by Michael A. Black
When Arthur Lansky LeVine developed the Controlled Angle Sharpening System in 1979, he had a specific goal: design high quality tools that would allow anyone, from the novice to the expert blade handler, to sharpen his knife with precision and ease. The company he founded 35 years ago, Lansky Sharpeners, is now one of the preeminent knife sharpening companies in the world and has paired up with legendary knife designer, Mikkel Willumsen (Urban Combat), to introduce a new line of superior every-day-carry (EDC) folding and tactical knives.
One of them, the World Legal Slip-Joint Knife, came from the idea that a good, high-quality knife could be designed and built that was legal to carry anywhere in the world. While it is certainly true that laws vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the World Legal Knife is purported to be legal in 156 countries. With statutes varying from state to state in the US and country to country internationally, it’s often confusing to know if the knife you’re carrying falls within the statutory regulations. Thus, it is prudent to consult these various locales before traveling there.
However, Lansky has taken several steps in the design to minimize any potential legal problems with their World Legal product. Keeping an eye on the international market, the Lansky company is confident that the knife’s unique features will allow for EDC (every day carry) not only in the US, but in the majority of countries in Asia and Europe as well.
There are no thumb-studs along the top of the master blade to facilitate one-handed opening of the World Legal. Indeed, the Slip-Joint technology, rather than a locking pivot, is a safety feature that contributes to the “world legal” reputation. The knife must be opened manually.
Opening and closing the knife, which has a 90-degree stop, is definitely a two-handed operation, even with the engraved nail mark on the left top section of the master blade. This 90-degree stop is a built-in safety feature that makes it impossible to flip the knife open with a flick of the wrist. There’s also little chance that the knife could open accidentally. This hard pivot also gives the open blade a substantial bit of security. While it’s not as rigid as a locking blade, the chance of it flipping back toward the handle (and your fingers) is highly unlikely. Plus, the 90-degree stop function would no doubt stop any such accidental closing.
The blade itself is a thing of beauty. Designed by the legendary Mikkel Willumsen of Demark, it’s made of high quality 440C stainless steel. The beak-like design merges esthetics and functionality with the customary Willumsen flair. A smooth, brushed- satin finish strip runs along the upper portion of the master blade and extends into the stone-wash finishes of the tapered swedge and the grind. This rough finish is designed to hide much of the inevitable scarring that occurs with rough usage.
The World Legal has the look of a workhorse. At 2¾ inches, the blade was intentionally kept a tad under the 3-inch limit that many countries, especially in Asia and Europe, ascribe as the universal legal limit. Its fully extended length is 7 inches.
The relief inserts are made of the same 440C stainless steel as the blade, and the handle is composed of scales made from nylon-impregnated plastic. Its textured feel not only provides a sure, non-slip grip, but is also tactically engaging. It should be noted that the quality for which Lansky is noted for in its sharpening products is also present in the World Legal. Although relatively light, 6 ounces, it still has the heft of a dependable, quality knife. No glue is used in the assembly, relying instead on more stainless steel hardware screws to secure the knife.
Four pre-cut notches in the nylon handle provide four variations to the positioning of the ambidextrous pocket clip. A simple flat-head screwdriver is all that’s needed for repositioning the clip for right-hand carry, left-hand carry, or tip-up, tip-down pocket positioning.
Another nice feature of the knife is the rip-tip curve, which provides a small arch adjacent to the point. This is specially designed for that type of extraneous cutting, such as opening packages or quickly trimming some stubborn branches, which can wear down the “belly,” or main edge, of the blade, allowing that portion to remain sharper for a longer period of time. And speaking of sharpness, as one would expect from the knife-sharpening Lansky company, the World Legal comes out-of-the-package with a finely honed blade.
I immediately tested it on some paper, which it sliced through with smooth precision. I then decided to try it on some other cutting jobs. I sliced through an errant tree branch with a few strokes and still retained the finely honed edge that it had before the usage.
The World Legal knife has an MSRP of just $20.99, as does the larger Responder model.
Once I check out the Wold Lgal knife, it was time to check out the Blademedic, the portable Lansky sharpener.
While Lansky makes a variety of fine sharpening stones, the Blademedic is specifically intended for use in the field. At only 4 inches in length and only ½ an inch thick, it’s small enough to fit in your pocket, but make no mistake, it contains a variety of sharpening tools designed for all types of knives, including those with regular or serrated blades, gut hooks, and hunting and fishing knives. The Blademedic is like carrying an entire sharpening kit in your pocket.

The incredibly versatile Blade Medic Sharpener and World Legal Knife, both compact, pocket-sized tools.
The top of the Blademedic has two V-shaped sharpening elements. One is composed of tough tungsten carbide to restore your blade with just a few deft strokes. The adjacent V-notch is composed of ceramic rods and should be used to put that finished edge on your blade with three or four additional strokes after the carbide treatment. For serrated blades, the 1½ inch ceramic strip on the upper side is perfect for those hard-to-reach serrations. And the 3-inch diamond tapered rod on the bottom of the device folds outward 180 degrees and is held in place by a small magnet. It’s designed for quick reconditioning and maintenance tasks and is especially efficient for giving that fine edge to those serrated edges of your knife, and also for sharpening the angled edges of such things as gut and fish hooks.
I immediately tested the Blademedic on some of my older, well-worn knives and was pleasantly surprised at the restoration and sharpened finish that it gave to the blades. It’s a useful tool that provides quick and efficient sharpening options for a variety of knife blades and can be carried unobtrusively in one’s pocket.
Lansky is a company that prides itself not only on quality, but also on listening to the needs and desires of its customers. The World Legal was introduced at last year’s Shot Show and is currently being offered at the price of around $21.99 retail. The Blademedic is available at $15.99. So if you’re looking for a great, portable sharpening kit, or a high-quality, dependable knife that can virtually be carried anywhere without legal consequences, give the World Legal Knife a try. For more information go to Lansky.com or contact them at Lansky Sharpeners, PO Box 800, Dept. TGM, Buffalo, NY 14231.