Artisan Cutlery Darkwing Review: A Sexy, Sinister Slicer

If you want to explore the world of knives, beware: It is a slippery slope. In short order, I went from someone who only owned a single Swiss Army Knife to having shelves full of fixed blades, folders, automatics, and an array of sharpening paraphernalia. And as my collection has grown, so too has my mindset around knives.

Where initially I wanted only the most useful all-around knife — a blade whose many functions would dictate its form — now I see knives the way I see bicycles or cars: Some are for everyday utility, some are for hard work or a very specific environment, and some are just plain fun.

If the Artisan Cutlery Darkwing ($212-370) were a car, I’d liken it to an MX-5 Miata. Some might think it’s silly, some might think it’s sleek. But its performance outpaces its price, and above all else, it’s undeniably fun. That’s probably why it smashed its Kickstarter goal fortyfold before it hit full production. I’ve been using (and playing with) a sample for a couple of weeks to see just what it can do, and who might find it as fun as I have.

In short: There are more practical knives you can own for daily carry, but very few that are as striking, capable, and enjoyable to use. For all its aesthetic grace and aggression, the Darkwing feels great in the hand, requires little upkeep, and provides tons of daily utility. It will be a pain to sharpen when the time comes, and it’s not up for bushcraft, but as a blade you’ll love to look at as much as use, it’s a real winner.

Compare it with the best pocket knives in our guide.

Artisan Cutlery Darkwing Review

This knife marks the update to Artisan’s existing Darkwing, which shares many of the same design cues but has some notable differences. For starters, the latest Darkwing shifts from the original’s frame lock to a top-liner lock. Also, the new Darkwing makes a noteworthy update to blade steel — opting for S90V in place of the previous blade S35VN. I’ll dive into the pros and cons of these changes below.

Most notably, however, is the dramatic expansion of the Darkwing line into distinct aesthetic variants, each with subtle material differences. There are four production variants and one very limited, luxury iteration. I tested the BlackWing variant, which uses titanium handle scales and has a black stonewashed finish.

All iterations use the same steel and have many of the same performance benefits, though other options offer G10 handle scales, glow-in-the-dark inlays, and/or a black DLC coating.

The limited edition BlingWing has a mirror-polished blade and trippy titanium Damascus handle scales. It’s also nearly $1,000.

Blade Shape & Steel

If you take out the Darkwing in public, no matter which variant you have, it’s going to draw some comments. Its swooping lines and aggressively angled blade are equal parts sexy and sinister. If you don’t like calling attention to yourself, be discreet when you use it in public.

Artisan lists the blade shape as a recurved tanto, and while this is technically true, I so badly want to call it a clip point. To be sure, it has a very aggressive piercing tip, but from there the blade edge traces a swooping belly into an abrupt cut back. Near the choil, the blade looks almost like a flat edge, but there’s a subtle concavity to it that defines the recurved tanto designation.

In use, this makes it outstanding for piercing and paring, and the belly makes for added slicing on cordage or, tipped forward, charcuterie.

As for the steel, I couldn’t be happier that Artisan went with S90V. As I’ve devolved into a full-on knife enthusiast, I’ve learned which steels I prefer. And even though I have plenty of sharpeners, I really appreciate a blade that holds an edge — this is S90V’s calling card. Out of the box, the Darkwing slid through a sheet of paper like a self-propelled mower over a putting green.

On the flip side, when the time comes to sharpen this knife, it’s going to be an exercise in patience. The angles on the blade and the steel itself will make for slow and deliberate work.

Handle

If I had my druthers, I’d opt for canvas micarta every time. Its classic look and tacky feel are everything I want in a trusty knife. The titanium scales on the Darkwing are kind of the polar opposite of that — but I don’t hate them here. Not only is the titanium super-durable, it also keeps the weight down. And beyond that, it just works better aesthetically. This is a tactical EDC, not some classic belt knife your grandfather handed down.

If there’s a downside, it’s that the whole design is biased toward righties. Between the top-liner button and the pocket clip, this knife isn’t made for lefties.

Lock, Action

I don’t dislike frame locks, but the top-liner is more satisfying and will cut back on your Band-Aid budget. Coupled with the ceramic bearings, the Darkwing opens and locks up with ease. There’s zero blade play, though I did loosen the pivot screw the tiniest amount to relieve some blade hesitation when pressing the button release.

As for opening, the generous cutout makes it easy to flick the blade open. I have large hands, but the cutout offers plenty of space for my thumb. And that’s good because I feel like the thumb studs are unnecessary. They’re so close to the pivot, there’s almost no leverage to get the blade open. I can guarantee that when you open the knife, you’ll use the cutout and forget the thumb studs are even there.

If anything, I think the knife is begging for a flipper. I find myself reaching for it, but it’s not there. Still, the cutouts are satisfying, if a bit slower.

Testing

During the 2 weeks I’ve had the Darkwing, I’ve put it to work as an EDC. This included a preliminary paper test that was so satisfying, I had several sheets’ worth of paper strips littering my floor. I also used the sharp point to score some marks in lumber, pierce and slice through some hermetic product packaging, and cut through some paracord.

The Darkwing is an absolute champ — I also know the recurve edge will be great for paring and shaving. It’s decidedly not a bushcraft knife — the lock won’t baton, and the tip won’t hold up to heavy prying — but you could whittle one heck of a marshmallow stick.

Conclusion: Pricing, Availability, Who It’s For

Excluding the BlingWing, the Darkwing variants — BlackWing, ToughWing, GloWing, and HellWing — range in price from $212 to $370 (early bird Kickstarter buy-ins are available until June 18). It’s not a budget blade, but the steel, coupled with the titanium architecture, ceramic bearings, and unique aesthetic, justifies the price.

It’s not for everyone. I wouldn’t say it should be someone’s first knife or their single-quiver option. But if you’re like me and have learned what you want in a daily carry and can appreciate the design and materials choices behind a unique blade, this is a fun, fierce folder.