What have pocket knives got to do with retro handheld consoles? Logical thinking says “nothing,” but never mind what logic tells you, because WESN writes its own logic, and you know what? I think the Retro Collection by WESN totally works. This unlikely matrimony did two things. It somehow makes perfectly modern and cool blades into something that looks like they came straight out of the 90s, and an 8-bit a close relative.
WESN has been known to produce cool blades that are almost perfect for black-tie events, well, that is, if it is perfectly fine to bring knives along, but this time, it completely flips the design style. It ditches serious for fun, and yes, they are still cool blades.
Inspired by the translucent gaming consoles and handhelds of the 90s, central to the Retro Collection is Arcadite. Arcadite is a next-generation translucent polymer developed by WESN in collaboration with its manufacturing partners over the course of a year. It looks decidedly retro, and yet it outperforms the plastics from the era it pretends to be. Call it an upgraded plastic, I’ll say. It is more durable and more resistant to wear, all without sacrificing the visual character that makes it so retro-licious.
For this collection, WESN took its Allman and Microblade and gave them two distinct colorways, finished with precision-machined Arcadite polymer handles. Retro exists not only in the looks. It goes deep, right down to a custom-designed box unique to each model and color that offers a layered, tactile experience, like opening a video game in the 90s.
Making the entire retro experience complete is the included 8-bit keychain gaming console, dubbed WESNBoy (Game Boy, WESNBoy, get it? 😆). It is a keychain console featuring a range of playable 8-bit games, and it is, of course, clad in the same see-through polymer shell.
Back to the blades… the Allman is an EDC pocket knife featuring USA-sourced CPM S35VN steel, paired with a Grade 5 titanium back handle and a see-through Arcadite polymer front handle. It rocks liner lock mechanics. The Microblade, on the other hand, is a compact keychain pocket knife that has D2 tool steel for the blade, a dual-sided Arcadite polymer handle, and frame lock mechanics. It is super compact and keychain-ready—as the product name suggests.
The Retro Collection is a limited drop that will be launched on April 03, 2026, at 11 AM EST / 5 PM CET. The Allman version will sell for US$219, and the Microblade, US$135. If you are keen, you may dig into more details available on the official preview page.
Images: WESN.
