HEA Designs

Blade:

• 2.85in long, 1/8 in thick stock, S35VN blade
• Versatile and classic drop point design ideal for everyday tasks
• A unique chamfered opening hole that makes it extremely easy to open and manipulate
• Front flipper protrusion to allow for effortless, ambidextrous front flipping - even for first-time users
• Ceramic bead blast with light stonewash to hide everyday wear
• The action on this one is unreal - the fidget factor is phenomenal!

Handle:

• There are two versions of the Chief - Carbon Fiber and Titanium
• Both versions share the same full 6Al4V Titanium lock side lightly textured with a darker beadblast and light stonewash to compliment the finish on the blade and hide wear
• The CF version has a full CF scale on the show side and is lightly textured to offer more grip
• The Titanium version has a full Ti scale on the show side with a matching finish to the lock side
• The stylings for the Chief are clean, classic, and timeless to compliment the blade
• The handles are expertly contoured, chamfered off, and comfortable
• The handles start at 0.16 inches and contour down to 0.04 inches
• The 3.85 in. handle provides great comfort and ease of use
• A lanyard hole is built into the handle as well for flexibility of carry
• There is a machined thumb relief, hidden steel lock insert, integrated over travel stop, ceramic bearings, and a ceramic detent ball
• The weight is 3.1 oz for the Ti version and 2.4 oz for the CF version - both extremely light when carrying and using the blade

Hardware, Spacer & Clip:

• 6Al4V Ti Clip high mounted for deeper carry
• Stainless Steel hardware, pivot, and standoffs to make cleaning a breeze
• Custom HEA pivot with standard torx accommodations on the back

Every knife will come with a custom designed Chief sticker and HEA microfiber in our new recyclable packaging!

This story starts out with the Hunter…

From the beginning we wanted to have the Hunter be a platform we could work off of. The Hunter was special as it was easy to carry every day, versatile to open, and a workhorse of a knife. We carried it so much from the days of prototyping that within the first few months we were inspired to take the design in a variety of different directions.

We wanted to carry over a few key defining characteristics of the Hunter. The opening hole and front flipper design were some of our favorite aspects as they were so dialed in that it made opening and closing the Hunter a breeze. It was also great for those new to front flippers as they always had an opening hole to use when getting adjusted. We also loved the dimensions and proportions as they were ideal for EDC. There were 3 areas we wanted to focus on with the Chief:

• Styling: We knew we wanted to explore a more classic and timeless blade shape but wanted to make sure to fit the lines within the overall profile so it would look streamlined and elegant - the drop point was a perfect fit. This also allowed us to change up the back end of the handle to have a complimentary rounded convex curve to make it even easier to carry and fill up the hand when in use. 
• Ease of Use: Given we wanted to make this a workhorse, we changed things up from a full backspacer to polished standoffs to make cleaning a breeze. We also redesigned the lock relief to the interior of the handle and were able to mount the custom pocket clip deeper so the knife rides with a lower profile. 
• Finish & Materials: We wanted to use a different steel this time around in S35VN for a more premium feel and offer a full Ti version for those who wanted an all metal carry (alongside the awesome CF version). We went for a variety of new beadblast and light stonewash finishes which make the knife easy to clean while hiding wear. 

Through countless sketches, mock ups, and prototypes we settled on an aesthetic that was very different from the Hunter yet carried the same DNA. It was clean, minimal, and timeless. It was in the same family but a different beast - it was the Chief. All of these adjustments and details make the Chief one of the easiest, most versatile knives to use. We’ve been carrying the Chief for over a year and a half, and it has really been a joy to carry and use. One of the EASIEST knives to take out and use every day. A true pocket and desk companion ready for anything the day brings.

We are so excited to be sharing these with you and can’t wait for everyone to get them in hand. Can’t thank everyone enough for the support! :)