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A Beloved EDC Brand’s Flagship Knife Gets Its Most Sensational Take Yet

The James Brand’s integral Barnes was already its most sophisticated offering. Now it gets materials befitting its magnificence.

Close-up of a folding knife showing the textured green handle with a circular metal pivot screw and a patterned Damascus steel blade with intricate swirling designs. The knife is placed on a gray surface.The James Brand
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By Sean Tirman

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A few years ago, The James Brand launched its Barnes integral folder. To this day, it’s still the brand’s most refined, sophisticated design — and that’s saying a lot.

While that knife has seen some pretty spectacular configurations, its latest may be its most dazzling ever. The James Brand The Barnes LTD OD Green Micarta Damasteel is a magnificent offering, but it won’t be around for long.

Folding knife with a partially open blade featuring a distinctive Damascus steel pattern. The handle has a textured, dark green material inset within a smooth, metallic frame. The knife is set against a light green background.
This is the highest-end take on the Barnes, yet.
The James Brand

Barnes burner

Let’s start with what’s different about this one. Perhaps the most obvious bit is the blade. Instead of Böhler M390 steel, this edition boasts Damasteel DS93X.

Not only does that material combine outstanding corrosion resistance with incredible strength, but it’s also almost excessively beautiful. This version also has a mesmerizing Hakkapella pattern that almost mimics oil on the surface of water or a musical visualizer.

The blade is still 3.5 inches long with a drop-point shape and a long, curved cutting belly and a sharp piercing point. It also still boasts ambidextrous thumb studs for easy one-handed deployment.

To match that breathtaking blade, the handle has a textured Micarta inlay… but even that isn’t the full story. There are still other brilliant details that are even subtler.

Folding knife with a patterned Damascus steel blade and a sleek, matte gray handle featuring a clip and a black-and-white lanyard attached at the end. The blade has intricate swirling designs and the handle has a small emblem near the clip.
Even with the new materials, the integral frame lock handle is still a huge highlight.
The James Brand

Still sharp

Clearly, the handle inlay and blade are eye-catching. But there are smaller details that deserve some attention, too. For instance, the recessed pivot’s styling matches the layered thumb stud.

As this is an integral folder, the base handle is built from a single, unbroken piece of solid titanium. Even the frame lock is integrated, meaning there are no seams, extraneous hardware and so on.

A sleek folding knife with a textured green handle and a patterned blade, presented in a black box with the brand name "JAMES" on the lid and inside the box. The packaging also includes a round patch or emblem with the text "ANALOG ARTIFACT" and "SOME THINGS WILL NEVER GO DIGITAL.
The knife also comes with a commemorative coin and a lanyard.
The James Brand

But that also makes for another outstanding detail. The handle’s spine has its own inlay, made from the same green micarta as the primary inlay. As mentioned, it’s an incredibly subtle detail, but a masterful one.

The knife still measures 7.8 inches overall. It also still has a titanium pocket clip, ceramic ball-bearing pivot, and this version comes with a commemorative coin and a lanyard.

Folding knife with a patterned Damascus steel blade and a textured green handle. The handle has a metal frame and a lanyard hole with a black and white braided cord attached. The knife is displayed on a smooth, gradient gray surface.
“Breathtaking” might be the best word to describe how beautiful this knife is.
The James Brand

Pricing and availability

The James Brand The Barnes LTD OD Green Micarta Damasteel is now available on the brand’s site for $1,249. While that might seem like an eye-watering investment, only 25 were made, so your chance to grab one is limited.

Folding knife with a partially open blade featuring a distinctive Damascus steel pattern. The handle is rectangular with rounded edges, covered in a textured green fabric material, and has a metal frame with a circular pivot screw near the blade.The James Brand

The James Brand The Barnes LTD OD Green Micarta Damasteel

About the Author: Sean Tirman is an associate editor at Gear Patrol who specializes in EDC, cannabis and outdoor gear.

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