A Popular Knife Brand’s Parent Company Just Dropped a Seriously Upscale Blade

We Knife, owner of Civivi (and Sencut), is no slouch when it comes to the mothership’s offerings. Just check out the luxe new Acuminal.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published November 21, 2024

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Regular GP readers are probably quite familiar with Civivi, a Chinese knife brand that routinely produces stellar flippers and folders at affordable prices. (Heck, we might’ve covered one or two of them earlier this week.)

This specific pattern, named for a dwarf in Nordic folklore who turned himself into a dragon to guard his father’s treasure, is made of DS93X Damasteel, which optimizes corrosion resistance and strength (not to mention looking badass).

What you might not know is that Civivi is a subsidiary of a bigger company that makes some pretty impressive-looking (generally pricier) knives itself.

The company is called We Knife, and it recently released a fancy flipper, the Acuminal, that most certainly has our attention.

we knife acuminal hero — If this knife looks big, that’s because it is, measuring nearly nine inches when deployed.

We better recognize

So, what’s the story with We Knife? Founded by Joe Cheung, a former middle school English teacher, in the year 2000, the OEM has grown into one of China’s biggest knife and tool manufacturers.

The We Knife brand officially launched in 2014, and subsidiaries Civivi and Sencut were introduced in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

Take one look at this promo video and you’ll see a team and facility that look exceptionally well organized and efficient, which would explain this triumvirate’s ability to produce excellent knives on the regular.

we knife acuminal half folded — We have no doubt the gorgeous Damasteel blade has a lot to do with the cost of this particular Acuminal.

The Acuminal is just the latest bit of evidence, albeit one of the pricier pieces of proof. (Even in its most affordable skew, with a Vanax blade, still goes for $410.)

The cost of the skew shown here ($820) should not come as a big shock, however, as it boasts all the hallmarks of a premium knife: attractive yet functional design, quality construction and of course high-end blade and handle materials.

we knife acuminal off side — The handle and pocket clip are both made of 6AL4V Titanium with a polished gray finish.

Said blade is a 3.98-inch drop-point made of Fafnir Damasteel, noted for its dragon/snakeskin-like appearance.

For those unfamiliar, Sweden-based Damasteel is essentially the name in Damascus steel, which boasts thousands of years of history and is renowned for the layering of different types of steel to impart various performance qualities, plus a rippling sheen.

This specific pattern, named for a dwarf in Nordic folklore who turned himself into a dragon to guard his father’s treasure, is made of DS93X Damasteel, which optimizes corrosion resistance and strength (not to mention looking badass).

we knife acuminal folded — Closed, the knife measures five inches — small enough to fit in your pocket, big enough to remind you it’s there.

The brawny, beautiful blade emerges from a sturdy 6AL4V Titanium handle, deploying via a rear flipper rotating on a caged ceramic ball bearing and held in place with a frame lock.

With an overall length of 8.98 and a weight of 4.49 ounces, the hefty Acuminal rounds out its features with a tip-up, right-carry pocket clip made of the aforementioned titanium. Because when you invest this much money in a new knife, you’d better make sure it’s secure.