Artisan Cutlery Tradition Buying Guide: From D2 to Damascus

The Artisan Cutlery Tradition has been in the lineup since 2022, but it is really two knife families wearing one name. The original ATZ-1702 Tradition series spans three sizes and runs from a $45 D2 liner lock to a $187 titanium frame lock with a Damascus blade, and the newer Tradition V2 (ATZ-1702M) carries the name into a refreshed mid-size platform with AR-RPM9 and S35VN builds. If you have only seen the flagship titanium review, you have seen a fraction of what this family offers.

This buying guide sorts every current Tradition configuration by steel, size, lock type, and price, using the live Artisan Cutlery catalog as the source of every specification, so you can pick the version that actually fits your carry style and budget.

Tradition V1 and V2: Two Generations of the Same Name

Every first-generation Tradition is built on the same formula: a drop-point blade with a flat grind and a ceramic ball-bearing pivot. Finishes vary by build, from stonewash on the D2 and S35VN versions to the layered pattern of the Damascus 1702GD. From there the family branches by size and locking style.

Decoding the model numbers is easy once you know the pattern. The base code ATZ-1702 identifies the platform. A G suffix means the premium series with a titanium TC4 handle and a frame lock; a P suffix means the budget series with G10 or carbon fiber and a liner lock. Add an S and you get the compact versions (1702GS, 1702PS); add a D and you get the Damascus blade (1702GD). The V2 generation switches to a new code, 1702M, and brings the liner-lock formula up to a modern mid-size.

Every Artisan Cutlery Tradition at a Glance

Model	Blade	Steel	Handle / lock	Weight	Price
1702G	3.94in (100mm), 0.15in stock	S35VN, HRC 59-61	Titanium TC4, frame lock	6.0oz (170g)	$187.49
1702GD	3.94in (100mm), 0.15in stock	Damascus, HRC 60-62	Titanium TC4, frame lock	6.0oz (170g)	$187.49
1702GS	3.27in (83mm), 0.13in stock	S35VN, HRC 58-60	Titanium TC4, frame lock	3.35oz (95g)	$149.99-$164.99
1702P	3.94in (100mm), 0.15in stock	D2, HRC 59-61	G10, liner lock	6.17oz (175g)	$52.49
1702P-CF	3.94in (100mm), 0.15in stock	S35VN, HRC 59-61	Carbon fiber, liner lock	6.17oz (175g)	$110.99
1702PS	3.2in (80mm), 0.13in stock	D2, HRC 59-61	G10 or carbon fiber, liner lock	2.82oz (80g)	$44.99-$59.24
1702M V2	3.58in (91mm), 0.11in stock	AR-RPM9, HRC 59-61	G10, liner lock	3.35oz (95g)	$44.99
1702M V2	3.58in (91mm), 0.11in stock	S35VN, HRC 60-62	G10, liner lock	3.35oz (95g)	$89.99

Full-size first-generation models open to 8.98in (228mm) overall, the compact 1702PS closes to just 100mm and rides at 2.82oz, and the V2 mid-size splits the difference at 8.07in (205mm) open and 3.35oz.

D2, AR-RPM9, S35VN, or Damascus: Which Tradition Steel Fits You

The Tradition family deliberately spans the entire Artisan steel ladder, so the steel choice matters more than the model number.

• D2 is a high-carbon tool steel that takes a keen edge and holds it well, at the cost of needing a little more care than stainless in wet climates. It powers the budget 1702P and 1702PS builds. If you carry it, our D2 care guide covers rust prevention and sharpening.
• AR-RPM9 is Artisan's powder-stainless workhorse, formulated for easy sharpening and solid edge retention at an everyday price. It is the default steel of the new V2 1702M and gets the full breakdown in our AR-RPM9 steel guide.
• S35VN is the Crucible powder stainless that premium EDC makers reach for: strong, corrosion-resistant, and consistent to sharpen. It appears on the titanium 1702G and 1702GS, the carbon-fiber 1702P-CF, and the V2 1702M. See Crucible Industries for the maker behind it, and our S35VN steel guide for the details.
• Damascus is the showpiece option: pattern-welded steel whose layered structure is visible in every blade. The 1702GD is the only Tradition that pairs it with a titanium frame lock, and our Damascus maintenance guide explains how to keep the pattern looking its best.

If steel chemistry is your rabbit hole, the knife steel overview on Wikipedia is a reliable starting point, and D2 steel has its own dedicated page.

Frame Lock or Liner Lock: The Locking Difference

Within the Tradition family, the lock type follows the price tier. The titanium versions use a frame lock, where one handle scale itself flexes behind the blade tang, a favorite of premium EDC knives for its slim profile and rock-solid lockup. The G10 and carbon-fiber versions use a liner lock, where a spring-loaded steel liner inside the handle does the work, a design that keeps weight and cost down without sacrificing one-hand closing.

Both are time-tested mechanisms with decades of service behind them. For the mechanics, Wikipedia covers the frame lock and the liner lock in detail; for the practical durability question, our lock durability comparison puts liner locks head to head with button and crossbar designs.

Full Size, Mid Size, or Compact: Sizing Your Carry

The Tradition family is unusual because it offers the same design language in four different footprints.

• The full-size V1 (1702G, 1702GD, 1702P) carries a 3.94in blade and a 170-175g handle: a confident, substantial folder for the main pocket.
• The V2 mid-size (1702M) trims to a 3.58in blade at 95g, giving most of the cutting length with noticeably less pocket presence.
• The 1702GS is the titanium compact at 3.27in and 95g, for carriers who want premium materials in a smaller package.
• The 1702PS is the true lightweight at 3.2in and just 80g, disappearing into a fifth pocket or dress slacks.

Handle materials track the same ladder. G10 is a tough, grippy composite that shrugs off abuse, carbon fiber shaves grams with a technical look, and titanium TC4 brings a premium feel that wears beautifully over years of carry.

Inside the Tradition V2: The 1702M Generation

The V2 refresh arrived in 2025 with a new model code, 1702M, and a clear mission: take the liner-lock Tradition formula and rebuild it at a modern mid-size. The V2 blade measures 3.58in (91mm) with a slimmer 0.11in (2.7mm) stock, the knife opens to 8.07in (205mm) and closes to 4.49in (114mm), and the whole package sits at a pocket-friendly 3.35oz (95g) on a G10 handle with a steel clip.

V2 buyers choose between two steels. The AR-RPM9 version runs HRC 59-61 with stonewash or black PVD finishes and sells at $44.99 in black, green, and brown — the sharpest entry price in the family. The S35VN version steps up to HRC 60-62 at $89.99 for carriers who want premium stainless without paying for titanium. Both keep the ceramic ball-bearing pivot and the liner lock, so the hand feel is the same Tradition DNA in a tighter package.

If your pocket already carries a full-size 1702P, the V2 is the natural second knife; if you are new to the family, it is the best introduction to what the name stands for.

G10, Carbon Fiber, or Titanium: Reading the Handles

Handle material is the fastest way to sort the Tradition range, because Artisan matches it to the price tier almost perfectly.

G10 is a fiberglass-and-resin composite that is tough, grippy, and indifferent to weather — the right partner for a hard-use budget folder. Our G10 handle guide covers its properties in depth. Carbon fiber shaves weight and adds a technical woven texture, with a strength-to-weight story you can read about on the carbon fiber overview. Titanium TC4 is the premium tier: light, corrosion-proof, and warm in the hand, and it pairs with a titanium clip on the frame-lock models. Titanium is the same aerospace material Artisan uses on its flagship folders, and it is the material most collectors look for first.

One small detail worth knowing: the G10 and carbon-fiber Traditions ship with a stainless steel clip, while the titanium models carry a matching titanium clip. If clip finish matters to you, that is the tell.

Quick Tradition Buying Answers

• Is the V2 smaller than the original Tradition? Yes — the 1702M carries a 3.58in blade versus 3.94in on the full-size V1, while the V1 compact models (1702GS, 1702PS) remain the smallest of all at roughly 3.2-3.3in.
• What is the lightest Tradition? The compact 1702PS at 2.82oz (80g), followed closely by the 95g mid-size builds.
• Can you get Damascus and titanium for under $200? Yes — the 1702GD pairs a Damascus blade with a titanium TC4 frame lock at $187.49.
• Do all Traditions use bearings? Every current configuration in the family runs a ceramic ball-bearing pivot.
• Which Tradition is the best value? At $44.99, the V2 1702M AR-RPM9 and the 1702PS D2 deliver a fully modern folder for less than the price of a box of premium blades.

Which Artisan Cutlery Tradition Should You Buy?

Match the family to the job:

• First knife or gift, under $50: the V2 1702M AR-RPM9 at $44.99 or the compact 1702PS D2 at $44.99, both in G10 with dependable liner locks.
• Everyday workhorse around $50: the full-size 1702P D2 in G10 is the tradition with the most blade per dollar.
• Lightweight EDC: the 1702PS carbon fiber or the V2 S35VN at $89.99.
• Premium everyday carry: the 1702GS titanium frame lock, or step up to the full-size 1702G S35VN.
• Collector piece: the 1702GD, where the Damascus blade meets a titanium frame lock at $187.49.

Whatever tier you land on, the whole family shares the same flat-grind drop point and ceramic bearing pivot that make the Tradition name easy to recommend. Start with the Tradition V2 1702M, compare it with the full-size 1702P, or go straight for the Damascus 1702GD.

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