There's a particular kind of knife brand that comes along every few years and quietly shifts what people expect from the mid-range market. Olitans is one of those brands. Clean design, premium steels, handcrafted finishes, and prices that make you question why everything else costs so much more.
At Blade Forge, Olitans has quickly become one of our most popular brands — and once you understand what they're actually offering, it's easy to see why. Here's the full picture.
Who Is Olitans?
Olitans is a small, designer-led knife brand built around a simple idea: make tools that the people designing them would genuinely want to carry. The brand is led by a creative director known as FLY, whose background in product design shapes every release. This isn't a faceless factory operation pumping out catalogue filler — it's a tight team of gear enthusiasts making deliberate decisions about materials, mechanisms, and aesthetics.
The result is a catalogue that feels unusually coherent. Every Olitans knife sits within a recognisable design language — nature-inspired naming, clean lines, quality-forward material choices — while still offering enough variety to suit different carry styles and budgets.
The Steels: What Sets Olitans Apart
One of the most interesting things about Olitans is their use of steels that you don't often see at these price points.
SLD-Magic Laminated Steel
This is Olitans' signature material and the one that draws the most attention. SLD-Magic is a laminated (clad) steel where a hard SLD tool steel core is sandwiched between softer stainless outer layers. The result is a blade with excellent edge retention and toughness from the core, combined with corrosion resistance from the cladding.
What makes SLD-Magic visually distinctive is the clad line — a natural boundary between the core and cladding that appears as a flowing pattern unique to each blade, similar to a traditional Japanese hamon. Combined with Olitans' hand-finishing processes, these blades are genuinely one-of-a-kind. No two look exactly alike.
Browse our full range of SLD-Magic knives at Blade Forge →
Damascus Steel
Olitans also produces a Damascus edition of select models — most notably the Gecko M070. Each Damascus blade is forged from 110 layers of steel, with the layered pattern revealed through precision grinding, polishing, and controlled acid etching. The result is a refined matte finish with flowing, organic patterns that are unique to every blade. It's the kind of Damascus work more typically associated with custom makers than production knives at this price.
If you're after a Damascus folding knife in Australia, the Olitans Damascus Gecko is well worth a look.
Böhler M390
For their titanium-handle flagship models, Olitans reaches for Böhler M390 — a premium Austrian powder metallurgy steel regarded as one of the finest blade steels available at any price. Known for exceptional edge retention, hardness around 60–62 HRC, and outstanding corrosion resistance, M390 is the choice of custom makers and top-tier production houses alike. Finding it in an Olitans folder at this price is genuinely remarkable.
See the full range of M390 knives available at Blade Forge →
14C28N
Olitans also builds a number of their more accessible models with Sandvik 14C28N — a Swedish steel developed specifically for knife blades. It delivers great toughness, reliable corrosion resistance, and an edge that's easy to sharpen back to razor sharpness in the field. It's a workhorse steel that suits hard-use EDC and outdoor carry particularly well.
Key Models Worth Knowing
Gecko M070 — The Gentleman's EDC
The Gecko M070 is Olitans' most refined carry piece. A 3.07" blade in SLD-Magic steel with a sandblasted body and mirror-polished edge, liner lock operation, and handles available in bone, carbon fibre, and other natural materials. It's compact, elegant, and built for people who want a knife that performs in the office as well as the outdoors. The wave-like grain on each SLD-Magic blade makes every Gecko genuinely unique — and the Damascus edition takes that visual appeal even further with 110-layer patterned steel.
Imperial Penguin M060 — The Craftsman's Choice
The Imperial Penguin takes the SLD-Magic concept further. A 3.35" sheepsfoot blade hand-ground using a traditional Hamaguri (convex) grind — done entirely by hand, edge by edge — with a titanium handle featuring internal milling to reduce weight without sacrificing rigidity. Available with ironwood, bone, or carbon fibre scales, and in a Damascus variant for collectors who want something truly special. If you're interested in crossbar lock knives with genuine craftsman-grade finishing, this is the model to look at.
King Penguin G062 — The Reliable Daily Driver
The King Penguin is where Olitans shows their range. A 3.35" sheepsfoot blade in 14C28N, micarta or G10 handles, crossbar lock, and a no-fuss deep-carry clip. It's been reviewed widely as close to a perfect EDC knife — versatile, comfortable, and built to be used without worrying about it. If you're after a solid EDC folding knife that doesn't demand constant maintenance, the King Penguin delivers.
Lemon Shark G071 — The Personality Piece
The newest addition to the Shark Series, the Lemon Shark brings a 3.27" 10Cr15MoV blade with PVD coating, micarta handle, and dual opening (front flipper + thumb hole). At the accessible end of the Olitans range, it's the entry point for anyone who wants to understand what the brand is about without a major commitment. Compact, sharp, and full of character.
Ti-Aero T075 — The Flagship Folder
The Ti-Aero is Olitans' premium all-titanium offering. M390 blade, TC4 titanium alloy handle machined for weight distribution and balance, drop point geometry, and bead-blasted matte finish. This is the knife for someone who wants a serious titanium handle folding knife that can hold its own against options costing significantly more.
G063 Fixed Blade — For When Folders Won't Cut It
Olitans isn't limited to folding knives. The G063 is their field utility fixed blade — a 3.46" drop point blade in 14C28N with a full flat grind for slicing efficiency and a weight-reduced design to keep it light in hand. Handle options are G10 or micarta, and the knife ships with a Kydex sheath for secure carry on the trail, at camp, or on the belt. If you've been searching for a fixed blade knife in Australia that matches the same design ethos as the Olitans folders, the G063 delivers.
Handles and Finishing
Olitans uses an unusually broad range of handle materials across their lineup — TC4 aerospace-grade titanium, G10, micarta, carbon fibre, ox bone, and natural desert ironwood. The natural materials deserve a particular mention: because ironwood and bone are organic, every set of scales is entirely unique in grain and colouration. You're not buying a production knife in the usual sense — you're buying a specific, unrepeatable object.
The hand-finishing on blade surfaces across the range is equally noteworthy. The Hamaguri convex grind on the Imperial Penguin, the sandblast-to-mirror-edge treatment on the Gecko, the acid-etched 110-layer Damascus options — these aren't finishes applied by machine. They reflect a genuine craft commitment that punches well above the price tags attached.
Why Olitans at Blade Forge?
Blade Forge is Australia's dedicated home for folding pocket knives, and we stock Olitans because they consistently deliver on what matters: real premium materials, thoughtful design, and value that's hard to find elsewhere. We're always first to secure new Olitans releases as they land — if a new model drops, you'll find it here before most places in the country.
Whether you're after your first serious EDC knife in Australia, adding an SLD-Magic or Damascus piece to your collection, hunting for a titanium-handled M390 folder, or in the market for a capable fixed blade — Olitans has something worth serious consideration.
Browse the full Olitans range at Blade Forge →
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