Some cities around the world are renowned for their knives. Consider Solingen, Germany, Toledo, Spain, and Sheffield, England.

Yangjiang doesn’t quite make the top of the list among most enthusiasts, but time will change this. This is China’s “City of the Knife,” and home to Kansept Knives.

Not familiar with that name, either? That’s alright. It’s another thing that will be rectified with time. Kansept, a retake on the word “concept” is a newer brand on the scene.

It was founded in 2020 by a guy by the name of Kim Ning - who was a former designer and production manager for Kizer Knives - another big name in Chinese blades.

Kansept Knives, which are remarkably affordable considering their quality and the materials used, are growing in popularity among collectors, sportsmen, EDC junkies and knife enthusiasts in general.

Every component used in the making of Kansept Knives is expertly machined, then finished and fitted by hand, delivering what the company calls best “an exquisite blend of craftsmanship and aesthetics.”

They sport practical yet aesthetically pleasing designs, are made with top-quality materials, and critics have, in general, overwhelmingly laudatory comments regarding fit, finish, and overall construction.

Let’s take a look at some of the best Kansept Knives out there.

Top Models Among Kansept Knives

Looking for a Kansept to refresh your collection? Make it one of these. They are all top sellers from our Kansept collection.

Nesstreet

There is so much to love about the Kansept Nesstreet (specifically the version at the previous link) that it is no wonder it is one of the best-selling Kansept Knives here at WMK.

Where to start? The knife is the perfect size - 8.06” overall with a 3.58” blade, yet weighs only 4.27 ounces, thanks largely to the carbon fiber twill scales it sports that keep down weight significantly.

Then there is the blade profile, which no doubt has lent its influence to the naming of the knife. Much in the likeness of the pattern of Nessmuk’s skinner, it is a beautiful sheepsfoot with a generous thumb scoop that both handles well and offers excellent utility for slicing tasks. Add to that the additional tip strength and you have a winner.

And of course, there is the damascus blade steel, which is not only durable and wear-resistant, but, with its “raindrop” patterning, peerlessly beautiful.

Yet it only continues, as this attractive knife also sports a button lock, a welcome divergence from the standard of a frame lack that you might have come to expect. It is both stronger and safer than the latter.

This is one Kansept knife that is not only highly practical but unforgettably attractive.

Prometheus

The Kansept Prometheus is another excellent highlight from our overall Kansept collection, and is also available in damascus.

The Prometheus we are highlighting here, however, is a version with S35VN steel. This model is somewhat smaller and lighter than the Nesstreet mentioned above. It is only 7.61” overall with a 3.29” blade, and is considerably lighter, at 1.82 ounces.

The blade is slighter, more in the configuration of a true sheepsfoot, or even a Wharncliffe, than the former is, with a sharply downturned point.

But the steel is what shines here. This one is made with S35VN, a ridiculously tough alloy that bears a little bit of niobium, affording the medium excellent edge retention even better than S30VN, a similar alloy.

This is the sort of knife you could put to really hard use and which will keep an edge seemingly forever. Granted, this alloy is a headache to resharpen, but you won’t have to do much of that unless you’re routinely plunging the blade into the earth.

Light and nimble, with a strong frame lock and an attractively patterned “Red White and Blue Nebula” CF handle, this is another great Kansept Knife from our collection.

Little Main Street

Now let’s talk about the Kansept Little Main Street, which is the Kansept knife for you if you like the Prometheus but want a smaller package that has a stronger lock which also happens to be inherently right and left-friendly (frame locks are not).

The Little Main Street highlighted here is the one with the yellow PEI handle. One of the smaller Kansept knives in our collection, it is 5.43” overall with a 2.26” blade and weighs just 1.82 ounces.

It has a sheepsfoot or Wharncliffe style blade with a straight edge and is made from 154CM. Another super steel, 154CM doesn’t quite offer the edge retention of S35VN, but all the same is a very corrosion-resistant, very tough alloy that’s basically 440C with extra molybdenum.

But what you’ll really love about this model is the bar lock, which is basically an AXIS lock, just by another name due to Benchmade’s copyrighting.

Bar locks are among the strongest folding knife locks in the entire industry, favor neither left or right handed users, and like button locks, keep the fingers out of the blade’s path when closing. The only difference is that they are stronger. If a bar lock fails on you, you probably shouldn’t have been using a folding knife for whatever it was that you were doing.

Bulldozer

The Bulldozer is a lot like the Nesstreet, but a lot more conventional, and the Bulldozer we’re highlighting here is the D2 version with orange G10 scales.

This is a bombproof knife that’s meant to be worked. At 8.2” overall, with a 3.56” blade and weighing 4.48 ounces, it is one of the biggest, toughest Kansept knives in this collection.

Things we love about it: the steel, the method of deployment, the blade profile, the color, and the price. Let’s break these down.

It is made with D2 steel, which is a tool steel that, if you’re not familiar, definitely will rust. But, it will also take a wickedly sharp edge and is very easy to touch back up. Just keep it safe from moisture and it’ll remain a workhorse.

The blade profile: it’s another sheepsfoot, which means it’s tough and the point is unlikely to break. Need we say more on the matter?

The method of deployment: it conspicuously lacks thumbstuds, but what it does have is a flipper tab, sort of like the CJRB Maileah. Flipper tabs are inherently right and left-handed friendly, and the truth is you can whip open a blade with a flipper tab faster than you could with a thumb stud, albeit marginally.

The color is another win. Gaudy, yes, but the bright orange scales make it effectively impossible to lose the knife by setting it down carelessly for a moment or two.

Finally, the price. At around $75, it is one of the more affordable Kansept Knives in our catalog, and that definitely counts for something. It is most assuredly worth more than that, only in terms of the utility it offers.

Bivy

Last but definitely not least, we want to offer you a closer look at the Kansept Bivy. Another appropriately priced Kansept, the Bivy we’re highlighting here, with a 154CM blade and G10 scales, is all ergonomics, and all function.

Appropriately named, the Bivy is, like a real-life bivy, all function and no frills. At 5.64” overall, with a 2.9” blade, and weighing 2.12 ounces, it is neither the smallest nor the largest Kansept Knife covered here. It is, however, the only one without a lock.

That makes this a choice knife for carrying in places in which there are restrictions on folding knives with locks. It also happens to be a relatively un-intimidating knife, with an eye on practicality and not on aesthetics.

Which is, itself, a selling point. The sheepsfoot profile is very like a sailor’s knife, with a point so downturned it is all but useless for piercing tasks. For slicing, dicing, and chopping, though, this thing is excellent.

Of course, the blade steel also deserves a callout. It is 154CM, which we have already covered here, so we won’t beat the topic out.

And then, there is the handle, which is almost shaped like a classical Barlow pattern. It is not pretty, by any means, but it’s probably the most ergonomic, and most comfortable, Kansept handle in this guide.

It indexes well, there are no hot spots, and it’s just a joy to carry and use. Plain as it is, it just works. And that is a form of art all its own.

All in all, if you like the Kansept brand and are thinking about diving into it, but you’re looking for a knife without a conventional lock, there really isn’t a better (or more popular, for that matter) option than the Bivy.

Discover These and Other Kansept Knives Here at White Mountain Knives

This is just a small sampling of the Kansept Knives we offer here in our catalog. Though these are some of the best sellers, there are many more to discover, and no way to know which will appeal best to you until you take some time to peruse the catalog yourself.

Take a look through our collection and if you have questions or are looking for a specific model you don’t see listed, get in touch with us at WhiteMountainKnives@gmail.com.