LionSteel has manufactured folding and fixed blade knives in Maniago, Italy since 1969. Gino Pauletta founded the company, and his sons Daniele, Gianni, and Massimo continue production using CNC milling, integral titanium construction, and selective laser melting technology. The company earned multiple Blade Show awards, including Overall Knife of the Year in 2014 (TiDust), 2015 (T.R.E. Titanio), and 2016 (Kur Metamorphosis), as well as the Manufacturing Quality Award in 2014.
Böhler M390 and CPM MagnaCut Blade Steels
LionSteel knives use Böhler M390 stainless steel at 59-61 HRC for production folders and fixed blades with satin or stonewashed finishes. This powder metallurgy steel provides edge retention and corrosion resistance across T.R.E., Jack, and Acha models. Some models feature CPM MagnaCut steel at 62-63 HRC for increased toughness and edge retention. Fixed blade models like the M-series use Sleipner tool steel at 60-61 HRC for bushcraft and outdoor use. Chad Nichols stainless damascus blades appear in limited production runs.
Integral Titanium Handle Construction
The SR-1 introduced the first production folding knife with integral handle construction in 2010 and won the Most Innovative Imported Design award. The single-piece handle eliminates fasteners by CNC milling from solid titanium billet. The SR-11 continues this construction with flipper deployment and an IKBS ball bearing pivot system. LionSteel's SOLID technology creates monolithic handles from aluminum or titanium blocks using three-dimensional milling for ergonomic contours and weight reduction.
DMLS Selective Laser Melting and TiDust Technology
The TiDust is the first production knife to use Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) for handle construction by selectively fusing titanium powder. This additive manufacturing process creates skeletonized titanium 6Al4V frames with openwork patterns not possible with traditional machining. The limited run of 100 units featured 3.54-inch Sleipner steel blades with lockback mechanisms and IKBS bearing systems. The technology reduces handle weight while maintaining structural integrity through layered titanium construction.
T.R.E. Modular Design and Framelock Mechanisms
The T.R.E. (Three Rapid Exchange) series offers modular blade deployment with removable flipper tabs and thumb studs for user customization. The 2.91-inch M390 blades use IKBS ball bearing pivot systems, framelock mechanisms, and reversible pocket clips. Bronze, gray, and black anodized titanium handles accept G10 or carbon fiber inlay panels. The traditional line includes the Jack series with slipjoint mechanisms, titanium bolsters, and a choice of micarta, G10, or wood scale materials with M390 blades.
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