Yesterday Tactile Knife Co. dropped a new limited edition of their best-selling Bexar slipjoint yesterday. The Ultem Bexar features scales made from Ultem 1000 resin, the first time any Tactile Knife Co. model has been produced in the material.
The Bexar needs no introduction. Although it’s only a year old, Tactile’s second folding knife release not only appealed to those hungry for modern slipjoints, but really knife enthusiasts in general, reeling in high praise and accolades almost immediately – including our year-end Readers’ Choice Award for Best Slipjoint/Non-Locking Knife. In addition to its usefulness, subtly cool profile, and highly pocketable form factor, the Bexar was also among the first production knives to utilize Magnacut, the powder metallurgy steel developed by Knife Steel Nerd’s Larrin Thomas.
All of the Bexarian elements are present here on the Ultem variation. The only difference is the new handle material – and what is Ultem 1000? It’s a resin with an amber-like hue in its natural, transparent state, used in medical and mechanical equipment, but, like many other modern industrial materials, has made its way into the EDC world, appearing on pens, worry stones, and other accessories. But it isn’t often seen on production knives, outside of custom replacement scales – until now.
Here, replacing the titanium scales on the standard Bexar, the Ultem scales actually make the knife even lighter, shaving .8 ounces off the original, bringing the total to 1 oz. even. The translucent Ultem scales have the same Tactile texturing as knives and many Tactile Turn pens that preceded founder Will Hodge’s entry into the production knife world. Speaking of those pens, there’s also an Ultem Bolt Action Pen available from Tactile Turn, if you want a matching writing implement to pair with your new knife.
The Ultem Bexar is available now.
Knife in Featured Image: Tactile Knife Co. Ultem Bexar
