Tighe Twist OTF: Brian Tighe’s Smaller Double-Action Dagger
The Tighe Twist OTF is Brian Tighe’s double-action automatic. This one runs Damasteel in both the blade and the pocket clip. The dagger blade is sharpened on both edges. The handle pairs DLC-coated fluted titanium against green carbon fiber. It weighs 1.6 ounces and measures 6.75 inches open. Condition is excellent, with no blemishes and no wear.
That weight is the number to sit with. Double-action out-the-front knives carry a spring, a carriage and a slide inside the handle. Most of them feel dense as a result. At 1.6 ounces this one does not. Titanium and carbon fiber do the work steel liners would normally do.
An OTF from a custom maker is a different proposition from a production automatic. Our guide on how to choose a custom knife covers what you are paying for. A knife built one at a time is priced differently for reasons worth understanding.
About Brian Tighe
Tighe works in Canada and has spent decades in the trade. He came to knives from tool and die making. He completed four college courses in metallurgy along the way. He is also a working photographer, which is why his own knives are usually the ones you see in print.
That background shows up as awards. Tighe won Most Innovative Design at the BLADE Show in 2010 for the NIRK Tighe. He won it again in 2012 for the Buy Tighe. His work has run in BLADE, Knives Illustrated, Tactical Knives and American Handgunner. It appears in all four volumes of David Darom’s art knife series.
He also developed the first button lock flipper, and his designs have gone to CRKT, Spyderco and WE Knife. He launched his own mid-tech line, Brian Tighe and Friends, in June 2016. Makers at this level are covered in our guide to the most valuable custom knifemakers.
How a Double-Action OTF Works, and Why It Is Hard to Build
Out-the-front means the blade travels straight out of the handle instead of pivoting. Double action means the same slide drives it both ways. Push forward and the blade fires out. Pull back and it retracts. A single-action OTF only fires one way and has to be recocked by hand.
The engineering problem is tolerance. A pivoting folder can absorb a little slop because the lock takes up the difference. An OTF cannot. The blade rides in a track. It has to lock solid at full extension with no play in any direction.
This one fires crisply and the lock engages with no play. That is the whole test on an OTF. We check it first on any automatic we take in. See our other automatic knives for comparable actions.
Tighe’s standing in this category is not theoretical. Brian Tighe and Friends took Most Innovative Design at BLADE in 2017 for the Tighe Breaker Integral Automatic. It was the first integral automatic of its kind.
Damasteel, DLC Fluted Titanium and Green Carbon Fiber
The blade and the pocket clip are both Damasteel. Damasteel is a Swedish producer of stainless damascus, and its knife-grade material is designated DS93X. It combines two powder steels, RWL34 and PMC27.
Those alloys do different jobs. RWL34 is a martensitic stainless close to ATS-34 and 154CM. It carries the hardness. PMC27 is a powder version of Sandvik 12C27 and brings toughness. The two etch to different tones, and that difference is what makes the pattern visible.
Powder metallurgy is why this is not forge-welded damascus. Damasteel presses the billet from steel powders under heat and pressure, so no laminated seams exist. Compare it against the Yan Knives GTC Cabot in Zircuti and Damasteel.
The handle runs two different materials on two faces. One side is DLC-coated titanium, milled with the twisting flutes that give the model its name. Those flutes give the hand something to index against. The other side is a green and black carbon fiber composite. A starburst figure radiates out under the clip.
DLC stands for diamond-like carbon. It is a thin amorphous carbon film deposited under vacuum. It sits far above titanium on the hardness scale. On a handle it resists the scuffing that bare titanium picks up in a pocket. It also changes how the flutes read, because the film follows the milled contours rather than filling them.
The clip is cut from the same Damasteel as the blade. It carries a ruby ball at its free end, which is the point that rides against your pocket. Corundum sits at 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond. A steel contact point would wear long before this one does.
Tighe Twist OTF Blade, Edges and Carry
The blade is a dagger, ground symmetrically on both sides to a centred point. Both edges are sharpened. Blade length is 2.75 inches.
That matters beyond aesthetics. A double-edged blade is restricted in more places than a single-edged one. Those rules sit on top of the automatic restrictions. Check your local law before ordering. The notice at the bottom of this page links to a current state-by-state reference.
Open, the knife measures 6.75 inches. Closed it is 4 inches, and 4 plus 2.75 is exactly 6.75. That arithmetic only works on an out-the-front, because the blade leaves the handle completely. A folder always keeps part of the tang inside.
Condition and What’s Included with This Tighe Twist OTF
Condition is excellent. There are no blemishes and no visible wear. The action fires crisply and the lock engages with no play. We inspect every knife in hand before we photograph it. Our published grading standards let you check this description against what arrives.
This piece came out of a collection rather than direct from the maker. It carries no Certificate of Authenticity. We have found no evidence that Tighe issues certificates with his custom work. Read how we handle provenance on pieces that arrive without paperwork.
It ships in the maker’s own zippered soft case, branded to Brian Tighe.
- Brian Tighe Tighe Twist OTF automatic
- Brian Tighe zippered soft case
Tighe Twist OTF Product Specifications
We measured this knife in house and tested the action by hand.
- Overall length, open: 6.75 in
- Blade length: 2.75 in
- Cutting edge: 2.75 in
- Closed length: 4 in
- Blade material: Damasteel stainless damascus (DS93X)
- Blade style: Double-edged dagger
- Blade finish: Etched Damasteel pattern
- Edge: Plain, both edges sharpened
- Lock type: Double-action automatic
- Action: Automatic, fires crisply with the lock engaging and no play
- Deployment: Thumb slide
- Handle material: DLC-coated fluted titanium on one face, green carbon fiber on the other
- Hardware: Carbon fiber firing slide
- Pocket clip: Damasteel with ruby ball insert
- Weight: 1.6 oz
- Country of origin: Canada
- Condition: Excellent, no blemishes or visible wear
- SKU: 00199-BT-TIGHETWIST-OTF-DAMASTEEL
This Tighe Twist OTF is preowned and ready to ship. Browse our other preowned knives.
Video Description: Tighe Twist OTF
The Tighe Twist OTF is a preowned custom double-action automatic in excellent condition. The blade is Damasteel stainless damascus, 2.75 inches long, ground as a double-edged dagger with both edges sharpened. The finish is the etched Damasteel pattern. One handle face is DLC-coated fluted titanium and the other is green carbon fiber. Brian Tighe built this knife in Canada.
The firing slide is carbon fiber. The pocket clip is Damasteel with a ruby ball insert at its contact point. Deployment is a thumb slide and the action is double action, firing and retracting on the same control. Overall length is 6.75 inches open and 4 inches closed, at 1.6 ounces. The knife ships with the maker’s zippered soft case and no Certificate of Authenticity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Tighe Twist OTF legal where I live?
That depends entirely on where you are. This is an automatic knife with a double-edged dagger blade, and both attributes carry restrictions in some jurisdictions. The notice at the bottom of this page links to a current state-by-state reference. We do not give legal advice, and the buyer is responsible for knowing the law where they live.
What does double action mean on an OTF?
The same slide drives the blade in both directions. Push it forward and the blade fires out and locks. Pull it back and the blade retracts into the handle. A single-action OTF only fires one way, and you recock it by hand before it will fire again.
What is Damasteel and why does it affect the price?
Damasteel is a Swedish producer of stainless damascus. Its knife-grade material is designated DS93X and combines two powder steels, RWL34 and PMC27. Powder metallurgy gives a cleaner billet than forge welding, with no laminated seams.
Billet cost is the short answer. Named pattern damascus runs well above mono steel. Collectors price the forge name the way they price the maker’s name. On this knife the Damasteel runs through the clip as well, which consumes more of it.
Is the blade sharpened on both edges?
Yes. This is a true double-edged dagger, ground symmetrically on both sides to a centred point, with both edges sharpened. That is worth knowing before you order, because double-edged blades face restrictions that single-edged blades do not.
What is the ruby ball on the pocket clip for?
It is the contact point. The ball sits at the free end of the clip, where the clip rides against the fabric of your pocket. Corundum sits at 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond, so it takes that wear better than steel. It is also the kind of detail that separates a custom from a production knife.
Does this Tighe Twist OTF come with a Certificate of Authenticity?
No. It carries no paperwork, and we have found no evidence that Brian Tighe issues certificates with his custom work. The knife ships in his own branded zippered soft case, which is what came with it.
Does We Buy Knife Collections actively support the broader knife enthusiast community?
Yes. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, We Buy Knife Collections is a curator and purveyor of fine custom made folding and fixed-blade knives. We are dedicated to the high-end custom knife community and we support knife rights advocacy.
Following our commitment upgrade in April 2026, we are proud to hold an AKTI Premier Membership, supporting the American Knife & Tool Institute’s vital advocacy and lobbying for knife owners, makers, and the future of the industry.
Buy This Tighe Twist OTF
We inspect every knife in hand, fire every automatic before it goes up, and shoot the photographs ourselves. See what else is available on the Brian Tighe Custom Knives brand page. You can also talk to us about selling your collection.
Automatic Knife Legal Notice
This is an automatic knife. Laws governing purchase, possession, and carry vary by state, county, and municipality.
The buyer must know and follow the laws that apply where they live before ordering. We do not give legal advice. For current state-by-state information, consult the American Knife and Tool Institute.
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