On June 28th, a pretty prosaic post appeared on Instagram: “The orca, or killer whale, is a toothed whale that is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family.”
What accompanied this text was a bit more noteworthy: a photo of a breathtaking new knife called, yes, the Orca.
To date, the post has 49 likes — and the poster, Poikiloblade, has 3,662 followers. But thanks to a pretty magical weekend for the nascent knife maker, those numbers may soon change.
“The term ‘Poikilo’ is derived from the scientific term ‘Poikilotherm,’ which describes organisms, such as lizards, that possess a variable body temperature fluctuating in harmony with their environment … In a similar vein, we aspire for our products to adapt to the dynamic shifts within the knife community, bringing both satisfaction and joy to their owners.”
— Poikiloblade co-founder Andy Wang
Because at Blade Show West, the Orca surfaced in a most spectacular fashion, winning not only the “Best Factory Folder” category but also claiming “Best in Show.”
With details about the brand and the knife almost non-existent online, we resolved to dig deeper. We reached one of the founders, Andy Wang, via Instagram, to learn more. Here, in his words, is the story behind Poikiloblade (or PKB) and the award-winning Orca.
