With its candy-like aesthetic, the James Brand Redstone outdoor knife doesn’t try to look like something it isn’t. The knife is, just at face value, a compact little number designed to be carried everywhere and cherished all the time. Showcasing an aesthetic that eyes can never get tired of and boasting of functionality that’s unapologetically top-notch, the Redstone is a delightful piece of EDC designed for all sorts of adventures.
The first thing that hits you with the Redstone is its color-way. Titled ‘Coral + Turquoise’, it looks immediately like a Nintendo Switch accessory, and that association gives the outdoor knife its friendly, approachable, lovable nature. Pop open the fold-out blade, however, and you’ve got a deceptively sharp, extremely capable drop-point knife with a serrated end that’s versatile enough to pierce, slice, score, whittle, and even chop tough objects like twigs and paracord. The knife, measuring a neat 6.2″ when open, is perfectly handy for any task you throw at it, and when closed, fits right back into your pocket, securing to the fabric with its pocket clip.
The inspiration for the Redstone comes from a tale of versatility too. The Redstone was co-designed with professional rock climber and photographer Savannah Cummins, who provided the James Brand team with a pivotal insight when she told them about the three objects that are always there at the top of her backpack: a Bic lighter, some lip-balm, and a small pocket knife. The idea of designing a knife that was useful enough to justify being a top-three accessory helped mold and shape the Redstone. “The thing about a pocket knife is that you never know when you are going to need it, but when you need it – you really need it. No other tool will do the job”, the James Brand team rightfully highlighted. “That was the mission of the Redstone.”
The knife’s relatively uncomplicated aesthetic gives it a classic appeal while also allowing it to be relatively lightweight. It sports an ambidextrous design that’s still great to hold and easy to maneuver and comes with a black oxide coated stainless steel handle covered with the colored polypropylene scales, for overall durability. Within the knife’s hollow blade sits its Sandvik 12C27 steel handle that opens out and satisfyingly clicks to lock in place. The slide-unlocking mechanism is ambidextrous too, which makes it easy for using in any hand, and although the Redstone comes with a pocket clip, it also sports a hole for a lanyard or paracord that lets you string the EDC outdoor knife to yourself or a backpack.
The versatile Redstone comes in 4 color variants – the Coral + Turquoise (pictured here) variant as well as a Glacial Blue variant for people who want their EDC to also be objects of visual delight. And also an All-Black variant and an OD Green + Black variant to satisfy the EDC traditionalists who appreciate the classic color schemes. The Redstone is available on the James Brand site for $89, and if you’re in the market for a knife that’s small enough to make itself invisible, yet useful enough to make itself indispensable, this one might just be perfect for you.
Designer: The James Brand (in collaboration with Savannah Cummins)
