Home / Design Minds / Thierry Savidan’s Little Monster Offers Innovative Clip

Thierry Savidan’s Little Monster Offers Innovative Clip

May 8, 2018

Custom maker Thierry Savidan is preparing the launch of the Monster, his newest and smallest knife model. The Monster combines the size and convenience of a backup knife with the flair and style of Savidan’s larger high-end customs.

“The main idea for the Monster was having a flat backup knife in your smaller pocket,” Savidan says. “And a legal knife, small with a simple construction.” He ensured the Monster would fit the bill. Its 1.96-inch RWL-34 blade caters to all legalities with a non-locking, tang-style deployment. Its titanium frame is just big enough to accommodate the 0.1-inch thick blade stock, but flat enough to make the Monster an easy carry no matter where you clip it.

Clip design is an area where few knife makers innovate, but Savidan took a crack at something new with the Monster. He combined a spine-riding, pocket hook-style clip with the backspacer itself. This innovation keeps the Monster as pocketable as possible and decreases the overall number of parts. Two scales, a blade, a clip, and backspacer are all held together with just three screws. “The benefit is the flatness of the knife and a simple construction, as the backspacer and clip are the same piece,” Savidan explains.

The hook-like clip also meets precisely with the extended tang. This creates what Savidan calls a bridge effect, providing security without actually locking the knife open. “I was looking for something with harmony in the blade, backspacer, and clip,” Savidan notes. In the closed position, the tang performs double duty as a bottle opener in conjunction with a notch cut into the frame.

Savidan is a self-taught knife maker and attended his first show in 2005. Although most of his previous models have been on the larger side, the Monster’s reception proves the market for tiny knives is still alive and well. The knife isn’t officially available until June, but one of the early adopters is fellow knife maker Tashi Bharucha. Savidan has his schedule full right now making enough custom Monsters to meet demand but says that he can envision this model making the transition to a full production blade. “I’d maybe like an industrial production later,” he tells us.

The Monster will be available in June. Prices start at $430.

Knife featured in image: Thierry Savidan Knives Monster

Related Items