Rike is kicking off a string of unconventional designs with the Mini, the world’s smallest production framelock flipper. Rike says the Mini is only the beginning of a very busy year as the company strives to move beyond tactical knives and carve out a spot for itself in the larger knife market.

The Mini is a titanium framelock flipper with astonishingly compact proportions. “So far it is the smallest knife we’ve made,” says Rike’s Kan Tai. The Mini is just 3.5″ overall with a 1.5″ tanto blade, available in either M390 or S35VN steel. Tai asserts that eye-catching anodizations are one of the company’s strong suits, so it comes as no surprise to learn that the Mini will be available in a variety of colors when it hits dealers’ shelves in the coming weeks.

Most people think of fixed blades when looking for a neck knife, but the Mini was designed for around-the-neck carry. Custom neck sheaths for small folding knives are also beginning to surface and CRKT included a detachable neck lanyard with the new Snap Lock. But with the high-end materials and premium machining, the new Mini plays the part of a novel piece of jewelry in addition to a tiny tool. “You can use this knife as a small EDC tool or wear it as a necklace,” Rike’s Kan Tai says. “It is fully functional and nicely decorative.” A sculpted micro titanium pocket clip provides a second carry option.

Rike got its start in 2008 as an OEM, but founder and head designer Richard Wu had ambitions beyond producing others’ work. The brand jumped into the high-end flipper game, eventually competing directly with fellow Gaungdong province makers like Kizer.

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With offbeat concepts like the Mini, Rike is quickly gaining awareness in the marketplace. The world’s smallest production flipper is the jumping off point for what Rike is promising will be a big year. The company has already teased the latest version of their flagship Thor model, as well as an innovative slingshot knife and another micro-style knife with a stubbier tanto blade. And Tai assures us there’s even more on the way. “We’ve got 3-5 new designs that haven’t gone to the marketing department yet.”

The Mini is slated to hit dealers by early April and pricing is still to be determined.

Knife featured in image: Rike Mini