tells us. With the inline tab, the GSD really leans into Mah’s clean, fluid style.

Because the inline tab doesn’t protrude from the knife in the open position, Mah moved the finger choil further down on the knife, keeping the GSD compact even though it has a 3.5” S35VN blade. “A lot of the time, implementing a flipper and a finger choil eats up an inch of potential cutting edge,” Mah explains.

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Along with the inline flipper, Mah added an opening cutout, more aggressive jimping, and a totally redesigned, reversible pocket clip. The clip on the CRKT version was rigid and did not make contact with the handle. It was an unconventional design and pretty divisive, so Mah went with a more traditional sculpted titanium clip on the new GSD. “These touches really give it extra functionality,” he says.

Mah is offering the GSD in two different variations. The “Bling” model has carbon fiber inlays and a wire wheel-finish frame. The “Tuxedo” model comes in a black PVD-coated frame and antique ivory Micarta inlays. Both models are available through Mah’s website at a introductory price.

Knife featured in image: Liong Mah Designs GSD Tuxedo

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