SHOCKWAVE & CATCH DOG
Custom giants Lightfoot and Lambert team with Meyerco to produce a pair of affordable every day carry blades!
The Kirby Lambert Shockwave was designed specifically for Meyerco. While not based on any one custom model, it shares many of the characteristics of Kirby’s custom knives.
Generally speaking, “custom folder” and “budget conscious” aren’t two phrases you’re likely to see in the same sentence. Custom knives cost a good bit more than production knives and for good reason. There is a lot more hands-on time involved in design, production and fitting than with a machine-ground blade. They also generally use much higher-end materials. When you move from fixed blades to folders, the amount of time and skill invested increases incrementally. It isn’t uncommon to see custom folders run in the $400 and $500 range, and while that’s likely a fair price for the maker’s skill and time, it’s out of the range of many buyers.
Collaborations between production knife companies and custom designers let the average working Joe afford designs from some of the top custom makers in the field at production knife costs. Meyerco is one of these companies, and two of their recent catches are renowned makers Greg Lightfoot and Kirby Lambert. Greg came up with the burly Catch Dog and Kirby designed the Shockwave, both exclusively for Meyerco.
The Shockwave uses a modified drop-point blade with grind lines that emulate Kirby Lambert’s custom work. It’s available in both a plain edge and partially serrated pattern.
Now, it’s true that a factory-built piece is not going to be the same as a custom-built knife. There’s no way it could be and still be offered at those prices. What you do get, though, is a design from an experienced and talented maker, and a production knife that they’re proud to put their name on. Meyerco worked with both Greg and Kirby to make a knife that could be mass-produced but which still met both makers’ meticulous standards. Kirby in particular told me that he wanted to make sure that the production knife was built with a heavy blade and thick liners—just like his customs. Both knives share common materials, primarily 8Cr13MoV blades, stainless steel liners, and carbon fiber and G10 handles. Both are also ambidextrous, one-hand openers with tip-up pocket clips set up for right-hand carry. The blades are hollow-ground and satin finished and each bears the mark of their respective designer. Fit and finish on both models is excellent and the knives open and close smoothly. Both feature an open-frame design to make them less likely to pick up dirt and crud, and easier to clean out if you do. The knives are imported, but you can tell that Meyerco pays close attention to quality control and makes sure everything is built to very tight specifications.
The Meyerco Shockwave and Catch Dog use thick stainless steel liners and have an open frame design to make for easy cleaning. The liners engage securely and the blades lock up solidly, with no play or wiggle.
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