Settle down, Dundee — contrary to its comical size, this is indeed a knife. You might have to squint, though; at a 32mm max height, the Slash disappears in even the tiniest polo shirt pocket.
Live now on Kickstarter — and more than 6,000% funded — the Slash proudly anoints itself as the “world’s smallest blade.” Measuring just 8 mm, or roughly one-third of an inch, the Slash’s cutting edge is indeed the teensy-weensiest our editors have seen (even smaller than that pointy part of my laundry room key).
But its sideshow sizing isn’t even the biggest callout for the Slash. It also boasts a blade that, according to the brand, “will never dull,” thanks to its tungsten construction. Now, here’s where the buyer-beware alarm starts to go off.
First of all, the brand — Marlboro & Kane — claims tungsten is “the hardest metal on earth.” That’s not true — it is a very hard metal, but chromium is by most accounts the hardest pure metal on the planet. Tungsten, however, receives extraordinarily high marks for its strength.
Of course, both metals in their pure forms are extremely brittle, so they are amalgamated into steel alloys. And in this form, the Slash’s tungsten steel blade is, comparable to many knife steels, very hard.
That said, with enough use, you would want to hone any blade.
The Slash: World’s Smallest Knife
But the Slash still makes for a potentially intriguing EDC. It screws into a pill-shaped cap, which the brand goes to extraordinary lengths to guarantee will never, ever accidentally open. Makes sense — you’d hate to have the world’s smallest, hardest, never-dull blade popping open in your pants pocket.
To accomplish this, the Slash has a silicone ring gasket that, according to the brand, helps vacuum seal the cap — making the ol’ pop-and-poke next to impossible. (Whew!)
If you’re wondering how you’d actually use this thing — that’s a fair question. The Slash has a rounded “push point” on the spine to apply pressure with the tip of your finger. And the brand hypes the Slash as a trusty box cutter and for scoring various media (think leather, linoleum, etc.). And the makers suggest the micro-EDC also falls under the TSA’s 60mm blade requirement for carrying onto a plane.
Now, here’s where your alarm bells should jangle for the second time. The TSA does not allow knives of any size onto a commercial flight. So if you walk into the airport with it, be prepared to chuck it or swallow it. (Do not swallow it!)
All in all, the Slash looks like more novelty than utility. If you really want a tiny keychain tool, check out the Gerber Shard. But for EDC enthusiasts, it may be a good one for the collection. The Slash comes in three color finishes — titanium, brass, and copper — and will retail for $36.
