One week later with Thorin in the pocket (Tolkien fans will know), I can now say: “What a great EDC knife!”
And especially after each use: “What a cleverly designed cutting tool!”
Of course, I have noticed some complaints about the fact that the ball bearings are not ceramic. But I also remember reading many issues about the Spyderco Mantra 2, and mine only got better and better the more I used it.
The same goes for the Nano: it now flips at 100% every time.
Now the Dwarf has proven to be exceptional in terms of pure ergonomics. This is a knife designed as a tool you can handle for a long time, making it a great candidate for woodworking and even various bushcraft uses.
As you can notice, the handle has that “elbow” near the end, which makes it simply nest in the palm of the hand.
See?
It follows the same idea as the Casström handle, a knife that is a pure bushcraft tool.
This design detail significantly improves comfort and control in the hand.
Another really nice touch is how the flipper integrates into the handle once the Nano is open.
The flipper almost disappears into the handle. It sits more flush than on my Amalgame Bowie.
This dwarven knife is made for hard use and tough work. The blade has a wide full flat grind on an almost 4mm thick stock, which delivers excellent push-cutting power.
Like the dwarves in Tolkien’s books, you cannot judge the Nano by its size.
This little big knife has a handle built for a strong grip and a short blade made for hard cutting.
Also, the edge of that CPM Magnacut blade, once convexed, is easy to maintain razor sharp with just leather stropping. Apparently, the heat treatment has been very well executed by the Maniago makers.
The excellent geometry also makes it a breeze to use on softer materials.
The open construction also makes it easy to clean.
Even better: titanium and Magnacut are not easy to stain anyway. You don’t need to clean it immediately. Under hot tap water, it comes back like new.
So really, so far so good: Thorin the Dwarf (“Nano” in Italian) delivers and is not a disappointment at all, but an excellent surprise. It sits in the same category as the Spyderco Techno.
Short tools with real cutting power are precious and not easy to design well; a folder short enough to fit comfortably in a watch pocket, with its pebble-like shape, won’t raise any sheeple eyebrows. That’s a gem!
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