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Böker’s New Japanese Martial Arts-Inspired EDC Knife Looks Way Too Good for Its Price

Thanks to a renowned custom knifemaker’s design and precision machining, this sleek yet substantial release hits all the right notes.

Close-up of a metallic object with a textured surface, featuring a blue screw and the word "BURNLEY" engraved on a silver part. The object has a dark gray body with additional small screws and a cylindrical button or knob. The background is blurred with blue and black tones.Böker

By Steve Mazzucchi

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Boasting such beloved blades as the Squid, Kwaiken and Tuna on his résumé, Oregon-based Lucas Burnley has built a reputation as one of America’s top custom knifemakers.

So good are his designs, in fact, that major brands such as Böker and CRKT often end up rolling out several variants, to be snapped up like Pokémon by the EDC faithful.

A folding knife with a metallic handle and a sharp, pointed blade standing upright on a surface. The blade has a logo near the base, and the background is blurred with a blue cloth and some reflective objects nearby.
The aluminum handle, cool blue hardware and satin-finished blade all contribute to this Kihon’s slick, futuristic look.
Böker

This dynamic amounts to several bites at the same apple, some of which emerge from the pack with truly outstanding aesthetics.

That’s what I am seeing with the latest iteration of another Böker-made Burnley staple. Because the new Kihon DC Alu might be the best-looking take on this formidable folder yet.

High on Kihon

While no small number of knife names sound pulled out of a hat or, worse, AI-generated, Burnley’s tend to have actual thought behind them.

Such is the case with the Kihon, which derives its moniker from a Japanese term meaning “fundamentals,” in reference to basic martial arts techniques.

A closed black folding knife with a metal clip attached, resting on a light-colored surface. The knife has a sleek, modern design with visible screws and a partially visible blade edge. Nearby, there is a metallic pen and a pair of dark sunglasses.
The reversible tip-up wire clip makes for ambidextrous pocket carry options.
Böker

These moves — including stances, punches, kicks, blocks, and thrusts, performed with the correct spirit and attitude — are essential to advanced training.

Along similar lines, the Kihon knife is a fundamental EDC object with which you can potentially do very advanced things. 

A close-up of a Böker folding knife with a stainless steel blade and a black handle featuring blue accents. The knife is placed on a textured surface next to a pair of dark sunglasses and a metallic pen with a blue reflection.
The 3.22-inch Nitro-V blade is eminently qualified to tackle a wide range of EDC tasks.
Böker

Residing under the brand’s higher-end Böker Plus label, this new edition boasts a rather luxe aesthetic thanks to the materials involved, but it is nonetheless an EDC workhorse.

After all, as Will Smith’s Agent J memorably noted in Men in Black, looking good and kicking ass need not be mutually exclusive.

Workhorse power

The business end is a 3.22-inch satin-finished drop-point blade made of Nitro-V, a high-quality budget steel valued for its edge retention and corrosion resistance. 

Said blade deploys swiftly on smooth ball bearings, via ambidextrous thumbstuds rendered in an icy blue that matches some of the knife’s other hardware.

Close-up of a folding knife with a metallic blade and a black handle featuring blue accents, including a blue thumb stud and a blue circular button. The blade has a brushed finish and a logo near the base. The background is blurred with shades of blue and gray.
The crossbar lock is ubiquitous for a reason — its super smooth, user friendly and strong as hell.
Böker

It clicks into place thanks to one of the strongest and most reliable mechanisms, the crossbar lock, which also enables you to retract with a quick pull on the tabs and flick of the wrist.

When not in use, the blade resides in perhaps this edition’s most notable element, a durable aluminum handle with grip-friendly recessed squares. 

Hand holding a folding knife with a silver blade and a gray handle featuring blue accents and screws. The blade has a sharp, pointed tip and a clean, polished finish. The handle has a textured surface with rectangular indents and a thumb stud for opening.
Don’t let the good looks prevent you from putting this Kihon to work. Repetitive practice is built into its name, after all.
Böker

Rounding out this 3.63-ounce Kihon’s features are two carry options — a lanyard hole and a reversible tip-up wire clip — ensuring this fundamental tool is always by your side.

The Böker Kihon DC Alu is available now for $100. 

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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