This Beloved EDC Brand’s Sleek Titanium Folder Was Designed by Knifemaking Royalty

For some families, knifemaking is in their blood. For instance, France’s Opinel is a multigenerational family-owned operation. Similarly, Spyderco has had the benefit of being in the capable hands of Sal Glesser, Gail Glesser and their son Eric Glesser.

And then, of course, there are the Onions, Ken and Ken Jr. … both legends in their own right.

Well, the latter Onion’s catalog just keeps getting deeper and deeper. The latest is a collaboration with Big Idea Design called the Ti Manu. It is a stunning masterwork of design, engineering and execution that’s sure to be a hit among EDC collectors everywhere.

Big Idea Design

Bird of paradise

If you’re familiar with Ken Onion, there’s a good chance you’re aware that he’s based out of Hawaii. That was also where his son, Ken Onion Jr., was born. As such, Hawaii is a huge part of their shared history, and some of that has found its way into this knife.

The word “Manu” is Hawaiian for “Bird,” serving as the namesake and inspiration for this knife. To go a bit deeper, the knife was actually inspired by the Bird of Paradise flower, a classic botanical feature of Hawaii (although it is actually native to subtropical areas of South Africa).

Big Idea Design

There’s no doubting that the comparison is apt, however, as the knife very much captures the spirit of that flower in its elegant yet sharp character and appearance. However, this knife is a good deal more minimalist and understated than the admittedly bold plant.

In fact, the knife has virtually no external hardware whatsoever. There are only two visible screws on it: one at the pivot and the other on the butt, the latter cleverly hidden and used to attach the pocket clip.

This masterful design and engineering make for an exceptionally minimalist knife that lets its stunning lines and, arguably more importantly, its materials do the talking.

Big Idea Design

Flight of fancy

As it turns out, this is actually the first-ever knife Big Idea Designs has collaborated on with an outside designer. As such, it makes sense that the brand would want to kick things off with a bang.

That also means they all wanted to make sure the materials were up to snuff, so they went with some tried-and-true classics. These aren’t safe bets so much as fan-favorites.

Big Idea Design

That starts with a stonewashed S90V steel blade with a drop-point shape, flat grind and 3.25-inch length. The blade also has dual thumb studs for reliable, ambidextrous manual deployment.

The other side of the knife is just as solid, sporting titanium handle scales with an integrated frame lock. The whole thing measures 7.5 inches, which might be the ideal length for an EDC knife.

Put in plain English, this knife is bound to be a major hit and could be a future classic.

Big Idea Design

Availability and pricing

The Big Idea Design Ti Manu is now available to back on Kickstarter. That said, the project has already shattered its goal and will be going into production. But you can still secure your own for as low as $250.

Big Idea Design

Big Idea Design Ti Manu

• Starts at $250
  $295 (15% off)

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