Sandrin Knives TCK 2.0 Slipjoint - Karen Hunter Review

We live in an instant gratification society where material needs and desires are met immediately through mass production and readily available product. Companies focus their efforts solely on functionality and purpose while optimizing their ability to get their product into your hands as quickly as possible. We give up artistry and attention to detail for a lower cost of creation and fast distribution. There is, however, a road less traveled that still exists, whose travelers consist of people with an alternative mindset. These discerning buyers hold a deep appreciation for the process and materials that go into making a true heirloom piece; the timeless traditions, education, and years of hard work that keep the skill and craftsmanship alive. In these instances, artistry and craftsmanship come together not merely to create a product, but rather to birth a conversation piece that that will tell a story for generations to come.

One such company holding these values is Sandrin Knives. Sandrin Knives is a division of Cabot Guns, bringing innovations to the knife industry as Cabot does with 1911 handguns. I had the pleasure of being introduced to Sandrin through Cabot Guns two years ago when I reviewed their original TCK pocketknife. Since that time Sandrin’s line of knives has grown, becoming more diverse. The knife that I will be focusing on today is the Sandrin TCK 2.0 Slipjoint. The most fascinating fact the TCK 2.0 holds is that the blade is constructed of tungsten carbide. This is an entirely new blade material that is superior to steel or ceramic.

Sandrin is the brand name for knives manufactured by its parent company, Turmond. Turmond is a 2^nd generation family business based in Italy that has been working with tungsten carbide for over 40 years. They dominate the global cutting blade market and have intensely studied the science of cutting in controlled applications other knife makers cannot. Allessandro Colombatto, the creator and director of Sandrin Knives, started grinding carbide at the age of 12. By 24 he started crafting Tungsten Carbide blades for industrial high-speed cutting applications.

Tungsten carbide has been used for industrial wear purposes such as the hulls of ice breakers and seals for oil pipes sitting miles below the ocean, but traditional grades of tungsten carbide will shatter like ceramic. Sandrin uses a patented method of sintering a proprietary grade of polyhedral tungsten carbide from particles of tungsten, carbide and cobalt, making their blades hard, NOT brittle. Most steel knives have a hardness from 52 to 57, which is considered great on the Rockwell scale. The TCK 2.0 has a hardness of HRC 71. In addition to superior hardness, polyhedral tungsten carbide doesn’t rust and allows the TCK 2.0 to sustain edge retention unlike any other blade and never requires sharpening. You can however sharpen a steel knife with the top edge of a Sandrin blade – mind blowing. Tungsten Carbide is the hardest metal on earth. The only thing harder than tungsten carbide are diamonds.

The Sandrin TCK 2.0 is sharper, thinner and harder than any blade ever crafted. This knife will outperform and hold a sharper edge than any other steel knife. The TCK 2.0 is an ultra-thin gentleman’s folder. The TCK 2.0 weights 2.11 ounces with a blade thickness of just 0.90 mm. This blade is perfectly parallel, which is not conjecture, this can be measured. The circles on the blade which aid in two-handed opening are made in measurement related to the Fibonacci numbers: 1,1,2,3,5,8 in both diameter and from the center of one circle to the next.

If you get the opportunity to handle the Sandrin TCK 2.0, I need to caution you, no matter what your skill level may be. This is a SERIOUSLY SHARP knife in a very slim and light package. One misstep of not being mindful, I guarantee you, will not end well. Please handle with caution. The MSRP for the Sandrin TCK 2.0 is approximately $249.00 and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

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