Nemesis Knives Vertebrae G-10 Frame Lock Knife

Known for its bold knife designs, Nemesis Knives has done it again with the aptly named Vertebrae. Featuring a 3.5-inch blade made from corrosion-resistant 9Cr13MoV stainless steel—which is similar in composition to AUS-8—it’s got plenty of material for tough tasks. However, the real standout is the knife’s handle: Constructed with slim, contoured pieces of G-10 surrounding the liners, the Vertebrae actually leaves the lock exposed, giving you a peek at the insides of this awe-inspiring tool. While it may feel slightly odd in the hand at first, this stunner is sure to strike up a conversation any time you use it. For added grip retention, there’s jimping on the spine of the blade and the pommel of the handle. And for carry, it’s got a tip-down clip machined with holes to match the look of the frame lock.

Nemesis Knives started in 1998 to augment Jeff Hall’s work as a full-time custom knifemaker and to introduce interesting tools to a wider audience. To meet the growing demand of collectors and dealers, Nemesis Knives evolved from a boutique, semi-custom knife company to a full-production shop relying on top-quality manufacturing in the U.S.A, Japan, and China. The process starts with design, engineering, prototyping, and testing in the U.S. Then, the manufacturing facility that’s the best fit for each product is carefully chosen. Finally, every knife passes a rigorous, in-house quality-control process before it ships out. This multi-source approach allows the company to provide faster, more reliable service. The addition of the Mar Private Reserve (MPR) series and a continued interest in collaborating with top knifemakers and designers creates an unusually strong product pipeline for the foreseeable future.