Serge Panchenko Dogtag Folder 1.22″ S30V Chisel Ground Blade, Black, Aluminum/Titanium Handle C188ALTIBBKP

Spyderco

Serge Panchenko was born in the Ukraine and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was eight years old. A natural tinkerer with a passion for working with his hands, he began making knives in 2007 shortly after attending his first knife show.

Panchenko makes all types and styles of custom knives and strives to make each one a perfect balance of artistic expression and practical function. In addition to hand-crafted, one-at-a-time custom knives, he also makes handmade lanterns, beads, and other items, as well as “mid-tech” knife designs that combine partially finished, custom-machined parts with his hand-finished attention to detail. One of his most popular mid-tech designs is the Dog Tag folder—a small but amazingly capable folding knife that is the shape of a military dog tag when closed. Since Spyderco specializes in uniquely functional compact cutting tools, the Dog Tag Folder was a natural choice for a collaborative effort with Panchenko.

The Dog Tag Folder is a unique departure from Spyderco’s typical folding knife construction methods.  Its single-sided handle designed from solid titanium and accurately replicates the size and shape of a military dog tag. The center of the handle scale  machined to create an integral bar that houses a steel ball bearing for the blade’s detent mechanism. At the top of the handle is an aluminum back strap that defines the blade’s limits of travel in both the open and closed positions. It also provides protection from the edge when the knife closed.

The “business end” of the Dog Tag is a sheepfoot-style blade. It made from premium CPM® S30V® particle metallurgy stainless steel with a stonewashed finish. To protect the edge when closed, the blade is chisel ground with a single flat bevel on the front side—an unusual feature for a Spyderco knife. Our Trademark Round Hole™ in the blade allows easy opening, and a subtle swedge (unsharpened bevel) and a decorative fuller (groove) near the spine add a touch of style. The blade’s pivot also accentuated by a round aluminum disk that provides stability and structural strength as well as an aesthetic touch.

A non-locking folder, the Dog Tag’s blade held in place in the open position by a detent mechanism. A ball bearing in the handle scale’s integral arm indexes holes in the tang of the blade to hold it both closed and open. Since the blade does not lock, care should be taken during use to apply cutting pressure only in a direction that maintains the knife’s open position.