Why This Pocket Knife Design Is More Durable Than a Typical Folder

It isn’t the blade that makes this rare type of pocket knife cutting edge.

Published November 30, 2024

·

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Pocket knife innovations have introduced new shapes and materials to one of our oldest tools but the archetypal design has changed very little over the years.

This is why, for example, Opinel’s wood-handled folder remains one of the world’s best affordable knives a century after its inception.

That said, new types of knives do exist, and one such example is called the integral — a style characterized, somewhat curiously, by its handle instead of the blade.

What is an integral knife?

The history of integral knives is hazy, but it’s generally agreed upon that the design comes from the custom knifemaker world, not mass production.

You see, most folding pocket knife handles consist of two scales secured together and just far enough apart to make a channel, within which the blade can rest.

When it comes to an integral, the handle is more or less one piece. There’s no backspacer because there aren’t two handle scales. Other hardware is limited, too.

The result? A sleek, uncluttered knife with not just fewer parts but a longer shelf life, too. “Fewer parts equals less maintenance and lifelong durability,” says The James Brand’s Ryan Coulter.

“Fewer parts equals less maintenance and lifelong durability.”

The James Brand introduced its take on an integral, called The Barnes, several years ago and still offers it today. Its handle, milled from a single piece of titanium, features a frame lock that includes a steel insert for longevity. (A 3.5-inch drop-point blade, made of Bohler M390 steel super steel, is no slouch either.)

Why aren’t integral knives more common?

Few knife companies make integrals precisely because they’re so difficult and expensive to produce. However, they’re not completely unheard of; Spyderco and Benchmade have both released their own versions in the past.

According to Coulter, designing the The Barnes was a two-year project for The James Brand due to the difficulty of making an integral knife at scale.

The handle begins as a block of pure titanium about the size of a checkbook box and takes form through a lengthy (not to mention exacting and expensive) process of five-axis milling.

It should go without saying, then, that if you’re interested in acquiring an integral, prepare to shell out for one. Custom ones can go for thousands; The Barnes, meanwhile, starts at $649 and comes with a titanium pocket clip and paracord lanyard for multiple carry options.