Artisan Cutlery Orthodox Buying Guide: D2 to M390 & Damascus

The Artisan Cutlery Orthodox line quietly covers more ground than most single model names ever do. Under the ATZ-1817 platform you get two blade sizes, five blade-steel choices, three handle materials, two lock styles, and a live price spread from about $52 up to $237. That breadth is great for a catalog, but it makes the simple question harder: which Orthodox is the right one for you? This buying guide walks through every current configuration, compares them honestly, and points you to the exact listing that fits your carry style.

The Orthodox platform: one name, two sizes

The Orthodox is a flipper-opening folder with a slim, straightforward profile and a tanto-style blade. Every version in the family shares the same core recipe: a flat-ground tanto with a sharp angular tip, a flipper tab for one-hand opening, and a ceramic ball bearing pivot for smooth action. Where the family splits is size. Artisan builds the Orthodox in a full-size 3.54-inch platform and a more compact 2.95-inch platform, and both platforms are offered in several steel and handle combinations.

There is a simple pattern to the locking. The titanium-handled Orthodox models lock up with a frame lock and carry a titanium pocket clip. The G10 and carbon fiber models use a liner lock with a steel clip, and their listing descriptions note a reversible clip and a lanyard hole for left-right carry swaps. Full-size titanium builds weigh about 4.05 oz (115 g), full-size G10 and carbon fiber builds about 4.23 oz (120 g), and every compact version comes in at roughly 2.47 oz (70 g).

Size comparison: 3.54-inch full size vs 2.95-inch compact

Spec	Full-size Orthodox	Compact Orthodox
Blade length	3.54 in (90 mm)	2.95 in (75 mm)
Blade stock	0.15 in (3.8 mm)	0.12 in (3.2 mm)
Overall length	8.66 in (220 mm)	7.0 in (178 mm)
Closed length	5.11 in (130 mm)	4.05 in (103 mm)
Weight	4.05-4.23 oz (115-120 g)	2.47 oz (70 g)
Blade style	Tanto	Tanto
Opener	Flipper, ceramic bearings	Flipper, ceramic bearings

• The full-size Orthodox is a serious four-inch-class folder. The 3.54-inch tanto gives you reach and a strong tip, and the 0.15-inch stock makes it feel substantial in hard-use tasks.
• The compact Orthodox shaves more than an inch of overall length and drops to 70 g. It disappears into a pocket and is the easier carry for office, travel, or lighter daily use.

One note on the tanto blade that applies to both sizes: a tanto geometry puts a strong, acute tip right on the blade's centerline, which makes the Orthodox excellent for piercing and detail work, and the flat grind keeps the edge geometry efficient. The trade-off is the same one every tanto carries — long draw cuts along a flat surface are less natural than they are with a deep-bellied drop point. If most of your cutting is cardboard and packaging, either size will handle it; if you do a lot of long slicing strokes, keep the blade angle in mind.

How the Orthodox carries and opens

Across the family the Orthodox is a slim-profile flipper, and the G10 and carbon fiber listing descriptions make a point of the action, describing the flipping motion as smooth. Every version in the catalog pivots on ceramic ball bearings — a genuine feature at the $52 end of the range, where liner locks and simple washers are the industry norm at this price. The flipper tab is the opening method the Orthodox is built around, and it gives a positive opening stroke that suits the slim profile.

Carry hardware follows the handle material. The titanium models pair their frame lock with a titanium pocket clip, while the G10 and carbon fiber models use a steel clip and are described as reversible, so the same knife can be set up for right- or left-side carry. The G10 and carbon fiber versions also carry a lanyard hole in the handle end. If you match handles to gear, the colorways matter too: titanium builds appear in black, blue, gray, and green, and the flat-handle G10 adds orange to black and green.

The blade steel lineup, from budget to flagship

Five blade specifications appear across the current Orthodox range. They sit at different price points for a reason, and the honest way to choose is by how you actually use a knife.

D2 and D2/AR-RPM9: the value tier (HRC 59-61)

The budget Orthodox models use D2 in a stonewash finish, and the compact PS models are listed as D2/AR-RPM9 at the same target hardness. D2 is a high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel that is often described as semi-stainless: it takes a keen edge and holds it well, but it wants a wipe-down after wet or hard use. If you want a user that you can beat on without crying over it, this is the tier — the full-size D2 G10 Orthodox starts at $52.49. See our D2 steel care guide and the Wikipedia D2 steel entry for more on this steel.

S35VN: the balanced stainless (HRC 60-62)

The mid-tier titanium Orthodox models switch to Crucible's CPM S35VN, a powder stainless refined with vanadium and niobium for a good balance of edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. It is the default answer for a buyer who wants one reliable knife for everything. The Crucible Industries background and our S35VN steel explainer cover the details.

M390: the premium powder stainless (HRC 60-62)

At the top of the range sits M390, the Austrian powder-metallurgy stainless that anchors premium folders across the industry. It costs more because it delivers class-leading edge retention and strong corrosion resistance, and it is the steel to choose when you want maximum performance between sharpenings. Our M390 steel guide goes deeper.

Damascus: the showpiece (HRC 60-62)

Both Orthodox sizes are also built with pattern-welded Damascus blades. Damascus does not outperform the stainless steels on paper, but no two knives look alike and the layered pattern is the draw for collectors and anyone who wants a knife that starts conversations. The Damascus steel overview and our Damascus folding knives buying guide explain what you are actually getting.

Every current Orthodox configuration compared

Model	Size	Blade steel	Handle	Lock	Weight	Price
1817P D2	3.54 in	D2	G10 (flat)	Liner	4.23 oz	$52.49
1817P D2	3.54 in	D2	G10 (curved)	Liner	4.23 oz	$59.24
1817P D2	3.54 in	D2	Carbon fiber	Liner	4.23 oz	$64.49
1817PS D2/AR-RPM9	2.95 in	D2/AR-RPM9	G10 (curved)	Liner	2.47 oz	$53.99
1817PS D2/AR-RPM9	2.95 in	D2/AR-RPM9	Carbon fiber	Liner	2.47 oz	$59.24
1817GS S35VN	2.95 in	S35VN	Titanium	Frame	2.47 oz	$171.74
1817GSD Damascus	2.95 in	Damascus	Titanium	Frame	2.47 oz	$171.74
1817GS M390	2.95 in	M390	Titanium	Frame	2.47 oz	$214.49
1817GD Damascus	3.54 in	Damascus	Titanium	Frame	4.05 oz	$199.49
1817G S35VN	3.54 in	S35VN	Titanium	Frame	4.05 oz	$208.76
1817G M390	3.54 in	M390	Titanium	Frame	4.05 oz	$236.99

The titanium models are offered in multiple colorways (black, blue, gray, and green appear across the range), while the flat-handle G10 versions add orange to the black and green options. Note the price curve: Damascus titanium actually undercuts the plain S35VN titanium at full size, which makes the pattern-welded version a more interesting buy than the spec sheet suggests.

Which Orthodox should you buy?

• Budget workhorse: grab the full-size D2 G10 Orthodox at $52.49. A 3.54-inch tanto with a liner lock at this price is hard to argue with, and the stonewashed D2 hides wear beautifully.
• Compact budget carry: the 1817PS at $53.99 gives you the 2.95-inch size at nearly the same price.
• Everyday premium: the full-size S35VN titanium at $208.76 is the balanced pick, and the compact 1817GS at $171.74 keeps the same recipe in a lighter frame.
• Maximum performance: step up to the full-size M390 at $236.99 if edge retention is your priority.
• Collector piece: the Damascus titanium Orthodox at $199.49 pairs a one-of-one blade pattern with a frame-lock titanium body for less than the plain steel version costs.
• Traditionalists: the special bone-handle Orthodox V2 edition is a different take on the name — see our Orthodox V2 review for that one.

Caring for an Orthodox

Maintenance follows the materials. The D2 models reward a quick wipe after use, especially in humid climates — our D2 care guide covers rust prevention in detail. Carbon fiber handles need almost nothing beyond an occasional clean, as explained in our carbon fiber handle guide. Damascus blades should be kept clean and lightly oiled so the pattern stays crisp — see our Damascus care guide. Titanium handles will pick up light scratches in daily carry; that is cosmetic and part of the patina of a used knife.

Whichever steel you choose, the Orthodox family covers the full arc of what Artisan Cutlery does well: honest materials, real specs, and a flipper action that punches above its price tier. It is the rare model line where the $52 knife and the $237 knife share a design language — so the decision really comes down to size, steel, and how much you want to carry.

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