Alpha Configuration 1 (AC1)

Architecture

AC1 is built around a multiple patent-pending, precision-machined metal scabbard system engineered to deliver fixed-blade strength with folder-like precision.

At the heart of the AC1 scabbard is a skeletonized 17-4 H900 stainless steel chassis flanked by Grade 5 titanium covers. This framework forms the structural backbone of the system. Integrated into the chassis is a cantilever spring terminating in twin ramped followers that snap over the blade’s cross-pin. The result is crisp, satisfying action that brings the precision and feel of a high-end folder to a fixed blade.

Each side of the scabbard incorporates a base component housing captured Delrin rollers. These rollers protect the edge and create a silky-smooth insertion and retraction as the blade’s primary bevels glide across them. A generous lead-in geometry allows easy tip entry, while a wide thumb ramp provides controlled one-handed deployment.

Shelf features in the bases, working in concert with spring elements in the covers, enable top-of-pocket or belt-loop staging during active work sessions to support one-handed use. For primary carry, a reversible deep-carry titanium clip allows the knife and scabbard to ride discreetly in the pocket, similar to a folding knife. Drawing at an angle toward the pocket corner allows the scabbard to catch and remain in place during extraction.

Blade Design

The AC1 knife itself received the same level of scrutiny. After evaluating dozens of blade and handle configurations, the team selected a drop-point, flat-ground MagnaCut blade measuring 2.7 inches long and 0.11 inches thick, paired with a 4.1-inch handle for a full, secure grip.

7075-T6 aluminum scales and a skeletonized tang were selected to optimize strength-to-weight ratio and balance. Even the balance of the complete assembly — knife inserted into scabbard — was analyzed and refined for optimization.

The result is a compact 3.8 oz system that delivers exceptional slicing performance for everyday tasks while remaining robust enough for field use.

Material Trade Studies

Material selection was driven by engineering analysis. For example, 7075-T6 aluminum was chosen over titanium for the scales and bases after careful comparison. While Grade 5 titanium offers excellent performance, 7075 provides a specific strength (strength-to-weight ratio) within approximately five percent of titanium at roughly forty percent lower density. For these components, both materials exceeded strength requirements — mass became the deciding factor.

Trade studies like this were conducted throughout development, continuously balancing performance, weight, manufacturability, and durability.

Design Integration

Beyond performance, architectural integration was a priority. The scabbard achieves unusually high feature density — functionality per unit volume — minimizing pocket bulk while maximizing capability.

Aesthetic continuity was equally important. Matching custom T6 hardware, crowned spines, strategic jimping, and coordinated finishes unify the knife and scabbard into a single cohesive silhouette. Non-tangent radii provide a soft hand feel while preserving crisp visual lines.

The result is a highly engineered system — the premium pocket fixed blade, the scabbard knife.

Blade: CPM MagnaCut, stonewashed

Blade shape and grind: Drop point, flat ground 

Blade length: 2.7 in 

Cutting edge: 2.7 in 

Handle length: 4.1 in 

Overall length: 7.1 in 

Blade thickness: 0.11 in 

Scales: 7075-T6 aluminum, black hard-coat anodized 

Pocket clip: Grade 5 titanium, reversible deep-carry, stonewashed 

Scabbard chassis: 17-4 PH stainless (H900), skeletonized with integral spring, stonewashed 

Scabbard covers: Grade 5 titanium, black DLC finish 

Scabbard bases: 7075-T6 aluminum, black hard-coat anodized 

Fasteners: 17-4 stainless (custom T6 hardware) 

Retention: Bull-Horn Retention (twin ramped followers snap over the cross-pin) 

Edge protection: Delrin rollers 

Assembly weight (knife plus scabbard): 3.8 oz 

Made in USA; assembled and QC in Kentucky 

Quality

Plenty of companies promise a lifetime warranty. We engineer so you never need it. AC1 underwent stress analysis and iterative optimization at component and assembly levels — tuning geometry to reduce stress concentrations and extend life. The design was then proven through field testing before entering production. We partnered with U.S. manufacturers who meet our standards. Components are assembled and undergo final quality inspections in Kentucky. If anything ever does go wrong, our warranty has your back — but our design and QC standards are built to make that unlikely.

Warranty Policy

Our warranty covers manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship for life. Full terms, exclusions, and claim instructions are on our Warranty Policy page.

In 2023, Michael McDonald and Andrew Grace—both licensed professional mechanical engineers and lifelong knife enthusiasts—set out to fix the part of a fixed blade system the industry kept treating as an afterthought: the blade’s housing.

Pocket fixed blades were gaining popularity, yet the carry solutions remained largely unchanged. Strong blades were still being paired with leather or plastic sleeves that felt primitive by comparison. The gap was obvious, and filling it meant creating a new category: the scabbard knife.

Two years of first-principles engineering, prototyping, and testing led to Alpha Configuration 1 (AC1)—a pocket fixed blade designed to carry discreetly, operate naturally, and feel as refined as it is functional. Instead of treating the sheath as an accessory, AC1 treats the knife and scabbard as a single system, engineered together from the start.

Every detail was scrutinized with ruthless weight and volume discipline. Every tradeoff was evaluated to maximize what the product delivers per cubic inch. The result is a new kind of everyday carry tool—one that blends fixed-blade confidence with the pocket manners and satisfaction typically reserved for high-end folders.