A beautiful part of being human is pattern recognition. All animals favor this naturally, and we might be biased, but people undeniably have a special knack for finding similarity within our differences. Born out of this notion is the original Sidewinder Knife, just launched in the Sidewinder Mini and Sidewinder Deluxe versions. From Chen Chen & Kai Williams in collaboration with Craighill, the Sidewinder is back, and better than ever.
The knife is inspired by the path taken by the Sidewinder Snake. It travels by launching its head sideways as it traverses the sandy deserts it inhabits. Its mesmerizing journey is married with the diamond shaped motifs formed by parallel rulers from designer Kai Williams’ childhood. This, along with a rigorous amount of testing and machining expertise, comes together to form the basis of something new. The ultra-smooth mechanism, containing a whopping eight ball bearings, adds to the fun. Zach Fried, co-founder at Craighill, shares on seeing the first prototype: “It does something that’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It felt like seeing an invention.”
After the resounding success of the first Sidewinder Knife, released in March of 2024, there were calls for a smaller, more pocket-friendly knife. Instead of scaling down the design completely, the team took another approach. Distilling the form, they removed the middle and bulk from the blade while still preserving the iconic Sidewinder shape.
After numerous blade iterations, the design was settled. A combination of Tanto and Drop Point styles, the blade geometry is perfectly honed for all small tasks. Open boxes, trim stray threads, and sharpen pencils with ease. The stainless steel blade and aluminum frame keep this knife light and strong, with the Craighill guarantee that all the parts are perfectly up to the job. “It’s an abstract of geometry that’s shown in physical form. If any of these pieces are slightly out of tolerance, they just won’t fit,” says Kai Williams, on the manufacturing of the Sidewinder Knives.
From top to bottom: Sidewinder Mini, Deluxe, and Original
Expertly inlaid with abalone shell, the Sidewinder Deluxe is aptly named. The shells produce a plethora of opalescent hues, each one uniquely distinct from the other. Like jewels along a band, they dot the curvature of the handle, adding a sense of refined luxury. The balance between the ethereal hues of the shell, and the industrial heft of the aluminum handle, is a welcome juxtaposition. The Sidewinder Deluxe is available in Vapor Gold and Vapor Silver.
Craighill is best known for their cleverly wrought desk objects and puzzles, with desk accessories and home goods to add to your everyday delight. Quality and heft are at the forefront, with tools that are meant to live well during their life cycle, and last long enough to pass on. “We’ve always looked at Craighill with awe, not fully understanding how they manufacture at this level of precision,” says Chen Chen, on their production process.
Sidewinder Deluxe in Vapor Gold and Vapor Silver
Chen Chen & Kai Williams founded their studio in 2011, focusing on materiality and new ways to use materials we all know and love. Not limiting themselves to any niche, their work ranges from limited, one-of-a-kind pieces to collaborating with global homewares companies, Craighill among them.
Want your own Sidewinder Mini or Sidewinder Deluxe? Back their already funded Kickstarter campaign here with early adopter pricing at $78 for the Mini and $168 for the Deluxe. For more on the Sidewinder Knife, visit Craighill’s website. For more on Chen Chen & Kai Williams, click through here.
