CIVIVI's Asticus is one of those model names that quietly covers two very different knives. The full-size Asticus is a big, heavy, hollow-ground flipper built around a 3.80-inch blade. The Mini Asticus keeps the same mechanism in a 3.25-inch package. They share a name plate, a lock type and a pivot system, and almost nothing else.
That matters before you buy, because the two are priced in a way most people do not expect. The smaller knife is the more expensive one. Here is the full picture, variant by variant, with current 2026 pricing.
The 3.80-inch Asticus: a full-size working folder
The standard Asticus runs a 3.80" / 96.4 mm drop-point blade in an 8.81" / 223.7 mm overall package, with a 5.01" / 127.3 mm closed length. Blade stock is 0.12" / 3 mm and the handle is 0.47" / 12 mm thick.
The blade is hollow ground and finished in satin, with a hardness rating of 59-61 HRC on the D2 versions. Every variant uses a liner lock, a flipper tab for deployment, a caged ceramic ball bearing pivot, and a tip-up stainless steel clip that can be mounted left or right.
Here is the current line-up:
| Variant | SKU | Blade steel | Handle | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asticus | C2002D | D2 | Black G10 | 3.88 oz / 110 g | $65 |
| Asticus | C2002A | D2 | OD green G10 | 3.88 oz / 110 g | $65 |
| Asticus | C2002B | D2 | Natural G10 | 3.88 oz / 110 g | $65 |
| Asticus | C2002C | D2 | Blue G10 | 3.88 oz / 110 g | $65 |
| Asticus | C2002E | D2 | Brass | 6.59 oz / 186.9 g | $70 |
| Asticus | C2002F | D2 | Copper | 6.79 oz / 192.4 g | $70 |
| Asticus | C2002DS-1 | Damascus | Twill carbon fiber over G10 | 3.88 oz / 110 g | $90 |
The G10 versions are the value story: four colorways, all $65, all 110 g, and all running the same D2 blade. That is a lot of knife for the money, provided an 8.81-inch overall length fits your carry.
The 3.25-inch Mini Asticus: smaller, but not necessarily lighter
The Mini Asticus shortens the blade to 3.25" / 82.6 mm and the overall package to 7.55" / 191.7 mm, with a closed length of 4.3" / 109.1 mm. Blade stock stays at 0.12" / 3 mm; the handle stays 0.47" / 12 mm thick.
Mechanically nothing changes: liner lock, flipper tab, caged ceramic ball bearing pivot, tip-up left/right clip, hollow grind. What does change is the steel and the price.
| Variant | SKU | Blade steel | Handle | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Asticus | C19026B-4 | 10Cr15CoMoV | Purple G10 | 2.99 oz / 84.9 g | $81.80 |
| Mini Asticus | C19026B-3 | 10Cr15CoMoV | Natural G10 | 2.99 oz / 84.9 g | $81.80 |
| Mini Asticus | C19026B-5 | 10Cr15CoMoV | Cuibourtia wood | 2.83 oz / 80.3 g | $81.80 |
| Mini Asticus | C19026B-1 | 10Cr15CoMoV | Copper | 5.13 oz / 145.5 g | $81.80 |
| Mini Asticus | C19026B-2 | 10Cr15CoMoV | Brass | 4.97 oz / 140.8 g | $81.80 |
| Mini Asticus | C19026B-DS1 | Damascus | Natural G10 | 2.99 oz / 84.9 g | $81.80 |
| Mini Asticus | C19026B-DS2 | Damascus | Cuibourtia wood | 2.71 oz / 76.8 g | $81.80 |
The pricing inversion worth knowing about
The Mini Asticus undercuts the full-size knife on blade length, overall length and closed length, and then charges $81.80 for it while the full-size G10 Asticus sits at $65.
The reason is positioning rather than size. The full-size line has a plain-value tier built on G10. The Mini line has no equivalent tier at all - every single Mini Asticus variant, including the plain G10 ones, is priced at $81.80. What you are buying in the smaller knife is the material menu (copper, brass, Cuibourtia wood, Damascus) and the more compact footprint, not a discount.
If your budget is $65 and your priority is the most knife for the money, the full-size Asticus in G10 is simply the better value. If a 4.3-inch closed length is what actually fits your pocket, the Mini is the one that will get carried, and the premium is the price of that fit.
Weight is the real variable here
Look at the weight column across both tables and one thing stands out: the Mini Asticus in copper weighs 145.5 g. That is heavier than the full-size G10 Asticus at 110 g, and it is nearly double the lightest Mini in the line, the Damascus Cuibourtia wood version at 76.8 g.
Copper and brass are dense, and their density does not scale with blade length. A Mini Asticus in copper is a heavy small knife; whether that reads as reassuring or as a problem depends entirely on how you carry. In a front pocket, 145.5 g is noticeable. In a bag or on a belt, it is irrelevant.
| Handle material | Mini Asticus weight | Full-size Asticus weight |
|---|---|---|
| Cuibourtia wood | 2.71 - 2.83 oz / 76.8 - 80.3 g | not offered |
| G10 | 2.99 oz / 84.9 g | 3.88 oz / 110 g |
| Brass | 4.97 oz / 140.8 g | 6.59 oz / 186.9 g |
| Copper | 5.13 oz / 145.5 g | 6.79 oz / 192.4 g |
Steel: D2, 10Cr15CoMoV and Damascus
The Asticus family uses three blade materials, and the split runs along the size line.
D2 on every full-size Asticus. D2 is a semi-stainless tool steel with high chromium content and a reputation for wear resistance well above its price bracket. It is not fully stainless, so a wipe-down after wet use is worth doing. CIVIVI rates it at 59-61 HRC here. D2 steel on Wikipedia covers the composition, and Knife Steel Nerds' comparison of carbon and stainless knife steels explains where a semi-stainless steel like D2 actually sits.
10Cr15CoMoV on the standard Mini Asticus variants. The name is the recipe: roughly 1% carbon, 15% chromium, plus cobalt, molybdenum and vanadium. It is the Chinese GB-standard equivalent of Japanese VG-10, and it is a genuinely corrosion-resistant stainless with good edge holding for the money. CIVIVI lists it between 58 and 61 HRC depending on the variant, which is right where this steel performs best.
Damascus on the two showpiece variants - the full-size carbon fiber C2002DS-1 at $90, and the two Mini models at $81.80. The pattern is the point here; a Damascus blade is a looks-first purchase, and CIVIVI does not publish a specific composition for these layered billets.
The practical read: if you want maximum edge retention and will maintain the blade, D2 is the stronger choice. If you want the lowest-maintenance stainless and easy sharpening, 10Cr15CoMoV is the friendlier one.
Action: what the hollow grind and flipper give you
Both Asticus sizes share the same mechanism, and it is a good one for the price. The hollow grind makes the blade thinner behind the edge than a flat or saber grind at the same stock thickness, so it slices cleanly rather than wedging - the trade is that a thin hollow-ground edge is more delicate if you are hard on a blade.
The flipper tab and caged ceramic ball bearing pivot are the same combination CIVIVI uses across most of its flipper range. A caged bearing keeps the balls captured in a retainer rather than running loose in the pivot, which makes cleaning and reassembly far less fiddly than a loose-ball setup. Deployment on a well-tuned bearing flipper is fast and, on a knife this size, usually light enough to close with a flick.
The liner lock is the older, simpler answer to the same problem the frame lock solves. Our frame lock vs liner lock comparison covers what the two mechanisms actually differ on. If you want the background on why edge geometry matters as much as steel choice, the edge geometry explainer is worth five minutes.
Which Asticus should you buy?
Buy the full-size Asticus in G10 if you want the most knife per dollar. At $65 with a D2 blade, a 3.80-inch edge and a 110 g weight, it competes directly with knives that cost noticeably more.
Buy the full-size Asticus in copper or brass if you want the metal-handle look and do not mind 6.6 to 6.8 oz in the pocket. Our copper and brass handle guide covers how these materials age and what they need.
Buy the Mini Asticus in G10 or wood if a 4.3-inch closed length is what your carry actually allows. At 76.8-84.9 g it stays light, and 10Cr15CoMoV is an easy steel to live with.
Skip the copper or brass Mini if weight is the reason you are downsizing. At 5.13 oz the copper Mini weighs more than the full-size G10 knife.
Either way, the CIVIVI buying guide puts the Asticus in context against the rest of the range, and the Elementum family guide covers the design most people think of first when they hear CIVIVI.
Full specification sheets for each version are on CIVIVI's own product pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mini Asticus actually smaller, or just a different name?
It is genuinely smaller: 3.25" / 82.6 mm blade against 3.80" / 96.4 mm, 7.55" overall against 8.81", and 4.3" closed against 5.01". Mechanism, blade thickness and handle thickness are identical.
Why does the Mini Asticus cost more than the full-size Asticus?
Because the Mini line has no G10 value tier. Every Mini variant - including the plain G10 models - is priced at $81.80, while the full-size Asticus starts at $65 in G10. The Mini's price reflects its material menu and compact footprint rather than its size.
Is D2 stainless?
No. D2 is a semi-stainless tool steel. It has enough chromium to resist rust far better than a simple carbon steel, but it is not in the same class as 10Cr15CoMoV at roughly 15% chromium. Wipe it down after wet or acidic use.
What is 10Cr15CoMoV equivalent to?
It is the Chinese GB-standard equivalent of Japanese VG-10, with roughly 1% carbon, 15% chromium, plus cobalt, molybdenum and vanadium. In practice the two perform in the same band; heat treatment quality is the bigger variable.
Is the copper Mini Asticus too heavy for pocket carry?
At 5.13 oz / 145.5 g it is heavier than the full-size G10 Asticus, so if you are switching to the Mini to save weight, choose the wood or G10 version instead - both come in under 3 oz.