The Bentley of Sharp Objects

Every once in a while, a knife comes out that makes you think. Last year, it was the Benchmade Narrows — a knife made from premium materials with an excellent design, but priced at $600. At that price, it felt less like a pocket tool to hit the trail with, and more like a precious investment to be coddled.

That said, the knife performed well as an EDC and I used and abused it daily. Now, a year later, I see a similar situation with a very different brand. WE Knife Co. has been making some really admirable knives for the last few years, but I never expected a $600 knife from WE! Sure, the brand has knives in the $300-400 range (Vision R and Thug XL). But once you go past $500, you’re talking about a different tax bracket of consumers.

But here we are. The One and Only (OAO) flipper uses premium CPM 20CV blade steel and 6AL4V titanium scales with Jungle Wear Fat Carbon Inlays. This version of the OAO is actually one of four knives in a series that starts just above $500 and tops out around $700.

Admittedly, there was a lot for me to unpack with this knife, but as I went further down the rabbit hole, I started to understand what WE baked into the OAO and why it justifies a retail price of $575.

In short: The OAO from WE Knife Co. is a highly functional showpiece that will most likely outperform your current EDC — if you can afford it.

WE Knife Co. OAO Knife: Review

Design & Features

First and foremost, the OAO is an integral flipper. Designed by knifemaker Tashi Bharucha, the frame of the OAO is machined out of one solid piece of 6AL4 titanium. This makes the knife incredibly strong.

It’s also the reason why WE Knife considers what looks like a liner lock to be a frame lock. Additionally, what appears to be Jungle Wear Fat Carbon Fiber handle scales are actually inlays in the titanium.

Except for the screw holding the pocket clip in place, the OAO carries no visible hardware. In fact, aside from that screw and the pivot screw, there is no other hardware holding the OAO together. And there doesn’t need to be.

The next crucial aspect of the OAO is the blade material. CPM 20CV is an ultra-premium stainless steel. Though MagnaCut has slightly better corrosion resistance than CPM 20CV, its edge retention and toughness far surpass that of MagnaCut. It’s a nice choice for a knife like this, as it gives an air of opulence.

First Impression

Like most news these days, I first heard about the OAO line while scrolling through reels on Instagram. The next week, an email from WE Knife Co. showed up depicting the details of the knives. A week after that, the knife arrived for me to fawn over.

I’m a fairly simple guy; give me a knife made from D2 and Micarta and I will get lost in the woods with it for a week. But when something like the OAO shows up on my front steps, it’s akin to bringing out the special plates and silverware for the holidays.

Right off the bat, the first two things I noticed about the OAO are how lightweight and balanced it is. Being one solid piece of machined 6AL4 Titanium, WE was able to really keep the weight down on this knife. A majority of that weight sits in the butt of the knife, so anything from the pivot forward counters that weight. This makes for the ideal operating experience.

Also, the choil is incredibly large. I can fit two fingers in there, which provides a lot of control over the knife. It’s worth noting that there’s no jimping for the thumb to index onto. But I don’t see this as a big deal, based on the amount of control you get from the jimping. It also keeps the knife looking very clean, overall.

In the Field

I’ve always been impressed with the odd details of things. In the case of the OAO, it’s the sound the knife makes while opening and locking up. It’s like a ream of paper being sheared followed by a sharp pop; ASMR at its finest! It’s also a testament to how robust the lock on this knife is, which indexes almost to the center point of the back of the blade.

I didn’t take the OAO on any specific adventures. It wasn’t my ride-or-die by some remote campfire, miles from civilization. It was, however, a fantastic EDC that I wore day in and day out for 2 full weeks. During that time, I found the knife to be a joy for random tasks: opening the mail and packages, and trimming up some old boot laces. But to be honest, I felt silly doing that, like I was taking the king’s crown and wearing it like a baseball cap.

The OAO deserves a little respect.

This knife would shine on a night out with cigars and bourbon. Quite possibly a wonderful EDC to have and show off at a wedding or a special event. The OAO is as much tool as it is showpiece, but make no mistake, it’s a high-functioning knife.

It requires very little upkeep, and that includes resharpening the blade.

In the end, the only functional fault I can find in the OAO is how low the pocket clip rests. It sits nearly ⅞” below the tip of the butt of the knife, so that’s how much sticks up out of your pocket. I know we have all been spoiled by deep-carry pocket clips, but even before they hit the scene, this would still sit a little high in the pocket.

It’s not terrible in a side pocket, but in your back pocket, where things will bend outward when you sit down, this rides like a vestigial tail. I worry that it could get hung up on something, or poached by a passerby.

The only other issue with the OAO is an existential one. It’s too big to be a typical dress knife, but seemingly too fancy to knock around in your pack out on the trail for hot dog-slicing duty.

WE Knife Co. OAO Knife: Conclusion

I love the fit and finish of the OAO. The one-piece, milled, and machined titanium approach keeps this knife lightweight, but also makes it incredibly strong. The choice to use CPM 20CV, one of the toughest stainless steels on the market, was the right one. Making a clip point just adds to the form and function.

But is this the knife you’ll take camping with the kids next weekend? Probably not. This is a knife that pairs well with a sports coat, not funky Chaco sandals. But if you do choose to take the OAO on an outdoor adventure, rest assured, you can use it and abuse it. It’ll more than likely outperform the best knife in your collection.

The OAO is currently available through WE Knife Co. There are three versions with carbon fiber inlays and a fourth that has Timascus inlays. The collection starts at $515 and climbs to $683 for the Timascus version.