Folding Knives
imamba®If there was a “Best Knife” classification like there is for British Best Guns, the new Arno Bernard imamba® folding knife would fall into that category.
|
TuracoThe Turaco is the logical next step up the flipper knife pyramid for Arno Bernard, following on the success of the imamba®.
|
Personalize Your Knife
Laser Engraving is available on all knives with Stainless Steel Blades for $49. Lettering is 1/8" tall and adds 7 business days to delivery time. We cannot accept returns on personalized knives.
Turaco Baker Forge Flipper 
Turaco Stonewashed Flipper 
Turaco Mirror Flipper 
imamba Damasteel Flipper 
imamba Mirror Stainless Flipper 
imamba Mirror Stainless Delete 
imamba Stonewashed Flipper 
imamba Stonewashed Delete 
Rinkhals Damasteel Slip Joint 
Rinkhals Mirror Stainless Slip Joint 
Leather, Personalization & FAQs 
Assegai Penimamba® Collection
If there was a “Best Knife” classification like there is for British Best Guns, the new Arno Bernard imamba® folding knife would fall into that category. Just like “Best Guns”, what you see is only part of the equation and what you do not see is just as important, and in some cases, even more important than the visible attributes. This particular model offers a rounded opening tab located on the top of the blade, facilitating one-handed opening. Alternatively, for regions where knives with one-handed opening features are restricted, the imamba 'delete' variant removes this tab, necessitating a two-handed approach for opening.
Today, 99% of folding knives are taken off machines and assembled. In direct contrast to that, each one of these beautiful knives has all four brother’s fingerprints all over it. The metallic tolerances they achieve are less than 1/100th of a millimeter which is one-tenth the thickness of a piece of paper. Available in two blade finishes; hand-polished to a mirror finish or stonewashed. After that, the blades are put in a tumbler with ceramic media to produce a satin gloss finish. The blades are then sharpened by hand. Thus you can see the shiny razor sharp hollow ground edge contrasting against the satin gloss body of the blade.
As with all great products, it all starts with the finest materials. The blade is made from RWL 34 stainless steel, the frame and pocket clip are titanium to keep it light and the pocket clip has limited external screws for a clean visual. This large folder measures 7.9" overall with a 4.5" frame, 3.4" deep bellied blade and yet only weighs 4.3 ounces.
The locking mechanism is lapped by hand until the two surfaces engage at 100% for unmatched strength. While the locking mechanism is extremely durable and made to last a lifetime, if it ever wears out, it is easy to replace. The premium, friction-free caged ceramic ball bearings that make the action as smooth as glass contribute to the durability of this offering. The pocket clip is a new design that is comfortable to hold in the hand which is something many people on the knife forums put on their “wish list”.
Turaco Button Lock Flipper Collection
The Turaco is the logical next step up the flipper knife pyramid for Arno Bernard. Following on the success of the imamba®, this new knife sets the standard for a “no stick” plunge mechanism button lock. Making a statement like that is not over-reach; it is the outcome of designing and manufacturing this knife entirely in-house to offer the user an amazing experience. The fit and finish is unrivaled as all major components are hand-polished to remove any machine marks and hand-fitted for a glass-like finish. All the screws, bearing housing, pocket clip, etc. are made by Arno Bernard so a knife without compromise could be crafted.
There are thousands of companies that make liner lock flippers but only a small fraction of them make button locks. That is because getting a button lock to open and close without any stick requires much more effort than getting the detent correct on a flipper. This new model from Arno Bernard is as smooth as more expensive button locks and even smoother with a better fit and finish than competitors in the same price range.
The tolerances are incredible and that is just one advantage of making everything but the ball bearings in-house. You will notice there is no (caged bearings) rattle when you shake the knife as the tolerances are so precise. The pivot screw and frame are designed with a hexagonal shape to facilitate the alignment and secure locking of the screws into the frame. This design allows for the pivot screw to be tightened from only one side. The pivot screw which does not utilize a Torx, has been permantly secured with green Loctite®. All Torx screws on the frame and the thumb stud use a Torx 8 driver which is included. For weight reduction the titanium frames have been skeletonized to make it even lighter than the imamba at only 3.84 ounces. The larger back space completely covers the blade tip, providing additional security for the tip. You can get it in either a mirror or a stonewashed finish.
Removed as per RuanThe detent is crisp and allows for easy deployment. They even designed a new bearing cage that is as functional as it is stunning. This beautifully designed cage helps to make the knife open and close flawlessly. This new cage contains 20 ball bearings to ensure tension is evenly distributed over the entire surface providing the knife with a solid, vault-like feel. Just as importantly, it speaks to their attention to detail…that even the parts that are not readily visible were designed to stun and take this knife to a new level. There is no reason to take the new bearings cage apart and we strongly recommend you refrain from doing so. This new model can be deployed four different ways; flipper tab flick, reverse flick, thumb roll or thumb stud opening. The titanium thumb stud was also completely redesigned. This curved thumb stud is the reason why this knife can be opened in so many ways. The stud has circular serrations on it to provide a secure grip for opening and it is secured with a screw on just one side for a clean look. The pocket clip chamfer blends in with the frame’s chamfer and allows for a slightly deeper carry. It also has a beefier look as the footprint is slightly larger than the one on the imamba® but weighs slightly less as the underside has had some titanium removed. Since most companies have gone away from labor intensive, mirror finishes we made 2/3 of the initial production in that finish. The mirror finish was emphasized to highlight how much time, and effort went into making this knife as close to perfect as possible. A mirror finish highlights even the smallest imperfections which is why you see so many stonewashed finishes today. The solid drop point blade features Bohler M390Stainless “Super Steel” which is extremely durable, has great edge re-retention and excellent corrosion resistance. It is heat treated to a 63 Rockwell hardness for optimal performance. The molecular structure of this steel is super fine, so it buffs to a beautiful shine. This German steel was originally designed for injection molding applications, so it is extremely tough as the molds run 24/7 and many operate at high temperatures with abrasive raw materials such as specialized plastics and other highly engineered synthetic materials. This new blade design features a longer choil (the unsharpened surface between the handle and the cutting edge of the blade) to offer additional grip surface for those with larger hands. To add excitement to this launch, they have added even more premium carbon fiber and natural handle materials like blue mammoth molar, Snakewood, African Blackwood and TechnoBlue and TechnoGold carbon fiber.. Each knife includes a tough hand braided kangaroo leather lanyard to make it easier to access. This knife has been years in the making but once you have your in your hand, I am sure you will feel that it has been worth the wait!
Rinkhals Flipper Collection
This Arno Bernard knife takes you back to a simpler time, when your first pocket knife opened and closed without any locking mechanism.
These Arno Bernard knives take you back to a simpler time, when your first pocket knife opened and closed without any locking mechanism. This updated version of the classic slip joint measures 6.5” overall, has a 2.8” blade and a full sized 3.7” frame with a 2.8” handle inlay. It features a beautiful design with a mirror finished RWL-34 stainless steel or Damasteel Rose blade. It also has a nail nick for easy opening and ridged thumb serrations on the top of the blade. Just like your old Buck®, Western® or Case®, the blade features a mirror finish. The hand-sewn, leather slip protects it in your pocket and the matching bead attached to the leather lanyard makes it easy to access. This lightweight knife sheds ounces by using Titanium for the frame, pocket clip, collar and screws and only weighs 2.3 ounces!
The slip joint mechanism of this knife features an innovative "safety" when it is approximately half-way open which causes the blade to release its tension at the 90° mark so it is easy to move your fingers out of the way before tension builds again and assists you in closing (or opening) the knife. Most slip joint knives have continuous tension throughout their entire range, which in some cases causes the blade to close before you can get your fingers out of the way. Since this knife does not have a mechanism that locks it open, always cut with the blade going away from you to prevent injury.