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OKC Releases Another Budget-Friendly Titanium Frame Lock

September 8, 2020

There’s a new knife on the way from Ontario Knife Company: the Besra. This knife is a follow-up to the Shikra, and retains the look and materials of its sibling while making lots of changes, both obvious and subtle.

The biggest, most prominent change is the blade shape. The Shikra had a fairly traditional spear point, whereas the Besra goes a little bit off the beaten path with a blade that blends the profile of a sheepsfoot with the width and style of a cleaver. That means you’re getting a very straight cutting edge for the entire 3-inch length, running out to a low but suitably piercing point.

In terms of deploying that blade, you’ve got a flipper tab and nothing else. A caged bearing pivot brings plenty of smoothness to that deployment, and the blade steel is AUS-8 stainless, sporting a blackwash coating to prevent corrosion and to enhance the knife’s style. All of these elements contribute to a knife designed to handle fundamentally the same kind of EDC chores as the Shikra; however, the different blade shape makes some changes to performance on the micro level while remaining the same on the macro.

One of the standout features of the Shikra was its handle, which, despite the knife’s budget price, gave users a front scale made from tan Micarta and a frame lock off-side scale made from titanium. The material choices on the Besra are much the same. The natural lightness of titanium and Micarta, as well as the lack of a show side liner, bring the Besra’s weight down to an impressive 2.33 oz. It secures in the pocket with a loop-over clip.

The handle shapes between the two knives are also noticeably different. It can be seen that the Besra’s is more angular and wider as well. Despite these differences, it provides a similarly accommodating, universal grip as the Shikra; and the presence of the same swooping millwork on the Besra’s front scale should drive home the family connection.

The Besra is arriving with dealers shortly. MSRP is set at $55.95.

Knife in Featured Image: Ontario Knife Company Besra

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