This Sleek Minimalist Knife Puts a Unique Spin on a Traditional Japanese Blade Shape

The Vulpex-designed Bestech VK-Kuze vaults traditionally-inspired design elements into a modern, high-end EDC blade.

Published April 2, 2025

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Updated April 2, 2025

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Flashiness alone does not make a good EDC knife. Some might say the true test of a great blade design is whether it can stand out without relying on gimmicks or flair.

Such is the case with Bestech’s VK-Kuze, a subtle, minimalist spin on traditional Japanese design elements. This knife proves that attention to detail (and the materials and mechanisms to back it up) is the secret to good design.

Bestech VK-Kuze knife on black stone background — Vulpex Knives designed the gorgeous Bestech VK-Kuze.

Foxy folder

The Bestech VK-Kuze is designed by Vulpex Knives, a German knife designer responsible for some of the most interesting recent EDC knife designs, especially in terms of minimalism. This design, perhaps obviously, continues that trend.

It’s pretty exceptional materially. Its 3.0-inch blade is made of MagnaCut steel, and the handle is titanium. It also has a ceramic ball-bearing pivot.

Regarding its other mechanisms, it’s equipped with a front flipper and a single-sided thumb stud for deployment alongside its sturdy integrated frame lock.

It measures 7.33 inches, weighs just over 3.0 ounces and is available in three colorways: Black Stonewash, Bead Blast, and Dark Bead Blast Stonewash.

Bestech VK-Kuze knife closed on black stone background — Along with its MagnaCut steel blade, the knife features a front flipper deployment and an integrated frame lock.

A subtle spin on Japanese tradition

Maybe the most interesting thing about this knife is its blade. Taken at a glance, you might not think much of it. But take a beat and examine it a bit closer, and its secrets are revealed.

Dismissing the VK-Kuze’s blade as a straight back or drop point shape would be easy. Scrutinize its edge — how it stretches in an almost straight line away from the handle before, at the halfway point, curving upward — and you’ll see it’s not so simple.

This execution is no accident, and it speaks to Vulpex’s exceptional design prowess and the knife’s understated beauty.

That upturning of the edge is most common in the traditional Japanese tanto shape. However, most tantos have a pretty sharp angle change to their edge, making them frustrating to sharpen.

The VK-Kuze, by contrast, offers a much more subtle take that retains the shape’s signature hallmark while offering a more maintenance-friendly edge. This execution is no accident, and it speaks to Vulpex’s exceptional design prowess and the knife’s understated beauty.