With Steel So Nice, It’s a Wonder This Award-Winning Knife Doesn’t Cost More

I have no idea how Fox Knives managed to make this keychain blade so incredibly affordable.

Fox Vulpis knives macro on blue background

Published January 9, 2025

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Updated January 9, 2025

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If you’re a regular in the EDC knife world, you’ve probably heard the term “super steel” tossed around. If not, it’s meant to describe blade materials that vastly outperform their average, everyday counterparts. But they typically come with one very big downside: they’re expensive.

However, Fox Knives’ latest Vulpis knife is different. This keychain-sized wonder employs super blade steel while maintaining a remarkably low price.

Fox Vulpis knives on blue background — At only 4.33 inches in total, this version of the Vulpis proves that tiny can be mighty.

The secret’s in the steel

As mentioned, this knife’s biggest selling point is its steel. The Fox Knives Vulpis Brass is equipped with Böhler M390, one of the most popular (and accessible) super steels on the market today. It has high wear and corrosion resistance and is often compared to 20CV, S35VN and even MagnaCut.

But what’s especially baffling is how Fox gave this knife that steel while keeping the price below $50. Some of that can be credited to its size — the blade is just 1.77 inches. However, even with its stature considered, it’s a pretty spectacular value proposition.

Fox Vulpis on blue background — This minimalist keychain knife won both Red Dot Design and European Product Design awards.

Even if the Vulpis had a lesser steel, it would still be a pretty spectacular keychain EDC knife. It has a brass handle, is offered in silver and black blade finishes and has a reliable slip joint mechanism.

While I would have loved to see a lock on it, the small size of this Vulpis would likely make one difficult to engineer and operate, so I don’t miss it too much.

Overall, the knife is a diminutive, minimalist masterpiece, probably why it won both the Red Dot Design and European Product Design awards. Once word of it spreads, it will likely sell rather quickly.

Available now

The Vulpis Brass is now available on Fox Knives’ site for just $45. The black-bladed version is slightly more expensive at $52, but it is still a steal. You can also find both for even less — $36 and $41, respectively — over at KnifeCenter.

It’s also worth noting that there are two larger versions of the Vulpis Brass. Both have the same steel, handle and color options, but they come with additional tools — a hacksaw, bottle opener, can opener, flathead screwdriver and scissors — making them more like Swiss Army Knives. They are priced at $50 each.