Kizer's Parakeet is one of the more interesting small folders of the year: a 2.46-inch sheepsfoot-or-drop-point blade in a 5.87-inch package, wrapped in six different handle materials across seven variants. If you like the idea of a compact knife that disappears in a pocket but still has a real button lock, this family is worth understanding properly, because the variants differ in ways that matter more than colour.
Here is every Parakeet model, what changes between them, and which one makes sense for you.
What the Parakeet is
Designed by Johan Jordaan, the Parakeet is built around a compact platform: a 2.46-inch blade, 0.11-inch stock, 5.87 inches overall, flat ground and made from Nitro-V stainless. Kizer rates most variants at 58–60 HRC, with one aluminium model listed at 60–61 HRC. Every variant uses a button-style lock and either a thumb stud or a thumb hole for opening, and weights span 60.1 g to 73.2 g depending on handle material.
That combination — small blade, button lock, optional thumb hole — puts it in a specific niche. It is not a heavy-use folder. It is a precise, pocketable knife for opening packages, breaking down cardboard, trimming, and light food prep, which is exactly how Kizer positions it on the product page.
The full Parakeet lineup
| Model | Handle | Blade shape | Finish | Lock (as listed) | Opening | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2706A1 (v2706a1) | PEI | Drop point | Black | Button lock | Thumb hole | 60.1 g | $57.95 |
| 2706A2 (v2706a2) | Acrylic | Sheepsfoot | Satin | Button lock | Thumb stud | 61.9 g | $55.95 |
| 2706A3 (v2706a3) | Micarta | Drop point | Stonewash | Button liner lock | Thumb hole | 60.1 g | $56.95 |
| 2706A4 (v2706a4) | Aluminum | Drop point | Satin | Button lock | Thumb hole | 70.5 g | $65.95 |
| 2706A5 (v2706a5) | Aluminum | Sheepsfoot | Black | Button liner lock | Thumb stud | 73.2 g | $65.95 |
| 2706A6 (v2706a6) | GID G10 | Sheepsfoot | Stonewash | Button liner lock | Thumb stud | 66.6 g | $59.98 |
| 2706A7 (v2706a7) | GID G10 | — | — | Button liner lock | — | — | $59.98 |
Blade length, stock thickness, overall length and steel are shared across the family, so the columns that actually change your experience are handle material, blade shape, opening method and weight.
Handle materials, from lightest to heaviest
PEI (2706A1). Polyetherimide is a high-performance engineering polymer, and on the Parakeet it produces the lightest configuration at 60.1 g. It is the material to pick if weight is your priority and you want something more exotic than plain FRN.
Acrylic (2706A2). The cheapest variant at $55.95, and the most visually varied. Acrylic is the least hard-wearing of the group in general terms, so treat it as a light-duty, good-looking option rather than a workhorse.
Micarta (2706A3). A fabric-and-resin composite, and the variant most people will find comfortable in hand — textured, grippy and 60.1 g. It also pairs with a stonewash blade and a thumb hole, which is a tidy combination. If you want the background on how these laminates are made, Wikipedia's entry on Micarta covers the basics, and our own guide compares G10, Micarta, titanium and carbon fibre.
Aluminum (2706A4, 2706A5). The premium-looking options and the heaviest at 70.5 g and 73.2 g. Milled aluminium feels more solid than polymer, and the A5 pairs that with a black-coated sheepsfoot blade at 60–61 HRC — the hardest listing in the family.
GID G10 (2706A6, 2706A7). Glass-fibre laminate with a glow-in-the-dark treatment, at 66.6 g for the A6. Kizer released this pair as part of its June 2026 lineup, and the A6 specifically pairs a yellow GID G10 handle with a stonewashed sheepsfoot blade.
Button lock or button liner lock?
Here is a detail worth knowing before you buy: Kizer's own listings are not consistent. Some Parakeet pages describe the lock as a button lock, others as a button liner lock, across variants that otherwise share a platform. If a specific mechanism matters to you, check the individual variant page rather than assuming from the family.
What is consistent is the user experience — a push-button release that lets the blade drop closed one-handed. Our explainer on how button, clutch and top liner locks differ is a useful primer if this is your first push-button knife.
Thumb stud or thumb hole
The Parakeet splits cleanly here. The PEI, Micarta and aluminium drop-point models (A1, A3, A4) use a thumb hole. The acrylic, aluminium sheepsfoot and GID G10 models (A2, A5, A6) use a thumb stud. Both work well on a knife this size, and the choice is mostly about feel: a hole gives you a place to choke up and is snag-free, while a stud gives a more positive purchase with gloves or cold fingers. We compared the two approaches in detail in thumb hole vs thumb stud.
Blade shape follows the same split. Drop point (A1, A3, A4) is the more general-purpose profile with a stronger tip for everyday cutting; sheepsfoot (A2, A5, A6) gives you a straighter cutting edge and a blunter tip, which is handy for controlled cuts where you do not want to pierce anything. If you are choosing on blade shape alone, see our breakdown of blade shapes for everyday carry.
Nitro-V at 58–61 HRC
Nitro-V is a nitrogen-alloyed stainless steel that has become a staple of the budget-to-mid-range EDC market. Kizer states that the Parakeet's blade resists corrosion and holds an edge around 30 percent longer than standard stainless — a manufacturer claim rather than an independent test, but consistent with where Nitro-V sits in the wider steel hierarchy: solid corrosion resistance, fine grain, and edge retention that is a step above basic 8Cr-class steel without the price of a powder-metallurgy super steel.
On a 2.46-inch blade that is mostly doing light work, that is more than enough. If you want the direct comparison to the other steel that dominates this price band, our 14C28N vs Nitro-V breakdown covers where each one wins, and Knife Steel Nerds goes deeper on how stainless steels actually resist corrosion. The 0.11-inch stock is also worth noting — thin enough to slice well, thick enough that the blade does not feel flimsy, a balance we looked at in our guide to blade thickness.
Living with a 2.46-inch blade
Small folders ask something different of you. A 2.46-inch blade will not process firewood or slice a loaf in one stroke, but it will do almost everything a desk or workshop knife is actually used for, and it does it with less bulk in the pocket. The Parakeet's 5.87-inch overall length means it sits flat against a seam rather than printing, and the 60–73 g weight range is light enough to forget you are carrying it.
Two maintenance habits keep a knife like this working well. First, keep the pivot clean — pocket lint and fine grit are the most common causes of a gritty action or a blade that drifts off centre, and the fix is usually a clean and a small adjustment rather than a repair. Our walkthrough on pivot adjustment covers both. Second, lubricate sparingly and wipe the blade down after wet use; Nitro-V is corrosion resistant, not corrosion proof. The routine in our cleaning and lubricating guide takes a couple of minutes and keeps a button lock crisp for years.
One practical note on the button lock: if you have never carried one before, give yourself a session or two of dry handling before you rely on it. The release is fast and entirely one-handed, which is the whole point, but it rewards a consistent grip.
How it fits among Kizer's other small knives
The Parakeet is not Kizer's smallest knife, but it is the most versatile of the compact group. If you are weighing it against the Microbe or the Yorkie, our shoulder-to-shoulder comparison of the smallest Kizer EDC knives is the fastest way to see the size and price differences. More broadly, it belongs in the same conversation as the rest of the best compact EDC knives under three inches, and against the rest of Kizer's affordable lineup it stacks up well — see Kizer's best EDC knives under $80.
Which Parakeet should you buy?
- Lightest and most unusual: 2706A1 in PEI at 60.1 g, $57.95, with a black drop-point blade and thumb hole.
- Best value: 2706A2 in acrylic at $55.95 — the cheapest way into the family.
- Best all-rounder: 2706A3 in Micarta at $56.95, with a stonewash drop point and thumb hole.
- Most solid feel: 2706A5 in aluminium at 73.2 g, with the sheepsfoot blade Kizer lists at 60–61 HRC.
- Most fun: 2706A6 in glow-in-the-dark G10 at $59.98.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Kizer Parakeet? The blade is 2.46 inches and the knife is 5.87 inches overall, with 0.11-inch blade stock. It weighs between 60.1 g and 73.2 g depending on handle material.
What steel does the Kizer Parakeet use? Nitro-V stainless steel, rated by Kizer at 58–60 HRC for most variants and 60–61 HRC for the aluminium 2706A5.
Does the Parakeet have a button lock? Yes. Kizer's listings describe the lock as either a button lock or a button liner lock depending on the variant, but every Parakeet uses a push-button, one-handed release.
Which Parakeet variant is lightest? The PEI-handled 2706A1 and the Micarta 2706A3 both come in at 60.1 g, making them the lightest in the family.
Is the Parakeet good for everyday carry? It is designed for exactly that: opening packages, light cutting and precision tasks. The compact blade and 60–73 g weight make it easy to carry, though the 2.46-inch blade is not intended for heavy chopping or outdoor camp work.