Overview & First Impressions
Naming a knife after the witch of Slavic folklore sets an expectation, and the Baba Yaga is well aware of it. Greg Schob designed this one while serving in the US Coast Guard, and it has the proportions of a working knife rather than a showpiece: a sharp point, a handle that fills the hand, and an 80s camo carbon inlay that makes it hard to mistake for anything else on the table. It is a compact folder that leans toward precision work.
Materials & Construction
CPM 20CV is the Crucible answer to M390, near identical chemistry with the same vanadium carbide volume, so expect superb wear resistance and good corrosion behaviour. In practice that means an edge that keeps cutting through abrasive material long after a simpler stainless would be dull, and a blade that needs diamond abrasives to sharpen properly. The titanium handle holds a camo carbon inlay that is sealed under the surface rather than glued on top.
Design & Details
The frame lock is machined into the titanium slab, which is the strongest and simplest arrangement you can build into a folding knife, and the lock bar has a relief cut that keeps it from feeling stiff. There is jimping where your thumb naturally sits and a subtle forward guard that stops your hand sliding forward. The inlay is the visual signature, an irregular camo pattern in carbon fibre that shifts under light without being loud.
Real-World Use
I used it for two weeks on ordinary tasks and one afternoon of yard work, and the thing that stood out was the point. It is fine enough to start a cut in plastic strapping and precise enough for trimming a gasket. The handle is comfortable for a full fist, though people with very large hands may find it a touch short. Pocket carry is easy because the profile is slim and the clip sits deep.
Ownership Notes
20CV holds an edge so well that most owners over sharpen. Strop weekly, and only drop to stones when the edge actually fails to bite. Titanium handles mark; a scotch pad in one direction will blend small scratches if it bothers you. Keep the lock face clean, because a single grain of grit in the interface will make the lock feel gritty for weeks. Worth knowing: CPM-20CV sits in the same family as M390, so if you already own a knife in that class you know what to expect, and among folding knives near this price the edge holding is genuinely hard to beat.
Who Is This For?
Buy it if you appreciate designer knives with a story, or if you want 20CV performance in a compact titanium frame lock. It suits collectors and daily carriers who like a knife with visual character. Skip it if you want a large chopping blade, or if the camo inlay is too much for your taste, because this knife is not trying to be subtle.
Final Verdict
Kansept knives has built a reputation on designer collaborations that do not cost custom money, and the Baba Yaga is a good example of why. The steel is excellent, the frame lock is solid, and the design has more personality than most titanium folders at this price. EdcMall carries the A4 with the camo carbon inlay shown here.
