A trusty companion

We have long placed a strong focus on cutting edges, blades, and steels – in part because we have developed a wide range of broadheads and other arrow points. So it was only a matter of time until we applied our know-how and expert knowledge to developing our first knife. Just as with our AR-6 Stinger II, we not only focused on technical aspects, but also intensively considered practical functionality to create a trusty companion for any situation.

Just like the Stinger, our K1 is very versatile – being an effective fighting knife that you can mount directly on your Tactical but also a robust hunting or utility knife when paired up with the Survival in the back country. The drop-point blade and practical length as well as the tough, corrosion-resistant Böhler N690 steel make the K1 a knife of outstanding quality.

 

Our K1

The K1 is a high quality tactical knife and is manufactured by a long-standing knifemaker in Italy. The Böhler N690 blade offers outstanding edge retention plus good toughness and wear resistance – it keeps its edge well and is extremely corrosion resistant, but can still be sharpened easily. The scales are made of strong, black polymer with a non-slip texture. Polymer scales in different colors and especially fine anodized aluminum or wood scales are available separately. We offer the knife with a light or dark stonewashed finish.



The included sheaths (one each for right-side and left-side carry) can be easily clipped to a belt, or attached to a Picatinny rail. The MOLLE-compatible clip allows the knife to be attached to belts, tactical vests, backpacks, plate carriers, and more depending on the scenario. The scales can be removed easily without tools for cleaning.

 

Blade length 110 mm - We thus believe the Steambow K1 to be in compliance with §42a of the German Weapon Act (WaffG).

The K1 philosophy

If you understand the philosophy behind our Stinger, you will also understand our K1:



Our AR-6 Stinger II crossbow is intuitive to operate, easy to shoot accurately, can be cocked and fired very rapidly, offers sufficient penetration, and is an absolutely lethal hunting implement when used with our broadhead arrows. Because it is so light, it can be aimed with almost no effort and also operated effectively with one hand, for example when you need to open a door. But this focus on defensive use has downsides. For example, a heavy trigger is suboptimal for target shooting, but very sensible for defensive applications.



During this development process and especially in the course of realistic training, we identified a number of characteristics that are very important for this area of application:

100% reliability, the ability to cock very quickly, no automatic safety, a heavy trigger so that the crossbow cannot be fired unintentionally, and the fact that no more than two or three bolts are needed in an actual self-defense situation. We also realized that due in part to the effective range, an adversary may quickly close to striking or grappling distance.



In such a situation, a Stinger is not very useful, and it would be ideal to transition smoothly to a knife to defend yourself. But even outside of dangerous situations, the K1 is a practical accompaniment to our AR-6 Stinger II – as a hunting knife, as a trusty tool, or to cut up your lunch. The K1 is an ideal EDC knife.

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Manufacturing details

We were able to win the long-standing knifemaker Heinr. Böker Baumwerk GmbH in Solingen as a partner for our first knife project. Our design, which we refined over several months, combined with the experience and technical expertise of Böker were a recipe for success. Our K1 is a beautiful knife made from one of the best knife steels – manufactured, sharpened, and finished by a renowned Italian company.



Our scales and sheaths are made of the same impact-resistant, high quality polymer that we use in our crossbows. This makes the look and feel a perfect match for the AR-6 Stinger II – and the colored scales also come in the same colors as the AR-6 Stinger II customizing kits.

 

Why did we choose this steel?

N690 is a premium steel from the company Böhlerstahl (voestalpine), is manufactured in Austria, and is ideal for hardened tools with good edge retention such as knife blades, cutting surgical instruments, rotary knives for the meat processing industry, plate and knife-edge fulcrums, corrosion-resistant roller bearings, valve needles, and pistons for refrigerating machines.

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Suitable for this

Scales color kit for knife K1 – sand/olive/orange
Scales for knife K1 – aluminum, black anodized
Scales for knife K1 – nut wood, oiled

Technical data

General specifications

Overall length 230 mm
Blade length 110 mm
Blade thickness 4 mm
Weight 158 Gramm
Hardness 58-60 HRC

N690 – material numbers and composition

SEL 1.4528
EN X105CrCoMo18-2
Carbon (C) 1,08 %
Silicon (Si) 0,40 %
Manganese (Mn) 0,40 %
Chromium (Cr) 17,3 %
Molybdenum (Mo) 1,10 %
Vanadium (V) 0,10 %
Cobalt (Co) 1,5 %
Percentages by weight