This Innovative New EDC Knife Is a Deployment and Locking Chameleon

Shift from a two-handed non-locking slipjoint to a thumbstud-deployed locking blade (and more) in seconds.

Close-up of a silver folding knife blade partially open with a textured thumb stud and pivot screw.

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By Steve Mazzucchi

Published December 11, 2025

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Updated December 12, 2025

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As fans of GP’s knife coverage know, we spend a lot of time debating the merits of different deployment and locking mechanisms.

When it comes to EDC knives, where you land on, say, button locks vs crossbar locks can come down to personal preference.

Matte gray folding knife with a clip and thumb stud, positioned vertically on a metal lathe machine. — Setting aside the innovation, the new TNT Knives Slip Bang is one streamlined stunner from tip to tail.

However, sometimes the stakes are higher, especially when it comes to legality, as some nations, states and cities get pretty strict regarding blade length, deployment and locking capability.

That’s what makes the question raised by a new Kickstarter project so compelling: What if you didn’t have to choose?

Modular magic

The project’s creator, Maxi Haensch, runs Knife Lounge as well as the knife shop her master bladesmith father founded, the easy-to-pronounce Altonaer Silberwerkstatt in Hamburg, Germany.

Considering that country’s sometimes Draconian knife statutes, it makes all the sense in the world for a modular option such as the TNT Knives Slip Bang to emerge from there.

Closed sleek silver folding knife with a clip resting on a dark surface. — The Slip Bang gains a major boost in legitimacy from the fact that We Knife is building it.

Adding credibility to this project is her partner, rising designer Toni N. Tietzel. He is TNT Knives and already has compelling collaborations with Maniago Knife Makers, Urban EDC Supply and other renowned brands under his belt.

According to the campaign, Tietzel spent years asking the question above and several spinoffs, such as:

What if a slipjoint didn’t have to stay just a slipjoint?
What if it could be modular?
What if it could lock — but only when you wanted it to?
What if it could adapt to different countries, different laws, and different ways of carrying?

Those questions ultimately led to the design for the Slip Bang, which can be configured into four different modes in seconds using a standard Torx driver.

Close-up of two gray folding knife handles showing textured locking mechanisms and screws. — The two flat inlays (top) make for a two-handed non-locking slip joint. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the thumb stud and slider (bottom) deliver a locking blade you can deploy with one hand.

All it takes is swapping one of two different parts to move from one mode to the next:

For a two-handed non-locking slip joint, you use the flat inlays on the handle and the blade.

For a two-hand-opening locking blade, you use the flat inlay on the blade and the slider on the handle.

For a one-handed slip joint, you use the thumbstuds on the blade and the flat inlay on the handle.

And for a one-handed locking blade, you use the thumb studs on the blade and the slider on the handle.

If you’d like a deeper look, check out the campaign video: it’s 106 seconds of very German, pretty amusing demonstrations.

Strong specs

It’s worth noting that, modularity notwithstanding, the Slip Bang is one seriously high-end EDC knife.

The actual manufacturing is being handled by We Knife, an absolute force in the premium knife game (and the parent company of Civivi, king of great-looking budget-friendly knives).

Silver folding knife with a clip resting on a green metal machine part. — The Slip Bang’s generous CPM-20CV steel blade and grade-5 titanium handle are no joke.

As for materials, the 3.3-inch drop-point blade is made of CPM-20CV steel, a high-performance tool steel prized for its edge retention, wear resistance, and corrosion protection.

I am a bit surprised they went with a blade length over three inches, which may restrict its legality in some areas. On the upside, this beast looks like it could totally crush an everyday chopping, cutting, piercing or slicing task.

The lock, meanwhile, is a brand-new one called TNT-Lock. For the moment, we’ll just have to trust Haensch and Tietzel and We Knife have that thing dialed in.

Side-by-side close-up of a folding knife blade before and after sharpening on a metal surface. — Two blade finishes are available: stonewashed (left) and satin-finished (right). The latter is limited to 150 pieces.

The handle material and hardware are just as premium as the blade — grade-5 titanium. The fully deployed length is a substantial 7.8 inches, while the weight comes in just under four ounces.

Considering those ingredients translate to quite a premium price, it’s good to know the campaign has already crushed the benchmark of €20,000, meaning every backer gets a free spare hardware set.

Availability and pricing

The TNT Knives Slip Bang is available now on Kickstarter at the early bird price of $409. Estimated delivery is June 2026.

Matte-finished folding knife with a clip point blade held in a metal lathe chuck.

TNT Knives Slip Bang

This incredibly innovative pocket knife can be configured four different ways — ranging from a two-handed non-locking slip joint to a one-handed locking blade — in seconds using a standard Torx driver. That boosts its legality in places with strict statutes, and it’s a premium EDC knife to boot: the handle is grade-5 titanium, while the 3.3-inch drop-point blade is made of CPM-20CV steel, a high-performance tool steel prized for its edge retention, wear resistance, and corrosion protection.

Starts at $409

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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