The We Knife Co. Exponent is a glammed up, streamlined folder from the in-house team, and it’s on track for a release later this month. The Exponent checks all the fit and finish boxes and features the fairly rare Japanese-style tanto blade shape.
Tanto blades might have one of the steadiest cult followings in the entire knife world. While neither American nor Japanese tantos have ever attained the status of, say, the drop or clip point, they’ve maintained a solidly visible presence for years now and, we think it’s safe to say, have managed to accrue interest outside of the narrower “tactical” designation they were once relegated to. Indeed, maybe just as importantly, tantos have transitioned from being a purely fixed blade profile into something that appears on both fixed and folding pieces.
Which brings us to the Exponent. We Knife Co. actually labels the blade a “reverse tanto,” and we can kind of see it, but for us, the most salient element of the blade here is that it leans into the Japanese-style tanto design, where the change from primary to secondary edge is gradual, subtle. Less subtle is the size: this is a large folding knife with a 3.74-inch blade rendered in M390 steel, making it a very capable daily task-slasher if you roll with plus-size daily carries.
That long, slender tanto/reverse tanto buries deep into the all titanium handle, which has minutely-textured flats on both the front and back scales. In an era where many folders offer multiple ways of deployment, the We team decided to keep things minimal here, with the tried-and-true thumb stud working full-time for opening purposes. Speaking of eras, it is worth remarking on the fact that we have entered an era where a sculpted titanium pocket clip on a knife is an expected, rather than a standout, feature – there’s one here on the Exponent and, while not a surprise any longer, it looks great. In total the knife weighs 3.92 oz.
We says the Exponent will be available on November 24.
Knife in Featured Image: We Knife Co. Exponent
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