My Favorite Everyday Knife Just Got a Subtle Upgrade

The James Brand’s tiniest knife, and the one I keep on me at all times, just received an exclusive updated handle.

James-Brand-Elko-Knife-OD-Green-gear-patrol-lead-full

If you’ve been skeptical about the small knife trend, don’t be. I get it; I didn’t see how a folder smaller than a pack of Wrigley’s gum could replace the three-inch blade I usually carried, but then I got one, and it all made sense. That new knife was the James Brand’s Elko — it’s been affixed to my keyring for months now — which just came out with a new micarta handle for the first time.

The micarta build gives the Elko a fresh look and some additional grip, which is crucial in a small knife that can’t be leveraged with a full hand. Everything else is the same: it has a 1.7-inch blade made of Sandvik 12C27 steel, which is hard, corrosion-resistant and features a one-of-a-kind drop-point shape that’s as effective as a tiny blade can be, and the keyring loop on the butt works for prying, scraping, twisting screws and opening bottles.

Preorder Now: $75

The EDC Items We Can’t Live Without


Some favor flair, others prefer practical. The collection of things that gets us through the day-to-day is a mini representation of who we are and how we move through life. Here are the everyday carry items we can’t live without. Read the Story
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below