Based on one of Serge Panchenko’s most popular custom designs, the Dog Tag Folder is a unique departure from Spyderco’s typical folding knife construction methods. Its single-sided handle is fabricated from solid titanium and accurately replicates the size and shape of a military dog tag. The center of the handle scale is machined to create an integral bar that houses a steel ball bearing for the blade’s detent mechanism. At the top of the handle is a aluminum back strap that defines the blade’s limits of travel in both the open and closed positions and provides protection from the edge when the knife is closed.

The “business end” of the Dog Tag is a sheepfoot-style blade made from premium CPM® S30V® particle metallurgy stainless steel with a stonewashed finish. To protect the edge when closed, the blade is chisel ground with a single flat bevel on the front side—an unusual feature for a Spyderco knife. The Trademark Round Hole™ in the blade allows easy opening, and a subtle swedge (unsharpened bevel) and a decorative fuller (groove) near the spine add a touch of style. The blade’s pivot is also accentuated by a round aluminum disk that provides stability and structural strength as well as an aesthetic touch.

A non-locking folder, the Dog Tag’s blade is held in place in the open position by a detent mechanism. A ball bearing in the handle scale’s integral arm indexes holes in the tang of the blade to hold it both closed and open. Since the blade does not lock, care should be taken during use to apply cutting pressure only in a direction that maintains the knife’s open position.

This version of the Dog Tag features a handle machined from a solid piece of black carbon fiber/G-10 laminate with an inlaid detent arm. The blade and all metal hardware have a matching black titanium carbonitride coating.