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LionSteel’s $132 MagnaCut Super Steel Integral EDC Knife Is a Value-Packed Bargain

Normally, this type of pocket knife comes in at twice this price (or more), making the Emmet a hell of a steal.

Close-up of a green textured knife handle with a silver screw and a partially visible blade held in a hand.LionSteel
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By Sean Tirman

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For the last few years, LionSteel has been among EDC knifemaking’s best-kept secrets. Despite the Italian outfit having worked with giants including Spyderco and CRKT, it hasn’t quite emerged on its own.

Well, the brand’s latest offering, the LionSteel Emmet, could be the blade that helps the brand jump into the mainstream, as it’s an integral, super-steel flipper at a frankly jaw-dropping low entry price.

Hand holding two folding knives with black blades and textured brown handles.
The Emmet (left) was directly informed by LionSteel’s experience with its Skinny (right).
LionSteel

What’s the skinny with Emmet?

The Emmet wasn’t born in a vacuum. It was based on the brand’s existing Skinny knife. They even share virtually the same exact silhouette.

However, the Emmet is a much smaller knife. The Skinny is 7.87 inches in total with a 3.31-inch blade, whereas the Emmet is over an inch shorter at 6.73 inches with a 2.83-inch blade. For those with crowded pockets, that means the Emmet is a much more reasonable carry.

Three folding knives with textured handles secured by brown leather straps on a suede surface, one knife blade partially open in a hand.
Even the most inexpensive, entry-level Emmet still comes with a MagnaCut super steel blade.
LionSteel

However, they do share some other common elements. The Skinny’s drop-point blade and fuller-nail-nick manual deployment remain in the Emmet. Similarly, the Emmet has a removable flipper, a signature of LionSteel’s knife designs.

Both knives also have a lanyard hole and reversible tip-up pocket clip. But it’s the most significant shared elements that make the Emmet such a massive bargain.

Hand holding a closed folding knife with a textured brown handle and black frame.
The entry-level Emmet comes with a hammer-textured aluminum handle, which stands out even among its peers.
LionSteel

The full spread

Like the Skinny before it, the Emmet is an integral folder. That means the handle is made from a single, unbroken piece of material. This reduces the number of parts, helps keep weight down and makes for a more durable overall offering. It also has an integrated frame lock mechanism.

Typically, knives with these features will run twice the $132 entry fee.

Furthermore, the other end is just as impressive. Again, like the Skinny, the Emmet has a MagnaCut super steel blade. It’s probably safe to call MagnaCut one of the top-three best all-around steels of the moment, if not the number one.

But the real trick to the Emmet is in its price. Typically, knives with these features will run twice the $132 entry fee of the Emmet. In fact, the upgraded versions of the Emmet itself start at $224. So, how did LionSteel manage this?

Brown textured folding knife handle with metal clip and screws on a white background.
The integral handle also has an integrated frame lock. Furthermore, the knife gets LionSteel’s removable flipper deployment.
LionSteel

For starters, the entry-level Emmet comes with an aluminum handle, which cuts down the costs a bit (especially when compared to titanium). But the other element is likely a lack of R&D and design costs. The Emmet is, essentially, a smaller version of the Skinny. Since the design already existed, albeit in a larger format, this allows the brand to sidestep the majority of those expenses.

Altogether, it’s an incredible bargain and one that deserves way more attention. This knife is a spectacular value proposition.

Three folding knives with different handle textures and colors—green honeycomb, brown marbled, and plain silver—held upright on a wooden surface.
Along with the aluminum version (right), the Emmet comes in titanium (right) and titanium with a carbon inlay (middle).
LionSteel

Availability and pricing

The LionSteel Emmet is now available on Blade HQ, starting at just $132.

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

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