4 Ways to Open, ‘Double-Safe’ Magnet Lock: Vosteed Ankylo Review

Vosteed knives should be a household name based on the quality and variety of knives the brand continues to put out. But you’d be forgiven for not knowing — after all, the company only ended up on my radar by accident. I was having myself a Google, researching the Shilin blade style, and Vosteed’s Nightshade flipper came up.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg. I spent the next 2 hours enthralled, scouring Vosteed’s site. I was impressed by the number of knives the brand offered, the unique styles, and the materials it was using. Vosteed focused on premium knife steels and kept prices below the industry norm. But behind the scenes, it developed new and innovative ways to keep its knives safe and dependable as well.

Enter Vosteed’s latest offering: the Ankylo knife with V-Anchor lock system — a button lock mechanism that uses a magnet to keep the blade closed or open, and cleverly designed so as to never accidentally deploy in the pocket.

But while the V-Anchor may be the star of the show, the choice to use Elmax steel and aluminum handle scales makes this $170 knife a serious challenge to the knife industry’s typical pricing structure. (In my opinion, this knife could easily cost $250 or more.)

In short: Vosteed tests the limits of both form and function in its vast lineup of knives. But the Ankylo presents a case study in innovation; specifically, how a magnetic lock mechanism can add to the total functionality of a well-thought-out EDC knife.

Vosteed Ankylo Review

Even at the comparably modest $170, this exceptional flipper stands as one of the more expensive knives in Vosteed’s multipage catalog. The full-size folding knife launched as a Kickstarter campaign just a few days ago and already smashed its funding goal.

So if you like what you see here, you can grab an Ankylo yourself at an early bird discount before the campaign ends on May 6, 2024.

Design & Features

Vosteed’s Ankylo is a full-sized flipper with an Elmax steel reverse tanto blade. Elmax is a premium knife steel known for its toughness, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and edge retention. Along with M390 and 154CM, the steel can be found in a majority of Vosteed’s knives.

On the handle scales, the Ankylo uses 6061 aerospace-grade aluminum. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of aluminum because it can become slippery when wet, but there’s no denying how durable it is. It’s also lightweight, which, like Titanium, adds an advantage when considering the balance of the knife.

Additionally, the Ankylo offers four deployment methods: standard flipper, front flipper, thumb hole, and button deploy. Vosteed doesn’t mention the button deploy method, but it’s quietly another feature that makes this knife easy to use, in all conditions, with or without gloves. 

However, the most prominent feature to focus on with the Ankylo is its V-Anchor lock mechanism. It comprises a proprietary lock plate and an N52 neodymium cylindrical magnet that work together to perform two distinct functions — keeping the knife closed and keeping the blade locked open.

And part of the design of this innovative lock mechanism is that the button sits recessed into the handle scales when closed. This will save you from having to worry about the knife opening in your pocket, something that happens more than anyone cares to admit.

First Impressions

The Ankylo is the third Vosteed knife I have tested, and it is easily the most robust. That’s not a knock on the other two models (the Griffin and the Corgi); it’s a testament to the build of the Ankylo — it’s a workhorse. You feel a little bit of that in the heft of the knife, but it’s not bulky by any means. Yes, it’s a handful, but at a little over a half-inch, I wouldn’t call it thick.

Vosteed refers to the fidget factor of the Ankylo in both its description of the knife both on its website and Kickstarter campaign. I totally concur. It’s a common theme with bottom lock and flipper knives, so having both in play here makes it this the king of fidget mountain.

When you throw in a front flipper and a thumb hole, it becomes a whole new level of fidget-friendly that can’t be described within the confines of the current human lexicon.

The sample of the Ankylo that Vosteed sent me is proudly marked “prototype.” If that’s the case, I am not sure what more the brand has to improve upon to make this production-ready. The knife is built like a tank.

But if this sucker falls apart on me, I’ll be sure to update this review.

In the Field

In the 2 weeks that I had the Ankylo out and about, it quickly became my task knife. True, you could probably call every knife you carry with you a “task knife,” but the Ankylo would do equally as well in your pocket or in a tool pouch.

This is due in part to the reverse tanto blade shape, which allows the knife to work like a utility knife. Additionally, fresh Elmax, when factory sharp, could carve calligraphy into a fallen leaf. It’s insanely sharp and is incredibly precise for slicing, carving, and the like.

I loved making fir sticks and tinder bundles with the Ankylo because I was able to get the bits and pieces of timber so thin they would curl up. This makes for efficient fire-making materials.

They light quickly and burn long because they let in just enough air to breathe, but not enough to consume. (Pro tip: Put a bunch of those little wood curls into a cardboard egg holder and mix it with candle wax.)

Multiple Deployment Options

Full disclosure, I’m still recovering from nearly slicing the tip of my index finger off by playing stupid games to win stupid prizes during a Zoom meeting. This has made the flipper mechanisms a bit of a challenge. I’ve been using my middle finger with the back flipper, but it’s not the same.

That said, the four different deployment methods on the Ankylo have shown their worth as I heal up. 

My favorite way to open the knife is by using the button. It’s an ASMR addict’s dream. It also requires minimal effort; just a press of the button and a flick of the wrist.

Overall, I think those backpackers chasing the ultralight dream will hate the Ankylo while everyone looking for a strong and dependable EDC will sing its praises. in this way, the Ankylo reminds me of some knives that came out in the early 2000s.

No, 4.76 ounces isn’t heavy, but it’s heavier than a lot of what’s out there now. Back then, weight was less of a consideration. People were willing to carry a knife that was a little beefier if they knew they could rely on it.

But times have changed.

That, or the anodized aluminum caused me to have a little trip down memory lane. But I’m not wrong.

Overall

I’m wicked impressed with Vosteed. Its designs are both creative and risky, and its price points are spot on. The brand has a habit of sticking to steels like M390, Elmax, 154CM, and 14C28N. (Mark my words, 14C28N will eventually dethrone MagnaCut because the average Joe and Jane will appreciate its similar characteristics at a fraction of the price.)

So, don’t sleep on Vosteed. Grab something from its massive catalog — or grab the Ankylo and bask in the glory of its heady combination of Elmax and aluminum. Out of the few dozen knives I test each year, I wouldn’t be surprised if this one ended up as one of the Best Pocket Knives in our next update.