Second Tkachenko/WE Collab Slated for Spring

Hot on the heels of the Makani, the first collaboration between Russian custom maker Anton Tkachenko and WE Knife Co., comes a second limited release collaboration from the new partners: the Merata. Despite the shared parentage, the Merata stands out with a sinuous aesthetic all its own.

The Makani was not a small knife, but the Merata is a little bigger still. The blade runs to 3.68 inches, and is a exquisitely clean trailing point, whose trailing pointiness is accentuated by a sizeable swedge. The blade shape is strongly reminiscent of that on Tkachenko’s Paradox custom; as on that knife, the blade here seems well-suited to cutting chores of the medium-to-large variety, as well as being an ‘art knife’ to collect and admire. Opened with a flipper, the Merata’s blade is made from CPM-20CV, the most common choice at WE Knife Co. when they roll out these releases on the upper end of their pricing specctrum; and as is usual at this point we also get a Damasteel configuration – specifically, Heimskringla pattern Damasteel.

The Merata’s blade is reminiscent of the Paradox’s, but the handle does its own thing. It has less cutouts, for one, with a different kind of chamfer around the edges. Too, while all versions use titanium for the basic scale material (and that, of course, means a frame lock on off-side), some variants come with sweeping, asymmetrical front and back inlays. These inlays are made from two different advanced varieties of carbon fiber that WE (and other makers) have been employing of late. You can get copper foil carbon fiber, or the Nebula pattern of CF from Fat Carbon.

If you aren’t interested in these more elaborate models, there are three versions of the Merata without inlays. There’s a blacked-out model, a plain bead blast version, and a third that has had its scales flame striped. All versions of the Merata come with a sculpted titanium pocket clip, although those on the ritzier versions are also flamed anodized for an extra pop of color. The Merata weighs 4.6 oz.

Like the Makani, the Merata is a limited production piece. Each version is limited to somewhere between 200-310 pieces, so availability will be short-lived.

Knife in Featured Image: We Knife Co. Merata

The information provided by KnifeNews.com (the “Site”) is for general recreational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed on the Site are those of the author or those quoted and do not necessarily reflect the views of any entities they represent. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of the information on the Site. Under no circumstance shall we have any liability to you for any loss or damage as the result of the use of the Site or reliance on any information provided. Your use of the Site and your reliance on any information on the Site is solely at your own risk.