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Shirogorov Partners with RJ Martin for Special Edition Overkill

January 21, 2021

Shirogorov is partnering with custom maker RJ Martin on a very limited collaboration version of Martin’s Overkill design. The Russian Overkill, as it has been dubbed, highlights the styles of both collaborators, with Shirogorov’s detail-oriented touch highlighting the slick and work-ready profile of the Martin original.

The Overkill is Martin’s flagship blade, a classic in the custom world. In terms of the broad strokes, the Russian Overkill retains the fundamentals its forbear. It has the same general profile and proportions, and thus is a big knife, with a cutting edge of 3.9-inches. The blade still opens with the classic RJ Martin flipper tab shape, albeit now turning on the Shirogorov Single-Row Roller Bearing System.

Gone, however, is the Overkill’s recurve blade shape; in what is probably the most notable alteration, Shirogorov gave the Russian Overkill a blade in the straight drop point style, similar to the shop’s other in-house designs. Every Shirogorov releases comes decked out in a super steel, and this time it’s M398, the sequel to Bohler-Uddeholm’s longstanding M390; this formulation debuted in 2019, but is still something of a rare sight in the knife world.

Small changes are also apparent on the handle: the original Overkill is a slim knife, but the Shiro collab is even thinner, with a narrowed handle that brings the weight down to 4.7 oz. The scales are titanium, with delicate concentric millwork on both sides, and subtly contoured: they’re actually thinner at the pivot and thicker at the back end. The lock is a titanium frame lock with steel insert, and a sculpted Ti pocket clip sits in a small divot formed by the lock bar relief.

The Russian Overkill, like all Shirogorov projects, will be available in limited supply, just 200 pieces. You can sign up this Saturday for the lottery drawing to purchase it, which takes place on Monday.

Knife in Featured Image: Shirogorov/RJ Martin Overkill

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