CPM MagnaCut was designed from the ground up by metallurgist Larrin Thomas and produced by Crucible Industries to outperform the previous generation of powder-metallurgy steels across the board. Compared to CPM-S35VN, CPM MagnaCut delivers significantly better edge retention, equal or better toughness, and vastly superior corrosion resistance — it approaches the rust resistance of H1 steel while maintaining the hardness and sharpening ease you'd expect from a premium stainless alloy. For daily carry, that means a blade that holds its edge longer, resists pocket moisture better, and still resharpens on a standard bench stone without fighting you.

A reverse tanto — sometimes called a sheepsfoot or modified tanto — features a spine that curves down to meet the edge rather than the classic tanto's angular false edge. The result is a reinforced, almost chisel-like tip that concentrates cutting force on a small area for controlled puncture and detail work, while the flat edge geometry handles slicing cleanly. It's an excellent choice for box cutting, strapping, and any task where tip precision matters more than a piercing point. The reverse tanto on the Bel Air Wampa is paired with a flat grind, which keeps the geometry versatile for general EDC use.

The Bel Air Wampa is a SpeedSafe assisted-opening folding knife, not an automatic or OTF — it requires manual pressure on the thumb stud to initiate opening, which places it outside the definition of a switchblade under federal law. That said, assisted-opening knife laws vary by state, city, and municipality. Knifeworks cannot provide legal advice. We recommend checking your local laws at akti.org (American Knife and Tool Institute) before carrying. Call us at 888-225-9775 if you have questions about a specific state.

Kershaw offers a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship — if the knife fails due to a manufacturing defect, Kershaw will repair or replace it at no charge. Warranty service is handled directly by Kershaw, not Knifeworks. To submit a warranty claim, contact Kershaw through their website at kershawknives.com with a description of the issue and your proof of purchase. Normal wear, sharpening, and damage from misuse are not covered under the warranty.

SpeedSafe is Kershaw's proprietary assisted-opening system, built into the pivot with a torsion bar spring. You initiate the opening stroke manually by pressing the thumb stud — once the blade reaches a set angle, the torsion bar kicks in and snaps the blade fully open and locked. The result is one-handed deployment that's faster than a standard manual folder without crossing into automatic territory. The 6105WBLU features ambidextrous thumb studs, so left- and right-handed carriers both get the same clean deployment experience.

The Bel Air Wampa uses 6061-T6 aluminum, the same aircraft-grade alloy used across Kershaw's USA production line. It's lightweight, dimensionally stable, and resistant to corrosion. The white anodized finish does show scuffs and pocket wear more visibly than a black or gray handle over time — that's the trade-off with any light-colored anodized aluminum. Buyers who prefer a pristine look tend to rotate the Wampa into a lighter-duty carry role, while those who don't mind the patina carry it hard. Either way, the structural integrity of the handle is not affected by cosmetic wear.

CPM MagnaCut is one of the more forgiving premium steels to maintain. For sharpening, a ceramic rod, fine diamond stone, or any standard bench system works well — the steel does not require specialized abrasives the way some harder alloys do. The Blue PVD finish on the 6105WBLU adds an additional corrosion barrier, but it will wear off at the edge bevel with use, which is normal. Wipe the blade dry after exposure to moisture, apply a light coat of food-safe mineral oil if storing for extended periods, and the blade will hold its finish and edge for years of daily use.

Yes. The Bel Air Wampa 6105WBLU is manufactured at Kershaw's production facility in Tualatin, Oregon. USA-made Kershaw knives go through domestic quality control and are held to tighter fit-and-finish standards than Kershaw's offshore production line. The "Wampa" designation refers to this specific white-handle, blue-PVD variant of the Bel Air platform, and all Wampa colorway models are USA production pieces.