Never heard of WESN? They’re a U.S.-based knife and EDC brand out of Detroit, MI. Their name means West, East, South, North, which are all the directions on the compass rose, and all the locations that their products are best suited – which is to say, everywhere.
With a strong presence in the US and Europe, WESN is an independent brand that is going from strength to strength. Fusing its transatlantic heritage by balancing American ruggedness with Scandinavian minimalist design, the brand producers considered knives and EDC items, all fuelled by an enthusiastic community that gets behind its products and Kickstarter projects.
WESN’s calling card? The Microblade. As one of the world’s smallest EDC pocket knives, the innovative Microblade has a novelty to it that leaves many curious. I was one of those people until WESN reached out and sent me the newest iteration of this mini pocket knife, the Microblade 3.0.
Here’s my honest opinion on the Microblade 3.0, from its design, performance, and overall value for money.
First Impressions
The Microblade 3.0 came in a cardboard box with a small cotton bag and recycled paper shredding to pad things out. The marks on the knife are from me using it.
Size doesn’t matter – at least that’s what WESN is touting with the Microblade, and we can confirm that this little knife can make a big difference in your carry.
Featuring a 3.75″ long steel blade, the body of the Microblade that was sent to us is made out of Grade 5 titanium, an incredibly lightweight and durable metal that seems perfectly suited for a pocketable knife. The grey is attractive and neutral but the Microblade also comes in numerous other colorways, including ‘blacked-out’ and mustard yellow.
The Microblade 3.0 features a sleek metal pocket clip, a thumb stud for control of closure, an all-new blade choil (the end of a knife’s cutting edge) that makes for easy sharpening of the knife down the line, and an overall smoother mechanism for deploying the knife. My favorite part of the knife is the tiny pointed notch used for opening the knife, it works flawlessly and simply feels good to use when I need quick access to cutting.
The Microblade 3.0 in hand. Marks to the handle and blade are me using the knife daily for over a month.
All of WESN’s knives are designed in Detroit and crafted in China. Some will scoff at ‘made in China’, but this isn’t a cheap little kids’ toy – it looks to be a well-designed knife with high-spec materials and build quality. For $89, you’re getting a lot of great design in a small package, and contributing to the ecosystem of independent designers in the U.S/EU. I don’t feel that the knife is overpriced knowing the design time, labor, and behind-the-scenes marketing that needs to happen to bring a knife like this to life. Plus, WESN knives will last about forever – the brand stands behind their product so much so that if it’s damaged or breaks, they will fix it or replace it for you.
As someone uninitiated in the world of EDC and knives at large – the Microblade looks great. From the titanium material, steel blade embossed with beautiful type ‘WESN’, and the other metal accenting bits and bobbles – I don’t get tired of pulling it off my keychain and admiring it. The quality speaks for itself loud and clear.
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Performance
A close up of the new and improved Microblade blade.
Out of the all-recycled material sliding box it came in, the knife was super sharp, to this day (1+ month of use) I’ve had no problem making any small cut that I need to – and I use the knife pretty much every day.
In addition to the Microblade 3.0, WESN sent me their CB Carabiner and the QR quick-release keychain to go with it. Accessing the knife could not have been easier than with the addition of these two components, but they’re not 100% necessary, the knife still stows away with a low profile without any keychain. You can also just thread the Microblade onto your existing keyring, but I have to admit, having the full WESN rig in your pocket is a great look.
The Microblade 3.0 is probably the easiest-to-use knife I’ve ever owned. Granted I’ve only ever used small pocketknives and box cutters on-and-off throughout my life, but the WESN really does stand out. It just works, I’ve never had any hitch in flicking the knife open or activating its locking mechanism to shut it closed. I only ever make small cuts with this little guy – tape-on boxes being the main use, but my manager, James, has had the original Microblade for over 3 years and has used it on camping trips and even for small DIY tasks. My storied history in retail work means I really appreciate having a good knife on hand and I doubt I’ll ever want anything other than the Microblade, now.
Final Thoughts
I’d definitely recommend the Microblade 3.0 to someone who is looking for a nice little knife to start their EDC journey, but also to an experienced knife carrier who wants to add a cute yet highly functional knife to their arsenal. One of these would make for a fantastic gift, even if the person you’re buying it for has zero experience in carrying a pocket knife, or even knows what the acronym EDC stands for. The Microbalde 3.0 is for just about everyone, and I;m sure that’s exactly what WESN had in mind when designing this little beauty.
Available from WESN for $89 (Order before 18th December to receive yours in time for Christmas).
