Bestech has recruited a new designer, Fabian Hobbelen, and he’s coming out swinging with his first model, the Nyrrdreki. The Nyrrdreki delivers unconventional EDC capability with an imposing cleaver blade profile.
Let us take a moment to appreciate the fact that – in recent times at least – folding knife designers began playing around with more unusual, specialized blade shapes, and finding new uses for them in the process. Perhaps no shape benefited from this process more than the cleaver – ostensibly made to hack meat, clever creators discovered that, with its proportions altered, it could make a damn fine everyday carry cutter, not dissimilar to shapes like the wharncliffe or sheepsfoot, albeit with a style all its own. Today, cleaver folders are almost a small-but-mighty sub-category unto themselves, treasured by many enthusiasts.
It’s safe to assume that Hobbelen is one of the cleaver’s appreciators, because he conjured up quite the example of one for the Nyrrdreki. Its blade length is an EDC-perfect 3.8 inches, but you might think it’s bigger than that at a glance, as its height, stepped opening cutout, and classic meat cleaver blade hole give this thing some serious stage presence. It has the edge geometry and the super steel (M390) to walk the walk, too, and a slew of opening options: the aforementioned cutout, a pinky flip via the blade hole, or the front flipper.
The Nyrrdreki’s titanium bolster’d handle offers up the necessary space for a full four-finger grip, and the scales, as is Bestech’s wont these days, come in several different materials: two different Fat Carbon options, canvas Micarta, or a purple/black striated G-10 which gives the Nyrrdreki a sort of Dark Fantasy look. All four variants utilize a button bolster lock; that is, the button on the front disengages what is essentially a frame lock concealed beneath the off-side scale. Weight varies very slightly between flavors but you’re looking at a carry around, or just under, the 4 oz. mark.
The Nyrrdreki is available now.
Knife in Featured Image: Bestech Nyrrdreki