The Black Ice Story
After the launch of the 8" Super Flex, which we dropped in a limited edition "Blackout" colorway, we had great feedback on the blade's straight, narrow shape. We also received plenty of feedback from Super Flex users that they'd love "the same exact blade in a stiffer option as well", in order to use the stiffer version for bigger, tougher fish, to maintain maximum control of the blade's tip when making deeper cuts on fish.
That feedback hit home because it wasn’t just a “make another version” request—it was a very specific kind of fisherman talking to us. The guy who loves the finesse of that blade profile, but needs more backbone when the fish gets heavier, the skin gets tougher, and the cuts get deeper. When the job calls for tip control, blade flex becomes the difference between a clean cut and fighting the knife the entire time.
Dialing In the Medium Flex
With that, we took to the design process and dialed in the new Medium Flex option in our existing 8" blade shape. We mirrored the flexibility of our 9" Medium Flex (designed for big, tough fish) and put our new creation to work cleaning wahoo, tuna, cobia, and more down here in the Gulf. It was ready for handle design.
This wasn’t a “desk test” knife. We needed real fish, real boards, and real wear, because that’s where knives earn their place. The goal was simple: keep the straight, narrow blade shape people loved, but add the stiffness that lets you drive the cut with control. The Medium Flex had to feel familiar in-hand, but more confident when you leaned into it—especially when you’re working fatter fish, tougher skin, and longer slices where the tip needs to ride the fish exactly where you want it.
P.S. - Unfortunately, this isn't some really cool and unique one-time testing process, this is actually how all SORD knives are tested before they ever get released.
Once it started proving itself on the caliber of fish that genuinely expose weaknesses, we knew we had the right blade. At that point, it wasn’t a concept anymore. It was a living SORD. And the next question was: what will its personality be? AKA what does it look like when it shows up?
Building the “Ice” Look
With the cold months approaching, it felt right to go the "ice" route with this design, so we decided to use an ice blue G10, but it didn't look "icy" enough for us. We then alternated between layers of Black G10 and Ice Blue G10, then CNC-cut the diamond pattern you now see in the handle. The ice blue popped, and we knew we had our new knife.
We didn’t want “blue.” We wanted ice—something that felt cold, sharp, and clean. Something that looked like winter on the Gulf, early mornings at the dock, and that bite in the air when the boat has a layer of frost on it. The layered Black + Ice Blue brought the depth we were missing, and once we cut that diamond pattern, it finally had the contrast and texture it needed. The G10 handle design didn’t just look different—it looked purposeful. Like it belonged on a knife built for tougher fish and harder work.
A Core Knife That Needed a Proper Entrance
Some products don’t need hype, they need a story that matches what they’re built to do. This one started with a blade profile you guys trusted, evolved from real-world feedback, and proved itself on the water before it ever got a name.
Because of the high number of requests for this blade, the 8" Medium Flex will be a key knife in our core fillet knife lineup in 2026, but it deserved an entrance first, so from both your feedback and the SORD personality, Black Ice was born, and the Black Ice knife drop sold out in just 8 hours.
While Black Ice may have sold out, you can trust its origin story when you now see the 8" Medium Flex in our core knife lineup.