According to GiantMouse, the inspiration comes from the Nazca Lines of southern Peru. Massive geoglyphs etched into the desert floor, best understood from a distance and still surrounded by mystery. Sharp angles, long straight paths, and shapes that don’t immediately make sense until you step back and take them in as a whole. That influence shows up clearly here. The Nazca doesn’t follow the soft curves and organic flow we’re used to from the Danish design team. Instead, it leans into bold geometry and abrupt transitions. It looks unfamiliar, almost alien, which makes the name feel earned.

Every manufacturer in the industry has a design language. Those visual cues that create instant brand recognition. With GiantMouse, that language comes directly from Jens Ansø and Jesper Voxnaes. Together they’ve created an impressive catalog, both under the GM banner and beyond. The Nazca is interesting because it still feels like a GiantMouse knife, yet it doesn’t look or feel like its siblings. There’s something intentionally different here, and that difference is what pulled me in.


In Hand and Ergonomics

Comfort and ergonomics play a huge role in how I evaluate a knife. If something feels off in shape, texture, or overall flow, it gives me that immediate ick. I wasn’t sure about the Nazca at first. Visually it’s striking, with its straight lines and natural canvas micarta, but in the hand it feels radically different from other GiantMouse designs.

The handle geometry is unconventional. There’s a squared-off area for the index and middle finger, a pronounced cutout for thumb stud access, and a noticeable hump along the spine. It lacks the smooth, flowing feel I usually associate with GiantMouse. At first, that threw me off.

The trick is choking up higher than you think you need to. That scoop for the thumb stud isn’t a natural indexing point, so your finger has to move farther foward than expected. Once you do that, all four fingers lock in securely and your thumb naturally lands on the spine jimping. Visually, it still doesn’t quite make sense, but once everything clicks, the design starts to work. I still find it awkward, but it’s an intentional kind of awkward, and it grows on you with use.

Materials and Carry

Micarta is a recurring theme with GiantMouse, and I’m not mad about it at all. The natural canvas micarta here feels almost like denim in the hand and offers a warm, organic grip compared to many man-made materials. Some people like to treat micarta with products like Wicked Wax to darken it and add water resistance. I prefer leaving it raw and letting it absorb hand oils over time. Much like a carbon steel blade develops a patina, micarta ages with use. It’s something you either love or you don’t, and I fall firmly into the love-it camp.

At just about four ounces, the Nazca carries comfortably in the pocket despite its solid feel. The wire clip is another GiantMouse hallmark and something I continue to appreciate. In a market flooded with milled titanium clips, wire clips feel refreshingly practical. They offer deep carry, stay low profile in the hand, and provide excellent pocket retention. As someone who’s fairly clumsy, I also appreciate that a wire clip can be bent back into shape if it gets snagged. A milled clip would likely snap under the same stress. Wire might feel old-school to some, but it works.


Lock and Action

This is the first GiantMouse knife I’ve handled with a cross-bar lock. With liner locks being such a staple for the brand, it’s nice to see them branch out. Access to the lock is good, with the bar standing proud on both sides of the handle. The stepped milling makes it comfortable to actuate, and the spring tension feels well tuned.

The knife runs on bearings, and the action reflects that. Deployment with the thumb studs is smooth and consistent. You can also pull back on the lock and wrist flick the blade open. It’s not my favorite way to deploy a knife, but when your hands are cold, wet, or gloved and dexterity suffers, having that option is genuinely useful.


Blade and Performance

The blade is a drop point in Böhler M390 with a subtle harpoon profile. Like the handle, it’s very un-GiantMouse in shape, and that’s part of the appeal. The blade measures just over three inches, with a fairly high flat grind that makes slicing smooth and efficient.

It excels at piercing and draw cuts, and while it doesn’t have the generous belly found on some other GiantMouse blades, it still handles food prep and everyday cutting tasks without issue. M390 continues to be a standout steel, offering excellent edge retention while remaining reasonable to sharpen. It’s a steel I trust, and it feels right at home here.


Closing Thoughts

The Nazca is a clear departure from what we typically expect from GiantMouse, and I think that’s a good thing. Its lines are bold, and it makes a statement without feeling gimmicky. GiantMouse has never been a company that clings too tightly to what has worked in the past, and this knife reinforces that mindset.

Once you get used to it, the Nazca becomes a joy to use and performs extremely well. If you’re looking for something that feels a little alien but still close enough to home, the Nazca is well worth a look.