BLADETRICKS FRATELLO PIKAL KNIFE, MICARTA

Bladetricks Fratello Pikal Reverse Grip Knife: The Original. Natural Micarta.

This is where the Fratello story begins — and the Fratello Pikal is, without question, my personal favourite pikal knife I have ever built. And I have designed and made many, believe me.

The Bladetricks Fratello Pikal is one of my best EDC tactical fixed blades. I designed it specifically for reverse grip edge-in use — the Pikal / Pakal system, also known as RGEI (Reverse Grip Edge In). Derived from Visayan fighting traditions, this grip positions the blade below the little finger with the edge facing inward, enabling devastating cutting arcs, fast reaping strokes, and close-quarter dominance that a standard grip simply cannot match.

Every millimetre of the Fratello serves that purpose. I built this pikal knife to disappear into your carry and perform without compromise when it matters.

Why the Pikal System Demands a Dedicated Blade

Most knives fail the pikal system because they were never designed for it. Geometry matters. Weight distribution matters. The choil position matters. The Fratello was engineered around all of it from day one.

Its narrow, tapering blade with a raw blackened finish drives fast and deep. The pronounced finger choil locks your grip instinctively into reverse position — no adjustment, no hesitation. The blade exits the fist precisely angled for maximum mechanical efficiency in both cutting and thrusting applications.

I built the Fratello after years working as special protection personnel and CQC instructor. I know what a pikal blade needs to do under real pressure. The Fratello is my direct mechanical answer to that question. Not a theory. A tool.

Natural Linen Micarta — Hand-Sculpted Grip

The handle scales on this original Fratello are hand-sculpted natural linen micarta, carved with an organic texture that locks into the hand under pressure. Three aluminium pins and an epoxy bond hold everything solid. It does not slip in wet conditions, does not fail under gloved use, and gets better with time. I chose it for this piece because it earns its place — honest material, visible craft, zero compromise.

Natural micarta is not fashionable. It is functional. It absorbs the character of the hand that carries it and never pretends to be anything other than what it is. On this knife, that is exactly right.

Low Profile. High Performance.

The Fratello carries like it does not exist. Its narrow blade and minimal overall profile make it one of the most concealable full hand / full size tactical fixed blades I have ever produced — easy to carry, fast to deploy, and impossible to confuse with anything decorative. Whether carried IWB, on a belt sheath, vertically or horizontally, or as a last-ditch CQC asset, this pikal knife disappears until you need it.

This is the pikal knife that set the benchmark for everything that followed in the Bladetricks catalogue.