Tag Archives: magnacut

Review

LionSteel Nano, NA01-BL – Magnacut Blue Lil Big Knife Made in Italy.

3 Comments

Lionsteel Nano – “Amore a prima vista”

I’ve been eyeing the Nano from Lionsteel for almost a year now.

A compact titanium frame lock in CPM Magnacut, made in Maniago, is a very tempting proposition. Lionsteel has clearly invested heavily in what has become the “darling steel” of modern cutlery: CPM Magnacut, and several models in their lineup showcase it.

Known for high manufacturing quality, Lionsteel has already impressed me in the past, including through collaborations like the Spyderco LionSpy.

So, back to the Nano: what’s not to like about this chunky little “big knife”?

Magnacut, titanium, and a refined Italian design — amore a prima vista.

Specifications (from Lionsteel):

Total length: 162 mm (6.38 in)
Blade length: 65 mm (2.56 in)
Blade thickness: 3.8 mm (0.15 in)
Weight: 101 g (3.56 oz)
Steel: CPM Magnacut
Finish: Satin
Lock: Frame lock
Frame: Titanium 6Al4V
Handle: Titanium (blue anodized version shown)
Packaging: Cardboard box

The blade hardness is reported around 63 HRC according to this CBRx video.

This model is designed to be the “ultimate everyday partner”, as Lionsteel describes it.

To me, it feels like the Italian answer to the Spyderco Techno. Even upcoming generations seem to follow a similar design language.

This is an ultra-solid compact folder: titanium frame, strong lock, premium steel — a true pocket workhorse.

The hidden stop pin design also reminds me of my Swayback. Everything feels overbuilt in the best possible way — like a Land Rover in a Ferrari suit.

The flipping action out of the box is not perfect despite the double crown bearing system, but a drop of oil improved it significantly.

Still, the flipper is not my primary opening method.

There is a blade cutout allowing easy one-handed opening. I can reliably notch-drop open the Nano this way.

The flipper is removable thanks to Lionsteel’s ReF system (Removable Flipper System), allowing the user to install or remove it depending on preference.

I personally keep it installed, as it also works as a small guard.

Closing is smooth and secure. The titanium frame lock is reinforced with a hardened steel insert to prevent wear over time — a well-executed technical detail typical of Maniago craftsmanship.

The blade arrived very sharp out of the box, and Magnacut clearly responds extremely well to stropping.

The clip is beautifully machined titanium and reversible for left-hand carry.

However, it is quite stiff on thick denim pockets. Not a deal-breaker, but worth noting for heavy clip users.

On the positive side, it never creates hotspots and disappears well in hand.

Overall finishing is excellent. The Nano feels like a premium folder in every detail. At under 200€, it is frankly an impressive value proposition.

Comparable quality from some US-made brands would cost significantly more.

Ergonomics are better than expected. I was initially skeptical about the angular geometry, but in use it feels secure and comfortable, even during harder cutting tasks.

The spine is rounded like a Chris Reeve design, making thumb push cuts very comfortable.

In wood, the geometry performs very well. Magnacut combined with this blade shape makes it a surprisingly capable compact woodworking tool.

Despite its size, the Nano offers a slightly better blade-to-handle ratio than my Native, making it feel efficient and purposeful.

In short, this is a compact but highly capable knife: refined, robust, and beautifully executed.

Thanks to Lionsteel and Gianni Pauletta for this design — a true gem from Maniago.

Mine is blue. Nel blu, dipinto di blu… and yes, it makes me feel felice di stare lassù.

Review

The Amphibian Milestone in CPM Magnacut : the Paramillie 2 Salt has landed !

5 Comments

The Amphibian Milestone in CPM Magnacut iq PARA MILITARY® 2 SALT® BLACK G-10 CPM MAGNACUT® BLACK BLADE – C81GMCBK2, which is much too long to fit in a title.

This is not my first Paramillie 2. I usually wear the 52100 carbon fiber version, but I have used many versions in S90V, CPM Cruwear, and S30V. The 52100 is actually the exact opposite of this new version.
Announced at the 2023 Amsterdam Minimeet, a Paramillie impervious to the elements. Better: a nautical version ready to stand tall in front of the salty waves of the ocean’s breakers.
Then the wait began.

And here it is, in all its glory!
Delivered with Larrin Thomas’ dreamlike alloy: the CPM Magnacut!
A steel that hits a lot of sweet spots. Like a sort of totally rust-free CPM M4: strong, resilient, and able to withstand thin edges without chipping.
So why add a DLC on that alloy? Overkill can be fun, can’t it?

Here are 3 versions. The 52100, the CPM Cruwear, and CPM Magnacut from right to left. Three excellences in their own way, all designed by Sal and Eric Glesser.
CPM Magnacut is a story of love.
Quoting its metallurgist and designer:
“The carbide structure of MagnaCut is much finer than the common powder metallurgy stainless steels such as CPM-154, M390, Elmax, S35VN, etc. The only stainless PM steel I have imaged which is competitive in terms of carbide/nitride size is Vanax. MagnaCut is even somewhat finer than CPM-4V and Vanadis 4 Extra, the non-stainless steels that MagnaCut was modeled after. This is an excellent result and should lead to excellent properties.”

Quoting Spyderco:
“This tour-de-force expression of the Para Military 2 showcases a full-flat-ground blade crafted from CPM MagnaCut—a state-of-the-art particle metallurgy steel that offers an exceptional balance of edge retention, toughness, and superior corrosion resistance. Cloaked in a non-reflective Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating, the PlainEdge blade is housed in a handle featuring peel-ply-textured black G-10 scales machined with the signature Caribbean Bi-Directional Texture pattern of Spyderco’s US-made Salt Series knives. To complement its blade steel and finish, the knife’s nested stainless steel liners, four-position pocket clip, and all other hardware are also made from ultra-corrosion-resistant materials and black coated.”

That new Salty Paramillie is destined to be an amphibian workhorse, a hippocampus!!
All hardware is black coated except the stop pin, which is silver and made of “fearlessly corrosion-resistant marine-grade materials“.
The handle (as efficient as it is in being non-slip) is destined to be a pocket shredder, as it is carved to be used with wet, oily hands. Your trousers will suffer!!
Unless, like myself, you are a compulsive user of sandpaper. Even then, it will be hard on pocket lips.

The Diamond-Like Coating is not only protecting a blade that doesn’t need any protection; it also gives a strong Mall Ninja vibe.
Usually, coatings bring some kind of lubrication to material separation. I’m not impressed so far, even on sausages.
The geometry is perfect on my PM Salty—thin as a razor though.

One thing I had to change was the clip. It was replaced by a Flytanium Universal Titanium Clip, which is short and deep-carry.
Also, I moved the clip for a tip-up carry, which suits the Paramillie better in my book.

Of course, de-shouldering the edge is the first step before convexing, which I do on new knives. Especially since I have read that Magnacut loves leather stropping.

And this is true! The edge turned quickly into a über-razor state.

It zipped through meat like a lightsaber into bantha meat.

So now the game is on. The Salty Magnacut Paramillie is ready to kick all other knives from my pockets and be used long term.
Let’s see what this cutlery apogee-era knife has to propose in the long run!