Drop + Terzuola Cyrus Persian Folding Knife

Our second collaboration with Bob Terzuola—known as the godfather of the tactical folder—the Cyrus takes its name from Cyrus the Great, the founder of the first Persian Empire. Based on Terzuola’s custom design, our version is about 1.8 inches shorter to save pocket space. As the name alludes, the Cyrus features an upswept Persian-style blade made from premium S35VN stainless steel, arguably the most balanced steel on the market. Press the flipper tab and the blade deploys effortlessly thanks to the caged bearings. To keep the blade securely locked open, the titanium lockbar is fitted with a hardened steel insert. Equipped with your choice of linen micarta, canvas micarta, or carbon fiber handle scales, the Cyrus is as handsome as it is effective.

The Persian-style blade can be traced back to the 17th century. Originally used to bypass chainmail worn by armored soldiers, it excels at piercing, and the triple-bevel hollow-ground blade on the Cyrus offers considerable slicing performance to boot. The blade on this folder measures 3.3 inches long, but given its large belly, it actually has a 3.5-inch cutting edge. The handle is available in multiple materials. No matter what you choose, it has titanium liners (anodized to match the clip) for secure lockup. Rounding out the Cyrus’s contoured handle is a titanium pocket clip with no-show hardware for tip-up carry on the right side.

Bob Terzuola is one of the most respected designers in the world of custom knives. After growing up in Brooklyn and graduating from NYU, he joined the Peace Corps and worked in Panama. He then moved to Guatemala, where he trained as a jade carver and eventually began making knives for soldiers. Terzuola’s first designs were heavy-duty fixed blades for the line of duty and dense jungles of Central America. Soon, however, he saw the need for a knife with just as much utility that could be carried discreetly. The result? The first-ever tactical folding knife, made with a spine-mounted thumb disc, micarta scales, and a titanium liner lock. Later, as his career took off and his following grew, Terzuola went on to write a book on the construction of the liner-locked tactical folder. Today, he enjoys a significant following, thanks to his incomparable craftsmanship and unmistakable aesthetic. 

Developed by Crucible Industries (one of the leading manufacturers of specialty steels for the cutlery industry) and Chris Reeve (pioneer of the integral frame lock), S35VN is perhaps the most balanced blade steel ever created in terms of all-around performance. It’s made through a process known as Crucible Powdered Metallurgy, which results in near-perfect consistency in the distribution of carbides. Compared to conventional melting practices, the CPM process produces a steel characterized by superior dimensional stability, grindability, and toughness.