Hack N Slash — Damascus & Onyx
The Hack N Slash Damascus & Onyx takes the Hack N Slash design and pushes it further. The VG10 Suminagashi blade is shaped entirely by hand in the workshop. The reconstructed onyx handle, mounted over a fibreglass spacer, is secured with 24-carat gold-plated screws. A slipjoint folding knife still made to cut, with a level of finishing above the standard series.
Description
A particular interpretation of the Hack N Slash
The Hack N Slash Damascus & Onyx is based on the design of the Hack N Slash: taut silhouette, broken spine, slipjoint mechanism with stop. Everything else changes on this piece. The production blade gives way to a VG10 Suminagashi blade shaped entirely by hand in the workshop. The handle uses reconstructed onyx, a mineral material that I do not use on the regular range.
The result is first read visually: the deep black of the handle, the sinuous lines of the layered steel and the gold points of the hardware. Three visual registers that answer one another without competing.
The blade
VG10 Suminagashi blade, 2.5 mm thick, flat grind, satin finish. On this version, I make the blade entirely by hand in the workshop: shaping, grinding and finishing. The layered pattern appears on the sides and follows the blade geometry; no two knives carry exactly the same design.
The mechanism
The slipjoint retains the blade in the open and closed positions through spring pressure. It is not a lock: the blade is retained, not blocked. A hardened-pin stop catches the blade on closing before the cutting edge can strike the inside of the handle. The Z20 spring is fileworked and polished on the inside.
The handle
The reconstructed-onyx scales are mounted over a fibreglass spacer that outlines each scale with a dark line. 24-carat gold-plated screws secure the assembly to 1.5 mm Z20 liners, recessed for smooth operation and with softened inner edges for a pleasant feel. Maximum handle thickness: 14 mm.
Finishes
The blade and knife body receive a satin finish that catches the light without reflecting it harshly. The handle is polished. The spring filework is revealed when the knife is opened. This level of hand finishing goes beyond that of the production Hack N Slash: that is what distinguishes this piece more than the material alone.
Use
This remains a pocket folding knife: snacks, bread, saucisson and small everyday cutting jobs. It can also be left on display and looked at — the two uses coexist perfectly well. It is supplied with a leather sheath and certificate of authenticity and is covered by the manufacturing warranty under the workshop’s terms.
Data sheet
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Blade steelSuminagashi VG10
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Blade thickness2.5 mm
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Grind profileFlat grind
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Spring steelZ20
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Spring decorationFilework
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Liner materialZ20 steel
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Liner thickness1.5 mm
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Handle materialOnyx
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Maximum handle thickness14 mm
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Handle attachment24k gold-plated screws
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MechanismSlipjoint
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Blade stopHardened pin
History & inspiration
I designed the Hack N Slash in 2022, freely adopting certain codes of the French folding: a tense silhouette, a broken back which supports the palm, a slipjoint mechanism with stop. The complete history of the model can be found on the file of Hack N Slash.
This drawing supports a more elaborate version well, for a simple reason: it is sober. Few curves, clean lines, large continuous surfaces on the pads. A material with a strong graphic character finds space there without fighting with the shape.
On the current series, the blade and the handle play a role of restraint. Here, everything is reversed. The reconstituted onyx creates a black background crossed by light veins. The Suminagashi draws his lines on the blade. The golden screws take up the splinters of the handle without transforming it into a Christmas tree. Satin steel sits in the middle.
The reading of the knife changes: the silhouette remains immediately recognizable, but the eye stops on the surfaces instead of sliding over them. The contrast between dark mineral, laminated steel and golden touches gives this piece a presence that the current series does not seek.
This is also what sets it apart in the Hack N Slash family: the hand-shaped blade for this version, the materials, the level of finish. It joins the other particular creations of the workshop, without ceasing to be a knife that cuts.
Materials
Suminagashi is a laminated steel built around VG10, a cutlery stainless steel. The layers form sinuous lines on the sides of the blade, revealed by the surface work. I do not make this laminated material myself: I shape the blade from this material, entirely by hand in the workshop. Stainless steel limits blade maintenance to simple actions. To understand the principle of these steels, see the page on Damascus steel.
Reconstituted onyx is a mineral material: stone powder bound by a resin, then polished. The result is a deep black crossed with light veins, with a smooth and cold surface at first contact. It is a stable and dense material, more regular than a raw stone, but which remains a hard material: it prefers the pocket to falling on tiles.
The fiberglass spacer is inserted between the plates and the pads. It stabilizes the assembly and draws a continuous black line which frames the onyx. A discreet detail, visible especially when you turn the knife over in your hand.
The Z20 equips the spring and the plates, as on many folding chairs in the Thiers basin. Guilloché spring, 1.5 mm lowered plates: the material is classic, the work on it is less so.
The handle fixing screws are 24 carat gold plated. Their role is twofold: to hold the plates and to punctuate the black of the handle with golden dots which match the veining. The plating is decorative; it simply asks you to avoid abrasive products.
The knife is delivered in a leather sheath which protects it from shocks and friction, in a pocket or drawer.
Use & care
The Hack N Slash Damas & Onyx can be used like any pocket folder: snacks, bread, cheese, sausage, small everyday cutting jobs. The blade cuts, the slipjoint mechanism keeps it open, the stop protects the cutting edge when closing.
This is neither a prying tool nor a construction knife. We don't force it, we cut it with it. Some will keep it mainly to look at it: it's a use like any other, and the two can be combined without problem.
- Wipe the blade after use, especially after acidic or salty foods. Stainless steel tolerates a lot, it still doesn't like to dry dirty.
- No dishwasher, no prolonged immersion.
- A drop of oil on the axle from time to time is enough to keep the mechanism fluid.
- Clean the reconstituted onyx handle and gold screws with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth. No abrasives or solvents.
- Avoid impacts on the edges of the handle: the material is hard, therefore not very tolerant of sharp impacts.
For basic actions, see how to maintain a folding knife.
FAQ
What distinguishes the Hack N Slash Damas & Onyx from the classic Hack N Slash?
The design is the same; almost everything else changes. The Suminagashi VG10 blade is shaped entirely by hand in the workshop, the handle is made of reconstituted onyx, the screws are plated with 24 gold carats and the level of finishing exceeds that of the current series.
What is Suminagashi VG10?
A laminated steel built around VG10, a cutlery stainless steel. The layers draw sinuous lines on the sides of the blade, specific to each copy.
Is the blade made in the workshop?
Yes. On this version, I make the blade entirely by hand in the workshop: shaping, grinding and finishing. On the other hand, I do not make the laminated material itself: Suminagashi VG10 is a material that I work with, not that I forge.
What is reconstituted onyx?
A mineral material composed of stone powder bound by a resin, then polished. It offers a deep black, light veining and better regularity than a raw stone.
Is reconstituted onyx fragile on a pocket knife?
It is stable and dense in normal use: pocket, table, daily handling. Like any hard mineral material, it is especially afraid of direct shocks, a fall on a hard ground for example. The supplied leather case limits this risk.
Are the screws really gold plated?
Yes, they are plated with 24 carat gold. The veneer is decorative: just avoid abrasive products to preserve it.
Does the slipjoint mechanism lock the blade?
No. The slipjoint mechanism keeps the blade open by spring pressure, without mechanical locking. It is a simple and proven system, which requires cutting without forcing laterally. The hardened nail stop protects the cutting edge when closing.
Is this knife made to be used or collected?
Both. It is a functional folding bag, designed for everyday use, with a level of materials and finish that also justifies simply keeping it in front of you. It's up to everyone to place the cursor.
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