Flashlight manufacturer Fenix is getting into the knife business under the brand RUIKE Knives. The move leverages the company’s widespread distribution in the West and precipitates expected easing of Chinese knife laws. The Shenzhen, China-based company kicked off the year by introducing an extensive lineup of budget blades and they say plans are in place to offer more premium knives in the near future.

With restrictive laws in China, many knife manufacturers focus on exports, but RUIKE says there may be a change in the law to correspond with the increasing popularity of pocket gear throughout the country. “With China’s economic development, more and more people enjoy going outdoors, which increases the demand for high-quality knives,” RUIKE’s Camille Hong tells us. “Based on the growing market demand, we have reasons to believe that our country will release restrictions on knives within certain limits.”

Though the domestic outlook is favorable, RUIKE also plans to target Western markets. Fenix flashlights are found throughout North America including in big box stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Wal-Mart. Piggybacking on Fenix’s established distribution network should make RUIKE an instant contender in the marketplace. “We are in the process of expanding our RUIKE distributorship in the local market as well as the global market,” Hong says.

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