The Amalgam was designed from the ground up as a practical, versatile working knife that combined all the advantages of Spyderco's patented Compression Lock, a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole, and a flipper opener into one package. The brainchild of a college student named Brian Lai, the heart of the Amalgam is its broad, drop-point blade, which is full-flat ground from CPM S30V stainless steel. The PlainEdge blade rides on special low-friction ball-bearing washers contained within the ergonomic handle, which is constructed with nested, skeletonized stainless steel liners and textured carbon fiber/G-10 laminate scales. A four-position clip and lined lanyard hole provide convenient carry and allow the Amalgam to be brought into action quickly with either hand.