Vosteed has always had fun with their naming, and I’ve come to appreciate that part of their lineup. A lot of their knives pull inspiration from animals, and that gives each one its own personality before you even get it in hand. A while back I spent some time with the Gator, and that knife absolutely lived up to its name. Big sheepsfoot blade, plenty of handle, and it cut like it had something to prove.

Their newer release, the Kroc, goes in a different direction. Funny enough, the names don’t line up with the real animals. Crocodiles are bigger than gators, but here the Kroc is the smaller knife in the family. Size difference aside, this little guy still has some bite. It’s an in-house design and they did an amazing job. The lines, the colors, the lock, everything fits together in a clean and playful way.

Jonathan Styles comes from Newfoundland, and you can tell right away that his work is shaped by the place he calls home. He’s spent his life outdoors—hunting, fishing, hiking, exploring—and that connection with nature shows up in the way he approaches design. He’s always been an artist too, dabbling in everything from painting to woodworking to carving, so knife making wasn’t really a leap for him. It feels like a natural extension of who he already is. His motto is “functional art,” and once you get the Kitpu in hand, that line makes perfect sense.

The Kitpu takes its name from the Mi’kmaq word for eagle, which is fitting for a knife that leans heavily into slim, airy lines and a sleek pocket presence. It’s meant to disappear in the pocket with its slim titanium frame and deep carry clip, and it nails that role right out of the gate. Before I even get into performance, this knife hits that sweet spot I’m always drawn to—something that performs well but also looks the part. Some knives are rugged and ready for work, and some are gentleman’s knives that bring a little polish to your day. The Kitpu clearly lands in that second category. It’s about the size of a trapper and has those clean, classy lines that make you want to carry it even if you don’t need to.

It’s incredible to see how much Vosteed has grown over the past few years. Models like the Thunderbird and the Grind sold out almost instantly, fueled by the brand’s rising popularity and limited production runs. Now, in 2025, Vosteed releases several new models each year. While drops still sell out, it feels like there’s finally a little more to go around.

At Blade Show, I had the chance to meet Yue Dong and the Vosteed team and take a look at some of their upcoming designs. One that immediately caught my attention was the Vombat—a compact folder available in several variations and, interestingly, with the ability to swap scales.

The flashlight scene is an incredible one, filled with passionate folks and technology that keeps pushing boundaries. I thought the knife world was intense, but it turns out making things bright can be every bit as competitive as making things sharp. We’ve covered our fair share of EDC lights in the past, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Personally, I prefer something slim that disappears into a pocket, but I’ve grown to appreciate a good keychain light. They’ve often felt like an afterthought—just bright enough to find a keyhole or dig something out of a bag. But Nitecore has made it clear they’re not content with “just enough.”