Tough, durable, and pocketable are the key words when describing the new Nano Shark from Demko Knives. This little knife is a tank, and about as easy to have on you as a pair of socks. The Nano is the smallest in Demko’s Shark line, all of which are based around the company’s Shark-Lock mechanism. The knife is bred for utility, and for a smaller blade, it punches well above its weight (and size).
The Demko Nano Shark arrives in a plastic slip case that makes a great container for a small pocket survival kit or those random gun parts that get lost in the bottom of your range bag. Mine’s currently in service as a battery box, stuffed with 10 CR123 batteries in my shooting gear. It also comes with two pocket clips.
Out of the package, it’s set up for right-handed carry with a deep-carry clip. Since the handle shape must take advantage of every bit of real estate, the clip isn’t reversible. For the southpaws, weirdos, and witches, the Nano ships with a second pocket clip that users can install on the other side of the knife.
The Nano is a stumpy little knife with a blade length of is 2.125”. The shape is what Demko calls their Shark Foot design. I’m not so sure sharks have feet… but dad jokes aside, it’s more of a gentle softening of a classic sheepsfoot design. The edge is curved slightly, with a bit more tip than normally found in a sheepsfoot. In use, it’s very utilitarian.
The blade is CPM20CV stainless steel. This steel features long-wearing durability and exceptional corrosion resistance. It’ll handle moisture, rain, and most any other gunk just fine. Demko says the Nano’s blade is 3.4mm thick, which translates in Freedom Units to just a hair over 1/8 inch. Opened up, the whole package measures 5.875” long. The blade to handle ratio is slightly in favor of the handle, which is preferable with a shorter blade. I have an average sized hand, and I can get a full grip on it just fine.
The blade rides on ball bearings between G10 scales and locks into place with Demko’s Shark Lock. Named after the shark-shaped fin on the top, the Shark Lock is operated by moving a bar forward and back along the spine. The lock is does a couple of interesting things for the knife. For starters, it puts almost no pressure on the tang of the blade, making the opening and closing of the knife extremely smooth. Secondly, it keeps the fingers safely out of the way of the blade during closing. Opening and closing can be done in the traditional method using the keyhole in the blade, or it can be accomplished by pulling back on the “fin” with your index finger, and flipping the blade open or closed with a wrist flick.
Interestingly, the spring for the locking mechanism is completely enclosed, so there’s nearly no worry about grit and grime making it inside.
I received the Nano a week before the knife knut ultimate Olympics…Christmas morning. The Nano came shaving sharp and I had all the cardboard testing material in the world. I broke down enough cardboard and packaging material I could have built a full-scale model of the USS Enterprise. The handle was comfortable, and the blade shape took advantage of the entire length of the edge.
The Nano made three trips to the range with me over three weeks’ time. In between busting caps, the Nano cut packaging, cardboard, pried staples, cut shot-up webbing, and scraped carbon off a very nasty bolt carrier. Drawing the knife, opening, closing, and replacing it back in the pocket are straightforward. Even wearing light gloves, the lock was easy to operate.
On a recent hike in the cold, the large opening hole in the blade helped during deployment while wearing heavy gloves. Closing the knife was more of a two-handed affair with gloves, but everything is a two-handed affair with gloves, so no big deal. Carving on juniper and aspen was equally sufficient, with decently long curls being pretty easy to accomplish. If I need to get a fire going with Nano, it won’t be a problem.
Overall, the Nano is a great little everyday carry option that’s equally at home in the shop or out at the range. If you live in an area with blade-length restrictions, this would be an excellent option. Also, since the Shark-Foot blade shape doesn’t look aggressive, the delicate flowers in the office are much less likely to get their underwear in a twist. Take a look at the Demko Nano Shark if you’re interested in a pocket folder that punches well above its weight.
Blade Shape: Nano Shark
Blade Length: 2.125” (Cutting Edge)
Blade Thickness: 3.4mm (Spine), 0.7mm (Cutting Edge)
Overall Length: 5.875”
Steel: CPM20CV Stonewashed
Handle Material: G10 (Black)
Manufactured: Taiwan
MSRP: $230.00
When the Demko folks shipped the Nano to me, they also tossed one of their Bottle Opener tools in the package. This little gadget is based off the Armiger 2 line of knives, which are all small, pocketable fixed blades. There’s no sharpened edge on the Bottle Opener. Big surprise, it’s a cool-guy bottle opener you can hand to your friend to pop a top and start a conversation.
The front of the Bottle Opener is a wide, flat screwdriver which is ground to work on general screws and also good for some light prying. On the range, it fit the turrets on my trusty Leupold scope perfectly. Adjusting windage and elevation with the Bottle Opener was way cooler than using a penny. It came in pretty handy, actually, and found its way out of my jacket pocket a few times over the trip.
Back at home it popped bottle caps with the best of ’em. The Bottle Opener would make an excellent gift next time you need something to give a friend that they’ll get a kick out of using. With the plastic sheath and carabiner-style clip included, it makes a fun accessory to a shop bench or out on your next cook out.
Overall Length: 4.6 inches
Material: 420J2 Steel
Handle Material: Thermal Plastic Rubber (Black)
Sheath: Molle-Mountable Kydex
Manufactured in: Taiwan
MSRP: $17.99
looks solid. 20cv is the u.s. version of m390 (osterreich), not super tough but ‘stay sharp long time’ and reasonably rostfrei.
i like g10, the lock seems good and the grind is nice, i’d prefer thinner and not so tall and maybe one inch longer but the gentle belly curve is perfect.