The Loki started life as a fixed blade and you can absolutely tell from the ergonomics. It has this dialed-in feel where the handle just disappears in your grip. The forward choil lets your index lock in, and your thumb naturally falls right into place on the spine. This forward-biased grip boosts control in a way that turns what could have been a three-finger hold into a confident four-finger purchase. It just melts into the palm. All Lokis are framelocks, and it’s done well here. Lock bar tension is balanced, no wrestling required, and the edges are chamfered so you’re not grinding your finger into sharp corners while disengaging.
Mine is the frag pattern in bronze anodization paired with a blackwashed blade. Visually I love this combo. The bronze plays really well with that darker finish and has a nice depth to it. Functionally, I came in expecting the frag to work like it did on my previous Cybin. I was wrong. These edges are much more pronounced. In hand it’s fantastic, the improved traction makes a noticeable difference. In pocket is where things get dicey. The raised texture adds friction under the clip and it starts to feel like an angry Chihuahua gnawing at my pocket seams. Pocket wear is a fact of life but I like to delay it when I can. The clip itself is still great though. No hot spots and easy in and out, aside from that frag fighting back.
The biggest improvement is definitely the deployment. The old version had that strange semicircle cutout. Visually it worked, but functionally it just didn’t. Thumb flicks were basically a no go and even reverse flicks felt inconsistent. Kansept actually listened and went with an oval cutout this time. It makes a world of difference. I can open it easily now and that alone changes how I feel about the knife. I will say the hole could still be a little larger and the edges could be sharper for traction, but the improvement is huge and should win back folks who bounced off the original.
Blade-wise, it’s a blackwashed S35VN drop point with a sweeping belly and a tip that’s great for tracing and piercing. The little harpoon accent is a nice touch. It adds character without going overboard. The way the blade sits slightly lower than the handle reminds me of skinning-style profiles with a lot of belly, but scaled down for daily tasks. It’s practical but still has a bit of flair to it.
Overall, this update makes the Loki worth a second look, especially if deployment was the thing that pushed you away before. The handle is incredibly comfortable and the blade shape is practical without feeling generic. It’s not perfect, and I don’t think it’s trying to be. For me though, this version makes the Loki something I’m actually happy to carry again.
