One of the Year’s Coolest Pocket Knives Just Got Miniaturized

Craighill’s uniquely opening Sidewinder Mini weighs less than a golf ball.

Published September 25, 2024

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Updated September 27, 2024

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Craighill, the design-forward maker of desk accessories, small home goods and various trinkets, may not be the first name in pocket knives. But that’s changing, as the brand has recently been making moves to become an emerging major player in the EDC space.

The brand’s sculptural Desk Knife is a veritable classic of contemporary product design, and its Rook and Lark pocket knives both make for affordable and beautiful everyday companions. But it’s the Sidewinder that has really brought attention to Craighill.

Designed by and Chen Chen and Kai Williams and released earlier this year, the Sidewinder has an opening mechanism that’s unlike any other knife on the market. Instead of having a fixed handle, the knife has two interlocking halves that flow in unison on hinges, locking into place to form a solid grip only when the knife is fully closed or fully open.

craighill sidewinder knife halfway open — The interlocking mechanical hinge puts the Sidewinder in a class of its own.

It’s tailormade for those who like a fidget-friendly pocket knife, while its functional beauty and unique operation make it a legitimate conversation piece — or even a work of art.

Now, Craighill has launched a new version of the Sidewinder that features everything we loved about the original but in a far smaller package.

Craighill Sidewinder Mini

$88 at Kickstarter

Meet the Sidewinder Mini

The Sidewinder is already a pretty pocketable blade, but the Mini version is considerably more so. Tapping into the red-hot tiny knife trend, this ultra-compact knife easily fits on a keychain or in a coin pocket and yet boasts the same crazy and intricate opening system as the original Sidewinder.

At just 2.38 inches closed and 3.64 inches when open, the Sidewinder Mini is nearly half the length of the original, which has closed/open measurements of 4 inches and 6.75 inches, respectively.

two craighill pocket knives — The Sidewinder Mini features the same one-of-a-kind opening system as the original Sidewinder but in a much smaller package.

What’s more, the tiny snake-inspired knife is more than four times lighter than the full-size Sidewinder at just 1.34 ounces — that’s less than a golf ball.

The far lighter weight is due not only to the smaller size of the Sidewinder Mini but also because of a change in material. The blade is still made from 12C27N stainless steel, but the knife’s interlocking handle is now made from aluminum rather than steel.

There’s a flipper mechanism for opening the 1.28-inch blade that looks the same as on the original, and Craighill has added a keyring loop at the handle’s base to make this minuscule knife even easier to carry.

The original Sidewinder has a classic drop point blade, but with the reduced real estate on the Mini version, Craighill had to come up with a new blade design to maximize functionality.

The end result is a cross between a tanto and a drop point, with a sharp angled belly and a pointed tip that allow the user to get the most cutting use out of its tiny size.

Pricing and Availability

Craighill has launched the Sidewinder Mini on Kickstarter, where for the first 24 hours only, you can order one for $78 — a $50 discount off of the eventual $128 SRP. Other pledge tiers will score you the knife for $88 or $98.

Launching alongside the Sidewinder Mini on the same Kickstarter page is the Sidewinder Deluxe. This is a more premium version of the original Sidewinder with a high-polish PVD coating in Vapor Gold or Vapor Silver and abalone shell inlays on the handle.

The Vapor Gold was limited to 50 units and sold out quickly, but as of this writing, the Vapor Silver is still available starting at a $168 pledge, which is $80 less than the planned SRP.

The Kickstarter campaign will run through October 24, with the first knives shipping out in November. Presumably, both the Mini and Deluxe Sidewinders will be available on Craighill’s website before the end of the year.