Spyderco NAND Titan M398 C270TIP

Spyderco NAND Titan M398 C270TIP

ASPC270TIP

Paul Alexander is a name that should be familiar to all serious followers of Spyderco. Since introducing his first knife concept in the mid-2010s, he has become one of Spyderco’s most prolific and uniquely qualified design collaborators. His latest creation, the NAND, not only reinforces his well-earned reputation, but extends it into the realm of Spyderco’s SLIPIT family of non-locking folding knives.

Spyderco’s revolutionary CLIPIT knives were the first one-handed opening pocket knives with a wire clip and locking blade. They and their creator, Sal Glesser, Spyderco’s founder and owner, literally defined the shape of the modern folding knife in 1981. Later, when knife laws in some countries became more restrictive, Sal combined the one-handed opening and clip carry of the CLIPIT platform with a non-locking mechanism reminiscent of a traditional slipjoint folder. The resulting hybrid was the SLIPIT, and the latest expression of that concept is Paul Alexander’s remarkable NAND.

Design and Construction Details

Introduced in 2024, the NAND is a futuristic folding knife that showcases Paul Alexander’s impressive talent as a designer. In Paul’s own words, it reflects a “techno-primitive” style that is elegant, angular, and composed primarily of straight lines punctuated by Spyderco’s signature round hole in the blade. This aesthetic, together with the folding knife’s two natural states – open and closed – creates a “binary” symbolism that inspired the knife’s unique name.

The NAND’s blade is made from Böhler-Uddeholm M398 – an advanced version of M390 particle metallurgy stainless steel. M398 boasts a significant increase in carbon and vanadium content compared to M390, enabling it to achieve exceptional hardness and edge retention. With its full-flat-ground plain edge, the Spyderco NAND takes full advantage of these properties, delivering outstanding cutting performance and utility.

According to Alexander, he designed the NAND’s blade to have a distinctive aesthetic profile that both complements and transcends the knife’s angular design. Although the blade features a fully accessible and functional trademark round hole, he also gave it an extended “tail” that protrudes past the handle’s pivot pin when the knife is closed. In addition to contributing to the knife’s dramatic style, the tail provides a secondary one-handed opening “opportunity,” similar to the tang on a classic straight razor or friction folder.

The Spyderco NAND is housed in an elegant open-back handle constructed with two precision-machined solid titanium scales. The front section of both sides is cut away to create a pair of integral spring arms, each containing an inserted steel ball bearing. When the blade is open, the tension of the spring arms drives the ball bearings into index holes in the sides of the blade to hold it in place during use. A second set of holes in the blade indexes the ball bearings when the knife is closed, acting as a conventional detent mechanism to keep the blade safely closed when carried in the pocket. First used in Bob Terzuola’s Spyderco SLIPIT design in 2009, this method of keeping the blade open is known as a ball joint non-locking mechanism. However, the NAND’s execution takes the concept to the next level.

In the NAND, the design of the spring arms places the ball-bearing detents in front of the pivot pin rather than behind it. In that position, the pressure of the hand gripping the handle increases the tension of the spring arms and the engagement of the ball bearings. Hand pressure also applies downward force to the blade’s tail, just like a friction folder. A generous choil (finger groove) at the base of the edge provides a third safeguard against accidental closure. The synergy of these features ensures an exceptionally safe and secure grip and makes the NAND an exceptionally functional non-locking folder.

Weighing in at just 49 grams, the NAND is incredibly light for its size. Its ultra-thin profile makes it exceptionally pocket friendly and is complemented by a deep-carry wire clip. The clip keeps the knife discreetly at the top of the pocket and can be reversed for left or right-side carry. This feature, together with the knife’s fully symmetrical design, makes every aspect of its carry, deployment, and use completely convenient for both left- and right-handed users.

A truly unique approach to non-locking pocket knife design, the NAND is also a vivid reflection of the talent of one of Spyderco’s most popular and prolific designers.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Blade Length: 81 mm.

Cutting Edge: 69 mm.

Steel: Bohler M398 Stainless Steel

Blade: Plain Drop Point

Grind: Full-Flat

Finish: Satin

Mechanism: Ball Joint Non-Locking Slipjoint

Closed Length: 118 mm.

Blade Thickness: 2.4 mm.

Overall Length: 190 mm.

Handle: Gray Titanium

Weight: 49 g.

Pocket Clip: Wire (Tip-Up, Right/Left Carry)

Design: Paul Alexander

Origin: Italy