I think it's really important for companies like Reate who largely make knives for other people to do stuff that's just them showing off what their machines are capable of. The EXO is really cool and really impractical, but it gives Reate to show off "Hey, look what we can do for you"

Now if only I could ever find them in stock so I can finish fleshing out my collection of mechanisms.

Here in the UK, gravity knives were banned along with automatics back in 1958. There is no defence even to own it in your home. Even museums are banned from holding them. I tried to donate a WWII Luftwaffe one to a museum a few years back. Only the Royal Armouries in Leeds, England were able to take it. Even the RAF Museum and the Imperial War Museum couldn’t take it.

I'm a knife nerd from China and there is actually a super-micro brand (and also their only product line) called "Exoskeleton" there. They mainly make utility knives with the same "gravity release tech" and I believe Reate Exo is licensed to use the design and hence the Exoskeleton Design logo there. Also an interesting thing is, in China some call Exo the "Exoskeleton 4th Gen"（外骨骼4代） because those Exoskeleton guys have previously released three utility knives. I own them all including Exo. Their "3rd Gen" in my opinion is the best because they included a reversible pocket clip which is actually quite similar to that of Lionsteel's Rok. When extracted (which usually happens when you clip it to your pocket), it prevents the two non-blade parts (excuse my English, as I have no idea how to address them) from opening and thus serves as safety. Quite a clever touch imo.

“Is that a Reate Exo in your pocket or are you just happy and bleeding?” - Nick Shabazz 2022

I just watched a video of you disassembling this knife and cleaning it. I am a big fan of your work Gilbert Gottfried! Nice to see you in the knife community!

in my experience carrying one of these since October of 2021, pocket slip is indeed a good way to carry it. glad to see they are including them in the box these days vs the rigid kydex belt holster thing that it used to come with.

It astonishes me how a politician can know nothing and ruin it for everyone.

I have the great good fortune to live in a jurisdiction where it is legal to carry crazy stuff like the Reate Exo. I've put mine loose in my pocket many times and never felt like that was at all unsafe. I'm kinda building my collection around anything that isn't a frame lock or liner lock, and this is one of my favorites

I'm honestly surprised you reviewed this but I'm glad you did. It's a really cool knife.

Pure mechanical artwork. I love it and want one.

I think its always good when knives like this get popular. Just as balisongs have become more popular it took away from the stigma and added to laws around them being loosened. I hope more company's make gravity knives so that people can see there just a knife like all other knives.

Nick, off the video comment. I want to thank you for all your instructional videos on knife care. I pulled out my EDC today and realized it wasn't performing up to its usual. So I took it apart, cleaned a birdsnest of lint out and reassembled. It is snapping open, locking fully and back to its old self. Thanks again. Zolstu derlebn tsu firn dayne kinder un kindskinder tsu der khupe!

A. You're right. That's a cool knife B. Idk why, but your manner of speaking is very fun to listen to

They listened to you and fixed most of the problems! With the reate exo-M

Incorporating some kind of lock switch on the opening mechanism shall be great for pocket carry and can open the avenue for inclusion of a pocket clip too.

I’ve got 40+ knives that can meet my daily needs. The Exo meets my need to enjoy the the fact that it’s mine. Everyone that sees it, loves it. My ProTech SnG operator and MicroTech Combat Troodon DE half serrated get the same reactions. Daily use tools they aren’t, but my God do I love ‘em.

I have to admit I have three of them (double edged, drop point and tanto, all green micarta so it's a matching set). In my set, the double edged one has the best action. It's both more and less practical than you think. I use a leather pocket slip when I carry it.

Got one of these a few months back and I love it. It's fun to find new ways to deploy it, and no accidents yet. 🤞

I have the purple haze, double edge version from SMKW. Absolutely love it. I had Lancelot Leather make a custom leather sheath for it. He did an amazing job and it is way better than the one that comes in the box. I highly recommend this knife, but I also highly recommend that you get a custom sheath made if you want to carry it.

I'm glad these were out of stock forever every time I tried to buy one because the Exo-M with the blade lock and clip is a huge improvement and basically makes this version obsolete I think the blade shapes are better as well

I have a double edged Exo and yeah its bit me pretty good a few times. Its a really fun fidget toy, but otherwise it just sits in a drawer most the time because its not a knife you'd want to carry as you said, and my wife yells at me when I play with it because its so dang loud

"I appreciate your fear." Haha that was a good one, my man😂👍🏻

I did a search to see why gravity knives are illegal in so many places and was unable to find any realistic answers. Those laws are dumb.

You sound like the guy who narrated the cricket in times square, weirded me out so much 🤣

Thanks for an interesting talk on design concepts.

I've carried the knife tip-up without the sheath. However, I usually carry the knife tip-down in the sheath. I cut off the leather belt loop. The Exo is a knife for an intermediate user (just like the Subvert. LOL). But mostly, it is a stay-at-home fidgetter (the equivalent of a high-end fisheye photography lens).

As an Australian we can’t get automatics especially otf ones this thing is selling like hot cakes one of the few otf’s we can get ❤

Maybe he will offer you to test a Milwaukee hardline knife made of D2 steel. It is certainly an interesting option for people who use a knife as a tool at work and not just for collection.

I just bought it because 1 reason I do not have a gravity knife and i want one in my collection and this is the one that fits in well.

The latest versions have a pocket clip and a locking mechanism so that these CAN be carried safely. I just picked one up myself, with a Tanto blade. VERY cool!

Years ago when I was younger I had a silver gravity knife that I lost and havnt been able to find out exactly where to get another one like it. It was silver and thin and had a little spring button you held down on the side and flicked your wrist to let gravity extend the knife otf. To put it back in you just depressed the button and it would fall back down into the grip . It was definitely different from these modern ones!

I’m sure it generated a lot of traffic to the Reate booths at the knife shows which in turn led to increased sales of many of their models.

Very cool review. They are making a new one with a lock. I really want it.

Yaaaass I wanted to see your review of this knife!

This is the most exciting knife in a long while. I love it.

It will probably never be in my pocket but the fidget factor & that wonderful noise it makes has kept mine on the side table next to the recliner for six months now. The only thing that has been there longer is a McGinnis.

This is a knife that one acquires because of the engineering. I have a Paragon Warlock another type of gravity knife by Asheville Steel that operates by centripetal force which makes it swing open and shut much like a balisong. Once I saw the opening and closing characteristics I just had to have on. Totally impractical and multiple felonies in my state with respect to blade length, being a gravity knife, and both edges sharpened.

It does make the Wolverine snikt sound 😮

Looks like an amazing fidget Price, reasonable, but eek for me

8:48 "is that A BALISONG!!!???" true story, that's exactly what a coworker said when he sees my leatherman.

10:24 there is actually a subtle way to open it… put your pointer finger or pinky in the notch at the end of the rail. It eliminates almost all of the sounds because the little oval thingy hits flesh instead of metal. I personally like the action, but agree it could be better. Side note, I find the fact that you can slide the blade a quarter inch out, squeeze the 2 different parts of the handle together, and even though it’s not fully locked in place still use the knife to open packages without worrying about slashing what’s inside the package an amazing unadvertised feature.

it's one of my favorite desk knives - super fun to play with and perfectly capable of opening boxes

I guess it's cool as a curio, but I don't see why someone would want this instead of a modern OTF (Microtech, etc.) I guess you could argue there's less to break (no springs), but then you should just get a fixed blade (which are also not illegal...) EDIT: I also wonder how easily you can pinch the inner flesh of your palm or fingers in that mechanism. I'm imagining that thing as a blood blister machine, haha.

i would love to see some strong magnets in the handles as a detent to hold the handles together. would probably make it more pocket friendly.

Got one that has the ironwood awesome knife definitely turns heads

I just got a flame anodized with shred carbon fiber from true talon in Australia

DREAM knife, not a chance where I live!! All the best!!

I want to see a mini version

The sheathe is a nice touch. Better than the chunky kydex and tek lok mine came with

This reminds me of how the blade in Dishonored works. Really cool knife

Great video! Side note... you'd make a hell of a Lion King Timone!

This video is probably so informative but I cant get over the fact you sound like an Italian mobster in a Disney movie

Looks really cool!

I started watching you for the TSA Confiscated lot videos, and later the Crappy knives videos, I would be interested in seeing another TSA lot video, but I understand if you don't want to do them...

Great review! Interesting knife and absolutely illegal to possess let alone carry in my area. Sigh

You make feel better about not being able to afford it. Thanx

O, no. The "How to disassemble and maintain the Z-Hunter" video popped up in my recomended... Flashback, I sure.

Just paid 430.00 for one.. "Its a thing of beauty"

I can a kydex sheath being perfect for this.

Cool for the sake of cool is always cool!

Nick: there aren't many gravity knives recently Nick I've been telling you to look at the Paragon Warlock and Phoenix for years

I would add some safety button as the blade can easily deploy itself inside of your pocket

Just ordered one from Smokey mountain

Do you think if you put a wide stout rubber band around the front of the frame/handle, it'd be more functional? It couldn't open accidentally but you could easily overcome the strength of the band

I just got one from smkw in 3v and a Mars valley fat carbon inlay

bloody magnificent voice

Nick with genius "gravity" pun. 😄

I love my exo mine was made 08/2022 and is number 299 if I carry it it's in the leather sheath just in my pocket

When will these be available again?

+275 that this knife is in John Wick 4. I haven't heard the phrase "happy and bleeding" since the PJ Harvey days.

To hell with Edna in the lunchroom and anyone else who is scared of a knife or anything else and thinks because they don't like it you shouldn't have it.

Where and how do i get the OG reate exo?

These are illegal to carry in France because you can release and secure the blade with one hand (also the blade is a few millimeters too long)

100000000000% agreed, make something weird/unique/innovative even in a small way and you will likely get someone's attention. I think that Artisan butterfly/auto thing while goofy and dangerous if it were live, it's definitely different and kind of fun to mess with (having a bottle opener unlike any other someone has ever seen is probably a bonus at a bar or party, too)

Is Edna from the lunchroom related to good ole' Erma from the lunchroom?

Is that a balisong?? No Edna!

i own the dagger version and as long as you put it tip up it wont open

Shout out to Al Bundy and his magazine of choice. I see Nick was a fan.

I really don't understand gravity knives. It seems more cumbersome and less sound than traditional knives. Is it just the cool factor?

Ill buy that one if its not already sold?

i really want this knife where can i get one

Review a Bohdan Gravity if you can find one

Prosecutorial overreach is right, had a damn mini crooked river and a para 3 seized because CBSA thought they were the same as this, and there's nothing I can do about it.

I would love that knife but gravity knives are just plain illegal to even own here...

If they ever do a version with a spring loaded safety latch and a clip, I can see big things

I'm going to get one for that price!

The blade is too slow to deploy because of the friction. Gravity knives which spin the blade out is better because there is less friction in the pivot.

If you pocket it tip up it should be fine. Though, still wouldn't want it rattling around in my pocket like that.

This knife is actually better to lend out to others than any other knive. The amount of people I had to explain a liner lock to is just ridiculous. Even had a few people break the opinel ring safety. Lol So this one is foolproof

These anodize well, but lose color at all the rub spots.

As a Reate dealer I have to say Nick made some excellent points about the EXO. I think most customers are buying it as gravity knives are rarely made; and it's a super fidget toy. Reate have once again thought outside the box with a very different knife. I would not have people at shows playing with an EXO as they want to wrist flick it out which is a danger to themselves and other people next to them. Demand for the EXO is still off the chart - even with Reate literally making thousands of them in the past year.

Wow I feel stupid that I just spent over $500 dollars on a Compoform V3 segahai patterned fidget slider...wow.

Is that really any worse than an axis lock or something?

You do not need to just drop it to open. You have to understand "gravity" means. You can also defy the gravity by swing upwards or sideway, any direction to open. Try to learn some technique of gravity knife.

could they not have a tip-up pocket clip?

*Edna?* --- Irma must've taken early retirement after all the knifeplay at work.

Look I like knives but I’m not paying that price for a knife I can’t even carry. EVEN IN TEXAS bruh.

Reate just built it but the exo is designed by exoskeleton knives.. he can be found on Instagram by same name

Damn, Nick should have been the voice of Mario in the Mario movie.