Barry Wood’s split-handle folder inspires Darriel Caston’s clever keychain knife.
Inspired by the split-handle folding knife made famous by the late, great custom knifemaker Barry Wood, the Imp by Darriel Caston is a clever keychain knife ideal for EDC.
Like the Wood folder, the blade opens by pivoting one of the scales clockwise and closes by pivoting the same scale counterclockwise. At the same time, slots at the ends of the Imp’s scales accept a keychain when they’re open and form an enclosed elliptical oval to hold the keychain when they’re closed.
Instead of a ball detent affixed to the blade to help hold the knife open and closed, Darriel uses magnets affixed to the handle. Darriel and his daughter, Bella, were trying to come up with names for the knife when she observed that it was “a little booger,” and he said, “Yeah, like a little imp.”
And another knife name was born.
The Imp Specs
Blade length: .82”
Blade steel: M390 stainless
Blade grind: Modified compound tanto
Handle material: Titanium
Closed length: 1.75”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: In the $185-$200 range
