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StatGear Returns with Slipjoint Samurai

June 18, 2020

StatGear is back with a new release, and it’s one that fans have been asking for for a while. The EDC company is bringing out a slipjoint variation of the Pocket Samurai, the tiny folder that was StatGear’s first major successes.

The original Pocket Samurai released all the way back in 2016. It was part of the first wave of the “tiny knives” trend, incorporating a lot of modern folder features into a very compact and affordable package. It was further differentiated from the pack thanks to its Japanese-inspired look, packing a tanto blade and an aluminum handle design that mimicked tsukamaki wrapping in its machining detail.

Much remains the same on the slipjoint Samurai – although in addition tp the big mechanical change, there is a difference in the blade itself. The original Pocket Samurai had a 1.97 inch blade that curved slightly up into the secondary edge bevel, emulating the Japanese tanto style. Here on the slipjoint model the blade, while the same length, is completely straight.

The redesigned blade reinforces the secondary tanto tip somewhat. Obviously the slipjoint Samurai isn’t meant to be a hard use blade, but it should be able to withstand piercing jobs a little better thanks to the additional beef. The blade steel has been retained: 440C, a simple, affordable stainless that should hold up relatively well in the small cutting tasks the slipjoint Samurai will be called upon to perform.

As well as transitioning to a slipjoint mechanism, StatGear went with a traditional two-hand opening method as well. A small French cut-style nail mark is cut into the blade, and a cutout on the lower half of the handle provides access to it when the knife is closed. Interestingly, the slipjoint Samurai also has a quarter stop: the blade temporarily stops in a position when its about 3/4 open, as opposed to the more conventional half stop.

Ergonomically, the rectangular handle remains more or less unchanged from the locking version, although there’s now no longer an access cutout for the removed liner lock. The keyring loop at the back end has been retained, as has the aluminum construction and tsukamaki millwork. The slipjoint Samurai is clipless and weighs one ounce.

The slipjoint Samurai is being funded on IndieGoGo right now, with more than a month left for funding. The knife is expected to start shipping in October.

Knife in Featured Image: StatGear Slipjoint Samurai

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