After the crew at Phrobis (Qual-a-tec) tried out the folding knife with the attached belt clip they refined the design to include titanium scales. Phrobis had a source for powdered titanium and the had an outside firm sinter the side plates for them. Phrobis made a total of 50 of these titanium folders with Phrobis markings prior to licensing the design to Buck Knives. Buck won the "Knife of the Year Award" in 1986 for this knife.