Patrick Famin GOTF Mini Custom: Damacore, Black Timascus and Zirconium
Look closely at the edge bevel on this Patrick Famin GOTF Mini and you will find a bright line running the length of the blade. Damasteel Damacore is a laminated steel, so the grind cuts through the Damascus cladding and exposes the nitrogen-alloyed core underneath.
Famin then built the rest of the knife to tastefully match. Black Timascus bolsters carry blue, orange and gold across both sides. Mirror-polished zirconium scales sit behind them. The frame is 7475 aerospace alloy under a ceramic treatment, milled with a geometric diamond pattern along the spine.
It is a double-action out-the-front automatic, and it is small. At 7.35 inches open and 4.3 ounces, this is the Mini of the GOTF line. The full-size version runs 8.73 inches.
The Frenchman Who Started Collecting at Seven
Patrick Famin was born in France in 1961. A Laguiole caught his attention as a child, and he began collecting at seven years old. That collection now runs to roughly a hundred pieces.
He did not start as a maker. Famin studied computer science and spent his career in hardware, software and graphic design. Then he met the French custom knifemaker Christian Avakian at a show, and in 2007, on his wife’s suggestion, he took an internship at Avakian’s bench. He has built knives ever since.
Today he works alone on ornate folders, out-the-front automatics and balisongs. GOTF stands for Gentleman Out The Front. Sole-author work like his is covered in our guide to master custom knifemakers, and you can see what else we hold on the Patrick Famin brand page.
Patrick Famin GOTF Mini Blade and Damacore Steel
Damasteel builds Damacore as a san mai laminate. The core is N11X, a nitrogen-alloyed stainless whose composition matches Uddeholm Vanax SuperClean. Damasteel clads that core in its standard RWL34 and PMC27 Damascus mix.
The payoff is measurable rather than decorative. Because the core carries roughly 13 percent vanadium nitrides, slicing edge retention runs an estimated 40 to 80 percent above standard Damasteel. Corrosion resistance at the edge improves too. Vanax’s recommended heat treatment lands at 59 to 60 HRC.
Famin ground it as a symmetrical dagger at 3.10 inches, with a single fuller down each side and a round maker’s mark struck at the ricasso. The Damascus reads as a repeating concentric wave. For another Damasteel dagger on an out-the-front, compare the Brian Tighe Tighe Twist OTF.
Black Timascus and Zirconium on the Patrick Famin GOTF Mini
Timascus is titanium Damascus, and its color is grown rather than applied. Heat drives an oxide layer across the surface, and that layer splits light into interference colors. So the bolsters shift as you turn the knife. Our Shane Atwood Skally Wag V2 carries Black Timascus as well.
Zirconium takes the scales. It polishes to a deep, almost liquid shine that reads darker than titanium, and Famin finished these to a mirror. The contrast against the matte ceramic frame is the knife’s quietest good idea.
That frame is 7475 aluminum alloy, an aerospace grade, under a ceramic treatment. It keeps the knife light while the spine carries milled diamond and X line work. The hardware is blue anodized, and so is the accent stripe on the thumbslide.
Patrick Famin G.O.T.F. Mini Condition and What’s Included
This piece is new. We bought it directly from Famin at Blade Show West 2026 on October 9, 2026, which is the date he wrote on the certificate. Browse the rest of our direct from maker inventory.
The action fires crisply in both directions and the lock engages with no play. Famin signed and dated the certificate by hand, and it lists every material on the knife. Read how we handle paperwork on our provenance page.
- Patrick Famin GOTF Mini double-action out-the-front automatic
- Original Patrick Famin zippered pouch, black leather with orange embroidery and stitching
- Hand-signed Certificate of Authenticity, dated October 9, 2026
Patrick Famin GOTF Mini Specifications
Materials below come from the hand-written Certificate of Authenticity. Dimensions were measured in house. Browse comparable pieces in automatic knives.
- Overall length, open: 7.35 inches
- Blade length: 3.10 inches
- Cutting edge: 3.05 inches
- Closed length: 4.25 inches
- Blade material: Damasteel Damacore, N11X core clad in RWL34 and PMC27 Damascus
- Blade style: Symmetrical dagger, double-edged, single fuller each side
- Action: Double-action out-the-front automatic
- Deployment: Thumbslide on the side of the handle, blue anodized accent
- Liner and frame: 7475 aluminum alloy with ceramic treatment
- Bolsters: Black Timascus
- Scales: Zirconium, mirror polished
- Pocket clip: Titanium, sculpted, tip-down carry
- Hardware: Blue anodized
- Spine: Milled geometric diamond and X line work
- Markings: Round Patrick Famin maker’s mark at the Ricasso
- Weight: 4.3 ounces
- Date made: October 9, 2026
- Country of origin: France
- Condition: New
- SKU: 00219-PF-GOTFMINI-DAMACORE-TIMASCUS-20261009
- Included: Original pouch and hand-signed Certificate of Authenticity
Video Description: Gentleman’s Out the Front Mini
This new Patrick Famin GOTF Mini is a sole-author double-action out-the-front automatic from October 2026. The blade is Damasteel Damacore at 3.10 inches, ground as a symmetrical dagger with a single fuller each side. A bright core line runs both bevels because the steel is laminated. A round maker’s mark sits at the ricasso. Black Timascus bolsters carry blue, orange and gold.
Mirror-polished zirconium scales sit behind the bolsters. The frame is 7475 aerospace alloy under a ceramic treatment, and milled diamond work runs the spine. A sculpted titanium clip carries it tip-down. A blue-accented thumbslide fires it. Famin built it in France. It runs 7.35 inches open, 4.25 inches closed, and 4.3 ounces. Included: the original pouch and a hand-signed certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does G.O.T.F. stand for?
Gentleman Out The Front. Famin uses it for his dress out-the-front automatics, and this is the Mini, the smaller of the two sizes. The full-size GOTF measures 8.73 inches open against 7.35 inches here.
Why is there a bright line along the edge?
Because the steel is laminated rather than solid. Damacore puts a nitrogen-alloyed N11X core between two layers of Damascus cladding. Grinding the bevel cuts through the cladding and exposes that core, so the line is structural rather than cosmetic.
Is Black Timascus dyed or coated?
Neither. Timascus is titanium Damascus, and heat grows an oxide layer on its surface. That layer splits light into interference colors, which is why the bolsters shift as you turn them. Nothing sits on top to wear off.
Is this a true custom knife?
Yes. Famin is a sole-author maker, so one person designs and builds each piece rather than a shop assembling parts. He signed and dated this certificate himself. Our collector investment guide explains why that matters.
How does a double-action automatic differ from a single-action?
A single-action fires the blade out and you retract it by hand. A double-action does both from the same control, so the thumbslide drives the blade out and pulls it back. Consequently you never reset anything manually.
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 Patrick Famin GOTF Mini
We photograph and describe every piece honestly, and we bought this one from Famin’s own table. See what else we hold on the Patrick Famin brand page, or 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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