Two Knives, One Name
The CIVIVI Ki-V family is a study in how much one design name can stretch. Both knives are by Ostap Hel, both carry the Ki-V branding, and both are aimed at compact everyday carry. But the Ki-V slip joint is a 1.55-inch double detent slip joint at $53, while the Ki-V Plus is a 2.52-inch front flipper with a nested liner lock at $42.08. Same family, completely different tools — and the bigger, locking knife is the cheaper one.
If you are new to either format, our slip joint knives explained article covers the traditional mechanism, and front flipper vs top flipper walks through the opening styles. Both are worth a read before you pick between these two.
CIVIVI Ki-V Family at a Glance
| Model | Blade | Steel | Lock | Handle | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ki-V (C2108A) | 1.55" | 9Cr18MoV | Double detent slip joint | Natural G10 | $53.00 |
| Ki-V (C2108B) | 1.55" | 9Cr18MoV | Double detent slip joint | Black G10 | $53.00 |
| Ki-V (C2108C) | 1.55" | 9Cr18MoV | Double detent slip joint | Ivory G10 | $53.00 |
| Ki-V Plus (C20005B-1) | 2.52" | Nitro-V | Nested liner lock | Black G10 | $42.08 |
| Ki-V Plus (C20005B-2) | 2.52" | Nitro-V | Nested liner lock | Ivory G10 | $42.08 |
| Ki-V Plus (C20005B-3) | 2.52" | Nitro-V | Nested liner lock | Twill CF on G10 | $42.08 |
The Ki-V Slip Joint (C2108A / B / C) — $53.00
The Ki-V is a tiny slip joint: 1.55-inch blade, 3.94 inches overall, 1.4 ounces, and a 2.39-inch closed length that makes it genuinely disappear in a pocket. It uses a double detent slip joint mechanism, which means the blade sits in detent positions rather than locking — the same traditional, legal-friendly format CIVIVI uses across its slip joint lineup (see slip joint knives explained).
The 9Cr18MoV blade is flat ground and runs 57-60 HRC depending on the colorway, with a gray stonewashed finish on the natural version, black stonewashed on the black version, and silver bead blasted on the ivory version. All three use G10 handles, stainless steel liners and clip, and caged ceramic ball bearings at the pivot — surprisingly smooth for a knife this traditional. The clip is tip-up, right carry.
What you are paying for at $53 is the design and the build quality rather than materials: 9Cr18MoV is a solid budget stainless, and G10 handles are standard fare. The Ki-V's real value is its size and its non-threatening, office-friendly character.
The Ki-V Plus Front Flipper (C20005B-1 / 2 / 3) — $42.08
The Ki-V Plus is the same design language scaled up and modernized. The blade grows to 2.52 inches, overall length to 6.10 inches, and weight to 2.13 ounces. The steel upgrades to Nitro-V at 58-61 HRC, and the blade shape switches to a reverse tanto with a flat grind and a silver bead blasted finish (black stonewashed on the carbon fiber version).
Mechanically it is a completely different knife: a front flipper opener with a nested liner lock, riding on caged ceramic ball bearings. Front flippers are a CIVIVI specialty — front flipper vs top flipper explains the difference — and the Ki-V Plus is one of the more affordable entries in the format.
The handle options are black G10, ivory G10, and a twill carbon fiber overlay on black G10. The carbon fiber version also gets a black stonewashed blade and black liners, which makes it the dressiest of the three. At $42.08 it undercuts the slip joint by almost $11, which is one of those pricing quirks that makes the family fun to shop.
Slip Joint vs Liner Lock: What You're Actually Choosing
The Ki-V and Ki-V Plus force a real decision about mechanism:
- Ki-V slip joint: no lock, double detent action, 1.55-inch blade, 1.4 ounces. Best for environments where a locking blade is awkward or unwanted, and for people who like traditional two-hand opening. The closed length of 2.39 inches is the smallest knife here by a wide margin.
- Ki-V Plus: front flipper, nested liner lock, 2.52-inch blade, 2.13 ounces. Best for one-hand opening, more cutting edge, and a secure lock for harder tasks. Still compact at 6.10 inches overall.
Both are built on the same quality baseline: caged ceramic ball bearings, stainless steel internals, tip-up carry. The Ki-V Plus gives you more knife for less money; the Ki-V gives you a size and character the Plus can't match.
Steel Notes: 9Cr18MoV vs Nitro-V
The Ki-V's 9Cr18MoV is a Chinese stainless in the 440C family — easy to sharpen, good corrosion resistance, and perfectly fine for light EDC duty at 57-60 HRC. The Ki-V Plus's Nitro-V is a German nitrogen-alloyed steel that responds well to heat treatment and takes a very fine edge, running 58-61 HRC here. For detailed metallurgy, Knife Steel Nerds has thorough write-ups on Nitro-V and the 9Cr18MoV class. Official spec sheets for both models are on civivi.com, and Wikipedia's slip joint article is a good primer on the traditional mechanism.
Which One Fits Your Carry?
- You want the smallest possible knife: Ki-V slip joint, 2.39-inch closed length, 1.4 ounces.
- You want a one-hand front flipper: Ki-V Plus, with a real nested liner lock.
- You're on a budget: Ki-V Plus at $42.08 — more knife, less money.
- You want office-friendly character: Ki-V slip joint in natural G10 — tiny, quiet, non-locking.
- You want the dressiest option: Ki-V Plus carbon fiber (C20005B-3) with the black stonewashed blade.
The wider CIVIVI catalog has plenty of other compact options if neither format grabs you — our CIVIVI buying guide is the place to compare them all.
Front Flipper Mechanics: What the Ki-V Plus Gets Right
Front flippers are a different animal from the rear flipper tabs most people learn on. Instead of a tab sticking out of the spine, the flipper is a small lip at the top of the handle that you roll your index finger over to push the blade out. It keeps the knife's profile clean and gives a satisfying slow-roll deployment when done right. CIVIVI is one of the brands that popularized the format, and the Ki-V Plus sits near the entry point of that lineup — the front flipper vs top flipper guide explains the family of opening styles in more detail.
The Ki-V Plus runs on caged ceramic ball bearings at the pivot, the same bearing system CIVIVI uses across its higher-end models. Ceramic balls are harder and smoother than steel, and the cage keeps them aligned so the pivot stays consistent over time. That bearing setup is what makes the front flipper work well: the blade needs to swing out with just a finger roll, and a gritty pivot would ruin the action. The reverse tanto blade shape gives the Plus a strong tip with a flat-ish belly, which suits the front flipper's push-through cutting style.
Carry Notes: Clips, Weight, and Pocket Profile
Both Ki-V models carry tip-up on the right side, with stainless steel clips. The Ki-V slip joint at 1.4 ounces and a 2.39-inch closed length rides so deep in a pocket that you'll forget it's there — that's the whole point of the design. The Ki-V Plus at 2.13 ounces and 3.69 inches closed is still comfortably compact, landing in the same pocket profile as other small CIVIVI folders.
One practical difference: the slip joint's 2.39-inch closed length makes it one of the smallest knives in CIVIVI's lineup, while the Plus is closer to mainstream small-folder territory. If you're comparing pocketable CIVIVIs, our CIVIVI buying guide covers the wider range, and the Best Compact EDC Knives Under 3 Inches roundup is a good reference for how these two sit against the competition.
Ki-V vs Other Compact CIVIVIs
The Ki-V family competes with a crowded field of small CIVIVIs. The Baby Banter, covered in our Baby Banter family guide, is a 2.5-inch 14C28N button-style flipper with more handle per inch, and the Mini Elementum (featured in the Vosteed Corgi vs Kizer Microbe vs CIVIVI Mini Elementum showdown) is the classic small Elementum. Where the Ki-V stands out is the slip joint format — most compact CIVIVIs lock, so the Ki-V is the go-to if you want the smallest legal-friendly profile with CIVIVI's build quality.
Between the two Ki-V models, the Plus is the more capable cutter and the better value; the slip joint wins on size, character, and the traditional two-hand opening experience. Both share the same designer, the same bearing system, and the same attention to finish, so the deciding factor really is whether you want a lock and a front flipper, or a tiny traditional slip joint.
FAQ
What is the difference between the CIVIVI Ki-V and Ki-V Plus?
The Ki-V is a 1.55-inch-blade double detent slip joint at $53, while the Ki-V Plus is a 2.52-inch-blade front flipper with a nested liner lock at $42.08. Both are designed by Ostap Hel and share the Ki-V name, but the Plus is larger, uses a locking mechanism, and actually costs less.
What steel does the CIVIVI Ki-V use?
The Ki-V slip joint uses 9Cr18MoV at 57-60 HRC depending on the colorway, with a flat grind. The Ki-V Plus uses Nitro-V at 58-61 HRC, also with a flat grind.
Is the CIVIVI Ki-V Plus a front flipper?
Yes. The Ki-V Plus (C20005B series) is a front flipper knife with a 2.52-inch reverse tanto Nitro-V blade and a nested liner lock. It uses caged ceramic ball bearings at the pivot.
How much does the CIVIVI Ki-V cost?
The Ki-V slip joint is $53 in all three colorways (natural G10 C2108A, ivory C2108C, black C2108B). The Ki-V Plus is $42.08 in all three variants (black G10, ivory G10, and carbon fiber overlay C20005B-3).
Who designed the CIVIVI Ki-V and Ki-V Plus?
Both knives are designed by Ostap Hel. The Ki-V is a double detent slip joint, while the Ki-V Plus takes the same design language into a front flipper format with a nested liner lock.
The Bottom Line
The CIVIVI Ki-V family shows how much variety one design name can hide. The slip joint is the smallest, quietest knife CIVIVI makes in this line — 1.4 ounces of traditional double detent carry. The Ki-V Plus is a modern front flipper with a real lock and a better steel, at a lower price. Pick the Ki-V for size and character, or the Ki-V Plus for capability and value. You can't really go wrong either way.