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Ostap Hel and Real Steel Hit the Gslip with Shrink Ray

November 6, 2020

When a knife gets popular, it often isn’t long before smaller and/or bigger versions are released. That’s the case with the Real Steel Gslip, a well-loved design from Ostap Hel, which is getting a smaller sequel called the Gslip Compact.

The Gslip originated as Hel’s particular take on the “modern slipjoint” concept. It took major inspiration from his G5 Metamorph, one of the first Hel designs to make a big splash in the production world. That meant that the Gslip had mid-size dimensions, including a 3.46-inch blade. The length opened the possibility of a wider variety of cutting chores, of course, but made the Gslip’s legality in some parts of the world, where a non-locking knife would otherwise be popular, somewhat compromised.

So the Compact brings the blade all the way down to a sub-3″ length – 2.95 inches to be exact, making legal carry a lot easier in the UK especially. Hel’s sodbuster-esque snub-nose drop point blade shape remains, which means that even though we have a smaller blade here, the all-purpose EDC mindset at the core of the Gslip design remains intact. On the metallurgical side of things, the original Gslip stood out in Real Steel’s lineup for its use of VG-10, an uncommon choice amongst their many releases; and we’re seeing that well-known stainless once again on the Compact.

As should be clear by now, this is a faithful, textbook transition to a smaller size class, with minimal changes to the overall design. Thus RSK and Hel stuck with the Gslip’s original handle shape for its little brother: a neutral, cigar-style profile that, save for the modern materials and machining, wouldn’t be out of place in more traditional slipjoints of yore. The wire deep carry pocket clip is also once again present and accounted for.

RSK is rolling out the Gslip Compact in six different G-10/Micarta scale colors: three available from multiple places, three as dealer exclusives. No price has been given at this time.

Knife in Featured Image: Real Steel Knives Gslip Compact

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