The Pyrite is the knife that made CJRB a name in budget EDC, and it has quietly grown into a full family: the original button-lock Pyrite, the Wharncliffe Pyrite-Alt, the ultralight Pyrite-Light, the oversized Large versions, the 53-gram Mini Pyrite, the Bowie Pyrite, and a run of limited editions that pushes past $450. Across the catalogue that is 83 distinct products — and until now, no single place explaining how they relate to each other.
One platform, many materials — steel, G10, Micarta, forged carbon, titanium and copper across the Pyrite family.
This guide walks the whole family in order, using the specifications CJRB publishes on each listing, so you can tell at a glance which Pyrite is the one you actually want.
Why the Pyrite Family Exists
Every Pyrite shares a common formula: a flat-ground blade, ceramic ball bearings in the pivot, and a button lock. That combination is what made the original so popular — a smooth, fidget-friendly action with a lock that is easy for anyone to operate, at a price that undercut most competitors.
The family then diverged in three directions: size (Mini, standard, Large), blade shape (drop point, Wharncliffe, clip point), and material tier (FRN at the entry level up to full titanium and fat carbon in the limited runs). Because the underlying design is the same, choosing a Pyrite is really about picking your size and your handle material.
CJRB Pyrite J1925 — the original
The core model is a full-sized folder with a 3.11″ stone-finished drop-point blade in AR-RPM9, measuring 4.2″ closed and 7.3″ open. The handle is shaped for maximum grip with minimal pocket wear, and CJRB fits a reversible deep-carry clip and a lanyard hole.
The steel is AR-RPM9, CJRB’s own high-chromium powder steel. In this family its blades are rated HRC 59–61 on the published specifications — a sensible working hardness that keeps the edge stable without making the blade precious. If you want the full chemistry explained, we covered it in our guide to AR-RPM9 steel.
Configuration spread on the standard Pyrite runs from a plain steel handle at $49.99 through G10 and Micarta to Ultem, with a titanium-handled J1925T at $79.98 and the Full-Dress titanium and gold-flake carbon fibre J1925T-GCF at $199.99 in CPM S90V. A Damascus-bladed titanium version sits at $139.99.
Pyrite-Alt / Wharncliffe J1925A
The Pyrite-Alt keeps everything that works and changes two things: a modified Wharncliffe blade and an opening hole instead of the original thumb stud. The blade length is unchanged at 3.11″, and the straight edge of a Wharncliffe makes it a genuinely good box-and-carton cutter and a stable platform for detail work.
CJRB offers the Pyrite-Alt across steel handles, G10, Micarta and titanium, with a copper-handled CPM 20CV version at $139.99 sitting at the top of the line. If fidget factor is the appeal, this is the version to look at first.
CJRB Pyrite-Light J1945 — the everyday workhorse
The Pyrite-Light is the tier most people should start with if the price tag matters. It runs a 3.34″ (85mm) blade at 2.5mm thick, a button lock with a safety switch, and an 80g (2.82oz) FRN handle — the lightest full-size Pyrite you can buy, and the cheapest at $29.99.
Do not mistake the low entry price for a limited range. The Pyrite-Light is offered in FRN, G10, a holiday-exclusive G10, AR-SFII, Damascus, and S90V (rated the same HRC 59–61 as the rest of the AR-RPM9 blades on the listing), plus a titanium-handled CPM 20CV exclusive at $199.99. There are even thermochromic FRN variants whose handles change colour with temperature. At $39.99 the Large Pyrite-Light — a 3.7″ blade with the same safety-switch button lock — is arguably the value highlight of the entire family.
Large Pyrite J1925L and Large Pyrite-Light J1945L
For bigger hands, thicker gloves or harder use, the Large models stretch the platform to a 3.7″ (94mm) blade on a 5″ closed frame. The Large Pyrite J1925L with a G10 handle weighs 107g (3.8oz) and starts at $59.99; the Large Pyrite-Light J1945L starts at $39.99. There is also a Large Pyrite-Alt Wharncliffe J1925AL in AR-SFII steel.
The trade is obvious and honest: more blade and more handle means more weight, and the Large versions are the least pocket-friendly members of the family.
Mini Pyrite J1933 — the 53-gram option
The Mini Pyrite compresses the formula hard. The blade is 2.17″ (55mm), 2.3mm thick, and the whole knife weighs 53g (1.87oz) with an overall length of just 5.32″. It is the version for dress trousers, minimalist carry, or anyone subject to a short blade limit.
Handles span aluminium, G10, Ultem, and forged carbon, from $36.79. At the other end, the S90V and fat carbon Mini Pyrite is a $189 limited edition, and a titanium and fat carbon S90V variant sits at $176.40.
Bowie Pyrite J1942 — the clip-point branch
The Bowie Pyrite changes the blade profile to a 3.15″ (80mm) clip point with a 2.7mm spine, on a 110g (3.88oz) frame. It is the most visually distinct member of the family and the one that reads most clearly as a traditional folding knife rather than a modern flipper.
Pricing starts at $49.99 in rosewood, with the rose-gold PVD steel version at $59.99, an AR-SFII and Micarta build at $89.99, and CPM S90V versions with titanium or brass-and-rosewood handles at $199.99. There is also a slip joint: the Bowie Pyrite J1942SJ is a non-locking version at $49.99 for anyone who needs to avoid a locking blade entirely.
Limited Editions: Galactic Pyrite, Interstellar Pyrite-Light and the Perfect Pyrite Project
The top of the family is where CJRB gets to show off:
- Galactic Pyrite J1925G — a 3.11″ drop-point blade in S90V rated HRC 60–62, housed in titanium with a titanium Damascus inlay on both scales and clip. 87g, button lock, $452.
- Interstellar Pyrite-Light J1945G — the same S90V and titanium-Damascus treatment applied to the Pyrite-Light platform, also $452.
- The Perfect Pyrite Project — a tiered programme rather than a single knife: the Daily Driver at $63.45 (steel scales with G10 inlays, AR-RPM9, available left-handed), the Enthusiast at $79.98, the Connoisseur at $139.28, and the Aficionado at $214.28 in CPM S90V with 18 variants to choose from.
Every Pyrite Model Compared
| Model | Blade | Blade style | Handle options | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Pyrite J1933 | 2.17″ (55mm) | Wharncliffe | Aluminium, G10, Ultem, forged carbon | $36.79 |
| Pyrite J1925 | 3.11″ (79mm) | Drop point | Steel, G10, Micarta, Ultem, titanium | $49.99 |
| Pyrite-Alt J1925A | 3.11″ (79mm) | Modified Wharncliffe | Steel, G10, Micarta, titanium, copper | $43.32 |
| Pyrite-Light J1945 | 3.34″ (85mm) | Wharncliffe | FRN, G10, AR-SFII, Damascus, titanium | $29.99 |
| Large Pyrite J1925L | 3.7″ (94mm) | Drop point | G10, Micarta, steel | $55.24 |
| Large Pyrite-Light J1945L | 3.7″ (94mm) | Wharncliffe | FRN, G10, copper and rosewood | $39.99 |
| Bowie Pyrite J1942 | 3.15″ (80mm) | Clip point | Steel, rosewood, Micarta, titanium | $49.99 |
| Galactic Pyrite J1925G | 3.11″ (79mm) | Drop point, S90V | Titanium + titanium Damascus inlay | $452 |
Steels Used Across the Family
One reason the Pyrite lineup stays coherent is that CJRB varies the steel inside a known template rather than redesigning the knife:
- AR-RPM9 — the default. High-chromium powder steel, HRC 59–61, easy to maintain and inexpensive enough to put on a $29.99 knife.
- 14C28N — used on some Bowie Pyrite exclusive builds, including a brown glow-in-the-dark Micarta handle.
- AR-SFII — Artisan’s spray-formed upgrade steel, found on the Large Pyrite-Alt and select Pyrite-Light and Bowie builds.
- Damascus — pattern-welded blades on titanium or FRN handles, from $69.99 on the Pyrite-Light.
- CPM 20CV — a copper-handled Pyrite-Alt at $139.99 and a titanium Pyrite-Light at $199.99.
- CPM S90V — reserved for the top tiers: the Full-Dress Pyrite, the fat carbon Mini Pyrite, the Bowie Pyrite exclusives and the Galactic editions, rated up to HRC 60–62.
How to Choose Your Pyrite
- Smallest and lightest: Mini Pyrite J1933 at 53g — 2.17″ blade, $36.79 and up.
- Best value full-size: Pyrite-Light J1945 in FRN at $29.99, or the Large Pyrite-Light at $39.99 if you want a 3.7″ blade.
- Most fidget-friendly: Pyrite-Alt J1925A — opening hole, Wharncliffe edge, same button lock.
- Classic looks: Bowie Pyrite J1942 clip point, from $49.99 in rosewood.
- Biggest hands, hardest use: Large Pyrite J1925L in G10, 107g, $59.99 and up.
- Collector tier: Galactic Pyrite J1925G or the Perfect Pyrite Project Aficionado if you want S90V and titanium without compromise.
The button lock that ties the family together is worth understanding before you buy, since it behaves differently from a liner lock or crossbar lock under heavy use — our comparison of button, crossbar and liner locks covers that in detail, and for the broader CJRB naming system see our guide to CJRB J-codes and steels.
You can browse every configuration by branch of the family: the Pyrite collection, the Pyrite-Light collection, the Mini Pyrite collection, the Bowie Pyrite collection, and the Perfect Pyrite Project.
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