Ultem Models Begin to Appear from Civivi

Amidst a flurry of new models, it looks like Ultem is arriving in the Civivi lineup in a big way. The trendy thermoplastic is being implemented on two different, existing models, and in two different finishes to boot.

In the knife world, blade steel is certainly the thing we agonize over the most, but enthusiasts today are getting excited about the more outre handle materials choices out there. Ultem, a brand name for polyetherimide, was first formulated by General Electric in the 1980s; in the modern knife world it really came into prominence just in the last few years, starting with the Ultem Bexar from Tactile Knife Co. Since then, the stuff has been picked up by other companies looking to spice up their models or special runs. Like other polymers Ultem is tough and reliable, but stands out with its striking golden coloration and transparent nature which, when it comes to knives, can give users a glimpse into the the inner workings of a knife during opening and closing.

So which models has Civivi chosen for Ultemization? Nobody will be surprised at the first one, the Elementum. The flagship model for Civivi, the Elementum now has, by our count, two million variations; among those, in terms of handle materials, we’ve seen wood, titanium, G-10, Micarta – the works. Alongside the Elementum, the Praxis gets Ultem scales too. This one may not be as popular as the Elementum but it has been around longer – in fact, the Praxis was one of the inaugural models out the door when We Knife Co. first announced the Civivi brand.

The Ultem on these knives comes in two different finishes. The first is the polished Ultem, which is akin to the finish we’ve seen on knives from other manufacturers: it makes the material bright and clear, enhancing its transparency. There’s a bead blast flavor too, though, which gives the Ultem a darker hue and a hazier finish – it’s still transparent, but not quite as obviously so as with the polished varietal. The bead blast Ultem models comes with DLC-coated blades. Speaking of the blades, the Elemtnum comes with standard D2, and the Praxis with its standard steel, 9Cr18MoV.

These Ultemized knives are expected to arrive shortly.

Knife in Featured Image: Civivi Elementum

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