Australian Hiker

Rating

Deejo Tattoo Naked Topography Knife Review

Now I need to own up here and say that I’m not a ‘knife kind of guy’. I’ll even go as far a cutting blocks of cheese or salami with my titanium spoon just to avoid carrying a knife. However that was before I’d seen the Deejo knives.

I  discovered these knives at the recent Outdoor Retailer Association show in Sydney and having the opportunity to handle them was enough for me to decide that I really wanted one. The first thing that you will notice about these knives even before you pick them up is that they are a work of art. In fact they are almost to pretty to use. The blades come is plain stainless steel as well as a dark grey steel version. What these knives are best known for is their ‘tattoo’ blades. These blades have various motifs etched into the blades ranging from the model shown here which has a topographic map design, to plants, snakes, and many other designs. In fact these knives are so pretty you almost want to mount them on a wall in a display cabinet rather than getting them dirty.

The knives do come in varying lengths but by far the most common size is the 11cm length (Blade folded) which will suit even the largest male hand but without being unwieldy if you hands are a bit smaller. The knife shown in this review is the 11cm ‘Tattoo Naked Topography Knife’ and for someone with fairly large meaty hands I found that this sized knife fit me quite comfortably. I’ve had reason to use knives for work in the past and find that smaller knives are just too awkward. Some of the blades (Deejo One Hand Knifes) also have serration on them which is the way to go if you will be cutting rope on a regular basis.

The Deejo knives have a few handles options and the one shown in this review is classed as ‘naked’,  which means that the handle is straight metal with no additional grip material.  For those looking at a lightweight knife that isn’t being used all day then this is a good option. If you feel that you want a different look or prefer some additional padding then you can get a variety of timbers and even carbon fibre on some of the models.

The weight of this knife is advertised as 37grams and both of my two digital scales agreed with this. The knife does come with a small 1gram material pouch if you want to keep it protected or alternatively to can use the attached belt clip. I’m generally not fan of belt loops preferring to keep any knife that I carry inside an easy to get to pocket in my pack.

These knives are made in France using 420 stainless steel which means that they are highly corrosion resistant so getting them wet or exposed to chemicals occasionally won’t destroy them. These knives aren’t cheap with this model; being $130 but is not just a high quality knife, it’s a work of art.

Now as I mentioned at the start of this review I usually don’t carry a knife preferring to make do with my spoon. As I was preparing to do a 5-6 week hike I decided that using a spoon for a cutting implement for this long was going to drive me insane and that it was time to break my knife carrying drought. This knife accompanies me on all my overnight hikes and they  also make great presents!

Deejo Tattoo Naked Topography Knife

We Like

• The looks. I could quite happily frame this knife and just look at it
• The weight!. At 37grams for the knife this is a very lightweight knife option for weight conscious hikers
• For an all metal knife it is comfortable in the hand
• Belt clip provides you with options for carrying
• A secure locking mechanism that ensures you won’t injure yourself. This mechanism is easy to close when the time comes
• 420 stainless steel to provides excellent durability and corrosion resistance

We Don't Like

• Not the cheapest knife around but you get what you pay for

Best Uses

• Lightweight all purpose knife that good for any activity, outdoors or otherwise

Buy One

You can purchase the Deejo Tattoo Naked Topography Knife online from Wild Earth

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $130 RRP

Other Versions

The Deejo knives do come in a range of smaller sizes but we strongly recommend the 11cm(closed) size as it fits  comfortably in most adult hands. Handle materials vary so go for the non naked varieties if you are doing some regular intensive cutting or just want something more stylish

Close up of knife ‘tattoo’ with blade closed

Knife open

Side view showing the belt clip which is also the unlocking mechanism

Side view showing the closing mechanism. Squeeze the knife at the top of the handle near the blade and the mechanism unlocks so that you can fold it closed

Folded knife in large male hand

Open knife in large male hand. I found this knife to be very comfortable to use even with just a bare metal handle. Other models come with timber of carbon fibre on the handle

Disclaimer

This review was done with product supplied by the Australian distributor of Deejo knives

Last updated

4 January 2025

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