[MKM] lionSTEEL Clap Santos Wood M390

MKM, or Maniago Knife Makers, is a consortium representing knife-makers from ‘the home of knives’ around the world. The company is headquartered in Maniago itself, around 70 miles from Venice in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy). Founded in 1960, the consortium brings together makers of knives, scissors and similar products, and for almost 60 years it has been promoting all things Made in Maniago. The brand MKM, already in use in the past, has been revamped and relaunched, with the aim of offering the market new collections, created through partnerships with local knife-makers.

The very first MKM-branded collection is quite extraordinary, both in terms of its technology and its production philosophy. Five sporting knives, in 28 different versions, thought up by two world-renowned designers, Bob Terzuola and Lucas Burnley.

The MKM Clap is a folding knife of outstanding quality and design innovation. Designed by Bob Terzuola it bears all the hallmarks of a classic folding knife. The blade is satin finished Bohler M390 "microclean" stainless steel. It includes a ball bearing rotation mechanism making the blade very smooth to open. The handle is made up of two slabs of micarta with stainless liners and a blue anodised Titanium spacer with stainless steel screws and a blue anodised Titanium ferrule on the pivot. It is supplied with a nylon storage pouch and blade opening accessory.

The Clap was designed by Bob Terzuola, the godfather of tactical knives, and produced by LionSteel Knives out of Maniago, Italy. "Produced in Maniago, Italy" is the theme of the entire enterprise for MKM, which is aptly named. This 'brand' is a collection of four of the top knife manufacturers in Italy working together to consolidate and strengthen their commercial contributions to foreign markets. 

They've chosen to work with some highly regarded and sought-after American custom makers to launch the brand and they've already made quite a splash. MKM won Knife Collaboration of the Year with Lucas Burnley and Bob Terzuola at the 2018 BLADE Show, while Viper took home Overall Knife of the Year with the SURU and LionSteel won the Manufacturing Quality Award for the third time in five years. A spectacular start, and one that confirms and fuels the mission of the Maniago Knife Makers consortium and the MKM brand: consolidating the value and style of Made in Maniago, by working together as a team.

The Clap is a knife for the masses and that's a true statement in more ways than one. It was designed by the man, the myth, the legend who coined the term "tactical knife", yet its size makes it more suited for utility tasks than tactical ones in our minds. However, it's the addition of LionSteel's patented TRE (Three Rapid Exchange) system that cements this as a go-to utility blade. Well, it's more of a Two Rapid Exchange system if we're being honest, as this knife does not give you the option of thumb studs. The flipper tab is removable, which allows you to change this knife into a two-handed opener yourself, specifically meant for those living in restrictive localities like Europe. The knife is available in a number of different handle materials and each gives you the choice of going with or without titanium bolsters. The flipping action is crisp, the ergonomics are on point, and the manufacturing quality is unparalleled in the industry (apart from Chris Reeve); you won't be disappointed in the Clap from Bob Terzuola, LionSteel, and MKM.