The James Brand’s Latest Luxe Blade Blends ‘Snakeskin Copper’ Carbon & Damascus Steel
Metallic magic.
The James Brand’s best pocket knife just got even better thanks to a little metallic magic. Shortly after the Portland, Oregon-based company’s flagship Barnes model debuted in 2021 as its first with an integrated frame-lock design, special editions featuring damascus steel blades entered the mix. Specifically, The James Brand began making its 3.5-inch drop-point blades from Damasteel, a trademarked damascus steel manufacturing process developed in Sweden that involves aerosolizing and bonding the metal without making welds.
Like a few before it, this latest Barnes variant also features a Damasteel DS93X Hakkapella blade attached to a titanium body that’s machined from a single billet of metal. What’s unique are the snakeskin copper carbon fiber inlays from Fatcarbon, a brand that specializes in crafting carbon fiber for knifemaking applications. Between the swirling Damasteel blade and the bespoke carbon inlays, no two examples of this limited-edition Barnes will be the same. Not that ubiquity was ever a concern, as production is capped at 20 units.
Presented in a wooden gift box with a branded challenge coin, cleaning cloth and lanyard, The James Brand Barnes Snakeskin Copper + Damasteel is available to purchase here for $1,449 while supplies last.
