With Blade Show on the horizon and fast approaching, we’re seeing many knife companies beginning to ramp up their release schedule again. The post-SHOT lull is officially over, and Artisan is coming out swinging with a high performance Dylan Mallery button lock called the Ornis.
This one should please fans of larger EDC knives – particularly those in need of a hard worker – with its 3.52-inch, flat ground leaf-shaped blade. Like most of Mallery’s designs, there’s an aerodynamic style underlying the whole of the Ornis, but that large, wide profiles makes us think this one was designed to power through the chewier chores – especially when you consider that the blade steel offered is S90V. This super steel casts a long and imposing shadow across the category; it’s known for its highly resilient edge holding in particular.
The Button Lock Renaissance continues unabated here on the Ornis. The now-familiar mechanism is housed in the show-side titanium scale, and it works just like you’d expect if you’ve been following the button lock trend, or have owned any of your own. It provides its own Axis flick-style deployment by depressing the button and flicking the wrist while the knife is closed, but there’s also the blade cutout for ambidextrous deployment either with the thumb or, if you’re a fancier fidgeter, by back-flicking it out with the middle finger.
Mallery kept all-titanium handle on the Ornis pleasingly pared back and simple. The fuller-esque cut running diagonally across both scales gives the whole thing a three-dimensional look without burdening the ergonomics in an any way. Mallery and Artisan were able to outfit this one with a reversible sculpted clip, so the Ornis is pretty lefty friendly all around, other than the button lock being situated for righties. The Ornis weighs 3.68 oz.
The Ornis is available now.
Knife in Featured Image: Artisan Cutlery Ornis
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