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Sinkevich Draws Up Stubby Persian Slicer

April 23, 2017

Dmitry Sinkevich’s latest custom offering is the Vifaru, an unconventional model from the Belarus-based knife maker. One of the smallest customs Sinkevich has ever dreamed up, the Vifaru is designed to be an ergonomic cutting machine that can still fit into a watch pocket.

Recent collaborations like the ZT 0450 and ZT 0456 demonstrate that Sinkevich is capable of putting out designs in a broad range of sizes and styles. Many of Sinkevich’s custom knives are larger, but as these production offerings have circulated, collectors became interested in smaller Sinkevich customs. “Though I usually carry and use larger knives such as ZT 0452 and ZT 0850, I certainly get tons of positive vibes from smaller pieces, as well,” Sinkevich says.

With an RWL34 blade just 2.2-inches in length, the Vifaru is certainly small, but its exaggerated trailing point and matching handle give it a stubbiness that distinguishes it from anything he has done before. The more slender ZT 0460 also features a trailing point, but Sinkevich took some unusual inspiration for the Vifaru’s blade. “I was inspired by the rounded shape of a furrier’s knife, by a bowie, by Persian blades, and even by pizza slicers,” he says. “This blade shape is excellent for long straight cuts, skinning game – and of course slicing pizza.”

Vifaru

The complicated grinding techniques needed to achieve the Vifaru’s blade make it especially time-consuming to build, so for now Sinkevich plans to keep numbers low to maximize collectability. He has produced three different Vifarus to date, each with different finishes, coloration, and hardware. “I’ve used different surface texturing for the handles, titanium, bronze or timascus hardware, and various finishes on the handles. So among other things, these have excellent collectability.”

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Zero Tolerance has already proven they aren’t afraid to put rarer Sinkevich designs into production. So, is there a place for the Vifaru in a future ZT catalog? “It’s too early to say at this point, I’m afraid,” says Sinkevich. Still, the custom Vifaru might see a companion piece someday. “I might consider making a larger version of the Vifaru sometime in the future.”

The Vifaru can be purchased directly from Sinkevich and the price varies based on the materials.

Knife featured in image: Sinkevich Vifaru

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