Peachy Design Koma Review: A Build-Your-Own Folding Knife Concept

Introduction

If you grew up building things out of bricks, logs, or erector sets, the Peachy Design Koma will feel familiar. This is a folding knife built around the idea of customization, where the handle scales stack in layers and can be swapped to change the look and feel of the knife without tools you would not already own.

The Koma launched through a Kickstarter campaign, and it arrives with a distinctive angular tanto blade, a Grade 5 titanium body, and a scale system that is genuinely different from the usual fixed-handle folder. Here is how it all comes together.

Who This Knife Is For

The Koma is not a hard-use work knife. It is an artsy, stylish folder made for someone who loves customizing their gear and appreciates an unusual blade shape. It is lightweight, conversation-starting, and best suited as a casual everyday carry piece rather than a jobsite tool.

If you carry loose knives in a pocket without a clip, though, note that the review sample shipped without a pocket clip installed. The production version is planned to include a wired deep-carry pocket clip that fits within the scales, so this concern may resolve once the knife ships.

The Core Idea: Swappable Scales

The defining feature of the Koma is its handle construction. Instead of a single pair of scales, each side is made of three different pieces that stack on top of one another, secured by just two T6 screws. Once tightened, the pieces hold on tightly with no play at all.

Each layer can be customized with different materials and colors, and the center piece has a separate inlay shield that adds another dimension to the look. Current scale options include FRN (available in five colors, including the olive variant), G10 (in an amber and black combination), shredded gold carbon fiber, carbon fiber, and stonewashed titanium.

The titanium version of the knife body extends all the way up into the lanyard attachment, keeping the whole frame consistent in material. The result is a knife that looks unlike anything else in most collections.

The Blade: VG10 Tanto With Angular Flair

At first glance the blade reads as an upswept profile, but turned upside down it is actually a straight-back tanto that meets a generally flat handle. The upswept blade surface creates the visual trick, and the many angles across the grind give the knife a very angular, modern aesthetic.

The steel is VG10, a solid mid-grade option known for good edge retention and strong corrosion resistance at a budget price. That is an interesting pick for a knife of this style, though more enthusiast-oriented steels are reportedly planned for the future, including S35VN, S90V, and a Japanese 189 steel. Additional blade shapes such as drop point, Wharncliffe, or sheepsfoot would pair beautifully with the modular scale system and would truly make the Koma the erector set of knives.

Action and Lockup

The Koma uses a rear flipper that sits slightly higher than the pivot, and the action feels very smooth, likely thanks to ball bearings in the pivot. The steel liner lock handles the locking duty.

The drop shut is not the greatest out of the box, requiring a bit of effort to close freely. Normally that would be a simple pivot adjustment, but there is a catch: the pivot has a proprietary triangular shape, and no tool in a standard kit fits it, nor does the box include one. This is worth knowing before you buy, since you may need to source a specific bit to tune the action.

Swapping Scales in Practice

Changing the scales takes about a minute per side once you have a T6 bit. The stacked pieces come off fairly easily, though the bottom piece can initially stick because it bears most of the pressure from the screws.

The result is worth the effort. Mixing stonewashed titanium on one side and amber-black G10 on the other gives the knife a completely different personality. With five FRN colors plus carbon fiber, shredded gold carbon fiber, G10, and titanium options, the customization potential is close to endless.

Specs and Handling

Overall length comes in at 7 inches with a 2.8-inch blade and a 4.2-inch closed length. Weight is impressively low: strip the scales and the Grade 5 titanium body plus VG10 blade come to just 63 grams, and lightweight scale materials like FRN or carbon fiber barely add to that.

One handling note: there is a slight hotspot near the lanyard attachment, where the angular titanium end has a fairly sharp edge that can dig into the side of your hand during use. Adjusting your grip solves it, but it is worth mentioning given the unique shape of the frame end.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Three negatives stand out. First, the T6 screws are an odd choice when T8 is far more common in the knife world. Second, the sharp lanyard-end hotspot can press into your hand during use. Third, the proprietary triangular pivot cannot be adjusted with any standard tool and no bit is included in the box, which makes tuning the action difficult.

None of these are dealbreakers, but they are design choices that may change as the product matures and more scale and blade options arrive.

Buying Advice

The Koma is currently available through its Kickstarter campaign, which is the way to grab one if the concept appeals to you. If you are someone who loves to customize your knives and wants something nobody else at the table is carrying, this is very likely the knife for you.

It is unique enough to earn a spot in an everyday rotation, even if it is better suited to casual carry than heavy work. The balance of a distinctive tanto blade, featherweight titanium construction, and a scale system you can rebuild at will makes it one of the more interesting folders to watch.

Conclusion

The Peachy Design Koma is a genuinely fresh take on the folding knife: modular stacked scales, an angular tanto blade, and a featherlight titanium frame. The proprietary pivot, T6 screws, and the lanyard-end hotspot are real flaws, but the customization potential is unmatched, and future blade steels and shapes could make this platform truly special.