Hawk Knife Designs

Who Are Grant & Gavin Hawk?

There are knifemakers and designers who refuse to build things the way they’ve always been built. Grant and Gavin Hawk were exactly that type of people – two tinkerers from Idaho who didn’t just use mechanisms but questioned them.

Their shared story begins in the 1990s, in a small workshop and with a moment that changed everything: father and son visited a knife show, saw impressive designs and intriguing mechanisms – but also noticed that many of them relied on the same underlying ideas.

From that came a quiet but decisive thought:

You don’t have to repeat what already exists.
You can rethink mechanical systems.
You can create functions that have never existed before.

This mindset quickly became their driving force. A folder shouldn’t just function – it should surprise you. A mechanism could remain invisible inside the knife as long as it worked with precision and felt like a small technical secret in your hand.

Grant was the visionary who studied mechanisms until it became clear how to improve them. Gavin grew up inside this way of thinking and became an active part of the work early on. Many mechanisms associated with the Hawk name were born during this period.

Hawk Knife Designs is not a brand that simply preserves a legacy. It is a two-generation project built on inventiveness and mechanical curiosity – a mindset that Gavin continues to follow today.

What Defines the Work of Hawk Knife Designs

Anyone who takes a closer look at the projects of Grant and Gavin Hawk will quickly notice: their knives don’t start with the outside. They start with an idea on the inside.

The first step is always the mechanism. What kind of movement should happen? How is force directed? Which components need to move – and which ones stay fixed? Only when these questions are answered does the knife take shape around them.

This approach results in mechanisms that may look simple from the outside but work precisely and often surprisingly on the inside. Many of their systems only reveal their full logic once you operate them in hand.

This mindset didn’t go unnoticed. Several of their concepts received awards at the Blade Show – including the 2010 “Overall Knife of the Year®” for the Ti-Lock (in collaboration with Chris Reeve Knives). Additional awards in the “Most Innovative Design” category show how often their ideas stood out.

These recognitions aren’t a comparison to other makers, but a reminder of how uniquely the Hawks approach mechanical design – and why their knives continue to fascinate enthusiasts around the world.

The Mechanisms Behind Hawk Knife Designs

Mechanisms are the core of the Hawks’ work – not as visual details, but as the technical foundation of their designs. Many of their knives became well known because the lock isn’t just a component, but the starting point of the entire concept.

Griplock

For many knife enthusiasts in Europe, the Böker Plus Griplock was their first encounter with a Hawk innovation. The lock is activated by the natural gripping pressure of the hand – no traditional lockbar involved. This combination of ergonomics and mechanics is typical of their approach.

Hawk Lock

The Hawk Lock is a fully internal, linear-guided locking mechanism. From the outside, almost nothing reveals what is happening inside. When opening the knife, you feel a clean, controlled movement, with the blade locking into place smoothly and with precision. This lock is the mechanical heart of the Talon.

Ti-Lock

The Ti-Lock, developed together with Chris Reeve Knives, places the locking mechanism on the spine of the blade instead of inside the handle. A spring-loaded titanium bar engages a machined track, creating a completely new level of design freedom for the handle. It received the “Overall Knife of the Year®” award at the 2010 Blade Show.

Deadlock

The Deadlock is one of the most significant engineering achievements from the Hawks. It was developed to solve a core issue common in out-the-front mechanisms: blade play in the extended position. The Deadlock eliminates this play almost entirely – an impressive mechanical milestone.

Additional Systems

• External Toggle (E.T.) – a unique lever-based opening and locking concept
• RAM-Lock (R.A.M.) – a mechanism designed for a clearly defined opening motion
• M.U.D.D. Lock – a fully enclosed locking architecture engineered for contamination resistance

All of these systems are built around the same guiding question: how do you solve a mechanical problem cleanly? This philosophy continues to shape Gavin Hawk’s work today.

The Idea Behind the Hawk Talon

If you want to understand how Gavin Hawk approaches design today, the Talon is one of the clearest examples. It doesn’t start with an outer shape, but with a mechanical idea. Only once the internal process works does the outer form take shape around it.

After the passing of his father, Gavin continued their shared philosophy. The Talon shows how he transforms the foundations of their collaboration into a modern, precise, and independent interpretation.

The Hawk Lock – the Heart of the Talon

At the core of the Talon is the latest evolution of the Hawk Lock — a fully internal, linear-guided mechanism. From the outside, almost nothing reveals what’s happening inside, but once you open the knife, you feel a clean, controlled motion.

The blade moves forward in a defined path, locks in place smoothly, and the entire action feels like a single, fluid movement. There is no visible lockbar and no classic release point — everything happens inside the knife.

That’s what makes the Talon so special: the technology doesn’t demand attention on the outside but expresses itself through its precise handling.

Toggle-Detent – Defined, Guided Opening

In addition, the Talon uses a Toggle-Detent system. It ensures that the opening action is clearly guided without feeling harsh or overly aggressive. The flip feels defined — more like a guided motion than a forceful impulse.

Materials & Construction

The Talon is technical without being overloaded. Its materials are chosen deliberately to support the mechanism:

• Titanium for the frame
• M390 for the blade
• FatCarbon inlays in various patterns

The inlays act as technical accents, adding feel and character without interfering with the structure of the knife.

Technical Specifications

• Blade length: approx. 8.9 cm / 3.5"
• Blade steel: M390
• Blade thickness: approx. 3.2 mm
• Handle: Titanium with Titanium or FatCarbon inlays
• Locking mechanism: Hawk Lock
• Opening: Flipper / thumb opening (depending on generation)
• Weight: approx. 95–105 g (depending on inlay)
• Manufactured in: USA (Hawk Knife Designs)

Why the Talon is so popular among collectors

For many collectors, the Talon is interesting not only because of its craftsmanship but because of its distinct opening feel. You immediately sense that this knife begins on the inside — not the outside.

It isn’t a design that reinterprets an existing idea. It’s a knife built from a mechanical concept outward. And that is exactly what fascinates enthusiasts who want to experience a mechanism rather than simply see it.

The Key Projects, Mechanisms and Collaborations

Here is a compact overview of the core mechanisms, models, and collaborations that define the work of Hawk Knife Designs — presented as a clear, expandable reference.

This overview highlights the range of work Hawk Knife Designs is known for — from clever mechanical systems to projects that have become cult favorites among collectors. Many of these ideas continue to influence Gavin’s ongoing development of the Talon.

Why the Talon Models Are Special for You

The Talon is one of those knives that holds a unique place in the community. It is produced in very small batches, is difficult to find worldwide, and almost never appears in Europe. That’s why it matters to us to bring these models to Europe for you whenever possible.

For many collectors, the Talon is more than a technical folder. It is a knife designed from its mechanics outward — an approach that is rarely followed so consistently today. Every batch shows how much precision and attention to detail goes into this construction.

We’re genuinely excited every time we receive new pieces. Not because of exclusivity, but because we know how exceptional these mechanisms are — and how rare it is to get the chance to handle a Talon at all.

Owning a Talon means holding a piece of modern mechanical development in your hand. A knife that wasn’t copied or slightly modified, but built from an internal idea outward. And that’s why we work to bring these models to Europe for you whenever new batches become available.