Ferrum Forge is returning to the Gent, one of its breakout production knife successes, for a sequel. The Gent 2.0 brings some refinements to the design as well as strategic material alterations to make it the most affordable rendition yet.
The original Gent was a collaboration release between Ferrum Forge and Drop (née Massdrop). It was a smash hit, and helped Ferrum Forge make the transition in focus from high-end, custom work to more accessible production releases. Ferrum Forge’s Elliot Williamson tells us the Gent’s success came from two key elements. “When you look at all the high-selling knife models in history you find simple, effective blade shapes and handles that fit a multitude of hand sizes clustered around the mean hand size.” The Gent 1.0 checked both of those boxes with its all purpose, 3-inch drop point blade and a handle devoid of eccentricities.
Returning to it for a 2022 sequel, Williamson says he and brother Chris had a precise gameplan set up. “We were very clear on what the 2.0 was going to be like from the second the IP was back under our control. I’ve been looking at this knife for six years, I knew exactly what I wanted to change.”
And what has changed? “I added our standard spring clip, which has the lowest instance of failure of any clip I have designed in the past decade,” Williamson says. “I gave the 2.0 the FF logo pivot rather than the hidden pivot of the OG Gent. I also added a little jimping to the flipper tab.” But WIlliamson points out the key adjustments were material ones, done to make the knife as affordable as possible. “It’s most notable change is the price point,” he explains. The original Gent, at its lowest Drop price, was $80, but when it was available outside of Drop preorders it stickered for $120. “We eliminated about half the cost by going with steel liners and 9Cr18MoV rather than titanium and S35VN. I’m pretty sure people’s wallets are going to like that as we head into a recession,” Williamson notes.
Williamson also revealed that the Gent 2.0, like other recent Ferrum Forge production models, will get variations. “I expect to iterate this model in the same way we iterate the Stinger,” he says. “So full ti frame lock, button locks, Nitro-V, Carbon Fibers, maybe some damascus, that sort of tasty stuff.” And, of course, the return of the Gent is just one event in a packed back half of 2022 for Ferrum Forge. “We pretty much have new arrivals every month for the rest of the year so it’s a lot,” Williamson says. “We just got micro Stingers in, yes like tiny ti frame lock Stingers, and they are so cute. We have a new 3.5in-bladed full ti frame lock coming out this summer. We have Archibishop 3.0s getting restocked next month…I recommend people sign up for our news letter, it’s gonna be a big year for FFKW.”
Knife in Featured Image: Ferrum Forge Gent 2.0
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