Artisan Cutlery Beest Family Guide: Liner Lock vs Frame Lock, Every Variant Compared (2026)

The Artisan Cutlery Beest is one of the few knife families where the name stays the same but the knife changes character completely. Under that one name sits a $69.99 liner lock on a colorful aluminum handle and a $199.99 frame lock machined from titanium — plus a prototype that runs even higher. Both are designed by Dusty Rhodes, both share the same front-flipper-plus-thumb-hole opening layout, and both are completely different tools.

That split makes the Beest a fascinating family to shop. You are not comparing two trims of the same car; you are comparing a lightweight budget folder and a premium titanium frame lock that happen to share a designer and a silhouette.

The Beest lineup in one table

What every Beest shares

Before the family splits apart, there is a common core worth naming:

• Opening: front flipper and thumb hole — two deployment methods on every variant
• Blade grind: flat, with a drop point profile
• Pivot: ceramic ball bearing
• Blade thickness: 0.13" / 3.2mm
• Closed length: 4.37" / 111mm (4.25" on the prototype)
• Overall length: 8.02" / 203.6mm (7.4" on the prototype)

The dual opener layout is the signature of the design. The front flipper gives you a deliberate, controlled deployment from the index finger; the thumb hole lets you flick it open with a thumb roll or a Spydie-style snap. We covered how these opening styles compare in our front flipper vs top flipper guide and the flipper tab vs thumb stud guide.

The P series: budget liner locks ($69.99–$89.99)

The 1878P models are liner locks built around aluminum and brass handles. They are the entry point to the family, and they keep the weight honest: the aluminum versions come in at 98g / 3.46oz.

• 1878P-BVT ($69.99) — purple aluminum handle, AR-RPM9 blade in black PVD. The most affordable Beest, and the flashiest colorway.
• 1878P-BR ($79.99) — brass handle, AR-RPM9 blade in stone wash. This is the heavy one: 150g / 5.3oz. Brass gives it a dense, warm-in-the-hand feel and a look that ages with natural patina, but it is a pocket anchor compared to the aluminum versions.
• 1878P-RE ($89.99, pre-order) — red aluminum handle, AR-SFII blade in rose gold coating.
• 1878P-GL ($89.99, pre-order) — gold aluminum handle, AR-SFII blade in black PVD.

The two pre-order models introduce Artisan's AR-SFII steel, a step up from the AR-RPM9 found on the earlier 1878P releases. Both sit at 3.46oz, keeping the lightweight aluminum character.

AR-RPM9 is Artisan's powder-metallurgy stainless, designed to deliver a lot of edge retention and toughness for the price — Knife Steel Nerds has a technical write-up on AR-RPM9 if you want the details. It is also covered in our best AR-RPM9 steel EDC knives roundup and the 14C28N vs AR-RPM9 vs Nitro-V vs S35VN comparison.

The G series: premium frame locks ($199.99–$266.65)

The 1878G models drop the liner lock for a titanium frame lock and swap the budget steels for S35VN at 60–62 HRC. Everything gets lighter and more refined: 82g / 2.89oz on the production models.

• 1878G-GY ($199.99) — grey titanium handle with fat carbon inlays, stone-washed S35VN blade.
• ATZ-1878G ($199.99) — gold titanium handle, stone-washed S35VN blade.
• ATZ-1878G (prototype, $266.65) — full titanium build with a shorter 3.15" blade (vs 3.65" on the production models) in stone wash and black PVD finishes, at 86g / 3.03oz.

The frame lock on the G series is the classic titanium design where the lockbar is milled into the handle itself — no separate liner. It is stronger in absolute terms than a thin liner lock and gives the knife a cleaner, more premium side profile. If you want to understand how the two lock types stack up, our which folding knife lock is strongest comparison breaks down frame, liner, button, crossbar, and clutch locks with real test data.

Titanium handles bring their own trade-offs: featherweight carry, a smooth machined feel, and excellent corrosion resistance, at a higher price than aluminum or G10. The fat carbon inlays on the GY version add a layered, almost liquid-looking texture that stands out in hand. For the material science side, Knife Steel Nerds' titanium for knife handles article is a good read.

Liner lock vs frame lock: which Beest is right for you

The honest answer: the Beest family forces you to decide what you want from a folder.

• Pick the P series if you want a colorful, lightweight everyday knife at a budget price. The $69.99 purple aluminum 1878P-BVT is the easiest entry, and the brass 1878P-BR is the one to choose if you like weight and patina in hand.
• Pick the G series if you want a premium titanium frame lock with S35VN — lighter, stronger lock, more refined materials, roughly three times the price.
• The prototype is the collector's piece: the shorter 3.15" blade and dual-finish stone wash / black PVD treatment make it visually distinct from the production run.

Budget-wise, the Artisan Cutlery lineup spans a huge range, and the Artisan Cutlery price tier buying guide is the best map of where the Beest sits against models like the Tomahawk. The Tomahawk family guide is another Dusty Rhodes-era design worth comparing if you like the Beest's dual-opener layout.

Verdict

The Artisan Cutlery Beest is really two product lines wearing one name. The 1878P liner locks are colorful, light, and affordable — ideal everyday carries that do not baby their finish. The 1878G frame locks are premium titanium tools with S35VN and fat carbon, built for buyers who want the same silhouette in a much higher-end package. If you are new to the family, start with the 1878P-BVT at $69.99; if you want the definitive version, the 1878G-GY titanium + fat carbon at $199.99 is the one.

Ergonomics and carry

Every Beest shares the same 8.02" overall length and 4.37" closed length, with a 0.13" blade stock and flat grind. In the hand, the dual-opener layout is the first thing you notice: the front flipper gives a deliberate index-finger deployment, while the thumb hole lets you snap the blade open with a roll of the thumb. Because both openers sit on the same knife, you can switch styles depending on the situation — controlled opening at a desk, fast deployment on the move.

The weight story is where the two series diverge hardest. The aluminum 1878P models weigh 98g / 3.46oz, which is light enough to forget in a pocket. The brass 1878P-BR jumps to 150g / 5.3oz — a deliberate choice for buyers who like the dense, reassuring heft and the way brass warms to body temperature. The titanium G series undercuts both at 82g / 2.89oz, making the most premium Beest also the lightest. Weight is not a quality score; it is a personality trait, and each variant picks a different one.

AR-RPM9 vs AR-SFII vs S35VN: the steel story

The Beest family is a miniature course in how Artisan Cutlery tiers its steels.

AR-RPM9 is the workhorse on the earlier 1878P models. It is a powder-metallurgy stainless built for a balance of edge retention and toughness at a budget price, and it takes a reasonable edge with standard sharpening gear. Our best AR-RPM9 steel EDC knives roundup covers where this steel shines across the brand's lineup.

AR-SFII arrives on the two pre-order 1878P models (the red rose-gold 1878P-RE and the gold black-PVD 1878P-GL) as a step up in performance. Both are $89.99, only $10 more than the brass AR-RPM9 model, which makes the newer steel the value pick of the P series if you do not mind waiting for the pre-order.

S35VN on the G series is the premium tier: a well-established stainless used widely across the industry for its combination of edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance, heat-treated here to 60–62 HRC. It is the same steel found in many knives at double the Beest's price, and it is the reason the G series earns its $199.99 tag. For a head-to-head view of how these steels rank, the 14C28N vs AR-RPM9 vs Nitro-V vs S35VN comparison is the place to start.

Material care: aluminum, brass, and titanium

The three handle materials ask for different levels of attention:

• Aluminum (P series) is the lowest maintenance. Anodized and coated finishes shrug off everyday wear, and a wipe with a damp cloth handles most cleaning. The black PVD blades on the BVT and GL models hide scratches especially well.
• Brass (1878P-BR) is a living material. It develops a natural patina with use, which most owners consider a feature — the knife slowly darkens and takes on a warm, aged character. If you prefer it bright, a brass polish brings it back; if you embrace the aging, just let it ride.
• Titanium (G series) needs almost nothing. It resists corrosion, does not patina, and the stone-washed S35VN blades hide wear beautifully. The fat carbon inlays on the GY model are sealed resin and require no special care beyond the occasional wipe.

None of the Beest models need disassembly for routine maintenance. The ceramic ball bearing pivot is sealed and smooth out of the box, and a drop of light oil at the pivot every few months keeps the action crisp.

Who should buy which Beest

The family splits cleanly by budget and intent:

• $69.99 budget carry: the purple aluminum 1878P-BVT. Light, colorful, and cheap enough that you will not stress about dings.
• $79.99 statement piece: the brass 1878P-BR. Heavy, warm, and guaranteed to patina into something unique.
• $89.99 new-steel pick: the red or gold AR-SFII pre-orders. The best steel-to-price ratio in the P series if you are happy to wait.
• $199.99 premium EDC: the 1878G-GY grey titanium + fat carbon. The definitive production Beest — titanium frame lock, S35VN, 2.89oz.
• $266.65 collector's piece: the ATZ-1878G prototype with its shorter 3.15" blade and dual stone wash / black PVD finish. One to grab while it exists.

Whichever tier you land in, the Beest delivers the same design DNA: Dusty Rhodes' dual-opener layout, a flat-ground drop point, and ceramic bearings — just wrapped in very different materials and price tags.