Artisan Cutlery Virgina Family Guide: S35VN, M390 & D2

The Artisan Cutlery Virgina (ATZ-1807) family is one of the brand's most versatile everyday carry lines: a sleek, lightweight flipper built around a 3.94-inch drop point blade, offered in three steel tiers that span a wide price range. Whether you want a $52 budget beater or a $165 premium carry, the Virgina geometry stays the same — only the steel and handle options change. This guide compares the D2, S35VN, and M390 versions so you can pick the right one for your carry style.

Virgina family overview

All Virgina models share the same core design: a full-size 3.94-inch drop point blade with a flat grind, a slender handle with textured scales over stainless steel liners, a liner lock, and a stainless steel pocket clip configured for right- or left-hand tip-up carry. Artisan describes it as 'a sleek and lightweight flipper that is great for everyday carry' — on the larger side, but with a profile slim enough to sit comfortably in hand or pocket.

Model	Steel	Hardness	Handle	Price
Virgina ATZ-1807P (flat)	D2	HRC 59–61	G10 (flat)	$52.49
Virgina ATZ-1807P (curve)	D2	HRC 59–61	G10 (curved)	$59.24
Virgina ATZ-1807G	S35VN	HRC 58–60	G10 / carbon fiber	$107.24
Virgina ATZ-1807G	M390	HRC 60–62	G10	$164.99

Design: slender, comfortable, carry-friendly

The Virgina's defining trait is its slender profile. A 3.94-inch blade in a 8.98-inch overall length with a closed length of 5.04 inches makes it a full-size folder, yet the slim handle and flat grind keep it from feeling bulky in the pocket. The drop point blade is one of the most practical shapes in the knife world — a strong tip for piercing, a belly for slicing, and no fragile needle point to break off.

Deployment is via flipper tab, and the stainless steel clip supports both right- and left-hand tip-up carry, which makes the Virgina genuinely ambidextrous for pocket positioning. The textured G10 scales over stainless steel liners give a secure grip without aggressive texture, and the liner lock is one of the most proven locking mechanisms in folding knife history — simple, strong, and easy to service.

D2 Virgina: the budget pick

At $52.49 (flat G10) and $59.24 (curved G10), the D2 Virgina is one of the best-value full-size flippers Artisan sells. D2 is an air-hardened tool steel that sits between true carbon steel and stainless steel: its high chromium content makes it noticeably more corrosion-resistant than basic high-carbon steel, while still delivering the toughness, wear resistance, and edge-holding that made it a favorite of knife makers for decades. Artisan specs it at HRC 59–61.

Color options for the D2 tier include black, orange, and green in the flat G10 version, and black, brown, and grey in the curved version. For a thorough breakdown of the steel's character, Wikipedia's D2 steel page covers its composition, and Knife Steel Nerds' All About D2 goes deep into how it heat-treats and performs. Note that D2 is not fully stainless — a light wipe-down after heavy use keeps the edge clean and rust-free.

S35VN Virgina: the balanced middle

The S35VN version of the Virgina is the pick of the line for most buyers. Priced at $107.24, it upgrades the blade to CPM S35VN — a powder-metallurgy stainless steel from Crucible Industries that is widely regarded as one of the best all-around knife steels ever made, balancing edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance in a package that sharpens easily. Artisan specs the S35VN Virgina at HRC 58–60, a touch softer than the Kakapo's 60–62 spec but still entirely adequate for everyday use.

This tier is also where you get the widest handle choice: black, brown, and grey G10, plus a carbon fiber variant for a lighter, more premium feel. The carbon fiber option is a genuine upgrade — the material is lighter and stiffer than G10, with a distinctive woven look. If you want a Virgina that carries the best blend of steel performance and handle aesthetics, this is the sweet spot.

M390 Virgina: the premium tier

At $164.99, the M390 Virgina is the flagship of the family. M390 is a high-end powder-metallurgy stainless steel produced by Böhler, famous for exceptional edge retention and wear resistance while remaining fully stainless. Artisan specs it at HRC 60–62 — the hardest of the three Virgina steels — which means it will hold an edge longer than the D2 or S35VN versions at the cost of slightly more effort when it finally needs sharpening. Knife Steel Nerds' M390 article is the best technical reference for how this steel behaves.

Color options are black, brown, and grey G10. Buy the M390 Virgina if you want maximum edge retention from a full-size flipper and you are comfortable finishing edges on harder steel — with diamond or CBN abrasives when the standard stones slow down.

How to choose between the three Virgina steels

• Budget-first: D2 at $52.49–$59.24. Great edge holding for the price, minor corrosion vigilance required. The best value in the family.
• Balanced everyday carry: S35VN at $107.24. The classic all-rounder — easy to sharpen, tough, stainless, and available with carbon fiber scales.
• Maximum edge retention: M390 at $164.99. The premium steel experience with the hardest heat treatment, for users who hate frequent sharpening.

Sharpening the Virgina

Sharpening needs vary by tier. The D2 Virgina responds well to standard aluminum-oxide stones and a strop; the S35VN version sharpens nearly as easily. The M390 version is where you should reach for diamond or CBN abrasives, since its high wear resistance makes conventional stones slow. For all three, matching the bevel angle and finishing with a strop produces a working edge that slices paper cleanly. Because every Virgina uses a flat grind, the edge geometry is forgiving and easy to maintain.

Who is the Virgina for?

The Virgina family is for anyone who wants a full-size, slim-carrying flipper without paying a titanium price. It covers three distinct buyers: students and first-time knife owners who want a dependable D2 flipper under $60, everyday carriers who want a proven stainless super steel at a moderate price, and enthusiasts who want the edge-retention ceiling of M390 in a classic liner-lock package. Whichever tier you choose, you get the same comfortable geometry, the same ambidextrous clip, and the same easy liner lock — the only real decision is how much steel you want.

Virgina vs the S Waistline: two Artisan EDC families compared

If you are shopping the Artisan catalog, the Virgina's closest sibling is the S Waistline family. Both are full-size EDC lines offered in multiple steel tiers, but they target different preferences. The S Waistline is the architecture-inspired design: its hourglass handle shape and premium titanium frame-lock versions (S35VN at $187.49, M390 at $224.99) aim at users who want a distinctive silhouette and a stronger lock. The Virgina is the more conventional, more affordable option: a classic flipper-and-liner-lock layout with G10 handles, topping out at $164.99 for the M390 tier and starting at just $52.49 for D2.

In practical terms: choose the S Waistline if you want a frame lock and a showpiece handle design; choose the Virgina if you want the same blade length and steel options for less money, in a simpler, slimmer package. The Virgina's lower entry price also makes it the safer recommendation for a first full-size folder, or for anyone who wants to try premium steels without committing to a titanium frame lock.

Blade length and carry considerations

A 3.94-inch blade sits right at the boundary of what many jurisdictions consider an everyday carry knife. Plenty of US states allow blades of four inches or more, but many cities and some states set lower limits, and laws differ substantially from place to place — our state-by-state knife legality guide lays out the full picture. Before carrying the Virgina daily, it is worth checking your local regulations, especially if you travel between states. The knife itself is a straightforward single-blade folding knife with a manual flipper — the least restricted category of folding knife — but blade-length limits can still apply.

From a carry standpoint, the Virgina's 8.98-inch overall length and 5.04-inch closed length mean it occupies a full-size pocket slot, though the slim handle keeps the footprint narrow. The stainless clip positions the knife for tip-up carry on either side, and the smooth G10 texture does not chew up pocket fabric. If you prefer a lighter, less obtrusive carry, the carbon fiber S35VN variant shaves further weight off the already-light platform.

Care and maintenance across the family

Maintenance for the Virgina depends mostly on which steel you picked. The D2 version is the only one that needs deliberate corrosion awareness: D2 resists rust far better than plain high-carbon steel thanks to its chromium content, but it is not fully stainless, so wipe the blade down after cutting acidic or damp materials and give it a light oil film if you store it long-term. The S35VN and M390 versions are fully stainless and essentially maintenance-free on the corrosion front — clean, dry, and lightly oiled at the pivot is all they ask.

The liner lock and flipper benefit from an occasional drop of lubricant at the pivot to keep the action smooth, and a quick flush with solvent followed by fresh oil every few months keeps dust and pocket lint from accumulating. Sharpening follows the steel: D2 and S35VN take well to standard stones and a strop, while M390 at HRC 60–62 rewards diamond or CBN abrasives. All three share the same flat grind, so maintaining a consistent bevel angle is straightforward.

Final verdict by budget

• Under $60: The D2 Virgina is one of the best full-size flippers at the price. Buy it for the geometry, treat the steel with basic respect.
• $100–$120: The S35VN Virgina is the value sweet spot — a genuine super steel, easy sharpening, and the carbon fiber handle option.
• $150–$170: The M390 Virgina delivers flagship steel performance in an everyday package, for users who prioritize edge retention above all.

Every version carries the same DNA: a slender full-size flipper that is comfortable in hand, ambidextrous in the pocket, and easy to live with. The Virgina family proves you do not need a titanium frame lock to get a serious everyday folder — sometimes the classic formula, executed well at three price points, is exactly right.

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