The Rockstead CHI-ZDP is a compact liner-lock folder developed as the successor to the earlier Beetle model. Its defining features are a mirror-polished Tanto blade in Shinogizukuri geometry, a hard-anodized aluminum handle with stingray inlays, and the dense, solid feel characteristic of Rockstead’s older aluminum-frame folders. The name CHI (智) means “intelligence” in Japanese.
ZDP189, Tanto and Shinogizukuri
The current CHI-ZDP uses a ZDP189 core clad in VG-10 stainless steel and is hardened to approximately 67 HRC. Rockstead changed the CHI to this clad ZDP189 construction in 2022. Unlike Rockstead’s convex Honzukuri blades, the CHI uses Shinogizukuri geometry. The Tanto profile is formed from clearly defined planes separated by a distinct shinogi line, giving the blade a more angular cross-section and a crisp transition toward the tip.
Hard-Anodized Aluminum and Stingray handle
The handle is machined from A6063S aluminum and finished with hard anodizing. Stingray inlays on both sides add texture and give the CHI a distinctly Japanese character without turning the handle into a decorative showpiece.
The aluminum construction also gives the CHI a different feel from Rockstead’s titanium folders: compact and solid in hand without the mass of a full titanium frame. Among owners who have handled several Rockstead models, the CHI is often singled out as a particularly well-balanced size between the smaller KOU and the larger HIGO.
Liner Lock and Smooth Action
The CHI uses a liner-lock mechanism with exceptionally smooth action .
The combination of the compact handle, Tanto Shinogizukuri blade, and smooth liner-lock action gives the CHI a very different character from the larger Honzukuri-based HIGO series.
Individually Serialized
Each CHI-ZDP is individually serialized and supplied with its original Rockstead documentation. The current clad-blade specification combines ZDP189, VG-10 cladding, approximately 67 HRC hardness, Shinogizukuri geometry, hard-anodized aluminum, and stingray inlays in one of Rockstead’s most compact full-size folding designs.
