This Brutalist Veteran-Designed EDC Knife Has a Surprising Blade Shape

The chunky, formidable folder draws inspiration from a mythical sea monster.

Closeup of Kansept Leviathan knife pivot

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Published January 6, 2025

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While serving in the Army in 2014, Daniel Sparhawk first fell in love with metalworking and knifemaking. Now retired, he has continued his passionate pursuit of becoming a full-time knifemaker, helming his company, Warhawk Designs.

If the Leviathan, his first collaboration with Kansept, is any indication, he may be well on his way toward that goal.

Group shot of Kansept Leviathan knives on tree branches over leafy underbrush — Kansept and Warhawk Designs’ Leviathan knife family launched with four distinct variants.

Leave it to cleaver

Cleaver knives aren’t particularly novel, especially for Kansept. Luckily, the Leviathan helps set itself apart with a unique blade shape.

While the knife bears the hallmarks of a cleaver, the blade is somewhat unusual. Instead of a straight edge or tanto (as is typical), it’s a hawkbill — meaning it has a concave curve to its edge that comes to a pronounced point. The shape makes it ideal for longer, deeper cuts and piercing work.

Sparhawk and Kansept have chosen S35VN steel for the aggressive blade design. This, combined with the thick spine jimping, makes for a robust, resilient knife.

Kansept Leviathan knife in hand on tan background — At nearly ten inches in length, the Kansept Leviathan is a properly beefy folding blade.

Where’s the beef? Right here

It’s not until you see it held in someone’s hand (as in the photo above) that you start to understand what a formidable folder the Kansept Leviathan is.

At 9.6 inches in length and weighing 9.24 ounces, it’s a properly (to borrow a term from the brand itself) “chunky” flipper knife. Even closed, it still measures 5.7 inches. Yet the size is backed up by its equally impressive materials.

While we’ve already mentioned the blade steel, it also features a sturdy titanium handle with a thick frame lock. No wonder they named such a hefty cutting tool after a massive, mythical sea monster.

Closed Kansept Leviathan knife on tan background — Even when closed, the knife is nearly six inches long, which may scare off more pedestrian EDCers.

Available now

Kansept’s Leviathan is currently available on the brand’s website in four distinct versions. The two with standard handles cost $238 each, whereas the others with uniquely perforated scales cost $245 apiece.