WE Knife Cryonix Review: A 2.03-Inch M390 Titanium Hawkbill for Everyday Carry

The WE Knife Cryonix (WE24070) is one of the most distinctive folders in WE's current catalog, and not just because of the price. It pairs a 2.03-inch Bohler M390 hawkbill blade with a full 6AL4V titanium handle, an integral backspacer that doubles as a finger ring, and a nested liner lock — all in a knife that weighs 3.55 ounces and costs $325 across all four finishes. It is a small knife with a specialized blade shape, and that combination is either exactly what you want or not what you need at all.

What is the WE Knife Cryonix?

The Cryonix is WE's compact premium flipper, built around a hawkbill blade that most folders in its price class avoid. Hawkbills are pull-cut specialists: the curved belly keeps the edge engaged as you draw the knife toward you, which makes them excellent for rope, webbing, straps, carpet, and zip ties. WE took that shape, paired it with their signature M390-plus-titanium formula, and wrapped it in a short 6.69-inch package with a finger ring at the tail.

There are four variants — WE24070-1 through WE24070-4 — and all of them list at $325. The differences are cosmetic: black, gray, bronze, and blue finishes on the titanium handle and blade, respectively.

Cryonix specs at a glance

One thing jumps out of that table: the blade is barely two inches long, but the knife weighs over three and a half ounces. The full titanium construction — handle, liner, backspacer, ring, clip — adds up. That is the trade-off for an all-metal premium build in a compact size.

The M390 hawkbill blade

M390 is a powder-metallurgy stainless steel with famously high edge retention and corrosion resistance, and it is the steel WE uses across most of its premium line. [Knife Steel Nerds' history of M390](https://knifesteelnerds.com/2020/06/01/m390-steel-history-and-properties-and-20cv-and-204p/ "M390 Steel - History and Properties" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow") explains why it became the default for high-end folders: it holds an edge longer than almost any stainless in its class and sharpens to a very fine apex. The Cryonix's blade is flat-ground and heat-treated to 58-61 HRC depending on the finish (58-60 on the black and bronze variants, 59-61 on the gray and blue), which is in the normal range for M390.

The hawkbill shape is the more interesting part. Unlike a drop point or clip point, a hawkbill curves downward into a pronounced hook. That shape excels at pull cuts: when you draw the blade through rope, webbing, or fabric, the curved edge stays in contact with the material instead of sliding off. It is a shape with real history in maritime and rigging work, and it is the same logic that drives the popularity of hawkbill utility knives.

The flip side is that a 2.03-inch hawkbill is a specialist. Push cuts, precise tip work, and slicing on a flat board are not what this blade is for. If you mostly cut boxes and tape, our best blade shape for EDC guide lays out why a drop point or wharncliffe would serve you better. If you routinely cut cord, strap, and webbing, the Cryonix's blade is genuinely purpose-built.

Opening and action

The Cryonix is a flipper. The small flipper tab flicks the blade out on caged ceramic ball bearings, and WE's spec sheet also lists a 6AL4V titanium thumb stud in the hardware. The nested liner lock sits flush inside the titanium handle — WE's version of the liner lock trims weight and keeps the lockbar from protruding.

At 2.03 inches, the blade is short enough that the flick is snappy rather than dramatic. The ceramic bearings make the action smooth from the first opening, and the nested liner lock has a clean, crisp release. It is a well-executed example of the flipper knife action we covered in our guide to good versus great opening feel.

Handle, ring, and carry

The Cryonix's handle is where it stops being a normal folder. The 6AL4V titanium scales house an integral backspacer that extends into a finger ring at the tail of the knife. Slip your pinky or index finger through the ring and the knife stays anchored to your hand even with a gloved grip; it also gives the closed knife something solid to hang onto when you pull it from a pocket.

The knife carries tip-up with a left/right reversible titanium clip. At 3.55 ounces it is not a lightweight by any stretch, but the short blade means the whole package sits low in the pocket and takes up less space than the weight suggests. Compared to the 4-plus-inch titanium folders in WE's lineup, the Cryonix is noticeably more pocket-friendly, and our WE Knife titanium folders guide ranks it as the most compact option in the group.

The four variants

All four Cryonix variants share the same specs and the same $325 price; the finishes are the only difference:

• WE24070-1 — black stonewashed and satin flat blade, black and satin titanium handle
• WE24070-2 — gray stonewashed and satin flat blade, gray and satin titanium handle
• WE24070-3 — black stonewashed blade, bronze and satin titanium handle with black hardware
• WE24070-4 — stonewashed and satin flat blade, blue and satin titanium handle with gray hardware

The WE24070-1 and WE24070-4 are the two most common in the catalog; pick the finish that fits your carry. WE's [official Cryonix product page](https://www.weknife.com/products/weknife-cryonix-we24070-1 "WE Knife Cryonix WE24070-1 - Official Specs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow") lists the full spec sheet for each variant, and [Blade HQ carries the line](https://www.bladehq.com/item--WE-Knife-Co-Cryonix-WE24070-2--227664 "WE Knife Cryonix at Blade HQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow") if you want a second source on availability.

How it compares

The Cryonix sits at the small end of WE's premium titanium lineup, and the rest of the family helps frame what it is and is not:

• WE Knife Fluxor at $343 — a 3.98-inch M390 wharncliffe with the same nested liner lock and titanium build. The general-purpose big brother: much more blade for a slightly higher price.
• WE Knife Skynix at $311 — a 3.7-inch M390 clip point with a bolster lock and flipper-plus-thumb-stud deployment. Our Fluxor vs Skynix comparison covers both in depth.
• WE Knife Inceptus from $261 — a 3.57-inch M390 wharncliffe frame lock with front-flipper and thumb-hole deployment, and the most balanced spec sheet of the group.

If the Cryonix's $325 price gives you pause, the other end of the micro-knife spectrum is worth a look: the Kizer Microlith packs a 2.4-inch blade into a titanium handle for $49.97. You are paying a premium for the M390 steel, the hawkbill geometry, and WE's build quality — the steel comparison in our M390 vs S90V vs Elmax vs CPM-20CV guide and [Knife Steel Nerds' metallurgist ratings](https://knifesteelnerds.com/2021/10/19/knife-steels-rated-by-a-metallurgist-toughness-edge-retention-and-corrosion-resistance/ "Knife Steels Rated by a Metallurgist" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow") show where that money goes.

Who is it for

The Cryonix is for people who know they want a hawkbill and want one built to a premium standard: rigging and workshop users who cut cord and strap all day, collectors who want a distinctive piece in their WE Knife collection, and anyone who wants a premium folder with a sub-2.5-inch blade that stays legal in more places than a 4-inch model. The finger ring, the M390 edge, and the compact footprint all point at the same buyer.

It is not for someone who wants one knife to do everything. A 2.03-inch hawkbill cannot replace a general-purpose EDC folder, and at $325 it is a specialist purchase by definition. If your carry is mostly boxes and general utility cutting, a drop-point folder from WE's own lineup — or a budget micro knife like the Microlith — will serve you better for a fraction of the price.

Verdict

The WE Knife Cryonix is a beautifully executed specialist. The M390 hawkbill, the full titanium construction, the integral finger ring, and the silky caged-bearing action are all top tier, and $325 is a defensible price for what WE packs into it. Just go in knowing the blade shape defines the use case: this is a pull-cut tool and a compact-premium statement piece, not a do-everything folder. Buy it for what it is — one of the most interesting micro hawkbills in the premium segment — and it will not disappoint.

FAQ

What steel is the WE Knife Cryonix made from?

The Cryonix uses a 2.03-inch Bohler M390 hawkbill blade with a flat grind. Hardness is 58-60 HRC on the black and bronze variants and 59-61 HRC on the gray and blue variants.

How does the Cryonix open?

It is a flipper knife with caged ceramic ball bearings. WE's spec sheet also lists a 6AL4V titanium thumb stud among the hardware, and the knife uses a nested liner lock.

What are the four Cryonix variants?

WE24070-1 (black/satin), WE24070-2 (gray/satin), WE24070-3 (bronze/satin with black hardware), and WE24070-4 (blue/satin with gray hardware). All share the same specs and $325 price.

Is the finger ring removable?

The finger ring is part of the integral backspacer assembly per WE's official specification, so it is not a separate removable part. It serves as both the backspacer and a retention ring.

Is this a hands-on review?

No. This article is based on official WE Knife product specifications, listed prices, and retail listings. We have not carried or tested the Cryonix ourselves.