The James Brand announced its first made-in-the-USA pocket knife in May 2022. It wasn’t until December of that year that we finally got our hands on the launch we’d been waiting more than half a year for. And then, just like that, it sold out.
Finally, The Kline is back, and it looks like it’s here to stay — that’s good news for any EDC enthusiast who likes American-made tools.
The James BrandThe James Brand The Kline
The Kline was named after the Kline arrowhead found in the Delaware River Valley of Pennsylvania, and it’s what The James Brand calls “a workhorse” pocket knife. That means it has a larger, more rugged form factor influenced by the rough and determined zeitgeist of 20th century America.
The James Brand claims that The Kline is its first-ever US-made knife, but that’s not even its most impressive attribute. The Kline is built using Magnacut — a new, American-made super steel designed to be highly corrosion resistant and extremely durable.
Developed by Dr. Larrin Thomas for EDC, the material combines the toughness of CPM-4V (a hard-use steel found on high-end fixed blades) with the stainlessness of CPM-20CV (a tried-and-true premium knife steel used primarily in folders). It won’t stand up to the toughest jobs like CPM 3V, or hold an edge like Maxamet, but that’s the point: it can get most jobs done, most of the time, and do them well. Plus, it’s made in the USA.
