For 28 years, (the A2 round handled) One Piece Range of knives has been an essential part of Chris Reeve Knives. From Chris first designing the concept while serving in the South African Army in Namibia to today, these knives have been used, carried, admired and collected in all corners of the world.

An integral part of the success of this range has been Eddie Myers. Eddie was Chris's foreman when Chris was an apprentice tool and die maker. They have known each other more years than they care to count and Chris has always regarded Eddie as mentor, teacher, friend and consultant! For 25 years, Eddie has machined the blanks for our One Piece Knives. Still living in South Africa, Eddie and his wife Caroline, have provided fine service to deliver the best blanks at the best price. (There is no question that the volatility of the South African currency has helped over the years!)

Eddie and Caroline want to retire. Ed wants to buy a boat again and go fishing whenever he feels like it! This brought us to a cross-roads--do we try to source a vendor in the USA or should we simply retire a - Classic. We have decided to take the second choice--to discontinue the One Piece Range.

To celebrate the end of this era, Chris Reeve Knives offered a limited edition of 250 Commemorative Mk IVs. The Mk IV was the first iteration of the one piece concept to become known there is still call for this model which we initially discontinued in 1995. It has a 7 inch blade with a clip point and sawback. For this commemorative edition, the butt cap is engraved and polished and the sheath has a commemorative logo embossed.

Specifications

Blade Material: A2 tool steel
Blade Hardness: 55-57 RC
Blade Coating: KG Gun-Kote
Blade Length: 7" sawback blade
Blade Thickness: 0.187"
Overall Length: 12"
Handle Material: A2 Tool Steel
But Cap Material: D65S aluminum
Sheath: Leather with horizontal carry belt loop, Snap
Weight: 12.90 oz. (365 grams)
Limited Edition, only 250 pieces produced!
Handmade in the USA
One Piece Knife Concept

The idea of the one piece knife was born while Chris was serving time in the South African Army on the Namibia/Angola border in 1979. The experiences of military service have contributed substantially to the features in these knives.

Chris realized that the ideal working knife was a tool which was strong, reliable and impervious to temperature and humidity. Extensive time has been devoted to design, and research and development to improve both the blade designs and the methods used in making the knives.

Each knife is made from a solid billet of A2 tool steel. The stock removal method results in two distinct advantages--the strength/weight ratio is exceptional and there is no handle/blade join. This means that there is no area where the blade and handle could come apart--a weakness in the design of other hollow handle knives. The handle cavity is larger than that of any similar knife. The hollow handle is closed with a butt cap made of 6061 aluminum which screws into the handle against a Neoprene "O" ring, ensuring the cavity is sealed from dust and moisture. All the one piece knives are hardened to 55-57 RC and random checks are made to ensure accuracy. This hardness gives superb toughness, good edge retention and allows for efficient sharpening in the field. Each knife is coated with super hi-tech KG Gun-Koteä originally developed for use in the aerospace industry. This coating offers a durable, long-lasting, non-reflective covering. Included in the price of each knife is a hand-made leather sheath. A lifelong guarantee, signed by Chris accompanies each knife.
The one piece design offers the highest possible weight/strength ratio
A2 Tool Steel offers excellent edge retention and good shock resistance
Hardness at between 55 and 57 Rockwell C is not brittle but gives good edge retention along with ease of sharpening
An 8" hollow grind is used with a full thickness back edge. All designs are ground to allow the full thickness of the back edge to come as close to the point as possible, affording a very strong front tip but not restricting the knife's ability to pierce
The hollow handle, which is created to reduce weight, is larger than any similar sized knife because there is no join between handle and blade
The aluminum butt cap provides an airtight closure for the hollow handle and is designed so that it can be used for hammering. Because using the knife as a hammer can be dangerous to one's knuckles and fingers, we do not recommend that this be done unless in an emergency situation. It is preferable to use a hammer
Full depth precision machined knurling affords maximum non-slip grip
Non-reflective KG Gun-Koteä coating gives lasting protection
All knives carry a lifetime guarantee and a damaged knife will be replaced or repaired at Chris' discretion. This guarantee does not cover damage to a knife that has been thrown or used for heavy levering
These knives are used by hunters, backpackers, SWAT teams, military personnel, firefighters and police all over the world. They are also to be found in many knife collections and most of our customers own more than one of our knives
Each hand made leather sheath is designed to fit the knife well, to give maximum protection to the carrier and the knife when being carried. Because we continue to improve our design, sheaths supplied might not be exactly as shown in the brochure
Replacement butt caps and sheaths are available at reasonable prices
Many customers feel that once their knives have been used, they lose collector's value. This is not so as the knife can be returned to Chris Reeve Knives, where it will be sandblasted, re-coated with KG Gun-Kotea, sharpened and returned to it's original condition. Contact Chris Reeve Knives for cost. Please return knife in sheath